monday 23rd may, 2022
No.106731
Brazilian state wants to be integrated into CARICOM’s food-security vision
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Guyana, Trinidad ‘ink’ agreement to boost cooperation –– Private Sector Commission, Georgetown Chamber, Guyana Oil and Gas Chamber welcome agreement as step in the right direction
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The MoU seeks to resolve barriers, and strengthen cooperation in the areas of agriculture and food security, security, energy, infrastructure, education, tourism, sports and culture, with the aim of developing a strategic partnership for the mutual benefit of the two countries and the wider CARICOM community
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd and Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Dr. Amery Browne sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the presence of President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley (Delano Williams photo)
UG team’s 07 project to tackle deforestation wins prestigious Webby Award PAGE
(Photo Credit: Eryc Perez de Tagle – The Webby Award)
Linden to Mabura Road expected to catalyse ‘massive development’ in Region10 03 PAGE
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MoU between Guyana, T&T solidifies Guyana’s regional and geopolitical importance –– Guyana Oil & Gas Energy Chamber President
PREESIDENT of the Guyana Oil & Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), Manniram Prashad has congratulated the Government of Guyana and the Government of Trinidad & Tobago for having committed to a renewed bilateral cooperation between the two countries. On Sunday, the two nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering trade and investment, energy, security, agriculture, infrastructure and the removal of non-tariff barriers, among other interests. GOGEC, in a statement, also congratulated President, Dr. Irfaan Ali
for positioning Guyana to take the lead at the regional level on these fronts, which solidify Guyana’s regional and geopolitical importance. GOGEC, in 2018, had also welcomed and supported the MoU signed between Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana at that time under the APNU+AFC Government. The recently-concluded Agriculture Investment Expo was a resounding success, and a clear and explicit demonstration of the regional leaders’ support for the goals set out therein, and, notably, the renewed call for the resuscitation of the “Jagdeo initiative” by regional
leaders, the Oil & Gas Energy Chamber said. Against the backdrop of Guyana being the fastest growing economy in the world, driven by the oil and gas sector, the Chamber said Guyana is well positioned to take the lead on the regional integration agenda aimed at strengthening cooperation within the Caribbean region through the auspices of CARICOM, within the framework of leveraging the country’s aggressive and transformative development agenda. “To achieve these ambitious and common regional goals, indeed, it requires strong political leadership. Guyana does
not only have oil as its attractiveness to foreign investors, and underpinning its regional importance, but it is also endowed with an abundance of natural resources, including arable agricultural land and potable water,” the release said. GOGEC said it is also pleased to see the high-level political commitment in achieving the goals set out in the MoU between the two countries, and, by extension, the wider regional integration agenda. In particular, GOGEC said it looks forward to continue working with the Government of Guyana in terms of shaping the ener-
gy landscape of Guyana, and with its Trinidadian counterpart in this regard. “There are many areas for cooperation, collaboration and partnerships in the energy sector, including energy infrastructure, capacity building and training and promoting joint venture partnerships between Guyanese and Trinidadian companies in the energy sector and across the oil and gas value chain. “GOGEC wishes to highlight that prior to the signing of this MoU between the two countries and prior the Guyana’s enactment of the Local Content Legislation, already a number
GOGEC President, Manniram Prashad of Trinidadian and Guyanese firms have formed strategic partnerships to operate and exploit the opportunities in the oil and gas sector,” the release said.
PSC, GCCI welcome MoU to resolve trade restrictions between Guyana, T&T
THE Private Sector Commission (PSC) and Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) have welcomed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was inked between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday. President, Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister of Trinidad and
Tobago Dr Keith Rowley signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Sunday to resolve trade restrictions between the two countries and to work together in various areas. In a press release, the GCCI said that it welcomes the commitment by the Government of Trinidad to work with Guyana to
remove trade barriers between the two countries. The chamber said it notes that it is intended for a commission, as well as a timeline, to be established for the removal of these barriers and views this as a step in the right direction. “The Chamber would like to encourage its private sector colleagues in Trinidad & Tobago to support its government in the work to remove trade barriers. Such support would engender a relationship based on mutual respect and usher in a spirit of cooperation between the territories for advancement of the regional agenda and private sector development. The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry would like to reiterate its role as
a partner in the development of Guyana and its continued commitment to supporting private sector growth. The chamber also reaffirms its willingness to serve Guyana and the wider Caribbean, remaining disposed to offer support in the work to remove trade barriers in the region,” said the GCCI. Meanwhile, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) in a separate statement said it recognises the commitment made by the leaders of both countries to collaborate in areas of trade and investment, agriculture and food security, security, energy, and infrastructure. Through its Council which represents the interest of 23 Business Services Organisations
(BSOs), the PSC said it will be taking steps to engage the private sector in Trinidad and Tobago as well as the governments of both countries to establish a roadmap to move these commitments forward. “We therefore call on the Trinidad and Tobago private sector to work towards enhanced trade and economic relations and fully collaborate with Guyana’s private sector and the
government in a manner that will allow for a higher level of efficiency in areas of interest to both sides,” the PSC said. The commission also anticipates the establishment of the high-level bilateral commission and looks forward to actively participating in the process towards execution of the “historic MoU.” The PSC also commended the Government of Guyana on its initiative to engage CARICOM member states, through the just concluded Agri-Investment Forum, not just on matters regarding trade barriers, but also on those affecting women and youth, regional transportation and food security.
guyana CHRONICLE monday may 23, 2022
Guyana, Trinidad ink agreement to boost cooperation
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–– bilateral commission will ensure ‘timely’ enforcement of initiatives
By Jared Liddell MUTUAL cooperation between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago is expected to be significantly increased following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Sunday. The MoU seeks to address non-tariff barriers, areas of trade and investment, agriculture and food security, security, energy, infrastructure, education, tourism, sports and culture, with the aim of developing a strategic partnership for the mutual benefit of the two countries and the wider community. The agreement was signed at State House by Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Dr Amery Browne. Guyana’s Head of State Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Keith Rowley were among those who witnessed the signing. President Ali told the media that a bilateral commission will be established within the next three months to ensure that the initiatives under the agreement for the renewed and enhanced cooperation between the two countries are implemented in a timely and efficient manner. The Head of State said
that discussions with Trinidad and Tobago have been “very focused, very positive and forward-looking,” and has allowed both countries the opportunity to “take the bull by the horns” when identifying opportunities within both states and potential blocks to those opportunities. “What we have concluded and charter [sic] is a joint commitment on how we are going to secure the futures of the people of these two countries by working together, by partnership, looking at joint opportunity, looking at the low-hanging fruits, and developing a medium-to-long-term pathway through which we will enjoy success for Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and the people of both countries.” FULLY ON BOARD President Ali noted that even as the MoU has been signed, it is pivotal that investors from both Guyana and Trinidad are fully on board. He opined that in Guyana alone, there are tremendous opportunities for investment, welcoming Trinidadian investors to take advantage of the opportunities available here. He disclosed that government has already taken Prime Minister Rowley to visit expansive areas across the country that are ripe for investment.
