Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_12_12_2021

12th December, 2021

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No.106573

Over 14,000 to benefit from water-treatment plant in Reg. 6 - $29B earmarked for future development

SEE PAGE

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$800M expansion for Citizens Bank Bartica operations SEE PAGE

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‘Guyana Walk’

to be established SEE PAGE

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$630M in cash grants distributed to fired sugar workers SEE PAGE

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An aerial view of the Sheet Anchor water-treatment plant, which is expected to benefit over 14,000 residents in Region Six

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

More jobs, contracts for Guyanese with local content legislation - Private Sector Commission says

By Navendra Seoraj COME Monday, the government will be tabling key pieces of legislation in the National Assembly, with one being the much-anticipated Local Content Legislation which is expected to lay the foundation for locals to be equitably and equally involved in development across various sectors of Guyana’s economy.

Speaking at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI)’s 132nd Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner, on Thursday evening, Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, said that when the National Assembly reconvenes next week, the government will be moving to table the Local Content Legislation and amendments to the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) Act. Both of the proposed legislative adjustments, once passed by the National As-

sembly and accented to by the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, are expected to serve, essentially, as the gold standard for operations in Guyana’s natural resources sector, guiding both the management of revenue generated from various activities and participation in every economic area.

International nonprofit organisation - the Natural Resource Governance Institute - in a report published in March 2015, said that many resource-rich countries make efforts to improve the local economy by leveraging linkages to extractive projects, beyond the revenues these generate.

“The value brought to the local, regional or national economy from an extraction project is referred to as the local content. A push toward local content strives to ensure that a company is hiring local labor and procuring local goods and services from the

host country,” the institute wrote.

Recognising the importance of local content and the significance of Local Content Legislation, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Paul Cheong, said that Guyana’s economy and its people only stand to benefit from such provisions.

“It will give the local persons and businesses more opportunities to participate in the industry through more jobs and contracts,” Cheong said in an invited comment to the Sunday Chronicle.

Already, over 800 Guyanese have been supplying ExxonMobil since the oiland-gas giant commenced operations in Guyana in 2015.

President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, speaking at the GCCI’s recent event, said that between 2015 to now, the company has spent US$540 million to procure goods and services from those

Chairman of the PSC, Paul Cheong suppliers.

“I am a firm believer — as it is the position of ExxonMobil — that Guyanese should not only benefit from the revenues that come from oil and gas, but should play an active role in the development of the resource as well,” Routledge related.

He highlighted that to date, more than 3,200 Guyanese are working on Exxon-

Mobil’s local operations and almost the entire supply chain for the company’s offshore activities has been relocated to this country.

It is expected that such Local Content Legislation will cater for the existing conditions, and while this would indeed be the case, President, Dr Irfaan Ali, had held firmly to the view that such a framework must not be static.

“Local content is not meant [to] be static… as our country continues to grow and change in nature, different aspects of the economy will evolve and the document has to evolve to match this development,” President Ali said during the opening of a stakeholder engagement forum on local content, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, in February.

In outlining his vision for this policy on the first day of the process, President Ali said: “For us, the policy has to be a living policy, one that is flexible, responsive and one that has great clarity and sets a

framework through which all are engaged and understand their responsibilities to local content.

“Local content is not only about doing business… local content is about building the capacity of local companies, giving them the capability to become globally competitive, so that they can have necessary transformation that would lead them to the next level.”

It is for this reason that the President said the policy, contrary to the belief that it will focus specifically on oil and gas, would cover every sector in the country.

“While it [oil and gas] will be one critically targeted area, the local content policy is one that will cover every sector of the country.

There is focus on insurance; the banking sector; development of manufacturing capacity; rentals, human resource transformation; and training and development in all emerging areas of the economy,” the Headof-State reasoned.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

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Over 14,000 to benefit from water-treatment plant in Reg. 6 - $29B earmarked for future development

By Nafeeza Yahya- Sakur OVER 14,000 residents in several communities in East Canje and other surrounding communities will benefit from potable water with the commissioning of a new water-treatment plant at Sheet Anchor, East Berbice-Corentyne, Region Six. President Dr Irfaan Ali was present on Saturday to officially commission the plant; it is a project that he initiated when he served as Minister of Housing and Water in 2014. The US$6 million or G$1.2 billion water-treatment plant was made possible through support from the European Union and the Inter-American Development Bank.

In his feature address, President Ali said while he is happy that the project has been realised, he is disappointed that it took so long to materialise due to a policy decision taken by the previous APNU+AFC administration. He noted that if they had continued on the strategic plan in place for the Guyana Water Inc (GWI), the project would have been completed over three years ago.

The President made clear that water is a fundamental right of every citizen and should not be used as a political tool.

Meanwhile, the Head of State noted that he is happy with the progress made

by GWI over the past year

President Dr Irfaan Ali; Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal; Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues and other officials at the unveiling of the plaque to officially commission the Sheet Anchor water-treatment plant to turn around some of the situation where we are is heading.” investment for hinterland policies and regression that actually approaching the The President was development.” took place during the AP- break-even point. The strong in message that the The President further NU+AFC’s term in office. company was at a point development of Guyana gave assurance of another “It was a nightmare to that would have allowed should not be politically $25 billion investment to go into communities as for rapid take-off. The manipulated. ensure that 90 per cent of Minister of Housing, every type of regression that took “In my mind, the de- the population along the single community there place, and I am not speak- velopment of Guyana is coast would have access was a complaint, lack of ing about personalities paramount over everything to treated water. resources, lack of technical here, I’m speaking strictly else, it is paramount to poDr Ali further advised capability, non-profitabili- about performance. The litical views.” the gathering on best ty, financial stress. It was up-to-date company audits $29B for future devel- practices for both conhard work, very, very dif- were delayed for years opment sumers and the company ficult and I want to thank where the operational costs Looking towards the and cautioned GWI to them for their hard work went through the roof are future development of look at the reduction of ... and I always say this things, we must not take GWI and provision of po- their operational costs. He what we worked for during for granted. table highlighted that energy those years and where we “And I am happy to water for all Guyanese, was responsible for 65 per brought the company. hear that whilst recognis- President Ali emphasised cent of the overhead ex“The CEO would tell ing the challenges that the need to look at the penses. In this regard, the you; we brought the com- faced the company a year provision of water not President urged GWI to pany from a neglected ago, that there is a clear only from an economic look at renewable energy non-profit scenario to a direction that the company standpoint, but also from sources. a social view. In this reMeanwhile, Minister gard, he pledged some $29 of Housing and Water, billion to help the company Collin Croal, in his adrealise its goals of pro- dress noted the delivery viding water to hinterland of a reliable supply of and riverine communities, clean, safe water to citias well as making treated zens is a commitment that water available to 90% of the government is workthe coastal areas. ing assiduously to fulfil.

“You have heard the “Our government company’s aggression for upon entering office rechinterland and riverine ognised that the availabilcommunities; we have ity of a safe and reliable cost this and it’s about supply of potable water is $4 billion in immediate a basic right that citizens investment in the medium are entitled to. But it is term that is required to no secret that the water support this, and I want sector had been in a poor to assure you this: that state in terms of infrathe government is com- structure and availability, mitted in providing this and that it is plagued by A section of the water-treatment plant four-billion-dollar capital other challenges too, like

high water loss, unacceptable levels of service and low-metered coverage among others.”

He posited that the water-treatment plant is a great boost to the community and urged the residents to protect it.

MASSIVE DEVELOPMENTS FOR REGION SIX President Ali assured the residents that Region Six can expect massive developments in healthcare with the addition of a new hospital, infrastructure, ICT and job creation.

“Region Six will see tremendous investment not only in water. Very soon, we will be releasing our plans for healthcare, which includes a modern hospital coming your way; we will be unleashing our infrastructure development; our ICT plan.

“As a matter of fact, only two days ago the Minister of Finance was in discussion with a major call centre that is willing to bring investment to Region Six that will create at least 500 jobs. We are now working on a new budget to put the money, to put the infrastructure in place to have this investment catalyzed as quickly as possible. We will announce shortly an agriculture diversification plan that is mind-blowing.”

Meanwhile, residents also expressed gratitude for realisation of the water- treatment plant.

Elaine Pellew, 57, a resident of Sheet Anchor, has been living in the community for over 40 years. She is happy for the new water-treatment facility as she can look forward to having access to clean and healthier water for her and her family.

Another resident, Parbattie Chatergoon, 56, said with the treated water she can save money since she no longer has to purchase bottled water.

Martin Lampkin, 61, another resident, expressed similar sentiments while reminiscing on how “rusty” the water used to be.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

$630M in cash grants distributed to fired sugar workers

A sugar worker receiving his cheque from Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh at Enmore, East Coast Demerara

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SOME $630 million was distributed to fired sugar workers on Saturday as the distribution of the $250,000 one-off cash grant commenced at the Enmore Estate Administration Office, East Coast Demerara and Wales Community Centre Ground, West Bank Demerara.

The grant, which will benefit over 7,000 sugars workers who were fired under the previous A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government, was announced by Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo in October 2021, while addressing sugar workers in Berbice.

Some $398 million was distributed to more

than 1,500 severed sugar workers at Enmore while $232 million was distributed to over 900 severed sugar workers at Wales on Saturday, and the distribution exercise continues Sunday at the Rose Hall and Skeldon Community Centres in Berbice.

Spearheading the distribution exercise on Saturday were Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh and Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha.

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Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha presenting a cheque to a severed sugar worker at Wales Community Centre Ground, West Bank Demerara mitment to rebuilding and restructuring the sugar industry, and providing direct relief to the people of Guyana.

Dr. Singh shared that the closure of the sugar estates by the APNU+AFC administration was a most callous, cruel and unconscionable decision committed against workers, including thousands of persons in the industry, as well as tens of thousands living in communities that depend on the industry.

“When they flipped the switch and padlocked the gates and said these factories were not operating anymore, they were not just closing a factory, they were putting a noose around the neck of entire communities.

“You don’t have to be a genius to figure out what would happen to a family if you put the primary breadwinner out of work and there were 7,000 families like that across the country,” he said.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, he reasoned that the sugar industry still has an important contribution to make to Guyana, and noted that the government is committed to the revitalisation and restructuring of the industry to support a

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diversified and modernised sector to ensure its sustainability and economic viability.

Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha added that the distribution exercise represents another fulfilled commitment made by the government to improve the lives of people.

“When we were in Opposition, we said when we returned to government, we would ensure that the sugar workers who were severed would receive some form of assistance although they already received their severance pay.

We are here today and, as a party, when we make promises we always deliver on those promises,” he said.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government, since assuming power just over a year ago, has been making good on its promise to reopen all the closed estates with the exception of the Wales Estate, which has been deemed inoperable, and hundreds of sacked sugar workers have been employed thus far.

Mustapha highlighted that, to date, approximately 1,200 workers who were fired, have been re-employed.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

ExxonMobil foresees scope for 10 projects in Stabroek Block - Routledge says value of ongoing, near-term projects exceeds US$30B

The Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel

By Navendra Seoraj BASED on preliminary assessments of the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, ExxonMobil believes that there is scope for 10 projects, which could generate billions of US dollars in revenue for Guyana over the coming years.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometers), with current discovered recoverable resources estimated at more than 10 billion oilequivalent barrels.

Addressing a gathering of businessmen and women at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI)’s 132nd Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner, on Thursday evening, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, said: “We believe there is scope for up to 10 projects on the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana. We have an active exploration programme offshore where we have made an additional five discoveries this year.”

Already, the projects taking place in the Stabroek Block provide a foundation for growth of the private sector, he said.

“It is difficult to over-

estimate the scale of what is taking place. The Liza Destiny began production in December 2019. Currently, the government has received nine lifts of one million barrels each, which combined with royalties has resulted in more than US$500 million in revenues,” Routledge related.

Further, he said that the Liza Unity arrived in Guyana’s waters in late October of this year and is expected to begin production early next year. The Unity’s production target is 220,000 barrels per day, a significant increase from the Liza Destiny.

Added to this, the company has a third project approved by the government, Payara. The Prosperity, which will service this project, is under construction in Singapore and expected to sail for Guyana in 2023.

“And of course, as many of you know, we are currently in discussions with the government regarding the field development plan for the Yellowtail Project. Then, there is the gas-to-energy project which will deliver lower cost electricity and be a cornerstone of the Wales Estate Development,” Routledge said.

When consolidated, those projects represent

around US$30 billion of foreign-direct investment in Guyana that will generate billions of US dollars in revenue to the country over the coming years.

In light of this, the ExxonMobil Guyana President said: “This is the foundation in place, and it goes well beyond ExxonMobil Guyana. This line up of projects is the basis for planning among our major contractors, many of whom have opened headquarters here.”

According to him, to date, all of the major international oil and gas contractors have a presence in Guyana and have steadily been moving activities from the United States, Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago.

As a result of this movement of resources, almost the entire supply chain for ExxonMobil’s offshore activities have been relocated to Guyana.

This, Routledge said, has created opportunities for the Guyanese private sector, whether it is buildouts for shore base, warehousing, or waste treatment facilities.

“As part of the Yel-

lowtail project, we also plan to invest in a project shore base that will enable an increase in fabrication and load-out activities in Guyana,” the ExxonMobil Guyana President related.

PREPARE Ahead of this, he encouraged the local private sector to use this opportunity to build capacity, capability and experience for long-term international competitiveness. It is Routledge’s firm view that the private sector, in so doing, could transform the national economy with a profound, positive effect on lives across the country.

As the industry itself gears up for further production, there are six drill ships operating offshore Guyana, namely the Stena Carron, the Stena DrillMAX, the Noble Bob Douglas, the Noble Tom Madden, the Noble Don Taylor and the Noble Sam Croft.

Westmount Energy had said that Guyana, with its positive prospects and vast potential, remains one of the few areas of “blue-chip” interest in high-impact exploration.

Investopedia defines bluechip stocks as secure investments because they pay out dividends as well as consistently and steadily grow over time.

As it is now, Guyana is expected to end the year with over US$600 million in its Natural Resource Fund (NRF). Revenues reaching close to US$70 million could be earned from the sale of the country’s final oil lift for this year, which was completed recently.

President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge Guyana had earned close to US$80 million from the sale of its penultimate lift for 2021, taking the total earnings in the NRF to over US$534 million.

