Issuu

THURSDAY 14th JULY, 2022

$100

No. 106783

$41.6B from Natural Resource Fund for priority projects

‘Count on us’

SEE PAGE

- Guyana, Canada recommit to strong trade, development relations 3 SEE PAGE

President, Dr Irfaan Ali (left) and Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Mark Berman (centre) look on as Mrs Allison Berman cuts a slice of the Canada Day 2022 cake during the celebratory observance held at the Canadian High Commissioner’s residence in Georgetown. (Elvin Carl Croker photos)

$70M in contracts signed to boost agriculture in Region Nine SEE PAGE

Revising Amerindian Act on Toshaos conference agenda - AG SEE PAGE

Brackish water shrimp trial successful with 70,000 kg 12

$449M fine each, jail term for two foreigners in major drug bust

SEE PAGE

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

AG to address revised Amerindian Act, other policy issues on Friday

By Clestine Juan

THE rights and freedom of the Amerindian people will be high on the agenda of Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C, when he addresses the National Toshao’s Conference on Friday. The five-day conference is being held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, under the theme ‘Good governance and Fasttracking Amerindian Development.’ During his “Issues in the News” programme, which was streamed recently on Facebook, AG Nandlall said that he will address Amerindian village leaders on the revisions of the 2006 Amerindian Act, land titling disputes and other key law and policy issues. “There are many legal issues that the Amerindians have, which include disputes constantly with miners, who are mining in Amerindian communities or in neighbouring communities and

Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall during his weekly Facebook programme ‘Issues in the News’ disputes arise. There are many cases pending in the High Court where miners have sued Amerindian villages and Amerindians. I will be there to address those concerns,” he said during his programme. Further, AG Nandlall stated that his Ministry will partner with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to establish a committee which will hold consultations with Amerindians living in hinterland communities. The Amerindian Affairs Ministry has already set aside $10 million to commence the consultation process which will lead to revision of the

Act. The committee will be tasked with making recommendations, and discussing issues with the residents of Amerindian communities, with a view to making the reforms relevant and requisite to the current piece of legislation. “That is how we do law making, in a consultative way. In fact, the entire process will be driven by the Amerindian communities in the consultative process. We will only facilitate and create the machinery to make that possible,” he added. AG Nandlall further disclosed that when engaging

in his dialogue on Friday, he will also cover the issue of constitutional reform. For example, he said, while discrimination is a constitutional wrong, the Constitution allows positive discrimination in favour of the Amerindians. “So, while you can’t discriminate against, you can discriminate in favour of the Amerindians. But unless they know their rights, unless they know their freedoms, they will not be able to appreciate it and exercise. It makes no sense giving people legal rights or legal freedoms on paper unless you tell them what those rights are. You explain to them how those rights are reported, you further illustrate to them how those rights and freedoms can be exercised, and enforced…That is what I plan to do on Friday,” the Minister said. ‘BASELESS ALLEGATIONS’ Meanwhile, during his programme, AG Nandlall denied recent claims that the government was “hijacking” the agenda of the conference. “We are there to facilitate. We are there to help the Amerindian communities to address their various issues.

Yet, as we try to do that, we are faced with the accusation that we are attempting to take over and control the conference…nothing of the sort,” he said. He pointed out that if the government did not host the NTC conference or participate, they would have still faced negative criticism or even worse, been accused of neglect. “So, whether you do or you don’t, you still get it [criticism] but the people who are the most important factor in this equation know best and they have talked with us even while we were in opposition,” he added. He emphasised that the PPP-led government has always strived to treat the nation’s first people with dignity and respect and will continue to do so. During Monday’s opening of the conference, President Irfaan Ali rejected claims of his government taking over the conference. “We are here not to tell you what to do, but to listen to you; to listen to your ideas; to listen to your needs; to listen to your perspectives and to craft together a plan of action to improve the life of every single Amerindian

community in this country,” the Head of State said. He continued: “Let me be very clear, your rights must and will always be respected by this government. Your rights will always be protected by this government, your rights will always advance under this government.” President Ali assured the Amerindian village leaders that just like how the PPP administration fought for their rights years ago, under his administration this course will continue. “You have equity in this country. We fought hard so that you can have so that you can be part of the process of development,” the President said as he reiterated that Amerindians are no different from the rest of the population and must be treated equally. “Those are the fundamental principles that we support. We will preserve what is rightfully yours. That is what this government has done from day one — work to preserve everything that can give you a better life and better communities. Your future must be no different from the future of anyone else in this country,” he said.

$41.6B to finance priority projects

SENIOR Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, on Wednesday, announced that the government made its second draw down from the Natural Resource Fund in accordance with the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act 2021. According to a release, the minister indicated that pursuant to Section 16 of the NRF Act 2021, a further US$200 million equivalent to G$41.6 billion has been transferred from the Natural Resource Fund to the Consolidated Fund to finance national development priorities. The release noted that in May of this year, the government made its first withdrawal of $200 million equivalent to G$41.7 billion. The second withdrawal brings the accumulated withdrawals to date from the NRF to US$400 million, equivalent to G$83.3 billion. “This transfer was made in accordance with the strengthened legal architecture of the

Senior Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh NRF Act 2021,” the release noted. It pointed out that the International Monetary Fund, which recently concluded the 2022 Article IV mission to Guyana in May-June of this year, commended the government on the amendments made to the NRF Act. “The recent amendments to the 2019 Natural Resource Fund Act set clear ceilings on

withdrawals from the fund for budgetary spending and promote transparency in the management and use of oil resources. Staff praised the authorities’ thorough review of the 2019 NRF Act before making amendments, and the restraint in using any oil revenues before the passage of the amendments,” the bank had said. The NRF Act 2021 came into operation on January 1, 2022, and as part of the Budget 2022 process, parliamentary approval was granted for a total of US$607.6 million to be transferred during fiscal year 2022. “The PPP/C Government will continue to work aggressively through sound and transformative investments of oil resources from the NRF, utilising these resources in a clear and transparent manner, to the benefit of present and future generations,” the release concluded.