He stated that even as opportunities are available for investment and the increased production of local goods, there must be ease of connection and logistics for the delivery and transport of these products. Further, Guyana’s President said that the two countries are already in talks for a cargo-plus ferry that would be a necessary investment to facilitate better trade relations between the two states. “As we speak to you now, we’re already exploring the possibility of having a cargo-plus ferry facility as an experiment between Guyana [and] Trinidad, moving people and goods and services,” President Ali stated. The Head of State opined that this MoU serves as a platform to address the issues currently faced by CARICOM states, noting his confidence that it will produce fruitful bearings for both countries. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rowley expressed similar sentiments, stating that the recent discussions with President Ali and by extension the signing of the MoU has demonstrated that CARICOM states can find for the wider region and individual states, solutions to many problems, especially in the fight for food security. “I want to say to the people of Guyana and the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and the wider
President, Dr Irfaan Ali speaks at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Sunday as Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley listens attentively CARICOM that we [are] limited only by our own vision and our own commitment to do what has to be done. Once we commit ourselves to do what has to be done to improve our circumstances, nothing will prevent us from achieving success.” NEED TO REFOCUS INVESTMENT He issued a call to the private sector of both states, saying: “Our private sectors need to refocus our investment in food supply from production to transportation to processing and distribution. And if CARICOM people do that, then we will improve our circumstances. We have identified those possibilities. We have identified those
requirements. We are taking those decisions, and it is now only for us to execute them and get the kinds of results that we could have.” The Prime Minister added that in the plans there are already systems in place that will see tremendous cooperation between the young people of Trinidad and Tobago and the young people of Guyana. He noted that the Government of Trinidad has already embarked on assessments to determine how it can further collaborate with Guyana to cater to the local energy sector. Prime Minister Rowley disclosed that based on preliminary findings, Trinidad has the ability to provide air transport services to Guyana’s oil-and-gas sector. “Only yesterday [Satur-
day], a test flight from Trinidad and Tobago out to one of your platforms here in the energy sector has confirmed that Trinidad and Tobago’s national helicopter service is in a position to provide Guyana in the energy sector with support… physical support… as you are required to move forward in your exploitation of those needs.” Noting that the signed MoU is the first step, the Trinidad Prime Minister added that in keeping with the goal of reducing the region’s food-importation bill by 25 per cent by 2025, the next few months are set to see major cooperation between the people at the southernmost point of CARICOM, the people in the manufacturing hubs in Trinidad and Tobago, and Trinidad’s private sector.
Linden to Mabura Road expected to catalyse ‘massive development’ in Region10 By Shamar Meusa WITH the signing of a contract for the upgrade works to be done on the Linden to Mabura Hill Road, massive developments are expected to take place within Region 10. This is according to Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, who stated that Linden needs to position itself for the benefits that will come as a result of the road.
The minister made these remarks during the contract signing and sod-turning ceremony at the Wisroc Junction in Linden, Region 10 for the US$190 million upgrade to the road. The Public Works Minister said the road will offer better connectivity to foster trade, among other things. With increased traffic, he noted that there will be a need for fuel stations, various services and accommodations.
“If you got 100 trucks coming through with goods, that is only the business. But what about the tourists? You don’t have enough hotel rooms in Linden to accommodate tourists that will be coming as a result of this road; it is time for people to make investments,” Minister Edghill said, adding that the project will also open up opportunities for housing, and that when individuals begin building homes and con-
structing businesses, hardware stores, lumberyards, labourers, masons and others will all benefit. “So we need to stop crying and start looking for opportunities, because this is creating opportunities for the development and the upliftment of people in Linden and Region 10. And that’s what this road is all about,” Minister Edghill told those gathered at the contract signing and sod-turning exercise
on Friday. Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, who also spoke at the occasion, said while the upgrade will bring more traffic through Linden, it also provides better or ease of access to the rest of Guyana. “Consider what it would mean for sectors such as forestry; consider what it would mean for sectors such as tourism,” he said. It is against this background that he added that
Minister of Public works, Bishop Juan Edghill the project is part of a wider and a more integrated plan for a more competitive and prosperous Guyana.
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Improved supply chain, removing trade barriers –– says PM pivotal to reducing CARICOM’s food-import bill Mottley EVEN as Heads of State of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have committed to implement systems to help reduce the region’s US$5B food-importation bill by 25 per cent by 2025, Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has opined that an improved supply chain and the removal of trade barriers are pivotal to achieving
this goal. PM Mottley made this statement on Friday while attending the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. She emphasised that there is need for an efficient supply chain that is safe and secure, and not necessarily one that is driven by imports. This, she believes, will make
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possible reduced costs of exporting among the CARICOM sister states. Mottley noted that even while investments are being made to set up a Guyana – Barbados terminal that will facilitate the smooth movement of specific products, systems still need to be put in place to ensure smooth and efficient transportation to protect the investments of
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producers. “Barriers have been significant. I mean, I think there are too many stories of containers of produce being left on ports to spoil and it’s happened in too many countries or restrictions because of all kinds of failure to comply with sanitary and phytosanitary conditions. We’ve said look, we need to be very practical now. We can’t
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move produce from country to country if people are going to lose their investment. No farmer is going to send up …a lot of limes and lemons to another Caribbean country to rot on the port.” She stated that meetings are expected to be held with several financial institutions to make provisions for ready and affordable access to capital
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Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley to assist state entities or private-sector individuals to expand production and undertake the logistics. Prime Minister Mottley noted that so far a commitment has been made by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) see page 5
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MovieTowne launches carousel and train rides
DESPITE Sunday’s gloomy weather, hundreds of smiling children flocked MovieTowne for the official launch of its fun-filled carousel and train rides.
With a galore of goodies and surprises, the children were treated to live performances by local artists, and several fully-dressed cartoon characters.
Speaking at the simple ceremony, MovieTowne Chairman Derek Chin stated that the company is more than just business, as it focuses on bringing families together. “MovieTowne didn’t in-
First Lady Arya Ali and her son, Zayd, help MovieTowne’s Chairman, Derek Chin cut the ribbon to officially open the carousel and train rides
vest in Guyana because of the oil discovery; we came to Guyana quite a few years before oil was discovered, showing, without doubt, where our heart was; a desire to give something back to the
Improved supply chain, removing trade ... viability of air transport, especially for perishable goods. Prime Minister Mottley added that discussions on the removal of trade barriers and improved supply chain will be further fleshed out at the Heads of Government meeting that is expected to be held within two months. “In about two months between now and then and then immediately, possibly in public,
that we can go and sit down without all of the fanfare, without all the frills and let’s attack the top barriers in the same way that President Ali has done for us… a clear framework to take
ana, the company’s Number One goal will always be to promote family and love, by continuously bringing fanfare and joy to the children of Guyana.
First Son Zayd Ali tests one of the carousel rides at MovieTowne. Assisting him are his mother, First Lady Arya Ali, and MovieTowne’s Chairman Derek Chin (Delano Williams photos) from page 4
to take the lead along with other countries to be able to resolve transportation arrangements. “The Caribbean Development Bank has agreed that it will take the lead along with other countries to be able to finally see how we can resolve this, [the transport arrangements], particularly for the movement of produce.” She further stated that mechanisms are being put in place to assess the
county by bringing children and families together,” Chin said. Chin emphasised that while patrons can expect to see further investments by MovieTowne in Guy-
the top 10 items that we want to be able to have the total capacity to produce within the region without importing, and we are hoping to do that in terms of industrial policy.”
