Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_25_09_2021

SATURDAY 25th September, 2021

' No.106495

President Ali: More Sputnik V second doses to arrive next week 05 PAGE

World leaders, investors set sight on Guyana 03 PAGE

–– President Ali says Guyana’s election-stained image has been repaired

$780M contract signed for restoration of City Hall 04 Infrastructure at 10 La Parfaite Harmonie to get $867M upgrade PAGE

PAGE

President Ali wants 09 impartial probe into killing of Essequibo businessman PAGE

Midas BPO Inc. and the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday for the establishment of a call centre at Kara Kara, Linden, which will create over 250 jobs (Delano Williams photo) (See story on Page 2)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 25, 2021

New Kara Kara call centre to create over 250 jobs –– employment of persons to begin from October AS the government continues its efforts to ensure that the employment rate is increased across the country, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, has said

that the new Midas Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Inc. at Kara Kara, Linden, will add to those efforts.

For the establishment of this call centre, the Guyana Office for Investment

(GO-Invest) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Midas at the facility, on Friday.

The company will occupy the recently refurbished building which once housed the Toucan Call Centre.

Scores of Lindeners turned out to submit their applications to be part of the Midas BPO Inc. Call Centre at Kara Kara (Delano Williams Photo) Ahead of this MoU, the facility was refurbished at a cost of $142 million.

Midas, headquartered locally at New Market Street, plans to create over 250 jobs

CEO of Midas BPO, Malcolm Sobers through the expansion of its Linden to assist in creating operations. jobs, and expressed his inChief Executive Officer tention to have his business (CEO) of Midas, Malcolm expand to other regions.

Sobers, said that 50 to 75 Further, he conveyed his persons will be recruited by appreciation to Dr. Singh and October 1, while by year end, Go-Invest’s Chief Executive that number would increase Officer (CEO), Dr. Peter to 150, then to 250 by June Ramsaroop, since those indi2022. viduals were quick to respond He said that the company to his business- expansion would commence the recruit- need and showed serious ment process for employees commitment to the BPO infrom within the town im- dustry. mediately after the signing Sobers recalled that 17 ceremony. years ago he attempted to In fact, it was observed commence his own operathat a large number of young tions in Guyana but was unpersons had already gathered successful while four years outside the building enthusi- ago, when he made another astically waiting with appli- attempt, no one responded cations in hands. to his expressed interest. He The Guyanese business- concluded that it was a man said he was also ecstatic see page 5 that he was able to expand to

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh alongside Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, during a brief tour of the Midas BPO office in Linden, Region 10

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 25, 2021

World leaders, investors set sight on Guyana ––President Ali says Guyana’s election-stained image has been repaired

By Rehana Ahamad

NOW that Guyana’s international profile has “risen tremendously,” the country is gearing up to accommodate an influx of world leaders and international business moguls seeking to strengthen bilateral relations and conduct physical evaluations of potential investment opportunities.

This is according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who informed a news conference on Friday that within the coming weeks, the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, will be arriving with his high-level delegation to advance bilateral talks.

The confirmation of President Kenyatta’s visit comes just weeks after he spearheaded a landmark summit, which sought to revive relations between the continent of Africa and member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Meanwhile, President Ali, who is currently spearheading his own high-level delegation to the 76th United Nations’ General Assembly, said that Guyana has been an area of “high focus” for many countries, private sector groups, and major financial institutions.

The Head of State related that over the past week, on the sidelines of the Assembly, he and his team were able to engage a number of world leaders on the opportunities available in Guyana and that the response has since been “enormous.”

“Our country is playing on a different stage.

Our country is getting a different level of attention. Our country is being focused on, and as leaders, we have to ensure that

we give clear clarity as to where the country is going; strong leadership is required,” Dr. Ali said, adding, “We still have a lot of requests for meetings.”

He told reporters that out of the “sideline” engagements alone, approximately seven other delegations have given their commitments to visit.

“We also had very, very good meetings with various representatives of the Middle East; from Prime Ministers to Prince and so on, and they too are working on delegations to come to Guyana, and for us to have a further engagement with them in a wide cross section of economic opportunities,” Dr. Ali related.

He said too that the evaluations of available opportunities will not be limited to the country’s burgeoning oil and gas sector.

The Head of State admitted that even though Guyana’s petroleum prospects have been initially capturing the interest of investors, many were intrigued about other areas of investments, once properly apprised.

“We have spoken to many of these sophisticated investors about the opportunities in food security, agriculture, the services industry, manufacturing, and of course, the diversification of our energy sector,” Dr. Ali posited.

REPAIRING DAMAGE The President said that even though investors are eager to come to Guyana now, that had not been the initial case, since many groups had concerns related to Guyana’s democratic stability.

“This is a key question from all those who we engaged; they want to know that the country is built on a foundation of democracy, stability [and] the rule of law,” Dr. Ali related.

Those concerns could be attributed to the country’s protracted elections debacle, which featured a purported attempt to thwart the outcome of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

“From all our engagements, it is clear that persons were following the

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta five months, and of course, it raises questions in terms of the sustainability of a country, when you have democracy threatened the way it was threatened,” Dr. Ali related.

Fortunately, President Ali said that his team, which also comprised Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, was successful in reassuring the potential investors and leaders of Guyana’s commitment to democracy.

To this end, he said: “We had to repair a lot of damage; we had to an-

swer a lot of questions in relation to that [the threat on democracy], but we are very happy that we had the opportunity to do so, and we are able to present Guyana as a strong, emerging market, not only for oil and gas, but for the various opportunities that are coming ahead.”

In addition to the delegations coming to Guyana, international partners will also be facilitating visits from Guyanese officials.

President Ali made specific reference to an October visit to West Africa, which will see Vice-President Jagdeo leading a team to Ghana.

The proposed visit stems from a discussion between President Ali and the Ghanian President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The discussions were centred on several matters of mutual interest, including oil and gas, climate change and the environment, as well as capacity building, and training.

Dr. Ali has also had engagements with the Presidents of Austria, Kosovo, Ghana, Colombia and the Maldives, which he said, contributed to the rekindling of relations with those countries.

The Guyanese Head of State also met with the Prime Minister of Kuwait and the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, along with the Heads of a number of global bodies, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

President Ali had said that increased interest in Guyana also coincides with increased expecta-

President Dr. Irfaan Ali tions. provide leadership [on],” “More is expected of Dr. Ali said previously. us globally on issues of He had maintained climate change, energy se- too, that Guyana is precurity, renewable energy; pared to take up the these are all issues that the challenge of being a globworld is looking for us to al leader on this front.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 25, 2021

$780M contract signed for restoration of City Hall –– milestone project to be completed within 18 months

By Telesha Ramnarine

AFTER years of rhetoric and little action, the iconic City Hall building will finally be restored to its former glory within 18 months, following the signing of a $780 million contract among stakeholders.

Both the Government of Guyana and the City Council pledged again on Friday to work together to bring this project to fruition.

Present at the signing ceremony, which was held in the compound of City Hall were Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall; Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud;

City Mayor, Ubraj Narine; Deputy Ambassador of the delegation of the European Union (EU), Evelina Melbarzde, and Town Clerk (ag), Candace Nelson.

By the end of this month, all staff of City Hall will be relocated to safer locations, including the mayoral complex, the Engineers building, and the Kitty Market, to allow the repair works to commence.

Minister Dharamlall assured stakeholders that his ministry will be holding the contractors of the project to the timeframe that has been agreed upon, as he is not in the habit of extending timeframes.

One of the first things that President Dr. Irfaan Ali did at his Cabinet meet-

Sunday, 26 September 09:00hrs - 10:30hrs

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall; Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud; Mayor Ubraj Narine and other officials following the signing of the $780M contract at City Hall, on Friday ing after assuming office, according to Minister Dharamlall, was to establish a Ministerial Task Force to oversee development works in Georgetown.

Referencing the work of the Task Force, the minister related that the recent flooding that occurred in various parts of the country was not as severe in Georgetown, and this was largely due to the efforts of the government to ensure that there was enhanced drainage in the city.

The restoration of City Hall’s building must not be seen in isolation, Dharamlall advised, adding that it represents part of a wider effort to have Georgetown returned to its former glory. The transformation since the govern-

ment took office, he pointed out, has been undeniable.