‘Count on us’

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

By Shamar Meusa

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Wednesday, reaffirmed the importance of Guyana’s development and trade partnership with Canada. The Head of State spoke during the “Canada Day” celebration hosted by the Canadian

during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, President Ali underscored the partnerships between Canadian businesses and Guyana. Turning attention to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), President Ali said emphasis should also be placed on “igniting” the relation-

The youth marching band from New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) performed at the 150th annual Canada Day celebration (Elvin Carl Croker photo)

High Commission here at the High Commissioner ’s residence in Georgetown. During his remarks, President Ali said the relationship that Guyana is building with its friends and development partners is one that is seamless. He maintained the importance of dialogue and strong conversations which lead to results. He said: “We must have strong conversations, but the conversation model must lead to results. We want to sit in the negotiations and arrangement for the new trade agreements between Canada and all our strategic partners so that it can reflect the changing environment in which you’re operating.” President Ali said that Guyana and Canada are consistently working on ways to better bilateral relations. N o t i n g t h e l a rg e Guyanese diaspora in Canada, President Ali recognised Canada’s longstanding contributions to development here. Additionally, the President lauded the North American country for its support to Guyana

ship between Canada and the bloc of Caribbean nations. Dr Ali said the recently-held Summit of the Americas provided space for such an engagement. Further, as the relationship between CARICOM and the region is being expanded, the President said that this is not only being done at the trade and development levels but, importantly, on the policy coordination level. To this end, he mentioned Guyana has been working with Canada at the national and regional levels to coordinate approaches to face the various issues of food security and climate change. A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e Head of State said that in fostering better relationships between the two countries, it is time to reevaluate the “people-topeople” contact. More specifically, President Ali said there should be discussions on reducing bottlenecks to free movement. Meanwhile, High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Mark Berman shared similar sentiments to President

Ali in his remarks. The High Commissioner noted that with respect to trade, Canada-Guyana merchandise trade totalled some $238.2 million last year with some $199.6 million of same being imports from Guyana. As such, he stated, “Canada is committed to diversifying our trade relationship in order to contribute to rebuilding the global economy in a way that is resilient, inclusive, and sustainable while being a reliable partner for business and development.” Berman said Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business, and Economic Development, Mary Ng visited Guyana to strengthen the bilateral trade and investment relationship between the two countries.

- Guyana, Canada recommit to strong trade, development relations

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali (Elvin Carl Croker photo)

“Canada has been a leading trade partner in Guyana for many many years and we’re proud of the continuous growth of our relationship,” the High Commissioner expressed. Mr Berman said the relationship between the two countries is also

High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Mark Berman

strong in the area of culture. Similarly, he indicated that he looks forward to more partnerships being built, more projects being executed, and greater trade development. Berman affirmed Canada’s commitment to a coordinated approach

on pressing issues such as climate change and food security that are facing the Caribbean region. With this commitment, he added that this means continuing to work closely with partners in Guyana and the Caribbean.

Transparency, accountability imperative for public projects - Prime Minister Phillips

PRIME Minister, Brigadier (ret’d), Mark Phillips has emphasised the importance of transparency and accountability in the execution of Government-funded projects. He made these remarks at a contract-signing ceremony for the construction of a $117M, 6400 square foot, multi-purpose building for the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), which was held at CDC’s headquarters, Thomas lands. Prime Minister Phillips, who has responsibility for the Commission, charged both the contractors and officials to execute the project in a timely and responsible manner. He said that the objective is not just to complete the building in the estimated 24 months, but to maintain its quality throughout the process. He made reference to a past project, where senior officials broke the law and allowed substandard performance. “We need to do a better

job at supervising projects to ensure that the government and people of Guyana derive the benefits.” The Prime Minister pointed to the findings of the Auditor General’s Report for 2020, which revealed financial breaches and other irregularities in the construction of the CDC office building in 2019, where some $29M were paid for work that was never completed and, in some cases, never started. This resulted in the current government allocating additional funds to complete the building in the 2021 budget. “In order for the $29M to be paid to the contractors, senior CDC officials had to sign documents stating that the works were completed, when they knew that the works were not completed and in many cases had never started. So notwithstanding the fact that government found money to complete the building, these incidents for work that was never done will have to be further inves-

Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips tigated.” DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT A PRIORITY The senior government official also took the opportunity to reaffirm the government’s commitment to ensuring that Guyana adapts a comprehensive approach to disaster risk management. “If we are to approach disaster management in a comprehensive manner, it entails capacity-building and investment in infrastructure. And so this is an important project for the management of disaster and the govern-

ment has seen it fit to include in this year’s budget funding for this project.” Prime Minister Phillips also stated that the facility will be a valuable addition to disaster risk management across the country, adding to the long-term efforts of the Commission on Disaster Risk Management Mitigation and Response. It was also announced that multi-purpose facilities, similar to those found in Lethem and Georgetown, will be established throughout Guyana. (OPM)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

Disciplinary charge for senior cop who instructed ranks to trail Opposition Leader SUPERINTENDENT of Police, Alistair Roberts, will now have to face a disciplinary charge after allegedly giving two junior ranks instructions to “escort” Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton and not being truthful about it. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a press

release on Wednesday, disclosed that the senior rank will be charged with the offence of acting in a manner likely to bring discredit to the reputation of the force on June 13, 2022, at Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara. The investigation was conducted by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

Vigilance cops to be charged departmentally over burning of teenage detainee

FOLLOWING an investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), charges will be laid against three cops in relation to the burning of 17-year-old Jaheim Peters while he was in custody at the Vigilance Police Station on July 10. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a press release issued on Wednesday, said that legal ad-

vice was provided to the Commissioner of Police and the Crime Chief, for charges to be instituted against Police Constable Nazier and Corporals Thomas and Bissessar. It was recommended that Constable Nazier be charged for failing to perform his duties with diligence, and Corporal Bissessar be charged with omitting to make a necessary entry into the station

diary. Corporal Thomas will be charged for neglect of his duties. Additionally, it was recommended that Keron Williams, who allegedly gave the teen the lighter that was used to start the fire, be charged for introducing prohibited articles into prison. It is alleged that Williams and the teen were cellmates while in custody at the Vigilance Police Station. According to reports, Peters had accused a Guyana Police Force (GPF) rank stationed at the Vigilance Police Station of torturing him, thereby causing him grievous bodily harm while he was in custody.

At the time, the teen was under arrest pending investigation into an allegation of robbery under arms. However, reports indicate that the teen told the police officers that he was playing with the lighter when his jersey caught fire, but the teenager’s father has alleged police brutality. The boy, whom the police said is a fisherman, was arrested for alleged armed robbery. In a video released by the family, the teen later claimed he was set on fire by police ranks. An investigation into this allegation is still in progress.

