Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 19-07-2022

TUESDAY 19th JULY, 2022 $100

No. 106788

Allocation of 5,000 house lots on East Coast to commence this week

SEE PAGE

13

Massive $9.3B Pasha Global hotel for Liliendaal - over 800 persons to be employed SEE PAGE

President, Dr Irfaan Ali (centre); Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond (left); Project Director of Blue Bridge Inc., Lalit Sharma (second from left); CEO of the Guyana Office for Investment, Dr Peter Ramsaroop (second from right); and Assets Director of Blue Bridge Inc., Sanket Balgi (right) turn the sod for construction of the new Pasha Global hotel at Liliendaal (Elvin Croker photo)

Guyana Shore Base Inc ‘reaps fruits’ of US$300M investment SEE PAGE

8

3

Guyana’s ICT infrastructure capable of delivering LTE, facilitating later upgrades SEE PAGE

14

Rainforest safari on Soesdyke-Linden highway in the making 2 SEE PAGE

2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Rainforest safari on Soesdyke-Linden highway in the making

By Jared Liddell

AS part of the government’s efforts to make Guyana a significant tourism destination, President Dr Irfaan Ali announced Monday that plans are in place for a 500-acre rainforest safari development on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

According to the Head of State, who called the plan “strategic thinking and strategic planning,” this is just one of the many initiatives being implemented by the government to diversify the investment of the oil-andgas sector to position each industry in the country to be self-sustaining strategically.

He continued: “We are now crystallizing the idea of a one-of-a-kind rainforest safari development. You know all over the world, if you go to the United States, they have Disney World. You

go to Singapore, they have the Night Safari, you go to the Middle East, they have the Day Safari. We already have some of the giants of the world here, we want to look at 500 acres of land and its natural environment along the Linden Soesdyke Highway and to create a oneof-a-kind rainforest Safari.”

This rainforest safari destination is set to showcase Guyana’s unique and picturesque fauna, while providing a special tourism attraction.

President Ali stated that this is one of the many attractions the government is committed to seeing established to boost local tourism activity. He disclosed that the government is already in talks with several investors to establish a World Class Eco-Resort.

President Ali noted that the Eco Resort tourism attraction is set to be a combination of sun, sand, and

sea and will take on a unique feature that will promote the feel of both an eco-resort and a beach, catering to a broader demographic of travellers and tourists.

“We [the government] are actively pursuing investors to develop in Guyana, a world-class, one-of-a-kind Eco resort. We are actively pursuing this. But this eco resort will be linked to the sun, the sand [and the] sea.

That is why we are building strong partnerships with Barbados because if you have a family of 10, seven might want to go to an eco-resort, but three might want to go to the beach. We have to be able to have a product that delivers towards a wide section of the market.”

The President reminded that the government is set to roll out one of its most recent tourism packages in September, the Cricket Carnival, which was cre-

President, Dr Irfaan Ali

ated to complement the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) finals hosted in Guyana for the next three years.

President Ali had previously described the massive event by saying, “Cricket

Carnival is a fusion of entertainment and celebration that will be mind-blowing and unbelievably different from any other global cricketing event.”

This massive event is set to showcase the arts

and entertainment sectors of Guyana and will feature an enormous lineup of both local and international artists, along with several other events designed to showcase Guyana.

Toshaos on NTC Conference: It was what we expected and more

By Tamica Garnett

WITH several immediate actions taken and other promised measures coming out of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference, Toshaos are commending this year’s conference for delivering on its expectations of providing fruitful engagement between government and the Amerindian leaders.

The five-day conference, which was wrapped up on Friday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) at Liliendaal, brought together Amerindian leaders from over 212 hinterland communities.

“It was what we expected and more. I think everybody got more than what they expected,” commented Desmond James, Toshao of Red Hill in Mabaruma Region One (Barima-Waini).

He continued: “I like everything that took place.

From the conference it showed that the government really cares. They’re not just saying that they care, they’re doing things to show that they care about Amerindian people.”

During the conference the various government ministers made presentations on the work their respective ministries are doing. At the

Desmond James, Toshao of Red Hill in Region One

same time, the Amerindian leaders, including the Toshaos, were able to talk about ongoing concerns, issues, and needs in their respective villages.

“From the conference, I learned that the government has a lot of things in place already to help the Amerindian communities, and then they have more plans as they continue to help with our development,” James said.

James’ community was one of many villages to see immediate action based on concerns raised during the conference. According to James, his village has received a weeding machine and money to start a project, while the Agriculture Minister has promised the village

Yvonne Pearson, Toshao of Mainstay/Whyaka in Region Two

an excavator to assist in road construction.

He was particularly appreciative when laptops were presented to the various leaders, as getting a device that could be used in his village was something he was planning to save money to purchase.

“Since they said that they would raise our [Toshao] stipend from $30,000 to $45,000, I was saying that I would use the increased money to purchase a computer, but at the end of the conference the President gave all leaders a [laptop] computer.

So instead of purchasing the computer now, I only have to purchase a printer. So I will save the extra $15,000 every

month until I get enough money to purchase a printer,” James shared.

Coming out of the conference, both Toshaos and Deputy Toshaos received a 50 percent increases on their stipends, moving from $30,000 to $45,000 and $20,000 to $30,000, respectively.

Indigenous Community Senior Councillors also received an increase from $15,000 to $25,000, while Chairpersons for the Community Development Councils (CDCs) in hinterland communities will also begin receiving stipends of $25,000.

“That is something great because now that the CDC will be getting a stipend, they will feel better about doing their work. Some CDCs have more residents than some Toshaos villages, and they have to work equally hard as Toshaos, so that is one of the things I was really glad about,” James explained.

The Guyana Chronicle also spoke with Christopher Mariano, Toshao for Arukamai village, which is also in Mabaruma Region One, where he commended the treatment meted out to the Toshaos during their stay for the conference, as well as the initiatives brought to the fore.

“I would say that we nev-

er had a conference like this before due to everything that took place, the accommodation and the extensive interactions with all of the leaders, the ministers, the President. I learned more about building our village to be better and better,” Mariano commented.

The most significant outcome of the conference has been the government’s decision for $3 billion in supplementary financing to be procured for the government to make good on several developmental promises made during the conference.

The government is set to approach the National Assembly at the upcoming meeting on Thursday to approve the $3 billion in supplementary financing.

“We are looking forward now to Thursday and the supplementary budget and then that would be disbursed, so that we as Toshaos can execute our programmes in our various villages and communities,” commented Toshao of Mainstay/Whyaka village, Yvonne Pearson, who is also a Member of Parliament (MP).

She, too, commended the conference for having given the Toshaos a platform for Toshaos to seek redress to existing issues in their communities and to lobby for

developmental initiatives to be executed.

“The Toshaos got to ask questions, raise issues, concerns, needs, and we got responses, we got action, so in that sense, I would say that it was good. I am satisfied with the way how things went; the response that most people got from ministers, His Excellency,” Pearson said.

“I appreciate that all the ministers were there, the Vice-President [Dr Bharrat Jagdeo] and even His Excellency [the President, Dr Irfaan Ali], took time off to be there and to listen. I appreciated it a lot. I know that they’re busy, but they took time off to listen and respond in the most positive way.”

Hinterland and riverine residents also benefitted from the COVID-19 $25,000 oneoff cash grant, which was distributed countrywide.

Additionally, the special $25,000 grant was recently announced by President Ali in light of the recent increase in the cost of living.

Also, significant investments were made in the areas of agriculture, education and healthcare.

Overall, aside from the $3 billion recently announced, government has invested over $50 billion in the hinterland and riverine communities.

Massive $9.3B Pasha Global hotel for Liliendaal 3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

- over 800 persons to be employed

By Jared Liddell

RECOGNISING the potential that exists in Guyana for accommodation and entertainment facilities, Suriname’s Pasha Global Group has initiated plans for the construction of a US$45 million (approximately G$9.3 billion) hotel, with a ceremonial sod-turning exercise at the project site, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

The Pasha Global hotel, which will be constructed by Blue Bridge Inc., is minutes away from the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) and will have a capacity of 350 to 500 rooms at the end of construction in 2025.

Pasha Global Group is a casino investment company that is developing and operating hotels and casinos in various countries. The company currently owns the Tropicana Hotel Paramaribo; the Mirage Hotel; the Savannah Hotel, and the Atlantis Hotel, all in Paramaribo, Suriname.

At the ceremony on Monday, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, said Pasha Global’s investment in Guyana is aligned with the government’s vision and represents yet another move by the private sector to directly play a part in the country’s development.

He related that this massive investment will open up avenues for opportunities that would directly benefit the lives of Guyanese.

The hotel is set to create jobs for at least 800 people after completion and will open up space for the creation of a minimum of 500 indirect jobs.

“Just imagine the type of demand this will create in our economy in the next two to three years. I’m not even going into government infrastructure. Let us stick to just what we are doing this week.

“And understand the scale, the magnitude, the demand on labour, the demand for machinery, the demand and maintenance personnel like mechanics, the demand for fuel and for the government, the demand for greater infrastructure,” President Ali said.

The Head of State reminded that the government is dedicated to supporting private sector investments and remains committed to implementing systems that would encourage continued and sustained investments that will benefit the country as a whole.

Speaking directly about the government’s support to the hotel industry, President Ali said that several massive private sector initiatives are progressing smoothly. He related that the 150-room Aiden by Best Western Hotel, the 150-room Courtyard

by Marriott Hotel next to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), and the 195 room Sleep Inn Hotel have all begun construction.

In light of this, Dr. Ali

An artist’s impression of the proposed US$45M Pasha Global Hotel

said the government is working to boost the readiness of the human resource of the country to meet the major demand that will come from the hospitality sector.

“We are already training; our aim is to train 6,000 Guyanese in the hospitality industry. So, by the time these hotels are ready to open their doors, two to three years down the road, we will have 6000 persons ready to pick up these jobs,” the Head of State said.

President Ali reminded that these types of investments remain “timely” as Guyana continues on its trajectory of development,

noting that the country has massive potential to attract more international investors, consultants, business associates, and tourists. This will significantly drive up the demand for hotel accommodations across the country.

The Head of State added that the government is committed to implementing systems that would welcome investments, noting: “We have to have the legal framework, the institutional framework to support this transformation.”

He affirmed that the government is committed to implementing laws that would provide more investmentfriendly systems to boost

investor confidence in the local economy.

Blue Bridge Inc.’s Assets Director, Sanket Balgi, said that his company is confident in the investment opportunities available in Guyana.

He noted that the massive hotel is expected to be constructed in two phases.

Phase one, which is expected to be completed in 2024, will see the completion of the first 150 rooms, while the second phase will see the construction of additional rooms that will take the facility’s capacity to 350 to 500 rooms by 2025.

Balgi related that with their company managing sev-

eral hotels outside of Guyana, it is committed to being a part of this massive historical growth trajectory Guyana is on and is committed to not just providing a service to persons coming into the country, but also to directly impacting the economy through job creation.

“Guyana is getting ready for self-growth and we will also want to be part of it. And we would want this hotel to be one of the iconic hotels, so that it can emerge alongside the growth of Guyana. It can be an example for the growth of Guyana,” the assets director said.

4

Human Service outreach benefits Mocha-Arcadia residents

By Cassandra Khan

A VARIETY of agencies under the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security assisted Mocha-Arcadia residents on Monday and had discussions with them.