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The US mass shooting
A YOUNG white man walked into a grocery store in the US just over a week ago, and shot 13 people. Eleven of those people were African Americans and 10 casualties resulted. Authorities declared that the shooting in Buffalo, New York, was racially motivated. Just days later a gunman entered a church injuring five persons and fatally shooting a man who tackled him and prevented him from causing any further casualties. This too was declared a hate crime but against Taiwanese people and perpetrated by someone who had an ongoing grievance. And all of this took place weeks after an impassioned speech against race hate by US Democratic Senator Mallory McMorrow, who called on “white suburban moms” to speak out and say, “this is not okay.” The 18-year-old who shot those 13 people live-streamed it on social media for all to see. Speaking on the show ‘Morning Joe,’ Reverend Al Sharpton called for a government-sponsored conference on hate crimes, pointing out that white supremacists target
anyone who is different from them, including Jews, Muslims and Hispanics. According to the FBI, there has been a surge in hate crimes in the past two years, particularly against Black people and more recently against Asian-Americans in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. And one social commentator joining with Reverend Sharpton recommended that those groups being targeted come together to fight this growing scourge in their society. Apparently, the underlying motivation for such crimes is the ‘replacement theory’ being promulgated by white supremacists – called a “poison” by US President, Joe Biden – who claim that the Jews are behind a plot to have white people replaced by people of colour. Reference was made in the media to other instances of racially motivated killings, targeting other ethnic groups and being fuelled by ultra-right groups, who have been radicalising followers using social media. Social media platforms are also being held accountable for allowing uncen-
sored hate material to be circulated, especially in light of the fact that the Buffalo shooter live-streamed his killing spree. President Biden, who visited the area days after the shooting, also spoke out against the growing problem of public access to assault rifles and what he termed “weapons of war,” especially in the hands of people with mental health issues. Statistics apparently show that the majority of shooters were suffering from some form of mental illness. Certainly, hate could be termed a mental illness, stemming, as it so often does, from irrational fear and isolation and manifesting in harmful ways. For instance, the Buffalo shooter planned other killings, had he not been apprehended, including targeting a church with a predominantly black congregation. He was shown on camera sparing the life of a White man, who begged him not to shoot. His hate was clearly directed against Black people and manifested in mass murder. An abstract definition of hate published
in the Sage Journals stated that “… hate has a unique pattern of appraisals and action tendencies” and goes on to say, “We hate persons and groups more because of who they are, than because of what they do. Hate has the goal to eliminate its target. Hate is especially significant at the intergroup level, where it turns already devalued groups into victims of hate.” This aptly sums up racially motivated crimes. With such crimes on the rise and occurring all over the world, hopefully psychologists will become more involved in research and analysis of this phenomenon, which has been left largely to other disciplines such as sociology and help provide some answers. Perhaps this quote about hate gives us some insight into where should begin: “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite”.
Kaieteur News has reputation of presenting preposterous claims as facts
Dear Editor,
FOR months now Kaieteur News and others parading as “environmentalists” have been hammering on that because of Guyana’s fledgling oil-and-gas industry, the commercial fishing industry is suffering. It would be remiss of me not to mention from the onset that Kaieteur News is known for its radical, unsubstantiated and outright sensational reporting, just to sell copies. Additionally, these “environmentalists” are preying on the hard-working people of this country by presenting nonsense as facts. Over the weekend, the
newspaper boldly pronounced that ExxonMobil themselves have admitted that because of offshore activities this could impact the fishing industry. In fact, one of the stories states as follows, “Guyana has been producing oil since December 2019, and during that course of time there has been a significant decline in the domestic fishing industry...” Kaieteur News has even claimed that the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) states as much. However, when one reads carefully what is contained with those EIAs that Kaieteur News is relying on to peddle this nonsense, it clearly states that in the case of an oil
spill the consequence could be detrimental to the fishing industry. There is nothing contained within to substantiate the claim by Kaieteur News and the others that the regular day-to-day activities offshore Guyana is impacting the fishing industry. Editor, the claim that oil-and-gas activities contribute to the reduction of fish catches, is one that has been around since the 1940s. As a result of that age-old claim by fishermen, numerous countries have conducted a myriad of studies to ascertain whether the claim holds any merit. All the studies I have read concluded that the claim is without merit.
A study conducted and published by Ingebert Gausland in 2003, titled: “Seismic Surveys Impact on Fish and Fisheries,” clearly debunks this ludicrous argument. The report addressed studies done in: Norway, three (3) Norwegian studies to be precise, Scotland, Faroe Islands and Australia. In all the above studies there was no evidence to support the claim that oil activities resulted in the decline of fish catches. In fact, the study conducted in Scotland in 2001 by Wardle et al, found that “Bangs did not chase fish away, but they did cause an involuntary, sudden bending of the body, or C-starts.” Editor, I can go on for pages quoting studies
done by world-renowned, award-winning scientists to prove my point. However, I believe the point is well made. Nevertheless, armed with all this information and more, the Government of Guyana did not take the news of lower catches and sat down idly. The Minister of Agriculture conducted numerous consultations and even had an independent study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to ascertain the cause of the decline of fish catches. It was found that climate change was responsible for the same. Further, studies conducted by other countries have come to the same con-
clusion. “Climate change and the rise in sea-surface temperature is [sic] changing the nature of oceans, which in turn affects the phytoplankton production, a primary food for several fish in the ocean and this is causing a decline of fish catch.” I hope we can put this matter to bed once and for all. The constant barrage by Kaieteur News and these “environmentalists” that oil activities is the determining factor for the decline of fish catch is just preposterous. They have produced no evidence whatsoever to substantiate that claim. Yours sincerely, Roodi Balgobin, MBA
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UG team’s project to tackle deforestation wins prestigious Webby Award
“WE were happy to showcase what UG is capable of nurturing,” said Team Member Shomari Williams, who was honoured to receive the award on behalf of the four-member team. Four young Guyanese, two current staff and two students at the University of Guyana’s Computer Sciences Department in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, have put Guyana centre-stage in the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI). According to a release, the team calling themselves “FramePerfect”, has outshone 150 of their counterparts from countries around the world to win this year’s prestigious Webby Award. The Guyanese team presented a path-breaking proposal that integrates AI, the use of drones and the Internet to combat deforestation, the release said, noting that this is a potentially game-changing application in the face of a planet striving to bring carbon emissions down. Preserving forests, jungles and trees is a key part of that equation. The 5G For Change International Hackathon, which was hosted by Verizon in New York last week, saw 150 international teams participating in the competition. “FramePerfect”, the Guyanese quartet whose Webby Project was to combat illegal logging in Guyana’s forest, included the Williams brothers, Shomari and Malik Williams, and Andrew Garnett and Jung Leung, two recent graduates and two students still at UG. While attending the University of Guyana, the group came together over their shared love for computer science. Together, they founded
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Paloma Mohamed, with the Webby-winning FramePerfect Team, made up of UG staff and students, last Friday upon their return (Photo courtesy of PACE Photographer Tara Smith, MA) Unity GY, a non-profit organisation that “leverages technology to solve problems and to narrow the education gap in Guyana”, the release noted. This was the same team that developed the UG Cares application, which is deployed to place donors with persons in need from inside or outside of Guyana during the ‘COVID’ period, and especially during the very devastating floods of the past 12 months. UG Cares was also a scaled-up version of their winning application for a UNICEF Guyana-sponsored hackathon in 2019. FramePerfect, the release noted, was invited to compete in the inaugural Webby following a similar win in the recently launched GTT hackathon. However, their journey there was far from perfect, since they had to raise funds to attend, and lived and worked on a shoestring budget, living together in a single hotel room in Manhattan for the duration of the two-week competition. Emerging as the finalist in the competition, and win-
ning the coveted prize of US$50,000, the Webby Trophy and plenty of bragging rights is a testament not only to their immense talent, but to their grit, resilience and determination, the release said. According to the event organisers, the Hackathon challenged teams to tackle an important issue, and solve it by using 5G and the Internet. Out of 150 submissions, only five teams were selected to pitch their ideas before a judging panel of industry leaders, from Verizon, MIT Solve, the Black Ambition Opportunity Fund, and Stagewell Global, at Verizon’s headquarters in New York City. ILLEGAL LOGGING The Williams brothers and other team members are passionate about tackling the issue of illegal logging in Guyana’s forests. “We care about it because it is our planet,” Shomari Williams, The Data and AV Officer in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor (PACE Unit) at the University
of Guyana was quoted as saying in an Online article published by the Webby Awards (https:// www.webbyawards. com/5g-for-change-finalist-team-frame-perfect/#content_grab). His brother, Malik Williams, an ICT engineer at UG, reasoned that more people are becoming aware of the global ramifications of deforestation, and its impact on climate change. “It’s becoming a global responsibility to get involved,” Malik said. To tackle deforestation, the team is proposing to create a “comprehensive monitoring system that streams audio to dispatch drones to see what is happening in the forest”. According to the Webby Awards article, “Team FramePerfect wants to attach AI-powered listening devices to trees throughout the forest, and inform drone devices when logging activity is taking place. They have a vision of using the drones to inform rangers of when illegal logging takes place.” In an interview with
UG’s Public Relations Department, Shomari said: “We are elated that we won; we’re happy because we got to showcase and defend our idea, and in the process of doing that, brought attention to The University of Guyana and Guyana as a whole.” NERVE-WRACKING Commenting on the competition, Shomari said: “The competition itself pushed us to bring our A-game, because we were up against people with great ideas, and the skillset to represent their ideas well. It was a wild ride; every one of our opponents was immensely talented, and had something unique to offer. After the presentation of our idea, it was nerve-wracking anticipating who would win, and we had doubts, because we did not know what the judges were looking for specifically.” Expressing deep appreciation to all those who supported the team’s participation in the event, Shomari said: “Firstly, I have to acknowledge that my team would not be able to par-
ticipate in this competition if it wasn’t for the support of the University of Guyana’s Faculty of Natural Sciences, the Philanthropy, Alumni and Civic Engagement (PACE) office, and Tactical Online Service (TOS) departments at UG and GTT.” The UG Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed has expressed the University’s absolute delight at the team’s success. She said, “This is what UG is supposed to be about; success for our students and staff in any arena. We are getting there, and this is one of those things that is testimony to this focus of student-citizen success that we have. My office supported them because we thought they deserved the exposure as young people. They still had to do their UG work while travelling. Sometimes, speaking to Shomari, who works in my office late at night, I could hear the others in the background, definitely cramped in a single room, but intellectually expansive, awake and firing on all cylinders. A special-special moment for all the young people of this country and region! We are just happy and thank these young men and all those who also helped to support them and nurture them.” According to Shomari, who just graduated with a Master’s in Global Technology and Development under UG’s Special Faculty building programme with ASU (Arizona State University), the team members are excited that they won the competition, as they were provided with an opportunity to compete and showcase what Guyanese are capable of, and what the university is capable of nurturing.