July 13, 2022

G 3 7 14 17 19 28 25 13/07/22 - 8 11 15 21 23

13/07/22 - 6 1 6

13/07/22 - 2 5 3

13/07/22 - 1 6 8 10 12 19 20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

Investigation into violence at Mon Repos still ongoing

THE police are still investigating the violent robbery of Mon Repos Market vendors during a protest action along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) last month. This update was provided by Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, S.C., during his ‘Issues in the News’ programme streamed on Facebook on Tuesday. AG Nandlall explained that statements are still being taken from police officers who were present at the scene, and statements are now being taken from the victims of the violence. He disclosed that the police have accumulated relevant video footage and images

from that day, which will assist in the investigation and lead to arrests being made. “Charges are going to come. Don’t worry!” he said while adding: “As I said, the charges based upon everything are going to be very serious charges.” The Minister said that these types of criminal behaviour from “miscreants” who cause violence and public disorder cannot be allowed. “We will not have that reoccurring in Guyana; so the law, as I promised will take its course, will be applied as condignly as possible,” he promised. On June 28, the protest initially started at Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara,

where people took to the street and chanted for justice after they were misled by a false media report that the police officer purportedly involved in the killing of Quindon Bacchus, had been released. What started as a verbal chant quickly escalated as scores of persons blocked sections of the ECD corridor with debris and even made their way to Mon Repos, where they purportedly beat vendors, robbed them and destroyed their property. The government later issued compensation to the vendors. Following the protest, 16 men appeared at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court

- says AG

The aftermath of the attack on vendors and vandalising of stalls at the Mon Repos Market (Shamar Meusa photo) for allegedly engaging in riotous behaviour. However, no arrests were made for the robbery of the vendors. Lance Corporal Kristoff

DeNobrega was remanded for the murder of Bacchus, while his colleagues Lance Corporal Thurston Simon, and Cadet Officer Dameion McLennon,

were accused of obstruction for their alleged actions following the shooting incident. They are currently on remand.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

Bridging The Developmental Gap

THE National Toshoas Council’s (NTC) Conference is currently underway at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal. The conference is being held under the theme, ‘Good Governance and Fast-tracking Amerindian Development.’ The conference, which provided a forum for senior government officials and Amerindian leaders from over 212 Amerindian villages to meet under one roof, has proven over the years to be a good mechanism for the exchange of ideas and perspectives on how to enhance the quality of life of Amerindian and indigenous peoples. Indeed, it is a powerful collaborative mechanism between central government and representatives of Amerindian villages to chart the way forward for Amerindians, which historically had been under-represented in the decision-making processes of the country. Under the colonial administration, Amerindians

were kept at the periphery of national development. This under-representation and neglect of the Amerindian peoples and their development continued under the PNC regime for all of the 28 years of PNC dictatorial rule. It was not until the return of democracy on October 5, 1992 that Amerindians became an integral part of the decision-making processes with the establishment of a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and several other policy interventions aimed at full empowerment of the Amerindian peoples. Guyana is perhaps the only country in the whole of South America, if not the world, where senior government officials including the President, Prime Minister, Vice-President sit, interact, listen and communicate directly with Amerindian leaders for almost a week. The mood of the Amerindian leaders was best summed up by newly elected NTC Chairman Derrick John, who called on all Toshaos “to

make full use of a government that wants to listen to us.” “We have a government that wants to listen to us, that is willing to support us. Let us count ourselves fortunate,” Mr John remarked. This is quite unlike what transpired under the previous APNU+AFC administration when Amerindian rights were trampled upon with impunity and their lives and livelihoods were interrupted through the vindictive actions of the previous administration. Scores of Amerindian workers were issued with termination letters due to their perceived loyalty to the PPP/C. The fact is that there is a natural bond that exists between the PPP and the Amerindian peoples, which predated the PPP/C’s assumption of power in 1992. Indeed, the PPP had always represented the interests and well-being of the Amerindian peoples, since the days of PNC-rigged elections, when the PNC regime foisted ‘bo-

gus’ Amerindian Toshaos on the Amerindian peoples in their respective communities. All of that has now changed and Amerindian leaders are now elected in democratic elections. The entire landscape of Amerindian community development has now changed, with a plethora of policy interventions such as intensified land-titling; enhanced delivery of education and health services; specialised training for the oil-and-gas sector, tourism; agricultural development; food security; job creation; establishment of ICT hubs; cash grants and increased stipends for community leaders, among others. Under the hinterland electrification programme, some 30,000 hinterland homes will benefit from solar powered electricity through loans from the Indian Government and the Inter-American Bank (IDB). These are indeed transformative developments aimed at integrating Amerindian development within the broader framework of overall

national development. Only recently, Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo assured Amerindian leaders that 20 per cent of Guyana’s land would go to its Amerindian peoples. He further stated that Amerindians will soon benefit from diagnostic centres to provide advanced health care in each of the four hinterland regions. These will be funded from oil revenues, and as a matter of policy, some 15 per cent of monies earned from the preservation of Guyana’s forests through the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) will go directly to Amerindian communities. As pointed out by President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali during the opening ceremony of the five-day meeting, the PPP/C administration has invested more than $50 billion in the advancement of Amerindian communities and its people over the past two years to improve health and education; water delivery; community infrastructure; agricultural support; tourism;

youth; education and training and social assistance for residents. As President Ali noted, roughly 97 per cent of Amerindians have so far been reached by government ministers and other senior government officials, which together with village leaders have been instrumental in “breaking down walls that separate development from you and the people of your community.” The PPP/C administration must be given full credit for bridging the developmental gap between the coastal and hinterland regions, despite the challenges. All of this is done, in the words of President Ali, “not just because we want to, but because you are no different from the rest of the population and you must be treated with the same respect, with the same dignity and honour like all of the population. Those are the fundamental principles that we adhere to, that we support.”