Residents benefitted from parenting sessions and received child-safety books, counselling, queries for old age pensions and public assistance, registration for WIIN classes, and more.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, said that the ministry had visited Mocha before, but in a different area where she got insights into issues affecting the area and has held this outreach to better deliver human services more

effectively and efficiently in the area.

Residents were able to alleviate frustration or make enquiries about old age pensions, such as how pension can be delivered more effectively and efficiently; whether pensioners choose to do it via the bank, post office, MoneyGram, or if it would need to be delivered to persons who are unable to walk or see.

“In addition to that, the other big area which I know sometimes people send a number of complaints on is public assistance, and this is an area where we’ve been working… all you need is your application and a medical report. That’s it and you apply for public assistance, and you should receive it

without having to apply again and again, and you go until you are pensionable with public assistance,” Minister Persaud said.

Concerning the Women’s Innovation Investment Network (WIIN), Minister Persaud encouraged the attendees to become involved in WIIN. She explained to residents that it is a free training programme for women and no academic background is needed.

“We train you in a number of technical/vocational areas, notably garment construction… and what I’ve been suggesting is something that will help you to have quick income generation: school uniforms, shirts, pants and hospital linens,” she said.

Minister Persaud added:

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

“My personal desire is once people complete the sewing course, we can work towards getting those sewing machines, so leave that part to me. For now, I want you to work on being in the courses like child care, patient care, graphic design, videography, and photography.”

Minister Persaud explained that after being trained, entrepreneurs are produced, and the ministry continues to work with them in the female incubator through the women and WIIN in business clinics.

“If you want to know how to start your business, how to grow it, how to sustain it, and who you have to contact, we don’t just tell you, we bring the partners [such as] GRA, NIS, whoever it is they come

JULY 16, 2022

A 1

2

4

6

7

21 28

18/7/2022: 12 13 18 21 24

18/7/2022: 1 0 5

Minister of Human Services, Dr Vindhya Persaud, listens to the concerns of a Mocha-Arcadia resident

to the WIIN in business clinics,” she related.

Additionally, for those interested in child care, there are added modules to deal with special-needs children and early childhood developments. Minister related that the child-care programme aims at the residents opening their own day-care or nightcare facility.

“A lot of women work long hours, and they need somewhere safe to leave their child or children, so we have to create those safe spaces,” Minister Persaud said.

She noted that the minis-

18/7/2022: 0 4 5

try will train residents, work with them to have facilities set up, work with them to be in tune with the minimum standards, help them register, and give subsidies.

As for child abuse, Minister Persaud noted that parents should get their children screened, instead of the normalized “beating and hope” where parents beat children with the hope of them getting better, but she told parents that a child could have actual issues, so it is better to get them screened.

18/7/2022: 1 6 5 8 11 18 19

5

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Pre-2020: Christoper Jones allegedly acquired land housing gov’t health centre

AT T O R N E Y- G E N ERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., has exposed a senior member of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, who, prior to August 2020, had, through the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC), reportedly acquired land which houses a government health centre.

The Attorney-General, during a recent stream of his online show, “Issues in the News,” had said that Christopher Jones allegedly applied to the GL&SC for a plot of land and was subsequently allotted a spot at Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt.

“He has a certificate of title issued to him that took over half of the health centre in South Ruimveldt,” Nandlall related, adding: “I have

the documents, and the other half is where he was supposed to build his barbershop.”

Reports are that the senior coalition member had applied for a $22 million bank loan to build a barbershop, but later sought millions more under the then Ministry of Social Protection Sustainable Livelihoods and Entrepreneur Development programme (SLED).

The purpose of the additional funding was re-

Monkeypox virus: CARPHA calls on Member States to remain vigilant

ON Monday, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) stated that Member States should remain on high alert for the importation of viral or other infections and monitor in-country syndromic surveillance systems for increases in fever and rash illnesses.

“At CARPHA we coordinate public health policy and work closely with our Member States and other public health partners to respond to public health issues. As part of our regional public health management, we provide assistance to

Member States through the development of tools for investigation and epidemiological monitoring, and personnel are prepared to respond in country to assist in the investigation and control of outbreak, should the need arise,” stated Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at the Caribbean Public Health Agency.

St. John further stated “We know that diseases do not recognise borders, and international travel makes us aware that no borders are secure from the threat of diseases, especially infectious ones. At this time, Member States are in

various stages of easing of restrictions for COVID-19 which severely impacted the Region.”

CARPHA is monitoring the spread of the monkeypox virus – looking at prevention and control.

“We have also commenced testing for the monkeypox virus. At this time, CARPHA does not recommend restrictions on entry of persons from any country. Working alongside our Member States, we will support activities and educate the public to protect the health of all within their borders,” the CARPHA noted.

portedly for the purchase of equipment needed for the building.

An audit of the ministry had revealed that it had approved the disbursement of $4.8 million, through the Region

Four (Demerara-Mahaica) administration, for the procurement of equipment for a barbershop under the SLED programme.

The presentation of a financial return, however, revealed that the

Twenty-five-year-old businessman Lorenzo Nicholas Hendericks, of Charity Housing Scheme, Essequibo coast, lost his life after he lost control of his motor car in the wee hours of Monday morning. A teenager, who was the car’s other occupant, received injuries about his body.

Reports indicate that the accident occurred on the Devonshire Castle Public Road.

According to Police Headquarters, Hendericks

was proceeding north with motor car PFF 8892 along the Devonshire Castle Public Road when he lost control while negotiating a turn. He ended up in a nearby trench located on the side of the road.

Information revealed that he was imbibing earlier at his girlfriend’s place. He subsequently left to go home. Persons around the community heard the impact and rushed to the driver’s assistance.

He received injuries about

entire sum of money was spent by December 31, 2019, but almost $1 million in items were reportedly not physically delivered, but were instead stored at the coalition member’s home.

Charity businessman killed in Devonshire Castle crash

The vehicle the businessman was driving ended up in a trench

Dead: Lorenzo Nicholas Hendericks

his body. He was pulled out of the car and rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital, succumbing to his injuries.

His body was then transported to the Suddie Mortuary, awaiting a post-mortem examination.

When contact was made with his mother, she was too shocked to speak.

Many people expressed sadness over the businessman’s passing, doing so on his Facebook page. His friends described him as a very caring and helpful person.

6

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

The case of eight

NOW that the Privileges Committee has wrapped up its consideration of the facts surrounding the well publicised, condemnable actions of eight members of parliament from the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) who desecrated the Speaker of the National Assembly’s Mace - one of the most important symbols of Guyana’s democracy- suspension of the members involved was recommended in the official report.

Interestingly, this type of behaviour is quite on

brand for some members in the lot. Only recently, Opposition MP Sherod Duncan quipped during his morning programme that this Thursday’s Sitting of the National Assembly will be his first time returning to the House since he was suspended for four sittings some time last year due to his disruptive behaviour in the Assembly.

Duncan is now at risk of being suspended again.

On December 29, in a bid to defend the landmark Natural Resources Fund (NRF) Bill, which has since been passed and assented to by President, Dr Irfaan

Ali, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, was interrupted by what was referred to as the unparliamentary actions of members of the Opposition.

The second reading of the bill, then, was objected to by Jones, who asked that the bill be sent to a Special Select Committee. But Speaker of the House, Manzoor Nadir, then responded by saying that he prefers listening to the arguments on both sides before determining whether or not the bill should be sent to a select

committee.

Minister Singh then took to the podium, but his presentation was interrupted by members of the APNU+AFC Opposition, who kept banging on their desks and chanting demeaning words about the bill. The uproar continued for several minutes, even as Minister Singh pressed ahead with his presentation.

The protest from the Opposition grew, as the Opposition MPs, armed with placards, converged at the centre floor of the dome of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where the National

Wrong Can Never Be Right

Assembly is being held.

One of the MPs, Annette Ferguson, went a step further to steal the Speaker’s Mace; she was immediately joined by some of her other colleagues. This unprecedented act was foiled by a young clerk of the House, who managed to secure the instrument, to which he held on tightly as he laid on the floor of the conference centre. A video posted on social media shows one of the Opposition parliamentarians verbally abusing the Parliamentary Clerk, using racial slurs.

The political opposition, much like its modus

operandi in the past, is now seeking to reject the recommendation of the Privileges Committee by discrediting the entire process. This sort of behaviour is misplaced in Guyana’s democracy. This is a rulebased country and the parliamentary procedures outlined in the Standing Orders and Speakers’ Rulings provide ample parameters for vetting any concerns felt by any member of the House during or after Sittings. But the political opposition has a selective familiarity with these rules.

and Ukraine.

As per usual, these are analyses based on patent and potentially potent reality and speculation, related projections and assessments, all of which are subject to change if the governments concerned act early enough, or too late, to ward off the crises they’re being warned about.

For example, while Russia is officially registered as being ‘in the red’ by the book(s), it’s currency (the ruble) has proven to be the most successful worldwide in 2022, oil and gas sales to Europe earning Moscow one billion US dollars per day, while realigning its energy exports to China and India and offering to increase food aid and trade to and with African nations denied essential grain supplies by the Ukraine war and its sanctions.

Same with Suriname, which is being assessed in the absence of consideration of the positive certainties associated with its recent oil-and-gas finds that will certainly allow Guyana’s neighbour to take itself out of the red and into the black -- and in time to avoid the imminent dangers.

Not that the countries named by the preachers of global cyclic economic doom and gloom ought not to worry, but in each case the governments have the Sri Lanka experience from which to learn -- and how Russia has played global economics by its own rules, allowing its critics to have their full say, while patiently prodding on, with time on its side.

Russia, also as the world’s largest wheat producer, will continue to earn its way out of the crisis for quite some time before Europe can eventually effectively wean itself off Russian energy supplies.

Ex-President Rajapaksa is right that the snowballing crisis preceded his administration and the accumulated effects simply couldn’t have been overcome; and the financial gurus are warning that Sri Lanka, far from being a basket case, is only a warning of more to come.

No government anywhere has had a smooth ride since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in 2020 and Sri Lanka is proof positive that more of the same can be expected.

Part 4: Sri Lanka Analysts Predict More of the Same!

By Earl Bousquet SRI Lanka’s ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says he took “all possible steps” to avert the gamechanging economic crisis that engulfed the Asian island nation of 22 million.

In his resignation letter (emailed from Singapore), Rajapaksa said the financial crisis was rooted in years of economic mismanagement that pre-dated his presidency and the COVID-19 pandemic had drastically reduced the island’s crucial tourism earnings and remittances from Sri Lankans working abroad.

The ex-President said: “It is my personal belief that I took all possible steps to address this crisis, including inviting parliamentarians to form an all-party or unity government.”

Parliamentarians met Saturday to start electing a new president and will meet again today (Tuesday) to accept nominations for the post of the president and MPs will vote tomorrow (Wednesday) to decide who.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, a veteran political operator, is one of the top contenders to take on the role full-time, but the protesters say he’s a

Rajapaksa ally, casting dark shadows over his possible selection by election.

The opposition’s presidential nominee is Sajith Premadasa, but commentators say senior ruling party lawmaker Dullas Alahapperuma is a potential spoiler.

Wickremesinghe said Saturday he would implement “an urgent relief programme to provide fuel, gas and essential food items to those struggling because of the economic situation,” and promised to enter dialogue with protesters on “reducing government corruption.”

