Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_28_04_2022

THURSDAY 28th APRIL, 2022

No. 106706

1,000 jobs, $50M in grants - Vice-President guarantees jobs for 400 for Region Five persons trained in technical areas

UK investors could benefit from regional investment framework SEE PAGE

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President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Wednesday, met with United Kingdom Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in London. The two leaders discussed several areas of mutual interest, including Guyana’s agriculture agenda, the country’s energy potential and PM Johnson’s Coalition of Forest Alliance Initiative (Office of the President photo)

Linden roads to get $600M facelift SEE PAGE

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SEE PAGE

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CXC examinations to begin on May 23 SEE PAGE

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Guyana gets first woman-owned insurance brokerage firm SEE PAGE

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UK investors could benefit from regional investment framework

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

- President Ali says, talks up opportunities in trade, tourism, agriculture, energy

INVESTORS and business leaders from the United Kingdom (UK) were sensitised on the plethora of opportunities that exist within the Caribbean region.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, in his address to stakeholders at the Caribbean Council’s House of Lords Annual Reception on Wednesday, said that, as a tourism hub, and through its strategic location, the Caribbean has access to over 220 million people directly or through trade agreements.

“We have complete trade agreements with Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and of course, we are part of the economic partnership agreement,” Dr. Ali said.

He pointed to the region’s food-import bill and its market values.

Among those listed by the President included palm oil which is worth US$142 million; cocoa worth US$48.5 million; spices worth US$10.6 million, and beef and beef products worth US$40 million among others.

The region’s food-import bill, he added, will

grow to at least US$10 billion in the immediate future.

The President said that the region has the capacity to produce what it will consume and that it “has an investment framework that allows great competitiveness,” which would benefit the business community in the UK and the rest of Europe.

He told the group that the Caribbean is already looking to be more selfsufficient and to produce more.

He spoke about the 25 per cent reduction in the food importation bill that the region hopes to achieve by 2025.

He also proudly said that Guyana has a lead role and a lead responsibility in achieving that target and will host the inaugural Agri-Investment Forum and Expo this year from May 19-24.

RENEWED INTEREST President Ali reiterated that the development and prosperity of Guyana must be the prosperity of the region—a region he said that is often overlooked.

On this note, he called

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, addresses stakeholders at the Caribbean Council’s House of Lords Annual Reception, on Wednesday (Office of the President photo) for a new perspective and renewed interest in the region given the present global environment.

“What is needed now is a new development of the relationship and new perspective—a renewed

interest in the Caribbean because there is tremendous opportunity and given what is taking place globally, the Caribbean is presenting itself as an interesting solution for investors and investments,” Dr. Ali said.

He told the gathering that despite Guyana’s growing oil and gas sector, the economy would be multifaceted.

Dr. Ali said: “We see ourselves as an economy in transition that is allowed this great blessing of oil as a mode of taking us into the transition we so want.”

The government, he added, will use the resources to invest in other sectors including infrastructure expansion, ICT, tourism, health and education under a “new wave of development.”

MIND-BLOWING OPPORTUNITIES Within that context, he said the projection is that Guyana’s oil and gas

sector will have a “long future,” which will provide the opportunity to advance the other sectors.

The President also outlined Guyana’s leading role in the environment, climate change mitigation and vast natural resources including freshwater reserves.

“So when we’re going to discuss climate change in the future, Guyana will be on the table; when we discuss oil and gas, Guyana will be on the table; when we discuss freshwater, Guyana will be on the table; when we discuss food sustainability and agriculture, Guyana will be on the table because we are working towards becoming the breadbasket of the Caribbean.

“When we talk about energy sustainability, Guyana will be on the table and when we talk about issues of regional integration, Guyana will be on the table,” Dr. Ali said.

He also spoke about the government’s plan to reduce the cost of energy by 50 per cent by 2025.

“When we do that, we now become competitive with any other producer in the region,” the Head of State said.

Despite Guyana’s potential, President Ali said that the most important asset the country possesses is its people. He spoke about his government’s “One Guyana” initiative and the mission to include all Guyanese in the country’s development.

In closing, the President invited those gathered to travel to Guyana and examine the opportunities for themselves.