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Sports gear donated to newly formed Micobie Police Youth Group Caribbean Food Insecurity Post-COVID and Ukraine
THE newly formed police youth group at Micobie Village, Lower Potaro, Region Eight, on Saturday received a quantity of sports gear and several other items that will benefit its members. Officer-in-Charge of Sub-Region # 2 (Mahdia), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Oswald Pitt handed over the donation which includes cricket, football and volleyball gear to the village’s deputy toshao, Isaac Williams. According to a release from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the
donation will help to ensure that the youths of the village are occupied in a meaningful way and to bring togetherness in an effort to build a safer and crime-free community. Speaking to the youths during the handing over, ASP Pitt reminded them that they are the products of the future and that the future of any nation lies within the hands of the youths. The police officer also assured the youths that more emphasis will be placed on their development which will help them to become
ASP Oswald Pitt (left), Sergeant Hakim (right) and Deputy Toshao Isaac Williams with some of the members of the police youth club and several of the donated items
ASP Oswald Pitt engages some of the youths
meaningful products of society. He noted that if more importance is given to skills development, the more competent the country’s youths will become. Meanwhile, Community Relations Officer Sergeant 22739 Hakim in his remarks, urged the youths to always take part in sporting activities as these will bring a spirit of com-
petitiveness. He emphasised that a competitive mind will always crave success. The sergeant also stressed the need for them to always have a winning spirit and not to allow anyone to dampen that spirit. He also urged them to take their education very seriously, noting that sport is an essential element of education, the release added.
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Brazilian state wants to be integrated into CARICOM’s food-security vision — President Ali
PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has said that Brazilian investors from the neighbouring State of Roraima are interested in being integrated into CARICOM’s vision of reducing its food-importation bill by 25 per cent by 2025. The Head of State made this announcement during a joint press conference with Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr Keith Rowley, at State House on Sunday. As part of this integration, the President said CARICOM has committed to ensuring that the State of Roraima is represented on the region’s Agriculture Ministerial Task Force. This was after President Ali led a delegation of the visiting CARICOM Heads and other Caribbean government officials to the Santa Fe farm in the North Rupununi, where they had a Caribbean-Roraima Investors Luncheon with a number of Brazilian investors. “They have offered their technology, they have offered their investment. They have offered a partnership and they offer the commitment. In exchange, we have committed to taking to the Heads a proposal of the State of Roraima to be part of the Ministerial Task Force on Agriculture from CARICOM. We have invited them to be part of the forum in Trinidad and Tobago in August and they are going to be part of that forum.” President Ali said that he spoke to the Secretary of Agriculture of the State of Roraima, Marlon Buss, who indicated that they are looking to be integrated into CARICOM’S vision. “They want to be integrated not only from a supply perspective, but from a productive perspective. They want to
President, Dr Irfaan Ali speaking at the Caribbean-Roraima Investors Luncheon at the Santa Fe farm in the North Rupununi as Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne (left), Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley (right) and regional officials pay keen attention (Office of the President photo) be integrated into this vision of CARICOM. They want to be part of this and I think it is an excellent opportunity for a win-win.” On Saturday, President Ali told the investors that CARICOM knows that it has to take action and has committed to taking action to ensuring food security in the region. He said that CARICOM is not looking for a win for one country, but for all countries that are willing to participate. BRIDGING BRAZIL AND CARICOM President Ali also noted that Guyana is willing to be the bridge for the State of Roraima to work with CARICOM. Prime Minister Rowley, during Saturday’s Rupununi visit, had highlighted Guyana’s importance in connecting the State of Roraima to the wider Caribbean. “Guyana is the springboard for the change that we are required to make, and Guyana has the support of CARICOM, particularly Trinidad and To-
bago—its nearest neighbour in CARICOM.” He said that as CARICOM increases its production using the technology and goodwill from Brazil, the region will be able to answer the questions it has been asking itself. “What can we do to improve our food supply? What can we do to increase our production? And who can we turn to work with? I feel we have found our answers for that business model.” During the visit, President Ali and Prime Minister Rowley were also joined by the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne; Premier of Montserrat, Joseph Farrell and other regional officials. (Office of the President)
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
Have you thought about fostering a child?