The governor of the country’s central bank told The Wall Street Journal the island’s economy is likely to contract by more than six per cent this year as political instability and social unrest affect discussions on financial relief with the IMF. The Rajapaksa family, with decades of deep involvement at all levels in Sri Lanka politics, has been squarely blamed for runaway inflation, shortages of basic goods and corruption and foreign exchange reserves having dwindled to close to zero, with inflation hitting 54.6 per cent in June.

In the midst of the

turmoil and uncertainty, there was some small hope this past weekend, as Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera announced the first of three shipments of fuel had arrived on Saturday, the first in nearly three weeks.

A second diesel consignment will also arrive next Saturday, with a shipment of petrol due by next Tuesday – and “Payments completed for all three,” according to the minister in a tweet.

In the midst of it all, the World Bank has been negotiating a bailout with the interim government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which Rajapaksa supporters say can worsen the crisis.

The World Bank and IMF are hedging their bets as the crisis rolls out, expected to offer the usual loans and grants with tight conditions and prescriptions.

Meanwhile, the Bretton Woods financial institutions are already warning that what’s happening in Sri Lanka is also likely for at least a dozen other countries.

Citing traditional debtcrisis signs such as crashing currencies, bond spreads

and depleted foreign exchange reserves, financial experts also point to a record number of developing nations they consider can now be heading into deep trouble.

According to a July 16 report on New Delhi Television (NDTV): “Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Russia, Suriname and Zambia are already in default, Belarus is on the brink and at least another dozen are in the danger zone as rising borrowing costs, inflation and debt all stoke fears of economic collapse.”

It continued: “Analysts calculate US $400 billion of debt is in play. Argentina has by far the most at over $150 billion, while next in line are Ecuador and Egypt, with $40 billion to $45 billion.”

NDTV says, “Crisis veterans” hope many of the developing nations heading Sri Lanka’s way can still dodge default, “especially if global markets calm and the IMF rows in with support…”

With the five named states already defaulting, the analysts say those at risk are: Argentina, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tunisia

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

No “and, ifs or buts”, the Mount Sinai partnership in health is a positive development

Dear Editor, MOST Guyanese are grateful that the Hess family used its relationship with Mount Sinai to encourage their Global Health team to include Guyana in their global work.

We are grateful that Hess as a Mount Sinai donor has identified a significant sum (US$32M) of their donation to Mount Sinai to be assigned for work in Guyana.

The Ministry of Health (MoH), the GPHC and other parts of the health sector, including the private sector, have already started to work with Mount Sinai in an agreement for robust development of health in Guyana, as the Government of Guyana (GoG) pursues a development trajectory to bring world-class health to Guyana and to make Guyana a destination of high-quality health care. While Mount Sinai succeeded in securing funding through the Hess organisation, there are multiple other partners working with the GoG to lift health standards and the scope of health care in Guyana. President Irfaan Ali, the Minister of Health and the GoG have no reason to be apologetic for aggressively pursuing world-class partners to help Guyana accelerate development in health.

President Ali and his government have made clear that the goal is, sooner than later, every Guyanese must have access to services that meet all their healthcare needs.

As the MoH has done in the past, all potential partners are welcomed to contribute to the lofty goals the GoG has established for health care and to meet the overall objective of increasing life expectancy to a minimum of 75 by 2030. The GoG wants to eliminate preventable maternal and infant deaths, to eliminate premature deaths from the non-communicable chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart diseases, cancer, renal failure and to stop pandemics such as COVID-19. The Ministry of Health recognises we need more, not less, partners. In pursuing partners, all of them have invested resources into the partnerships for health.

In signing an agreement with Mount Sinai, the MoH was not looking for a single candidate to help “revolutionise the healthcare system”. The MoH is cognisant of our need for help and has embraced partnership as a way forward to accelerate the health development trajectory.

Mount Sinai is only one of the many partners working with the MoH at this time; it was not chosen as a “best candidate”.

The reason Mount Sinai has come to most people’s attention recently is because one of their donors earmarked Guyana for Mount Sinai’s global health work. The GoG is highly appreciative that this opportunity has

come to Guyana. The Guyanese people will benefit enormously from this and other partnerships.

In this regard, the MoH is grateful that the Stabroek News, like so many Guyanese, understands the significance of the partnership between the MoH and Mount Sinai. The GoG has been able to conclude an agreement with Mount Sinai for that global health leader to be in partnership with Guyana to accelerate development in the health sector so that all Guyanese and visitors to Guyana can access world-class high quality health care, no matter what services are needed. Mount Sinai brings to the health sector of Guyana its 170-year history of innovation, research and discovery, a history of exceptional care for patients, a tradition of caring patient experience and excellence in health management. The GoG and the Ministry of Health are privileged to be partnering with Mount Sinai as President Ali and his Cabinet pursue health for all.

Stabroek News is the latest in a long list of entities and individuals that have acknowledged that the partnership with Mount Sinai is a positive development in Guyana. Stabroek News did bring in the usual “but”. The “but” in this case is that the GoG is investing resources in an unaccountable and nontransparent way that negates the positive from this partnership.

No matter what perception one might have about the financing arrangements, the importance of the partnership is not diminished and we are happy that Stabroek News acknowledged this. Mount Sinai will help the health sector of Guyana to accelerate development, including expanding the scope of services provided, improving the quality of care and patient experience, building human resources, both in management and in technical capacity, in Guyana, no matter what the financing arrangements are.

With major investments in infrastructure and procurement of new technology, Mount Sinai will provide technical expertise to ensure optimisation in these investments. The need to digitalise data and to integrate electronic medical record is now long-overdue. The major deficit in service provision for heart diseases (cardiac) and cancer which the G0G is determined to eliminate is a priority area for inputs from Mount Sinai. With partners like Mount Sinai, the integration of modern health practices is assured.

The opportunity to foster a robust partnership arose out of the interest of the President of Hess Corporation and the corporation itself. The Hess family has a close long-time relationship with Mount Sinai, long before Hess was in Guyana, and

TURN TO PAGE 14

7

8

Guyana Shore Base Inc. ‘reaps fruits’ of US$300M investment

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

— gets 11-year extension on contract with ExxonMobil Guyana THE Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI), a pioneering Guyanese company in the local oil-and-gas sector, has secured an 11-year extension on its contract with Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), an ExxonMobil affiliate, for the provision of shore-base management and operations services.

The contract will run until 2033 and builds on the previous contract, which was awarded to the company in 2017 and will expire in August this year. In these five years, GYSBI has directly invested over US$300 million in enabling port infrastructure, real estate development, warehousing and support services, and recruited, trained and certified more than 1,000 Guyanese for key operational

positions within the industry and beyond through its affiliates.

Further, according to company, it has catalysed greater than US$500 million in investment in the Houston/McDoom, East Bank Demerara corridor, by providing the enabling infrastructure and establishing the first oil-and-gas activity hub in Guyana and creating direct and indirect employment for more than 2,000 persons.

At an event held on Saturday to commemorate the milestone extension of contract, Guyana’s Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, lauded the signing, noting that GYSBI has become a prime example of what is possible for Guyanese businesses in the country’s relatively new oil-and-gas sector.

“Let me congratulate and

commend GYSBI and ExxonMobil Guyana…We are happy to be here to see this signing… and seeing another Guyanese company taking a big stride in the oil-and-gas sector and putting Guyana on the map. This signing is a clear indication that we are building capacity as we move to develop the oil-and-gas sector.

“There is so much that is happening offshore Guyana and it is not only in the Stabroek Block. I am positive that we will have other discoveries.

This activity shows that we are moving in the right direction in this country,” he said.

Minister Bharrat noted that, with a projection of nearly 11 billion barrels of recoverable resources thus far and further drilling activities taking place,

GYSBI: (From Left to Right) Executive Director of GYSBI, Robin Muneshwer, Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat and ExxonMobil Guyana’s Logistics Manager, Hayley Gilbert, following the signing of the contract on Saturday

the Government of Guyana is optimistic that more discoveries would be recorded and therefore, more Guyanese companies would be called upon to meet the myriad of services that would be required.

Minister Bharrat went on to say: “As a government, we are not afraid to take bold steps.

Some people may say that we are moving too fast and indeed we are moving fast. I don’t think we have seen this pace of developing an oil-and-gas sector in

any country, especially a thirdworld country like Guyana.

“The Local Content Act was enacted to ensure that Guyanese benefit from the oil-and-gas sector, which they truly deserve.

Guyanese must benefit and as a government; we are entrusted to do such, in partnership with our foreign partners. We see you as valuable partners and we are committed to working with you to ensure we develop these resources in a way that benefits both the people of Guyana and

the company.”

Executive Director of GYSBI, Robin Muneshwer, said that the contract extension builds on five years of significant and continuous investment, hard work, training and development of local capacity to create a world-class facility that meets the specialised needs of the oil and gas industry.

“The first five years that we are about to complete in August were quite challenging but ExxonMobil was a true partner in all of this. They worked with us as we developed because we were starting from scratch in a country that had no oil and gas experience or infrastructure. As we developed, ExxonMobil raised the bar on us and this is where we are at right now.

“We have got an 11-year extension because we earned it. What we have developed at GYSBI is something we are extremely proud of. Our safety record is unparallel, we have just celebrated two years LTI free. Our operational record is excellent, so it wasn’t handed to us. We have earned it. ExxonMobil has shown a lot of trust and faith in us and worked with us,” Muneshwer said.

Continued on page 12

9

CCJ to commence hearing of election petition case today

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

THE Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will, today, commence hearing the case challenging whether the Guyana Court of Appeal has the jurisdiction to hear and determine the appeal filed to challenge the dismissal of APNU+AFC’s Election Petition 99 of 2020.

The Trinidad-based court will commence hearing the challenge at 10:00hrs, via video conference.

Attorney-General Mohabir Anil Nandlall, S.C., and Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo as the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) are the applicants in the case.

Nandlall and Jadgeo are contending that the appeal is a matter of public interest and national importance as it touches and concerns matters related to the 2020 General and Regional Elec-

2021, on the grounds of serious non-compliance.

At the time, the matter was before the High Court.

He had also ruled that the Full Court of the High Court does not have jurisdiction to entertain the appeal, and, therefore, ruled that the appeal be

Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Attorney-General Mohabir Anil Nandlall, S.C.

tions.

In a 2-1 decision handed down on December 21, 2021, the CoA said it has jurisdiction to entertain an appeal challenging acting Chief Justice Roxane George’s decision to dismiss the said petition, on the grounds of late service, non-service, or improper service.

Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings and Justice of Ap-

peal Dawn Gregory both agreed that the court has the jurisdiction to hear and determine the appeal that was filed.

However, Justice of Appeal Rishi Persaud disagreed, as, according to him, the applicants, Monica Thomas and Brennan Nurse, had no right to appeal, since there was no final decision by the CJ, who had dismissed the application on January 18,

Judge to sum up evidence in 2008 murder trial

COME Thursday, July 21, Justice Sandil Kissoon is expected to sum up the evidence, in the trial of death row inmate, Mark Royden Williams, called ‘Smallie,’ who is accused of killing a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldier in 2008.

Williams, formerly of Friendship, East Coast Demerara, had denied murdering 24-year-old Ivor Williams, on January 23, 2008, at Buxton, East Coast Demerara.

The state is being represented by prosecutor Taneisha Saygon and Muntaz Ali, while attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, is on record for the accused.

On Monday, the prosecution and defence gave their closing statements, following which, the judge adjourned the case until Thursday, for his summation.