“We are not going to leave any stone unturned when it comes to developing Georgetown. We are going to work with the council and will be providing additional resources to conduct other upgrades in the city,” he remarked, adding: “For too long, too much politics has been happening upstairs at City Hall and while people are equivocating on the issues of Georgetown, the residents are suffering. We need to make a committed effort.”

Minister Dharamlall said he was quite perturbed that the recently provided $30 million subvention for City Hall’s admin building has not been utilised.

In his remarks, Minister Persaud said that at 132 years old and standing at 96 feet tall, the Georgetown City Hall, even in its deplorable state, remains a major tourist attraction.

“This City Hall is built out of wood and cast iron and I want to ask…we have a variety of woods in our rainforests and I am pretty sure our local woods would be used and more importantly that local labour will also be used,” the minister said.

Mayor Narine related that because City Hall is operating with limited resources, he is glad to work with any government for the benefit of citizens.

“I must compliment the Government of Guyana on

A national monument, City Hall will be restored to its former glory after the signing of a $780M contract on Friday

this move. City Hall building has been in this state for many decades and I am happy to see that the minister has taken this venture to a different level,” Narine said.

He expressed hope that the building, once completed, will be used for more than administrative purposes, and as a tourist site and even as a library to store the history of Georgetown.

Deputy Ambassador Melbarzde recalled that the EU started working with the authorities in 2016 and by 2018 had already drafted its recommendations.

“It has been very intensive work and collaborative work and we presented out [sic] conclusions on how the building should be restored and preserved. It’s very important to see that the recommendations are taken on board and will be implemented,” she commented.

City Hall’s building was designed by architect, Ignatius Scholes, in 1887 and was completed in June 1889.

At 14:00hrs on December 23, 1887, Governor Henry Turner Irving laid the foundation stone for City Hall at the north-east corner of the main building, along with a glass jar containing original documents relating to the building.

City Hall was then officially opened at 15:00hrs on July 1, 1889, by Governor Viscount Gormanston.

The building has deteriorated significantly over the years.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 25, 2021

More Sputnik V second doses to arrive next week –– President Ali says efforts being made to secure steady supply of ‘jabs’

By Rehana Ahamad A MUCH-anticipated shipment of the second doses of the Russian-made Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine is expected to arrive in Guyana within seven days, according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali. The Head of State told a press conference on Friday that much effort has gone into ensuring that Guyana secures the life-saving ‘jabs’, and that a steady supply stream is established and maintained.

“Every night, we are on

the phone dealing with this; talking to the Ambassador of Russia, talking to Russia directly, talking to every stakeholder who can assist in this,” President Ali said at a press conference hosted on Friday in New York, where he is attending the 76th United Nations’ General Assembly.

The government’s efforts come even as the world grapples with shortages of the COVID-19 vaccines, and as thousands of Guyanese who have already taken their first injections of the Sputnik V ea-

gerly await their long- overdue second ‘jab’.

Even though the gap between the first and second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine was previously established as four weeks, a new study conducted by the Gamaleya Research Institute, which created the vaccine, has shown that this gap could be extended to as much as 180 days while still remaining effective.

In the circumstances, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony had assured persons that they should have no fear about

New Kara Kara call centre to create ...

From page 2

dream realised for him to see his business grow in the manner it has.

During his remarks prior to the signing, Minister Singh said that Sobers’ success story is one which could be emulated by each new employee who came to work at Midas.

He said that Sobers’ journey as a young call-centre agent who moved up to higher positions in the BPO industry within 20 years, to now being a proprietor, is a success story for many young persons who may be considering the industry as a serious one for career advancement.

Dr. Singh then alluded to the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C)’s commitment to Information Communications Technology (ICT) and recalled that the focus on this started since under former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s tenure.

“I had the privilege of being associated with the early efforts to bring the sector to Guyana. In those days, the President of Guyana was President Jagdeo, who saw the remarkable potential of technology-based industries to transform the economic landscape of Guyana and who saw the remarkable potential of technology-based solutions to creating jobs in Guyana, and President Jagdeo at the time very enthusiastically and aggressively promoted Information and Communications Technology,” the minister reminded.

He added: “Today, the fruits of those efforts are now being harvested under President Irfaan Ali’s tenure.”

ICT AN ENABLER FOR JOB-CREATION Quoting from the PPP/ C’s 2020 manifesto, Minister Singh said the event symbolised the government’s promise to Guyanese of using “ICT as an enabler for job-creation,” and he repeated the portion of the manifesto to attendees which

states: “The ICT sector, if properly incentivised, can generate thousands of new jobs through co-investment, providing infrastructure support, state-sponsored training, and employment opportunities for the disabled.”

Minister Singh pointed to several other steps being taken by the PPP/C government to promote the development of the ICT sector in Guyana, including liberalisation of the telecommunications sector and investment in ICT education.

Also speaking at the event was PPP/C’s representative for Region 10, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, who said that the government is serious about its commitment to the region and will continue to prove this through its efforts to catapult development in not only ICT and job-creation, but also in infrastructure, housing and

social services.

He alluded to the works currently being done on the Linden-Mabura Road and housing for young professionals.

“This is not a standalone activity that we are celebrating. This is part of a suite of measures that are being made to bring real development to Linden and Region 10,” Minister Edghill reiterated.

It was only last month that Dr. Singh visited Midas’ headquarters, where he lauded the efforts of Sobers on pursuing his vision, which had materialised into the successful BPO facility that only commenced operations in August 2020, but has since employed 330 Guyanese.

The businessman had related that his business is heading towards expansion in Guyana.

The event on Friday was proof that he means business.

taking the delayed ‘jabs’. As it is, approximately 80,000 persons are awaiting their second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, which is currently in use by 70 countries.

In a recent statement, the Sputnik V team confirmed that owing to a major scale-up in vaccine production capacity, they were faced with temporary delivery delays for the second component. It was promised that this situation would have been resolved in August.

“Demand for Sputnik V worldwide remains very high, due to its exceptional efficacy and safety, as well as absence of any serious side effects, which have been linked to the use of some other vaccines,” the team said in a statement.

It was reported, too, that in countries where Sputnik V is used as part of their national vaccination campaigns, notably in Argentina and Mexico, a steady decline in COVID-19 cases was recorded.

Further, a study by the Gamaleya Research Centre published in the “Vaccines International” medical journal, has shown that the Sputnik V vaccine is one of the most efficient vaccines against the coronavirus, including the more deadly Delta variant, which is believed to be the cause of the increase in COVID-19-related deaths here.

The gap between the first and second doses of the Sputnik V ‘jabs’ can be delayed up to 180 days (DPI photo) Despite the real-world data that supports the 90-percentile efficacy of the Sputnik V vaccine, it has not yet received full approval from the World Health Organisation (WHO). As a result, it is not being recognised by some developed countries, many of which have begun to impose vaccination requirements for entry, using only the WHO-approved ‘jabs’.

In his inaugural address to the United Nations’ General Assembly on Thursday, President Ali warned that taking this route could hurt the global efforts to end the polarisation of access to vaccines.

“The access to vaccines saw the world polarised,” President Ali told his fellow world leaders, adding: “We must not now hurt our

efforts at ending this polarisation of access to vaccines by implementing measures that divide us and curtail our movement, based on the type of vaccines our people took.”

As he observed: “Millions took the vaccines which were available at a time of much uncertainty, and they are the unsung heroes. They must not now be the subject of restrictions, based on the vaccines they took.”

President Ali, in his strongly-worded address to the UN, said that instead of differentiating between the vaccines, countries should redirect their efforts towards addressing more pressing issues such as vaccine hesitancy, and promoting full vaccination of all eligible citizens of the world.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 25, 2021

Making Guyana Proud

PRESIDENT Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, in his inaugural address to the United Nations General Assembly, touched on a number of issues which resonated deeply with people all across the globe.

Among the several issues he touched on was the need for a more equitable distribution of vaccines to curb the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.