“There is a lot of possibility and a lot of resources available through the UK Government. Once you have a big idea, I can tell you, there is an opportunity,” Dr. Ali said.

(Office of the President)

1,000 jobs, $50M in grants for Region Five 3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

- Vice-President guarantees jobs for 400 persons trained in technical areas

Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo during his Region Five outreach on Wednesday (Office of the Vice-President photo)

By Tajeram Mohabir ONE thousand part-time jobs will soon be made available to residents of Region Five as government continues to put measures in place to cushion the effects of high cost of living precipitated by the slowdown of the global supply chain as a result of COVID-19.

Vi c e - P r e s i d e n t , D r Bharrat Jagdeo made the announcement at separate community meetings at Novar and the Bath Primary School, as well as during an engagement with members of the Region Five business community at Berbice Bridge Office lawns, D’ Edward Village, on Wednesday.

On assuming power in August 2020 after a protracted election stand-off, Dr Jagdeo pointed out that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government was faced with a situation where about 35,000 persons lost their jobs as a result of poor policies by the former Coalition Government.

This situation was further compounded when the Coalition, which was ill-equipped to tackle the pandemic, enforced significant locked down of the country as it grapples with the pandemic, a decision that saw some 30,000 persons being laid off of their jobs.

In addition to having to deal with battered economy, very limited resources to beat back COVID-19 and a host of other inherited challenges, Dr Jagdeo told Region Six residents that the government also had to contend with a high employment rate, a

problem it had made significant headway in addressing through a series of development projects, which will grow in numbers.

Also, thus far, the government has allocated 800 parttime jobs each for Regions Two and 10, and 3,000 for Region Six as part of a programme that will see some 8,000 such jobs being allocated to residents throughout Guyana. Dr Jagdeo reported that in Region Two, some 2,000 have signed up for these jobs that will be made available by government.

Under this part-time employment scheme, persons are required to work 10 days per month at a government agency, hospital or government-run institutions and will be paid $40,000 per month.

WORKING DILIGENTLY The PPP/C, in it’s 2020 manifesto, had promised to create 50,000 jobs in its first term in office, and since its assumption of power in Au-

gust 2020, Vice-President Jagdeo said the party has been working diligently to fulfil its manifesto commitments to the people, regardless whether they voted for his party or not.

He also said the Administration has been talking with the major players in the oil and gas sector and has been encouraging them to recruit persons from outside of Regions Three and Four, which have been attracting the bulk of investments over the past two years.

“We can give them a tax incentive to train people… we are setting up a major training facility at Port Mourant. If you find maybe 400 young people from this region who want to be trained in operating heavy-duty equipment like excavators, cranes, all of these things… as electricians, plumbers, welders, I can immediately get a training programme stated with 300-400 persons because we need them badly and they earn a

A section of the gathering at the Community meeting at Novar (Office of the Vice-President photo)

good pay,” he said.

Dr Jagdeo also noted that a temporary training facility can be established in Region Five while the government works on getting the Port Mourant facility up and running.

GUARANTEE “I can guarantee you that months after they are trained, they will find jobs,” he assured residents of the region.

This aside, he said that the government is also looking to co-invest in projects that will generate jobs such as call centres by investing in the shell of the building and to provide training where necessary.

He also informed residents that the government has set aside some 200 small grants of $250,000 for persons in the region who are interested in entering business or to expand their business.

Since coming to power in 2020, the government has delivered on a number of its manifesto promises. These so

far include restoring the children’s education grant and increasing it to $25,000, with the aim to further increase it to $50,000 by 2025.

This grant has also been extended to children at private schools. The school uniform voucher has also increased, old-age pension has been increased by 40 per cent and is expected to double the amount paid out in 2015. The government has also removed VAT on water, electricity and data and drainage; and irrigation charges which were increased by 500 per cent by the former government have been slashed to the pre-2015 rate.

Some $250,000 in relief grants have also been given to laid-off sugar workers, as well $25,000 to the populace to cushion the impact of COVID-19. Monetary assistance was also given to all pensioners and billions of dollars have been paid to farmers affected by the massive floods last year.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

World leaders tackle rising food prices (Jamaica Observer) World leaders are pushing for action to address food security as global food prices continue on an upward trajectory and vulnerable nations face tightening supplies.