Following the summing up at the Demerara High Court, the judge will hand over the case to the 12-member jury, who will

Mark Royden Williams called ‘Smallie’

retire to consider the verdict.

In 2020, Williams’ co-accused, Sherwin Nero, called ‘Pattacake’ opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, when he was arraigned for murder. Nero was sentenced to time served since he had already spent 154 months on remand.

Meanwhile, in 2019, Nero and Williams were freed of the 2007 murder of Kumar “Mango Man” Singh after a 12-member jury found them not guilty of committing the crime.

In February 2017, Wil-

liams was sentenced to death when a jury found him guilty of eight counts of murder in relation to the 2008 Bartica massacre in which a dozen persons, including three police officers, were shot dead.

He has since appealed the conviction.

Several months later, in July 2017, he escaped from the Georgetown Prison during a riot; it is believed that he was the mastermind. However, he was nabbed on October 9, 2017, at Weldaad, West Coast Berbice, while travelling in a public minibus.

In 2013, Williams was acquitted after a 12-member jury found him not guilty of the charges against him in relation to the 2008 Lusignan massacre, which claimed the lives of 11 persons, including five children.

The matter was appealed all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which in 2018, affirmed the acquittal of Williams.

dismissed.

The initial appeal was filed by APNU’s lawyer, Roysdale Forde and Trinidadian attorney John Jeremie, S.C. Among other things, they had contended that the CJ erred in law, and misdirected herself when she

misapplied the doctrine of strict compliance by holding that such compliance is related to the contents of the Affidavit of Service, instead of the filing of the Affidavit of Service in a timely manner.

The CCJ is Guyana’s final court of appeal.

10

Pay the new minimum wage, or ‘lawyer up’, says Labour Minister

By Tamica Garnett

THOSE employers who flout the law or do not pay the new national minimum wage from this month end will be subject to full legal action by the Ministry of Labour.

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, noted that he will be depending on employees to come forward and report any employer which

may not begin paying the new national minimum wage from this month end.

“The whole country is aware [of the new minimum wage], employers and employees are aware of what the law is. And therefore, I look to employees in the event that their employer is not living up to what the law says. They have to come and make those reports. I wait to see what will happen, and we will take it from there,” Minister

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Hamilton said.

A new national minimum wage of $60,147 per month went into effect from July 1, following the gazetting of the necessary order on 27 June.

Minister Hamilton said he was sending a strong message to employers to ensure that salaries receive the necessary adjustments, or they will have to face the law.

“I would want to say to any employer, keep your lawyers lined up because we will take

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton

you to court if you don’t uphold the law,” the Minister declared.

“Once we have reports that companies are refusing to pay the new national minimum wage, we will intervene, and the law will take its course.

Importantly we can summon all of a company’s books for review of the issue. It’s not an issue we don’t have control over, but I await month end to see how the issue plays out.”

However, the Minister explained that the Ministry will not be able to detect defaulting employers unless the employees

are vigilant and report their employers if their salaries are not in keeping with what is expected.

“They can come and make a formal report, or persons can do what they’ve been doing for the past two years and send me WhatsApp messages. Anonymous messages are always coming to my phone, so they can do that if they have a concern,” the Minister related.

“We will take them [the employers] to court and have them ordered to pay what they refuse to pay. So we have a methodology that we can use.”

The increase in the national minimum wage is seen as another means of bringing some relief to persons given the increasing cost of living, which was brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and compounded by the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The measure will add to a slew of other measures thus far implemented by the government to cushion the cost of living increase.

The national private sector minimum wage has not been increased since 2017, when it was raised from an hourly rate

of $202 to $255, taking the monthly salary from $35,000 to $44,200 for a 40-hour week.

Comparatively, the minimum wage for the public sector is currently $70,000.

Discussions on the increase of the national minimum wage started in 2020. However, with the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic and with many private businesses struggling to meet their overhead expenses, the private sector had called for the postponement of the increase, given an inability to handle any increase in expenditure.

However, with most businesses being able to return to normal functioning since last year, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) had given the nod that it was ready to make the increase in wage official.

The private sector is one arm of the labour relations tripartite committee, including the trade unions and the Ministry of Labour. The tripartite committee had agreed on the increase earlier this year, which was an essential step in moving forward with the increase.

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Freed murder accused recounts nine years of horror behind bars

By Clestine Juan BEING poisoned, shot at and living in fear were among the things 68-yearold Jones Raymond endured for nine years before a judge agreed that his detention without trial was unfair and ordered that he be freed.

Raymond, a resident of Micobie in Region Eight, was accused of killing a man in 2012 and, through his attorney, Treiq Mohammed, he filed an action in the High Court arguing that the state’s delay in prosecuting him for the crime was a breach of his constitutional rights.

Last Friday, moments before granting him his freedom, Justice Sandil Kissoon presiding in the Demerara High Court, related that Raymond had been an inmate on remand at the Camp Street Prison and other penal institutions for the offence of murder since December 28, 2012, a period of nine years, six months and 18 days.

After noting that the period was equivalent to almost 15 prison years, he emphasised that, under Article 144 of the Constitution, every citizen is guaranteed a free trial within a reasonable time by an impartial tribunal.

“I was incarcerated and punishing,” the man said on Monday, during a press conference held at his attorney’s South Road, Georgetown office.

Raymond was charged with the murder of Gary Joseph, who was killed on December 26, 2012. According to reports, Raymond shot the man with an arrow and bow during a misunderstanding.

Raymond in speaking of the incident admitted to killing Joseph but claimed that he acted in self-defence.

“I didn’t have no intention killing this man or had no intention killing anybody in my life… He [Joseph] rushed to me with a bottle in his hand and I had to take my weapon and push it towards him,” Raymond recounted.

While detailing the inhuman treatment and hardships he faced while on remand, he said he would always remember the day of the 2017 prison riots when he was also attacked and shot. He also alleged that threats were made to his life.

Jones Raymond and his daughter, Nikita

“They shoot we in the church. I can’t forget these things…I prayed every day and night; the food wasn’t nice, eating slush every day and drinking tea without sugar,” he said.

Due to the lack of proper care, Jones said he now suffered from high blood pressure and visual and hearing impairment.

“I can’t see or hear good.

Is jail caused all this,” the man said.

Among other things, he disclosed that while incarcerated he even lost his identity since his name was filed as “Raymond Jones.”

“My name is Jones Raymond but they had me as Raymond Jones and I asked them if they had any charges concerning Jones Raymond and they said no…I asked in the Essequibo Court, they said they have no charges against me,” he said.

While incarcerated, Raymond was reunited with his daughter, Nikita, who had returned to Guyana after living in Brazil for several years.

She was moved to tears as he explained that after learning of his whereabouts, she immediately visited him at the prison.

She soon learnt that her father was abandoned and she began working to get him out.

With assistance from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Nikita hired an attorney and began the paperwork in pursuit of her father’s freedom.

Meanwhile, Raymond’s attorney said that had it not been for the court challenge, his client would still be in prison.

“In this specific case, it was more specific in the sense that I believe if this matter didn’t come up at all, he would have been in jail, languishing away because he is a man of Amerindian descent, and I feel like they don’t have the representation they truly

Attorney-at-law Teriq Mohammed

need,” he said.

The attorney is still in talks with the family with regards to filing a lawsuit against the state seeking liability for the damage to his character and distress.

“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Mohammed said as he mirrored the sentiments of Justice Kissoon, who in his ruling said that the “unthinkable” occurred against Raymond without compassion, conscience and without judicial discretion.

“I’m unable to contemplate how did we in the criminal justice system arrive at this juncture, where in 2022 a citizen can serve the equivalent of a few months short of a 15-year prison sentence on remand and this is somehow acceptable in the context of the system that prevails,” Justice Kissoon said in his ruling.

In quoting Indian Supreme Court’s Justice Bhagwati, Justice Kissoon said: “What faith can these lost souls have in the judicial system, which denies them a fair trial for so many years, and keeps them behind bars, not because they are guilty, but because the courts have no time to try them.”

As such, the judge found that the man’s constitutional rights had been violated and infringed upon in the circumstances of the inordinate period of delay and his pretrial incarceration for a period of time that accords with a prison sentence of almost 15 years.

“I believe it is high time for judges of the land to take a firmer stand as soon as possible in a matter of this sort where the principle is of infinitely more importance than the case,” he said.

The judge ordered that all pending criminal proceedings against the accused be halted permanently and that he be immediately released.

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Census 2022: Training commences for Area Coordinators THE Bureau of Statistics, on Monday, commenced two weeks of intense training for 54 persons from all regions of Guyana who will function as Area Coordinators during the upcoming 2022 Population and Housing Census.

According to Bureau of Statistics Public Relations Officer, Chriseana Ramrekha, following their training, these temporary staff, with the supervision of Bureau personnel, will return to their respective regions to train the Supervisors for the national exercise. A training of trainers approach will be utilised, with

the Supervisors then being integrally involved in the training of Enumerators.

She noted that, even as the training of Area Coordinators is underway at the Bureau’s Head Office in Georgetown, the screening of applicants from across all regions for the Supervisor and Enumerator positions is ongoing.

Chief Statistician, Errol La Cruez, in his address to the Area Coordinators, stressed the critical role they will play in ensuring the success of the vast exercise, which is planned for commencement in mid September.

He explained that the Census, Guyana’s most extensive data collection exercise, provides an accurate population count and other critical information on its demographics, including gender, age structure, educational attainment, and fertility.

This information is in high demand by many persons, including policymakers, the private sector, and students.

The Census is conducted every ten years, with Guyana’s last Census being conducted in 2012. Therefore, he emphasised the need for accurate, unbiased, reliable, timely, and quality in-

Chief Statistician Errol La Cruez

Some of the persons being trained as Census 2022 Area Coordinators at the Bureau’s Head Office in Georgetown

formation which will guide decision-making for the country’s development over the next ten years.

The Chief Statistician pointed out that data was as valuable, if not more valuable, than gold, and that the Census, an incredible undertaking, will see every occupied community in Guyana being visited.

Guyana’s population count in 2012 stood at 746,955, a decline from the previous census in 2002 which saw a count of 751,223.

According to the Chief Stat-

istician, having an accurate count is essential since this baseline data will be utilised over the next ten years.

He added that, in a world that is becoming more data-conscious, the importance of the data was increasing, and its use will expand in the months and years to come.

He encouraged the Area Coordinators to ensure that the Census Personnel under their supervision understand the importance of the Census and the value of the data which it will produce.

Guyana Shore Base...

TREMENDOUS GROWTH

GYSBI’s Executive Director highlighted that the company, in 2017, signed a contract for eight acres, two berths and one warehouse. Today, it stands at 170 acres, has eight warehouses and four berths, with further expansions planned. While it started with five employees, GYSBI now has a workforce of 616 persons, 95 per cent of whom are Guyanese.

“So, we have grown tremendously and we have grown because of the unparallel success that ExxonMobil has had with their discoveries. We have grown in sync with them. We have also been a poster boy for local content. None of this would have been possible without GYSBI, which is just five years old. We know that we are an integral part of what ExxonMobil does and we do not take that for granted,” Muneshwer said.

ExxonMobil Guyana’s Logistics Manager, Hayley Gilbert, said that GYSBI continues to offer comprehensive services that are crucial to the company’s day-to-day operations and has progressively matched its growth and need for additional space, with a move over to its 70+ acres industrial estate and the commissioning of two heavy lift berths later this year.