But it was his call for nations to stop any form of discrimination on the basis of which vaccines they took that seems to have a deafening resonance with millions around the globe, particularly from the developing world, many of whom were forced, because of economic and financial constraints, to procure vaccines from multiple sources. The richer nations were in a much better position financially to procure vaccines that were approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Guyana, like so many countries, procured the Russian-manufactured Sputnik vaccines, which have high efficacy rates, comparable to any on the international market. The only difficulty is that the vaccines are not approved by the WHO, as a consequence of which it is not accepted for entry into a number of countries, even though

persons may be fully vaccinated. “Millions took the vaccines which were available at a time of much uncertainty, and they are unsung heroes. They must not now be the subject of restrictions, based on the vaccines they took,” President Ali asserted.

Vaccines must be a unifying factor in the global quest for herd immunity, and in that regard, everything should be done to promote a process of universal vaccination, and not to create artificial barriers, as is currently the case. Already, we are seeing the adverse impact of vaccine hesitancy, which, along with vaccine nationalism, has created serious bottlenecks in the battle to bring an end to the pandemic. As pointed out by the United Nations Secretary- General, Antonio Guterres, the pandemic has demonstrated our collective failure to unite and make common decisions for the common good, even in the face of a life-threatening global emergency.

Guyana is known, over the decades, to take positive and progressive positions on international issues of concern to humanity, especially on matters of global poverty, debt relief, climate change, support for national liberation struggles and world peace. It was Guyana that placed before the United

Nations General Assembly the need for a New Global Human Order, brainchild of the late president, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, which concept, incidentally, was adopted by the United Nations.

President Ali, like his predecessors, has not been found wanting in terms of advancing Guyana’s position on global issues. His advocacy for global reparations and reparative justice must be seen as yet another feather in the cap of Guyana in the struggle for economic and social justice, and to correct historical injustices that were inflicted on humanity, especially those of African descent by a ruthless system of colonialism and neo-colonial rule. In his address to the United Nations, on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, President Ali pledged Guyana’s support for reparations, which he saw as an integral component of racial justice and equality. He assured the world body that his administration would work assiduously towards the goal of eliminating racism. The Government of Guyana, he assured the UN, will continue to work tirelessly to eradicate all forms of racism and racial discrimination, and to ensure inclusive development

with equal access and sharing in the country’s wealth.

These are not simply declaratory statements meant for international consumption.

Guyana, under the PPP/C administration, has been even-handed in terms of the manner in which social goods and services have been distributed, as is manifested in several areas such as housing, public sector jobs, access to education and health services among other areas. It was under the PPP/C that the Ethnic Relations Commission was set up, and several pieces of legislation enacted to guard against any form of discrimination based on race or ethnicity.

President Ali has done Guyana, the Caribbean, and for that matter the entire developing world proud for the bold and enlightened positions he took on many issues at the United Nations, and the no-nonsense manner in which he represented and articulated these concerns, including threats to Guyana’s territorial integrity by neighbouring Venezuela.

It was indeed a proud moment for Guyana, as the President took to the international stage to espouse his visionary thinking on the way forward for a secure, safe and prosperous world.

Most ‘on-the-ground Agriculture Minister’ getting the job done

Dear Editor,

MINISTER ‘Zulfi’ Mustapha is the most on-the-ground, farmer-centred and helpful Agriculture Minister in recent times, according to ‘persons in the street interviews’. Almost every farmer interviewed says he has been very active meeting farmers.

Opinion polls also found he has an ongoing presence on the ground, and is one of the best-rated ministers for performance.

He has been the most visible minister on the ground, implementing the government’s strategic goals and objectives in the ‘agri’ sector.

Under Mustapha, there has been enhanced production, employment, and economic growth of the ‘agri’ sector. Unlike

his predecessor under the APNU+AFC-led coalition, ‘Zulfi’ has a presence all over the country. He has been effectively managing food production, supporting market access and agro-processing, coordinating food security initiatives, and strengthening interaction and inter-relation with stakeholders. His ministry supports the agri-food sector through initiatives that promote innovation and competitiveness and job creation.

Older people interviewed say he is the most visible minister on the ground they can remember since Independence in 1966. The public also notes that he is an activist, and an action-oriented minister. Even his worst critics and detractors would concede that Agriculture Minister Mustapha is the most visible minister going around communities all over the country, spending most of his

time with farmers rather than in an air-conditioned office. “He is working extremely hard, and is very productive resolving problems,” is how one put it, and there is hardly any disagreement from others.

Since the PPP regained elected office in August 2020, confidence in the agriculture sector was revived, and is growing after five years of neglect under the APNU+AFC regime.

The PPP removed obstacles, and gave an assortment of incentives in the ‘agro’ sector to encourage food production. The public feels that since August 2020, there has been an enabling environment to attain food security and sector transformation, as well as sustainable use of natural resources. The ministry has been very supportive of small farmers. Farmers began record cultivation of

rice and other crops. There were bountiful harvests at a time of food insecurity brought on by the pandemic.

Minister Mustapha soon became a popular figure in the farming community. Then the floods came. The government offered relief grants to farmers whose crops were destroyed by the May/June floods. Farmers were in dire need of financial assistance, and the government responded positively.

People are very pleased with the relief assistance.

Though limited and problematic in some areas, it was more than what they ever received under the preceding APNU+AFC-led regime.

Yours sincerely, Ravi Singh

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 25, 2021

WI selectors need to resign, en bloc Dear Editor,

I WAS most elated when there was a much-needed change in the personnel with the responsibility on managing West Indies cricket.

I was just as elated when the bold move was made to sack the selection panel headed by a Barbadian gentleman who most times seemed preoccupied with ensuring that his countrymen dominated West Indies selection, despite repeated failures.

I was convinced when Hunte and company had ascended to the leadership, prior to the previous administration, that they were more interested in getting Windward and Leeward Island cricketers into the West Indies team, rather than the general development of West Indies cricket. Time proved me to be right, and, in 2021, they are still producing below-average batsmen having been brought up on featherbeds to make runs for WI selection.

It was, therefore, a breath of fresh air when Mr. Roger Harper was appointed to head the selection panel, and like most West Indians, we expected a transparent process with merited selection based on a selection policy. It is disappointing, to say the least, that, based on their performance, there is either no selection policy, or they are selective in implementing whatever policy there is to suit certain players.

If one is to use the utterances of the chief selector, passing a fitness test is a prerequisite for selection, and I will assume performance will naturally be the other. But on the last two occasions, particularly in the selection of the 2021T20 World Cup team, neither of these two policies were implemented in a transparent manner.

While I am in total agreement with the need for fitness to be a criteria along with other cricket requirements to be selected on the West Indies team, it was a reasonable expectation of all sensible individuals, irrespective from which ever country you come from, that the “fitness policy” would have been applicable to all the players, without exception.

Hence, when Hetmyer and Chase, among others, were deemed unfit, I had no problem if in fact they did not meet the fitness levels, but it is totally ridiculous to grant exemptions to others to facilitate their selection, knowing fully well that those denied selection were fitter than those exempted. Cornwall and Gabriel readily come to mind, with the latter confirming this fact within the first two hours of a match.

It was quite clear, then, that this selection panel had serious credibility issues, and the aloofness and arrogance displayed while justifying these glaring irregularities was distasteful and objectionable. And, true to form, they escalated their disrespect with the recent selection of their “pensioner team” to represent West Indies at the 2021 T20 World Cup. There was consternation from almost every quarter in the West Indies regarding this team selection, except for a certain gentleman

who was a dismal failure as a cricketer and was challenged to understand his identity. It will not be illogical if one was to conclude that these gentlemen are either caught in a time warp, or have total disrespect for the intelligence of the West Indies cricketing public.

The selection of Chris Gayle, who scored 165 runs at an average of 18.33, with a highest score of 42 ahead of Sherfane Rutherford, who scored 262 runs at an average of 37.42, including three half- centuries is ludicrous.

And to add insult to injury, Rutherford’s fielding and movement in the field was 80 per cent better than Chris Gayle. It must be concluded that the “new non-selection justification” of fitness is really an attempt to insult the intelligence of the West Indian public.

The same can be said of the 36-year-old overweight Ravi Rampaul, with 19 wickets at an average of 7.97, and scoring six runs, being selected ahead of Romario Shepherd, with 18 wickets at 7.70 and scoring 108 runs, averaging 21.08 with the bat, and a highest score of 72 not out. Even the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board shared that view, not to mention heads of governments and former West Indian greats.