In a joint statement the heads of the World Bank Group (WBG), International Monetary Fund (IMF), United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and World Trade Organization (WTO) identified the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war as “compounding crises” that have contributed to a shortage in food supplies and increase in prices.

“The fallout of the war in Ukraine is adding to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that now enters its third year, while climate change and increased fragility and conflict pose persistent harm to people around the globe.

Sharply higher prices for

staples and supply shortages are increasing pressure on households worldwide and pushing millions more into poverty,” they noted.

The statement added that the surge in food prices pose a threat mainly to the world’s poorest countries whose consumption largely comprise food imports and that middleincome countries are also vulnerable since they host a majority of the world’s poor.

According to World Bank estimates, each percentage increase in food prices pushed 10 million people into extreme poverty globally.

In the same vein, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) shared that the conflict in Eastern Europe has pushed FAO’s Food Price Index to an all-time high, hitting the vulnerable most. FAO simulations indicate further that the conflict could result in as many as 13.1 million more

Prices have soared across agricultural commodities, including wheat, barley, maize and sunflower oil people going hungry between 2022 and 2026.

UK-based publication The Spectator indicates that the FAO food price index rose 13 per cent in March to stand a third higher than a year ago.

Interruptions in wheat supplies from Ukraine and Russia have driven cereals prices up 17 per cent and vegetable oils by 23 per cent, it added.

HIGH FERTILISER

PRICES In the meantime, higher fertiliser prices have curbed the outlook of future harvests globally, with key exporter Russia excluded from the supply chain. In 2020, the Eurasian country was the top exporter of nitrogen fertilisers, the second-leading supplier of potassium, and the third-largest exporter of phosphorous fertiliser. However,

sanctions from the US, European and Asian governments on Russian commodities, including oil and petroleum by-products, have intensified the shortage of fertiliser supplies to the global market.

“The rise in food prices is exacerbated by a dramatic increase in the cost of natural gas, a key ingredient of nitrogenous fertiliser. Surging fertiliser prices along with significant cuts in global supplies have important implications for food production in most countries, including major producers and exporters, who rely heavily on fertiliser imports. The increase in food prices and supply shocks can fuel social tensions in many of the affected countries, especially those that are already fragile or affected by conflict,” the joint statement outlined.

What’s more, Russia and Ukraine play import roles in the global food market with some 50 countries relying on them for at least 30 per cent of wheat.

Global Trade Review points out that since the war prices have soared across agricultural commodities to include wheat, barley, maize and sunflower oil, and fuels — notably crude oil and natural gas. Moreover, food prices will continue to remain high due to high transportation costs, limited container availability and ongoing disruption due to COVID-19, particularly in China’s largest port, Shanghai.

“The war can have multiple implications for global markets and food security,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said at a Group of 20 (G20) meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in Washington last week Wednesday.

CALL TO ACTION In response to the dangers of the rising food prices, WBG President David Malpass, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, WFP Executive Director David Beasley and WTO Director General Ngozi OkonjoIweala have proposed actions to provide emergency food supplies and deploy financial supply support to help the most vulnerable household

and countries. Such actions, they said would facilitate “unhindered trade” and boost investment in sustainable food production and nutrition security.

In particular, they have called on the international community to provide grants to countries with the most urgent financing needs.

“We are committed to combining our expertise and financing to quickly step up our policy and financial support to help vulnerable countries and households as well as to increase domestic agricultural production in, and supply to, impacted countries. We can mitigate balance of payments pressures and work with all countries to keep trade flows open.

In addition, we will further reinforce our monitoring of food vulnerabilities and are quickly expanding our multifaceted policy advice to affected countries guided by the comparative advantages of our respective institutions,” the leaders stated.

“We also urge the international community to help support urgent financing needs, including through grants.

This should include financing of immediate food supplies, safety nets to address the needs of the poor, and for small farmers facing higher input prices. We also urge all countries to keep trade open and avoid restrictive measures such as export bans on food or fertilizer that further exacerbate the suffering of the most vulnerable people. It is especially important not to impose export restrictions on humanitarian food purchases by the UN’s World Food Program,” they added.