The allegation that the PPP/C hijacked the NTC is ludicrous

Dear Editor,

ON behalf of our fellow Amerindian brothers and sisters, we want to thank His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and the PPP/C Government for the hosting of this year’s National Toshaos Conference. After listening to President’s Ali speech, we are optimistic about our future. Thank you, Mr. President, for letting the nation know we Amerindians are not second-class citizens and that you and your government will listen to our ideas for our community development and work with us to ensure we achieve our goals. But we are disheartened by the contents of a letter published in Stabroek News on July 12, 2022, by the former chair of the National Toshaos’

Council, Nicholas Fredericks, and the decision of some of the Executives of the former National Toshao’s Council to boycott the ongoing National Toshao’s Conference. While you claim that the current government has hijacked the conference, your absence is viewed as sinister. The NTC is a forum for all Toshaos to voice their concerns and express their ideas for the development of our Amerindian communities; how will your absence help our people? President Ali and all his government ministers are at all the sessions to address all of our concerns and work together with all our Toshaos to find the best possible solutions for our development. It is even more interesting that we as Amerindian people in our different communities can follow

the presentations at the NTC via social media, so the truth is told at every level. According to the letter published, Mr. Fredericks claims that he is abstaining from the NTC because of a lack of communication on his travel arrangements and confirmation to address the NTC as the outgoing chairperson. In our view, these concerns while they might be valid on a personal level, are not sufficient enough reasons to justify his absence, thereby depriving his community of representation and even more so, lending to the discussion of ideas for our Amerindian people’s development. There are systems in place at the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs for all Toshaos to be reimbursed for their travel expenses according to the al-

lotted subvention for the NTC. Further, as the outgoing NTC Executives, all the members have a commitment to represent their communities to let their voices be heard for their development. The allegation of the PPP/C hijacking the NTC is even more ludicrous, given that the agenda was online for all to view. Every day during the five-day conference, Toshaos have the opportunity to discuss issues affecting their communities with ministers in the presence of President Ali. These sessions are currently being chaired and facilitated by the newly-elected chair of the NTC. Where were the voices of the outgoing NTC Executives when Keith Scott referred to us Amerindians as “greedy people”? When the APNU+AFC

fired 2,000 of our young CSOs? Where were their voices when the APNU+AFC halted land titling and refused to address issues related to it? How convenient is it for those former Executives to now abstain from attending while forgetting the neglect by APNU+AFC in ensuring our elderly are given their pensions and our children are offered the best available resources to continue their education? Why were they silent when our health systems in the hinterland were neglected badly? The records of this country would show that there were some Amerindian leaders who colluded with the former APNU+AFC Government to deprive and deny development for Amerindians whilst they enriched themselves from the largess of the State.

Today, we Amerindians are willing to work together with the PPP/C Government led by Dr. Ali to move our development forward. We want to urge our fellow Amerindians to speak up on issues affecting us and not be led astray by persons whose objectives are questionable. Let us use the opportunities offered by President Ali to have our voices heard and push for our development as ‘One Guyana’. As President Ali confirmed too, “We have equal opportunity to development” in Guyana. Sincerely yours, Sonia Latchman-Bethany, Region Two Shane Cornelius- Karrau, Region Seven Timothy Andrews-St Cuthbert’s Mission, Region Four

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

$449M fine each, jail term for two foreigners in major drug bust

TWO foreign nationals were, on Wednesday, fined in excess of $449 million each and jailed for four years, six months after they were found guilty of a number of criminal charges in connection to more than 760 pounds of drugs found in an aircraft which made an unauthorised landing at Mahdia Airstrip, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) on Sunday. This is according to a statement from the Guyana Police Force (GPF). 23-year-old Brazil national, Mateus Vinicius Pontes Alberto, and 43-year-old Colombia national Rodrigues Canon Dandres Estiven were

held by Guyanese law enforcement in connection with 639.9 pounds of cocaine, and 120.45 pounds of marijuana found in a white Cessna skyline single engine aeroplane. The aircraft, with registration number #N5470z, is suspected to have come from Venezuela, police said. In the initial statement on the bust, the GPF said: “An intelligence led operation by the Guyana Police Force at around 14:20 hours yesterday (July 10, 2022), resulted in the arrest of a Colombian and a Brazilian national when their plane landed at the Mahdia Airstrip

with a large quantity of suspected cocaine and cannabis.” “A search of the said aircraft unearthed 10 large parcels containing suspected cocaine and one small parcel containing suspected cannabis,” the police said in the report on Sunday’s bust. The suspected cocaine and cannabis were seized along with one satellite phone, two GPS, two cellular phones, one Icon radio set along with documents. Police said that as it relates to the cocaine find, the defendants were fined $435,380,640 and sentenced to four years and six months in jail, respectively. For the marijuana find, the men were fined $49,171,680 and sentenced to four years and six months in jail, respectively. As it relates to operating the civil aircraft without an airworthiness certificate, the men were fined $2,000,000 each and sentenced to one year in jail, respectively. For interference with an aircraft, the men were fined $2,000,000 and sentenced to one year in jail, respectively. Since the aircraft was deemed to not have insurance, the men were fined $3,000,000 and sentenced to one year in jail. Lastly, for false and

The drugs found on Sunday (Guyana Police Force photos)

misleading aircraft marking, the two men were fined $2,000,000 and sentenced to one year in jail, respectively.

The sentences will all run concurrently. Therefore, the men will spend the maximum of four years, six months in jail.

Police had said the value of the cocaine was $435,380,640, while the marijuana found was valued at $49,171,680.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

CARICOM, UN recommit to achieving SDGs in the region

CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett and Roberto Valent, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean for the Development Coordination Office (DCO) of the United Nations recommitted to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the region, when they met on Tuesday. According to a release, the CARICOM SecretaryGeneral and UN Regional Director talked about their respective organisations’ work on a range of development priorities, spanning economic diversification, food security, human services, climate resilience, violence against women and girls, crime and the rule of law.

L-R: Ambassador Donna Forde, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations; Roberto Valent, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the UN Development Coordination Office; Yesim Oruç, UN Resident Coordinator in Guyana; Dr. Carla Barnett, CARICOM Secretary-General; and Dr. Garry Conille, UN Resident Coordinator in Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands (UN and CARICOM photo)

During the meeting, Dr. Barnett said, “There is urgent need to close the emissions gap to maintain global warming to well below 1.5?C, and to enhance global advocacy for greater access to climate financing to help Small Island and Low-lying Coastal Developing States (SIDS) address the effects of climate change and respond effectively to loss and damage caused by climatic events.” She noted the crucial role of the United Nations to enable strong advocacy on these issues. Dr Barnett recalled the fruitful discussions CARICOM Heads of Government held with the UN SecretaryTURN TO PAGE 10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

$70M in contracts signed to boost agriculture in Region Nine licock disclosed that the region is looking to improve its cattle rearing for beef production. The region has also begun the roll-out of its black giant bird project. “We also have the black giant project that we have started and we will be issuing more

A Toshao from Region Nine with Permanent Secretary of the Agriculture Ministry, Delma Nedd, and Minister Mustapha at the brief signing ceremony on Wednesday (Ministry of Agriculture photo)

By Naomi Parris ON the sidelines of the National Toshaos Conference on Wednesday, contracts valued $70 million to boost agricultural production in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) were signed. Toshaos and Deputy Toshaos from Amerindian villages across Guyana are currently in Georgetown for the conference hosted at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal. The Agriculture Ministry, through the Hinterland Environmentally Sustainable Agricultural Development (HESAD) Project which is implemented by the Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU), signed the contracts with various Amerindian village leaders.