THIS month is Foster Care Month, and even though there are only eight days left, how about it? Could you open up your home to a child in need of tender loving care? A little boy or a girl? Or maybe two brothers or sisters who have fallen on hard times through no fault of their own? If you are interested, call the Foster Care Unit at the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) on 231 8423 or 227 4082 or email fostercare.cpa@ gmail.com. In most cases, Foster children need respite with a Foster family until their parents sort themselves out or a suitable relative comes along who can care for them. Could you do this for a child? Some adults can nurture children regardless of what
the child has been through or from where they came. They are good at making children feel at ease with their sincerity, friendship and warm, calming nature. Does this sound like you? Foster children need more than a bed to sleep in, a roof over their heads and food on the table every day. They need supportive, considerate adults. For instance, if you are going to be a Foster Parent, you should be aware of the effects of childhood trauma and the significant importance of the Foster Parent’s role in child development. In addition, Foster Parents are only temporary guardians. Caring for a child and then letting them go is difficult for some people. Young children in temporary care need the stability of a family set-
ting rather than the institutionalised environment of a children’s home. Foster homes help children cope better with the trauma of separation. They are given more individualised attention from Foster Parents and fewer emotional, social and psychological adjustments are needed. On the other hand, it is unlikely that foster children will blend into your family and overnight. Children need time, space and a comforting environment when separated from loved ones. They may even harbour feelings of abandonment or guilt that the separation was their fault. Although they are unaware and may seem fine on the surface, children in the formal care system need all the support they can get from caring adults. Foster Parents provide
a haven for children separated from their biological parents (or carers) for one reason or another. No child welcomes the ordeal of separation. Even if parents beat, neglect or physically molest them, their family is all they know, and regardless of circumstances, home is where these children would rather be. Separation can cause them distress; they may ‘act out’ differently or become withdrawn and introverted. Foster Parents must be flexible and understanding in these cases. The ages of Foster children ranges from baby to teenager, and the length of stay can be just one night to six months, depending on the family circumstances. Sometimes siblings need to be fostered together, and occasionally the placement is extended due to any number of possible reasons. But whatever the reasons may be, you can rest assured that decisions are in the child’s best interest. There are several stages to becoming a Foster Parent, but the first stage starts with you. Are you sure that you want to Foster children for the right reasons? Will you spend time getting to know your Foster child and build a trusting, reliable friend-
ship? On the contrary, if your Foster child wants to be alone and barely eats or interacts with your family, could you help them come out of their shell? Once they have bonded, nurtured and cared for a child, one of the hardest things Foster Parents have to do is give the child back to their biological parents. Foster Parents must embrace this as the child moves on with their family – this is progress. New Foster children will come along needing comfort and support, and the process will begin over again. Foster parents must be ‘giving’ people and maybe a little selfless too - because It is not about what the child can do for them, but what they can do for the child that matters. They are a substitute family who treat the child as one of their own for the time being. Foster children can attend school and outdoor activities as other children. Officers at the Foster Care Unit (CPA) are on hand to give support and help with concerns that may arise for Foster Parents or children. After you have given this topic some serious thought and concluded that you would like to
be a Foster Parent, here are the steps to take and what to expect. 1) Visit the CPA head office on the corner of Broad and Charles streets in Georgetown and pick up an application form; call the number mentioned above and speak to a member of the Foster Care unit to find out more about Fostering a child. 2) You will have an interview with a CPA officer. 3) A Police background check is carried out to see if you have a criminal record. 4) A visit and inspection of your home are made to ascertain the Foster child’s sleeping arrangements and accommodation space for the Foster child. 5) You will meet with the Director and learn if your application is successful. Children living in dysfunctional circumstances today may need your help tomorrow – consider Fostering. Children deserve to be safe from harm. If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@ gmail.com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL SECURITY
guyana CHRONICLE monday may 23, 2022
Kaieteur app to give Essequibo’s tourism products global presence
THE “game-changer” booking app, Kaieteur, which was launched in Guyana in March, was introduced to members of the Region Two business community on Sunday. A simple event hosted by the creator Salaudeen Nausrudeen, the Region Two Tourism Association and the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce (ECCI), was held at the Regional State House. Nausrudeen in his remarks said that the platform will put Essequibo businesses on the global tourism market. He said the app is making it easier to create global visibility for local businesses while affording them the opportunity to sell what they have to offer in the tourism industry. He used the opportunity to urge the region’s business community to take advantage of the free registration that is available for the app. Once a business is listed, the app will begin to market its product. Nausrudeen said the “Guyana-centric” global booking app is a robust and thorough digital platform that would place Guyana’s unique and rich tourism product online for global exposure and marketing. “Kaieteur will be linked with Expedia and other booking engines. We are building a platform for Guyana; we are building
a platform for [Guyana’s] products to go globally. The website is live, you just have to search Kaieteur on our Apple or android phones and download… it’s user friendly,” he added. According to him, he has collaborated with GTT’s MMG service to ensure that once persons pay for trips, the money will be sent to the businesses right away. “We want as much and many products to be listed on Kaieteur. The process is pretty simple; once you tell us your interest, we will send you a draft… for those who have hotels and tours you can use it to manage your bookings… We [have] built a dashboard that will help you manage your inventory,” he explained. He said the driving philosophy of the app is to showcase Guyana and its tourism products. Meanwhile, Regional Vice-Chairman, Humace Oodit, in endorsing the app said it was launched at an opportune time as the region’s tourism products are blooming. Oodit thanked Nausrudeen for choosing to include Essequibo and said that the app will indeed bridge the gap in terms of showcasing what the region has to offer. Also in attendance was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indigenous People’s Commission, Neil Bacchus.
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From left to right: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indigenous People’s Commission, Neil Bacchus; founder of the Kaieteur app, Salaudeen Nausrudeen and Regional Vice-Chairman, Humace Oodit
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guyana CHRONICLE monday may 23, 2022
WHO: World faces big challenges over COVID, monkeypox and wars
The world is facing “formidable” challenges, including COVID, the war in Ukraine and monkeypox, the head of the World Health Organi-
sation (WHO) has warned. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was speaking in Geneva, where the UN health agency’s experts were dis-
cussing the monkeypox outbreak in 15 nations outside Africa. More than 80 cases have been confirmed in Europe,
the US, Canada, Australia and Israel. However, the risk to the wider public is said to be low. Monkeypox - the virus
that is most common in remote parts of Central and West Africa - does not tend to spread easily between people and the illness is usually mild.
Most people who catch the virus recover within a few weeks, according to the UK’s National Health Service. The outbreak has taken scientists by surprise, and UK health officials have issued new advice, saying high-risk contacts of cases should self-isolate for three weeks. Belgium became the first country to announce a three-week quarantine for infected persons on Friday. More confirmed cases are expected to be announced in the UK on Monday, the Guardian newspaper reports. Speaking at Sunday’s opening of his agency’s World Health Assembly, Dr Tedros said: “Of course the [Covid] pandemic is not the only crisis in our world. “As we speak our colleagues around the world are responding to outbreaks of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, monkeypox and hepatitis of unknown cause and complex humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine and Yemen. “We face a formidable convergence of disease, drought, famine and war, fuelled by climate change, inequity and geopolitical rivalry,” the WHO head added. The WHO earlier said that a number of other suspected monkeypox cases were being investigated without naming the countries involved - and warned that more infections were likely to be confirmed. After the outbreak was first identified in the UK, the virus began to be detected across Europe - with public health agencies in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Sweden all confirming cases. Further cases were confirmed in Austria and Switzerland on Sunday. The UK Health Security Agency has identified 20 cases so far and its chief medical adviser Dr Susan Hopkins told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme: “We are detecting more cases on a daily basis.” She said the virus was now spreading in the community - with cases detected which have had no contact with anyone who has visited West Africa, where the disease is endemic. But the risk to the general population remains “extremely low”, with cases so far mostly found in some urban areas and among gay or bisexual men, Dr Hopkins said. Although there is no specific vaccine for monkeypox, several countries have said they are stocking smallpox vaccines, which are about 85 per cent effective in preventing infection because the two viruses are quite similar. (BBC)
GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
Gender mainstreaming critical to reaching agricultural goals identified as a critical contributor to the gender gap in agriculture. “Here again, while we pay attention to financing as a whole, we must incorporate gender main-
Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond TOURISM, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond, said gender equality in agriculture is critical to reducing the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) food-importation bill by 25 per cent by 2025. Minister Walrond was at the time delivering remarks at a panel discussion on Gender and Agribusiness in the Caribbean during the final day of the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Saturday. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), if women had the same access to productive resources such as men, their farm production could increase by 20 to 30 per cent, leading to a 12 percent decrease in hunger. “Our regional target is 25 per cent by 2025. The aim is to reduce our food-import bill within the region by 25 per cent. We have little time and the study would confirm that our countries cannot achieve our objective without the full gender parity,” Minister Walrond stated. The minister explained that like many other sectors, there is a gender gap in terms of deriving the benefits in agriculture. In fact, research has shown that around the world, women face major obstacles that exacerbate gender inequality in agriculture, including: access to land rights, productive resources, labour and participation in decision-making. The extent of these constraints, Minister Walrond stated, should be examined by CARICOM nations, and appropriate strategies to address them must be crafted in keeping with international standards. In the case of Guyana, the minister said that while the country has in place the necessary framework, including strong land management systems and legal framework for occupational safety and health, it has much to build on in order to achieve gender parity within the agricultural sector. “With appropriate attention paid to gender impact and gender mainstreaming in our policy-making, we can build on our institutional framework to attack at least three of the constraints that were identified in women in agriculture, namely, land rights, employment issues and decision-making,” she told the participants. Minister Walrond made reference to a number of projects, including the black belly sheep initiative being pushed by the government, which allows farmers to access support for sustainable agricultural production. This, she said, addresses the issue of financing, which has been
streaming into policy-making in order to achieve the gender equity outcomes… it goes without saying that country by country we must go through this process of examining
our environment, identifying the obstacles to gender equality and setting up systems to ensure that we eliminate the gap,” the minister emphasised.