According to the Bank of Guyana’s monthly report on the NRF, the aggregate sum moved from US$436,132,855.53 in September to US$534,016,987.03 in October.

This is as a result of the country earning G$16,757,920,000 from “profit oil” and G$3,647,083,000 (approximately US$17 million) in royalties from ExxonMobil.

A report compiled by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) early this year showed that earnings from Guyana’s oil and gas sector could reach US$31 billion (roughly G$6.7 trillion) by 2035.

Moving ahead, considering the immense direct and indirect benefits that

will accrue to Guyana from the oil and gas sector, President Ali said there will be key initiatives for managing the sector, with some already in the draft stage.

Among those initiatives are the draft Local Content Policy and Bill, building local content for audit, revising fiscal management, and establishing an accountability and transparency framework.

“Resources will be used to enhance the traditional economy and create a pathway to build sustainable and diversified sectors to bring long-term prosperity,” Dr. Ali said.

The overarching plan, as outlined by the Head of State, is to build an equitable society, in which every Guyanese person, irrespective of the region in which they live, irrespective of their ethnic or religious background, would have an equal opportunity and stake in the development of the country.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

Democratic Renewal

PRESIDENT, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has re-affirmed Guyana’s commitment to the ideals of democracy and the full respect for human rights.

That commitment was made during a recent United States Department Summit for Democracy hosted by President Joseph Biden. The twoday summit focused on combatting corruption, safeguarding against authoritarian rule and promoting human rights with the aim of establishing an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies through collective action.

The summit could not come at a better time in world history when democracy is under threat in several parts of the globe.

As noted by President Ali, it was not so long ago that Guyana faced a severe threat to its democracy, when attempts were made

by the APNU+AFC Coalition to subvert the will of the Guyanese electorate. It took the collective effort of the local and international community before the attempt to rig the last general and regional elections were thwarted. The United States played a significant role in safeguarding our democracy, for which as a society we have to be thankful.

If there is one thing that can be said of democracy, it is that it cannot be taken for granted. The United States itself was given a stark reminder of the fragility of democracy when attempts were made to challenge the results of the last presidential elections which saw the unprecedented storming of Capitol Hill, allegedly by disgruntled supporters of former President, Donald Trump. That action has left a permanent scar on the democratic credentials of the United States, which, over the decades, had prided itself as the bastion of democracy in the world.

In the case of Guyana, democracy was denied to the Guyanese people for nearly three decades by the PNC regime which managed to perpetuate its rule through a combination of force and fraud. The country paid a heavy price in terms of economic and social retrogression and suffered a breakdown of the moral fabric of the society. Guyana was reduced to the poorest country in the western hemisphere and life for the average Guyanese was a living hell.

It was not until the intervention of the United States and much arm-twisting by the Carter Centre that democracy was finally restored to the country on October 5, 1992. Elections since then were generally free and fair, except for some PNC-generated tensions and destabilisation efforts to unseat the PPP from office. The May 2020 General and Regional Elections were the closest we have come since the infamous

days of blatantly rigged elections. Fortunately, we survived that shameful episode and attempts are now underway to consolidate our democracy.

As observed by Guyana’s President Ali, democracy is indivisible and cannot be maintained nationally unless it is sustained internationally. In this regard, the Guyana Government is taking firm measures to strengthen the foundation of democracy in Guyana and has also pledged to play its part in championing the cause of democracy in the world at large. According to President Ali, ‘the global chain of freedom is only as strong as its weakest link. Democratic enhancement and renewal, therefore, require global effort; one that takes full account of the multidimensional aspects of democracy, including the provision of conditions for economic progress’.

Autocracy and dictatorship have no place in

our modern and civilised world, and, in the words of President Ali, must not be allowed to become pandemics, crossing borders and infecting political processes across the globe, particularly infecting poor and vulnerable countries whose people have little to loose.

As Guyana progresses to higher levels of development and prosperity, the need to create a stable and enduring democracy become all the more important. It is an established fact that development and human progress flourishes best in an environment of democracy, as our own experience in Guyana has so forcibly demonstrated.

Development practitioners have long pointed to the close correlation between a culture of democracy and human progress. Any rupture of democracy therefore is an assault on the human condition and must be uprooted with our collective might.

United States President said that he wanted to host the summit because, ‘Here in the United States we know, as well as everyone, that renewing our democracy and strengthening our democratic institutions require constant effort.’

Democracy, he said, does not happen by accident. We have to renew it with each generation. And this is an urgent matter because the data we are seeing is largely pointing in the wrong direction.

The Guyanese President was joined by several other leaders drawn from government, civil society and the private sector. The summit coincided with International Human Rights Day which was observed on December 10, to raise awareness about the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being. The day is also in celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948.

West Indies cricket is in decline Dear Editor, THE West Indies were humiliated in the just concluded tour in Sri Lanka. More serious was that the defending 2021 ICC World Cup champions failed miserably to even advance from the ‘play-offs’.

It was indeed very much anticipated that the team that was selected to play in the World Cup would only be able to participate in the tournament.

The administrators and particularly the coach and chief selector did not offer any explanation for their choices, total failure. The performance of the once

powerful West Indies was so disgraceful that there is no certainty that they will play in the up-coming 2022 ICC world Cup Championship.

West Indies are scheduled to play Pakistan in three One Day Internationals and three 20/20 Internationals during this month. While the West Indies team selected to play in Pakistan does not include some of those pensioners who were selected to participate in the last World Cup, the team on paper certainly look much inferior to the powerful Pakistan team. The team will be under Shai

Hope as the captain. Hope is not even a certainty to play if he is not captain. The tried and tested Nicholas Pooran will be his deputy on tour. The batting looks very feeble on paper. Darren Bravo, who was a standby passenger in the world Cup will be the certainty batsman in the team. It will be interesting to follow the performance of Shamarh Brooks on tour. Young Justin Greaves along with the experienced Roston Chase will have to be at their best. The three all-rounders, Raymon Reifer, Ramario Shepherd and Odean Smith are

the future of West Indies cricket. The spinners are Hayden Walsh Jr, Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie.

It is interesting to know that this team will have to play against the might of one of the best batsman in the world, Babar Azam. However, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman, along with Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, not to name the others, are hot favourites to humiliate the West Indies. Cricket fans and supporters in the Caribbean will be looking at the West indies team playing

against Pakistan only to have more stress and frustration.

As we move into 2022, the home team is scheduled to play the powerful English team in a test series. All eyes will be on the team that will be selected to play against the powerful visitors. The batting in the last test series was so poor that not a single West Indian player was able to score a century or even average 50 in the series.

Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite was in a sea floating. While Vice-Captain Jermaine Blackwood was a total failure. Nk-

rumah Bonner was lost.

The West Indies were humiliated by 187 runs in the first test match and by 164 runs in the second. It is better for us to forget about what took place in that test series. However, Veerasammy Permaul and Roston Chase bowled encouragingly. West Indies cricket desperately need the intervention of the Caribbean leaders. The quality of cricket that we are seeing around the world is far superior than the mere participation that the West indies team is engaged in.

Yours sincerely, Neil Kumar

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

Agriculture sector has robustly returned to vibrancy

Dear Editor, THE systematic and scientific manner in which the agriculture sector is being competently managed is a guarantee that Guyana will never suffer from the Dutch disease, which simply put, is the total or partial neglect of the other sectors due to the booming oil and gas sector. This government’s policies on agriculture are commendable and beyond any condemnation, quite unlike its predecessor’s.

The Honourable Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, at his fourth capacity-packed outreach in Region Six made it

abundantly clear that the achievements which the agriculture sector has made in just over a year has once again catapulted Guyana as the leader in food production in CARICOM. The minister not only boasted that Guyana will close the 40 per cent gap in food imports by 2025 but outlined carefully crafted and achievable strategic plans.

He explained to his packed audience that new roads will be opened which will give farmers accessibility to thousands of hectares of virgin arable lands. This is already in the making. This will not only boost the production of rice and other

crops such as citrus, but will create employment.

He gave some examples: 52 and 58 backlands up to the Canje Creek and Moleson Creek in Region Six. I could recall that a similar plan to build an all-weather road at 52-58 Villages was given to the former Minister of Agriculture and a discussion held with a large-scale farmer in Berbice but was unceremoniously dumped. The Coalition was simply not interested in the agriculture sector. They had a fixation on oil and gas.

This was most definitely a guaranteed recipe for the Dutch curse. But the Coalition ignored the

mass condemnation and criticisms. Even today the leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan brags about the ‘competence’ of Noel Holder. He always sees things in a distorted manner. There are volumes which can be written about the decimation of the agriculture sector by the Coalition.

In addition, the minister outlined the ongoing progress in the cultivation of high value crops, such as broccoli and cauliflower and the establishing of agro-processing plants in various regions. In this regard, there are numerous major investors who are engaging the government. He

also emphasised the need to change the perception of agriculture and get young people involved in the many lucrative ventures available in the sector.

He also outlined the many infrastructural development plans in the pipeline such as the deep water harbour, the road to Brazil, the installation of new pumps and the building of a Hope-sized canal between Adventure and #43 Villages. Like any investment there is a timeline after which it will bear dividend and the minister made a commitment that his ministry and all the others will work together with all farmers

to ensure that the objectives of his ministry, both short and long-term will be achieved.

In conclusion, the agriculture sector was not only neglected by the Coalition but there were deliberate acts and omissions to annihilate it since Coalition leaders saw the sector as PPP-based and a threat which must be eliminated. The former President, David Granger, had made it clear that ‘rice farming is private business’, just read between the lines.

Dear Editor,

is politically un-aligned.

GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh, has made the right decision to vote in support of Mr. Persaud.

She is the ultimate professional and a non-political and non-politicised person.

She has not made decisions based on politics or partisanship but on the law. She has been deliberate in her decision making. As a former judge, she recognises the importance of the law.

It is wrong for anyone to impugn her integrity.

I can’t think of anyone better suited and one more qualified than the known applicants for the role of CEO of GECOM than Vishnu Persaud. He is a technocrat and a great resource professional. It is widely known that he was unjustly robbed of the Deputy CEO position in 2017 when the then Chair, James Patterson, chose a less qualified person for the position.

Vishnu Persaud is deserving of the position

having served in a deputy role at GECOM for a period of time and prior to that as scribe as well as the agency’s Public Relations person. While there, he was outstanding in his performance. He served with commitment, zeal, and dedication. I recall making a request to then Chair, Dr. Steve Surujbally, for some documents pertaining to my research for the 2006 elections. The Chair directed me to Mr. Persaud.

He was most helpful. He

showed that he was smart, wise, discerning, and professional in his several roles at GECOM before he was unjustly not re-hired.

I am confident that he will be equally competent, if not more, in executing his duties and responsibilities.

I know Persaud has worked hard to reach this point, and I’m so happy that he has been duly recognised for his competence being hired for this new assignment. It is well-deserved. I’m extremely

pleased with the choice and I’m confident that he will serve the country well.

With this new appointment comes a new mantel of responsibility. I am confident he will carry them out with grace and professionalism. I wish the new CEO all the best in this new term of office.

are so pleased that the position has been filled after much rancor between government and opposition election commissioners. We are not surprised that Vishnu has been selected for the position. He is deserving of it.

We are very delighted that the vacancy has been filled. GECOM can now resume its work to register new voters, update its electoral roll, and prepare for Local Government Elections.

Mr. Persaud is the right

person for the job. We are so glad that he put in an application for this position. He was/is the perfect choice for this role given his many years of experience working at GECOM and serving a few years as its Deputy CEO. While there, he worked very hard, earning accolades from his boss as well as colleagues. His work history was very impressive. Yet, he was (unjustly) denied the position in 2017 because of a biased selection

process. But his persistence paid off this time around. He finally has an opportunity to demonstrate his strengths and accomplishments. URP says he has earned his new position. And we feel he will add incredible value given his hardworking nature and determination.

There is no doubt that he is very qualified for the position. He comes with a lot of experience and served professionally. We are confident that he will lead the

agency with integrity that was his hallmark there and that was regrettably shattered under his predecessor during the failed attempts to rig the March 2, 2020 general elections. And we are sure that under his leadership there would never be a repeat of what took place between March 2 and August 1, 2020.

URP takes this opportunity to pledge our support for his work to help strengthen the integrity of

the elections commission.

We are confident that he will serve the nation well!

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

Vishnu Persaud is the right man for the job

I WRITE in praise of the appointment of Vishnu Persaud as GECOM CEO. He is the right person for the job with the requisite skill set, knowledge, experience, competence, ability, discipline, work ethic, and personality to carry out the body’s functions. Vishnu Persaud is a professional and a man of integrity and is the most qualified candidate for the position. He

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

We cheer GECOM Dear Editor,

THE United Republican Party congratulates Mr. Vishnu Persaud on his selection as new CEO of GECOM and wishes him every success in his new duties and responsibilities.

We cheer GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh, for her tie breaking vote. It was an excellent decision.

The elections commission has been without a CEO for several months and we

We wish Vishnu Persaud a successful tenure and the absolute best. May he live up to the nation’s trust and faith in him to deliver credible elections!

Yours truly Dr. Vishnu Bandhu URP Leader

8

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

Vendor strangles wife, takes his own life at Martyrs Ville A CLOTHES vendor, who had earlier attended court for domestic abuse, murdered his reputed wife

and then took his own life on Friday night at their Martyrs Ville, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara

(ECD) residence.

Dead is 48-year-old Malini Wahid and 50-yearold Balram Heeralall called ‘Nappy’. A police report detailed that the couple lived together and would normally have domestic issues as Heeralall is currently before the Sparendaam Magistrate’s court for assaulting and threatening the woman.

Police said that on Friday, the couple were before the court and they were both released to return home. Heeralall later left home to sell clothing and on his way, he called his wife and told her that a horse hit his car and she must visit him at Triumph Public Road.

However, she did not go. About 20:15 hours on Friday, he arrived home

-had attended court hours before on assault charges

with his car and complained of feeling pain in his chest and she then rubbed his chest and offered him tea which he refused.

He then requested to go to the doctor in his car and for her to accompany him but she insisted that they take a taxi and an argument ensued.

Police said that during her cries for help, a neighbour jumped the fence and saw Heeralall choking Wahid while she laid on the floor of the living room; he was reportedly telling her to die as he choked her.

He then lay next to Wahid as he took his life.

Heralall was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital by paramedics of the

Dead: Balram Heeralall

Dead: Malini Wahid

Melanie Fire Station, where he died shortly after.