And what about the nonsensical “X Factor” justification of selecting Oshane Thomas, who his captain could not risk playing because of his erratic bowling when hit for a boundary or two. Thomas, who got six wickets at an average of 7.39, was selected ahead of the fastest bowler and a real “X Factor” in CPL 202, Odean Smith, who bagged 18 wickets at an average of 7.58 and scored 126 runs with a batting average of 18.0. Rampaul’s fielding and batting is 99 per cent below that of both Shepherd and Smith.

And I dare say, that if DM Bravo whose CPL 2021 average of 16.33, scoring 98 runs with a top score of 25 is the best reserve player we have in the West Indies, something is seriously wrong with the thought process of these selectors or it is another revelation of the competence of these gentlemen.

Let me hasten to point out that Rampaul was selected based on his performance at CPL 2021, but this criterion was obviously not used for the selection of other members of the team because there is no way Gayle, Thomas and DM Bravo should be in the team ahead Ruherford, Shepherd and Smith.

And let me hasten to add the highest level of disrespect to the number one allrounder in the world Jason Holder being relegated to the status of reserve.

I do not want to suggest that these selectors are either mentally challenged or are making selection decisions based on instructions from senior management of the WICB or for some other unknown reason, but what me, and 90 per cent of the West Indian public know, is that their selection of this “pensioners” West Indies team for the 2021 T20 World cup does not reflect favourably on their ability to be fair, logical and objective in the discharge of their responsibilities.

And it is not being smart for a selector to

drop a 24-year-old cricketer for being unfit and then in the same breath exempt two older players from the same level of fitness requirement and select them on the same team. And how fit is DJ Bravo when he did not bowl in a few matches prior to the finals and which we all see and know was due to injury worry.

What confounded nonsense is that? You are either fit or you are not fit. It does not matter if you have one million runs. It is a farce that is repugnant and unacceptable.

And since the chief selector, who apparently has a penchant for justifying non-selection based on some “fitness” policy apparently only applicable to some players, then it is necessary that the “so called” policy is communicated. If not, save the explanations because it certainly does not endear you to the public to whom your explanations are targeted and only serves to infuriate cricket loving citizens across the region.

It is not difficult to conclude that the performance of this selection panel makes the former panel that they replaced look like experts; and trust me, they were not considered highly by any means.

Be assured that the young cricketers and the West Indies and the cricketing public do

not think highly of you based on your tendency to be consistently inconsistent and I will support any young cricketer one hundred per cent if they should seek to ply their trade on the T20 circuit worldwide.

By your actions, you are more of a hinderance and demotivator than an asset or positive influence to young aspiring West Indian cricketers. I do no know if you gentlemen are comfortable to leave such a legacy when you make your exit which most prefer to be sooner rather than later.

You will do West Indies cricket a great service by excusing yourself from the selection panel of West Indies cricket.

Not only will you be respected for being honest in demonstrating what we all must conclude, that is you are unfit to hold the position, but you will spare us the disgust and aggravation which is currently overwhelming and which we can do without during this COVID-19 pandemic.

You should do the honourable thing and resign en bloc.

Yours truly, Eric Whaul

Country folk don’t speak the Queen’s English, but are very resourceful Dear Editor, GLOBALLY, we live in grim times: The pandemic, climate change, ecological disasters, rising geopolitical tension, economic meltdowns, poverty, wars, drugs, violent crime, etc.

Still, I hope that there is time (and space) for some weekend levity.

Say what you will about former President Forbes Burnham, he had a sense of humour. Burnham once told my father a joke; it went like this: In the colonial era (or was it shortly after Independence?) there was a Chief Justice who liked his ‘sauce’.

Purely as a descriptive label, he was ‘high coloured’.

Once, the CJ was travelling to Berbice to try cases.

As befitting his high office, he and his entourage had an entire carriage on the train to themselves. At their service was an Indian gentleman from ‘the country’. Let’s

call him Singh. In the carriage, Singh functioned as a butler of sorts.

As the train rolled along, the CJ and his party imbibed; liquor flowed like water. From time to time, the CJ would say to Singh, “Bring more ice!” After several trips to bring ice to the now inebriated Chief Justice, Singh said to him, “Sah, we running out of ice.”

The CJ became angry and snapped, “I said bring more ice!” Singh complied. After a few more trips, the CJ again said to Singh,

“Bring more ice!” Singh paused briefly, looked at the CJ, raised his voice and said, “SAH! IF AH BRING MO ICE, THE DEAD GWINE SPOIL!” The colour drained from the CJ’s face; and he stopped drinking immediately.

One of the morals of this story is that rural folk should not be underestimated; they may not speak the Queen’s English, but they are very resourceful.

Yours faithfully, Sieyf Shahabuddeen

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 25, 2021

Barbadian lawyer admitted to Guyana Bar

HAILING from the “land of the flying fish”, Barbadian attorney, Mohsin Nana, has been admitted to the bar in Guyana, making him eligible to practise in the local courts.

The 25-year-old’s pe-

tition was presented by attorney at law Nikhil Ramkarran, to Justice JoAnn Barlow, on Thursday, in the Demerara High Court.

The Barbadian was born on November 7, 1995, and attended the

Wesley Hall Primary School and then Harrison College.

In 2014, he enrolled at the University of the West Indies where he later obtained his Bachelor in Laws Degree.

While attending uni-

versity, Nana competed in the inaugural Caribbean-China International Law Moot Court competition and won an award.

In 2017, Nana went on to further his studies at the Hugh Wooding Law School where he obtained

his legal education certificate in November 2020.

While attending law school, Nana did his in-service training at the Blackstone Legal Company. Nana specialises in corporate, commercial and maritime law.

Attorney-at-law Mohsin Nana

Cop robbed by knife-toting bandit A 38-year-old policeman was, on Friday, attacked and robbed by a knife-toting bandit while walking along Water Street, Georgetown.

According to police reports, around 06:45hrs, the victim was walking along the eastern side of Water Street when he was approached from be-

hind by a male wielding a knife.

The two men ended up in a scuffle, during which the victim fell onto the pavement. While the victim was on the ground, the bandit took his knife and slashed the officer’s haversack straps.

On foot, the suspect made good his escape

with the $8,000 haversack containing a cellphone valued $12,000 and the officer’s uniform valued at $18,000.

The suspect was later arrested and is currently in police custody.

The incident was caught on CCTV cameras from nearby businesses.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 25, 2021

President Ali wants impartial probe into killing of Essequibo businessman

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali has insisted that there must be an impartial investigation into the killing of 29-yearold businessman, Orin Boston, who was shot by a rank of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) during an anti-crime operation executed at his Dartmouth, Essequibo home.

“The police would have to act professionally,” President Ali insisted.

The Head of State told reporters during a virtual press conference on Fri-

Orin Boston in happier times

day, that when he gets back from his United Nations engagements in New York, he intends to receive a full update on the status of the case, which is being dealt with by the police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

“On my return, this is one of the matters that will be priority on the agenda,” Dr. Ali said, noting that he wishes to meet not only Boston’s bereaved family, but also members of the community.

Boston, a father of

two, was also laid to rest on Friday. Asked to comment on the fact that Boston’s family is seeking an independent investigation into the shooting, President Ali insisted that the police be given a chance to conduct and complete their investigation.

“Sometimes we move quickly to cast judgement or condemn the operations of the police, but let us see what comes out of the investigation,” Dr. Ali urged.

The file on the incident has also been submitted to the Police Com-

plaints Authority for further review.

Questioned further on the incident, and the fact that it is being used by sections of the Opposition to peddle the narrative of “extrajudicial killing under the People’s

Progressive Party government”, President Ali said that the claims are all baseless, and have been rubbished many years ago in an investigative article published in Stabroek News, a privately-owned daily.

two took the boat out on the said river.

A short while after, there was a verbal confrontation between Sigmol and Persaud.

According to police, witnesses said that Sigmol told Persaud that he cannot use the said area for passage and that he should call his friends from the boat to pick him up.

It is alleged that Persaud called his friends to collect him. However, another argument ensued between the two and Persaud reportedly stabbed Sigmol to his abdomen. Sigmol collapsed and was rendered unconscious.

