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, 2021 mber 26 ay Septe SundSunday September 26, 2021

26th September, 2021

See Inside

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No.106496

Guyana to get $83.6M annually 03 for independent audits of Payara PAGE

– according to licence agreement

‘Every child safe campaign’ launched 16 PAGE

Public health system equipped with 97% 02 of all essential drugs CXC, NGSA results to be released on Oct 14, 15 23 PAGE

PAGE

Police to start 24 taking statements electronically PAGE

Minister of Human Services and Social Security Vindhya Persaud and Childcare Director Ann Greene at the ‘Sip N Paint’ event with a parent and child on Friday last

Public health system equipped with 97% of all essential drugs

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

-says President Ali SINCE assuming office in August 2020, t h e P e o p l e ’s P ro gressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has dumped approximately $11 billion worth of expired medical, diagnostic and laboratory supplies that were purchased under the previous A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration.

However, as a result of a massive effort to remedy the situation, the public health system is now well stocked with at least 97 per cent of all essential drugs, according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali. At a press conference on Friday in New York, the Head of State reflected that while the dumping of billions of dollars’

President Dr. Irfaan Ali (Office of the President photo)

worth of supplies were being facilitated, the public health system was kept afloat with a very minimal supply of essential medication.

“The entire healthcare system had less than 10 per cent of all the drugs

that were needed,” President Ali emphasised, as he pointed to several areas that have seen massive investments over the past year.

When the PPP/C government took office, Minister of Health Dr. Frank

Anthony ordered a comprehensive audit to help inform a gap analysis of the drug shortage across the country. Among other things, the audit found that many of the drugs and other supplies were close to their expiration dates

when they were bought.

Added to that, the defunct Management Information System (MIS) at the Materials Management Unit contributed to an extended lull in the distribution process.

In 2020, shortly after discarding some 300 truckloads of expired drugs from its Materials Management Unit (MMU) and other health facilities, the Ministry of Health initiated a comprehensive $12 billion effort to restock and revive the public health sector, which it described as one of the most neglected sectors under the previous administration.

Dr. Anthony had also said that the situation with the expired drugs led

house Management Information System and install pharmaceutical monitors in each administrative region to reduce future shortages.

Going forward, Dr. Anthony had said that focus would be placed on computerising the entire medical distribution system, so as to ensure that efficient monitoring and management can be done in real time. To further strengthen the capacity, the government in its 2021 national budget of $383.1 billion allocated some $53.5 billion towards the health sector.

While a provision of over $750 million was directed to the national vaccination effort, some $1.8 billion was also budgeted for expansion of the country’s

FLASHBACK: One of the 300 truckloads of expired medications being dumped (DPI photo)

to cases such as the infamous drug-bond scandal, which saw former APNU+AFC health minister Dr. George Norton being charged for allegedly renting a Sussex Street, Georgetown bond for three years, at a monthly cost of a whopping $12.5 million.

“Because the bond was cluttered, the previous government resorted to renting bond space. So, by clearing out expired drugs, we have now been able to make more space available,” Dr. Anthony said in a related interview with the government’s Department of Public Information.

While the drug-bond fiasco remains at the level of the court, Minister Anthony said that the “fixable” issues were dealt with by the Dr. Ali-led government; mechanisms, he said, were put in place to remedy the previously defunct modern ware-

diagnostic and speciality capacities. The government also included $322 million to procure medical equipment, including ventilators and anaesthesia machines for the national referral hospital, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Additionally, $35 million was plugged into boosting the Emergency Medical Services, while a holistic plan is being developed to introduce an ambulance authority.

Moreover, some $2.8 billion was allocated for the modernisation and expansion of physical infrastructure, which will cover the continued implementation of the $860 million SMART Hospital initiative which was initiated with five facilities – the Leonora Hospital, the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, the Mabaruma Hospital, as well as the Lethem and Paramakatoi Hospitals.

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Guyana to get $83.6M annually for independent audits of Payara _according to licence agreement SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

FOR the next five years, ExxonMobil Guyana will be required to pay Guyana an annual sum of $83.6 million to finance independent audits of the Payara Development Project offshore Guyana.

This means, that within the next five years, Guyana’s Oil and Gas industry will benefit from additional $418,004,800 in accumulated payments.

These expected payments are in keeping with contents of the Payara Petroleum Production Licence, signed between the Government of Guyana and ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL).

“The company shall pay to an account controlled by the government, the amount US$400,000 ($83.6M) to be used by the government for the procurement of the third-party auditors to supplement the chief inspector’s resources and development of institutional capacity for the ongoing conduct of audits,” according to the Payara Petroleum Production Licence, which was signed on September 30, last year.

The finalisation of the agreement followed weeks of intense consultations and negotiations, between the Guyana government and the oil company. The US$9 billion Payara Development Project, located in the Stabroek Block, offshore Guyana, is expected to produce up to 220,000 barrels of oil per day after start-up in 2024, using the Prosperity floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, which is currently under construction at the Keppel Shipyard in Singapore.

Once operational, the Payara development is likely to target an estimated resource base of about 600 million oil-equivalent barrels.

Also addressed in the Payara licencing agreement, was the issue of flaring. The government has insisted that routine flaring is strictly prohibited without the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is stated that flaring to maintain oil production will not be permitted. And, the company will pay the government for the cost of gas wasted during flaring and will also be subject to fines under the EPA, related to emissions from flaring.

The fine, according to reports, will be calculated by applying the government’s profit gas and royalty percentage share for a given month to the flared volumes, multiplied by the lower of the following: Inside FERC Henry Hub Index

price as published by Platts - a Crude Oil Marketwire each month; or the sales price agreed for gas from the Sta-

single investment in the history of Guyana. And, it is slated to bring with it, not only the natural bounties which lie below

Phase Two remains on track to begin producing oil by early 2022.

Liza Phase Two will pro-

prices on the rise globally, Guyana could see the returns from its burgeoning petroleum sector growing, As a matter of fact, Guyana’s nine billion plus oil finds

The Payara Petroleum Production Licence was signed in September 2021 by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat (second right) and officials of EEPGL broek Block.

According to the agreement, ExxonMobil is also required to update its “base design” for the project to in-

the seabed offshore Guyana, but also new and industry-leading technologies such as the fibre-optic sensing system, which was developed by Halliburton

duce up to 220,000 barrels of oil per day at peak rates, using the Liza Unity FPSO. First Lady of Guyana, Mrs. Arya Ali, was officially designated as

are projected to double by 2025, largely owing to a massive exploration campaign that is preparing to take shape within the coming months. This is likely to

The Prosperity FPSO, which will serve the Payara Development Project, is currently under construction in Singapore clude “tie-in points” and space for produced water injection equipment.

The Payara Development Project, estimated to cost more than one trillion Guyana dollars, is said to be the largest

and TechnipFMC. As it is, ExxonMobil’s first offshore project at the Stabroek Block, Liza Phase One, began producing in late 2019, well ahead of the industry’s average for development time. Liza

the Liza Unity’s “Godmother,” which is already en route to Guyana from Singapore.

So far, Guyana has recorded in excess of US$344,161,633 in direct earnings from its petroleum sector. And, with oil

see Guyana’s Natural Resources Fund soon surpassing US$500 million.

Speaking last month at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) hosted in the United States, Vice-President,

Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, had recognised that because of the climate change imperative to decarbonise the world, it was important that Guyana pursues an aggressive mission of “getting as much oil out of the ground as quickly as possible.”

The former President reasoned that Guyana has to maximise the benefit from the industry and use those benefits to change lives of every Guyanese. “We don’t know how swiftly we’ll get to a decarbonised world, but we have to make use of this period when there is still demand to get as much as possible out of the ground and that is why we support the rapid pace of the industry, but it must be done safely,” he posited.

On a local radio programme called, ‘Guyana’s oil and you’, Jagdeo had said, pointedly, that even with the environmental concerns relating to oil production, Guyana does not have the option of leaving the oil in the ground.

“There are many people saying now that we should not be producing oil. We don’t have that option in Guyana. Our people badly need development and we have to make sure that we produce the oil and get as much development out of it for our people to invest long term in other sectors so that they can get wealthier and have a decent life.”

The former Head of State, who has been globally recognised for his efforts to fight against climate change, indicated his government’s intention to rely on the advice of experts to ensure that its decision to continue oil production was sound.

“We can’t shut down the industry as some people have been calling for. We are going to be driven by the technical expertise. The oil and gas industry will be vital to our future and we have to do it well,” he said.

“We have made it clear that we are going to try, as far as possible, to ensure that Guyanese benefit from these resources,” he reiterated.

The Dr. Irfaan Ali-led government has repeatedly pledged to utilise Guyana’s petroleum earnings to transform and modernise a number of non-oil sectors; more importantly, agriculture. The President has also said on multiple occasions that all measures are being put in place to ensure that Guyana does not fall prey to the dreaded ‘Dutch Disease’ that has brought doom and gloom to many other countries that have been relying solely on their oil revenues.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

GWI exploring ‘Hope Canal’ for East Coast Demerara water reservoir

THE Ministry of Housing and Water through the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) is exploring the possibility of utilising the Northern Relief Channel, better known as the “Hope Canal,” as a water

reservoir to cater for the growing needs of residents on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) corridor.

This was disclosed by subject Minister Collin Croal during a recent inter-

Ministry of Housing and Water Collin Croal

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

The “Hope Canal” or Northern Relief Channel at Hope/Dochfour, East Coast Demerara – (Delano Williams photo) view with this publication; he indicated that tests are currently being done to ascertain the viability of such a venture, noting that once those tests come back with a positive answer, the government will move to utilise the canal to improve water access in several communities.

“We currently have a study that is being embarked on for the usage of the “Hope Canal” as a reservoir for the delivery of water to residents on the East Coast, so that is a study. Of course, you have to have a study to see if it’s viable, the quality of the water, etc., so if that study proves successful then it will mean a lot for us in delivery of water on the East Coast,” Minister Croal stated.

The “Hope Canal” or Northern Relief Channel, which is located at Hope/ Dochfour, East Coast Demerara is a massive, multi-component channel that utilises a sturdy, eightgate sluice to release excess water into the Atlantic Ocean at times when the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) reaches maximum capacity.

The $ 3.6 billion channel was constructed on November 9, 2013, in response to the 2005 flooding, when a breach in the embankment resulted in floods to almost the entire East Coast of Demerara, causing significant damage to agricultural and residential areas.

Boosting Capacity Notwithstanding plans to utilise the “Hope Canal”

for improved water supply, the Housing Minister further indicated that the government will also be investing some $411 million over the next three months to construct water wells across Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

Croal told the Guyana Chronicle that some of those projects have commenced, and should be completed by the end of this year.

Some $150 million is being expended to construct a well at Lusignan, while wells are also being constructed at Providence, Wakenaam and Parika Backdam, for $106 million, $50 million, and $80 million, respectively.

Additionally, Minister Croal said that five wells are being drilled at communities along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, at an aggregate cost of $25 million.

“Our aim is to have an improved level of service, both in terms of reach and the quality of water that is being delivered to households. So, every time we drill a new well it is to increase our coverage and keep as part of our goal, accessibility to safe water by all our citizens. So, work

on these wells is a direct part of our five-year mandate and vision at GWI,” Minister Croal said.

The Housing and Water Minister said that the works at Soesdyke, Wakenaam, and Parika are all being done by an “in-house” team from the GWI, while the other ongoing works are being outsourced to independent contractors.

Minister Croal further said that those upgrades are especially important given the government’s expanding housing programme. He noted that several of those new wells will serve to improve the water supply in several existing and potential communities.

“These wells are going to serve not just the community they are in, but also several surrounding communities to boost the water pressure in those communities.

The one that we’re doing at Providence will start shortly and will help Herstelling, Providence, Peters Hall… if we connect a number of those households right now, it would drop the pressure at Eccles, so all these wells that we are doing are important,” Minister Croal related.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

Guyana supports new measurement - says of vulnerability among SIDS President Ali PRESIDENT Dr Irfaan Ali on Friday said that Guyana fully supports development of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) to aid Small Island Developing States (SIDS), since the current system of using GDP per capita is inadequate.

He gave his support via a video message at a high-level side event on the UN Secretary-General’s report regarding the MVI for SIDS. The Head of State pointed out that even some of the world’s largest, advanced, diverse and resilient economies have been struggling to cope with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This fallout, he said, has had a worse effect on SIDS in the Caribbean and the Pacific that are dependent on tourism and other

affected sectors for their Gross Domestic Product (GDP), export earnings and employment.

“SIDS had to contend with a pandemic that has pushed public health systems to the brink, and that has brought entire economies to a standstill.”

The President noted that Guyana welcomes the renewed attention being paid to the development, finalisation and use of the MVI. “Against this background, Guyana strongly supports the call for work on developing a robust and credible MVI [to] be brought to a timely conclusion and finalisation, and Guyana urges strongly that we move swiftly as a global community to incorporate the MVI into the framework for determining eligibility for development support,

especially concessional support.”

The President said that renewed attention to the MVI comes after three decades of advocacy of the development of such an index to be put to use, especially in determining the eligibility for international development support.

In essence, a MVI will allow for the inclusion of more than just income-based criteria to assess eligibility for concessionary finance.

“We are long past the stage of recognising the inadequacies and shortcomings of using a single, limited metric, such as GDP per capita as a measure of development status, and needs. The international community recognises the inherent, archaic and often perverse results that arise from the use of the single measure to determine a country’s eligibility for development support.”

He pointed out that a perusal of the secretary-general’s report shows that it is patent-

ly obvious that a single matrix such as GDP per capita is totally unsuitable for determining support to SIDS. President Ali reminded the summit that in 2005 Guyana experienced a devastating flood that caused damage equal to 59% of the country’s GDP at the time, and in June this year he was forced to declare a national disaster after record levels of rainfall inundated large swathes across the country.