Relatives told the media that Wahid endured years of abuse at the hands of the man. They

said calls to the domestic violence hotline – 914 went unanswered on Friday night and by the time the police arrived, Wahid was dead.

GECOM’S new CEO Vishnu Persaud is the new Chief Elections Officer at the Guyana Elections Commission, and the opposition-nominated Commissioners are not happy, to place it in the mildest of terms.

After all, Vincent Alexander thought he had it all figured out. He was lobbying the case of Jamaican Leslie Harrow to get the nod for the critical job that involves the management of the conduct and registration of the elections.

Unfortunately, he and the other Opposition Commissioners will have to quash whatever plan they were brewing ahead of the Local Government Elections and the subsequent General and Regional Elections.

They will have to inform whomever the bosses are at Congress Place of all the developments taking place at GECOM and get a new line of action now.

Hopefully, Alexander and the other two commissioners will not be pretty or hold a grudge against Persaud and seek to willfully undermine his authority from the level of the Commission where they sit.

With Persaud now back at home (GECOM) and actively guarding the elections and elections staff, there is

a tremendous outpouring of optimism that these elections are going to be free, fair, free from fear, and credible. He is qualified and competent for the job according to GECOM Chairman, Justice Claudette Singh, who broke the tie and selected him.

As a new CEO, there will be a few things expected of Persaud from the start of his tenure at the Commission.

Firstly, he should familiarise himself with all the processes which were changed at the Commission during Keith Lowenfeild’s tenure. He should also get hold of a copy of the proposed electoral reforms that government wishes to pilot through the National Assembly. These reforms would impact the quality of the elections drastically and GECOM’S mandate under the new dispensation.

Additionally, Persaud should be mindful of whom he trusts and has in his circle from GECOM. He must also demonstrate a high degree of integrity, impartiality, and fairness. His entire focus must be on getting the job done within the timeframe. It is safe to say that Alexander and the Commissioners will be holding his feet firmly to the fire as he will be held to the highest standards.

Secondly, he must undertake a very detailed staff assessment at the level of top management, filling all the vacancies that are important to have free and fair elections.

And, all politically-appointed and square pegs in round holes must be dismissed or reassigned.

They are some known political personnel loyal to Keith Lowenfeild, Clairmont Mingo, and Roxanne Myers within the Secretariat and GECOM who deserve his urgent attention. They are functioning as moles and informants.

Persaud knows the competence of everyone at GECOM because he has been there for 17 years to date. He must ensure the smooth functioning of the Secretariat in an unbiased, professional, and disciplined manner.

Thirdly, he must ensure GECOM is 100 per cent ready for Local Govt Polls next year. This move is critical for democracy and good governance. It will serve as the first test for Persaud boosting the political parties’ and the public’s confidence that he will be fair in his duties.

After the elections last year, GECOM must not rush to mess up and fumble the

election again. It must take its time to start evaluating its elections readiness and preparation plans. For instance, the voter education and training of polling day staff need urgent attention.

Similarly, the voters’ list needs to be refreshed since it expired for upcoming elections via continuous registration exercise or house to house registration exercise.

Only then will GECOM confirm the number of ballots that it will print. These things are critical to the elections process, and they have not been done to date.

Fourthly, GECOM PPPnominated Commissioners must watch Alexander closely. He will seek to put a person he favours and can control in the post of Deputy CEO, right under the nose of the CEO at GECOM. They must look closely at his posture and arguments.

Remember, the opposition commissioners want to have someone whom they can get to control or exercise political influence over inside GECOM’s Secretariat.

Persaud will have to monitor this stringently.

Finally, GECOM is off to a good start. It looks like it will be exciting with the usual elections drama. The race to Local Government Elections has really begun.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

Medicine reformulation and repositioning as a business strategy

Reformulation and repositioning of medicines, also referred to as repurposing, has become the norm in the pharmaceutical industry for optimising investment costs of a product lifecycle. Drug reformulation is the development of different formulations for the same medicine and drug reposition is finding a new therapeutic use(s) for an old tested and established drug.

The rationale behind this business strategy is to exhaust growth opportunities which arise from the evitable threats within this industry such as rapid drug development by competition, attrition from clinical trials, intensified drug safety concerns, restricted patents period, generic competition and regulatory demands.

Apart from reducing the risk to the pharmaceutical manufacturer, especially in the event of a product recall or collateral damage due to an unforeseen adverse event, this cost-effective strategy maximises returns on investment.

Pharma giants which invest in innovation expend approximately US$1.3B to bring a new drug to market, with 10-17 years to reclaim their investment after discounting time for product development and regulatory review from the 20-year patents period, granted from the date of the application.

Notwithstanding the patents, new therapeutic advantages yielding better results is another driving force for an enhanced drug product.

A new formulation or a new indication is visibly presented on newly designed packages and or labels stating “new and improved”. Branding of the new and improved product as a marketing strategy increases sales by repositioning the product and expanding the target audience.

The success story of drug repositioning was witnessed in 1998 with the drug sildenafil, popularly known as Viagra and with a revised marketing strategy for erectile dysfunction. The same drug marketed under the name Revatio for the indication of pulmonary arterial hypertension in adult, is still unheard of today.

Reformulation includes a change in molecular formulary either because of concentration of active ingredient, inactive compounds or drug delivery mechanism. The pharmacokinetic features of the product can be altered to generate an improved pill that is dosage compliant such as modified release

formulations (MR), extended release (XL) and slow release (SR) versions of the original formula. This strategy is used by pharmaceutical companies which produce chronic illness medications that are required to be taken multiple times daily, which can become burdensome.

New versions that extend its mechanism of action over an extended period of time is favoured. So product transition or rationalisation occurs as seen in some medicines such as Vastarel to Vastarel MR and Diamicron to Diamicron MR. Such companies’ business strategy for the rationalisation of product lines is usually to target the market share from generic equivalent since the patents period would have soon been expired. But it was marketed as a convenient dosing for the patient. It was a win-win situation. The company got a return on investment from the products even in the presence of the high quality generic equivalent glicazide and trimetazidine.

Another type of drug reformulation is a slight change of the chemical molecular structure of the parent drug either making a prodrug or an analogue, a more bioavailable compound.

For example, pregabalin is a GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) analogue of gabapentin, an amino acid derivative, both indicated for neuropathic pain where the former has a more pronounced effect using far less milligrams. Pregabalin, though not a prodrug, is designed to give 90 plus per cent absorption rate with a peak plasma concentration in an hour, as compared to a maximum of 60 per cent absorption rate, peaking in three hours for gabapentin. Hence it is better tolerated at lower dosages with a better side effect profile, such as the dizziness, drowsiness and loss of balance, which are the pharmacodynamics effects of these types of compounds.

A tweak in the amount of milligrams and dosing interval can create a marketing opportunity as well. For example, Tylenol Extra Strength and Tylenol Arthritis, both the same drug which has 500 and 650mg respectively but taken differently; either every six hours (less milligrams and less effect on the liver) or every eight hours (more milligram released incrementally into the blood so as to prevent liver failure).

The route of administration can also be the variant drug feature, such as GTN sublingual tablets versus GTN spray, both

prescribed for angina pains.

Of course, when the benefit is faster onset of action for a critical condition, then the product will be sought after and this will translate into revenue for the company.

Today, current innovation in pharmaceutical manufacturing can appeal to the personal preferential choice of the consumers by presenting various versions of the same formula.

This is evident in some vitamin presentations in the OTC market, all resulting in the same effect but from a wide selection of effervescent, dispersible, chewable, powder and gummy preparations.

Some other non-drug examples of remodeling are upgrades in medical devices, which is a prevalent business strategy.

For example the transition of glucometer machines such as the One Touch branded series; first One Touch, then One Touch Ultra, then One Touch Ultra Mini, then One Touch Verio, then One Touch Select and now One Touch Reveal. Each time a differentiated feature and a corresponding benefit is marketed.

New machines are distributed at no cost to the consumer, as a “bait and switch” strategy for the continuous business from the matching test strips.

However, not all drug refor-

mulation strategies have been successful. Pfizer, in 2007, incurred a US$2.8B loss by trying to move its market from injectable insulin to an inhaled form of insulin. Another company MannKind Corporation took up the challenge in 2014 for a similar product, selling its feature of the inhaler to diabetics, promising a pain-free benefit (no more needle sticks). But the profitability still remained below expectation although improved only recently due to a revenue increase from a reduction of expenses of clinical trials.

Generally, to increase the return on investments, reformulation and repositioning of medi-

cines has become an inevitable business strategy for pharmaceutical companies that invest in research and development.

New marketing campaigns are launched to maximise the profitability before the expiration of the patents period of a product.

For further consultations, contact the founder/pharmacist of Medicine Express PHARMACY located at 223 Camp Street, between Lamaha and New Market Streets. If you have any queries, comments or further information on the above topic kindly forward them to medicine.express@gmail.com or send them to 223 Camp Street, N/burg. Tel #225-5142.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

The No Confidence vote and the Coalition: three years later NEXT week marks three years (2018) since the Alliance For Change (AFC) back-bencher Charrandas Persaud voted in favour of the PPP Opposition-sponsored No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against the APNU+AFC Coalition Government in the National Assembly. It was a defining moment in Guyana’s political history that had never happened before.

I suppose a few would forget that political episode.

Persaud has maintained that he was not forced or influenced by the PPP or anyone to vote in favour of the NCM. He said he voted with his conscience, purporting that he was against the Coalition’s policy for passing a pension bill for Hamilton Green of a monthly sum of G$1.3 million and the closing of the sugar estates in his home county of Berbice. In the latter situation, Persaud stated that he saw the suffering of the sugar workers and that was too much for him to ignore. He had to do something even if that meant putting his life on the line.

The above background information on the NCM which led to the eventual ousting of the Coalition from power is, of course, not news. What is worth reiterating though is that power is not guaranteed in a system where one is required to toe the line in which power is almost equally distributed. To be fixated on whether or not Persaud was persuaded to support the NCM would be to miss what happened during that unforgettable night by miles. In a one-seat majority government, the ball could and

did bounce in different directions, which the Coalition picked up on after the fact that it had indeed fallen.

My aim is to show how the Coalition has since navigated itself through the contours of Guyana politics since 2018 drawing upon some things that were said and printed in the media about how the Coalition failed to recognise that the Charrandas bombshell was coming like a hurricane. What I am about to share I think still bothers the Coalition, and its sluggish attitude, until recently, as an opposition, might very well be directly related to the No Confidence Vote (NCV).

I do receive reports on social media, and, of course, read the dailies on Guyana as they stream onto my iPhone. Some commentaries and views are all over the place, detouring in different directions, but what was said and printed have informed and convinced me that the Charrandas episode has found a sacred place in the Coalition. I provide three of many observations that led me to believe that PNC is still reeling from the NCV. The first observation was that Forbes Burnham would not have allowed the NCM because he, Burnham, was so politically astute he would have detected the NCM coming before it happened. When I heard this my mind jumped to the dictatorial tendencies of that man but that was not the point. Burnham would have recognised in a one-seat majority the pressing priority would have been to bring in more Parliamentary members

from the opposition into the Coalition. This was an interesting point since Burnham was actually good at bringing Indians from the opposition into the PNC. How he would have done so might not have complemented political brinkmanship, but he would have gotten the job done.

It is this brinkmanship that the older heads in PNC continue to use as a pressure weapon against David Granger. The latter failed to deliver the needed admirable leadership skills of his former party leader to Guyana because his admiration of Burnham was more abstractive than practical, something his PNC members/followers recognised much later but chose not to voice their opinion openly. It turned out to be a costly mistake since PPP capitalised on Granger’s abstractive weakness as a vision for Guyana.

The second observation that worth discussing is that some in the Coalition have looked back and questioned why the NCM even got out of the National Assembly given that in the Coalition there were at least six lawyers. The argument is that the lawyers in the Coalition should have blocked, or at least, stalled the NCM before it got out of the National Assembly.

The motive was to frustrate the process by presenting various arguments to buy time, and when that option was exhausted, move onto the Guyanese and Caribbean Court of Justice. Why was this motive not pursued can only be answered by examining the mental capacity of the lawyers in the Coalition. Your guess is as good as mine.

The third observation underscores the continued narrative that Charrandas showed no signs that he would support the NCM, and so, the cats in the Coalition had no reason to suspect and think otherwise. Here is the question for the Coalition. Would a bank robber inform the police and public that he intends to rob the bank on Friday morning at 9:00 am, sharp? These above unanswered questions emanating from the NCM continue to haunt the Coalition, which have caused much suspicion towards the Indian element in the Coalition and much finger pointing while the PPP has moved on (lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums.edu).

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

Competition accelerating in the Caribbean

IN early December, Trinidad and Tobago launched an auction seeking bids for 17 deep-water oil-andgas blocks. The government recently shortened the bidding timeframe to ensure that it can more quickly announce results, which are expected in about nine months’ time.

As this bidding round began, the government announced yet another round in 2022 for both onshore and shallow-water areas. In mid-October, Suriname signed a 30year production-sharing contract with Chevron to develop Block 5, which sits near the border of Guyana’s lucrative Stabroek Block, after concluding a year-long auction process of its own.

This news is typical of aggressive efforts across the Region to boost exploration while oil prices are high and seize the same opportunities Guyana has been able to capture. While some environmentalists continue to call for a halt to development, most countries are

pressing ahead, at least in the short term, to meet rising demand for oil and gas.

A longer-term switch to cleaner energy sources is still expected, but will take time and significant investment. While that shift is widely supported, it will not happen overnight. Most importantly, for the developing world, energy development is necessary to make the above transition possible. Developed energy producers such as the United States and Australia are also moving forward aggressively on both fronts, opening up areas for oil and gas to meet demand and reduce prices for their citizens, while building up their clean-energy sectors.

For its part, Guyana is moving to more than double production in 2022 with the recent arrival of its second floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. Production company ExxonMobil is already in talks with contractor SBM Offshore NV to build a fourth multibillion dollar FPSO to further increase

production capabilities in the country, after signing off on a third in late 2020.

The country just delivered its fifth and final oil lift of 2021, its ninth lift since production began in 2019.

According to the government, the country’s Natural Resources Fund (NRF) now stands at over USD$534 million, and although the government has yet to use this money, the NRF has been accumulating funds to be spent on domestic infrastructure and social programmes.