Neville, who witnessed the stabbing, approached Persaud, and he too received stab wounds to his right upper arm and chest.

The boat then returned shortly after with over 10 people on board; they were all armed with pieces of

wood and cutlasses. They collected Persaud and they all headed across the river, the police release said.

Both victims were picked up by the police and taken to the West Demerara Regional Hos-

pital where Sigmol was pronounced dead and his brother was admitted as a patient.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali

Man accused of Vreed-en-Hoop stelling murder remanded

A TWENTY-FIVE-yearold fisherman, who is accused of recently stabbing a man to death, will have to spend his birthday behind bars after he was remanded to prison by Magistrate Faith McGusty.

Alistair Persaud of De William, West Coast Demerara, appeared at the Vreeden-Hoop Magistrate’s Court where he was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that on September 18, 2021, at the Vreed-en-Hoop stelling, West Coast Demerara, he murdered Sigmol Gouveia.

He was represented by attorney-at-law Bernard DaSilva, who told the court that Persaud’s reputed wife is currently pregnant with their third child.

The court prosecutor requested a three-week adjournment since the police investigation file is still incomplete. The prosecutor also told the court that Persaud is expected to be charged for the attempted murder of Gouveia’s brother who was injured during the attack.

Magistrate McGusty later remanded Persaud to prison until October 12.

According to police reports, on the day in question Gouveia, 26, of Block ‘A’

Alistair Persaud Sophia was with his brother, Neville Gouveia, 37, who is employed as a security guard at the DockYard of the stelling.

Police, in a release, said that, at about 23:10 hours, a boat arrived at the stelling koker with Persaud and two other unknown males. Persaud allegedly exited the vessel while the remaining

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, September 25, 2021

Infrastructure at La Parfaite Harmonie to get $867M upgrade

HUNDREDS of low-income households in La Parfaite Harmonie, Region Three, are expected to benefit from infrastructure upgrades following the award of $867.2 million in contracts by the Ministry of Housing and Water, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

The contracts were signed in the presence of Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal; Permanent Secretary, Andre Ally; Chief Executive Officer of CH&PA, Sherwyn Greaves and Director of Projects at CH&PA, Omar Narine, in the agency’s

boardroom, on Friday.

Through the programme, 9.14 kilometers of roads will be upgraded, 49 reinforced concrete culverts will be constructed, 34 kilometers of earthen drains will be cleaned, two meters of reinforced concrete drains and 0.5 meters in concrete sidewalks will be constructed.

Minister Croal implored contractors to execute the work in a manner which satisfies the expected quality and standards “These works being carried out are critical to the development of these communities, the government’s

housing trajectory, as well as, the welfare of our citizens in Guyana,” the minister related.

He also encouraged the contractors to use the project as a means of stimulating growth at the community level.

“Wherever you can utilise the labour from within the communities, please do so. This will go a long way towards improving the lives of our citizens, who are often in this case, in the low-income bracket and vulnerable,” Minister Croal said.

He added that the roads in the area have been in a deplorable state for some time,

so the upgrades will ease the burdens of residents.

Ally said that the ministry, in its bid for quality assurance, will have a team from the Projects Department on the ground actively monitoring the level of the works.

He also said that the ministry will be maintaining an open line with the contractors, where they could report any issues encountered along the project timeline.

The Director of Projects related that the infrastructure upgrades fall under the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP), which is funded

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal (centre), with contractors who were awarded $867.2 million in contracts, on Friday

by the Inter-American Bank.

Six are under the La Parfaite Harmonie cluster and are slated to benefit, namely: Schoonord, La Parfaite Harmonie, Westminster, Onderneeming, RectDoor-Zee and Lust-en-Rust. La Parfaite Harmonie is listed as site two under the programme and follows $1.5 billion in infrastructure upgrades at Sophia.

In August, the ministry

also awarded $163 million in contracts for Home Improvement Subsidies and Core Home Support in La Parfaite Harmonie under the AHUAP. All of those interventions are expected to significantly uplift the targeted communities and provide more wholesome housing solutions for low-income residents. (DPI)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 25, 2021

COVID-19 claims five more lives FIVE more persons have died after contracting COVID-19, taking Guyana’s overall death toll to 749, the Ministry of Health has reported.

The Ministry of Health said that the latest fatalities are one male and four females: a 70-year-old man from Region Four who died on September 23; a 51-year-old woman from Region Four who died on September 23; a 55-year-old woman from Region Three who died on September 24; a 44-year-old woman from Region Three who died on September 23, and a 59-yearold woman from Region Four who also died on September 23.

According to the ministry, none of those persons were vaccinated, and they all died while receiving care at a local medical facility.

As it is now, there are 3,808 active COVID-19 cases in Guyana, following the addition of 252 new cases on September 24, 2021. Those cases were detected following 2,062 tests, which were conducted

between Thursday and Friday.

The 252 newly confirmed cases were recorded in Regions One, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, and 10.

Region Four accounted for 139 of the new cases, while Region One recorded one case; Region Three recorded 40 cases and Region Five recorded eight new cases.

Additionally, four new cases were recorded in Region Six; Region Seven recorded four new cases; Region Eight recorded three new cases; Region Nine recorded six new cases and 47 cases were recorded in Region 10.

Even as new cases were recorded, 291 persons were reported to have recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 26,139.

The country has now recorded a total of 30,696 confirmed cases since the first COVID-19 case was reported in March 2020.

Of the active cases, 33 persons are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the National Infectious Dis-

eases Hospital, Liliendaal; 183 are in institutional isolation; 3,592 are in home isolation and four are in institutional quarantine.

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

The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures are in force from September 1, 2021, until September 30, 2021.

They may be extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Health, after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions of the pandemic.

As per the current measures, however, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes, and physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are recommended. The current curfew is 22:30 hours to 04:00 hours.

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

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 25, 2021

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday September 25, 2021)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Alex Hales-423 runs (2) Chris Gayle-409 runs Today’s Quiz: (1) What is the highest individual T20 Int’l score made by an ENG player against the WI to date?

(2) What is the highest individual T20 Int’l score made by a WI player against ENG to date?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

English Racing Tips Newmarket 08:15 hrs Oheka 08:50 hrs Coroebus 09:25 hrs Sacred Bridge 10:00 hrs Castle Star 10:40 hrs Irish Admiral 11:15 hrs Al Husn 11:50 hrs Outside World 12:24 hrs Jumby Haydock

08:30 hrs Educator 09:05 hrs Noble Dynasty 09:40 hrs Jawwaal 10:15 hrs Call Me Ginger 10:50 hrs Summer's Knight Irish Racing Tips Curragh 08:25 hrs Thunder Eclipse 08:55 hrs Navagio 09:30 hrs Luxembourg 10:05 hrs Punakha 10:35 hrs Magniffico 11:10 hrs Art Power 11:45 hrs She's In The Game 12:20 hrs Akhlaaq American Racing Tips Delware Park Race 1 Hit A Homer Honey Race 2 Royne Race 3 Cashing Big Checks Race 4 Madam Mena Race 5 No Sabe Nada Race 6 Tappin Cat Race 7 Ride Em Race 8 Whereshetoldmetogo Race 9 Sweet Willemina Canadian Racing Tips Woodbine Race 1 Cora Race 2 Elusive Society Race 3 Orphan Hallie Race 4 Sunrise Drive Race 5 Ya Mar Race 6 Dreidel Race 7 Lady War Machine South Africa Racing Tips Durbanville 08:25 hrs Cruzin California 09:03 hrs Sunday Island 09:38 hrs Swazi Queen 10:18 hrs Russian Rock 10:53 hrs Crimson King 11:28 hrs Artic Drift

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 25, 2021

Brazil select eight Premier League players for World Cup qualifiers (BBC) - Brazil have selected eight Premier League players for October's World Cup qualifiers despite the country remaining on the UK's travel red list.

Last month most English clubs refused to release players

called up by South American countries.

Currently anyone travelling to Brazil from the UK must quarantine for 14 days when they arrive in the country and 10 days when they arrive back in the UK.

But the Brazil FA said "positive talks" have been held over travel exemptions.