“I hasten to add that even though I highlight the events of 2005 and 2021, floods are not a one in a 20-year event for Guyana. Every year one community, or another, in Guyana, feels the brunt of extreme weather events, facing either floods caused by heavy rainfall or coastal inundation caused by high tides and rising sea levels. For us in Guyana, vulnerability to climate change is not an abstract concept that we read of or a future prospect that may or may not materialise.”

President of Guyana Dr Irfaan Ali The President emphasised that climate change is a current, ever-present, reality that citizens of Guyana and other

low-lying coastal developing states and SIDS face on a daily basis.

(Office of the President press release)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

A boost to Guyana’s international profile GUYANA’s international profile was given a significant boost during President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s presentation at the United Nations General Assembly and his interactions with several world leaders. According to the President, Guyana’s election-stained image has been repaired and the country is now gearing up to accommodate an influx of world leaders and other key business executives who have indicated an interest in doing business with the country.

According to the President who hosted a press conference on the eve of his return to Guyana from the United States, within the coming weeks the country will be hosting a visit by the President of Kenya,

Uhuru Kenyatta, and other high-profile members with the view to advancing bilateral talks.

This disclosure by the President came mere weeks after he participated in a historic summit which, among other things, sought to revive relations between the African continent and member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Guyana and Africa have deep cultural and economic similarities and it is only natural for the parties to find ways to deepen such ties The President has had a busy schedule ever since he departed the country over a week ago. Apart from his participation in the meeting of the General Assembly, he also interacted with several world leaders and heads of

several international institutions and interest groups during which he sought to advance Guyana’s interests.

One such forum was the Economic Recovery and Restructuring in Emerging Economies and the Integral Role of Energy and Infrastructure Development where he elaborated on the impact of COVID-19 and the government’s plan for recovery. The event, which took the form of a panel discussion, was hosted by the Global Business leadership Forum Goldman Sachs and O’Melveny in New York.

A high-level government delegation headed by President Ali also met with the Inter-American Development Bank President, Mr. Mauricio Claver-Carone at the Office of the Permanent Mission to Guyana in

New York. The IDB Head was updated on Guyana’s development plan and the importance of the IDB as a development partner. Bilateral meetings were also held with the leaders of several other countries including Kosovo, Ghana, Colombia and Brazil.

These engagements, apart from raising the image of Guyana, also seek to deepen economic and cultural ties between Guyana and the rest of the world.

Guyana is no longer a country, as it were, in the economic backwater, but has now joined the league of oil producing states. Countries are now showing much greater interest in the country which is now seen as an investment hub.

It was, undoubtedly, a very productive engage-

ment between President Ali and the rest of the world which will change the profile of Guyana in positive ways. And this is despite some opposition elements who are seeking to tarnish the image of the country and its leadership by making all manner of false and malicious statements which are not only misleading but intended to divert international attention on the immense strides the country is making in terms of economic development and prosperity for all.

At his press conference in New York, the President was forced to reprimand a news reporter for seemingly alluding to a false narrative of ‘extra-judicial’ killings in Guyana which, as the President observed, has not one iota of truth, but which

continues to be parroted by the political opposition and the opposition media.

The same false narrative is being peddled on the issue of the PPP/C being an ‘installed regime’ rigged’ which again is totally lacking in substance but which is designed to distract attention from the enormous progress the country is making under the PPP/C administration.

President Ali must be commended for calling a spade a spade and for debunking the lies and mischief emanating from those who have political axes to grind. He has already demonstrated that he has what it takes to be a world leader and an international statesman for which all Guyanese must be proud.

The neo-goebbelism tactics of the PNC and AFC

Dear Editor THE neo-goebbelism tactics of the PNC and the AFC are once again surfacing with cries of racial discrimination, marginalisation of Afro-Guyanese and extra judicial killings. Guyanese are plain tired of listening to the same old lies being rehashed with the creation of imaginary political links to the PPP. All of these lies were sold to the public pre-2015, but these Coalition ‘salesmen’ are just relentless in their villainous pursuits to gain power at any and all costs. Guyana is never first!

The Coalition needs to come to terms with the hard cold fact that a government is elected by the majority based on sound economic and social policies which foster a better standard of living for its people among other things.

The achievement must speak for itself. Every Guyanese

knew that the Coalition will never be re-elected for a second term because of its track record of squandermania, theft, wholesale corruption, the rising of the cost of living and growing unemployment.

These ‘achievements’ are well-documented in the Auditor General’s Report and the Bank of Guyana Report each year from 2015 until the end of its term. The Coalition knew that its re-election will never take place, hence the many steps taken to rig the 2020 Elections even before it was due, for instance, the renewal of Lowenfield’s contract and the appointment of Myers. They also placed a wrong bet on the appointment of Retired Justice Claudette Singh.

There is no racial discrimination and this is clearly manifested when one looks at the distribution of the vari-

ous cash grants, employment opportunities, developmental works in the various communities and the equitable allocation of resources. The re-opening of the closed estates provides equal employment opportunities for all, regardless of race or political affiliation. I would like the Coalition to disprove this.

Furthermore, at the last RDC Capital Budget proposal in Region Six, The Fyrish NDC, a PNC-controlled NDC, was allocated over $200 million whilst Port Mourant and Kilcoy/Hampshire were allocated far less. Res ipsa loquitur -The facts speak for themselves.

At the meeting to approve this budget, the Coalition’s Councilors fully endorsed it since each NDC received a fair share. No one spoke about discrimination.

This undeniable fact is mirrored in the national bud-

gets which ensure that each and every Guyanese and every community are treated fairly and the resources are equitably distributed. Let the Coalition prove otherwise.

Furthermore, if any a person feels marginalised then that is based solely on his/her choice not to work or to be engaged in gainful employment. Marginalisation in Guyana is more of a myth propagated by the Coalition than a reality.

A man cannot want to party every night and wants his life to be better. Those who are unwilling to make sacrifices do suffer. Achievements are born out of sacrifice. During the Coalition’s misrule, inequitable distribution was the order of the day, as they ensured that their support base received the lion’s share of the resources.

The Coalition is once again propagating its ‘theory’

that extra-judicial is linked to the PPP. During its five-year term in government the Coalition had all the opportunities available to them to prove this ‘theory’ correct but they could not have done that. PNC member provided the worst excuse for this. He claimed people fear giving evidence against death squad members. He was quoted as saying that, ‘You are not going to get people that easily to go and give evidence out of fear. Don’t forget that a lot of people are afraid. You have to do thorough investigations and, hopefully, with improved investigative capacity etc. we would be able to deal with those matters and many of them who still exist’. Why is it that the Coalition Government never used resources available to them to ‘improve the investigative capacity of the GPF? The answer is simple. There was no link to the

PPP; hence there was no need to investigate further. Does anyone think that the Coalition would have squandered an opportunity to prove this link? Absolutely not! I fully endorsed His Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali’s statement of finality when he said that, ‘The propaganda that was used in the past about extra-judicial killing was dismantled.’ It is time for the Coalition to sing a new tune.

The Leader of the Opposition and his team should engage their time and effort in meaningful debate and give support to policies which foster the socio-economic development of our country. The opposition should not squander this opportunity to prove to the people that Guyana is first and desist from creating racial schisms.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

7

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

Should anti-vaxxers who catch COVID-19 jump the line for treatment ahead of heart and cancer patients?

JUST after Judge Fidela Corbin-Lincoln whacked the PNC unions for their lawsuit opposing vaccinations, Mr. Lincoln Lewis said, “The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) and the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), which have a case before the High Court on the government’s vaccination mandate is not opposed to persons, who are eligible for and desire to take the vaccine, from doing so.

Not to be outdone, the GTU said “it wishes

to disassociate itself from the recent ‘Priya is a Wild Hog’ jingle which hurls derogatory remarks at the sitting Minister of Education. We are of the view that political figures have taken this to another level.”

The GTU and other PNC unions must be vigilant that anti-nationalist political motivations do not hijack the union’s improvement agenda. At a time of grave national emergency, they betrayed their mission and played politics with our national safety and security.

They chose to “stick it to the PPP”. In my view, if the unions were truly for vaccines, they

Dear Editor, GUYANA, over the last few months, experienced a natural disaster: flooding.

As a result, our nation’s farmers suffered. When farmers suffer, consumers suffer. It reminded me of that old saying my mother would say: “When America sneezes, the world catches a cold.”

Now one might ask how did the consumers suffer. The answer is simple: flooded farms equaled limited access to fresh, Guyanese-grown fruits and vegetables. We all know that when fruits and vegetables are scarce, prices for these precious commodities increase significantly

and that quickly became the reality of the Guyanese consumer. Although a lot of livestock was lost, in my opinion, the prices for those items remained stable. It was the cost of the fruits and vegetables that skyrocketed.

A little over a month ago, President Ali had announced a multibillion-dollar relief package for all classes of farmers. News reports have indicated that this initiative has commenced and farmers are receiving cash incentives to assist them with getting their farms up and running again.

These reports also revealed that seeds and seedlings are also being distrib-

Dear Editor,

would not have filed frivolous, unwinnable lawsuits similar to what happened during the five-months of election rigging. The unions would have been in the forefront encouraging vaccination and hosting vaccination sites, not fuelling protests.

They did not really support vaccinations.

The unions have wasted the workers’ money on lawsuits, and those who followed them and missed work should ask their unions for reimbursement for loss of pay. Their actions harm the economy and these unions would soon be asking for salary increases and benefits.

But the damage has

been done. Now, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised against travel to Guyana, stating that even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants. The CDC placed Guyana on the highest COVID-19 travel health notice level, that is, Level Four. This means the CDC believes that travel to the country should be avoided due to the current surge in COVID-19 infections.

It stated, “If you must travel to Guyana, make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel.”

And CNN reports that the popular Howard

If you are against the goverment’s flood-relief grant, you are against feeding the nation uted across the country. Our farmers seem happy with this and, as a consumer and weekly market-goer, I am too.

With every story told, there is a hero and a villain.

The President and the government have easily won the title of hero. So, who is the villain? The villain or villains are the persons who have openly condemned this initiative. The government gave farmers the resources to get back to farming so that they can continue to feed the nation. If you can sit and condemn that, you must be against feeding the nation.

We cannot become the

“breadbasket” of the Caribbean if we cannot feed our own people. We cannot feed our people if our farmers do not have the resources to farm. Governments have the responsibility for ensuring their citizens have the necessary resources to improve their day-to-day lives. Farmers should receive the same benefits as any other citizen. After all, they too are Guyanese. I hope the government continues to support our farmers in every way possible because they deserve it.

Yours sincerely, Rebecca Todd-Sealey

Stern is taking on anti-vaxxers who refuse to get the shot. He seems to be all out of carrots and is wielding sticks as he cusses (I am a righteous person and do not endorse that). Speaking on his SiriusXM satellite radio show about the recent deaths of several anti-vaxxer radio hosts, Stern frowned upon people who won’t get vaccinated.

Stern, who is vaccinated, is also frustrated over COVID-19 patients who chose not to get vaccinated causing hospitals to be overwhelmed. “If you have a heart attack or any kind of problem, you can’t even get into the ER. (Emergency Room).

And I’m really of mind to say, “Look, if you didn’t get vaccinated and you got COVID, you don’t get into a hospital.” For emphasis, he added, “You had the cure and you wouldn’t take it.”

So nation, if someone persistently refuses to be vaccinated and contracts the virus, should that person be allowed to jump the line ahead of someone with a heart condition, cancer or similar chronic condition? Or should the COVID victim wait in the line like everybody else?

What do you say?

Yours sincerely, Dr. Jerry Jailall

8

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

Politics & Society Forum Untold accounts during the first wave of PNC dictatorship

I AM convinced that the role Suriname played during the twenty eight years of PNC dictatorship in Guyana, from the 1960s to the 1980s, is yet to be told even on a limited level.

The Guyana-Suriname nexus has become increasingly important because the two countries have re-established strong ties which, by any stretch of the imagination, is intended to last for future decades. The idea of bridging the Corentyne River to facilitate trade and initiate other forms of development is just one example. Moreover, any historical and contemporary knowledge of the neighbourly nexus of two former European colonies, now independent, would be beneficial to our younger generation of Guyanese who are not old enough to have firsthand information and subsequent understanding as to what transpired during the PNC reign. I am not sure if that generation is fully cognisant of what their grandparents and parents endured to stay afloat during those dark years in Guyana. Do they know that the connection with Suriname was a life line for basic survival among working class Guyanese? Perhaps some memories, through oral communications, were passed on to them during the five months in 2020 to rig the general election.

Unfortunately, this piece is not referring to formal policies between the governments

of these two countries because that will be a futile exercise. I leave that for the defenders of the PNC. The policies between the two countries then were simply limited and unproductive. Can anyone who is reading this column list one positive policy between Guyana and Surname during the PNC dictatorship?

The only positive policies I can think of were when Suriname accepted some 40,000 Guyanese and when Forbes Burnham went to Suriname begging Guyanese to return home.

In the latter situation, you could have heard the booing miles away, something Guyanese could not have done at Burnham’s rallies in Guyana. Police and henchmen were planted in the crowd to cow everyone into obedience to the Kabaka.

That said, I am referring to the clandestine activities Guyanese developed between themselves and Surinamese to merely survive starvation and malnutrition. Suriname, and in particular the town of New Nickerie and its environs, became a safety valve for Guyanese in the Upper Corentyne region and further afield. Crabwood Creek, to be precise, was the gateway for the smuggling of basic food items such as sardines, potatoes, flour and dhal into Guyana. These were banned food items, which were mainly the diets of Indians.