“I have personally been able to see the transformation across GYBSI and I can only imagine what we can accomplish together over the eleven years.

When you are part of such a significant development on the onset as GYSBI has been with ExxonMobil in Guyana, hav-

ing continuity and sustainable business has been critical to be able to deliver the achievements that we have seen. ExxonMobil Guyana is proud to be associated with a company that continues to maintain a high standard of health, safety and operational efficiency,” she said.

Gilbert highlighted that GYSBI remains critical as ExxonMobil Guyana advances its plans to responsibly develop Guyana’s oil and gas resources.

“The signing of a decade plus agreement shows the longterm commitment between these two business partners. Our relationship has grown over the years as GYSBI has been our conduit from the onshore to the offshore operations, a logistics hub, providing us with world class services including drilling and production operations support, waste management and storage. As the demand for support services has grown, it was clear that the expansion was necessary and GYSBI has responded to grow the multiuser facility that we see today, supporting the specialised needs of the oil and gas sector here in Guyana,” she said.

The ceremony also saw the attendance of the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C.; Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill; Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, members of the Private Sector Commission, the banking Sector, and other dignitaries.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Allocation of 5,000 house lots on East Coast to commence this week

MINISTER of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, on Sunday, announced that his ministry would commence the allocation of some 5,000 house lots along the East Coast of Demerara this week.

The minister spoke at the opening a $300 million hardware complex at Estate Road, Enmore, ECD. Over the past 18 months, the government has been accelerating its massive housing drive to deliver on its promise of providing 50,000 house lots to Guyanese by 2025.

Minister Croal said the government allocated close to 4,750 house lots on the East Coast alone.

Allocations were made at La Bonne Intention, Mon Repos, La Reconnaissance, Annandale, Vigilance, Strathspey, and

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal

Bladen Hall.

Additionally, he said the ministry is acquiring lands for new housing developments from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to meet the housing demands in Region Four.

“The infrastructure work that is required to

ensure that we are able to develop these new areas will cause billions of dollars,” Minister Croal noted.

The housing minister said the construction sector is expected to grow by 10.2 per cent this year.

He credited the continued growth in the construction sector to the government’s national housing drive and

other major private sector investments.

Minister Croal pointed out that the demand for construction materials and hardware will continue to increase and, therefore, the opening of a new hardware store in Enmore is timely, as it will help to meet the demand on the east coast.

“We welcome these kinds of investments. We support it and you can count on us as a government and as a ministry… for any help that we can provide to help you grow even more,” he said.

Minister Dharamlall also spoke about some of the infrastructural development being undertaken along the east coast corridor to complement the massive housing development.

He said that by the

end of the year, the government will spend an additional $15 billion to upgrade and expand community roads.

“We still have hundreds of roads more to get done and our streets within communities… it is a commitment by President, Irfaan Ali that all community streets will be upgraded to asphaltic concrete or rigid surface concrete,” he told the gathering.

Further, works have commenced on the Ogle, ECD and Eccles, East Bank Demerara Road.

The government has also announced plans to upgrade the railway embankment into a fourlane road to help counter growing traffic woes.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall, also attended the event. (DPI)

Guyana Fire Service corner Today’s Fire Safety Tip is:

To prevent fires associated with generators ensure that you turn off the generator and let it cool down before refueling. Never refuel a generator while it is running.

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Guyana’s ICT infrastructure capable of delivering LTE, facilitating later upgrades

- PM Phillips tells CANTO Caribbean PRIME MINISTER, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips said his government was committed to creating the required infrastructure to make it possible for everyone to access Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs).

Giving the keynote address at the Opening Ceremony of the CANTO 37th Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition 2022 at the Fountainebleau Miami Beach, the Prime Minister said his government liberalised the telecommunications industry on October 5, 2020, ending a 30year monopoly on fixed landline and international long-distance services.

The conference was held under the theme, “Enabling the Digital Evolution”.

He explained that the valueadded tax on Internet data has been eliminated for residential customers. That action had increased consumer disposable income and decreased the service’s effective cost, both of which should increase demand for the operator’s services.

The Prime Minister also stated “We have made more spectrum available to the industry, especially in the critical 700MHz band, to increase coverage and enable the deployment of LTE and later generation

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips, during his address at the CANTO 37th annual Conference and Trade Exhibition

networks.”

He also highlighted the significance of CANTO and its mission to provide solutions and initiatives to realise this year’s theme and to facilitate shaping the ICT industry in the Caribbean Region and the Americas.

Mentioning the widespread use of ICTs for service and product delivery in the postpandemic era, the Prime Minister said they will enable us to socialise, plan and collaborate in the workplace, as well as carry out many of the other tasks that persons were accustomed to doing in person.

He noted that the COVID-19

pandemic had firmly established the value and influence of ICTs in everyone’s lives.

In addition, he pointed out that the internet has drawbacks.

As the national COVID-19 Task Force’s Chairman in Guyana, he witnessed, first-hand, the harm misinformation can do to the public good as the Task Force dealt with vaccine hesitancy and other types of skepticism about science-based public health measures.

He requested the conference’s telecommunications operators, content providers, and regulators to look into policies that support and guarantee re-

sponsible Internet usage while still maintaining the universally accepted principles of freedom of speech and freedom of expression as their basis.

Further, Prime Minister Phillips addressed the issue of the digital divide, pointing out the harsh reality that less than 50 per cent of Caribbean residents have access to the internet, and that, during the worst of the pandemic, those without internet access were essentially unable to access financial, governmental, and other essential services.

“For some people, a lack of meaningful social interaction made mental health problems worse. And the outcome was a nearly complete, if not total, loss of incomes and means of subsistence for many of those for whom participating in economically enabled by technology was not feasible,” the Prime Minister added.

Further, he said that the introduction of robotic applications, the use of drones in agriculture, apps for reporting public incidents, tax collection, e-health, e-banking, and other new technologies were all a part

of digital evolution.

He also noted that service providers were moving from 4G to 5G services and that artificial intelligence (AI) engines drive many back-office operations.

Meanwhile, CANTO’s Caribbean Secretary-General, Teresa Wankin, in her opening remarks, reaffirmed CANTO’s commitment to meet the needs of the Caribbean Community with a primary focus on Digital Development, Enablement, and Improvements that will result in digital transformation.

She highlighted the incredible opportunity for knowledge sharing to strengthen ICT that the conference presented with all the appropriate people and businesses in attendance.

Following her remarks, Chairman of CANTO Caribbean, David Cox, thanked all stakeholders and attendees for their support during the previous two years of turbulence and said that it demonstrated the resilience of Caribbean people.

In addition, Cox expressed his sincere gratitude and honour at having Guyana’s prime minister deliver the keynote address

at the auspicious event. Noting that Guyana was a significant member of the CANTO Caribbean family, he expressed his eagerness to learn more about Guyana, especially now that the nation was undergoing incredible change.

Cox maintains that “CANTO’s greatest value was that it was a unique market for ideas,” as he had stated in previous contexts. “The goal of CANTO is to provide a forum where ideas can debate one another, not to tell people what to think. Our mission is to inform, enlighten, challenge, listen, and ultimately to encourage the growth of our people.”

With a closing ceremony on July 20, 2022, the CANTO 37th annual Conference and Trade Exhibition continues at the Fountainbleau Miami Beach. Canto members, government ministers, and speakers from across the region from all facets of ICT are present to support the extensive networking, discussion, and idea-sharing needed to close the digital divide.

No “and, ifs or buts”, the Mount Sinai...

FROM PAGE 7

encouraged Mount Sinai to enter the partnership with Guyana. President Ali and Vice-President Bharat Jagdeo were key players in catalysing the rapid movement towards concretising an agreement for Mount Sinai to commit resources to Guyana. Every Guyanese will benefit.

The partnership requires many members of Mount Sinai’s leadership team to work alongside teams in Guyana on an ongoing basis for the next three years. For example, the whole administrative and clinical management team for Mount Sinai’s Morningside Hospital will work alongside the management team of GPHC in counterpart arrangements.

Some of the interaction will be by virtual methods, but some of the interactions will be in-person with the Mount Sinai team members in Guyana or the Guyana team members at Morningside. For the next three years, the two teams will work daily alongside to ensure better services, including patient experience and quality of care, at GPHC. While this missive is not intended to provide a listing of all the activities, several activities merit mentioning. One area that Mount Sinai will work alongside the Ministry of Health to improve is the provision of a comprehensive set of interventions for cardiology (heart diseases) and oncology (cancer).

Mount Sinai is globally recognised for its cardiology and oncology services. Another area that Mount Sinai will work alongside the ministry to accomplish is the integration of a national electronic medical system so that patient data is accessible by medical personnel throughout the system. These support areas will be available to both the public and private sectors.

Mount Sinai has a global health department and is presently working in many countries as they seek to improve health in developing countries.

Mount Sinai’s cost for being in the

Guyana partnership will be through a direct funding arrangement with the Hess family. There is an agreed list of activities between the MoH and Mount Sinai. Hess will not have any veto rights. Guyana has always, at least since 1992, pursued partnership to help develop the health sector.

Presently, Guyana is working with partners such as Mount Sinai, Northwell, Harvard, Vanderbilt, Columbia University, McMaster University and many, many others. These institutions raise their own funds to partner with Guyana and other developing countries. To optimise the partnership, Guyana will need to invest in technology and infrastructure and training costs. These costs, for example, personnel travelling to the US from Guyana, will be borne by Guyana.

When COVID-19 came to Guyana, Guyana was able to begin PCR testing because, as early as 2008, Guyana’s National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) was established for high-end laboratory testing. Working alongside partners facilitated by PEPFAR, Guyana was able to establish the reference lab. While its development to a world-class facility was stymied for a while, Guyana is now resuming the trajectory to have one of the top public health labs in the region.

Partners, such as Harvard which is supporting the MoH to introduce DNA sequencing testing will enable Guyana to meet its objectives. This will ensure that in future variants of infectious organisms, such as COVID-19 variants, can be identified right in Guyana.

Guyana today trains its own specialist doctors in fourteen different areas. There is also training for nurse anesthetists. There are also training in echocardiology and in ultrasound diagnostic techniques. Since 2006, Guyana has developed cardiac services, introduced radiotherapy and chemotherapy, rolled out an aggressive transplant programme and is

gradually making laparoscopy -- a routine surgical intervention. Guyana has already rolled out a teleradiology and teleophthalmology service where specialists from GPHC are providing services in other parts of Guyana virtually. These have all been made possible by partnerships, where partners invest their own resources. We need more, not less.

As the MoH continue to embrace partnership, no one is pushed aside. All partners that can make a meaningful contribution are welcome. Guyanese with skills in the diaspora are already part of the partnerships and partners like Mount Sinai and Northwell Health have brought on Guyanese and CARICOM professionals in the diaspora.

Where Guyanese organisations and professionals in the diaspora could contribute, the MoH is open to those discussions. Some of the programmes in place at this time are with the help of diaspora contributions. For example, through the initiative of the Vice President, Guyanese professionals from Atlanta will work alongside the Ob/Gyn Department of the GPHC to introduce an urogynecology programme, targeting incontinence in women which is a major public health problem plaguing women in countries around the world.