FAO General Director QU Donyu has likewise called on the international community to fund a Food Import Financing Facility (FIFF) to help poorer countries stymie the impact of the global food price increases. Along with complementing existing mechanisms in the UN system, the fund aims to facilitate improvements in agricultural production and productivity, as well as increase future resilience through investments in sustainable agri-food systems.

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Guyana gets first woman-owned insurance brokerage firm

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

By Jared Liddell

LOCALLY owned RNS Insurance Brokers and Consultants made history, on Wednesday, when it became the first insurance brokerage firm launched and owned by a woman principal.

An insurance brokerage is not like an insurance company that sells insurance. Instead, it is a business that helps clients to purchase insurance policies that meet their personal or business needs.

Founder and General Manager of the company, Ramona Singh, at the launch, said she was elated to be the first woman in a male-dominated industry to launch her insurance brokerage locally.

She said that the company will be utilising innovative technology to cater to the needs of its customers.

“We aim to utilise modern technology to ensure ease of access in doing business with us.

One of our key focuses is to launch an interactive website which allows our customers to make queries, feedback and payments among other key features. Through this medium, we will also provide 24-hour insurance advisory services to our customers and the general public,” Singh said.

Some of the services that the company will offer to clients include insurance underwriting, claims management and reinsurance administra-

Senior Minster in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, and Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, with Founder and General Manager of RNS Insurance Brokers and Consultants Inc., Ramona Singh, at the launch of the company, on Wednesday (Adrian Narine photo)

tion.

Singh has over 22 years of experience in the field of insurance.

In March 2022, Singh obtained her brokerage licence from the Bank of Guyana, which was the first step towards achieving her goal of setting up her insurance brokerage firm.

TIMELY Senior Minster in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, called the initiative “timely,” noting that the need for insurance for both businesses and individuals will grow exponentially over the years, based on the current growth trajectory of the local economy.

“The launching of this new company comes at a time when the Guyanese economy is going

through its most significant transformation in history, and indeed the sharpest… the pace at which the Guyanese economy is growing, we are and will continue to be one of the fastest-growing economies of the world,” Minister Singh said.

In his advice to RNS’ principal, the minister said her business is positioned to benefit from the growth of not just the oil and gas sector, but also the non-oil and gas sector. He told her that the demand for insurance products is expected to skyrocket within the

years ahead.

“Given the expansion that is taking place in terms of employment and disposable incomes, the demand I anticipate for all insurance products, industrial, commercial, household, and individual classes of insurance products, the demand for all insurance products will be increasing dramatically in the months and the years ahead,” Dr. Singh related.

NECESSITY OF INSURANCE Minister Singh noted that the government was aware of the importance of insurance and over the years has been increasingly investing to ensure that insurance was affordable and accessible for all, and that there was a wider window opened for insurance brokers to offer a wider range of services.

The senior minister highlighted that the gov-

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ernment included special fiscal incentives in Budget 2022 and has placed affordable medical and life insurance within the reach of more Guyanese by making premiums deductible from their chargeable incomes.

The government has implemented, for taxpayers, a deduction from their chargeable income for premiums paid for life and medical insurance up to a maximum of 10 per cent of their income or $30,000 monthly, whichever is lower.

That measure, which was projected to cost approximately $1.1 billion, will now reduce the amount of taxable income and ultimately the tax payable by the taxpayer, while at the same time guaranteeing that longterm health care needs and the needs of relatives in the event of death are met.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

Adequate Housing

ACCESS to adequate housing is a basic human right and is considered essential for the attainment of other economic, cultural and social benefits.

With Guyana’s economy set to quadruple in the coming years, the government has started creating the conditions for Guyanese, particularly those persons within the low and middle-income brackets, to have access to the necessity, which is adequate housing.

A primary component of the government’s agenda in this regard is the enhancement and construction of infra-

structure that accompanies housing. Those include roads, bridges, electricity, street lights, among other things.

During the five years preceding 2020, when house lots were distributed, there was a noted lack of preparatory works; this prevented new land owners from moving forward with construction of their homes because of inaccessibility to many schemes.

Cognisant of the challenges people would face due to the lack of infrastructure, the incumbent has been investing significant funds into new and existing housing schemes. This year alone,

the Ministry of Housing and Water plans to spend over $14 billion to develop twenty-two housing schemes countrywide.