The pattern of smuggling on the Corentyne River had a chain connection: physically

and mentally. The physical was that Guyanese would go over to Suriname in the day time, sometimes illegally, and establish connections and contacts on how to smuggle goods across the river. Once the goods arrived in Guyana, the police were paid off and so they turned a blind eye to any illegal transactions. The police were not earning sufficient money to sustain themselves and their family and so they were susceptible to bribes, kickbacks, and banned items. Actually, some police were directly involved in smuggling on and off duty.

The mental side of smuggling was that almost everyone on the Surinamese side and even on the Guyanese side in the villages was sympathetic to the reality that Guyanese were “punishing bad, bad” because of the PNC dictatorial policies. They were supportive of a humanitarian cause to save Guyanese, especially babies suffering mal-nourishment and starvation, despite how illegal. However, to keep abreast with stamping out “resistance to cooperative socialism,” the pressure was placed on local authorities to crack down on the smugglers. The outcome was that small-scale smugglers felt the brunt of the crackdown as many were fined and jailed.

One smuggler told me then that he donated his entire profit on one smuggling expedition to the then Hoyte administration, and when I

Professor Lomarsh Roopnarine

asked why, his response was “get sense nah, I will get back all that money plus me have full protection from the police.” Whether he was speaking the truth or not is not the point. The perception is that he believed that he could worm his way to the top echelon of an administration to protect his trade revealed the free-riding style of government of the day and its final Gotterdammerung.

Indeed, while Suriname was the supply side of badly needed goods and resources, Guyanese on the ground had to fashion out innovative ways to beat the system or be brutalised for just harbouring one can of sardines or one potato. One innovative way this writer witnessed was that fish sellers would catch sardines from the Corentyne River and load them in wooden boxes on the back of their bicycles riding from villages to villages blowing horns and shouting on top of their voices “nice fresh sardines for sale”.

The reality was that under those fresh sardines were real cans of “Illegal” sardines for sale. Up to this day, the police had not figured what those fish sellers were actually selling. Unfortunately, stories like these and others of how Surinamese helped Guyanese during the horror years of PNC dictatorship remain closeted, how sad! (lomarsh.roppnarine@jsusms.edu)

Understanding Energy

Guyana’s responsibility to develop its resources

AS we move out of the COVID-19 crisis, developed nations including the United States, the United Kingdom, and China are calling for increased production of oil and gas resources to meet rising demand, despite parallel concerns about climate change.

But these countries often have a very different message when it comes to countries like Guyana beginning to develop their own resources. Industrialised countries are “pushing the developing world to maintain per capital low emissions, but that could keep them in a low emission, low-income trap for the future,” Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said at a recent Baker Institute event at Rice University in Houston.

Calls to stop development would have serious implications for Guyana’s efforts to increase standards of living and create new opportunities. As Vice President Jagdeo also alluded to in his remarks, many of the countries that are now calling for limiting fossil fuel development made their wealth and were able to become highly developed partly because of their own natural resources.

Norway and Canada, for example, were able to harness resource wealth and develop

into highly advanced societies. Each now possesses a highly developed and diverse economy but still produces vast quantities of oil. This is often what sustainable long-term success looks like.

But countries that have recently entered into energy sector development are facing a different global attitude – that they should instead focus on sustainable development.

The challenge is that economic diversification, renewable energy, and infrastructure development can be expensive. Without a large infusion of capital, many developing countries have little hope of making rapid moves towards sustainable development.

Although Guyana has historically been only a tiny emitter of greenhouse gasses, and a net carbon sink overall, it now faces a reality of rising seas and stronger storms that it must be prepared for. The capital itself may require significant efforts over the coming decades, and the seawalls and dikes which protect the coast against storm surges, date from the colonial period and are in desperate need of repair and upgrade if they are to survive rising sea levels.

With environmentally sustainable development of oil and gas resources, developing

countries can both generate the revenues they need to develop more economically over the long term and mitigate impacts on the environment. The government has maintained that development is Guyana’s sovereign right and it has a responsibility to develop its resources, if doing so means raising living standards and providing better healthcare, education, and economic opportunities.

As Vice President Jagdeo explained at the recent Offshore Technology Conference, “we can develop the industry in our country, it can grow rapidly, it can produce the wealth that could help us to change people’s lives and that’s crucial for us. We can do so in Guyana’s case, by continuing to invest in and use some of these resources to invest in a decarbonised future consistent with our low carbon development strategy.”

But all that investment will not come cheap. That’s another reason why oil and gas revenues will be so vital in the decades ahead. Increased economic activity from oil is leading to new, higher paying job opportunities. Greater financial resources are increasing access to better education and other opportunities. New construction is rising all over Georgetown and the gov-

ernment has not even spent a dollar of the US $400 million in the Natural Resources Fund yet. This is how Guyana is planning for its future.

While it is important to understand that resource development is highly economically transformative, it is equally important to see how environmentally responsible Guyana has been in its development process so far.

Guyana is home to some of the strictest environmental standards for resource development and has been an eager participant in efforts to combat climate change at the United Nations and on the regional level.

Its forests, which are strictly preserved in a way few countries can match, provide the country with a huge carbon sink, and have longed helped to mitigate the emissions of the developed world.

It is the government’s duty to ensure that this oil continues to be developed as safely and responsibly as possible to protect the environment.

But it is also worth heeding the Vice President’s advice when critics from wealthy and oil rich countries train their focus on Guyana.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

The Science of COVID-19

COVID-19 vaccination and pregnancy

By Dr. Narine Singh Chief Medical Officer (ag) Ministry of Health PREGNANT women are at an increased risk for severe illness and are at a higher risk of certain complications from COVID-19 when compared with non-pregnant women with COVID-19 of the same age, including: - An increased risk (about five times higher) of being admitted to a hospital.

- An increased risk (about two to three times higher) of being admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

- An increased risk (about three times higher) of needing invasive ventilation (breathing life support).

During pregnancy, COVID-19 also increases the risk of complications for the newborn, including a slightly increased risk (about 1.5 times higher) of being born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy); an increased risk (nearly three times higher) of needing admission to a hospital newborn care unit.

Pregnant persons with certain underlying conditions are also more likely to be severely affected by COVID-19 than pregnant persons without these conditions. These conditions are: being older than 35 years, being overweight or obese (body mass index above 30 Kg/m2); having pre-existing (pre-pregnancy) high blood pressure; having pre-existing (pre-pregnancy) diabetes (type 1 or type 2).

Often, because pregnant patients are more frequently exposed to outpatient and hospital environments during prenatal visits and delivery, it, therefore, means that every pregnant patient then meets the World Health Organization criteria of being at high risk of exposure and increased risk for severe disease as compared to the general population.

The goal of any preventative prenatal intervention is to minimise risk to

the fetus and mother while maximising health benefits.

Vaccination presents an important strategy to mitigate illnesses of this population.

There is precedent for immunisation during pregnancy in this context: tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and influenza vaccines are routinely administered in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. Protecting the mother against infection is a primary benefit; pregnancy functionally immunosuppresses a patient and stresses cardiopulmonary systems. Secondary benefits to the fetus include preventing complications during delivery and transmitting protective antibodies transplacentally and through breastfeeding.

Although some live vaccinations, such as measles, mumps, rubella and varicella, are contraindicated in pregnancy, all current COVID-19 vaccines are composed of double stranded DNA or mRNA and do not carry the live virus. Clinical trials have demonstrated that vaccination is highly effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in non-pregnant patients.

The potential harm to pregnant patients who experience peripartum infections includes increased risk of intensive care unit admission and maternal mortality.

The potential harms to the baby include increased fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and infant mortality.

Notably, there is strong evidence that protective antibodies are transmitted to infants whose mothers survive perinatal infection and breastfeed. Vaccination, therefore, has a high likelihood of preventing severe COVID-19 disease and its adverse effects in both pregnant patients and their neonates.

The risks of administering COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy appear to be minimal. Commonly reported side effects include short-term injection site pain, headache, fever, myalgia, arthralgia, chills, and nausea. None of the

five vaccines being used in Guyana contain chemical components whose use is specifically contraindicated in pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Patients who fear the increased risk of miscarriage, congenital malformation, preterm delivery, or neonatal infection can be reassured that inactivated vaccines, such as the influenza vaccine, are frequently administered during pregnancy and have minimal risk of adverse events. Severe allergic reactions to past vaccines or known allergies to any COVID-19 vaccine components are contraindications to being immunised.

The World Health Organization (WHO), Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG), Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC), all support the use of vaccines in pregnancy

and breastfeeding to reduce morbidity and mortality risk due to COVID-19.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), the two leading organisations representing specialists in obstetric care in the US, recommends that all pregnant individuals be vaccinated against COVID-19. The organisations’ recommendations in support of vaccination during pregnancy reflect evidence demonstrating the safe use of the COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy from tens of thousands of reporting individuals over the last several months, as well as the current low vaccination rates and concerning increase in cases.

Recent data from the Ministry of Health have shown that more than 95% of those hospitalised and/ or dying from COVID-19 are unvaccinated. Pregnant individuals who have decided to wait until after delivery to be vaccinated

may be inadvertently exposing themselves to an increased risk of severe illness or death. Those who have recently delivered and were not vaccinated during pregnancy are also strongly encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

As an experienced Obstetrician /Gynaecologist, I strongly recommend that the COVID-19 vaccine is the best method to reduce maternal and fetal complications of the COVID-19 infection among pregnant persons. There is strong evidence of the safe and effective use of vaccines during pregnancy because we know that COVID-19 infection puts pregnant persons at increased risk of severe complications. Vaccines are our single most effective tool against pre-

Dr. Narine Singh ventable viruses or diseases, including COVID-19.

The Office of the Chief Medical Officer strongly advocates for other practicing Obstetricians/Gynaecologists to recommend vaccination to their patients.

It is clear from the current vaccination rates among pregnant persons in Guyana, the need for assurance and confidence in choosing vaccination and a strong recommendation from their obstetrician-gynaecologist could make a meaningful difference.

Pregnant persons should get vaccinated without delay because widespread uptake of the vaccines is the best chance to save lives and end this pandemic. Vaccination is safe before, during, or after pregnancy.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

The role of the pharmacist in Infertility treatment

WORLD Pharmacist Day celebrated yesterday, Saturday September 25, 2021 recognised the contributions and service of pharmacists to humanity, promoting safe use of medicines and enhanced clinical outcomes.

This event is mostly promoted by the professional pharmacy bodies both locally and internationally since the majority of pharmacy owners here are business people and not pharmacists. It is my fervent hope that the wide gap be narrowed between Guyanese pharmacists and their colleagues in countries where the pasture maybe greener. With 25 continuous years of service in this profession under my belt, inclusive of hospital pharmacy, management and higher level administration at the Board and the Council, my view is that pharmacists need to earn their respect by displaying a responsible role. Focus in today’s article is on infertility treatment.

Infertility is defined as the inability of a couple to conceive or get pregnant after unprotected intercourse for a minimum period of twelve months if the female partner is younger than 35 years or six months if she is older than 35 years. However only 60 per cent of younger couples (both male and female between the ages 29 – 33 years) get pregnant within the first six months and this percentage goes up to about 90 per cent after trying for 12 months depending on the overall health of the individuals. Some older females might conceive but are unable to carry the pregnancy to full term. Primary infertility is where the female was never able to be pregnant whilst secondary infertility is where the female was only able have one pregnancy successfully.

It is important not to stigmatise or play the “blame” game since the reason for infertility could be due to the male partner (1/3RDof the time), or the female partner (1/3RD of the time) or both persons or unknown cause (1/3RDof

the time).

Twenty per cent of couples may never know why they cannot conceive. However the reason(s) for the infertility must be ascertained prior to treatment plan and execution.

KEY TERMS EXPLAINED * Ovulation – the process when the egg is released from the ovary in the female * Fertilisation – the process where the sperm from the male fertilises the egg from the female * Sperm count – the number of sperms produced by the male * Sperm Motility – the ability of the sperm to move to fertilise the eggs The female body is so designed to facilitate fertilisation at the right time.

With the help of ovulation kits, you can narrow down the “most fertile time” for the woman to have unprotected intercourse to facilitate pregnancy. The basal body temperature is an “after-the-fact” indicator to confirm that ovulation has occurred. It is important to know that the woman’s fertile time is personalised and can be calculated using your menstrual cycle or period. So charting your cycle is a critical success factor.

The female fertile period is important especially if the male partner had been diagnosed with a low sperm count. Men with low sperm count are advised about the appropriate hormonal medications or surgical procedures which can be employed to increase their sperm health, which is the sperm count and motility.

In cases when there are other disorders in males such as premature ejaculation, underlying diseases or structural dysfunction, spot on diagnosis is the key to success.

Poor reproductive health in both men and women are attributed to inappropriate nutrition, obesity, smoking, alcohol abuse and illicit drug use (marijuana, cocaine and anabolic steroids which some

athletes use), overexposure to pesticides and chemicals, cancer treatment (both chemotherapy and radiation), medications (sulphasalazine, calcium channel blockers – a type of pressure meds and antidepressants), medical illness and age. Specifically for men overexposure to sun, delayed puberty or anatomically narrowing of the vas deferens among others could also be factors.

With respect to women, there are a number of disorders which can cause infertility namely hormonal imbalance, endometriosis (the overgrowth of the uterine lining), damage or blockage to the fallopian tube mainly from an STD (sexually transmitted disease such as chlamydia and gonorrhea), PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) uterine fibroids and pelvic adhesions. There are also some other associated diseases such as sickle cell disease, diabetes, kidney disease and Cushing’s disease.

The stats from a WHO published study suggest that 80 per cent of the general fertility problem are attributed to ovulation problems, fallopian tube blockage or sperm health. Treatment options are medications, surgery or IVF (in vitro fertilisation).