This early success has been partially due to the phased approach to oiland-gas development. That strategy of bringing on production vessels one at a time while exploration continues has enabled Guyana to begin development quickly and safely, while allowing time to adjust regulations and make plans to use energy revenues. In contrast, Suriname has yet to bring any major offshore production online and will likely miss out on this period of high prices and high rev-

enues.

Starting with a lowercapacity FPSO has allowed Guyana to begin production, while also providing time to manufacture a larger FPSO that required more time to build. The phased approach has also allowed the country to develop a local content strategy, which will soon be presented to the National Assembly for review. By starting smaller and earlier, local companies and workers have been able to develop their capabilities and safely take on more responsibilities gradually as the industry grows. More than 800 local companies are involved in the industry to date.

With a successful start to oil-and-gas development, Guyana’s future is bright.

The country is on the cusp of much higher revenues as global demand and prices of energy products remain high. But pausing development now, as some have suggested, might be risky.

While demand for oil is predicted to remain high for at least the next decade

or two, the longer-term is uncertain. Oil is seen by many as a “use it or lose it” resource, given the likelihood of increasingly strict global measures to reduce emissions.

Calls to pause Guyana’s blossoming energy sector could be detrimental to the long-term development prospects if other countries seize the opportunity instead. Pausing now might also risk undoing the progress that has already been made. Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo highlighted this concern in remarks to the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry last week and explained his views about the hypocrisy behind it. “If you add all of the emissions from ExxonMobil in Guyana from the FPSO and all the emissions from every sector in Guyana, it will not be equivalent to the emissions of the world in one hour. And yet we are contributing to climate change? President Biden and the others have just asked their oil-and-gas producers to pump more

oil because oil prices are skyrocketing in the U.S. and in many places in the world.

So, these NGOs believe we must shut down operations here. But in the developed world they want more oil pumped because prices are escalating and affecting their people, their businesses, and their consumers,” Jagdeo said.

Many new industries and services, like hospitality, legal offices, and financial services, are just taking off due to increased demand from the oil-andgas industry. Companies in these and many other spaces are now beginning to rely on this heightened demand to expand and improve their businesses. Pausing development could hurt this new activity and keep out muchneeded continued investment in local business.

Right now, Guyana is lucky enough to be in a privileged position as an attractive destination for major investment. It is crucial that we take advantage of that opportunity before others do so.

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‘Guyana Walk’ to be established parallel to feature arts, craft and all things local with Lamaha Street President Dr Irfaan Ali speaking at the Guyana Tourism Awards on Wednesday (Office of the President photo)

By Rehana Ahamad

IN yet another move to promote Guyana as a unique and breathtaking tourism destination, the Government of Guyana has commenced efforts to create a ‘Guyana Walk’ along the Lamaha Railway Embankment, which is a stretch of land running parallel with Lamaha Street, Georgetown.

The now vacant plot once sported railway lines for trains travelling in and out of what was then referred to as ‘Old Georgetown’ in the then colonial Guyana.

The intriguing plan was unveiled by President Dr Irfaan Ali, during his address at the Guyana Tourism Awards and Gala hosted on Wednesday night at Parc Rayne,

Houston.

“Some of you who pass Lamaha Street would have seen we have started to clean up the Lamaha [government] reserve…what we [are] going to do there [is] we are going to rehabilitate the old train wagons and that entire old shed, and entire station,” the Head of State shared.

He said that the plot of land, which runs from Main Street all the way to Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, will be paved and developed in a vibrant and captivating space called the ‘Guyana walk.’ “…you will have the pavement blocks used. We will have trees planted there.

We will have seating arrangements, so that families can go out there,” Dr. Ali posited.

He said that the area will be strategically used to showcase and promote ‘all things’

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

Guyana, especially the many fascinating things that are produced by the people of Guyana, ranging from arts and craft to cuisine and fashion.

President Ali said that the ‘Guyana Walk’ is slated to materialise before the first half of 2021, and that the initiative is merely a component of a more comprehensive effort to improve the country’s aesthetics.

The Head of State indicated that as Guyana continues to attract an unprecedented level of interest and attention from investors all across the world, it is important that all Guyanese take up their role as ambassadors to ensure that Guyana is adequately promoted as a land of opportunities and bounties.

Dr Ali also alluded to the efforts of members of the private sector who have spearheaded the decoration and illumination of Main Street, Georgetown, in keeping with the holiday season. “…and it’s not finished as yet. The amount of social media posting Main Street got in the last two, three weeks, we cannot pay for that image in a marketing sense; we cannot pay,” the President emphasised.

Dr Ali also alluded to the efforts of his wife, Mrs Arya Ali and the Office of the First Lady, which has embarked

on a mission to develop the Kitty Seawall as an even more attractive tourist site. These efforts, Dr Ali said, would be further supported by the implementation of a massive ‘Seawall Re-Development Plan’, which will be launched early next year.

“That plan will be using the best practices and the greatest economic value of the seawall for the [tourism] sector,” Dr. Ali said.

To go even further, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic government is also working to craft a beautification plan for all 10 administrative regions; this should be finalised at least by the end of this year, according to the

President. “We’re looking at all the maintenance of our country,” Dr. Ali added.

He cautioned that even with multi-million-dollar investments, Guyana’s would not be able to reach its full potential as a tourism powerhouse unless all Guyanese make a concerted effort to put country and nationalism over politics. “…whether you smile or curse someone on the street is part of tourism. Everything we do as a people impact the image of the country, which is an important part of tourism,” Dr. Ali noted.

He said that for tourism to really thrive, Guyanese would need to understand the power

A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government.

The Guyana Festival was conceptualised and hosted at the Guyana National Stadium in 2014, while President Ali held the position of Minister of Tourism Industry and Commerce. The festival, though similar to GuyExpo, was touted as a cultural showcase of all things Guyana, showcasing local cuisines, music, arts and talents, and less of the country’s business and investment potential, as in the case of GuyExpo.

“A lot of effort and time went into the building of the Guyana Festival. Guyanese who went away for 40 years

Works are moving apace on the Seawall Beautification Project, which is being led by the Office of the First Lady (Delano Williams photo) of the sector, and be prepared to make some very basic, but necessary behavioural changes that seek to promote and build the country’s image.

“Understand this, there are some countries that exist only on this one sector; only on this one sector,” Dr. Ali said. He specifically cautioned that tourism is the one sector in the country that must not be influenced by politics, as it refers to the image of the entire country.

“This sector is a sector that cuts across cultures, boundaries, individuality, and for it to be successful, it is about the collective effort of a country and its people,” the President said, as he expressed gross disappointment with the eradication of iconic tourism products such as GuyExpo and the Guyana Festival.

The two highly anticipated events, which were known to attract Guyanese from all walks of life in and out of Guyana, were dismantled and quashed by the former

and never got back, came back to be part of that festival.

In three nights and three days, we had more than 173,000 persons walking through the National Stadium,” Dr Ali recalled.

He said that efforts were even made to institute special airfares and travel prices, so that tourists and members of the diaspora were afforded the opportunity to see all that Guyana had to offer, at reduced prices.

“There was nothing political about any of these events. They were developed with strong advocacy of you, [the] people who worked day and night in this sector,” Dr Ali said.

He told stakeholders of the tourism industry that the fundamental principles and values must be developed, crafted and adhered to by all partners. “What we are building is a Guyana tourism product, not PPP, not APNU, not PNC, not AFC, it is a Guyana tourism product,” the President asserted.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

Yarakita residents to get improved water supply

CLOSE to 200 residents of Yarakita in the Mabaruma sub-district, Region One, will soon benefit from improved water supply with

the upgrade and expansion of the village’s water distribution system.

The project, which will see 45 new connections, is

funded by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) under the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme and will be executed by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, visited the area on Friday to assess the progress of work. He was accompanied by Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ash-

ley and Hinterland Services Director, Ramchand Jailall.

Minister Croal explained that the project which is being done with full community participation is 95 per cent completed.

He added that a section of the community which is home to a number of migrants will be served for the first time.

The scope of the works

includes the installation of a photovoltaic system, submersible pump and the installation of over two kilometres of pipelines. Minister Croal said that initiative forms part of the government’s hinterland water strategy which aims to provide 95 per cent water coverage in the hinterland by 2025.

“We want to ensure that our citizens in the

hinterland benefit equally from the same services provided to the people on the coast,” Minister Croal reaffirmed.

Similar works are being done in the nearby villages of Kamwatta and White Water. These works are nearing completion and will see hundreds of residents being served for the first time. (DPI)

Upgraded water supply system in Yarakita

Minister Croal examining upgraded water supply system

AGM Inc. donates to Harold B. Davis Special School

AGM Inc. on Wednesday, made donations to the Harold B. Davis Special School as a part of their Christmas season activities at an event hosted on the school’s premises.

M r. R a g u n a u t h Ramsaroop, AGM Inc.’s Liaison Manager for Corporate Office, Compliance and Government Relations, entrusted the items to the school’s Principal, Mr. Anand Mangru.

“AGM Inc. believes in helping people living with disabilities to maximise their contributions to Guyanese society,” Mr. Ragunauth

related. He said that the gesture is part of the company’s commitment to giving children the best opportunities to develop their skills and their lives.

M r. M a n g r u e x pressed gratitude to AGM Inc. for the donation and assured those present that the items will be put to good use while wishing the company well in its future endeavours.

Mr. Ragunauth was accompanied by Compliance Coordinator, Ms. Cyprian Moffett and Public Relations Support Officer, Mr. Attallah Budhoo.

AGM Inc.’s Liaison Manager, Ragunauth Ramsaroop with Harold B. Davis Special School’s Principal, Mr. Anand Mangru

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

Trade between Guyana, Canada tops CAN$477 million for 2020

By Jared Liddell

WITH the vast local resources available, Guyana has continued to rake in millions of dollars from the export sector, which has significantly improved not just the country’s economic

activities, but also its relations with other states.

Guyana and Canada, trade partners since 1966, have continued to build a mutually beneficial trade partnership; this was evident by the CAN$477 million in trade between Guyana and Canada in 2020.

This figure was disclosed

by Chairman of the CanadaGuyana Chamber of Commerce, Anand Beharry, during a ‘Cocktails and Conversations’ networking event at the Canadian High Commissioner’s official residence in Georgetown on Thursday

evening.

According to Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Mark Berman, Canada is committed to benefitting from the vast number of resources available here and plans to continue investing in Guyana through its investments and

import sectors.

Guyana’s main exports are sugar, gold, bauxite, aluminum, rice, shrimp, and timber, and the main export partners are Canada (28 per cent of total exports), the United States (17 per cent), the United Kingdom (11 per cent), the Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica.

According to an Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) report, Guyana in 2019 exported CAN$450M to Canada. The main products exported from Guyana to Canada were Gold (CAN$421M), Precious Metal Scraps (CAN$9.4M), and Hard Liquor (CAN$7.83M).

During the last 24 years, the exports of Guyana to Canada have increased at an annualised rate of 5.54%, from CAN$123M in 1995 to CAN$450M in 2019.

INVEST IN CANADA Even while the government has been pushing Guyanese to invest locally, the Canadian diplomat encouraged them to also think international, stating that there are investment opportunities in Canada.

He noted that with the emergence of the oil-and-gas sector and Guyana being highlighted as one of the fastest-growing economies globally, it is the opportune moment for Guyanese business owners and investors to venture out and expand the reach of their products and services.

He stated that Canada has a business model that focuses largely on partnership and, as such, the Canadian government, Canadian investors and business persons are open to partnering with Guyanese who want to invest.

“While I have spoken extensively about partnerships in Guyana, I want to let you know that Canada is also open for investments, and the High Commission in Guyana and the consul general in Ottawa can also provide some forms of trade- facilitation services,” said Commissioner Berman.

According to him, the presence of Canadian companies in Guyana has been more diverse, with world-class companies conducting due diligence at several large-

High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana and Suriname, Mark Berman scale infrastructural projects.

Berman also noted that companies have been exploring tourism opportunities, educational partnerships, and capacity-building exercises relating to public-private partnerships with the Government of Guyana.

“Canada’s model of business is one of partnership, where we look not just to invest and partner with local companies, but to help them grow their businesses and also help Canadian partners with knowledge in the market. We have seen successful partnerships.”

He noted that while Canada is renowned for its expertise in natural resources, specifically mining, the country has vast experience in other sectors including infrastructure, technology, tourism, and agriculture.

The High Commissioner further reiterated the quality of service that would be provided from any CanadaGuyana partnership, saying, “many of you have had interactions with Canadian businesses, so you also know that we are a trustworthy and reliable partner.”

The Canadian High Commissioner further encouraged potential investors to take advantage of the local NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) that could provide that with not just guidance on investment, but also networking and incentives.

He noted that both of these organisations play a pivotal role in Guyana-Canada trade relations, saying, “The time is now to connect with Canada and the Canada Guyana Chamber can help. We also invite Canadian companies to connect with the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) which can facilitate bringing industry, community, and government partners together to offer services that make it easier to grow your operations.”

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

Minibus goes up in flames -eight passengers escape unhurt

EIGHT passengers narrowly escaped a tragedy on Friday when the minibus they were travelling in became engulfed in flames in St Ignatius Village, Region Nine.

According to a police report, the persons in the minibus included six adults, two children and the driver of the vehicle who has been identified

as 30-year-old Benedict Lino.

Police indicated that about 14:00hrs on Friday, the passengers, who were returning to Baitoon village after conducting business in Lethem, boarded the minibus and made a stop in the vicinity of St Ignatius Village at the request of one of the passengers.

It is alleged that as

the driver was about to leave, he heard sparking sounds from under the bus and immediately told everyone to exit. In the haste, the passengers left all of their belongings in the minibus which suddenly became engulfed in flames and was completely destroyed within a matter of minutes.

The minibus was purchased three months ago

by the Baitoon Village Council from its previous owner; a man whose only name given was Shawn.

It is alleged that during the month of November 2021, the vehicle developed mechanical problems which were quickly remedied. The RZ minibus is allegedly valued at $2.3M and the loss of personal items is estimated at $514,680.

Unvaccinated woman is latest COVID-19 fatality

AN unvaccinated woman has died after contracting COVID-19, taking Guyana’s overall death toll to 1,017, the Ministry of Health has reported.

The ministry said that the latest fatality is a 67-yearold woman from Region Six (East Berbice- Corentyne), who died on December 10, 2021.