The works that this budget would cover include the rehabilitation of bridges, roads and drainage infrastructure, as well as the installation of facilities to accommodate utilities, since the government’s mandate is to ensure that all new and upcoming housing schemes are outfitted with the requisite facilities for new land owners to commence building.

Over the past two years, Guyana’s housing demand has grown exponentially and authorities

have been responding appropriately to this surge.

It was reported that housing schemes at Cummings Lodge and Providence are expected to be completed this year end.

At Providence, 200 young professional houses are being constructed and all have been allocated, while in Cummings Lodge, over 100 elevated two-bedroom housing units are being built.

Further, land preparation in Amelia’s Ward and Great Diamond are ongoing before construction of housing units commences by the third quarter of 2022.

The government, since being elected to

office in August 2020, has allocated a total of 10,063 house lots, while 1,266 land titles and transports were distributed in 2021 with plans to target 6,000 applicants in 2022.

Additionally, an Expression of Interest (EOI) seeking private developers to help accelerate the massive housing programme, was issued for individual developers, companies or consortiums to undertake projects under the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

To ensure standards are maintained, those developers will be tasked with completing the proj-

ects within the given time period. According to the EOI, the areas identified for the upcoming projects are undeveloped lands on the East Bank and East Coast of Demerara.

This and other massive housing projects will be showcased during the country’s first Building Expo in over seven years.

The expo, which will run from July 22 to 24, will give stakeholders an opportunity to see how the government has transformed the housing sector within a short period.

It will also bring all players into a single space and allow buyers, builders and sellers to meet and interact.

I love my Guyana Dear Editor,

AFTER viewing the Visit Guyana Facebook page, which was created by Chris Rahaman and Stacey Rahaman, you would want to reconsider tour-

ing your own country, the beautiful Guyana.

There are many interesting facts about Guyana that I didn’t even know about, and this ranges from Guyanese cuisine, our culture and wonderful

places such as the Kumu Falls, Sloth Island, Rockview Lodge, Wichabai Ranch and Lake Capoey that I didn’t know about until now.

There are still many adventures to explore right

here in Guyana yet people choose to visit other countries for that mini-vacation.

If you haven’t been to any of these places, Stacey Rahaman gives you a sneak peek of what it’s like

at all these magnificent places.

You don’t even have to leave Guyana since we have so much tourist attractions right here in Guyana.

Happiness can be

found right within Guyana’s borders. There are great festivities, love and breathtaking sights.

Yours sincerely, Ashley Brasse

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

Wealth is in the eye of the beholder — a new way of measuring rural poverty yields unexpected results in Malawi

(FAO) WHEN Maxton Tsoka and his team of researchers set out to rural Malawi to test a new way of measuring poverty, they thought they had a pretty good idea of what clues they should look for. Beauty wasn’t one of them.

As it turns out, dwellers in Chambogho and in the other 15 villages that they visited repeatedly mentioned physical appearance as a sign of wealth.

“We initially didn’t think of physical appearance as one of the indicators, but it turns out that they use it to distinguish the status of people in their communities,” said Mtisunge Matope, one of the five researchers on Maxton’s team from the Centre for Social Research at the University of Malawi tasked by FAO with conducting a field test of the project.

Another team member, Donald Chitekwe, was equally surprised to find how much importance the villagers attached to this variable. In all, 55 out of the 64 discussion groups mentioned it.

In hindsight, it makes sense.

“Those who are well to do often look better,” Donald said. “That’s because they have money, so they are able to buy lotions that nourish their skin; they can buy better clothes; they eat good, healthy food that makes them look better.”

While it would be difficult to use a subjective indicator like physical appearance, the fact that it was highlighted by so many respondents speaks volumes about the importance of self-perception in relation to poverty: beyond the numbers there are humans and their emotions.

CAPTURING POVERTY IN ALL ITS DIMENSIONS In December of 2021, FAO published a report in collaboration with the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) that introduced an innovative way of measuring poverty in rural areas, where the majority of the world’s less well-off live, but for which reliable and harmonized data is difficult to come by.

The idea is that a more precise identification of who the extreme poor are can help decision-makers shape more accurate policies to tackle rural poverty and hunger.