Some men may undergo surgical widening of the veins in the scrotum if there is a blockage in the vas deferens which is the tubes that transport the sperm. If an infection exist then antibiotics are prescribed to address these concerns. Medication and counselling are recommended to deal with any erectile or ejaculation problem if this is identified as an area of concern.

IVF (in vitro fertilisation) for eligible women if fallopian tubes, which are the passage-way that carries either a fertilised or unfertilised egg to the uterus, are damaged or blocked. Or if the female partner has fibroids which are benign tumors that affect implantation of the embryo (fertilised egg). Another

consideration for IVF is if ovulation is infrequent or absent where fewer eggs are available for fertilisation. However, in vitro fertilisation procedures are time consuming, invasive and not affordable by a majority since insurance does not compensate for this.

Medications are recommended after evaluation or screening on your eligibility. Vitamins or fertility meds such as clomiphene helps to release eggs during the ovulatory cycle. These ovulating inducing drugs are in oral formulation which have as a side effect 30 per cent chance of twin birth. However not all patients will respond to these types of meds. If the patient suffer from PCOS the gynaecologist may prescribe metformin for restoring cyclic ovulation and regular menses. In other situations FSH or LH injections are administered to enhance the woman’s natural hormone production capabilities and stimulate the ovaries promoting follicular development. Alternatively exogenous (synthetised) injections called GnRH (gonadotropin releasing hormone) are administered when no response to clomiphene is observed.

The role of the pharmacist is a resource personnel for patients who have been prescribed treatment for infertility.

The regimens are often complicated and require full comprehension for optimal results. So guidance on timing, medication safety and administration, treatment options and referrals are some of the value added benefits to expect when engaging the pharmacist.

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

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

Placing the nation’s health before politics

WHAT Dr. Karen Cummings and Dr. Van West Charles said on Thursday is a sign that the People’s National Congress (PNC) and the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change Coalition (APNU+AFC) are playing a silly game of politics with the health of our nation.

These doctors should be ashamed of themselves for playing puerile and sinister politics with the government-led COVID Vaccination Campaign and the management of this pandemic.

One must look at the arguments made

by Dr. Cummings that alleged that the PPP government does not have an inclusive approach to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, she blamed the government for the growing numbers of deaths, hospitalisations and infections. Dr. Cummings said that the abandonment of the APNU+AFC Coalition plan, coupled with the lack of a bipartisan approach, was the reason for pointing fingers at the government. The politician said the PNC still needs answers surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic here. And as expected, Dr. Charles expressed concern about the high levels of vaccine hesitancy, Delta variant, lack of adequate curfew enforcement, and hospital facilities.

Firstly, one would expect the learned doctors to give a more precise plan for fighting this disease if the Coalition is concerned at the alarming levels of deaths. Telling the country that the government is mismanaging the pandemic but not giving examples is foolish and not scholastic. Where is the loophole in the PPP/C’s government strategy? How should the COVID variant be stopped if the government is not doing enough?

How do you know this plan is not still in use? What strategy is in it for fighting the spread of COVID that the government is not trying? What type of bipartisan approach is Dr. Cummings rallying for?

These questions come to mind. Why did the media not ask them more questions along this line for clarity and information?

Well, simply put, this press conference was a poor attempt at politicking. It was disingenuous because the opposition press conference said nothing and offered no counterplan for fighting the pandemic.

Secondly, any school-aged girl could get the answer to the long list of questions posed by Cummings and Charles. Research them because the data is available.

As well, Parliament is there. If she wants to pose new questions, then Minister Anthony will furnish her with a speedy

reply. So, Dr. Cummings and the PNC must tell us really what they were trying to do or say. Were they hoping to turn the media attention from President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s success abroad at the UN? Thirdly, Dr. Charles should be ashamed to blame the government for the increase in vaccine hesitancy. It became so high due to spurious commentary of the APNU+AFC coalition.

Maybe, Dr. Charles might find answers by asking these pertinent questions of his colleagues. What have they done to cause a reduction in vaccine hesitancy throughout the country? Have they been double speaking on vaccines, spreading lies and conspiracies for political aims?

After all, any citizen would know they are guilty of criticising the efforts of the government’s vaccination efforts.

The government is trying to balance the competing views of business interest groups, the private sector lobbying groups, the health stakeholders, the National COVID Task Force, and the citizenry. It has adopted a multinational and diverse approach to fighting this pandemic as opposed to a bipartisan one. Although the Delta variant/strains are causing much concern here, persons still have to get protected by testing and vaccination.

Finally, the entire posture adopted

by PNC and APNU+AFC opposition is perplexing and sinister. It wants to inject politics into the COVID-19 vaccination campaign by preying on people’s emotions, fears, and lack of knowledge. As deaths continue to spiral, the opposition would not seek common ground and stop supporting the anti-vaccine campaign.

The statistics show a picture of (mostly) hospitalisations and deaths attributed to those who are unvaccinated. This blame game must end now. We can no longer afford to lose life to this dreaded virus. The PNC-led APNU+AFC must put the nation’s health above politics. It must genuinely dedicate its spate of political shows and get the message across that it is your body and your choice...but you are affecting society by holding out on being vaccinated. Dr. Cummings, Dr. Charles, and all politicians must seize the political fighting and stand side by side with the government in combatting this virus. There will be ample opportunity for investigations, answers, and inquiry into COVID-related spending but not while our mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters are dying.

The time is now to stand in unison with the government.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

Promoting Amerindian culture in their everyday lives –– two youngsters talk about their struggle to keep traditions alive

By Rehana Ahamad

Over the past year, the young man has become known for capturing and sharing AS we prepare to bring the curtain down breathtaking photos that capture the beauty on Amerindian Heritage Month 2021, it of rural Amerindian life. is important to recognise and pay tribute Asked whether he has struggled to to the young people who have gone above maintain his Indigenous traditions in an and beyond to keep the flames of our overly “modernised” society, Hastings indigenous cultures burning, at a time responded, “Definitely. I call it the Indigwhen it is facing global threats; persons enous child’s dilemma. We are literally such as Calvin Roberts and Romario taught to seek better and anything other Hastings, who have even chosen career than traditional is considered better; speak paths that promote Amerindian cultures and write better English, aspire to become and keep them rooted in their heritage. materialistic, become ‘fashionable’, shift Hastings, age 26, is a proud representa- away from farming etcetera.” tive of the Kapon Akawaio nation, hailing The young man believes that while all from Kako village, located on the left bank of these are “essentially fine,” it should not of the Kako River in the Upper Mazaruni be encouraged in contrast to the cultures District. He believes that maintaining his that have been passed down for thousands cultural traditions “gives future generations of generations. He said that a lack of multisan opportunity to build on what we have takeholder push for the maintenance of increated culturally and as distinct peoples.” digenous languages, knowledge and values As is widely known, Amerindians are is not only alarming, but worrisome. “Yet, a people of the forest; protectors of nature the responsibility of indigenous culture and and sustainers of our ecological patrimony. traditions rests upon our shoulders, on us the young people,” Hastings lamented.

While the Amerindian peoples have taught us much, Hastings believe that the most important lesson is love for country, and the need to get to know this dear land of our birth.

“There’s a joke that says if all other [ethnic] groups decided to leave Guyana, it is us [the Amerindians] who will stay because we are intimate with this land and country. And we will protect it as our only home, because it really is,” the environmentalist shared.

Having had to move to the coastland for improved career opportunities, Hastings said that he still tries his utmost to ensure that indigenous traditions are enshrined in his daily life.

“I keep a huge container of cassava, and I have a regular supply of my cassareep, kada-cassava water and farine to ensure I regularly serve myself of our traditional dishes. However, more importantly, Hastings continues to engage persons in the Akawaio language, in an effort to preserve the words of those before him.

As an advice, Hastings is encouraging his fellow Amerindian youths to “Think of your culture as a future and not a past.

Preserving and valuing your culture today gives [sic] it an opportunity to transform and evolve. Your culture will be a major asset for your continued development in technology, science, language, tourism, arts, and other spheres of society.”

Hastings is hopeful that with more and more young Amerindians embracing their Romario Hastings, a proud Akawaio roots, it would help to shatter some of the unflattering stereotypes that are peddled youth about indigenous peoples.

In keeping with this legacy, Hastings has “Loving my culture is loving who chosen to embark on a correlating career I am; my identity, my self-respect, my path; he is an environmental officer, con- self-esteem, my pride begins there. Not tinuing the work of those before him, who to respect and lose one’s heritage and cared for and protected the environment. culture is to divorce yourself from one’s “Cultural values influenced my career. It ways of thinking, values, sense of comalso offers me greater opportunities to visit munity, and oneness,” Hastings said, indigenous-populated areas that are differ- candidly. ent from mine. It exposes the geographic extent to which our thriving villages are EATING THE INDIGENOUS WAY dispersed across the country. Those respecSimilar sentiments were shared by tive customs enrich my experiences and Calvin Roberts, who is also 26 years old. motivates [sic] my ambitions for cultural He was born in neighbouring Venezuela sustainability,” Hastings told the Sunday and migrated to Guyana at the age of Chronicle. two.

Calvin Roberts and his business partners, Eion Beaton and Denzil St. Hill who have invested in ‘Calvin’s Indigenous Cuisine’ The Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo bread.” youth said that although he had always Roberts believes that ‘Calvin’s Indigbeen proud of his heritage, he was never enous Cuisine’ and the few similar esa staunch advocate for the preservation of tablishments will help to rid Guyanese of the Amerindian cultures. However, this these worries, and help to keep Amerindian would all change in 2018 when Roberts was delicacies accessible, year-round. named as a Youth Ambassador. “There and In doing so, Roberts believes that it will then, I represented Guyana by my heritage also help more Guyanese to shift to healthand identity. I wore my traditional attire ier, more indigenous diets. “As a health which was highly appreciated by thousands advocate, I’ve seen too many people suffer of young people across the globe. In fact, and even die from non-communicable disI won the best traditional wear,” Roberts eases such as diabetes, hypertension and related. even cancer. My business, Calvin’s With an intensified love for his cultural Indigenous Cuisine is designed to enheritage and identity, Roberts said that it courage persons to make that conscious dedawned on him that if he can represent his cision to adapt [sic] or make healthy eating country and heritage on an international choices…this will increase their longevity stage, and he should also be doing it at on the earth,” Roberts said. home.

The motto of his business is the Lokono “I return to Guyana and immediately saying, “Han the -wako tha the,” which started to work on a plan on how I can simply means “come let’s eat, drink and promote my culture that was slowly dying have fun the indigenous way.” or that was only recognised in the month of Roberts believes that an Amerindian September,” Roberts related. way of life is healthy, and fulfilling, as the From that, Calvin’s Indigenous Cuisine indigenous peoples possess a great deal was birthed, owing to financial investments of strength and an industrious spirit. “I’ve from two of Roberts’ friends, Eion Beaton personally watched my mom work tireand Denzil St. Hill who are now his busi- lessly ploughing soil, cultivating crops and ness partners. “Their support and love for harvesting cassava almost effortlessly. She my culture has been overwhelming,” Rob- did this comfortably day and night. Like her erts told the Sunday Chronicle. so many indigenous people have done the He reflected that growing up, he resided same,” a smiling Roberts said. in a predominantly Indo-Guyanese comHe also expressed pride over the fact munity, which saw Amerindian heritage that Amerindians are known to be a humble being celebrated only during Amerindian and peaceful people.

Heritage Month. “After the month of herThese, he believes, are traits that itage celebrations everything went back to many young Amerindians ought to renormal,” a disappointed Roberts related. spect and emulate in their daily lives.

He added, I’ve seen so many times “Be proud of your culture and most that after the long month of heritage cele- importantly, be proud of your identity… brations, one has to worry about sourcing You were born with a purpose that you a meal of tuma and even simple cassava owe to this world,” Roberts emphasised.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

Minister Indar tours Kingston oil and gas terminal MINISTER within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, on Friday, toured the G-Port oil and gas terminal at Kingston, Georgetown.

of the terminal’s workers are Guyanese. This, he said, is significant, as the government has been advocating fervently for the use of Guyanese labour and services by international

The G-Port facility at Kingston The terminal was established through a joint venture (JV) between the Guyanese company John Fernandes Limited, and the US company, Edison Chouest. Minister Indar told DPI that he was heartened to learn that most

companies operating here.

“I came this morning with our team from sea defence as well, to see what is being built here. Over the years, there was a JV between the two companies. They have expended about US$12 million to build

a facility here that is tied to two mud plants and cement plant providers. So, the team actually showed me what are some of the operations they do here.”

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar (right) Chief Executive Officer of John Fernandes Limited, Phillip Fernandes. said the joint venture operations have been rapidly developing.

“Local company, John Fernandes Limited, which has been around here for 60

Five more unvaccinated people die from COVID-19 –– death toll climbs to 754; 211 new cases recorded THE Ministry of Health has reported that five more people who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and were unvaccinated died on September 24, 2021, while receiving treatment at a government medical institution.

The latest fatalities are a 43-year-old female from Region Three (Essequibo Islands – West Demerara); two females, ages 70 and 70, from Region Four (Demerara – Mahaica); a male, age 68 from Region 10 (Upper Demerara – Upper Berbice) and a female, age 77, from Region Five (Mahaica – Berbice).

The country’s COVID-19 death toll continues on an upward trajectory as Guyana registered the latest deaths taking the death toll to 754 since the virus was first detected in the country in March 2020.

In addition to the death toll, the number of new cases of persons who were tested positive for the virus continues to increase as well, with an additional 211 from some 1,805 tests conducted within the 24-hour period.

With the new, confirmed cases, the country’s overall number of confirmed cases stands at 30,907. The bulk of new cases was recorded in Region Four (De-

years, helping with the development of Guyana, recognises the pace and the magnitude of development required to satisfy this new oil industry in Guyana,” he noted.

merara – Mahaica), which saw 89 people testing positive.