Speaking exclusively with the Guyana Chronicle about the agreements which will boost the livelihoods and improve the economic standing of beneficiary communities, Chairman of that region, Brian Allicock, said that the ongoing and anticipated agricultural projects will not only earn revenue, but will also enhance food security. “It’s a boost for us in terms of our food security… More so, the kind of interest that is paid in Region Nine’s agriculture [sic] development,” Allicock said. Some major ongoing projects in the region are the large-scale production of corn and soya bean, rice and the newly introduced wheat production. For wheat specifically, the project will see 5,000 acres of land in the Rupununi

area being utilized for the first outdoor trial of the grain. “The major crops that we are looking at now [are] soybean, corn, rice, and we are going into wheat experiment and onion. So those are the areas that we are concentrated [sic] on,” the Regional Chairman explained. Allicock noted that these projects will create employment opportunities for many persons in the region. “A lot of people are happy about it. I am happy about that. We are able to have our people involved, and they are very happy because when these things start to materialize, a lot of people will be employed other than what they are doing now,” he said further. Meanwhile, in relation to livestock, Al-

Region Nine Chairman Brian Allicock

chickens to other people… [This will be] between 15-20 per family who need to go into it,” the regional official added. With this project, Allicock is hoping that the region can cut back on its importation of chicken from Brazil.

As regards the contracts signed on Wednesday, investment will be seen for the funding of public goods such as the village offices, rehabilitation of key buildings, and construction of bridges, access roads, and community centres, TURN TO PAGE 15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

CARICOM, UN recommit to achieving SDGs in the...

FROM PAGE 8 General during the just-concluded 43rd Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Suriname, and looked forward to further strengthening the

relationship between the CARICOM Secretariat and the United Nations agencies that would redound to the benefit of the peoples of the CARICOM region. The social, economic

and security situation in Haiti was also discussed. Secretary-General Barnett underscored CARICOM’s unwavering support for Haiti and said that the community continues to urge the international

community to support Haiti’s long-term development needs. She further reiterated CARICOM Heads of Government support for the renewal of the UN Office in Haiti (BINUH) with a strength-

ened mandate, taking into account the prevailing security situation, as recommended by the UN Secretary-General. COMMITTED “The UN is committed to supporting the work of regional organisations worldwide, including CARICOM, its Secretariat and its institutions, and of course, its Member States. The UN Secretary-General was at the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Suriname last week, and I am delighted to have been able to meet the CARICOM Secretary-General today to further those discussions,” said Valent. “Both the CARICOM SG and I know that there is a monumental effort required across the Caribbean to deliver on the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals. The agencies, funds and programmes of the UN System are here for exactly this reason. Today, we spoke a little bit less about ‘what’ needs to be done, and a little bit more about how we are practically going to strengthen our developmental relationship to accelerate our shared objectives.” Also present at the meeting were Dr. Armstrong Alexis, CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General; Ambassador Donna Forde, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations; Ye?im Oruç, UN Resident Coordinator in Guyana; Birgit Gerstenberg, UN Resident Coordinator in Belize; Didier Trebucq, UN Resident Coordinator Barbados and the OESC and Dr. Garry Conille, UN Resident Coordinator in Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands. BACKGROUND The UN’s cooperation with CARICOM centres around: (i) dialogue and development diplomacy mechanisms to elevate the political and developmental concerns and priorities of CARICOM member states to the appropriate organs of the

UN Secretariat and other relevant inter-governmental forums; (ii) development cooperation with individual CARICOM Member States); and (iii) development cooperation and support to the CARICOM Secretariat and/or constituent CARICOM institutions and agencies. T h e U N ’s d e v e l opment cooperation with CARICOM Member States, the Secretariat, and CARICOM institutions is delivered substantially via the MultiCountry Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (MSDCF) 2022-2026, established to support the countries of the Dutch- and Englishspeaking Caribbean. The MSDCF provides signatory states with direct access to UN technical expertise and to the resources and partnerships necessary to advance Caribbean development efforts. The Framework is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the SAMOA Pathway, and the International Human Rights framework; and its strategy is built around the CARICOM Member States’ own agreed priority areas. UN support to CARICOM is undertaken by a number of agencies, funds and programmes, including the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO); International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP); UN Environment (UNEP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Refugees (UNHCR), UNICEF, the International Labour Organisation (ILO); World Food Programme (WFP), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the International Trade Centre (ITC), the UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the UN Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. (UN and CARICOM)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

‘Identify core issues for action plan’ – President Ali implores indigenous leaders at Toshaos conference

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday urged participants of the National Toshaos Conference (NTC) to work together to identify issues within their communities and to come up with core plans to address them. The Head of State made this call as he interacted with indigenous leaders on day three of the NTC at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal. “Having reviewed every single thing that you have said so far, I will suggest to you a methodology for us to achieve some results. “In this methodology, I want us to spend the rest of this afternoon defining some core issues and come up with some core plans that could come to accelerate your needs and accelerate the implementation of your ideas,” President Ali told the gathering of Toshaos and Deputy

Toshaos from across Guyana. The main aim, he emphasised, is for the participants to devise an action plan to accelerate the projects identified. These projects, with the agreement of the participants, have been grouped into nine categories including food security and agriculture; women’s affairs; pensioners and the elderly; children and youth; human resources; facilities; services; economic activities and empowerment and infrastructure. “As leaders, that is what I want us to think about; what is it we want to achieve?” the President asked days after he gave featured remarks at the opening ceremony on Monday. President Ali tasked members of his government and their technical teams to work along with the indigenous leaders and

community representatives to identify their needs in these areas and to present their plans for discussions before the end of Wednesday. The President also pointed to the importance of monitoring and evaluating projects in hinterland communities and announced that a team will be set up to oversee the implementation of needed projects. The aim, His Excellency emphasised, is to ensure that indigenous communities have equal developmental opportunities. The five-day NTC is being held this week under the theme, “Good Governance and FastTracking Amerindian Development.” It brings together indigenous leaders from over 200 Amerindian communities across the country. (Republished with adjustments from DPI)

President Ali on day three of the National Toshaos Conference (Photo credit: DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

Brackish water shrimp trial a successful - Agriculture Minister anticipates 1.2M kg target by year end