This so-called Rural Multidimensional Poverty Index (R-MPI) was built on the widely accepted notion that household income alone does not fully capture a person’s wellbeing. Various indicators, such as food security, living standards, education and health are just as important to human development.

In order to test the ef-

Caption: Malawi, 14 per cent of the rural poor identified by the R-MPI had not been identified as poor by traditional monetary metrics (FAO photo)

fectiveness of the R-MPI, Maxton and his team set out to visit 15 communities spread across eight districts in Malawi. This southern African country of 19 million people is one of the poorest in the world, with the majority of its rural-based citizens dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods.

The researchers interviewed hundreds of people including community leaders, farmers, herders, fishers, and women heads of households, traders and estate workers.

The team started their research with 18 indicators and proceeded to check whether the ones they had picked — such as child mortality rates, school attendance, the availability of cooking fuel or exposure to climate change risks — applied in the real world.

CONFIRMATIONS AND SURPRISES Overall, the field research confirmed that such a multidimensional approach is more accurate in capturing poverty in all its aspects. In fact, the team found that as much as 14 per cent of the rural poor identified by the R-MPI in Malawi had not been identified as poor by traditional monetary metrics.

At the same time, they were fascinated to find out that some of the official R-MPI indicators were hardly mentioned by the villagers, while others cited came as a surprise. For instance, apart from mentioning physical appearance, the interviewees gave far more importance to the amount of work that people did, rather than to other indicators.

“That’s because the richest don’t work and employ other people to do almost everything,” Maxton said. “At the other end of the spectrum are people who are always working.”

The relatively low importance that the villagers gave to education was equally surprising to the team.

“Education was not found to be useful in distinguishing between the rich and the poor,” Maxton said. The ex-

planation: “Sometimes the uneducated are richer than the educated. Because of this, people do not see education as an indicator differentiating the poor from the rich.”

Similarly, having access to land was not an indicator in the original version of the R-MPI, but it was raised quite a lot by the villagers.

State of mind was another important indicator that emerged during the discussions. Being unhappy was identified with poverty, while the well-off were said to be happy and stress free. This state of mind was ascribed to having what they needed in life, including enough food and extra money to buy other items.

Moreover, the researchers were impressed at how accurately the people they interviewed were able to gauge the relative wealth of their neighbours. When it came to an indicator such as housing, respondents went beyond the basics — such as the construction materials — and provided a much more nuanced assessment, mentioning the home’s amenities, surroundings, type of windows, security of the doors, and so on.

Even more importantly, the research demonstrated the efficiency of the R-MPI in capturing their status.

“When we asked the participants to define poverty in their own words, what I found surprising is that most of the definitions that were given mentioned —without prompting— were the dimensions listed in the R-MPI, such as nutrition, living standards, livelihood and resources, as well as exposure to shocks and risks,” said Patrick Msukwa, another member of Maxton’s team.

The development of the R-MPI is part of FAO’s ongoing efforts to help countries design and enact policies that address the condition of poor and small-scale farmers, enhancing their livelihoods and improving their resilience and ability to escape extreme poverty.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

PAC flags $131M advance for sole-sourced boat in 2017

By Shamar Meusa

THE Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament of Guyana, on Monday last, heard that officials of the former Ministry of Public Security under the APNU+AFC coalition government purportedly breached Guyana’s finance laws when a payment was made in advance for a fire boat which arrived in Guyana years after the contract was signed.

At the time of the disclosure, the PAC was examining the Auditor General’s 2017 and 2018 reports relevant to that ministry.

The PAC heard that the boat was procured for the Guyana Fire Service (GFS).

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, raised in the committee that the sum of $174 million was expended for purchases which included the fire boat in question.

That sum was part of a broad sole-sourcing probe.

According to the Auditor General’s report, the contract in question was signed in early August 2017 with the boat expect-

ed to be delivered within nine to 10 months after the contract was signed.

As of December 31, 2017, some $131.3 million was paid to the con-

ten months had elapsed.”

Minister Edghill inquired the cause behind the delay in the delivery of the sole-sourced boat.

It was then revealed

correspondence indicating the issue. The boat arrived in Guyana in late 2019.

When questioned in the PAC, former Permanent Secretary (PS) of

the delivery of the boat at Port Georgetown. That had not yet been fulfilled.