Region One (Barima – Waini) recorded 16 new cases; Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) recorded 23; Region Three, 43 new cases; Region Five, 17 new cases; Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Five new cases; Region Seven (Cuyuni – Mazaruni), four new cases; Region Nine (Upper Takutu – Upper Essequibo) and Region 10, recorded 7 cases, respectively.

At the end of Friday last, 35 persons were in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Infectious Diseases Hospital; 180 were in institutional isolation; 3,692 were in home isolation and there were three persons in institutional quarantine.

All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures, which are in effect until August 31, 2021.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit us at www.health.gov.gy

Discussing the vessels docked at the terminal, Daniel Lafont of Edison Chouest Offshore said, “as you see the vessels behind us, if it wasn’t for these plants, [the boats] would be in Trinidad today trying to get mud, cement,

the product that they’re here to pick up. So, this is another way of keeping work here in Guyana.”

Chairman of the River and Sea Defence Board, re-

ing perspective. Visiting here, I’m pleased to say that we’ve seen all the features in place, and we will continue following up with many more visits.”

The G-Port facility at Kingston tired Brigadier Gary Beaton, spoke about the board’s safety checks on the terminal.

“We check and make sure that the development is in accordance with what we issue, both from an environmental perspective and an engineer-

With demand for its services ramping up, the joint venture is looking to expand.

Lafont said Minister Indar awaits the company’s word on what government can do to facilitate its expansion.

Four juvenile escapees recaptured FOUR youths who escaped the Juvenile Holding Centre, Sophia in Georgetown in the wee hours of Saturday, were quickly recaptured.

Police Headquarters noted that the youths escaped at around 02:45 hours; they were housed in cells three and four respectively, at the Holding Centre.

The young men, police said, escaped by breaking the padlocks that were used to secure the cell doors; they also removed some wooden lattice works from the ceiling on the eastern side of the building.

Ranks who were on duty at the facility, heard a loud noise and upon making checks, noticed the four juvenile offenders on Dennis Street, Sophia running in a western direction. One of the ranks chased after the offenders but they made their way to Pike Street, Campbellville.

A police patrol was informed and the four offenders were recaptured on Delhi Street, Prashad Nagar and taken to the Brickdam Police Station.

Police said two broken padlocks and four pieces of steel rods which are suspected to be used in the break out were found at the scene and lodged.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

Fire destroys Mabaruma Secondary School

THE Mabaruma, North West Secondary School building was completely destroyed by a fire of unknown origin Friday night.

The two-storey wood and concrete building consisted of an auditorium, six classrooms, and a Home Economics Department all of which had an undisclosed amount of stationery,

desks and benches, chalk boards, computers, laboratory equipment, kitchen utensils and other items.

Police Headquarters noted that Mark Knights, a security guard of Baranobo Hill, Mabaruma, was on duty at the front gate in his guard hut when he heard three loud explosions which he said emanated from a room located on the second

floor of the eastern side of the building. Upon investigating, he saw the room engulfed in flames.

He made his way to the Mabaruma Police Station and lodged a report.

With help from members of the Joint Services and the public, the fire was extinguished -but most of the building was damaged.

Elderly woman crushed to death on Eccles public road

AN accident on the Eccles Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Saturday morning resulted in the death of 77-year-old Jasodra Samwaru of Grove Squatting area, EBD. According to a police report, Samwaru was crossing the road from east to west when a truck (GVV 1309) collided with her and crushed her to death at around 10:00 hours.

At the time of the accident, the truck was stationary on the western drive lane of the eastern carriageway as the driver heeded the traffic light which was on red. The driver, identified as 36-yearold Anand Ugraj of Foulis, East Coast Demerara, drove off when the light turned green and his left side front collided with the elderly woman.

She was later pronounced dead by a doctor of the Emer-

The North West Secondary School building was completely destroyed, by fire, Friday night

Girl, 12, hospitalised after relative gave her drugs, alcohol POLICE are hunting for a man who drugged a 12-year-old girl at Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara (WBD) Friday night, by giving her alcohol and other illicit substances.

The police report indicated that, on Friday, at 21:00hrs, the child’s aunt

The truck involved in the accident (News Room photo) gency Medical Service unit at the scene of the accident.

The elderly woman was then picked up by staffers of the Carmen Funeral Home; her body now lies there awaiting a post mortem examination.

A breathalyser test was

conducted on the driver and no trace of alcohol was found.

He remains in custody and a notice of intended prosecution was served on the him as the investigation continues.

reported to the Vreed-enHoop Police Station that a male relative had given the victim drugs and alcohol to consume.

The victim was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where she was checked and examined by a doctor on duty who advised that a breathalyzer

test be conducted on her to ascertain the amount of alcohol in her system.

Same was done and it showed she had 60% of BAC in her breath after which she was admitted for observation.

Checks were made for the alleged perpetrator but proved futile.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

$285M dormitory to be constructed at Kato Secondary School

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–– over 300 students to benefit

OVER 300 students attending the Kato Secondary School in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) will benefit from a $285 million dormitory, which will soon be constructed at the school.

The contract for this project was signed on Friday by Manager of Reiaz Akbar General Construction Services, Reiaz Akbar, and Region Eight’s Regional Executive Officer, Peter Ramotar.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, who was present at the signing, said he expects the contractor to complete the project on time.

“It is our expectation that the project will be

completed on time. The Kato Secondary School had some issues before… we would not like to negotiate beyond the contracted completion period,” Dharamlall said.

The dormitory currently being utilised by the school is accommodating approximately 250 students. And the minister said that the project is one of government’s commitments to enhancing education across Guyana.

“It is part of the wider commitment of our government to enhance education services within our regions and in our Pakaraimas. It is one of the most difficult areas of our country to work in,” Minister Dharamlall said.

Meanwhile, Minister

within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud, urged the contractor to employ persons from within the community so that capital will remain in the region.

“From the government and ministry level, expect that employment, some percentage of employment is done within the community, so funds can stay within there, to enhance the lives of people… that is something we have been encouraging contractors to do,” the minister said.

The project is among the largest being undertaken by the government in Region Eight. Another $120 million is also being expended on road works across the region. (DPI)

(From left) Region Eight REO, Peter Ramotar; Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall; Contractor, Reiaz Akbar, and Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud, at the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development’s boardroom, on Friday (DPI photo)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

‘Every child safe campaign’ launched

IN further tightening its grip on the issues surrounding child abuse in Guyana, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has launched the ‘Every Child Safe’ campaign that will seek to do more than just make information available to the public, but that will see a personal and consistent check-in with members of communities all across Guyana.

Launched on Saturday, it was the culmination of activities for Child Protection Week which was observed this year under the theme, “Together, Let’s Keep Children Safe.”

It’s a three-year campaign that will allow the ministry, through the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), to move

through the country and work with communities in a very personal way.

Persons will be trained on how to detect if a child is being abused and what action to take if they do come across cases.

“These individuals will become essential partners of ours, so that wherever child abuse rears its ugly head, we will be able to know because there are people out there as our eyes and ears. Perpetrators will have the eyes of an entire community on them, so no one can escape that kind of scrutiny,” subject minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud explained.

This partnership will see heightened vigilance on child abuse in communities and people will now be aware of crimes that they should look

out for and how they should report cases of child abuse utilising the 914 hotline and all the other avenues available to them.

“It is an important partnership because it is moving beyond the realm of public awareness. It is actually galvanising members of the public to join us in keeping children safe,” Minister Persaud further commented.

Persons will not just be trained on the subject, but CPA officers will be going back to check if the training is being applied in the villages. “Protecting children requires the participation, passionate advocacy and commitment of every person. We know these communities will eventually become safe zones because residents have pledged to be

The Human Services Ministry, through the CPA, has used Child Protection Week to visit communities all across the country to introduce the Every Child Safe campaign part of the campaign,” she remarked.

Having visited several communities across the country to launch ‘Every Child Safe,’ Minister Persaud said she is happy

To commemorate Child Protection Week, several communities participated in a release of balloons/lanterns into the sky, symbolising hope for children to be kept safe

that so many persons are interested in being a part of the campaign which allows the ministry to have a strong partnership with people of all walks of life within communities, all bound by the common goal of eradicating child abuse and keeping children safe.

The ministry will partner with UNICEF and hopes to partner with other agencies and entities to move this effort forward, and as it makes its way community by community, it will be posting schedules of places that are to be visited.

Meanwhile, the ministry over the past week, rolled out a series of public service announcements and other initiatives in observance of Child Protection Week.

One of them was the ‘Sip N Paint’ event that saw 25 parents/guardians and their children coming together for an art exercise.

“It encourages a bonding experience where they use art which I feel is very expressive, creative and relaxing and also if you are to assess paintings and art, it gives you an insight into how

people think and their mental state. It gives them the opportunity to say what it means to them when they speak about child safety,” Dr. Persaud commented at the event.

Parents too appreciated the gesture. “At a time when we’re so busy, this event brings us together to do something.

At home, we may barely spend a few minutes doing something, but here, we’re able to actually spend some quality time together,” one guardian, who recently gained three months custody of her great niece, commented.

Another participant, who was there with her grandchild, said the event teases the brain and helps parents and guardians to know how to work with their children at home.

Yet another participant, a mother to two boys, ages three and four, offered that even though they may not do a good job with their art piece, they’re having so much fun doing it together. (Ministry of Human Services and Social Security press release)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

‘CopSquad2000’ graduates ready to combat gender-based violence

By Jared Liddell

IN keeping with the government’s mission to reduce crime, especially those that are gender-based, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund on Saturday saw its first batch of graduates from the CopSquad2000 initiative.

The ceremony, which was held at the Police Officers Training Centre, Camp

globally.

At the graduation ceremony, she noted that the intent is to equip ranks of the GPF with the necessary knowledge to actively reduce the number of recorded gender-based crimes within the country. This, she noted, is in keeping with the ill effects that domestic violence brings with it, including instability in families, and disruption of lives.

She noted that while gender-based crime is not something widely discussed, the ministry aims to have

country can see a reduction of numbers,” the minister expressed.

Minister Persaud explained that while the programme will focus largely on women facing gender-based violence, the ministry is encouraging all men who are victims in those situations to feel comfortable and know that they will be “heard” when making their reports.

She reminded that in many cases males feel that their cries of gender-based violence would go unheard, but she indicated that the

you in your duty,” said Minister Persaud.

Commissioner of Police (ag), Nigel Hoppie disclosed that as of September 24, 2021, six women were killed by “suspects” who shared an intimate relationship with them. This he noted shows a significant reduction from the 11 women that were killed during the same period in 2020.

According to the top cop, during the period January to August 2021, preliminary information indicated that 1,135 reports of domestic

Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr., Vindhya Persaud along with graduates of the CopSquad2000 initiative – (Delano Williams photo) Street, Georgetown, saw 21 ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) graduating from the two-week programme. The initiative, which will see the training of 2,000 officers from the force, aims to increase the ranks’ knowledge of laws pertaining to gender-based violence, to equip them with the necessary training to deal with gender-based crimes in a manner that would protect the victims.

It further seeks to ensure that once a domestic violence matter is brought to a police station, it will be handled in a manner that accords with international best practices. Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr., Vindhya Persaud, believes the training will have a “meaningful, purposeful, tangible impact on a social ill that has created havoc both locally and

the officers equipped to deal with the issue that is spoken in hushed tones. Minister Persaud encouraged the newly trained ranks to let their drive motivate them to implement all that they have learnt within the past two weeks.

“It still is not something that many people are not comfortable facing, addressing or taking action against; maybe because it hits too close to home and if you compare our global statistics with our country statistics, where one in two women face gender-based violence within their lifetime compared to one in three globally, we see we have a lot of work to do.

“If we could harness the energies that you would have expended in your training to make the kind of difference in all of the communities where you would be placed, I think our

ministry intends to ensure that those males feel safe.

Minister Persaud encouraged the graduates to incorporate their new training in their daily lives.

“Be the ones who can look across the aisle or the class or when you’re on duty, if you know an officer who’s not doing what he should do or not performing in the manner that is expected of him, you’d be able to say you’re not doing the right thing, and if necessary, report that officer.”

She said the ministry intends to continue with similar training sessions.

“This will not be a oneoff training, this will be accompanied by many other interventions through our partners, through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, so that you will continue to have more information, more education more awareness to guide

violence with 994 of those reports being female victims, against the 989 reports of domestic violence with 811 being female victims for the same period last year.

He highlighted that while the prosecution of offenders is the main role of the GPF, the force is involved in all aspects of domestic violence.

He reminded the graduates that domestic violence training is a part of the curriculum at the police training college, and is included and integrated into the “recruit programme” as well as most of the training programme conducted at the college.

Notwithstanding this, the chief of police stated that the programme will certainly be of benefit to ranks as it will serve to boost their knowledge of policies, procedures, and laws to combat gender-based violence.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

212 graduate from GDF leadership courses

A TOTAL of 212 soldiers graduated from three courses designed to boost their leadership capacity at their respective levels in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

The Platoon Sergeants’ Course (PSC) 2021-01, the Section Commanders’ Course (SCC) 2021-02 and the Junior Leaders’ Course (JLC) 2021-02, concluded on Friday at the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School Drill Square, Base Camp Stephenson, Timehri.

The three courses com-

menced training on July 6, 2021, with students drawn from various units and each lasted 12 weeks. Commandant of the Guyana People’s Militia, Colonel Trevor Bowman officiated at the graduation ceremony; in his address he congratulated the students and training staff for bringing the courses to a successful completion, given the current circumstances.

Speaking specifically to those students who completed the PSC, which is the most senior of the three courses, Colonel Bowman reminded

Senior Officers and students of the three courses them of their integral roles and compelled them to ensure that a sense of duty is foremost in their minds.

“Never abuse the authority given to you as you lead!” he urged.