The Minister of Health and the MoH will ensure that all partners work to build a healthcare system that is recognised around the world for its agility, its capacity to ensure all Guyanese receive the best healthcare possible. This will happen over time. Our hope is that with partners such as Mount Sinai that the trajectory toward this goal is not slow, but as rapidly as possible. The Mount Sinai health partnership, like many other equally important ones, is a cause of optimism and celebration; it ought not be another reason for pessimism and division.

Yours sincerely, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Onverwagt milk plant to be completed by year end

— Regions Five, Six dairy farmers to become suppliers

By Naomi Parris BY the end of this year, Guyanese will be able to break the seal of a locally produced bottle of Mahaica Dairy Milk created by the premier brand of the Amaya Milk Company, as the construction of the first milk plant in Onverwagt, Region Five, is underway.

In April of last year, the path was cleared for the company to establish its local base, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among the Canada-based Managing Director, Omkaar Sharma of Amaya Milk Company, the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest) and the Ministry of Agriculture.

As regards the project, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said that while there were some delays due to the rainy season, works are moving apace on the plant’s construction.

“That is in progress, he started the building there, he has already brought in some of the equipment from Canada. That is moving apace and hopefully, by the end of this year, we can have that facility complete,” Mustapha said in a recent exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

With construction moving along smoothly, Mustapha said the company is currently en-

gaging several cattle farmers in Regions Five and Six to discuss plans for the supply and delivery of milk.

“We have already started to contact some of the farmers in Region Five who will supply milk to the plant, so that is an ongoing project.”

The $150M project is anticipated to see those cattle farmers earning $75 million monthly.

In an interview with this newspaper, Sharma said that some CAN$450,000 (G$85 million) has already been expended on equipment to outfit the milk-pasteurization facility.

This equipment has since arrived in Guyana. Once the facility is completed, Guyanese will see milk sold in returnable glass bottles, which will help minimise adverse environmental impacts and encourage recycling.

Sharma explained that the project will be rolled out in two phases, with the first phase focusing specifically on milk production. For this phase, the company has budgeted CAN$500,000.

During the initial stage of the project, the company will be producing whole and two per cent milk, after which they will make flavoured milk, specifically strawberry and chocolate, among other unique flavours.

Once the first phase has been

U.S. Military Reps conduct site survey at Police Headquarters

- Tradewinds 2023 to be hosted by Guyana

Deputy Commissioner Operations (ag) Ravindradat Budhram (centre) next to Deputy Superintendent Rovin Das in discussions with U.S. Military Reps during one of the multiple site visits at Police Headquarters

O N M o n d a y, m i l i t a r y representatives from the United States conducted several site visits around the Guyana Police Force Headquarters ahead of Operation Tradewinds 2023.

According to Police Headquarters, the Strategic Site Survey is to check the capacity to house participants both locally and internationally during the multinational military exercise slated to run for two weeks.

Tradewinds 2023 will be hosted by Guyana in July of next year and is expected to concentrate on countering transnational criminal organisations and violent extremist organisations to improve Caribbean Community Standard

Operating Procedures and boost regional co-operation and stability, and to improve response efficacy to security threats.

During the visit, the representatives were given a tour of the Police Sports Club, Felix Austin Training Centre, and the Officers’ Training Centre.

Deputy Commissioner Operations (ag) Ravindradat Budhram, Commander of Regional Division Five, Superintendent Guy Nurse, Officer-in-Charge of Tactical Services Unit, Superintendent Lonsdale Withrite, and Deputy Superintendent Rovin Das, were also amongst those present at the site-survey.

completed and the market is responsive, the company, in about two years, will move ahead with phase two of the project, for which CAN$1M has been budgeted.

The company plans to eventually expand its production to include yogurt, cheese, paneer,

and cream. As local dairy production increases, regional markets will be targeted.

The facility will not just create direct jobs, but will also allow local cattle farmers to sell their products and even increase their production to satisfy the demand.

Amaya Milk Company’s Mahaica Dairy Milk will soon hit the local market

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, July 19, 2022

17

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday July 19, 2022

Historic ‘Teach Them Young’ swim camp underway ...Berbice, Linden on stream from today OVER 1500 aspiring swimmers have registered for the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport/ National Sports Commission (NSC) annual ‘Teach Them Young’ swim camp, which ‘plunged off’ yesterday at the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal, East Coast Demera.

With Region Four (July 18 – August 12) leading the way, camps in Berbice (Albion) and Linden (Watooka) will start today and will conclude on August 5.

This year will be the largest in the camp’s history, with organisers expecting the numbers to climb as they cater for late registrants.

This year’s camp, according to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, was structured to ensure that the attendees would benefit in every way as they embark on the journey of learning what is considered a ‘life skill’.

Meanwhile, Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle highlighted that over 45 coaches

will be in charge of the various sessions.

Ninvalle called the programme this year “historic,” while adding “… because the level of organisation and the way we have continued to listen to associations is a microcosm of how the Government of Guyana is working towards developing sport in Guyana. Never before in swimming or any other programme run by our ministry, this amount of participants.”

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce leads Jamaican sweep of the 100 metres SHELLY-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica raised her right hand with her index finger pointed high as she crossed the finish line at Hayward Field for her fifth world championship title in the 100-metre dash.

With her blonde and green hair bouncing behind her, Fraser-Pryce finished in 10.67 seconds, a world championship record, dominating a star-studded field that included the two-time Olympic 100-metre champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah.

“I can’t even imagine the amount of times I’ve had setbacks and I’ve bounced back and I’m here again,” Fraser-Pryce told reporters.

“I continue to remind my-

self that sometimes it’s not because you don’t have the ability, but it’s the right time.

Today was the right time.”

It was an expected Jamaican sweep: Shericka Jackson took silver in 10.73, and Thompson-Herah won bronze in 10.81.

Fraser-Pryce, 35, is one of the most accomplished sprinters of all time, and her success is particularly remarkable because of her longevity. Her career took off with Olympic gold in the 100m in 2008. She has won five of the last seven world titles, and stands as the only person to win more than three in the 100m.

The closest person to her world championship gold medal count at that distance is Usain Bolt with three. Fraser-Pryce’s world title count might have been greater, but she gave birth just after the 2017 world championships to her son, Zyon, in an emergency cesarean section.

“There were days I did think about whether my body would be able to allow me to put the level of work in to get it done,” Fraser-Pryce told the Telegraph in 2019.

Fraser-Pryce, Jackson and Thompson-Herah have

run away from the rest of the world in this event. At last summer’s Tokyo Olympics, the three women held the Jamaican flag and posed for pictures after a sweep of the 100m, with Thompson-Herah winning gold in the second-fastest time ever run. It was the fourth straight Olympic gold in the 100m for Jamaican women, dating to Fraser-Pryce in 2008 in Beijing.

Despite Thompson-Herah’s success at the Olympics, she had gone without winning an individual medal in the 100 metres at the world championships until Sunday night’s third-place finish.

She did not appear to be in her peak form heading into the meet, and her time of 10.81 seconds was well off her personal best, but she said she was excited to be on the medal stand considering the circumstances.

“I have not been training well,” Thompson-Herah said. “I have been missing a lot of sessions. But I think I am a fighter, and I know how to perform. Tonight wasn’t my best time, but I’m still grateful to be on the podium.” (New York Times)

19

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday July 19, 2022

Chandimal powers Sri Lanka's lead past 300 in Galle first Test Galle (Sri Lanka) (AFP) – Red hot Dinesh Chandimal struck his second successive half-century to take Sri Lanka's lead past 300 and thwart the Pakistan attack on day three of the opening Test on Monday.

The hosts were 329 for nine when bad light stopped play for the day in Galle.

Chandimal, on 86, and Prabath Jayasuriya, on four, were batting at close of play with Sri Lanka leading by 333 in their second innings.

Mohammad Nawaz claimed his maiden five-wicket haul and combined with fellow spinner Yasir Shah, who took three, to rattle the opposition middle-order in the second session.

But Chandimal, who struck blazing form with his maiden double century -- 206 not out -- in his team's series-levelling Test win over Australia last week, stood firm in another lower-order show of defiance after the hosts slipped to 235-7.

"Chandi batted so well in the first innings too. He has done what the team needs," Kusal Mendis, who hit 76, said of the veteran batsman.

"This is a good total but if we get to that 350 mark, the bowlers will have lot of runs to play with.

"Tomorrow I think the wicket will get even better for spinners once you get the roller on," he added.

Chandimal reached his fifty and put on 41 runs with Maheesh Theekshana for the ninth wicket in a repeat performance from the hosts, who had hit back from 1338 to post 222 in their first innings.

Dinesh Chandimal finished unbeaten on 86 (AFP)

Dream return for Nawaz Earlier Kusal and opener Oshada Fernando scored 64 and put on a key third-wicket stand of 91 to fight back after an early wicket in the morning session.

Oshada reached his sixth Test fifty in the first session but fell to Yasir on the second ball after lunch.

Kusal raised his fifty and took on the opposition attack with a few boundaries before Yasir bowled him with an unplayable delivery that pitched outside leg and turned to hit the top of off stump.

Nawaz, who is making a Test comeback after nearly six years and playing his fourth five-day match, kept chipping away and got key wickets including Angelo Mathews and Niroshan Dickwella.

"It's every bowler's dream to get a five-for in Test cricket and the same goes for me," Nawaz, who previously played just three Tests in his

team's 2016 West Indies tour, told reporters.

"I just concentrated on transferring my preparation from the nets to execute it in the middle and keep my basics right. We needed to bowl well, especially on this pitch."

Nawaz, an all-rounder who bats left-handed, hoped the target would not be much more than the current total, adding that would be "achievable" with two or three good partnerships.

He got nightwatchman Kasun Rajitha on the third ball of the day to set things rolling for Pakistan, but the Sri Lankan batsmen kept coming back on a pitch that is expected to offer more turn to the spinners come day four.

In a keenly contested match of tail end fights, Pakistan had also hit back to post 218, riding on skipper Babar Azam's 119 as he batted with his own lower order on day two.

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA 1st innings 222 Pakistan 1st innings 218 Sri Lanka 2nd innings o/n 36-1

Oshada Fernando c Babar Azam b Yasir Shah 64 Dimuth Karunaratne lbw Mohammad Naw az 16 Kasun Rajitha lbw Mohammad Nawaz 7 Kusal Mendis b Yasir Shah 76 Angelo Mathews c Babar Azam b Mohammad Nawaz 9 Dinesh Chandimal Not Out 86 Dhananjaya de Silva b Yasir Shah 20 Niroshan Dickwella b Mohammad Nawaz 12 Ramesh Mendis b Mohammad Nawaz 22

Maheesh Theekshanac Mohammad Rizwan b Hasan Ali 11 Prabath Jayasuriya Not Out 4 Extras 1b 0lb 1nb 0pen 0w 2 Total (96.0 overs) 329-9 Fall of Wickets: 1-33 Karunaratne, 2-41 Rajitha, 3-132 Fernando, 4-164 Mathews, 5-178 Mendis, 6-218 de Silva, 7-235 Dickwella, 8-267 Wanigamuni, 9-308 Theekshana Bowling: Shaheen Afridi 7 - 2 - 21 - 0, Mohammad Nawaz 28 - 2 - 88 - 5, Agha Salman 16 - 1 - 53 - 0, Yasir Shah 29 - 2 - 122 - 3,Hasan Ali 10 - 3 - 15 - 1 Naseem Shah 5 - 0 - 20 - 0 (1nb)

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday July 19, 2022

ICC FTP:Bangladesh land Test and ODI jackpot in 2023-2027 cycle …They play 34 Tests, 59 ODIs and 51 T20Is in the next four years; only West Indies have more games slotted in this period BANGLADESH have a bit of a bonanza lined up.