By Naomi Parris THE Ministry of Agriculture has recorded a successful trial in brackish water shrimp production along the Corentyne coast, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). So far, the month of June has seen 70,000 kilogrammes of shrimp produced, accordBrackish Water Shrimp

ing to information shared via President, Dr Irfaan Ali’s Facebook page. The President, on Tuesday evening, said this has been the highest production recorded in a single month since government’s interventions. “In June, production of brackish water shrimp reached 70,000 kg, the highest

in a single month. This is as a result of the direct interventions made by the government to ensure food security in the Caribbean,” the President posted. Meanwhile Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, in an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday, said that the project has already contributed significantly to the livelihoods of several shrimp farmers in East Berbice-Corentyne, which was the chief intention of the government when the initiative was introduced in 2021. “When we started the project, the idea was to help the rural farmers. They were producing roughly around 9000 - 10,000 kg per month. “Both the President and the Vice President charged us to go and help develop this industry. We targeted… 75 farmers and our aim was to move it from 10,000 kg to 20,000 kg - 30,000 kg monthly,” the minister said. Mustapha said the project is halfway complete, but has surpassed the initial target of producing 20,000-30,000

kilogrammes of brackish water shrimp monthly. “What I am seeing now is a huge success. We are halfway through the project, just about 50- 75 per cent complete. Last month, we have seen an increase from where we started [at] 10,000 kg to 70,000 kg,” the minister said, noting this represents a seven-fold increase. Mustapha anticipates with more interventions and expansions of the trial in Region Six, the country will be able to produce roughly 1.2 million kilogrammes of brackish water shrimp by the end of 2022. The Agriculture Minister pointed out that farmers and fisherfolk in other parts of the country have signalled interest in the project, however, the ministry will not rush to start any new trials. “We are seeing now an influx of a number of persons in this sector and interest has been whipped up across the country. “Not only in Region Six where we started the project, but people on the Essequibo Coast, people in Region

Five, [and] people on the East Coast of Demerara said that they want the produce,” Mustapha explained. The senior government official further explained that before the ministry moves to expand the project to other parts of the country, additional enhancements to the pilot project will be made. In an effort to boost productivity, the Government of Guyana and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has partnered over the last two years to conduct a study and gather information for the piloting and implementation of a strategy to enhance shrimp production in Guyana and several other Caribbean states. At a workshop held at the St Francis Community Centre, Port Mourant, Berbice, last month, Denis David, a fisheries officer attached to the ministry, told shrimp farmers that the proposed strategy will see the establishment of several action plans geared toward the enhanced production and quality of brackish water shrimp in

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha Guyana. The strategy is divided into four parts focusing on the promotion of an intensive model of farming, the expansion of the industry through multi-species diversification, the fostering of partnerships to strengthen trade and marketing, and the strengthening of a support and enabling environment for the best value chain. Meanwhile, through the updated Inland and Aquaculture Strategy (20212026), plans are being made to address the challenges faced in aquaculture and create an enabling and sustainable environment for investment for the development of the area.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

Girl badly burnt in 2020 explosion recovering well

TWO years after being transported via medical air ambulance to the United States for advanced treatment after a gasoline container exploded and left her with severe injuries, seven-year-old Neleissa La Rose is still on the road to recovery.

The Facebook post stated: “Thanks to our generous and kindhearted supporters and Neleissa’s father’s employers, she was quickly transferred and began treatment to save her life. Unfortunately, one of her legs needed to be amputated during treatment. After

Seven-year-old Neleissa La Rose Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA) in a recent Facebook post, said that the child who is joyful and healthy, will be returning to the United States on July 25, for laser therapy to help with uneven skin texture, surgery to address problem areas and to be fitted with a new prosthetic leg, since she has outgrown her current one. In February 2020, La Rose was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) but was unable to receive treatment given the severity of her injuries. The hospital could not facilitate the advanced treatment that was needed to save her life. She received third degree burns to 70 per cent of her body at her home at Maria Henrietta, Berbice River. SHEA Charity had accepted the case of the then four-year-old and was able to secure treatment for her in Houston, Texas. There, she underwent urgent lifesaving surgery.

completing her initial treatment, she returned home to Guyana to recover.” Another post made in April 2020 stated that the child was transported from Georgetown, Guyana to Houston, Texas via air ambulance and was immediately placed into treatment upon her arrival. She had undergone several extensive surgeries but due to the extent of her injuries, she developed an infection in her leg. Despite her doctors’ desperate attempts to save her leg, they were unsuccessful and instead had to amputate, to save her life. By July 2020, La Rose had completed all of her initial treatment and therapies. She was then able to walk unassisted with her prosthesis (leg) and returned home to Guyana. She has had several followup treatments in the US and SHEA provided assistance to facilitate them.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

Man found guilty of raping 13-yearold girl thrice

COLLIN Venture was, on Wednesday, found guilty of three counts of rape committed on a 13-year-old girl and will know his fate on July 27, 2022. Venture, 31, was on trial before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Sexual Offences Court of the Demerara High Court for the rape of a child under 16 years, which occurred on three occasions between September and October 2020. He was represented by attorney-at-law Alaira Murphy-Goodman, while the state was represented by prosecutors Cecilia Corbin, Caressa Henry and Peneeta Persaud. The Guyana Chronicle had reported that Venture was known to the victim’s parents since he was a frequent visitor at the family’s shop. The case against him was that, during visits to the shop, he would take the victim into the toilet and engage in sexual activities with her. The victim’s stepmoth-

Collin Venture er saw a series of cell phone messages between Venture and the teen, who was later confronted by her parents. She subsequently told them that she and Venture were engaged in a sexual relationship. The matter was reported and Venture was arrested.

With $70M ... FROM PAGE 9

to name a few. With the financing provided through the contracts, the business projects to be engaged in by the producer groups and villages are in areas focusing on cattle production, ranch improvement, poultry production, guest houses rehabilitation, and other-crops production. These investments are intended to build village economies and provide incomes to the villages along with ensuring food security. The villages that signed contracts are Karasabai, Kokshebai, Tiger Pond, Pai Pang, Taushida, Tipiru, Rukumuta, Yurong Paru, Fairview, and Shea.