He charged the graduates to be ever conscious of their environment and remain rel-

Graduating Student and Best Military Knowledge for PSC while Petty Officer Kenneth Benn was adjudged the Runner-Up Best Graduating Student. Best Shot and Best Fitness prizes was received

by Corporal Orlando Norton, while the prize for Best Drill was given to Able Rating

Colonel Trevor Bowman presents Best Graduating Student (JLC), Lance Corporal Avion Kendall, with his award evant.

“Read the Force’s Standing Operating Procedures and Values and Standards.

Know them, conform to them! Endeavor to improve your academic strides, by utilising the opportunities afforded by the force,” he asserted.

Commanding Officer of the Training Corps, Lieutenant Colonel Collin Henry had earlier emphasised that the graduates are now expected to train, lead and administer an infantry platoon in peacetime or combat and equally, they’re all expected to display a high level of discipline at their units, upon return.

Prizes for outstanding performances were given for all three courses.

Corporal Amsel Allen copped the prizes for Best

Jeromey Agard.

For the Section Commanders’ Course, Leading Rating Stephon Matthews copped the prizes for the Best Graduating Student and Best Military Knowledge, while Corporal Astion Niles received the prizes for Runner-Up Best Student and Best Drill. Corporal Jamal Wilson was adjudged the Best Shot and Best Fitness.

Lance Corporal Avion Kendall received the prizes for the Best Graduating Student and Best Military Knowledge for JLC, while Lance Corporal Jullius Kesney copped the prizes Runner-up Best Graduating Student and Best Drill.

Lance Corporal Peter Boyce and Lance Corporal Jamal McPherson received prizes for Best Shot and Best Fitness, respectively.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

CXC, NGSA results to be released on Oct 14, 15

THE Ministry of Education has announced that the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has chosen Guyana as the host country to ‘release’ this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certification (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) results on October 14, 2021.

These results will be available to candidates on the CXC’s online portal from October 15, 2021.

The council’s representatives and Ministry of Education officials will preside over this ceremony, during which Guyana’s Minister of Education is scheduled to deliver the feature address.

The ministry noted that CSEC and CAPE were written during the period of June -July of this year. The examinations were written later this year due to the effects, consequences, and

impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Caribbean and the world.

Meanwhile, the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) was also affected by the pandemic and was written on August 4-5 of this year. Since 2016, CXC was contracted by the Government of Guyana to develop, administer, and mark this examination/assessment annually.

This year, to further advance the transparency and integrity of the examination/ assessment, CXC’s responsibilities were extended and increased to include verification of raw scores as well as the conduct and management of all reviews or appeals after the results are published and further to present the data and analysis of each year’s assessment.

The Ministry of Education has been informed by CXC that the raw scores

will be ready and will be sent from Barbados to Guyana by Tuesday, September 28, 2021, after which the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) will standardise the scores and offer placements according to the scores and print results slips.

The Ministry of Education is happy to announce that, in collaboration with CXC, they will be announcing and releasing the results

by October 15, 2021.

In addition, from this year NGSA candidates will NOT be penalised with their raw scores because they were older than 12 years six months at the end of March of the year the examination was written; the standardised scores per subject will be rounded up to the nearest whole number and the TOTAL score will be given as a decimal number, thereby offering candidates

UG offers free Human Relations Course

THE University of Guyana’s Centre of Excellence for Teaching and Learning (CoETaL), is once again offering its ‘Human Relations Course’ (HRC) free of charge to the general public from 24 September – 30 November, 2021.

According to the university, it has taken note of recent heightened public tension and again underlines the importance of this course in building and strengthening better relations amongst individuals and groups.

The university also noted that while freedom of speech and freedom of association are fundamental rights protected by the constitution and strong democratic national values, the nature of public debate can become passionate in unfortunate ways.

“When this happens, ad

hominem (personal) attacks upon persons with whom we disagree, must be studiously avoided and repudiated.

This is because fundamental healthy discourse can be devalued and derailed in the process.

“The university is therefore, amongst other interventions, offering this free course in Human Relations, which, amongst six others, contains modules on emotional intelligence, gender relations, and ethnic diversity as one of our sincere contributions in fostering mutual respect, constructive open dialogue, decorum, and fair play in the best interest of our beloved people and country. It is open to any member of the public,” a release from UG noted.

Each module contains a pre-test followed by a video, which lasts for one to two

hours and a post-test. Persons are expected to check the notification box after they have completed each activity to ensure that they can progress to the next activity. There is no pass and fail grade, but students are expected to complete all modules to receive the certificate.

Registration for this course is currently opened to the public. Please register using the following URL: https://uog.edu.gy/courses/ ugh1101-human-relations For more information and technical support please contact: helpdesk.tos-ccses@ uog.edu.gy.

For a full list of UG’s Programme offerings kindly visit the following website: https://www.turkeyenonline.uog.edu.gy/srms/ student/prospective/about_ applying/offeredprogs.php.

more fairness.

The ministry encouraged this year’s NGSA, CSEC and CAPE candidates to return all textbooks and resource materials to their respective schools. Failure to do so may result in their not being able to access results.

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand

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Police to start taking statements electronically

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

–– ‘will be more presentable and not hard to read’ – Nandlall THE Guyana Police Force will soon be able to prepare statements, among other things, electronically, as a quantity of computers and

printers will be donated to the force and distributed to various police stations across the country in a bid to build capacity.

The computers and printers will be donated by the Ministry of Legal Affairs through the US$8 million Support for the Criminal Justice System

(SCJS) programme, which is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), according to Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs,

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C. Anil Nandlall, S.C. “The purpose of this exercise is to ensure that statements that the police have to take down from persons in the ordinary course of their investigations and statements that they have to use in the prosecution of criminal offences, those statements are typed and not handwritten,” Nandlall said during his weekly ‘Issues in the news’ Facebook programme.

As per the current modus operandi, when a person is involved in a matter which requires him/her to produce a statement to the police, that statement is handwritten, usually by an officer, and sometimes difficult to read, the Attorney General said.

“This is based upon a conversation we had with the Police Force, so they told us what is the capacity and we are accessing and will be donating it to the Police Force,” Nandlall said.

“So no longer will we have handwritten statements in criminal investigations, we will have typed-written statements by Police Officers, and they are going to be legible and they are going to be far more presentable than where we are now,” the Attorney General contended.

Nandlall explained that the statements will not only be more presentable and reader friendly, but will also be stored on the computer and will be easily accessible; he posited that this small step will be significant in helping to improve the services the force provides.

The SCJS programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Legal Affairs and seeks to help tackle prison overcrowding by reducing pre-trial detentions and increasing the use of alternative sentencing, among other measures.

The programme is divided into two components: the first seeks to reduce the use of pre-trial detention, especially for individuals accused of minor offences; by providing better legal assistance to individuals accused of non-violent offences; improve the prosecutors’ ability to handle cases according to the seriousness of the offence; strengthen the judiciary and design and implement a restorative justice programme.

The second component seeks to increase the use of alternative sentencing by the criminal justice system in Guyana, which includes strengthening the country’s legal drafting functions, modernising probation services and implementing a pilot project at the magistrate court level to apply alternatives to imprisonment for non-violent offenders.

Recently, at the handing over of 50 vehicles to the Guyana Police Force, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali expressed that the government is committed to continue making the necessary investments through providing the requisite assets and developing the human resource that are critical to craft a holistic approach to revamping of the force.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

Pensioners to receive 25k cash grant, new pension book when they collect October pension

WHEN the world observes International Day of Older Persons on October 1, 2021, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MoHSSS) will kickstart a month dedicated to the elderly as pensioners will be able to uplift their $25,000 cash voucher and their 2022 pension booklets throughout the month.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, during an update on Saturday, said that officers from her ministry will be visiting various locations countrywide to ensure every pensioner receives their cash voucher and 2022 pension book when they receive their pension for October, 2021.

This is in keeping with President Dr. Irfaan Ali promise in August, 2021 that some 6,500 elderly people will benefit from a $25,000 one-off cash grant which will place an additional $1.6 billion of disposable income in the hands of that section of the population.

In a bid to ease the hassle for senior citizens to uplift their monthly pension, the MoHSSS, in March 2021, introduced alternative locations where pensioners can redeem their vouchers at any MoneyGram, Surepay and BillExpress location countrywide, in addition to their respective banking institutions or post offices.

Throughout the month of October, ministry officials will be at the various locations in some of the administrative regions where the elderly usually uplift their monthly pension, for the distribution of the cash vouchers and the 2022 pension booklets.

In the first week of October, the officials are expected to be in Regions Four and Seven, while in the second week they will be in Regions Five and Six and in the third week they are scheduled to be in Regions Eight and 10.

The ministry’s officers will be at the location from 8:00 hours to 17:30 hours from Monday to Saturday during the week which they are designated to be within a particular Region.

Pensioners in the other

administrative regions will receive their pension, the $25,000 cash voucher and their 2022 booklets as normal through the same method they utilise throughout the year, direct payments, as well as delivery, the minister said.

While pensioners usually visit either a financial institution or post office to uplift their pension, for the month of October, the MoHSSS will be publishing a list where respective persons will have to visit to uplift their pension as well as their voucher and 2022 pension book.

“For the month of October, we have split up the regions, so persons need to check a list that will be available in the newspapers and any other media as well as in your regions on posters advising you where you need to go,” the minister said.

“So, some of you might be going to an alternate venue, like MoneyGram, Western Union or SurePay and others might be going to the Post Office, so I really encourage you to check the list to see where you should be going,” she added.

Minister Persaud said that when pensioners arrive on the day to receive their pension and cash voucher, they are to simply collect their pension for the month of October before heading over to a Ministry Official to collect their $25,000 voucher and 2022 pension book.

“To make the process seamless and to ensure that there is not a lot of wait time, utilise the six-day period in each week … the idea is don’t all go on the first day, if you miss the period dedicated to your region you can continue to collect your voucher and your pension booklets for the remainder of the month,” Dr. Persaud said.

The minister said that in addition to the distribution of the cash voucher and the 2022 pension booklet, the ministry will be providing its regular services across the country through their Officers.

Meanwhile, President Ali had also announced that a similar one-off grant of $25,000 will also be dis-

tributed to all recipients of public assistance, and persons living with disabilities, which will benefit some 25,000 persons, and place more than $600 million of additional disposable income in their pockets.

Further, the Head-ofState also announced that an electricity credit will be paid to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) on behalf of all households consuming not more than 75 kilowatt hours of electricity per month.

The credit to each household will be equivalent to one month of their electricity bill, and will inject more than $200 million of disposable income into more than 40,000 households.

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Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE September 26, 2021

Extensive drainage works to commence in Mara –– road works to follow RESIDENTS of Mara Village, which is located on the East Bank of Berbice, will soon benefit from a series of extensive drainage works, according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who met with residents on Saturday at

the Schempoed Primary School.

The minister was at the time spearheading the government’s ongoing flood-relief distribution exercise.

While addressing those present, Minister Mustapha announced that in the coming

week, the ministry through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will commence a series of extensive drainage works in the area.

“When I met with you the first time at PlegtAnkar, I told you that the ministry will

A section of the gathering at the meeting

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha presents a farmer from Mara village with his flood-relief grant put things in place, and from would be benefiting from the do some extensive drainage this week, the machine will cash relief during the day’s works in the community bebe coming into the area to exercise because many of the cause this area is a farming commence those works. farmers from the area reportcommunity. Since then, I’ve “The machine will work ed that they were not captured asked our technical officers to to tie the conservancy dam in the initial registration and and then it will continue with verification exercise. the other works that were “When we had the last promised. You can rest as- flood-relief distribution exsured that a lot of work will ercise, farmers from this area be done in this community,” said that their names were not Minister Mustapha explained. on the list. I made a commitMinister Mustapha also ment that those who suffered told farmers that since taking would receive assistance. The office, the government has regional chairman and our expended close to $40 million extension officers were able to execute drainage works in to get that list and do the verthe East Bank Berbice area. ification. Today, a team from He also told residents that the the ministry is here to extend ministry is working to have that assistance to you,” Minnew lands open for farmers ister Mustapha said. come 2022 and will also be Farmers who received putting the necessary infra- their flood-relief grant structure in place to ensure thanked the government for that farmers have access to extending the initiative to the these lands. area and said that they would “Those works included use the monies to return to the the rehabilitation of criti- land as soon as possible. cal structures because, what While addressing conwe are seeing; although our cerns over the dilapidated country is advancing with state in which the main access the production of oil and gas, road is currently in, Minister more people are returning to Mustapha told residents that agriculture and we are seeing works to upgrade the condimore investments being made tion of the road are expected in the sector. to commence soon. These “This is because of the works, he said, will be done resources that the govern- through the Ministry of Pubment has been investing in lic Works. the sector over the last year.

“I’m glad that I was With the renewed interest able to come here so that I we are seeing in agriculture, could get a first-hand look the resources are becoming at the condition of the road. more stretched because we I want to let you know that have to develop more infra- works to improve the constructure and open more lands dition of the road through so that farmers can extend the Ministry of Public their cultivation. We also Works and I’m hoping that have to work with farmers to those works can commence find more markets for their shortly. Almost $60 million produce while encouraging will be expended to carry value-added,” Minister Mus- out upgrades to that stretch tapha explained. of road.

As it relates to the govTenders for those works ernment’s ongoing flood-re- are already open,” the minlief cash grant, Minister Mu- ister explained. (Ministry of stapha told farmers that they Agriculture press release)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

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Scotland open series with six-wicket win over PNG SCOTLAND have beaten Papua New Guinea (PNG) by six wickets in their World Cup League 2 match in Oman.

In the first match of the roundseven series, PNG amassed 197 runs with Chad Soper top-scoring on 46 not out.

Matthew Cross with 70 and Calum MacLeod with 45 helped Shane Burger’s side reach 198-4.