The 2023-2027 ICC Future Tours Programme has 34 Tests marked for them, behind only England (42), Australia (41) and India (38).

They have the most ODIs listed against their name - 59, with only Sri Lanka (58) above the 50 mark. Overall, too, they are behind only West Indies' 146 international fixtures in the cycle with 144 of their own.

The FTP for the next cycle, accessed by ESPNcricinfo, is subject to change, but it is a fair guideline into what the next few years of international cricket will be like.

Bangladesh, who have already played 28 of their 30 Tests in the ongoing FTP [two in India later in the year are left], and are ranked ninth in the ICC Test chart, have some exciting games lined up for 2023-2025, the next World Test Championship cycle.

They will play Tests in India, Pakistan and the West Indies, and host New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. This is well ahead of the other Test nations outside the top eight: Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland.

Not just that. The BCB also has a near-consistent window for the BPL in their domestic calendar. Over the next five season, the tournament will be played in January, only occasionally starting slightly sooner, in late December.

Zimbabwe, who have played 13 Tests in the last five years, are likely to play only 20 Tests in the next cycle, the same as Afghanistan, but Ireland have only 12 Tests lined up. But overall, they will all play over 100 international matches in this period, if their boards can keep the schedule intact over the next four years.

ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe should feel en-

will, however, be against Zimbabwe and Ireland, while Bangladesh have committed to four Tests against them.

Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have two series each against Afghanistan, with a mix of ODIs and T20Is, while West Indies have a solitary ODI series against them.

Bangladesh are ranked outside the top eight in Tests, but will play many more games in the format than the other lower-tier sides (AFP/Getty Images)

couraged, as they have been allocated 20 Tests in a total of 109 international matches in the next four years. Like in the last four-year period, they play most of their cricket against Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Ireland, with South Africa and New Zealand playing a combined three Tests against them.

Final two teams confirm places in ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 LESS than 100 days are left for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, due to start on the 16th of October. Meanwhile, the final two teams in the tournament have been confirmed. Netherlands and Zimbabwe have sealed their place for the perennial tournament.

The Netherlands beat the United States of America, while Zimbabwe beat Papua New Guinea in the semi-final matches of the World Cup Qualifier B. The first semi-final saw Zimbabwe take on Papua New Guinea. After winning the toss, Zimbabwe decided to bat first. Riding on 29-ball 42 from Wesley Madhevre, Zimbabwe posted a mam-

moth score of 199 runs on the board. For PNG, Sese Bau and Charles Amini picked up 2 wickets each.

In pursuit of the score, PNG lost a wicket on the very first ball of the innings. Three wickets fell for only 34 runs but Tony Ura played a sensational knock of 66 runs to 35 balls to keep the team in the game. PNG had scored 139 runs in 15 overs. However, once Ura got out, they fell apart.

They ended up losing the game by 27 runs. The second semi-final match saw the USA take on the Netherlands. The USA chose to bat first after winning the toss and got off to a flyer. They accumulated 52 runs in 5.1 overs before losing

wickets in quick succession.

Wickets kept falling in quick intervals and they were, eventually, bundled out for 138 runs on the board. The Dutch batters walked out to bat and got off to a disastrous start as they lost their first wicket on the third ball of the innings.

But the innings were held together by Bas De Leede who took the attack on USA bowlers as the other batters batted around him. The Netherlands chased down the total in 19 overs as they sealed a spot in the T20 World Cup 2022.

Zimbabwe and Netherlands will battle it out with the other 6 teams to further qualify for the Super 12 stage of the tournament.

They have fixtures against Pakistan and Sri Lank but only for white-ball matches, while Zimbabwe have proposed a T20I tri-series in July 2025, though the opponents' names aren't public.

AFGHANISTAN Afghanistan have solitary Tests scheduled against India, Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka in the next four years. Most of their 20 Tests

IRELAND Ireland have reason to feel shortchanged, with the fewest Tests lined up, 12, and play most of them against Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

New Zealand and Sri Lanka have offered them solitary one-off Test series, while England and Australia are expected to play white-ball series against them in 2023 and 2024 respectively. (Cricinfo)

New Zealand ease to Twenty20 win over Ireland at Stormont New Zealand beat Ireland by 31 runs in the first of three Twenty20 internationals between the sides.

Batting first, the tourists made 173-8, with Glenn Phillips top-scoring with 69 not out and Josh Little taking 4-35.

Ireland fell well short of their target despite Curtis Campher's 29, all out with 10 balls remaining, Lockie Ferguson impressing with 4-14.

New Zealand beat Ireland 3-0 in their recent one-day series and the sides meet in two more T20 games this week.

The teams will face each other again at Stormont tomorrowy and Friday, with Ireland still looking for a first ever win over New Zealand.

Ireland won the toss and elected to field, a call which seemed a solid one from captain Andy Balbirnie as New Zealand opener Finn Allen fell in the third over when he was caught at cover off Little for just one run, with Martin Guptill (24) soon following

Dane Cleaver attempts to run out Curtis Campher

after he holed out at long off.

Wicketkeeper-batter Dane Cleaver (five) lasted only seven deliveries on his debut, nicking a length ball from Little behind.

Daryl Mitchell was soon also sent back for the same score as he caught a top edge off Campher to leave the tourists 54-4 in the ninth over.

However, a fluid 29 from Jimmy Neesham, which included a six hitting the sightscreen, and a fine unbeaten 69 from Phillips, off 52 balls with seven boundar-

ies, helped steady the innings on well into three figures.

New Zealand got an early breakthrough in the field when captain Mitchell Santner claimed a fine backwards catch to dismiss Balbirnie for 12, before taking two wickets himself with the ball to reduce Ireland to 69 for five in the 10th over.

Campher and George Dockrell (15) pushed Ireland on, with Mark Adair adding a rapid 25, but the run chase proved too much as the hosts were all out in 18.2 overs. (BBC Sport)

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday July 19, 2022

Former West Indies captain Ramdin retires from international cricket FORMER West Indies captain, the wicketkeeper-batter Denesh Ramdin, has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect.

"It is with great pleasure that I announce my retirement from international cricket," Ramdin, who last played for West Indies in a T20I in December 2019, said on Instagram. "The past 14 years have been a dream come true. I fulfilled my childhood dreams by playing cricket for Trinidad and Tobago, and the West Indies.

My career afforded me the opportunity to see the world, make friends from different cultures and still be able to appreciate where I came from."

He will, however, continue to play franchise cricket, Ramdin said. He hasn't found a team at the upcoming edition of the CPL, though, despite having represented Guyana Amazon Warriors, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and Trinbago Knight Riders from 2013 to 2021. He has also played for Multan Sultans at the PSL, in 2017 and 2018.

South Africa Racing Tips Kenilworth 08:05 hrs Simply Beautiful 08:40 hrs Double Duet 09:15 hrs Metar 09:50 hrs Island Treasure 10:25 hrs Navy Strength 11:00 hrs Silent Trigger English Racing Tips Musselburgh 08:50 hrs Shahnaz 09:25 hrs Lady Lavina 10:00 hrs The Gay Blade 11:10 hrs Jungle Time 11:45 hrs The Thin Blue Line 12:15 hrs City Wanderer Irish Racing Tips Ballinrobe

Denesh Ramdin played 74 Tests, 139 ODIs and 71 T20Is since his debut in 2005 (AFP/Getty Images)

Ramdin, who played 74 Tests, 139 ODIs and 71 T20Is, started out in Test cricket, making his debut against Sri Lanka in Colombo in July 2005. His ODI debut, against India, followed later on the tour in a tri-series involving the three teams.

He played a part in West Indies' T20 World Cup triumphs in 2012 and 2016.

In the first, he hardly got 11:30 hrs Vocito 12:00 hrs Troubled Times 13:00 hrs Lieutenant Highway 13:30 hrs Galon De Vanzelle 14:00 hrs Natural Look 14:30 hrs Rossies Tara 15:00 hrs Duncreevan American Racing Tips Colonial Downs Race 1 Woodline Race 2 Expect Ours Race 3 Alma Rosa Race 4 Search Race 5 Wing Commander Race 6 Margie’s Kitchen Race 7 Point Loma Canadian Racing Tips Fort Erie Race 1 Gizmo’s Princess Race 2 Tomcat Black Race 3 Hi Honey

a chance to bat in seven matches, but effected six dismissals behind the stumps.

In the second, he was unimpressive in front of the wickets, with 36 runs in four innings - in six games - at a strike rate 69.23, and had three dismissals behind the stumps.

More recently, Ramdin fell off the radar of the national selectors. His last Test and ODI appearances were

"Yea Viv Talk Nah!" (Getty Images)

back in 2016.

Tree of which came away from home. His second Test hundred - against England at Edgbaston in 2012 - caused controversy when he took out a note from his pocket on achieving the milestone, stating "Yea Viv talk nah".

This was in response to Viv Richards having questioned Ramdin's poor form in the first two Tests of that tour, where he managed only 51 runs, and wasn't consistent

with his wicketkeeping either.

As a result of his antics, Ramdin was fined 20% of his match fee by the ICC. He was in trouble with the ICC again only a year later, when playing against Pakistan, he claimed a grounded catch off Misbah-ul-Haq in the Champions Trophy.

Ramdin had fumbled while trying to take the ball falling forward, but still went up in celebration. On that occa-

sion, Ramdin was suspended for two ODIs, and docked his entire match fee.

Ramdin was named West Indies' Test captain in 2014, taking over from Daren Sammy, who had retired from the format. Overall, Ramdin led his country in 17 matches 13 Tests, three T20Is and an ODI - before being removed in September 2015, when Jason Holder replaced him at the helm.

The results were mixed.

West Indies won four of those 13 Tests, all at home against New Zealand, Bangladesh [two] and England, but lost seven, including five at home. West Indies won the only ODI he led in, while it was one win and two losses in T20Is. Later, in mid-2016, Ramdin tweeted about his exclusion from the Test side against India before the West Indies squad was made official, triggering some chatter. He had played all three Tests in Australia in 2015-16, scoring half-centuries in Melbourne and Sydney, but never played a Test again.

(Cricinfo)

Beaumont century helps hosts to comfortable win in third ODI A brilliant century from Tammy Beaumont helped England to a dominant 109-run win in the third one-day international against South Africa, and ensured they cannot lose the multi-format series.

After being put in to bat in sultry conditions in Leicester, England racked up 371-7 - their fifth-highest ODI score and just seven short of their record against Pakistan in 2016.

Beaumont smashed 19 fours and a six in her 119 off 107 balls as she shared a second successive century-opening stand with Emma Lamb, who made 65.

Having done so for the first time in the second ODI, England's top four all scored more than 50 again as Sophia Dunkley followed up her maiden ODI

century with 51, while captain Heather Knight made a 49-ball 63.

In reply, Laura Wolvaardt made an eye-catching 56 before Charlie Dean removed her for the third time in the series as the tourists fell to 109-4.

Chloe Tryon (70 off 57 balls) and Marizanne Kapp (62 off 54) breathed life into the chase, putting on 110 for the fifth wicket, but when both fell within a five-over spell England were able to wrap up the tail and bowl South Africa out for 262.