Additionally, there are currently 847 active COVID-19 cases in Guyana, following the addition of 39 new cases on December 11, 2021. The 39 newly confirmed cases were recorded in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six. Region Four accounted for 19 of the new cases; Region Two recorded one new case; Region Three recorded seven; Region Five recorded three; and Region Six recorded nine.

The country has now recorded a total of 38,492 confirmed cases since the first COVID-19 case was reported in March 2020.

Of the active cases, 14 persons are at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the National Infectious Diseases Hospital, Liliendaal; 46 are in institutional isolation; 743 are in home isolation, and four are in institutional quarantine.

Many of the persons infected with the virus are said to be asymptomatic, that is, they are not exhibiting symptoms.

The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures are in force until December 31,2021. They may be extended or amended by notice

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

As per the current measures, all persons are required

to wear face masks when leaving their homes, and physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are recommended. The current curfew is 12:00hrs to 04:00hrs.

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

The charred remains of the RZ minibus after being destroyed by fire

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

$800M expansion for Citizens Bank Bartica operations

Clifford Reis, Chairman of Citizens Bank Guyana Incorporated

By Rehana Ahamad ONCE the requisite building and environmental permits are given, Citizens Bank Guyana Incorporated will be looking to begin construction of a spanking new edifice to house its Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) operations.

According to a project proposal prepared by the company’s Managing Director, Eton Chester, construction of the building is estimated to cost approximately $800 million.

“We are now trying to get all the permissions

and approvals to build it,” the bank’s Chairman, Clifford Reis, told the Sunday Chronicle on Saturday.

He explained that the new building, proposed to be erected at Parcel 1423, Bartica, will serve as a replacement for the bank’s existing Bartica branch located a stone’s throw away at Lot 16 First Avenue. The proposed site is currently unused, according to the proposal.

“The building that we have there right now is too small. We needed to expand,” Reis said.

The proposal, already submitted to the Environ-

The new building will serve as a replacement for the existing Bartica operations

mental Protection Agency (EPA), states that the construction phase of the project will create jobs for approximately 30 persons, while the number of employees providing the customary banking services at the site, post-construction, will be 12, in addition to security personnel.

Within the past few years, Citizens Bank Guyana has initiated notable expansion works, including the establishment of its state-of-the-art headquarters located at Camp Street

and South Road, Georgetown.

Moreover, the company has demonstrated its resilience, even amid a global pandemic. As a matter of fact, the bank has already recorded an increase in profits for the first half of 2021.

According to the bank’s interim financial report, a profit of $478.4 million was recorded at the end of March 31, 2021; this represents an increase of $26.3 million or six per cent when compared to the corresponding period last year.

Outside of profits, Citizens Bank also reported that it recorded a net interest income of $1.4 billion after the removal of its net interest expense of $174.5 million. The company’s “other income” was $327.7 million, resulting in a surplus before non-interest expenses of $1.7 billion, the same for the corresponding period last.

Added to that, the bank’s operating expenses were recorded at $818.7 million, compared to $827.2 million for the corresponding period last year, while net impairment on financial assets was $70.5 million compared to $121.1 million for the corresponding period last year.

At the end of March, 2021, the net loans and advances balance at the bank was $32.3 billion, compared to $31.3 billion at the end of March, 2020. Net investments were $8 billion, compared to $10.3 billion during the corresponding period last year.

Further, the total deposits at the bank were $63.3 billion, compared to $48.4 billion at the end of March, 2020. Considering the bank’s performance, its Board of Directors has approved an interim dividend of $0.90 per share.

“The economic and social uncertainty due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose many challenges for Citizens Bank Guyana Inc., which may impact the second six months of our financial year,” Reis said in the company’s mid-year report.

He continued, “We, however, remain optimistic that our strategies will result in a consistent performance and increased shareholder value.”

It was reported earlier this year that Citizens Bank recorded a profit after-tax of $982.1 million at the end of 2020, compared to $955.2 million in profit at the end of 2019.

Based on available in-

formation, Citizens Bank had assets worth US$241.8 million at the end of September, 2018.

The company has 151 employees and serves a customer base of more than 52,700. They provide retail and commercial banking services through its six branches.

The bank commenced its Guyana operation in 1994, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Citizens Bank Jamaica Limited.

By 1996, the institution introduced “local shareholding,” which saw Citizens Bank Jamaica Limited reducing its ownership of Citizens Bank Guyana Incorporated to some 70 per cent. Eventually, by 1998, the Bank was completely locally owned.

According to the institution, Guyanese shareholders acquired the remaining 70 per cent shares. As it is, Banks DIH Limited, owns approximately 51 per cent of the share capital of the Bank. Other major shareholders are Continental Agencies Limited 16.7 per cent and the Hand-in-Hand Insurance Group with 16.5 per cent. The remaining 13.01 per cent shares are owned by 69 shareholders including five of the company’s employees.

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The new management committee of the GGDMA. From left are: Ronaldo Alphonso, Mahendra Persaud, Geraldo Alphonso, Azeem Baksh, Andron Alphonso, Vishanti Balgobin, Hilbert Shields, Dabria Marcus and Avalon Jagnandan

Alphonso re-elected GGDMA President - advocates use of technology in reducing environmental impact

GOLD Miner, Andron Alphonso, was recently re-elected unopposed for a second consecutive term as president of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) during an elections held at the Everest Cricket Club.

The new management team also includes Hilbert Shields - Vice President; Azeem Baksh – Secretary; Mahendra Persaud – Treasurer, and Ronaldo Alphonso - Organising Secretary.

Committee members are Vishanti Balgobin, Geraldo Alphonso, Charles DaSilva, Dabria Marcus, and Terrence Adams - immediate past president.

The new committee has been elected to manage the affairs of the GGDMA for the next two years. As he welcomed his fellow executive members and addressed miners, the newly elected president promised to continue to advocate for the industry to ensure its survival.

Specifically, he has promised to push for improving existing infrastructure such as roads and bridges, 24-hour access in and out of mining areas; development of new roads and bridges to provide access in areas where there is great prospect for miners, and also continue lobbying efforts to eradicate the scourge of illegal mining As the industry develops, the GGDMA and miners must evolve, he said, noting that miners must endeavor to mine safer and more efficiently while minimising impacts.

However this change, he said while necessary,

must be managed to ensure that the pace of change does not negatively impact the industry.

Andron Alphonso said for the next two years, the executive “will research new technologies that would enhance recovery and simultaneously reduce the impact on the environment.”

He explained that this will involve conducting research and development testing where applicable in countries in which those technologies are currently used, while the GGDMA would continue to import and test other technologies.

“The GGDMA will be looking for technologies that allow miners to increase recovery and production while simultaneously reducing environmental impact. Additionally, miners must continue to put focus on occupational safety and health along with recovery and production rates,” he added.

Alphonso also thanked the government for the renewal of the Investment Development Agreement that is very beneficial to tax compliant miners and also the reapplication of the VAT free status on heavy equipment and ATVs utilised in the industry.

He further noted that discussions will continue towards finding the right balance between the implementation of the new Anti-Money Laundering (AML) legislation and the practical limitations that are to be considered in ensuring the survival of the industry.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

Region Two top CSEC students rewarded OUTSTANDING performers of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Examination (CSEC) were recently honoured for their stellar performance by Adamantium Holdings in collaboration with the Alfro Alphonso and Sons - an established company in the region.

This annual presentation ceremony was held in the R.C.A. TV. Studio at Charity, Essequibo Coast.

Four of the region’s top CSEC awardees: Anuradha Basdeo, Kelly Sankar, Parmesh Ramgobin, and Toycia Moore were the students who each received cash prizes of $100,000.

Basdeo placed first in the region and fourth overall in the country with 17 grade ones and two grade twos, while Kelly Sankar of the

Anna Regina Multilateral School copped second in the region and placed 10th in the

country and with 16 grade ones and four grade twos.

Also copping top spots are

Top students, parents and teachers after receiving the awards Tycia Moore and Parmesh Ramgobin. Both students are also from the Anna Regina Multilateral School with 15 grades ones and five grade twos.

Operation Manager of Adamantium Holdings, Haimwan Beharry, congratulated the students for their exceptional performance.

Beharry emphasised how

important it is for both Adamantium Holdings and Alfro Alphonso Enterprises to foster, recognise and commend academic excellence.

He added, “We know it has been a challenging year for students and the entire world due to COVID, but we applaud you all for your relentless determination and fervent effort to surpass all

these obstacles and emerge successful.”

Top performer of the Abram Zuil Secondary School, Anuradha Basdeo expressed her gratitude to the companies for their kind gesture and promised that it will go a far way.

Parmesh Ramgobin and Toycia Moore were represented by their parents.

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Dharm Shala appeals for assistance to sustain services

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

ber 226 1817 or Mr. Edward Boyer, National Hardware, Water Street, Georgetown.

Meanwhile, the Albouystown Dharm Shala, Guyana’s longest existing humanitarian charity, will once again be hosting its annual Christmas Day luncheon at its 140 King Edward Street, Albouystown for residents and others persons The Dharm Shala’s luncheon will be held at 11:00 hrs, preceded by a religious service with musical renditions.

Guyana’s longest existing

President Irfaan Ali serving lunch to the elderly at Dharm Shala’s 2020 Luncheon THE Dharm Shala, Home of Benevolence For All Races, has made an appeal to continue its day to day operation of feeding, clothing and housing those who seek its assistance, absolutely free of any charge.

The organization, in a release, said the old gates have remained opened all these years and some of the requests are very heartfelt experiences for those who manage the institution. This

not only applies here in Albouystown but at the Fort Canje, Berbice Dharm Shala.

“The daily expenditure of these Institutions are exorbitant -- electricity, water, telephone, stipends to staff, security, maintenance of buildings and much more.

There are 11 Dharm Shala buildings, all devoted to humanitarian charity—four buildings of worship -- two Anglican Chapels and two mandirs.

“Daily prayers continue with supplications that this selfless service to humanity will continue. May God Bless and sustain those who are supportive of this charity and continue to do so,” the charitable organisation said.

It noted that an official receipt will be issued for any donation received and donations can be sent to the Secretary, Dharm Shala, 140 King Edward Street, Albouystown, telephone num-

the money was intended to be payment for workers and rice farmers.

Police said the woman left the rice mill on Friday at about 10:30 hours with four cheques amounting to $3,463,798.

In the company of a female colleague, she went to a bank in

Georgetown where she cashed the cheques and returned to the rice mill in the same car.

Upon arrival at the rice mill, she was confronted by an unidentified male who was armed with a handgun as she was about to exit the car. The woman claimed that he threatened to shoot her if she didn’t hand over the bag with the cash.

He then pulled the bag out of her hand and escaped in an unknown direction.

Police said several persons in the area were contacted and questioned but no useful information was received.

Checks for the suspect have so far have proven futile.

Mahaicony Rice Mill robbed of $3.4M payroll

POLICE are on the hunt for a bandit who robbed a 41-year-old Mahaicony Rice Mill supervisor of the company’s $3.4 million payroll on Friday.

A 41-year-old supervisor is attached to Kissoondyal Enterprise Inc. Rice Mill at Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara;

humanitarian charity, the Dharm Shala, would, annually, treat the elderly persons who reside there to lunch and gifts. Several government officials and dignitaries often visit during the luncheon.

The organisation focuses on housing the poor while providing religious, medical and educational facilities for them. The luncheon has become a tradition in the Albouystown community, where the Dharm Shala has kept its home for close to 100 years.

The luncheon is held in

homage to the late director of the Dharm Shala, Harry Ramsaroop. Ramsaroop would have served the less fortunate in the Guyanese society for 63 years– until his death in 2013.

Ramsaroop’s mantle of service has now been undertaken by his eldest daughter Kella Ramsaroop, who functions as the managing head of the organisation.

“We take this opportunity to express our gratitude for your continued support. Best Wishes for the Festive Season,” the organisation said.

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AFC welcomes selection of Vishnu Persaud as GECOM CEO SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

--says decision clears way for rebuilding ‘trust,’ ‘confidence’ in electoral system

Designate for the post of GECOM CEO, Vishnu Persaud

THE Alliance For Change (AFC) has welcomed the selection of Vishnu Persaud to be the new Chief Elections Officer (CEO) at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

“We thank the commission for reaching a decision and appreciate that the task must have been arduous, and the process divisive,” the AFC said in a statement issued on Saturday.

The political party, which is part of a coalition with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), said: “At the end of the day, a decision had to be made so that we can start the process of rebuilding trust and confidence in the electoral system and Guyana’s democracy.

“As a prerequisite to rebuilding the credibility of the system, we must have a new voters’ list - purged of all the contaminants of the past, and then, go on to hold Local Government Elections that are truly representative of the wishes of the people.”

Guyanese and people the world over watched last year as the country’s democracy,

a sacred tenet of society, was threatened by the actions of the APNU+AFC coalition administration in the aftermath of the March 2, 2020 elections.

The electorate, after casting their votes on March 2, 2020, had to endure an unimaginable wait for the results of the General and Regional Elections, as they witnessed alleged unlawful acts and a slew of legal challenges.

During this time, the patience of the electorate was tested, as they observed purported attempts by the then incumbent APNU+AFC coalition to rip the democratic fabric of the nation with “delay tactics” which were openly criticised by a wide section of society.

After the conclusion of the elections, which resulted in a victory for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), GECOM dismissed several key officers who were purportedly involved in attempts to skew the outcome of the elections. Among those who were dismissed were former CEO, Keith Lowenfield, and Deputy CEO, Roxanne Myers.

Persaud was selected to fill the vacant post during a meeting among the GECOM commissioners, on Friday.

He bested Jamaica-born Leslie Harrow, who was

also interviewed for the top GECOM post. The duo was extracted by the commission from an initial shortlist of six candidates submitted to GECOM Chairman Justice (Ret’d), Claudette Singh last week.

It was Justice Singh’s vote, on Friday, which effectively broke the inevitable tie between GECOM’s three PPP/C-appointed commissioners and three APNU+AFC-appointed commissioners.

“Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission, Justice Claudette Singh, in justifying the reasons for endorsing the successful applicant, posited that having heard the commissioners and having read the endorsement of the former Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally, she is of the view that Mr Persaud has acquired institutional knowledge, having been employed with GECOM for seventeen (17) years,” GECOM said in a release.