Liverpool duo Alisson and Fabinho, Manchester City's Ederson and Gabriel Jesus, Chelsea defender Thiago Silva, Manchester United mid-

fielder Fred, Leeds forward Raphinha and Tottenham defender Emerson Royal have all been called up for matches against Venezuela, Colombia and Uruguay.

Former Middlesbrough midfielder Juninho Paulista, the Brazil national team coordinator, said the eight England-based players had been called up with the belief an agreement would be made next week allowing players to avoid travel restrictions.

"We've had lots of positive meetings with FIFA, the Premier League and the British government, and we trust that there will be a positive solution next week," he said. "That is why we have called them up."

The Brazilian football federation will have to reach a separate agreement with the country's health authority to exempt England-based players from quarantine on their arrival.

In August the Premier League released a statement saying its clubs had "reluctantly but unanimously" de-

Manchester City duo Gabriel Jesus and Ederson are among eight Premier League players called up by Brazil.

cided not to release players for matches in red-list countries during September's international break.

However, four players, Emiliano Buendia and Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa, and Giovani lo Celso and Cristian Romero of Tottenham, travelled to Argentina to join up with their national side.

But that led to farcical scenes at Sao Paulo's Corinthians Arena when the Brazil v Argentina World Cup qualifier was abandoned after five minutes when Brazilian health officials came on to the pitch to stop the match, saying the four England-based players for

Argentina had to quarantine.

Despite complaints being made by the Brazilian football federation, as well as those from Mexico, Paraguay and Chile over the Premier League not releasing players for matches, all affected players were allowed to play their next matches for their clubs.

FIFA has the power to enforce five-day suspensions for players not released to play for their national sides.

Brazil have won all eight of their qualifiers so far and are six points clear of Argentina at the top of the South American qualifying group for Qatar 2022.

United States take 3-1 lead in Ryder Cup (BBC) - Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia struck the first blow for Europe in the 43rd Ryder Cup but the United States dominated the opening foursomes to take a 3-1 lead at Whistling Straits.

World number one Rahm holed birdie putts on the seventh and eighth holes to put Europe in command as they beat the much fancied American pairing Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas 3&1 in the top match.

Garcia, who equalled Sir Nick Faldo's Ryder Cup record of winning 23 matches, said the score was "not a big deal".

"We have a good (second) session and everything is back to normal," he added.

The first session belonged firmly with the home side though with rookies Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele winning the first five holes as they defeated experienced Europeans Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter 5&3.

Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger also never trailed against Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, eventually triumphing 2&1, while Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa pulled clear on the back nine to win 3&2 against Paul Casey and Viktor Hovland.

The matches teed off on a still but chilly morning, on the iconic Wisconsin course beside Lake Michigan that has staged the U.S. PGA Championship on three occasions.

There were the expected, pantomime boos on the first tee for the European players, with raucous cheers for the U.S. players drowning out the meagre support for the visitors. There will be up to 40 000 fans daily but few Europeans

are present because of the tough COVID-19 travel rules.

And the home fans had more to cheer with Thomas and Spieth taking an early lead but Rahm, who spoke on Thursday about wanting to build on the ‘Spanish legacy’ in the Ryder Cup, holed three birdies in five holes to put Europe two ahead at the turn.

Garcia rolled in a 20-footer on the 15th to put Europe three holes ahead with three to play in the alternate shot format and guarantee at least half a point.

The match was closed out on the 17th despite a quite sensational shot from Spieth, who nearly ended up careering into the lake as he overbalanced while playing from heavy rough on a steep banking.

After the pairings were announced on Thursday, Europe captain Padraig Harrington said the top match was "big for both sides"; given how the opening session has panned out, it's turned out to be a massive point for Europe.

While the top match was blue from the fourth hole, the other three matches were pretty much red throughout.

World number two Johnson and Open champion Morikawa won the first hole with a birdie, and although Casey and Hovland took the third and fourth holes to lead, the U.S. won the next two to turn the match back in their favour.

Westwood and Fitzpatrick were always in their match against Koepka and Berger and a birdie on the ninth saw them level the match.

But the Americans won the next two with birdies and the next six holes were halved.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 25, 2021

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Australia squeeze home after Mooney’s unbeaten ton (ESPNCRICINFO) - And then there were 26! For about three quarters of Australia's chase of a sizeable total against India, it looked like their winning streak in ODIs would be halted at 25.

But nerves - of steel on Australia's part and something like jelly for India - and one of the great oneday knocks by Beth Mooney meant Australia squeezed home on the last ball of the game for a five-wicket win that had more twists than a corkscrew.

Mooney stayed unbeaten on 125 off 133, and was there at the end when a returning Nicola Carey and Australia thought the match had been lost when a full toss was swatted straight to midwicket with three runs needed off one ball.

Only, that wasn't to be the end because the on-field officials wanted to check for a no-ball. Numerous replays later, third umpire Phillip Gillespie ruled that Jhulan Goswami's delivery had indeed come up above Carey's waist, which meant Australia had one more ball left and two to get.

Ironically enough, in a final over that began with Australia needing 13, practically every ball

Beth Mooney produced one of the great innings in all of Women's ODIs. (Albert Perez/Getty Images)

hit to a fielder was fumbled except for the catch off the no-ball. Another mistake off the final ball meant Mooney and Carey could sprint the two runs needed to complete a heist that might well rank alongside the great bank robberies.

Mooney was opening the batting only because Rachael Haynes was out injured, and her innings turned out to be the crowning piece in a game that had several

standout performances, including Tahlia McGrath hitting her highest international score and returning her best international figures and Smriti Mandhana stroking her way to 86, and India putting on a much better batting performance than in the first game.

In the end though, Mooney - and Australia - remained unconquered.

Things looked very different at the start of Australia's chase. Mand-

hana's elegance had been complemented by several useful nuggets from her team-mates to drive India to 274 for 7. In reply, Australia lost Alyssa Healy for a duck in the first over and Meg Lanning soon after.

Their depth would be tested to the utmost when they slid to 52 for 4 in 16 overs, when McGrath joined Mooney. In her six previous ODIs and lone Test, McGrath had never batted as high as No. 6, nor had she hit a half-century. But then, she hadn't taken more than two wickets in an innings either before today, and had just returned 3 for 45 in the first innings.

McGrath powered her way to 74 off 77, dragging Australia's chase back on track, Mooney played second fiddle in their partnership of 126 then took charge once McGrath pulled a Deepti Sharma half-tracker straight to short fine leg.

On 74 off 100 then, Mooney went on to loot 51 from her next 33 balls. Carey played a gem of her own, unbeaten on 39 off 38, with urgency in running between the wickets consistently putting India's fielders under pressure.

Australia continued to chip away at a total that seemed just

out of reach, until it came down to the final over, with India turning to Goswami to finish the job. That she ended up delivering two no-balls for height, one of which hit Carey right in the grille, showed how tense the finish was for even the most experienced. There was no hint of this high drama when Mandhana was reeling off boundaries while putting together two crucial stands either side of a mini slump for India.

She and Shafali Verma put on 74 in 11.1 overs, and then she and wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh added 76 in 75 balls. In the middle, captain Mithali Raj had promoted herself to No.3, but just like in the first ODI, she struggled to rotate strike as the momentum built by the opening stand was sucked out of the innings.

Ghosh and Mandhana repaired the innings, and Goswami made a free-wheeling 28* off 25 as 53 came in the last 47 balls.

At the halfway stage, Australia needed to achieve the third-highest successful run-chase in women's ODIs ever - their own second highest, and the highest against India. Mooney led the way to achieve the impossible.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 25, 2021

Verstappen takes grid Guyanese trio heading to AMBC penalty after engine swap Continental Championships THE Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has selected Travis Inverary, Patrick Harvey and Alesha Jackman to compete at the American Boxing Confederation (AMBC) Round-Robin Continental Battles Championships in Mexico from October 8 to 16.

According to GBA president Steve Ninvalle, it will aid in the preparation for the Junior Pan American Games in Colombia later in the year.

While Harvey has already sealed his fate at the Games, the other two are on the ropes awaiting confirmation on their spot for the November 25 to

December 5 Games in Colombia.

Additionally, Ninvalle stated that Terrence Poole, the Technical Director of the association has been named as coach/manager.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, the GBA head had announced the AMBC Elite Championships for this weekend in Colombia was cancelled.