Alice Davidson-Richards finished with 3-35, while spinners Dean and Lamb both took 3-42.

The win means England lead the multi-format series 8-2, after clean-sweeping the ODI series 3-0.

Tammy Beaumont smashed 19 foors and six in her 119

The three-match Twenty20 series starts in Chelmsford on Thursday

(19:00 BST), with each game worth two points.

(BBC Sport)

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday July 19, 2022

England superstar Ben Stokes retires from one-day cricket ENGLAND Test cricket captain Ben Stokes will retire from one-day international cricket after today’s match against South Africa in Durham.

The 31-year-old revealed the shock call on social media, but will continue to play Test cricket and T20 cricket.

Stokes has long been an absolute star of the game in all formats of the game but averages 39.44 in ODIs with the bat, compared with 36.16 in Test cricket.

With the ball, he’s less effective in the shorter form, averaging 41.79 runs per wicket with a strike rate of a wicket every 41.6 balls.

Stokes is a key member of all three formats for England, including his most famous innings where he struck 84 not out to almost single-handedly win the World Cup final for England in controversial 2019 thriller.

However, there’ll be no repeat as Stokes revealed

via Instagram he was walking away from the 50-over game.

“I will play my last game for England in ODI cricket on Tuesday in Durham. I have decided to retire from this format. This has been an incredibly tough decision to make. I have loved every minute of playing with my mates for England. We have had an incredible journey on the way,” Stokes wrote.

“As hard as a decision as this was to come to, it’s not as hard dealing with the fact I can’t give my teammates 100% of myself in this format anymore. The England shirt deserves nothing less from anyone who wears it.

“Three formats are just unsustainable for me now.

Not only do I feel that my body is letting me down because of the schedule and what is expected of us, but I also feel that I am taking the place of another player who can give Jos and the rest of the team their all. It’s time

Ben Stokes' finest ODI performance was in the 2019 World Cup final at Lord's (Getty)

for someone else to progress as a cricketer and make incredible memories like I have over the past 11 years.

“I will give everything I have to Test cricket, and now, with this decision, I

feel I can also give my total commitment to the T20 format.

“I would like to wish Jos Buttler, Matthew Mott, the players and the support staff every success going forward.

We have made great strides in white-ball cricket over the past seven years, and the future looks bright.

“I have loved all 104 games I have played so far, I’ve got one more, and it

feels amazing to be playing my last game at my home ground in Durham.

“As always, the England fans have always been there for me and will continue to be there. You’re the best fans in the world. I hope we can win on Tuesday and set the series up nicely against South Africa.”

The managing director of England cricket Rob Key paid tribute to the retiring star.

“I know this must have been a tough decision, but I completely understand why he has reached this conclusion,” he said.

“I’m sure that when we look back on Ben’s career and see this as one of the reasons he will play 120plus Tests and help England in T20 matches and World Cups for many years to come.

“It is a typically selfless decision that will benefit England long-term.” (www.news.com.au)

Gobin, Persaud half centuries in vain as Pegasus Storm lose to defending champs UNBEATEN half- centuries from former Guyana Under-19 batsman Troy Gobin and his opening partner Surendra Persaud failed to give Pegasus Storm their

first-ever victory over defending champions Toronto Blizzards when the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Club (OMSCC) Over-50 tournament continued last

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Tuesday July 19, 2022) COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) BANG 3; WI 0 (2) Tamin Iqbal (BANG) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who compiled most runs for the WI in the recent ODI series versus Bangladesh?

(2) Who scored most runs for Bangladesh?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Saturday at Littles ground, Toronto, Canada.

Gobin continued from where he left off the previous weekend, when he registered the first century (104) of the 2022 season with a splendid 87 not out while Persaud was unbeaten on a fine 81 as Pegasus Storm reached a formidable 203 without loss in their allotted 20 overs; a record partnership since the Nirad Lall- owned team was formed in 2021.

However, to the disappointment of the Pegasus Storm supporters, Toronto Blizzards got to the target with five deliveries to spare and were 209 for five when victory was achieved in 19.1 overs.

After winning the toss and opting to take first strike in sunny conditions, Pegasus Storm were 73 without loss at the half-way stage but reached their respectable total with the pair of Gobin, who slammed two fours and seven sixes

Troy Gobin

Surendra Persaud

and Persaud, whose knock contained three fours and six sixes, accelerating in the final 10 overs, adding a further 130.

Toronto Blizzards, aided by some wayward bowling from their opponents, exploded from the start of their reply with former Guyana players Jaimini Singh (51) and Sunil Dhaniram (21) adding 41 in the first three overs and by the end of the first 10, they were

120 for two. Singh’s innings included one four and five sixes.

More fireworks were to come after the break with Mohan Harihar, who along with Dhaniram, returned to Canada two days prior to the match after representing the West Indies Over-50 team in the Marlboro Cup, blasting six sixes and a four in a quickfire 41 off a mere 12 balls as the

Pegasus Storm bowlers found no answers to the onslaught.

Useful knocks also came from Gerard Austin with an unbeaten 23 (one four and two sixes), Hazari Girdharry whose 22 included three sixes and a four, Roy Brittania (20) and skipper Jesh Parasnauth who hit the winning runs, 17 not out. Fazil Shakoor was Pegasus Storm best bowler with two for 17 from his three overs.

In the other Over-50 game, played the same day, Friendship Masters defeated the winless Remax All Stars while leaders Ramblers Rampage got a walkover from Dirty Dozen.

In Saturday’s next round of matches, Pegasus Storm will battle Remax All Stars at Dean Park, Toronto Blizzards take on Dirty Dozen at Littles while Ramblers Rampage engage Friendship Masters St Bede. (Frederick Halley)

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday July 19, 2022

‘Shelly is beyond special’ – Bolt … Sprinting great hails fellow icon after fifth World Champs 100m title Track and field icon Usain Bolt hailed Jamaica’s female sprinting trio of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah after their medal sweep in the 100m final at the World Athletics Championships on Sunday night and expressed pride in the development of young sprinter Oblique Seville, the men’s 100m finalist.

As she has done so many times throughout her unmatched career, Fraser-Pryce took charge at the beginning and was never under threat, stopping the clock at 10.67 seconds – the fastest time ever in the event at the World Championships, to secure her 13th gold medal at the global senior level.

Jackson followed in a personal best 10.73 sec-

onds with Elaine Thompson, the Olympic double sprint champion, sealing the first-ever World Championships medal sweep in the event with a 10.81-seconds clocking.

Remarkably, this is Fraser-Pryce’s fifth 100m gold medal at the World Championships, extending her record as the most successful in the event. The trio also repeated their medal sweep in the event at last year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Bolt tipped his hat to his compatriots and was particularly thrilled for Fraser-Pryce, his long-time former teammate.

“Jamaica’s female sprinting is at its highest and I wish to salute Shelly, Shericka and Elaine for leading the charge,” Bolt told the Jamaica Observer in an ex-

clusive interview.

“Shelly’s longevity and commitment are beyond special and I am super proud of her especially knowing we basically started running together from junior days. It is just a great feeling seeing these phenomenal women burning up the track,” said Bolt before weighing in on Seville’s performances at the championships.

Bolt, who shared that he recently texted the 21-yearold 100m finalist, encouraged Seville to continue to trust his coach Glen Mills, who is also Bolt’s former coach, and believes he is primed to achieve greater success in the sport.

“I’m very proud of the progress Seville is making.

He’s still young. Once he continues to put in the hard work and listen to the guru

Golden Grove, President’s College move into MILO Semis RAINS may have cancelled Saturday’s quarter-final matches in the MILO Schools Football tournament but Sunday’s matches were hotly contested.

Golden Grove were the first to advance to the semis, courtesy of a 4-1 scoreline over Friendship.

A brace from Kelvin Richards (20th and 67th) along with single strikes from Tyric Trotman (25th) and Duwad Wilson (90th) were the scorers for the unit.

Jamal Cordis scored Friendship’s only goal In the second match, it was all Dolphin schooling President’s College 5-0. The goal scorers were Caldwell Peters (15th and 84th minutes), Gerry Burnette (24th and 86th mins) and Samuel Grant (59th).

Meanwhile, matches continue on Wednesday with the second set of quarter-finals.

Cummings Lodge will play Christianburg/Wismar from 16:00hs with North Ruimveldt battling West Ruimveldt from 18:00hrs.

The second set of quarter-finals in the MILO schools football tournament is set for tomorrow

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Team Jamaica celebrates after winning gold the Women's 100m Final on day three of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 17, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon (Photo: AFP)

Glen Mills the world will be his for the taking,” said Bolt.

“No I didn’t (speak to

him before the championship), I spoke mostly with coach Mills to check in on

how things were going. I sent him a text just letting him know how impressed and proud I’m of his development so far and just to keep putting in the work,” Bolt shared.

Seville, who lowered his personal best to 9.86 seconds earlier this season, clocked 9.97 to finish fourth in the 100m final after earlier qualifying for the medal round as the fastest qualifier with a 9.90 effort.

This was Seville’s second senior championships after his semi-final effort in the 100m at the Tokyo Olympic Games last year.

Bolt, the world record holder in the 100m and 200m, retired in 2017 after winning eight Olympic and 11 World Championships gold medals, ending a career that transcended the sport itself. (Jamaica Observer)

Gebreslase hopes for peace in Ethiopia after marathon win Ethiopia's Gotytom Gebreslase hopes peace can prevail in her country after winning the women's marathon at the World Athletics Championships.

The 27-year-old beat Kenya's Judith Korir in Eugene in a time of two hours 18 minutes and 11 seconds to set a new World Championships record.

Conflict has been ongoing in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region since late 2020, while there has been unrest in the neighbouring Amhara region which borders Sudan this year.

Gebreslase showed her emotion after the race, breaking into tears when asked what her victory meant for her and her country.

"Winning is a very impressive and amazing thing," she told BBC Sport Africa.

"I wish all Ethiopians to be victorious in everything.

Women can all be winners when they work hard for

Gotytom Gebreslase's victory in Eugene comes after finishing third in the Tokyo Marathon in March

themselves and for their countries.

"And I wish peace in my country, in all of Ethiopia."

The top two finishers both set new personal bests, with Korir finishing nine seconds behind Gebreslase, and Kenya-born Israeli runner Lonah Salpeter claimed the bronze in two hours, 20 minutes and 18 seconds.

"I planned to come out at 40 kilometres and I performed that tactic and I won the gold," Gebreslase added.

"Working hard is the key factor. I worked hard in my hometown. I know the Kenyans are tough but I have last-minute high speed so I used that speed and won the Championships."

Meanwhile, Eritrea's Nazret Weldu set a new national record of 2:20:29 as she finished fourth.

Gebreslase's compatriot Tamirat Tola won gold in the men's marathon at the World Championships on Saturday. (BBC Sport)

A section of the participants at the National Aquatic Centre

Historic ‘Teach Them Young’ swim camp underway PAGE

18

...Berbice, Linden on stream from today

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. delivering his address at the commencement of the Teach Them Young swim camp

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce leads Jamaican sweep 18 of the 100 metres PAGE

From left: Thompson-Herah, Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson celebrate their sweep at Hayward Field. The three sprinters also swept the 100-metre podium at the Tokyo Olympics

‘Shelly is beyond special’ – Bolt … Sprinting great hails fellow icon after fifth World Champs 100m title

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

PAGE

23

TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2022