- Minister Walrond
She reiterated that gender equality will not be achieved by accident, it requires deliberate intervention to make it happen and therefore, CARICOM nations must
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consider gender impact in each of their policies and put in place initiatives to address them in order for the achievements to reflect fair outcomes for women. (DPI)
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
Finance Minister urges employers to get their ‘houses in order’
EMPLOYERS have been called on “to get their houses in order” as it relates to compliance with the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, made the call on Saturday during an outreach facilitated by NIS at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara. While speaking with the media, Dr Singh noted that in accordance with government’s plan to improve and modernise every institution of state, focus is being placed on NIS, as it is the primary source of health insurance and social security, and the only contributory pension for a majority of Guyanese. The government, Minister Singh said, is currently working with NIS’ board of directors and management to improve its services; however, many of the issues are as a result of non-compliance by some employers.
Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh listens to the concerns of a senior citizen at the NIS Outreach at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara (DPI photo) “My call to employers out there is to ensure that you get your houses in order, in relation to compliance with the law as it relates to NIS for your employees. There are certain particular categories of companies -- I won’t want to name them here -- but there are certain categories of
companies that have a lot of employees that are notorious for either non-deduction or late payment to the NIS,” Dr Singh said. The senior finance minister is also urging employees to uplift their annual contribution statements from their employers, which is provided
by NIS, a report from the Department of Public Information said. “Please make sure that you uplift that statement, verify its accuracy and resolve any inaccuracies that you have detected as early as possible. Do not wait until you are age 60 or age 62, to come and resolve queries that arose when you were age 25 or age 30, because as time goes by it becomes harder to resolve older problems,” the DPI report quoted him as saying. Dr Singh noted that late queries may also be challenging to solve when people do not have records such as pay slips or some businesses may no longer be in operation. NIS’ Public Relations Officer Dianne Lewis-Baxter noted that the outreaches which are being held in various parts of the country will help solve many outstanding issues. “We are seeking to address those persons who have challenges, reaching NIS maybe on a normal day-today basis, and those who have had long outstanding matters that they feel dissatisfied with after NIS would have made a decision; probably we went
to tribunal and they are still not satisfied, they have the opportunity to come and have it reviewed again by the minister, the board of directors and of course the General Manager is part of the team, as well,” Baxter said. Services offered at the outreach include access to contribution records, replacement of NIS cards, issuing of compliance certificates, making contribution payments or encashing vouchers and updating information, among others. Meanwhile, several persons who benefited from the outreach expressed their appreciation for the initiative.
Resident, Krishnanan Arjun said, “Honourable Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and the rest of the team that is here and they looking after NIS contributions, I’m satisfied…. They promise me to look further into my problem, and to assist me.” According to DPI, Mohamed Ramazan, another beneficiary of the outreach, related, “I’m satisfied because meh contribution was 961 and now, I get 1400, so I satisfy with that and I glad the minister look into NIS and come because a lot of persons who get this complain and them don’t know who to go to.”
Residents relating their concerns to NIS staffers during the outreach (DPI photo)
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
Agriculture is key to lasting peace and security - says Food and Agriculture Organisation
gagement of the public and private sectors in support of smallholder farmers and households,” he said. Qu also called on the global community to allocate new resources to sustain agricultural production in challenging contexts and
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu THE head of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has called for greater funding for agriculture to ensure there’s available and accessible food in crisis situations, noting that conflict “remains the single greatest driver of hunger.” “My message… is more relevant than before: agriculture is one of the keys to lasting peace and security,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu told a UN Security Council debate in New York entitled “Maintenance of International Peace and Security – Conflict and Food Security.” Despite its critical importance, Qu noted that only eight per cent of total funding for the humanitarian food security sector goes to agriculture. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine risks adding to the already rising number of people threatened by food insecurity around the world. In 2021, the number of people experiencing acute food insecurity rose to nearly 193 million, up 40 million from 2020, and is set to increase further this year, according to the Global Report on Food Crises. Afghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen are all facing risks of famine. The latest rise is the result of several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis. However, conflict remains the single biggest contributor to global hunger. Between 2018 and 2021, the number of people in crisis situations in countries where conflict was the main driver of acute food insecurity increased by 88 per cent, to just over 139 million, Qu said.
The war between Russia and Ukraine, two of the world’s biggest suppliers of wheat and sunflower oil, has disrupted exports and logistics and seriously affected food availability. In addition, the increase in energy and fertiliser prices is putting the next global harvest at risk. According to FAO’s latest scenarios, the conflict could increase chronic undernourishment by an additional 18.8 million people by 2023. FAO’S ROLE FAO reached more than 30 million people worldwide with emergency agricultural assistance and resilience-building programmes in 2021. In Afghanistan, for example, FAO supplied three million people with wheat-cultivation packages that cost just $160 each and meet the staple cereal requirements for a family of seven for an entire year. In Ethiopia, despite access challenges, the seeds and planting materials provided by FAO and Agriculture Cluster partners allowed local farmers to produce 900,000 tonnes of food – five-times more than the humanitarian and commercial food supplies that entered the region. However, severe challenges remain. To prevent the acceleration of acute food-insecurity trends in the coming months and years, Qu stressed the importance of expanding food production at the country level by providing cash and critical inputs for cereal and vegetable production, as well as protecting livestock with treatments, vaccinations, feed and water. “Agrifood supply chains and value chains must be strengthened with the en-
to invest more in innovation and new technologies, especially in water management, and in more transparent market information systems. “Members urgently need to transform their agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resil-
ient, and more sustainable for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life – leaving no one behind,” QU said. The meeting in New York was chaired by US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken (the United States
is the current holder of the rotating Security Council Presidency) and also saw the participation of UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres and the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley. (FAO)
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
AC Milan win Serie A title after 11 years
(BBC) - AC Milan won their 19th Serie A title but the first for 11 years by cruising to victory at Sassuolo. Rossoneri fans were initially unhappy at Stefano Pioli’s appointment in 2019 given he previously managed rivals Inter, but he has masterminded this two-point success over his former club. Olivier Giroud scored twice and Franck Kessie once as Milan won easily away. Inter beat Sampdoria 3-0 on the final day but Simone Inzaghi’s men could not deny their city rivals.
Napoli were third after a 3-0 win at Spezia while Juventus ended their disappointing season under Massimiliano Allegri, who won the title with Milan in 201011, by finishing fourth but qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Pioli brings back glory days Milan have suffered more than a decade of disappointment since the title for Allegri in 2011 but Italian Pioli has brought back the glory days. Former Serie A players such as Clarence Seedorf, Filippo
Inzaghi, Sinisa Mihajlovic, Vincenzo Montella and Gennaro Gattuso have all since tried and failed to revive the former European champions. Veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was part of that last Milan side that won Serie A, and at the age of 40 he lifted the trophy with the club for a second time. By winning the title, midfielder Daniel Maldini follows in the footsteps of his father, Paolo Maldini, who won seven league titles with Milan, and grandfather Cesare Maldini with four.