The release quoted Persaud’s extensive background with the elections body, which began with his appointment as Public Relations Officer in the early 2000s. He remained in that position until 2014 when he ascended to the role of DCEO up until 2017 when his contract was not renewed despite his expression of

interest.

Not only will Persaud serve as the head of the commission’s secretariat, but he will also assume responsibilities of Commissioner of National Registration.

With Persaud being designated for the post of CEO, the AFC said: “[He] has a long and difficult road ahead and we trust that he has the ‘right stuff’ to lead a team that can deliver free, fair and acceptable elections whenever required by law.

“It goes without saying that whoever had been chosen in this position would have received the approbation of half of the population and the suspicion and possible rejection of the other half.”

Considering this reality, the AFC said much more has to be done by leaders, political parties, GECOM, civil society, citizens and development partners, acting in concert to create a united nation.

On this topic, President Dr. Irfaan Ali had related: “An essential part of my government is inclusion. Stop being defined by race; stop being defined by politics.

Start being defined by our one nationality, and by our common love for our one country; let us lift it up together, and by doing so, let us lift each other and ourselves, one people, one nation, one destiny.”

‘Youths are now’

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

--New Youth Director has big plans in store

Newly appointed Director of Youth, Suresh Singh (Delano Williams photo) WHILE the old adage has been that ‘youths are the future’ – the country’s newly appointed Director of Youth, Suresh Singh, believes that “youths are now” and has channelled his energies into equipping the youth of Guyana with the necessary skills to aid in the country’s developmental trajectory.

Singh has been confirmed the Director of Youth as of December 1, 2021, after acting in the position for one year. During an interview with the Sunday Chronicle, he shared that his vision is to work with the available resources to develop the youth population to meet the current needs of the country

and world at large.

“Our country [is] at its most critical juncture of development right now, we need youth input, we need youth energy, we need the minds of youth,” Singh said, noting that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport aims to prepare youths now, for the future.

Singh explained that his mandate as Director of Youth follows the mission of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, which is to “develop and showcase the talent of young Guyanese” and, so, he has been actively developing youths through skills training.

The ministry has been focused on community-based

robotics training and coding training as these skills are foreseen to be in high demand. Thus far, some 95 persons have received certificates in these areas as part of efforts of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

The ministry is also actively involved in skills training in areas such as masonry, carpentry and block-making.

They recently concluded block-making training in the Essequibo region, where materials and a stipend were provided to the trainees to assist them in starting up their businesses.

Not only is the ministry focusing on developing youths through skills training, but they are also involved in tackling problems within communities that are affecting the youth population such as drug and substance abuse.

There is also the Volunteer Apprenticeship Community Support (VACS) programme where the ministry goes directly into communities and engage residents to be involved in community-based humanitarian work.

Further, as part of developing youth, the ministry had invited business proposals for its Youth Entrepreneur Innovation Grant for which some $90M was allocated and has seen some 700 applicants submitting business proposals for the grant, Singh disclosed.

One major concern for Singh is that programmes emanating from the Department of Youth do not reach the country as a whole, but are rather confined to the

coastal regions; against this backdrop, he is adamant to ensure that youths from the hinterland regions of Guyana are given equal opportunities.

He also wants to make the work of the Department of Youth more visible to encourage persons who are oblivious of the ministry’s work to become aware and be able to participate.

Singh expressed appreciation to the Government of Guyana, President Irfaan Ali and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., for entrusting him with the position and has committed to working for the development of youth nationally.

He urged youths to be-

come active in community work from which opportunities for other leadership roles will follow, regardless of their economic backgrounds and the community from which they hail.

Singh holds a Master of Science Degree in Education (Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment) from Walden University; a Bachelor Degree in Education, majoring in Mathematics from the University of Guyana and has a Trained Teacher’s Certificate, majoring in Mathematics from the Cyril Potter College of Education.

He taught mathematics at the secondary education level for 11 years, ending his teaching career as the Mathematics Head of Department

at the Annandale Secondary School, East Coast Demerara, in 2020.

He has been involved in youth development since 2003 while he was the secretary of Enterprise Vishnu Mandir Youth Group and worked his way up to the Region Four Regional Democratic Council (RDC), where he served as a councillor from 2015 to 2019.

The practising Hindu priest is currently president of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Purpose and president of the Annandale Secondary School Old Students Association. He recently represented Guyana at the Global Volunteering Leadership Summit in the United Arab Emirates.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 12, 2021

Guyana surpasses WHO’s country COVID-19 --more than 56 per cent of Guyana’s vaccination mandate population vaccinated

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony

G U YA N A h a s s u rp a s s e d t h e Wo r l d Health Organisation’s (WHO) mandate of inoculating 40 per cent of the population with a COVID-19 vaccine by December, 2021.

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, said Guyana has thus far fully vaccinated 39.6 per cent of the population. That percentage is expected to increase by the end of the year.

“So, you have a percentage of our population that we are not vaccinating as yet because of one, unavailability of the vaccine and secondly, in that low age category

there is no vaccine available. Nevertheless, we’re at 56.3 per cent coverage for our population.”

So far, Guyana had been able to vaccinate 435,085 people with a first dose, representing over 56 per cent of the population.

Even though Guyana’s vaccinated percentage is relatively high, it is the entire population of 772,975 people that is being considered. However, vaccines are only available for 512,983 people due to age eligibility, which means only 107,547 individuals who are eligible to take a COVID vaccine, have

not.

The data shows that 79 per cent of the eligible population have taken a stance against the spread of COVID-19 and have gotten the first dose of a vaccine, while 55.7 per cent of that amount have returned for the second shot. To further protect the population from the damaging effects of the disease, government has already begun the rollout of booster shots for persons 50 years and older, those 18 years and older with a comorbidity and other adults.

Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle

Bachelet said “inequalities have fuelled the pandemic, and continue to do so,” and further added that by December 1, barely eight per cent of adults had received one dose of vaccine in low-income families, compared to 65 per cent in high-income countries.

However, Guyana is not included in the eight per cent group, due to the swift work of government in purchasing COVID-19 vaccines, acquiring vaccines from other friendly countries and also through the COVAX facility. (DPI)

No oil spill offshore Guyana - Natural Resources Minister

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

MINISTER of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, said an investigation into reports of a possible oil spill offshore Guyana, found that there has been no leakage.

Speculations of an oil spill first came to the fore following video posts made by a Facebook-based news entity, which said it suspected the spill. The videos showed a substance in the water offshore, in an undisclosed

area. Subsequent to the allegations, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Sunday that it was investigating the claims.

“I think we know that offshore you don’t produce or you don’t extract gasoline or diesel offshore, you extract crude, so what we would have seen is maybe diesel or gasoline, that was probably deposited or leaked from one of the boats transporting cargo or maybe

a fishing vessel, but it is definitely not an oil spill,” the minister told DPI on the sidelines of an event on Thursday evening.

Minister Bharrat said the government had engaged US oil and gas giant ExxonMobil and Canadian oil exploration company CGX-oil. Neither of the companies reported spills of any sort.

Meanwhile, EPA had asked that fisherfolk and members of the general public who come in contact with the substance, to take samples of it, as well as coordinates of the area in which it is seen.

At the time of reports, Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, had said the CDC was working closely with the entity and the National Oil Spill Contingency Committee.

The committee was established by the government to address cases of emergency.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Sunday, December 12, 2021

Chase, Mayers and Cottrell ruled out of Pakistan tour after positive COVID-19 tests

… but matches to continue as planned ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Sheldon Cottrell, Roston Chase and Kyle Mayers have been ruled out of the tour of Pakistan after testing positive for COVID-19, but Cricket West Indies (CWI) said yesterday the six-match series would continue as planned.

The trio are among four positive cases in the travelling contingent which arrived in Karachi on Thursday for the December 1322 series, the other being a “non-coaching” member of the support staff.

CWI said the four were fully vaccinated and were not displaying any “major symptoms”, and would remain in isolation for 10 days under the care of team physician, Dr Akshai Mansingh.

They will be released once they test negative.

While describing the development as a “significant setback”, CWI chief executive Johnny Grave said the series, comprising three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals, would proceed as the remaining members of the contingent had all returned two negative PCR tests since their arrival.

“Our arrival testing protocols in Pakistan have confirmed four COVID-19 positives,” Grave said in a statement yesterday.

“These were confirmed whilst the players and staff

were still in room isolation, so despite this significant setback to our preparation plans, we are confident that the tour can continue as everyone else returned negative PCRs prior to their arrival into Pakistan and two negative PCRs since they have been in Karachi.

“The risk of COVID-19 infection is impossible to remove completely from a cricket tour, in spite of the fact that many of our players have been living in bio-secure bubbles almost continuously since before the CPL. “This unusual loss of three players from our squad will seriously impact our team preparations, but the rest of the squad are in good spirits and will begin training today ahead of our first game on Monday.”

Training was cancelled Friday as a result of the positive cases but went ahead yesterday once the others were tested.

And with the first match – a Twenty20 International – set to bowl off Monday at the National Stadium in Karachi, West Indies will now face a race against time to be properly prepared for the engagement.

Chase, a right-hander who bowls off-spin, was selected in both the ODI and T20I squads. He made his T20I debut in October during the T20 World Cup in United Arab Emirates and has played just three matches in the shortest format.

Left-arm pacer Cottrell, named in the T20 squad only, played the last of his 34 T20Is six months ago while Mayers, a hard-hitting left-hander and rightarm medium pacer, was on his maiden T20 tour.

Both Chase and Mayers were part of the recent two-Test tour of Sri Lanka which West Indies lost 2-0.

The withdrawals represent a further disruption to the squad following captain Kieron Pollard’s pullout last week due to injury.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Sunday, December 12, 2021

Australia seal victory in first Ashes Test as England collapse again SCOREBOARD ENGLAND 1st innings 147 AUSTRALIA 1st innings

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon leads Australia off the field after becoming just the third Aussie bowler to claim 400 Test wickets, after Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath (Photo: Getty Images)

AUSTRALIA completed a comprehensive nine-wicket win in the opening Ashes Test after another England batting collapse on day four at The Gabba.

Having started the day on 220-2, cautiously optimistic with Joe Root and Dawid Malan at the crease within sight of hundreds, England proceeded to lose their last eight wickets for 74 runs in the morning session to leave Australia needing just 20 to win.

After finding himself stuck on 399 Test wickets for the majority of the year, Nathan Lyon finally got No. 400 by removing Malan (82) and breaking the 162-run stand for the tourists' third wicket.

Cameron Green had Root (89) caught behind soon after as the England skipper's wait for a century in Australia goes on and, with the middle and lower order unable to stop the slide, the visitors were bowled out for 297 before lunch.

Ollie Robinson claimed the consolation wicket of Alex Carey (9) but Australia needed just 5.1 overs to knock off the runs to take a 1-0 series lead and inflict a seventh defeat on England in nine visits to Brisbane.

While Australia remained firm favourites, the efforts of Root and Malan on day three had opened up the possibility of a thrilling finish to the match. However, that relied on England batting for the best part of another day and it quickly became evident that that would be far

easier said than done.

England had added just three to their overnight total when, in the fourth over of the morning, Lyon ended his 11-month wait for his landmark wicket as Malan advanced down the pitch, edged the ball into his pad and was caught by Marnus Labuschagne at silly point.

That increased the pressure on Root and before the opening half-hour was out, so was the England captain. Green so nearly dismissed Root late last evening and this time he got his man as the world No. 1 batter flirted at a delivery in the channel and feathered behind.

Ollie Pope (4) gave Steve Smith catching practice off Lyon in the next over and from thoughts of setting Australia a tricky total to chase, the away side suddenly faced a battle to even make them bat again.

Ben Stokes (14) and Jos Buttler (23) briefly stopped the rot to take their side to within 12 of parity before falling to Pat Cummins (251) and Josh Hazlewood (1-32), respectively, as England's hopes faded.

They did get past the Australian's first-innings total before Lyon (4-91) accounted for Robinson (8) and Mark Wood (6) and it was left to Green (2-23) to finish off the innings as Chris Woakes (16) nicked behind trying to keep himself on strike for the next over, handing Carey a Test record eighth catch on debut.

The wicketkeeper was then promoted to

David Warner c Ben Stokes b Ollie Robinson 94 Marcus Harris c Dawid Malan b Ollie Robinson 3 Marnus Labuschagne c Mark Wood b Jack Leach

74 Steven Smith c Jos Buttler b Mark Wood 12 Travis Head b Mark Wood 152 Cameron Green b Ollie Robinson 0 Alex Carey c Ollie Pope b Chris Woakes 12 Pat Cummins c Haseeb Hameed b Joe Root 12 Mitchell Starc c Rory Burns b Chris Woakes 35 Nathan Lyon c Ollie Robinson b Mark Wood 15 Josh Hazlewood not out 0 Extras: (b-4, lb-6, nb-4, w-2) 16 Total: (all out, 104.3 overs) 425 Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-166, 3-189, 4-195, 5-195, 6-236, 7-306, 8-391, 9-420.

Bowling: Chris Woakes 25-8-76-2, Ollie Robinson 23-8-58-3, Mark Wood 25.3-4-85-3 (w-1 nb-1), Ben Stokes 12- 0-6- 0 (w-1, nb-3), Jack Leach 13-0-102-1, Joe Root 6-0-29- 1.

ENGLAND 2nd innings Haseeb Hameed c Alex Carey b Mitchell Starc 27 Rory Burns c Alex Carey b Pat Cummins 13 Dawid Malan c Marnus Labuschagne b Nathan Lyon

82

open the batting with David Warner protecting a bruised rib but was dismissed by fellow Ashes debutant Robinson, the ball before Marcus Harris (9 n,o,) hit the winning runs.

The teams now move to Adelaide for

Joe Root c Alex Carey b Cameron Green 89 Ben Stokes c Cameron Green b Pat Cummins 14 Ollie Pope c Steven Smith b Nathan Lyon 4 Jos Buttler c Alex Carey b Josh Hazlewood 23 Chris Woakes c Alex Carey b Cameron Green 16 Ollie Robinson c Travis Head b Nathan Lyon 8 Mark Wood b Nathan Lyon

6 Jack Leach not out

0 Extras: (b-4, lb-5, w-6)

15

Total: (all out, 103.0 overs)

297

Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-61, 3-223, 4-229, 5-234, 6-266, 7-268, 8-286, 9-296.