Agriculture Minister Mustapha, during an earlier presentation at the conference, said that the ministry is committed to the development of all regions and villages in Guyana, inclusive of all Amerindian villages. He further pointed out that each region has its own competitive advantage. The Ministry of Agriculture, he noted, will capitalize on this to expand agriculture in each region. Since taking office in August 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture has expended over $2 billion on development for Amerindian villages across Guyana.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

CSA forfeits Australia ODIs to secure ‘longterm sustainability of the game’ in South Africa

CSA has taken a risk with an eye on “securing the long-term sustainability of the game” by forfeiting three ODIs in Australia, which form part of the direct-qualification pathway for the 50-over World Cup in India next year. The reason for the forfeiture is to launch its own T20 franchise league, but there is acknowledgement that not qualifying for the World Cup will be “a disaster”. “The players are disappointed that the ODIs in Australia will not happen but they understand the reasons,” Pholetsi Moseki, CSA’s chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo. “A lot of people are investing a lot of money in the T20 league, and we have to give it the best chance of success.” Moseki spoke to head coach Mark Boucher and white-ball captain Temba Bavuma first, and also had a 45-minute meeting with

the entire squad, including Test captain Dean Elgar. “They were not exactly happy but they understood the long-term importance of the decision,” Moseki said. South Africa are currently 11th in the World Cup Super League points table and have eight matches left to play. These are against India (three, away) and Netherlands (two, at home - the first game of the series was washed out, and the remaining games were postponed because of COVID-19). South Africa’s upcoming ODIs in England are not part of the Super League, though the ones in South Africa in February 2023 are. After opting out of the Australia fixtures, they face the possibility of a qualifying campaign in Zimbabwe in June-July next year. “We still want bilateral cricket to be supreme but the reality for countries

like us is that you only make money when you play India. In the preCOVID year, in 2019, we hosted England and Australia and we still made a loss. So we have to look at other options” In the meeting, it was explained to the players that CSA has identified setting up the T20 league as a “top priority”, according to Lawson Naidoo, CSA’s board chair. And that the tournament, which aims to be the second-biggest in the world after the IPL, needs everyone’s buy-in when it launches in January 2023. “We need all our top players available to satisfy team owners and guarantee the integrity of the league,” Naidoo told ESPNcricinfo. Naidoo further said C S A h a d p re s e n t e d Cricket Australia with “various options” to play the matches at a different time.

RACING TIPS

English Racing Tips Leicester 08:40 hrs Kiss N Cuddle 09:10 hrs Clipsham Gold 09:40 hrs Qabilah 10:10 hrs Majestic Fighter 10:40 hrs Fresh Hope 11:10 hrs Lethal Angel 11:40 hrs Big Time Maybe 12:10 hrs Army Of One Hamilton 08:50 hrs Jungle Fever 09:20 hrs Peaches Carnehan 09:50 hrs Tommy G 10:20 hrs Graces Quest 10:50 hrs Shawnee Warrior 11:20 hrs Crypto Quest 11:50 hrs Stroxx

Epsom 13:10 hrs Intercessor 13:40 hrs Courageous Knight 14:10 hrs Wisper 14:40 hrs Otago 15:10 hrs Ideal Guest South Africa Racing Tips Turffontein 08:40 hrs Ontheverge 09:15 hrs Bellevarde 09:45 hrs Kayla’s Champ 10:25 hrs Vanderbilt Irish Racing Tips Leopardstown 12:15 hrs Montesilvano 12:45 hrs Corporal Violette 13:15 hrs Amperson

13:50 hrs Caroline Street 14:20 hrs Georgeville 14:50 hrs Point Gellibrand 15:20 hrs Rock Of Candy American Racing Tips Saratoga Race 1 Bear Alley Race 2 Half A Chance Race 3 Street Copper Race 4 Remote Race 5 Clingman Canadian Racing Tips Woodbine Race 1 Forittable Race 2 Afandi Race 3 Antigone Race 4 Icing

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

Attention switches to team segment at Junior CASA

AT H L E T E S f r o m Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago are in Guyana for the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships. The individual segment, where Guyana won three gold medals, concluded July 12 and attention has now shifted to the all-important team segment which started yesterday. All but St Vincent will participate in the team segment. The official opening ceremony was staged yesterday afternoon at the National Racquet Centre. President of the Guy-

ana Squash Association, (GSA) Owen Verwey, in a passionate appeal, encouraged the players to keep producing their best and stated these championships are part of building lifelong memories. “You don’t always get a medal on your first occasion, the second occasion, sometimes not even the third occasion but it should not stop you from giving your best, pushing beyond limits, going beyond the best that you would have ever done and continuing to do one thing, never to give up,” Verwey expressed. Vice-president of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Godfrey Munroe, highlighted the

GOA is the title sponsor, and they support in a jiffy due to the professionalism of the association, and they also view the tournament as an “incubator” for talent. Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Kashif Muhammad, contended that “greatness is not born, it is made ... practice makes perfect”, and such are pillars that he sees embodied in GSA and the reason for their dominance in the Caribbean. Guyana are in the hunt to regain the title after last tasting overall success in 2016. However, this is the first Junior CASA since 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday July 14, 2022)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD -83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Brian Lara (Dublin, 1999) (2) Aminul Islam Today’s Quiz: (1) In what year was the first ever ODI game played in Guyana? (2) Who were the captains involved? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

Hamid/Joy summer basketball programme commences

THE Abdulla Hamid Basketball Foundation of Linden, after thirty-two years, is partnering with Guyanese professional basketball player, Joy Adams, in this year’s annual ‘Teach them young’ basketball clinic. The clinic is for boys and girls in Linden and is being staged at Mackenzie High School hard court. Head coach of the Hamid Basketball Foundation, Mr Abdulla Hamid, was upbeat about this year’s programme which began on Monday and will conclude on Saturday July 23. Speaking about this year’s basketball clinic the former national player explained: “This programme has been running for over three decades – Abdulla Ha-

mid Basketball Foundation and now I met a professional player, who plays in Europe, in Spain, Ms Joy Adams, and she is very much interested in being involved in basketball especially in Linden.” Coach Hamid further stated: “She is a Lindener who grew up in Amelia’s Ward and she wants to give back so this year she has collaborated with the Abdulla Hamid Basketball Foundation. “So we joined and we formed the Hamid and Joy Basketball Foundation and her role this year is as part sponsorship of this basketball summer programme, providing snacks, balls and certain things to make it a successful one.” This year the programme is targeting boys and girls

Regional Chairman of Region 10, Deron Adams, is at centre with the boys and girls who are attending the camp this year

from across Linden between ages 9 and 16 and it is expected that 50 youths will be involved. But should that number be exceeded, no one will be turned away from being involved in this camp.” Hamid reiterated, “Despite we are looking at 50 youths, once we recognise that we have more, we will find a way to accommodate them, this being the 33rd year since this Hamid Foundation got started. So we are trying to make it better and to start producing more talented basketball players in Linden.” On Tuesday, Regional Chairman of Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice) Deron Adams visited the youngsters who were delighted with his impromptu visit.