However, the trio Olympian Kevin Allicock, Colin Lewis, and Desmond Amsterdam are still hard at work now that attention has turned to the World Championships scheduled for October 24 to November 6 in Belgrade, Serbia.

Failure to rotate strike cost Windies downfall against South Africa – Walsh Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Russia at Sochi Autodrom yesterday in Sochi, Russia.

(Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

(BBC) - Red Bull's Max Verstappen will start tomorrow's Russian Grand Prix from the back of the grid as a result of a penalty for using too many engines.

Red Bull needed to take a fourth engine - one more than permitted for a season.

They decided to do so in Russia after he was given a three-place grid penalty for his part in his crash with title rival Lewis Hamilton at the last race.

Valtteri Bottas led Hamilton in a Mercedes one-two in second practice at Sochi.

Bottas was 0.044 seconds quicker than Hamilton, ahead of Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly, McLaren's Lando Norris, Alpine's Esteban Ocon and Verstappen.

Alfa Romeo's Antonio Giovinazzi had a crash at Turn Nine, bringing out the red flag, and late in the session Gasly took off his front wing when he ran over the kerbs at Turn Two. Verstappen's grid penalty gives Hamilton and Mercedes a golden opportunity to gain ground in the championship - the Dutchman is five points ahead of Hamilton heading into this weekend.

Hamilton said: "It doesn't really change anything for us. We just have to do our thing and focus on moving forwards.

"It's a tough year for everyone with reliability. It's definitely a shame for him and we've got to try and capitalise on that and get a maximum result, a one-two would be spectacular for us as a team."

The seven-time champion said he was happy with progress on the first day's running.

"Seems like we started off on the right foot. The first run in the first session was the best and we have been

migrating and adjusting since and it's not been as good as that one.

"But generally a good session pace-wise. We have some work to do on the long run and tomorrow it will be raining a lot."

Verstappen said the decision to take the new engine this weekend was made "taking everything into account, also with the weather for tomorrow.

We thought it would be best to take it here.

"We had to take the penalty anyway and if we didn't take it here it would be somewhere else - we will try to make the best of it in the race."

Persistent rain is expected today and governing body FIA is preparing contingency plans in readiness for a potential delay in qualifying.

If it cannot be run at some point this afternoon, it will be held yomorrow morning before the race.

Verstappen will start at the back alongside Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who also has a new engine fitted this weekend and has also exceeded his allocation.

In Verstappen's case, he needed another engine because he lost one in his heavy crash at the British Grand Prix following his first-lap collision with Hamilton.

Leclerc was running short of parts after he was taken out by Lance Stroll's Aston Martin in the first-corner pile-up at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Ferrari have a new, upgraded hybrid system ready for the first time this weekend and took the opportunity to replace it straightaway with a new engine because of Leclerc's predicament.

Team-mate Carlos Sainz will have the new hybrid system at a later point this season when Ferrari decide it makes tactical sense.

West Indies Women’s coach Courtney Walsh believes that the side’s failure to rotate the strike cost them the South Africa series.

(CMC) – West Indies Women’s head coach Courtney Walsh identified a problem that has plagued the men’s team also affected his side during their recent One-day International series against South Africa.

Walsh said the failure of the batters to consistently rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking over was disappointing and was a critical area of concern for his side.

It is an aspect of the game that has also undermined the men’s team in the recent past in this format and bogged them down.

The Windies Women failed to post a total of 200 at any time during the series, especially when the Proteas bowled with discipline and dried up opportunities for free scoring and boundary-hitting.

This led to several ill-advised strokes in an effort to loose the shackles and a series of tame dismissals that hurt their chances of staying competitive in matches and the series.

“It’s a concern, the rotation of the strike, it’s something we’ve been talking about from the beginning of the camp, but it was highlighted a lot more against South Africa,” Walsh said during a virtual news conference to review the series on Thursday.

“In terms of just hitting the fielders and not being able to find gaps, not being able to play with soft hands - we have identified that.”

He said: “That has been an ongoing discussion before the series and that was one of the areas I was

a little bit disappointed in during the series in that we did not try to show that.

“Leading up to the series we had been practising it; but match-day when we got out in the middle it wasn’t done. We just kept hitting the balls to the fielders. There was no drop and run, or tip and run.

There was not enough of that. We did not do it consistently to convince me were thinking about it.”

Walsh said he saw the batters in the side trying to rotate the strike only for a short period during one match, but it was something they had to do consistently for the team to have long-term success.

“It’s the sort of the thing you have to do in 50 overs-a-side games for a longer period if you are going to challenge teams and if you want to compete against the best teams,” he said.

“It’s a concern. It’s one of the things that have to be addressed, and it will be addressed at the next training camp when we have the time to work on it and try to get it much better.”

West Indies Women narrowly avoided being swept in the five ODI series, when they won the final match in a Super Over.

The Windies Women were using the series as part of their build-up to the 50 overs-a-side ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup qualifying competition to be staged from November to December in Zimbabwe.

The tournament will be the final part of the qualification process for the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 25, 2021

RCB crumble to Bravo’s bowling

SEVEN straight matches, seven straight losses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - all while setting a target. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) find themselves in a mid-season rut, and it threatens to undo their good work in the first half of IPL 2021.

If it was a ridiculous batting meltdown in the first game of the restart where they were shot out for 92, they were hampered by a middle-order meltdown here. From 111 for 0 in 13 overs, they ended with a below-par 156 for 6 then let the loss in momentum boil over on the field.

By the time their spinners tried to make a fist of it, Chennai Super Kings were well on their way as Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis had put on 71 risk-free runs in 8.2 overs. While they fell in successive overs to spin, Ambati Rayudu muscled a quick-fire 32 before MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina saw them home without much stress.

The win not only took Super Kings to the top of the points table but also put them in a great position to make the playoffs, after the disappointment of 2020 on these very shores.

Kohli and Padikkal's mixed bag Virat Kohli came out looking to attack from ball one, and hit two back-to-back boundaries off Deepak Chahar, who couldn't find much swing with the new ball. Josh

Padikkal as he often lost shape in trying to hit out.

Padikkal was the first to bring up his half-century, off 35 balls in the 12th over. Kohli followed him by raising his off 36 balls in the 13th.

But there was a feeling that RCB may have miscalculated slightly.

somewhat covering for lost ground.

This is when Shardul Thakur came into his own, bowling his variations of cross-seam deliveries into the pitch along with his trademark knuckleballs, to take out both de Villiers and Padikkal off consecutive deliveries. de Villiers was foxed by the length as he sliced one into the covers, while Padikkal played the wrong shot, caught at short third attempting to ramp a slower bouncer that hardly rose.

Thakur, who was shovelled out of the ground by Kohli for a huge six in his first over, finished with more than respectable figures of 2 for 29 off his four overs.

Bravo, meanwhile, kept denying Glenn Maxwell, who struggled for timing, and eventually snuffed him out by bowling slow and away from his hitting arc. The mastery over his slower variations was all too evident as he finished with 3 for 24.

In-between, Chahar, who was off-colour early on, delivered a fourrun penultimate over, in which he removed debutant Tim David. When the final ball was bowled, RCB were running on fumes.

Thakur, Bravo trigger slowdown AB de Villers came in at No. 3 upon Kohli's dismissal in the 14th over to Dwayne Bravo, and found run-scoring difficult. Of course, there was the added pressure of

Gaikwad, du Plessis' calmness While Kohli and Padikkal looked to muscle the ball upfront, Gaikwad exuded sage-like calm, choosing to caress the ball. du Plessis, at the other end, was a tad more adventurous, but it made for an

Josh Hazlewood and Dwayne Bravo high-five after the latter snags Virat Kohli. (BCCI)

Hazlewood, his new-ball partner, hit the hard lengths and got the ball to skid, making shot-making more challenging in comparison.

But Devdutt Padikkal found a way out early on to match Kohli's aggression as the pair took Royal Challengers to 55 for 0 in six overs.

While it wasn't the most destructive powerplay, Kohli's willingness to attack relentlessly stood out.

However, the next six overs proved to be the momentum changer. RCB managed just 49 in this period as pace off the ball made scoring difficult, especially for

excellent combination upfront as the Super Kings raced to 59 for 0 in six, four more than RCB had managed but without taking half the risk.