Bowling: Mitchell Starc 20-3-77-1, Josh Hazlewood 14-6-32-1, Pat Cummins 20-6-51-2 1-w-1), Nathan Lyon 34-5-91-4, Cameron Green 12-3-23-2 (w-1), Marnus Labuschagne 3-0-14- 0.

AUSTRALIA 2nd innings Alex Carey c Jos Buttler b Ollie Robinson 9 Marcus Harris not out

9 Extras: (nb-2) 2 Total: (one wky, 5.1 overs) 20 Fall of wickets: 1-16.

Bowling: Ollie Robinson 3-0-13-1 (nb-2), Chris Woakes 2-0-3-0, Mark Wood 0.1-0-4-0.

the second Test - a day-nighter - where James Anderson and Stuart Broad could return as England bid to come from behind to win an Ashes series in Australia for the first time since 1954-55. (Sky Sports)

Most wickets by spinners in Tests

Nathan Lyon becomes the seventh spinner to complete 400 Test wickets NATHAN Lyon, Australia’s off-spinner, achieved the 400th wicket milestone on Day 4 of the first Ashes Test when he dismissed England batter Dawid Malan.

Lyon, who got the feat in his 101st game, became the seventh spinner to reach the landmark. The offie thus became the third-highest wicket-taker for Australia and also the second spinner to scalp 400 Test wickets after Shane Warne.

Speaking of most wickets by spinners in the longest format of the game, Sri Lanka’s legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan tops the list with a mind-boggling 800 wickets after playing 133 games.

Second is another legend from Australia, Shane Warne who accumulated 708 scalps in 145 matches. There was a time when these two absolute greats of the game were going neck-to-neck by terrorising the batters with their spin bowling.

Both dominated the Test format for a certain period of time and still their records look untouchable and unbreakable.

Third in the list is India’s ever-consistent spinner Anil Kumble who scalped 619 wickets in 132 Tests. Rangana Herath, who took over the charge from Muralitharan, is fourth with 433 wickets to his name in 93 matches.

Herath took the responsibility from Muralitharan perfectly as he became Sri Lanka’s premier spinner after Muttiah’s retirement.

Three Indian spinners in the top 10 On fifth and sixth are Indian spinners R. Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh with 427 and 417 wickets in 81 and 103 matches respectively.

R. Ashwin broke the turbanator’s record in the recently concluded home series against New Zealand. Anil Kumble, R. Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh all find themselves in the top 10 with all of them achieving over 400 wickets in Test matches.

New Zealand’s ever-reliable

bowler, Daniel Vettori, occupies the eighth spot having achieved 362 wickets in 113 Tests.

Though West Indies are known for their fast bowlers, it’s Lance Gibbs, the spinner, who also made his name by taking 309 wickets in 79 games he played and is ninth in the list.

The list concludes with England’s Derek Underwood who is the only spinner not reaching 300 wickets landmark as he has 297 scalps in 86 Tests. Nathan Lyon would be looking to surpass Harbhajan Singh and Rangana Herath’s tally and continue taking wickets for Australia in the coming Tests.

Most wickets by spinners in Tests:

32

GUYANA CHRONICLE Sunday, December 12, 2021

Manuel Santana, Spanish champion who popularised the sport, dies aged 83

MADRID (Reuters) – Manuel Santana, one among Spain’s best tennis gamers who helped to popularise the sport in the nation, died on Saturday aged 83.

Santana, 4 occasions a Grand Slam champion, died at his house in Marbella, southern Spain, the Madrid Open, a match of which he was honorary president, mentioned in an announcement.

Santana grew to become world primary in 1966, the identical 12 months that he gained Wimbledon. The earlier 12 months, he had gained the U.S. Open and led Spain to an upset victory over the United States in the Davis Cup closing. He additionally gained Roland Garros in 1961 and 1964.

Coming from a humble household at a time when tennis was thought of a sport just for the higher courses in Spain, Santana grew to become a stalwart of the nation’s Davis Cup workforce, amassing a 69-17 win-loss report in singles between 1958 and 1973.

He additionally gained the match at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, the place tennis was an illustration occasion.

Santana started his profession as a ball

Former Wimbledon champions Bjorn Borg (L) and Manuel Santana embrace before watching the men's singles final match between Switzerland's Roger Federer and Spain's Rafael Nadal at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, July 8, 2007.

REUTERS/Toby Melville (BRITAIN)

England lose five WTC points for slow over-rate, Head fined for using abusive words ENGLAND have been fined 100 percent of their match fees and penalised five ICC World Test Championship points for maintaining slow over-rates in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.

Australia’s Travis Head has also been fined 15% of his match fee for use of an audible obscenity. As per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a team is docked one point for each over short.

Match referee David Boon has also penalised England 100% of their match fee for falling five overs short of the targets after adjusting for time allowances. Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel charges players 20% of their match fee for every over the team falls short on.

The Player of the Match from the first Test, Head was fined 15% of his match fee for breaching Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, relating to “use of an audible obscenity during an Internation-

al Match.” He also received one demerit point, which is his first offence in a 24-month period.

The incident occurred in the 77th over of Australia’s first innings, when Head used inappropriate language after being beaten by Ben Stokes. There was no formal hearing after the southpaw admitted the offence and accepted the sanctions..

Australia won the first Test of the Ashes comfortably by 9 wickets. The hosts reduced England to 147 on the opening day before a sensational knock of 152 from just 148 balls by Head propelled them to 425, with a lead of 278 runs.

Resistance from Joe Root and Dawid Malan took England through to stumps on day three but the rest of the batting lineup crumbled in the first session of day four, setting Australia a target of 20. They lost Carey off the penultimate delivery of the match but Marcus Harris finished the game off with a four as Australia took the 1-0 lead.

The next Test is set to commence on December 16 at the Adelaide Oval. (CricTracker)

boy at a Madrid tennis membership and was supported by a member of the membership to hold on enjoying tennis.

He gained the first of eight Spanish Championships titles in 1958. In all, he gained 72 singles titles, the final one coming in Barcelona in 1970.

Juan Antonio Samaranch, the late president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), wrote in his memoirs: “(Santana) not solely gave glory days to Spanish sport, comparable to his victories at Wimbledon and Roland Garros and his historic performances in the Davis Cup, but in addition was additionally the promoter of the Davis Cup and 1000’s of tennis courts and tens of 1000’s of gamers in our nation.”

Fellow Spaniard and 20-times Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal tweeted: “I’ve simply obtained the horrible information of the passing of our nice Manolo Santana.

“As I’ve mentioned many occasions in the previous: thanks very a lot for what you probably did for our nation and for marking the path of so many. You had been all the time a reference, a good friend and an individual near everybody.”

Salah's penalty helps Liverpool beat Aston Villa 1-0 to remain 2nd

(AFP)-Liverpool ensured there was no happy return to Anfield for Steven Gerrard as Mohamed Salah's second-half penalty earned a 1-0 win over Aston Villa.

Gerrard said he would gladly sacrifice some of his legendary status among the Liverpool support for a result on his first trip to Anfield as part of the visiting team.

However, Villa barely laid a glove on the Jurgen Klopp's men, who should have been far more convincing winners as they moved back to within a point of Premier League leaders Manchester City.

Gerrard was welcomed with gentle applause as he emerged from the tunnel, but there was no great fanfare for the man who scored 186 goals in 710 games as a Liverpool playe Even a brief chant of his name from the Kop was drowned out by cries of "Liverpool" as the crowd focused their attention on maintaining pace with City at the top of the table.

The Reds should have been well in front by half-time after dominating a frustrating 45 minutes.

Salah has now scored 21 goals in 22 games this season, but showed remarkable restraint to resist a shot at goal from Andy Robertson's cut-back to allow Trent Alexander-Arnold to blast an effort that was headed for the top corner until it deflected off Matt Targett and behind for a corner.

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates after scoring (Image credit: Getty Images)

Robertson was the major threat for Klopp's men as he exploited the space he was afforded down the left.

The Scotland captain's deflected header nearly wrong-footed Emiliano Martinez before he had two strong appeals for penalties waved away for challenges by Marvelous Nakamba, who had already been booked.

Klopp grew increasingly agitated at the officiating of referee Stuart Attwell as Liverpool failed to make their dominance show on the scoreboard.

Villa had won three of Gerrard's first four games in charge, but could not keep the ball for long enough to amount any sort of attacking threat themselves.

A slip by Alisson Becker created the visitors' best chance of the first half, but Ashley Young failed to turn the ball goalwards beyond the imposing figure of Joel Matip.

Martinez got down sharply to his left to deny Salah just before the break with the first of a string of fine saves by the Argentine number one.

Virgil van Dijk was next to be denied by the former Arsenal 'keeper as Liverpool camped Villa inside their own half for the first 20 minutes of the second half.

Salah bent another effort narrowly over moments later, but he finally made the difference for the only goal of the game on 67 minutes.

Tyrone Mings was roped into a clumsy challenge on Salah and at the third time of asking, Liverpool got their spot-kick.

Martinez has earned a reputation as a penalty specialist, but Salah's strike was too precise for the Villa stopper despite guessing the right way.

Going behind suddenly sparked Villa into life as Gerrard introduced Danny Ings and Emiliano Buendia to offer more of an attacking threat.

And they too had a big appeal for a penalty turned down late on when Alisson's attempted clearance rebounded off Matip towards his own goal and the Brazilian goalkeeper escaped unpunished from a collision with Ing.

33

GUYANA CHRONICLE Sunday, December 12, 2021

Jim Variety to reward outstanding referees in three year-end football tournaments

JIM Variety, located on Wellington Street in the City has agreed to reward the outstanding referees across the three tournaments that the Guyana Football Federation and the Kashif & Shanghai Organisation have collaborated to bring off.

Noting that referees are a vital pillar in the football structure, Jim Variety’s Xu Jun Yang at a simple presentation committed her company to rewarding the outstanding referees in the GFF-K&S Super Cup, GFF-K&S Futsal Championship and the Women’s Super 16 Festival under the theme, ‘We Rise Against Domestic Violence’ with cell phones.

“We at Jim Variety are pleased to be on board with this momentous initiative and are pleased to reward each of the outstanding referees with a cell phone. The task of the referee is very important to maintain order and control of each match. Like the players,

they themselves have to prepare and be in the best shape in order to execute the job to the best of their abilities.”

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) president, Wayne Forde, in accepting the commitment of Jim Variety, expressed gratitude on behalf of his federation and the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation (K&S) which was represented by co-Director, Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major.

“The GFF and the K&S organisation are very heartened to accept your contribution on behalf of our referees who, we can assure you, have been well prepared for these tournaments and we expect them to deliver high-quality officiating throughout the duration of each match. We trust that this is the beginning of a long-term partnership with you as we look forward to continued collaborations.”

GFF president Wayne Forde accepts the letter of commitment from Xu Jun Yang of Jim Variety in the presence of K&S Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major

GFF pays tribute to ‘It’s a pity there’s no national coach and transparency at all’ player George Green … says Kohli’s childhood coach after BCCI

“An exemplary player, coach and administrator, Mr Green was a man committed to sport,” Forde continued.

“Thanks to his undoubted human qualities, his legacy and career will be remembered and truly missed. He left us many treasured memories that cannot be replicated. In these difficult moments of irreparable loss, we accompany them from a distance and hope that our words will serve as a small consolation.”

Green represented what was then British Guiana between 1958 and 1966, before takNational team coach and player George Green ing over the role of passed away on December 4. coach of the national team until 1980. He THE president of the Guyana also represented the West Indies Football Federation (GFF) recently paid tribute to former football team, touring England in national team coach and player, 1959, and coached Caribbean sides George Green, who passed away against England’s Hull City and China’s Guangdong Province. on December 4, aged 83.

After a glittering career as “It was with great sadness that player and coach, Green worked I heard of the death of George Green,” said GFF president Wayne for the Department of Youth Forde. “There are no words to ex- & Sports and coordinated the press the sadness we feel for this national Coca-Cola Secondary Schools U19 tournament. loss that affects us all.”

removes him as ODI skipper

INDIAN skipper Virat Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma has called out the BCCI and selectors for their lack of transparency and questionable handling of the captaincy shift. The senior selection committee headed by Chetan Sharma, on December 8, announced their decision to name Rohit Sharma as the ODI skipper, replacing Kohli.

The move came as a surprise, as Kohli, who stepped down as the T20I captain after India’s 2021 T20 World Cup campaign concluded, had expressed a clear inclination of wanting to lead the ODI and Test sides when he Rohit Sharma (left) and Virat Kohli made that announcement.

Despite that, the manner ments regarding the BCCI having asked Kohli to not in which the development came was bound to raise step down as the T20I skipper. “I read Sourav Ganguly’s eyebrows, as unlike before, when Kohli announced comments recently that they had asked Kohli to not step his decision himself, his involvement during the ODI down from T20I captaincy (before the World Cup). I captaincy transfer was nil. don’t recall anything like that. This statement came as a Sharma revealed that he tried reaching out to Kohli surprise to me. There are different statements circulating but failed to. However, he contended that Kohli was very around,” he said. clear in his communication about which format he was Calling out the selectors for their non-transparency stepping down from when he made the announcement. in the decision-making process, Sharma said that it is “I haven’t talked to him (Virat Kohli) yet. His phone a “pity” how the events have unfolded. “The selection is switched off for some reason. But as far as my opinion committee doesn’t provide a reason behind the decision. is concerned, he had specifically stepped down from T20 We don’t know what the management or the BCCI or captaincy and the selectors should have straightaway the selectors want. There’s no clarification, no transparasked him to step down from both the white-ball formats ency at all. or not step down at all,” Sharma said while speaking on “It’s a pity how this has happened. He has been the Khelneeti podcast. such a successful one-day captain,” he added. (CricHe further expressed surprise at Ganguly’s com- Tracker)

34

Hamilton and Verstappen head for final battle

Lewis Hamilton locked on 369.5 points

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton will start their decisive final battle in one of the greatest Formula 1 seasons in history alongside each other on the front row of the grid at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Both Hamilton and Verstappen go into the final race locked together on 369.5 points - only the second time this has happened since F1's first season in 1950.

Whatever unfolds, history will be made - either 36-year-old Hamilton will claim his eighth world title and become the sport's most successful driver ever by surpassing Michael Schumacher. Or, 24-year-old Verstappen will win his first title to usher in a new era.