Project ‘Cricket Gear for young, promising cricketers in Guyana’ donates gear

TRANSPORT Sports Club and National U17 captain, Alvin Mohabir, once again benefited from Project ‘Cricket Gear for Young and Promising Cricketers in Guyana’. The extremely talented all-rounder, left-handed batter and right-arm off-spinner is in receipt of another E4 bat along with a pair of batting pads and one pair of batting gloves, all through the generous contribution of Ravi Etwaroo of Cricket Zone USA, Bronx, NY. Mohabir was selected by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) for CWI trials for possible selection on the West Indies U19 team that participated in the recently concluded ICC U19 World Cup held in the Caribbean. He has impressed all and sundry with his level of maturity, skills, commitment and discipline and is one for the future.

Cricket Zone USA on board

Mohabir will lead Guyana in the upcoming Regional Under-17 tournament to be held in Trinidad. At a simple but significant ceremony held recently in the USA, Etwaroo, owner of the popular sports store, handed over the gear to Kishan Das, a partner in this initiative, along with Anil Beharry of Guyana. “Thank you for your continued support of this project, Ravi” Das said. Etwaroo’s first gift was his branded E4 bat which was presented to Mohabir as well. In response, Etwaroo said that he is really impressed with the work of the initiative and its reach across Guyana. “I am also very pleased with the level of accountability and the noble purpose of this project and will continue to support young cricketers in Guyana.” This initiative is to help identify and nurture young

talents and at the same time encourage them to educate themselves. Total cricket related items collected so far: $170 000 cash, two trophies, 11 cricket boots, 18 pairs of batting pads, 20 bats, 14 pairs of batting gloves, 19 thigh pads, one wicket-keeping pad, one arm guard, six cricket bags and two helmets. In addition to the above, $600 000 worth in gear was donated by Sheik Mohamed, former National wicketkeeper/batter. To date, 37 young players from all three counties of Guyana have already benefited from three junior gear bags, two trophies, one arm guard, 14 bats, one box, two helmets, 10 pairs of cricket shoes, 10 pairs of batting pads, one bat rubber and 12 pairs of batting gloves. In addition, two clubs in the Pomeroon area benefited from two used bats. Pomeroon, Leguan and Wak-

enaam Cricket Committees and Cotton Tree Die Hard also each received one box of red cricket balls while RHCCCC received two, 15 white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicket-keeping gloves and a set of stumps and bails. Cricket-related items, used or new, will be distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients. Talent-spotting is being done across the country and club leaders will also assist in identifying talent. Progressive and well managed clubs will also benefit. Anyone who is interested to contribute can contact Anil Beharry on 623-6875 or Kishan Das on 1-718-664-0896.

Ravi Etwaroo (left) and Kishan Das

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

West Indies vs Bangladesh 2nd ODI …

Iqbal, Mehidy, Nasum orchestrate 9-wicket bashing of West Indies … Tigers seal series By Clifton Ross

BANGLADESH captain Tamim Iqbal stroked a classy half-century while his spinners pulled out all the tricks from their bags, as the Tigers steamrolled West Indies by

opener Najmul Shanto (20), with whom he shared 48 for the opening stand. When Shanto fell to lone wicket-taker, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie (1-39), Bangladesh then stepped up the pace on course to victory.

Bangladesh celebrate another West Indies wicket yesterday

9 wickets, surging to a series win, with Saturday’s final match being an opportunity to complete a possible 3-nil whitewash. A shoddy batting exhibition told the tale of what could be arguably one of the worst ODI batting performances at Providence by the Windies, who were strangled by the Bangladeshi bowlers who kept them to a mediocre 108 all out in 35 overs. Again, it was the class of off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who eased his way to returns of 4-29 from 8 overs. His partner in crime, left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed bagged 3-19 and was named man-ofthe-match thereafter, as the pair outfoxed almost the entire Windies batting order. All-rounder Keemo Paul top-scored at the backend of the game with 25 off 24, smacking four boundaries and was easily the best West Indies batter on show amidst the carnage. Openers Shai Hope (18) and Kyle Mayers (17), along with some meagre contributions from Brandon King (11) and Rovman Powell (13) managed to add to the low total, but all failed to capitalise on the good batting surface and conditions. Bangladesh wrapped up the chase easily scoring 112-1 in 20.4 overs, after their skipper led the way with an unbeaten 50 off 62 deliveries. The left-hander played the best innings of the match, cracking 7 fours as he led his team to the series win after losing the Tests and T20s. Iqbal found support from

An incoming Litton Das thumped the Windies bowlers around for a brisk 32 not out off 27 with 6 fours. Das, along with his skipper, added an aggressive, unbroken second-wicket partnership of 64 runs off 51 balls, effectively sealing an emphatic win for the Tigers. Bangladesh elected to field, Windies got off to another horror show despite near-perfect weather for cricket and lost their top four in a struggle to reach the team’s first 50 inside 20 overs. Apart from Mayers, who was knocked over by seamer Mosaddek Hossain (1-37) with a banger of a delivery, it was the guile and methodical approach by Nasum which rattled the home side. An uncomfortable-looking Hope grinded at the top of the order, as his 18 came from 45 balls, following his duck in the first ODI. However, he was out, caught off the bowling of Nasum, who then bamboozled Shamarh Brooks, knocking over his stumps with ease for just 5 runs. Wicket-keeper Nicholas Pooran attempted a reverse sweep off the first delivery he faced from Nasum - one which spun into him, crashing into his woodwork for an unwanted duck. Soon after the collapse, the Windies 50 came up in the 22nd over as Powell and King sought to consolidate after a shaky start, adding 24 for the 5th wicket. But when Mehidy bowled King and left-arm pacer Shori-

ful Islam (1-9) had Powell out caught off Mahmudullah, things went terribly downhill

as wickets fell quickly to some careless shots. The team’s 100 eventually

came up in the 34th over as Paul carried his bat while finding the ropes before running out

of partners. The 3rd and final ODI bowls off on Saturday.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, July 14, 2022

West Indies vs Bangladesh 2nd ODI …

Iqbal, Mehidy, Nasum orchestrate 9-wicket bashing of West Indies … Tigers seal series SEE STORY ON PAGE 23

Bangladesh opener and skipper Tamim Iqbal stroked a matchwinning 50* to help his team secure the series (Adrian Narine photos)

Attention switches to team segment at Junior CASA SEE STORY ON PAGE 21

Brandon King gets knocked over by spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz

The Guyana Team

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022