“I’m really chuffed with the performance the boys put in, especially in the hot conditions,” said Burger.

“As much as you prepare back home, it’s never quite like being in the real thing

and so being out there was a bit of a shock to the system, but the boys came through it well.”

“There are still areas we have to improve in, but we’ll take a lot of heart from this.”

Papua New Guinea play Oman today and Scotland face the hosts on Tuesday, and there will be another round of fixtures to complete the series by next Saturday.

Scotland lost their T20 triseries with Zimbabwe last week and face Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea and Oman in next month’s T20 World Cup first round.

(BBC Sport)

‘High-octane Windies squad built for excitement’ – Deryck Murray … but may not win the World Cup

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

Bekele to attempt marathon world record after COVID

BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele has vowed to attack the men’s world marathon record in Berlin today, just nine months after recovering from COVID-19.

The 39-year-old Ethiopian came within just two seconds of Eliud Kipchoge’s current men’s world record of two hours one minute 39 seconds, when he won the 2019 Berlin Marathon, the last time the race was held in Germany’s capital due to the pandemic.

“I had COVID nine months ago, it took about a month to get over it, but I am fine now,” Bekele told AFP yesterday.

“When I come to Berlin, I am trying for a personal best and the world record.”

Bekele is one of the greatest distance runners of all-time, having won world and Olympic gold medals over both 5 000 metres and 10 000m.

Despite catching the coronavirus at the start of the year, Bekele says he is now in peak condition and ready to attack his 2019 personal-best marathon time of 2:01:41 hours, as well as the world record, today.

After the pandemic decimated the 2020 marathon calendar, Bekele is ready to test himself over 42.195 kilometres (26.2 miles) in Berlin.

“I am very happy to come here again after COVID. It has been a really tough time for me,” Bekele said.

“I have prepared well, even though it’s been difficult after two years without races.”

In the absence of Kenya’s Kipchoge, who won the Olympic title in Japan in August, Bekele leads a strong field as he attempts to win the Berlin title for the third time after his 2016 and 2019 triumphs.

The Ethiopian confessed that two years ago he was unaware how close he was to the world record pace in Berlin until he saw

players. So, it was obvious that what the team has agreed to is what I call a very high-octane policy,” Murray told the Mason and Guest radio programme.

“West Indies are undoubtedly going to be the best team to watch; I’m not sure if they’ll be the best team to support, but every moment of every game they play is going to be exciting,” he added.

“Every player is put in there to play a little cameo of some sort, batting bowling or whatever and it is going to be thrilling, people or going to be on the edge of their seats. To me what they’ve decided is these players are going to give us winner-take-all.”

The West Indies have been placed in a difficult group alongside Australia, England and South Africa. (Sportsmax)

his time in the final stages.

“I wasn’t sure two years ago (of my time) and I just came to try to beat my personal best,” he said.

“I have a bit of a feel for the world record pace, I am full of confidence.”

Today’s race is the first of the world’s six major marathons to take place with a mass start since the pandemic.

Bekele also intends to run the New York Marathon on November 7, just six weeks after Berlin. The predominantly flat and fast course in the German capital has produced men’s and women’s world marathon records 11 times.

“I am registered for New York as well, both races have a different strategy and are different courses,” said Bekele.

“There has been no race for me for two years because of COVID-19 so I wanted to take this chance to race again within six weeks.”

Pep Guardiola revels in Man City’s dominant win over Chelsea

Former Windies wicketkeeper batter Deryck Murray FORMER wicketkeeper-batter, Deryck Murray, believes the Windies World Cup squad has been picked for maximum fireworks even if they do not go on to win the tournament.

The selection of the final team for the upcoming tournament has caused a torrent of discontent around the Caribbean, with strong opinions regarding which players should have be included or left out making the rounds.

Despite agreeing that leaving Holder out of the squad was a mistake, he believes the majority of the team was determined over the last three months and has been selected along the lines of a certain philosophy.

“You saw the team in various matches around the Caribbean and you could see the pattern of

Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola PEP Guardiola said Manchester City had produced their best performance of the season after the champions gained revenge for their defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League final with an impressive 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge.

City, who face Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday and Liverpool next weekend, were dominant against the European champions and deservedly won, thanks to Gabriel Jesus’s goal in the second half. Chelsea were outplayed and Guardiola, who surpassed Les McDowall’s record of 220 wins as City manager, feels that his side have more to give.

“I would say this season,” he said after being asked if it was City’s best display in the last six months. “In the last months we have done many good games, otherwise you cannot win the Premier League and be runners-up in the Champions League.

It’s incredible what these players have done. People say the Champions League was a disaster.

“We played 13 games, won 11, drew one and lost one. When this happens it is exceptional, that helps us and now we go to Paris to play. I have the feeling the players are there and want to do another good season.”

Guardiola was happy with Jesus after the Brazilian scored the only goal. “Gabriel is one person or player who deserves the very best,” he said. “He’s a guy who runs and works for everyone, and every time he scores I’m the happiest man. He can play up front in all three positions and he does them all very well.

“We know from the past how aggressive Chelsea are in the duels. But you have to handle that at this level. And Gabriel, he went down, but he got up – and got up to try again. And that’s why he’s one of the best signings we have made in this period together at City.”

Tuchel admitted that Chelsea, who visit Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, were second best. “We lost the game and I think City deserved to win,” Chelsea’s manager said.

“Until the goal, we were very, very strong in the last 20m of the field, but only there, unfortunately, and there are another 80m left where we were not good enough today to escape pressure, to have ball possession - and not only ball possession to breathe, but ball possession to switch play, to hurt them and to grow in confidence.

“We were not on our very best level, and you need your very best level to push a game like this to your side.” (The Guardian)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

Ruthless Warwickshire clinch County Championship title WARWICKSHIRE finished off Somerset in ruthless fashion to claim the LV= Insurance County Championship and pip Lancashire to the title on the final day of the season.

The Red Rose were watching on nervously from Emirates Old Trafford after edging a nail-biter against Hampshire on Thursday evening to give themselves a chance, but they were powerless to prevent the silverware being torn from their grasp at Edgbaston.

Liam Norwell dismissed Jack Brooks just before 16.30hrs to seal a 118-run win and, with it, Warwickshire’s first championship triumph since 2012 and only the eighth in their history.

Skipper Will Rhodes made a competitive declaration after little more than an hour’s play in order to give his side 79 overs to take all 10 wickets, inviting the

Cidermen to chase down 273 at a required rate of 3.45.

But with the Division One title on the line, Warwickshire were not to be denied in the field as they dismissed the visitors for 154 in 52 overs.

Nottinghamshire had earlier completed a five-wicket victory over Yorkshire in their final match but ultimately missed out on the Bob Willis Trophy final.

After wrapping up their own match seven overs into the afternoon session, they were left waiting for the outcome of Warwickshire’s clash against Somerset but the Bears’ victory ensured it would be they and Lancashire to contest the endof-season Lord’s final.

Nottinghamshire would be heading to Lord’s themselves if they had not fallen four runs short of a third batting point here when they were bowled out for 296 in their first innings, having

needed only 18 more runs with three wickets in hand.

Kent claimed the Division Three title after a morning of high drama at Canterbury, where they beat Middlesex by two wickets.

Kent finished on 375 for eight, but they were in trouble early on after Toby RolandJones brilliantly ran out Tawanda Muyeye for 89, having begun day four on 275 for five, needing another 98 to win.

They also lost Darren Stevens for 14, before Marcus O’Riordan (26) and Grant Stewart (37 not out) revived them with a stand of 48 and Matt Milnes hit the winning runs.

Also on Friday, Ollie Pope hit a career-best 274 and Hashim Amla 163 as Surrey’s run-filled Division Two match against Glamorgan at the Kia Oval ended in a high-scoring draw.

Warwickshire were crowned county champions for the eighth time.

(Bradley Collyer/PA) Surrey finished on 722 for four declared, their highest firstclass total against Glamorgan, who themselves made 672 for

six declared in their own first innings as batters dominated.

That match saw a number of batting records set as a total

of 1 394 runs more scored and only 10 wickets lost over the four days, none of them to seam.

schools, medical facilities etc. that will be built in the community.”

Spanning almost 800 acres, the project is set to be home to many luxurious homes, villas and condos that will sit elevated above the golf course, lakes and natural reserves to ensure that each has a magnificent unimpeded view of nature’s beauty.

John explained that Madewini Villas, the first phase in development had been completed and demand for the new areas were at an all-time high but that everything would be built to the same exacting standards set forth over the past 10 years.

Meanwhile GGA president Aleem Hussain said he was honoured and excited by the opportunity to have such a wonderful location to develop an incredibly unique and picturesque course, with pure white sands and lots of lakes, trees and varying elevation.

“Most people are amazed when they visit this area, thinking that Guyana is mostly flatlands, cane and rice fields.

This topography will change their perspective and make them never want to leave.”

Speaking on the swift progress the GGA has made this year and its upcoming

goals, Hussain added that he was happy to see the sport gaining massive popularity, especially with school students across Guyana. “ It’s been satisfying to see the response to golf throughout the country thanks to the efforts of the MoE Allied Arts Unit and the GGA and, with more than 10 000 new players by the end of 2021, this is a positive step that will allow more persons access to the sport.”

The planned course will be a full 7 300-yard 18-hole with a grand clubhouse to accommodate the members and residents’ activities that will include tennis, swimming, horse-riding and nature trails.

Use of the natural landscape, massive lakes and waterfalls will enhance the beauty of the course.

This is the second major Golf course being developed in the country (Nexgen Golf has a series of modified small footprint courses underway) and with the tremendous growth plans around the country, Hussain said he expects that more developers will follow in the footsteps of Ashmin’s Resort and include golf courses in their planning.

(Clifton Ross)

Ashmin’s Resort inks major Golf Course deal with GGA

… Professional course to be constructed at resort

A 3D aerial image of what the 18-hole golf course set to be developed at Splasmin’s will look like after its construction in the near future.

ASHMIN’S Fun Park & Resort and the Guyana Golf Association (GGA)/Nexgen Academy created a bit of history recently by inking a major deal which will see a new 18-hole course being constructed at the resort.

The championship-style golf course is being built on the sprawling resort property, just minutes from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

This is in response to the demand that has been generated by the many expats and remigrants to Guyana and especially with golf gaining prominence as

their preferred sport because it is fully COVID-19 compliant.

The developers are confident that this will add to the country’s desired sports tourism agenda. They indicated that they have been in discussion with a number of top golf course designers, investment groups and hotel partners and intend to finalise an agreement for construction to begin shortly.

Earlier this year, the World Amateur Golf Championship (WAGC) engaged with Nexgen Golf to host the world’s largest amateur golf championship in

Guyana as early as 2023, wherein teams of players from over 40 countries would compete, but a requirement was a minimum of three 18-hole golf courses and sufficient hotel rooms for the several thousand players and spectators.

Popularly known as Splashmin’s Resort, the brainchild of successful entrepreneur and businessman Lennox John, the development is capitalising on its prime location to realise its potential as a major investment opportunity in the country, since it is ideally located close to the main airport in the

area that Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali has been promoting as a new capital to be known as ‘Silica City’, with major roads to the existing city and neighbouring Brazil in the process of being built.

Regarding the venture into sports, Mr John pointed out, “It has been a life-long dream to complete this project in a manner that sets a standard in the country, something that will make us the most desired place to live.

The development of a worldclass golf course enhances the other amenities such as hotels, restaurants, shopping malls,

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

Clubs say FIFA World Cup plan would have ‘destructive impact’ MANCHESTER, England – (Reuters) - FIFA’s plans for a biennial World Cup would lead to a “direct and destructive impact on the club game”, Europe’s top clubs organisation said on Friday.

The European Club Association (ECA) said FIFA’s approach to the reforms of the international match calendar was in “direct and unilateral breach of certain legal obligations”, as it joined European football’s governing body, UEFA, in opposing the proposals.

The ECA, which represents 234 European clubs, did not state what obligations it was referring to, but the

organisation has made a series of agreements with UEFA and global football body, FIFA, regarding the calendar.

“Football clubs have always been a fundamental and respected voice in shaping the future of the IMC (international match calendar),” the ECA said.

“They are the cornerstone of football, being the drivers of competitions; the primary hub and home of player development and investment; and the fulcrum of fans and their local communities.”

“This is why the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which governs the relationship between ECA and FIFA, places the IMC at its core.

“This MoU between the clubs and FIFA was agreed upon following detailed negotiations and joint approval on the IMC, as well as the processes that govern the IMC.” FIFA is conducting a feasibility study into holding the World Cup on a biennial basis, a change from the current four-year cycle, but it has made no secret of its desire to switch to such a format.

Arsene Wenger, the former Arsenal manager, who is now FIFA’s head of global football development, said this month he was “100 per cent convinced” about the benefits of the switch.

The ECA said it has been ready

to discuss a “modernised” calendar, but there has been a lack of consultation from FIFA.

“ECA has, therefore, followed with grave concern and alarm FIFA’s launch of active PR campaigns and much pretence, apparently seeking to railroad through reforms to the IMC, particularly the introduction of a biennial World Cup,” it said.

On Monday, FIFA said it had “reached out to its member associations and other stakeholders (representatives of the players, clubs, leagues, confederations) marking the beginning of a new phase of consultation”.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin warned this month of a potential European boycott of the World Cup if FIFA’s plans went ahead.

While South American confederation CONMEBOL has also been strongly critical of FIFA’s approach, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said it “welcomes the extensive consultation process initiated and led by FIFA”.

CONCACAF, which governs the game in North and Central America and the Caribbean, said it was looking at the proposals “with an open mind, and in the spirit of positive engagement” and African confederation CAF has taken a similar stance.

Any vote on changes would likely have to be passed by the full FIFA Congress of 211 national associations.