Gaikwad then took the attack to spin, welcoming leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga with a ferocious sweep for four and finishing that over by lofting him down the ground for a straight six.

Navdeep Saini, who replaced Kyle Jamieson, then got some tap from du Plessis, who muscled him for two fours and a six to round off the powerplay. And even though both of them fell off consecutive overs, Super Kings had the game well in control.

Rayudu shows he's alright A swollen elbow from a 149kph Adam Milne thunderbolt three nights ago saw Rayudu retiring hurt.

But the man who turned up last night was pain-free and in the mood to have some fun, quickly using his sound game against spin to negate Yuzvendra Chahal's threat.

Once that was negated, victory was more or less a mere formality.

Rayudu raced to 32, finding good company in Moeen Ali as the pair wiped out any signs of pressure there may have been on Super Kings because of the double strike.

The retired pair of Dhoni and Raina, who would have benefitted from time in the middle then polished off the chase without much fuss.

GFF debunks erroneous Stabroek News article (PRESS Release) - The management of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) regrets to learn, via the media, of the sincere frustrations felt by Jalade Trim’s mother in sourcing relevant match footage of her daughter. To put the record straight, the GFF can, in no way, be charged with impeding Jalade’s opportunities with any professional club or otherwise.

On the contrary, the GFF has been working, over the last few weeks, to assist Jalade and her mother in tracing any available footage. It goes without saying that the GFF actively promotes and invests in the careers of all of its young national players, and in no way acts to impede them. It is malicious and wholly inaccurate to suggest otherwise.

To clarify one of the unsubstantiated allegations in the one-sided Stabroek News story by Mr Duncan Saul, the GFF has no remit or current capacity to collect and catalogue individual player footage, no broadcast rights for tournaments organised

by CONCACAF, no capacity or media rights to build a library of such material.

After receiving an informal request from Jalade’s mother, we have continued to work with CONCACAF to locate any relevant footage from its archive.

The only available recordings of Jalade are during an 2018 U-15 CONCACAF match against The Bahamas, which is publicly and freely available on the CONCACAF website and a promotional video filmed during her trip to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, which was facilitated by the GFF. The former video link was shared with all players involved shortly after the match in question, and the latter video has no scouting value.

In 2020, GFF acquired state-of-the-art match recording technology that is in the process of being tested at the GFF National

Training Centre. This tool will be used to capture footage from regional youth tournaments in the future, once the appropriate rights and conditions are secured by the GFF. This will make it easier for the GFF to provide footage to players and parents, as required.

“We look forward to continue working with the Trim family to help develop the career of one of our most promising young players, building on the many years of support the GFF has provided through regional and national opportunities. We wish her all the best in her future interactions with any professional club and stand ready to engage our network and resources to support this process.

“In light of this matter, we would further encourage players and their families to consider collecting and organising their own highlights reels to ensure they have footage on hand to share with interested parties when opportunities arise.

“The GFF will continue to do what it can to support any footage requests by liaising with rights owners such as CONCACAF. However, it is important for players and parents to understand that such requests are carried out according to CONCACAF’S capacity to do so, and at its discretion and good will.

“We would also urge all players and families to ensure that any expression of interest, from or on behalf of, professional clubs or talent scouts are genuine and legitimate. The GFF stands ready to assist in any such investigation. It is worth remembering that all professional scouts and clubs routinely have access to scouting software, such as WyScout or InStat, which provides access to a global database of match and player footage.

“Finally, as an organisation that cares deeply about the welfare of our players, it is deeply regrettable that Mr Saul would exploit the good faith of a 16-year-old player and her mother to publish such an unsubstantiated story. It beggars belief that Sta-

broek News elected to run this non-urgent story without waiting for a comment from the GFF, especially given the potentially damaging nature of certain claims which required substantiation.

“This one-sided story has been shared widely on social media, which has unfairly blemished the reputation of the GFF and encouraged members of the public to express strong negative sentiments towards the current administration.

“As a result, this matter is being looked into urgently by our legal team and an official complaint is being lodged with the Guyana Press Association. We trust that the management of Stabroek News will take appropriate disciplinary action to ensure that basic reporting standards are upheld in any future articles by Mr Saul.

“We would kindly ask all our partners in the media to be patient while waiting to receive any comment on stories they are working on, as GFF is committed to providing full and transparent details related to any media query. However, this can sometimes take longer than we would all like, given the limited capacity and busy schedule of our organisation.

“While we understand the nature of the news cycle, this may mean that a response is not possible on the same day as the request is received. In any case, other than in very extreme or urgent circumstances, we would argue that the basic principles of good reporting demand the right to reply within the body of any initial news story.

“We are sure that more professionally-minded members of the media will agree that it is both lazy, bad and unethical journalism to hide behind the line, “Efforts to contact X proved futile”, merely to avoid the professional responsibility of sharing both sides of a story, conducting some basic research, and checking the veracity of any allegations.

“In the age of fake news and vested media interests, the public and football community deserve better.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Saturday September 25, 2021

CWI commences High Performance Coach … Chanderpaul, Vishaul Development Programme Singh part of course CRICKET West Indies (CWI) has commenced its first-ever locally planned High-Performance Coach Development Programme.

This initiative is part of CWI’s ‘Cricket First’ strategic plan to invest in building coaching depth and quality across the region, considering the vital role coaches play in developing cricketers’ skills across all age groups and abilities.

The High-Performance (Level 3) programme has been designed by CWI Coach Development Manager, Chris Brabazon, in partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI). It provides a number of the region’s best coaches with opportunities to further learn and develop contemporary coaching philosophies and techniques that will allow them to thrive in the high-performance environment of the West Indies Cricket Pathway.

The rigorous, holistic accreditation which started with an online induction on Sunday, September 19, will see 17 participants from across the region take part in a 12-month programme via a blended learning approach.

Among the coaches who are pursuing this highest level of accreditation are former West Indies batting great Shivnarine Chanderpaul; former West Indies international players: Rayad Emrit, Nikita Miller, Ryan Austin, and Gar-

ey Mathurin; as well as Test batsman and current Guyana Jaguars player Vishaul Singh.

The course will consist of online discussions, tutorials, and ongoing mentoring as well as a face-to-face residential component to be held in Antigua in October, 2021. In addition to the technical basics of elite cricket, topics will include Programme Management, Sports Psychology, Leadership, Communication as well as Visual Technology and Data Analysis.

Delivery of the course will be by CWI High-Performance staff in conjunction with UWI representatives to provide participants with unprecedented access to best-practice case studies and frameworks from the elite levels of West Indies cricket and beyond.

CWI’s Coach Development Manager, Chris Brabazon, highlighted how the programme will significantly enhance high-performance cricket across the region. He said: “This programme will provide a huge boost to the upper echelons of our West Indies Cricket Pathway. By the end of our 12-month journey with these participants, we will have significantly added to our stable of local high-performance coaches.

“This group will understand how the role of a high-per-

formance coach continues to evolve and how they can best manage themselves and their resources to create the best high-performance environments possible for their players in their current role while inspiring them to strive for the next step in their own coaching journey.”

In a brief address to the participants, CWI president Ricky Skerritt expressed his delight that the plan for self-sufficiency in modern coaching development was close to being fulfilled at CWI. He said that 29 certified Level 2 coaches had applied for the 17 available spaces, which have just been filled. “Coaches must compete for places just like cricketers do. Competitiveness and education are two key components for achieving excellence in coaching,” Skerritt said.

President Skerritt informed participants that just in the past two years, 497 new coaching certificates had already been delivered across eight Caribbean countries – 81 at Level 2, 116 at Level 1, and 300 at the Foundation Level. 16 CWI Coach Developers have also been trained to deliver Level 1 Courses locally.

Skerritt added: “For our young West Indian cricketers to achieve their very best outcomes, all that we do to assist and support them must also be of the highest possible quality”.

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CWI commences High Performance Coach Development Programme … Chanderpaul, Vishaul Singh part of course

Batting legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul

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Travis Inverary

Patrick Harvey

Alesha Jackman

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Guyanese trio heading to AMBC Continental Championships

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2021