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday May 23, 2022) COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD -- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 204* for second wicket -- Chris Gayle/ Virat Kohli (RCB vs DD) (2) Naman Ojha – 16 dismissals (14 catches/2 stumpings – DD) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who struck most sixes in IPL 2012? (2) Who registered most ducks in IPL 2012? Answers in tomorrow’s issue …………………………………………………………
Pioli was appointed Inter Milan manager part of the way through the 2016-17 season and was sacked at the end of the campaign
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
Burnley relegated as Newcastle win 2-1
(BBC) - Burnley were relegated from the Premier League on a dramatic final day as a home loss to Newcastle United condemned them to the Championship. At the start of the
day, Burnley were above Leeds on goal difference, but Jesse Marsch’s side won 2-1 at Brentford to end the Clarets’ six-year spell in the top flight. Callum Wilson scored twice for Newcastle
through a calm penalty after Nathan Collins’ needless handball, then from Allan Saint-Maximin’s cross. Burnley, who sacked long-serving manager Sean Dyche with eight
games to go, got a goal back as Maxwel Cornet blasted in a volley after his first effort had been parried by Martin Dubravka. When Leeds’ advantage was cancelled out there was fresh hope among the home fans, but their team could not force an equalizer, and the Whites’ injury-time winner meant even that would not have been enough. Relegation could spark the departure of some of their top players and, as revealed in the club’s accounts, “a significant proportion” of a £65m loan taken out with American financiers MSD Holdings when they were taken over in 2020 will have to be repaid. A miserable end to a tough campaign for Burnley Some Burnley fans were calling this the team’s most important
match since 1987, when they beat Leyton Orient to avoid dropping out of the old Fourth Division and out of the Football League altogether. And to lose such a match - particularly at home - was a terrible way for their time in the elite to come to an end. At full-time, some players fell to their knees before joining interim boss Mike Jackson in applauding the fans. But the brutal truth is Burnley have not been good enough this season. They have been in the bottom three for most of the campaign having failed to win any of their opening nine games, with an 11-match winless run following soon after. To the surprise of fans, pundits and players, owner and chairman Alan Pace sacked Dyche in April, with under-23s coach Jackson given the task of keeping them in
the Premier League. He had taken 11 points from his opening seven games, but his team produced a tame first half at Turf Moor as they only registered one shot on target. When Wilson scored his second, it looked all over before the home side finally gave their fans hope of an incredible fightback. Wi t h L e e d s s t i l l drawing, Burnley produced their best football of the afternoon as Jack Cork had an effort cleared off the line by Matt Targett, before Cornet twice had efforts at goal and Ashley Barnes had a shot saved. But Burnley ended the season with the second fewest total of goals, with only bottom-of-theleague Norwich scoring fewer, and their failure to finish off their late chances saw them exit the Premier League.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
Punjab kings end IPL on high
(ESPNCRICINFO) - Punjab Kings ended their season on a high note, registering a thumping five-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the dead rubber at the Wankhede Stadium. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, captaining Sunrisers in the absence of Kane Williamson, decided to bat first after winning the toss but Harpreet Brar dented them by picking up the wickets of Rahul Tripathi, Abhishek Sharma and Aiden Markram. At 99 for 6 after 16 overs, it looked like Sunrisers might even struggle to reach 150 but Romario Shepherd and Washington Sundar ransacked 58 off the last four overs to lift them to a respectable total. Kings batted in the fifth gear throughout their innings. A flying start from Jonny Bairstow meant they raced away to 62 for 1 by the end of the powerplay. In the last ten overs, they needed only 61. Liam Livingstone’s unbeaten 49 off 22 balls, studded with two fours and five sixes, ensured they needed no more than 31 balls to knock off those runs. Sunrisers’ sedate start On a used pitch, Sunrisers openers Priyam Garg and Abhishek struggled to force the pace even against the
Liam Livingstone was at his belligerent best against the high pace of Umran Malik (BCCI) new ball. After only nine runs came off the first two overs, Garg tried to flick Kagiso Rabada through midwicket but ended up closing the bat face early, and Mayank Agarwal gobbled up the leading edge at mid-off. By the end of four overs, Sunrisers were 24 for 1. The sixth over, bowled by Nathan Ellis, though produced 11 runs, with Tripathi picking up a six and Abhishek a four. Brar’s three-for dents Sunrisers Abhishek welcomed Brar into the attack by pulling
his second ball over deep midwicket for a six. But Brar struck back in his next over when Tripathi swept one straight to short fine leg. Soon after, Brar snared Abhishek too. The batter tried to launch a fuller delivery over long-on but failed to clear a leaping Livingstone. If those two wickets were the result of the batter trying to take him on, the third was a left-arm spinner’s delight. Brar pitched one on a good length to Markram and beat the outside edge with turn and bounce. Jitesh Sharma
whipped the bails off to find the off-balanced batter out of his crease. Shepherd, Washington lift SunriserS Both Shepherd and Washington had started slowly - at one stage, Shepherd was on 1 off five balls and Washington 3 off seven. But the floodgates opened in the 17th over, with the duo taking 17 off Ellis with the help of two fours and a six. In the next over, Washington hit Rabada for a six and a four before the bowler gifted five wides. In all, 19 came off that over.
The final over, bowled by Ellis, was the most eventful. Shepherd hit the first ball for a six over long-on before Ellis dismissed Washington and Suchith off consecutive deliveries. On the last ball, Bhuvneshwar tried to sneak in a bye but was run out at the keeper’s end. Ellis, however, had overstepped, which meant there was still one ball left. Umran Malik lost his off stump on the free hit but collected a bye, just making his ground at the bowler’s end. Kings tee off Bairstow seemed to have come out with the intent of hitting every ball to the boundary line. In the first two overs, he hit five fours, albeit two of them came via edges. But he soon ran out of luck. He tried to hit Fazalhaq Farooqi across the line but missed the length ball and lost his off stump. Shahrukh Khan was promoted to No. 3. On the second ball he faced, he pulled Bhuvneshwar over deep midwicket before clipping Farooqi for four in the next over. Shikhar Dhawan had crawled to 12 off 11 balls but now he too joined in, jumping out of his crease against J Suchith and hitting him over deep midwicket for back-toback sixes.
Livingstone finishes it off in a hurry Shahrukh tried to take on Malik as well. He drilled his first ball down the ground for four but holed out to a back-pedalling mid-on two balls later. Agarwal came in at No. 4 and straightaway copped a blow to his rib cage, courtesy of a 144kph lifter from Malik. His painful stay came to an end in the next over when he pulled Washington straight to deep midwicket. That brought Livingstone to the crease. He started by pulling Washington into the deep-midwicket stands before thumping Malik for successive sixes. At the other end, Dhawan was struggling for timing and eventually fell to Farooqi for a 32-ball 39. Incoming Jitesh Sharma started in a similar manner to Livingstone. Off his first five balls, he hit three fours and a six. However, he didn’t last long and Suchith had him caught at long-on. At the end of 14 overs, Kings needed 25 off 36 balls. But Livingstone was in a hurry, and was helped in equal measure by Sunrisers’ sloppy fielding. He hit Shepherd for two sixes and two fours in a 23-run 15th over to all but seal the game.