Verstappen has the advantage after taking pole position in his Red Bull with a quite exceptional lap around Yas Marina on Saturday that left Hamilton and Mercedes breathless.

"Max did a great job on that final lap," Hamilton said, admitting there was no way

he could have matched it.

But the battle is a long way from over, for the race is about as perfectly poised as it could possibly be in what is essentially a winner-takes-all contest.

The two title contenders start on different types of tyres, after Verstappen made a mistake and locked up in the second part of qualifying and damaged the set he wanted to use for the opening stint.

And their team-mates, who Red Bull and Mercedes want to use to help in the strategic battle between the two teams, are not right behind them, for Lando Norris produced his own stellar lap to put his McLaren third.

"I have the best seat," Norris said. "I'm very excited to see what goes on.

"It's a genuine pleasure to be in this position to see everything that has been going on this season between Max and Lewis, to watch the battles and the racing because I have a lot of respect for them."

Australia face injury worries over Hazlewood and Warner

BOWLER Josh Hazlewood and opener David Warner are injury concerns for Australia after their nine-wicket win over England in the first Ashes Test.

Hazlewood has a mild rib issue but, having been absent for much of day three, did bowl as England collapsed from 223-2 to 297 all out on day four.

Warner, who also has a rib injury, did not field on the third day and did not bat when his side chased 20 to win.

Captain Pat Cummins said he expects Warner to be fit for the second Test.

But he was more coy on the prospects of 30-year-old Hazlewood - third in the International Cricket Council's Test bowling rankings - playing in the day-night match in Adelaide, which begins on Thursday.

"He was a little sore [on day three] so we tried to get him through," Cummins said. "[It is] nothing too serious but we didn't want it to turn into a huge injury.

"The key is we don't want to put him in jeopardy for the whole series.

"He had a scan last night and there was nothing scary enough to not bowl today. We want to manage him a little bit."

Hazlewood, part of Australia's T20 World Cup-winning squad last month, took 3-74 in 27 overs in the match but only bowled eight of 70 overs on day three in Brisbane.

Warner was injured when hit in the ribs while making 94 in Australia's first innings. Alex Carey took his place as opener for the short fourth-innings chase.

"Davey was available to bat. We just chose not to risk him," Cummins, 28, said.

"When we had 20 to win we couldn't find him. We looked everywhere in the stadium. I think he will be all right for Adelaide."

Cummins hopes Gabba win leads to another series thrashing

Caption Australia star quick Josh Hazlewood

After Australia dominated the first two days, England began day four with hope after Dawid Malan and Joe Root combined for an unbeaten partnership of 159 on day three.

But the pair added just three runs on the fourth morning before the wicket of Malan, caught at silly point off spinner Nathan Lyon, sparked a miserable England collapse of eight wickets for 77 runs.

It resulted in another heavy England defeat at the Gabba, to follow a 10-wicket loss in 2017, a 281-run defeat in 2013, plus 277 and 384-run thrashings in 2006 and 2002 respectively.

Cummins, who was captaining Australia for the first time, hopes the latest Australia win could again lead to emphatic series victories, as it did on those four previous occasions.

"I hope so," the fast bowler said.

"The bowling unit bowled really well. I am really happy with where we are at.

"History is great but it doesn't count for too much."(BBC Sport)`

Free entry to all U19...

The marketing blitz, spearheaded by Trinidad and Tobago-based advertising agency, Lonsdale Saatchi & Saatchi, will see advertisements across all media, billboards and giant cricket bats sprinkled across host countries; wide-ranging digital promotions, as well as social-media endorsements by regional influencers. There will also be interviews with key tournament officials by diverse media.

Today's highlight will be a four-hour launch party in Judgement Square, St John's, Antigua, entitled 'Be There! The Road to the U19 CWC!' This event will feature various DJs, local artiste and climax with a live broadcast on Vybz FM between 16:00hrs and 17:00hrs during which time there will be a cultural presentation, including dancers and moko jumbies.

English Racing Tips Southwell 08:15 hrs Mozzaro 08:45 hrs Armattickan 09:20 hrs Abuffalosoldier 09:55 hrs Horizon D’ainay 10:25 hrs Cup Of Coffee 10:55 hrs Hob House 11:25 hrs Foilian Max Verstappen locked on 369 .5 points - only the second time this has happened since F1's first season in 1950..

GUYANA CHRONICLE Sunday, December 12, 2021

Carlisle 08:30 hrs rRollerruler 09:05 hrs Beat Trition

09:40 hrs Papa Tango CVharly 10:10 hrs Bass Rock 10:40 hrs The Composeur 11:10 hrs All The Glory South Africa Racing Tips Scottsville 08:20 hrs Maria Corolina 08:55 hrs Bugsy Malone 09:30 hrs Successful Ruler 10:05 hrs Knight Warrior 10:35 hrs Master Keeku

FROM PAGE 35

“We're excited about this campaign because it really puts our culture, our people, our West Indian vibe out to the world. It underlines the vibrancy, the energy and passion of our region and how we play and enjoy cricket,” said Rose, adding that the 'Be There' campaign will also be showcased on the social media platforms of Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC).

In the coming weeks, fans will see more of the 'Be There' momentum, with activations throughout the host nations, including a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative geared to youth, promotional giveaways and the unveiling of matchday ‘sportainment’ plans to enhance this exciting tournament.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday December 12, 2021)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 4 dismissals (3 catches; 1 stumping) (2) 1 dismissal (1 catch) Today’s Quiz: (1) When and where did the WI and PAK first contest a T20 International against each other?

(2) Who were the captains involved?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

35

GUYANA CHRONICLE Sunday, December 12, 2021

Ravens, Kwakwani take title at launch of Rawle Toney 3X3 tournament launch THE Ravens basketball club and the females from Kwakwani took home the spoils on Friday evening when basketball returned for the first time since 2019, at the Rawle Toney 3X3 Classic that was held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Ravens took on a tough Linden team that featured National captain Stanton Rose, along with top forward Shane Webster, Dennis Niles and Harold Adams.

However, Ravens’ quartet of Dominic Vincente, Timothy Thompson, Jude Corlette and Owan Walton escaped with a narrow 1513 win over the Region 10 side in the final.

Thompson and Vincente combined for 14 of the 15 points scored by Ravens. In fact, it was Vincente who hit a clutch two-pointer to put the side up in the final two minutes of the game.

Vincente ended with six points, while Thompson was a beast in the paint on his way to a game-high eight points.

Rose had a team-high seven points for Linden and traded buckets with Vincente in the dying moments but just came up short in the end.

Adams had five points for Linden with Webster only mustering one point in the

Jada Mohan goes to the basket during the Georgetown vs Kwakwani match at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall

nail-biting loss for Linden.

In the third-place game, Eagles defeated Colts 17-11 with an all-round team effort.

Hulman Bovell had a team-high five points to lead Eagles to the win. Jared Sears, Travis Belgrave and Michael Richard each had four points in the win. Evans Johnson had five points for Colts while Quacy Lindo chipped in with four points in the loss.

NAMILCO funds first prize for GFF-GNWFA Women’s Super-16 Festival THE National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) has joined forces with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and the Guyana National Women’s Football Association (GNWFA) as a lead sponsor of the inaugural GFF-GNWFA Women’s Super-16 Festival 2021, providing funds for the year-end competition’s first prize.

Senior executives from NAMILCO, a long-term supporter of football as title sponsor of the GFF National U-17 men’s intra-association tournament, made the presentation to GFF president Wayne Forde on Friday.

“The management of NAMILCO is pleased to partner with GFF for the staging of the historic Women’s Super 16 Festival,” said NAMILCO Managing Director Bert Sukhai, who was joined at the presentation

by NAMILCO Financial Controller, Fitzroy McLeod.

“We were excited to learn that seven teams from across the hinterland regions were invited to participate in the inaugural tournament. NAMILCO wants to see more girls and women being afforded the same opportunities as their male counterparts for growth development and competition,” Sukhai added.

“We are, therefore, happy to see that they are getting an opportunity to participate in a football tournament of this stature and we are proud to lend our support to these initiatives.”

“We must therefore commend the GFF for giving these young women an opportunity to showcase their skills and express themselves

throughout this competition,” he concluded.

The tournament is the first year-end senior women’s competition in Guyana and kicked off yesterday in St Cuthbert’s Mission, with the home side taking on Swan FC. The festival will be played over 13 match days, culminating in the final and third-place playoff at 15.00hrs on Sunday, January 2 at the GFF National Training Centre in Providence, East Bank, Demerara.

The champions of the tournament will win a first prize of $500 000, with the runners-up receiving $300 000. The third-place team will receive $200 000 and the team placed fourth will take home $100 000.

“We are delighted to welcome NAMILCO on board for this historic tournament and we want to extend our gratitude to the management of the company for supporting women’s football and this incredibly important competition,” said GFF president Wayne Forde. “NAMILCO has been a strong and loyal partner for football in Guyana for many years and its continued investment in the sport has made a huge and lasting impact for many young people across the country. We look forward to working with them to continue to rapid development of football for all.”

The full list of competing teams are: Swan, St Cuthbert’s Mission, Foxy Ladies, Lethem, GT Panthers, Fruta Conquerors, Mahdia, Moruca, GDF, Upper Mazaruni, Santos, New Amsterdam United, Bartica, Essequibo All Stars, Police, and Orealla.

Kwakwani won the best of three series against Georgetown with the young ladies showing grit in a tight series that was close throughout.

The women’s event was organised by the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) and was used as part of their efforts to showcase female participation in the game’s shortest format.

For their efforts, both Kwakwani and Ravens took home the winners’ trophies, compliments of well-known journalist and radio host, Gordon Moseley.

Meanwhile, during the launching, tournament organiser Rawle Toney thanked the fans for their support in addition to all stakeholders who made the launching a success.

“From the bottom of my heart I want to thank each-and-every one of you fans for coming out despite the weather and everything … this shows that we can have events like these in a safe environment and I also want to thank the Ministry of Health for giving approval to have fans in attendance,” Toney said.

He added that “the significance of this tournament is that it can give our players and country value ranking points to qualify for future international FIBA 3X3 tournaments.”

It is expected that the tournament will tip-off on February 19, 2022 and conclude the following day, with all games being played at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

According to Toney, the 16-team event is receiving interest from teams in Suriname, Trinidad as well as other Caribbean countries.

Free entry to all U19 World Cup matches BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) - Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced Friday that there will be free entry to watch cricket’s future stars in the Men’s Cricket U19 World Cup 2022, starting January 14.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, CWI has stipulated that fans should visit www.u19cwc. com/tickets to get free tickets to allow organisers to control the number of spectators attending.

“While there will be free entry, fans must get their tickets prior to match day and adhere to the relevant protocols,” stressed Tournament Director, Fawwaz Baksh.

“Regarding COVID-19, we will observe the national protocols when it comes to people attending large-scale events. If the Government and Ministry of Health officials say fans must be vaccinated, then so be it. If fans must have registered a negative test within a certain time period, before the match, then so be it. We are working with all four host governments to ensure a safe environment.”

The news accompanied the marketing-campaign launch for the global tournament, with the rallying tagline and jingle ‘Be There’ being rolled out across the host nations – Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, and Trinidad & Tobago – and globally via social media and other digital platforms.

Regional Marketing Manager for the tournament, Chalita Rose, urged West Indians to heed the clarion call to ‘Be There’ for the 16-team cricketing blockbuster, featuring 48 matches in 23 days.

He noted the key elements of the marketing campaign are designed to attract “the Caribbean

Tournament Director, Fawwaz Baksh

public, and the world, to watch and support the future stars of cricket”.

Left-handed middle-order batter Ackeem Auguste will lead the West Indies’ 15-member squad for the upcoming tournament. All-rounder Giovonte Depeiza was named vice-captain.

“Headlined by an infectious, West Indian-flavoured jingle by Voice - a young, popular soca artiste from Trinidad and Tobago - the 'Be There' campaign has strong visuals. We are highlighting former West Indies under-19 players who have evolved into international stars,” he revealed.

“We have Alzarri Joseph from Antigua and Shimron Hetmyer from Guyana; both members of the West Indies victorious Under-19 World Cup team in 2016, with Hetmyer as captain. We also feature Jayden Seales from Trinidad who was in the Under-19 Team of the Tournament in 2020 and is now playing Test cricket. So, our campaign shows Under-19 cricket as the pathway to success.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Sunday, December 12, 2021 The three Windies players ruled out after positive COVID-19 tests: From left: Kyle Mayers, Sheldon Cottrell and Roston Chase

Chase, Mayers and Cottrell ruled out of Pakistan tour after positive COVID-19 tests 30 PAGE

… but matches to continue as planned

Guyana Amazon Jaguars start four-day preparation Guyana Amazon Jaguars players undergoing fitness tests

IMPROVED fitness is the current top priority of the Guyana Amazon Jaguars who are preparing for next year’s Regional Four-Day Championship in February.

Recently some contracted players and some from the Academy underwent fitness assessments at the National Track and Field Facility, Leonora.

The players did a Yo-Yo Test in which the minimum standard of 40 was required, then a 40m sprint, which they needed to complete in less than 5.8 seconds.

The Yo-Yo test is a maximal aerobic endurance fitness test, involving running between markers placed 20 metres apart, at increasing speeds, until exhausted.

Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chairman of Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) senior selection panel, has informally advised that the minimum standard be raised to 45.

It comes on the heels of several Guyanese players being overlooked for West Indies selection for failing to meet the required 40 on the Yo-Yo test.

In an invited comment, re-appointed head coach Esaun Crandon indicated that

there are mixed feelings about the session since some players would have regressed from the previous test in July, but on the other hand, it was a needed exercise to lay the groundwork ahead of the regional tournament.

Meanwhile, newly appointed assistant coach Ryan Hercules indicated that to help the players who failed to reach the required standards, emphasis must be placed on building player’s body via strength and conditioning, and most importantly doing personal fitness work is key..

Jaguars’ first three matches will be away from home, and the final two will be at Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

At the Professional Players’ draft in May, Jaguars selected Kevlon Anderson, Christopher Barnwell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Leon Johnson, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Veerasammy Permaul, Romario Shepherd, Vishaul Singh, Kevin Sinclair, Nial Smith, Anthony Bramble, Keon Joseph.

Ravens, Kwakwani take title at launch of Rawle Toney 3X3 tournament launch 35 PAGE

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2021