BERBICE Cricket Board (BCB) president Hilbert Foster held a discussion with Colonel Nazrul Hussain MSM, Director of the National Task Force, leading to the decision to further update its COVID-19 mandates.

The president sought advice if clubs can still conduct practice sessions and we are pleased to inform you of the following.

Firstly, practice sessions will now be held with club members only, with no spectators allowed.

Practice sessions should be held on separate days for junior and senior players, to cut down on all 65 members being present at the same time.

On the third note, Social distancing, face mask and sanitising of hands, along with other COVID-19

guidelines, should be in effect.

The fourth guideline is directed towards interclub matches where no such activities should be organised as per the written instruction.

Meanwhile, the Task Force is set to review the suspension of the cricket season when the COVID-19 situation improves in the country. All sports are affected by this decision.

FIFA’s head of global football development, Arsene Wenger

BCB supports COVID-19 Task Force regulations Practice sessions will now be held with club members only

Sunrisers Hyderabad fall short despite Holder’s efforts PUNJAB Kings propelled themselves back into Indian Premier League (IPL) play-off contention by beating bottom side Sunrisers Hyderabad by five runs yesterday.

In a low-scoring match between IPL’s bottom two sides, Jason Holder’s 47 not out was not enough for Sunrisers to claim just a second win of the season.

Aiden Markram (27) topscored for Punjab, with captain KL Rahul (21) the only other player to knock off over 20 runs.

Holder was crucial to keeping Punjab to 125-7, as he took three wickets for 19 runs from his four overs, yet Mohammed Shami took the huge wickets of David Warner and Kane Williamson in his first

two overs to deal Sunrisers a blow.

The Sunrisers were reduced to just 20 runs in the powerplay, the lowest total in their IPL history, and despite Holder’s unbeaten stand, which included five sixes they did not have enough to get them over the line.

Punjab’s win takes them to eight points, level with three other teams all hunting a play-off spot.

HOLDER’S HEROICS NOT ENOUGH There was no doubting who the star of the show was yesterday, with West Indies international Holder brilliant with both the bat and ball. Yet his efforts proved fruitless, with Nathan Ellis managing to keep him at bay in

the final over.

“It is a tough loss. We left a little bit too much in the back end to do. That’s how the game plays. We were behind the eight ball. I just wanted to give myself a chance and strike well,” said Holder.

SHAMI AND BISHNOI STRIKE The Sunrisers’ confidence was knocked early by Shami (2-14), as he dismissed Warner (2) and Williamson (1) to stifle the chase before it had even got started.

Ravi Bishnoi then added three wickets for just 24 runs to apply further pressure, skittling through Hyderabad’s middle order. (Sportsmax)

Windies all-rounder Jason was brilliant with both bat and ball

35

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

GFF conducts U20 Men’s trials in Florida ahead of CONCACAF qualifiers, sponsored by SQ Apparel

THE Guyana U20 Men’s National Team Head Coach Wayne Dover and his team on Friday commenced a threeday talent identification camp in Florida, as the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) accelerates its efforts to integrate upcoming youth players from the diaspora into its national programme.

The camp, officially sponsored by sports apparel company Squadra, follows extensive trials for U20 eligible players across Guyana ahead of November qualifiers in the Dominican Republic for the CONCACAF

U20 Championship.

Guyana has been drawn in Group D with Nicaragua, the Cayman Islands, and the US Virgin Islands. The winner of each qualification group will progress to the Round of 16 finals tournament.

“The purpose of the talent ID camp is to identify players in the North America diaspora with Guyana heritage,” said Coach Dover. “We hope to come away with identified talent to strengthen the National U20 Men’s Team leading up to the qualif i e r s i n N o v e m b e r. ” The ID scouting is

the first of its kind for the men’s U-20 team, and it will definitely give us a wider reach for talent,” Dover added.

Dover was joined by GFF Youth Development Officer Bryan Joseph and GFF Goalkeeping Coach Eon Deviera, as part of a high-level delegation focused on examining the potential of Players taking part in the trials.

As official sponsor of the camp, Squadra’s contributions include the provision of logistical resources for the coaching staff ’s accommodation, tentage and other ma-

terials for the camp, and photographic coverage.

“We are extremely grateful to Squadra for supporting this important initiative,” said GFF P re s i d e n t Wa y n e Forde. “This crucial support means the GFF is able to properly examine the potential of upcoming talent in the North American diaspora. We are excited to welcome new players into the n a t i o n a l p ro g r a m m e as we build towards a successful run in the Concacaf U20 Championship.”

Delhi Capitals return to top of IPL after beating Rajasthan Royals Shimron Hetmyer hit five fours in his 28 off 16 balls in Delhi Capitals’ win over Rajasthan Royals yesterday in Abu Dhabi. (Photo credit - Delhi Capitals)

DELHI Capitals returned to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) yesterday after beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 33 runs in Abu Dhabi.

Shreyas Iyer (43) and Shimron Hetmyer (28) helped Rishabh Pant’s men to 154-6 before Anrich Nortje (2-18) led a disciplined bowling effort to stifle the chase.

After losing Liam

Livingstone and David Miller in the powerplay thanks to slick fielding from Pant, the brilliance of the unbeaten Sanju Samson (70 not out) was not enough to keep the Royals’ hopes alive.

Mahipal Lomror (19) was the only other batter to reach double figures against a strong Capitals attack, Nortje and Ravichandran Ashwin (1-20)

taking three wickets between them – as many boundaries as they allowed throughout.

After the Capitals lost the toss, Shikhar Dhawan was skittled by Kartik Tyagi after facing just eight balls, with Prithvi Shaw following in the next over, but there were no further slip-ups.

Hetmyer’s 28 off 16 deliveries built on the good

work of Iyer and Pant before a late flourish from Lalit Yadav (14) helped set a formidable target.

Once the Royals lost three wickets in the first five overs, the result seemed a formality, despite the best efforts of Samson, who hit eight fours and a six off 53 balls.

The Capitals are back on top of the table, two points above Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of their clash with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) today.

ONE OF THE BEST Delhi are now on a run of six wins in seven IPL games against Royals, who are down in sixth in the standings but level on points with KKR in fourth.

“If not the best, it is one of the best,” Pant said of his attack after more exemplary bowling.

“But we like to take it as one match at a time. There’s a fair bit of planning, as a team we plan according to the batters, and execute according to those plans.”

LITTLE JOY FOR SAMSON While he did not get the support he needed at the other end, Samson did at least reach the milestone of 100 sixes for Royals in the IPL. He is the second batter to reach that tally for the franchise, after Shane Watson (109) (Sportsmax)

India, England to play ‘abandoned’ Manchester Test in the summer of 2022

Joe Root and Virat Kohli.

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images THE England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seem to have come to an agreement at last regarding the cancelled Test at Old Trafford, earlier this month.

After pulling out of the final Test in Manchester due to COVID-related concerns, BCCI had offered to play either a Test or two T20Is next year.

In the summer of 2022, India are due to tour England for a three ODIs and as many T20 Internationals. The added Test will obviously be played in Manchester to recover the losses which ECB incurred due to the cancellation of this year’s Test.

The bigger question now looms whether the one-off Test will be part of the series that was left unfinished or a standalone.

The series is led by Virat Kohli and his men, 2-1, having won Tests at the Oval and at Lord’s. ECB CEO Tom Harrison had said previously that if a Test is played later on, it would be played as a standalone and won’t be part of this series.

However, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had made it clear that he and the board wanted the rescheduled Test to be part of the series of 2021 as it would be a great opportunity for India to win in England.

If India manage to win the Test series it will be their first in England since 2007.

The Indian team has won a Test series in England only thrice, in 1971, 1986, and 2007. BCCI had also offered to play two extra T20I matches to help ECB recover its losses instead of a Test. ECB seems to have finally taken the option of playing the Test.

Now, there are some decisions yet to be made, considering that there are World Test Championship points at stake here.

India will be touring England in July of 2022. Apart from that, the same report of ESPNCricinfo which gave insights about the extra Test next year also gave an update on the Ashes 2021-22. It is understood that ECB has got all the arrangements which Cricket Australia (CA) has planned.

So far, the ECB seems to be happy with the arrangements and we might see fewer England players withdraw from the Ashes which was tipped previously.

(CricTracker)

Skerritt calls on West Indians to support T20 World Cup team

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 26, 2021

squad, no matter what.”

The last time the T20I tournament was staged in 2016, West Indies beat England in spectacular fashion at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, to capture their second title. The first T20 World Cup victory came in 2012 when they beat Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. West Indies have also reached the semi-finals on two occasions – in 2009 in England and 2014 in Bangladesh.

Head coach Phil Simmons will be looking to make it backto-back titles as he was the mastermind behind the title to success in 2016. Captain Kieron Pollard will also be looking for a second world title as he was an influential member of the squad which won in 2012.

West Indies have shown encouraging form this year in the build-up to the tournament. They contested four CG Insurance T20I home series against Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia, and Pakistan. They played 17 matches – won 8, lost 6, with three “no results” due to bad weather.

The squad is due to assemble in the UAE in early October, where they will have a training camp before fine-tuning the final preparations, including warm-up matches against Pakistan and India.

West Indies have been drawn in Group 1 and will play five group games against England, South Africa and Australia along with the winner of Round 1 Group A (Sri Lanka, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Namibia) and the runner-up from Round 1 Group B (Bangladesh, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, and Oman).

West Indies’ first group game will be against England in Dubai on October 23.

FLASHBACK: West Indies captain Darren Sammy (third left) receives the World Cup T20 trophy in 2016 from Zaheer Abbas (right), President of ICC, after they won the final.©REUTERS / Action Images ST JOHN’S, Antigua – President of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Ricky Skerritt is calling on West Indies cricket fans everywhere, to throw their full support behind the West Indies team when they defend the ICC T20 World Cup title next month.

With the countdown already begun towards the start of the marquee event in the UAE, Skerritt has asked the fanbase and all stakeholders to help create a winning West Indian spirit of passion and unity, in the face of a global battle. The West Indies team is going in pursuit of an unprecedented third

ICC T20 World title.

“The selectors have produced a fitfor-purpose squad which is a rich mixture of experienced leadership, proven matchwinners, and youthful talent. For the first time in years the selectors had good options within a growing pool of exciting West Indian talent.

“But this is a major world tournament, not a development tour. All the best teams in the world will be setting out to dethrone the West Indies as defending champions.

And just coping with the discomfort of an ongoing COVID-19 bubble will be tough

enough for the players.

“So the mental toughness of our team will be stiffly tested both on and off the field. That is at least one good reason why they deserve our support. If you are a West Indian fan, then this is your team no matter from which territory the players hail.”

According to the CWI president, “A successful World Cup journey requires that all of us; who love and support the game, and who have seriously studied the fortunes of West Indies cricket; come together and send positive vibes to captain Pollard and the members of his

Thompson-Herah denies reports she is leaving MVP

ELAINE Thompson-Herah has poured cold water on reports that she is leaving MVP Track Club.

She has described those reports as rumours and said she is on a well-deserved break following her record-breaking season during which she became the first woman to successfully defend 100 and 200m titles at the same Olympic Games.

Reports emerged on Thursday that following her outstanding season, Thompson-Herah had taken a decision to leave MVP and, going forward, will be coached by her husband, Derron Herah.

Late Thursday, the 2021 Diamond League 100m champion appeared on the Brother From Another show on NBC Sports, denouncing the reports.

“I am the fastest woman alive so they are going to create some sort of news to distract the world so it’s rumours of course. I have seen articles in the media that I have died before, more than once.

There are always rumours in the media, they are always targetting me, I don’t know why,” she told hosts, Michael Smith and Michael Holley.

“It’s probably because I didn’t show up at practice. I am still on my rest period, so maybe they are just speculating why I am not at practice, but I just came back from the international circuit and we normally get like a month’s rest and I am in my second week.”

Thompson-Herah set a new Olympic record of 10.61 while defending her Olympic 100m title and 21.53 to win back-to-back titles in the 200m. She won a third gold on Jamaica’s 4x100 relay team.

After the Olympics, she ran the fastest series of times in history – 10.54, 10.64, 10.72 and 10.65 – to close out the season as the only woman to run four wind-legal times faster than 10.70. (Sportsmax)

Elaine Thompson-Herah won a third gold on Jamaica‘s 4x100 relay team at the Tokyo Olympics

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GCB halts play following instructions from COVID-19 Task Force … Board supports Minister Anthony’s Vaccination Drive

DUE to the epidemiological situation in Guyana, the COVID-19 Task Force Secretariat, on September 21, 2021, has instructed Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) to suspend all cricket activities until further notice.

As a consequence, GCB, by way of this press release, wishes to inform all affiliated cricket boards, associations, clubs and other related organisations to immediately comply with the instruction given.

This important development will of course cause the planned cricket tournaments, coaching, training, seminars, school cricket including Under-13, youth cricket, club cricket, inter-association, inter-county, women’s cricket, competitions and in general the cricket developmental plans of the GCB to be pushed back indefinitely.

As a result, the planned extended period of preparation will be curtailed. GCB is formally committed to act responsibly in this pandemic crisis and to be fully compliant with official instructions.

Once cricket activities resume (post ‘COVID-19’), the short-, medium- and long-term plans would be reassessed in order to establish how best they can be effectively implemented.

GCB president Bissoondyal Singh GCB president Bissoondyal Singh, has expressed his personal concerns with the adverse effects this deadly pandemic is having on players, officials and indeed the public at large.

Singh, as well as the GCB executive committee, backs the call

by Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony in his call for all eligible Guyanese to be fully vaccinated and to observe the COVID-19 guidelines since this will reduce positive cases of ‘COVID-19’ and subsequent deaths.

The GCB urges all Guyanese to get vaccinated and to stay safe.

SUNDAY,SEPTEMBER 26, 2021