Haque called up for Bangladesh series against the West Indies Anamul Haque has earned a recall into the Bangladesh white-ball squads following his record-breaking run in the recently-concluded Dhaka Premier League List A competition, while Mustafizur Rahman has been named in all three squads for the upcoming tour of the West Indies. Bangladesh will play two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is on their tour to the Caribbean that starts next month. A n a m u l b r o k e To m Moody’s 31-year-old record of scoring the most runs in a
one-day competition when he amassed 1138 runs for Prime Bank Cricket Club. He last played an ODI for Bangladesh in July 2019, while it has been more than six years since he featured in a T20I. Apart from him, wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan and medium-pacer Mohammad Saifuddin were also brought back into both white-ball squads. Nurul forced his way back on the back of some big runs in the DPL Super League phase, where he helped Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to their first
title. Saifuddin, meanwhile, returned after a string of injuries kept him out of contention since the 2021 T20 World Cup. Mosaddek Hossain was the biggest gainer after he was recalled into all three squads, in Mushfiqur Rahim’s absence. Mushfiqur had pulled out of the tour to take part in the Hajj pilgrimage. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was named in the Test squad after he missed the ongoing Sri Lanka series due to a hand injury. Mustafizur Rahman, too,
returned to the Test squad after a year, following a reportedly long discussion with the BCB. While being named in the ODI and T20I squads was a given, Mustafizur had initially shown lesser interest in a Test return because of his IPL workload. But he later agreed to be named in the side as well. It is worth noting that Mustafizur does not have a red-ball central contract with the BCB. Bangladesh are scheduled to leave for the Caribbean on June 5. While the Tests are part of the ICC World Test Championship,
the ODIs will not be part of the ICC Super League competition. Test squad: Mominul Haque (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Litton Das (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mustafiqur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Yasir Ali, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mosaddek Hossain, Ebadot Hossain, Shohidul Islam, Rezaur Rahman Raja ODI squad: Tamim Iqbal (capt), Litton Das (wk), Najmul Hossain, Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Yasir Ali, Mahmudullah, Afif Hos-
sain, Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Ebadot Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Anamul Haque T20I squad: Mahmudullah (capt), Munim Shahriar, Litton Das (wk), Anamul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Yasir Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Shohidul Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
Trinidadian Ability Campbell wins historic NSC cycle road race Trinidadian Ability Campbell won Guya n a ’s f i r s t N a t i o n al Sport Commission (NSC)-sponsored cycle road race in the Cinderella County on Sunday. The NSC sponsored the event to the tune of $1.3 million dollars.
The race, which commenced with the Director of Sport (DoS), Steve Ninvalle dropping the flag, went from Charity to Supenaam and ended in Anna Regina. Addressing the presentation, the DoS informed that historic event was the initiative
of the Minister of Sport Charles Ramson Jr. and is intended to be an annual event. The DoS also confirmed that the NSC has issued a record amount of financial assistance to associations so far for the first five months of the year.
Trinidadian Ability Campbell (right) collects his trophy from the Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle
City are Premier League Champions (BBC) - Manchester City staged a stunning late comeback with three goals in five minutes to beat Aston Villa and win the Premier League as their title chances looked to be slipping away amid dramatic scenes at Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side needed victory to secure their fourth title in five seasons but were facing the prospect of ending the season empty-handed as goals either side of the interval from Matty Cash and Philippe Coutinho put Villa 2-0 ahead and in control. It looked as if Villa manager Steven Gerrard might help his former club Liverpool secure the title - until City turned the game on its
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Ilkay Gundogan had only been on for eight minutes when he scored his first, with the second coming five minutes later head in an atmosphere bordering on hysteria. Ilkay Gundogan, on as a substitute for Bernardo Silva, gave City hope with
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a far-post header in the 76th minute, and Etihad Stadium was a wall of noise when Rodri drove a low finish past Villa’s keeper Robin
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Olsen two minutes later. The title-winning recovery was complete with nine minutes left as Gundogan once again arrived at the far
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post to put City in front, the decisive contribution on this nerve-shredding final day. City did need those three points as Liverpool beat Wolverhampton Wanderers - with City boss Guardiola overcome with emotion and breaking down in tears at the final whistle. Man City show grit and class of champions When Coutinho slid in Villa’s second goal, it looked as if the most unpalatable of storylines was being written for Manchester City. The notion of this supremely talented side ending the season with nothing was in clear view as City knew they had 21 minutes to score three times. The headlines were being written in large type with Gerrard, who never won the Premier League title during his long career at Liverpool, directing the trophy to Anfield, helped by his former team-mate Coutinho. And then, in one of the most dramatic twists of any Premier League title race, City knocked down the door that had been firmly slammed in their face by a supremely well-organised Villa. City looked crestfallen but showed their class and character once Gundogan
gave them hope with that header, and they scented their chance, even though some of their fans still feared this might only be a consolation. Rodri’s equaliser was the transformative moment, a sense of inevitability sweeping around a fevered stadium, with a mixture of disbelief and elation the result as Gundogan slid home the third. Villa did not know what had hit them and had no response, supporters flooding on to the pitch when referee Michael Oliver sounded the final whistle amid a deafening din. City have had their character questioned this season, especially when they let the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid slip from their grasp, but there can be no more doubts after this. The manner in which they turned this game around with the title -- and their entire season -- on the line was the perfect answer. They were heading towards the most bitter disappointment but transformed this day into one they and their supporters will remember forever. It was little wonder Guardiola broke down at the conclusion of a truly remarkable afternoon.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
Verstappen wins in Spain after Leclerc retires
(Formula 1) - Max Verstappen won an action-packed 2022 Spanish Grand Prix as pole-sitter, Charles Leclerc, retired from a comfortable lead. Sergio Perez took second place to secure Red Bull’s second one-two of the season, as George Russell finished third for Mercedes, having been involved in an epic bout with eventual winner Verstappen. Soaring temperatures weren’t the only problem on Sunday; huge gusts into Turn 4 caused both Carlos Sainz and Verstappen to go off track and drop down the
order early on. That left Leclerc with a comfortable lead and a free pit stop by Lap 22, and it seemed a straightforward victory for Ferrari – until Leclerc’s engine gave way on Lap 27. Before that, Russell and Verstappen (whose DRS was malfunctioning) had sparred – going wheel-to-wheel on numerous breath-taking occasions – for P2. Now they were battling for the lead. So Verstappen pitted a second time from mediums back to softs on Lap 29 and caught up to Russell’s tail by Lap 37, when Russell
swapped for another set of mediums. Sergio Perez was briefly in the lead now – but pitted soon after for a new set of mediums. Covering off Perez’s alternate strategy and tyre life advantage, Verstappen, too, was pitted for softs on Lap 45, a new set of mediums now giving him a prime opportunity at prying the lead off Perez. Verstappen was allowed past and eventually won by 13 seconds; Perez took P2 and fastest lap having stopped for softs late on. Russell finished third despite having fended off Ver-
stappen’s threats for much of the race, while Sainz finished fourth despite having dropped outside the top 10 early on after his Turn 4 spin. Hamilton passed Sainz for P4 with a brilliant move at Turn 1 with five laps left, but then dropped to P5 having been told to lift off by his Mercedes team. Valtteri Bottas’s soft-medium-medium strategy saw him lose out to soft-tyred finishers Sainz and Hamilton, the Finn taking a still-solid P6 finish for Alfa Romeo. In seventh was Esteban Ocon, up five places for Alpine with two soft-tyred
Max Verstappen won in Spain stints. Lando Norris mirrored the Frenchman’s strategy but finished a few seconds behind in P8 from P11 for McLaren. Alpine’s Fernando Alonso (from the back of the grid) and AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda (from P13) rounded out the top 10 on the same softmedium-soft-soft gambit. Sebastian Vettel’s twostop strategy saw him finish 11th for Aston Martin, 14thplaced Mick Schumacher facing a similar fate as he dropped out of the points late on for Haas with Daniel Ricciardo and Pierre Gasly
promoted to P12 and P13 respectively. Late contact with Gasly at Turns 1-2 put Lance Stroll 15th for Aston Martin. Kevin Magnussen made contact with Hamilton early on at Turn 4 and ended up 17th – between the Williams drivers – having opted for a soft-medium-hard strategy. At Williams, Alex Albon finished 18th and Nicholas Latifi 16th. Along with Leclerc, A l f a R o m e o ’s Z h o u Guanyu was the other retiree in Spain.
Trinidadian Ability Campbell wins historic NSC cycle road race
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 23, 2022
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The lone female Competitor
Trinidadian Ability Campbell (right) collects his trophy from the Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle
Punjab kings end IPL on high
Liam Livingstone was at his belligerent best against the high pace of Umran Malik (BCCI)
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City are Premier League Champions
Ilkay Gundogan had only been on for eight minutes when he scored his first, with the second coming five minutes later
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| MONDAY, MAY 23, 2022