It was then that the former PS told the committee that the payment

A scene from PAC’s Monday last sitting tractor.

“They had approval for a multi-year contract, and the final payment was budgeted for in 2018,” Minister Edghill commented on the contents of the report, adding: “At the time of reporting, the boat was not received although

that the boat was procured from the United Kingdom-based company, Angloco, and was delayed as the company could not find a suitable vessel for couriering the boat to Guyana.

The company, at the time, had reportedly sent a

that ministry, Daniella McCalmon, said the final payment for the boat was made in 2018 even though it had not yet arrived in Guyana.

Minister Edghill asked what was the basis for making the final payment since the contract was for

terms for the contract was set to be 47 per cent advanced payment, followed by the 53 per cent as the final payment when the boat’s construction was complete.

For his part, Finance Secretary (FS), Sukrishnalall Pasha,

said that in a prior meeting, he had explained to accounting officers that making advance payments is not permitted under Guyana’s Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA).

Pasha told the PAC: “When advanced payments are made, these payments should be secured by a bond in the event that things go in the wrong direction.

We could recover those funds.” “They should stick to what is in the contract,” FS Pasha continued.

He further added that if the contract required “staggered” payments, that should be done. He pointed out, however, that the law is breached when advanced payments are made.

“What is allowed is what is contained in the contract document, and it could never be 100 per cent,” Pasha said, adding: “[what] the contract document should also say is that those advanced payments should be backed by some bond, and in this particular instance this was not backed by any bond.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

COVID-19 hospital to remain operational - even with drop in cases

DESPITE a significant decrease in hospitalisations at government’s Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara-based (ECD) COVID-19 hospital, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, is adamant the services at that “Ocean View Facility” will be maintained.

Dr Anthony said this during his most recent

COVID-19 update, admitting there is no intention, at this point, to use the facility for any other purpose.

“As it is now, the numbers are low,” the Health Minister said.

“That does not mean that cannot change,” Dr Anthony said, cautiously. “Therefore, we want to make sure that we still maintain the services,” he

noted.

According to the Health Ministry’s recent COVID-19 dashboard figures, there is one person currently in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the “Ocean View” hospital.

Cautious of the potential for the infections to increase, Dr Anthony said: “As of now, we still maintain hospital beds for poten-

tial COVID-19 patients.”

When the “Ocean View” facility was fully operationalised after being retrofitted under the current administration, health authorities said the hospital will be used officially as an infectious disease centre to handle other infectious disease patients after the pandemic.

The “Ocean View” facility

GuyAmerica Construction reduces fuel consumption by 35 per cent — with new machinery from MACORP

LOCAL company, GuyAmerica Construction Inc., will reduce its fuel consumption by 35 per cent with the purchase of six new Caterpillar GX excavators from Machinery Corporation of Guyana Ltd. (MACORP).

excellent work-site visibility from the cab and 13 litre/hr fuel consumption.

According to a media release issued by the company, this transaction will also serve as a major contributor to the strength of the local economy

The new equipment acquired by GuyAmerica Construction Inc.

The company’s investment in this machinery is part of an effort to allow for accurate bucket control for maximum precision, low owning and operating costs, reliable performance, low maintenance cost,

by bringing growth and innovation to modern technology, which will serve as a building block for the construction and infrastructure industry in Guyana.

F r o m t h e c o m p a n y ’s

standpoint, Director of GuyAmerica Construction Inc., Reeyad Khan, said: “We began operations in 2010 and have exponentially grown over the years to become one of Guyana’s top preforming contractors.

“Our immense experience extends across the length and breadth of Guyana for a series of infrastructure development projects that have been completed as well as currently ongoing. While doing so in the effort to produce quality results in a time efficient manner.”

He added: “We also acquired a large fleet of Caterpillar equipment from Machinery Corporation of Guyana within the 11 + years of doing business with their establishment. They have always displayed their highest level of honesty, integrity and professionalism while doing what they love and providing quality machinery and parts.”

Linden roads to get $600M facelift

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THE Ministry of Public Works will soon be rolling out a massive infrastructural development programme in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), which will see a number of roads in Linden being upgraded at an estimated cost of over $600 million.

Minister of Public

Works, Juan Edghill, conducted an inspection of the roads to be done in Industrial Area, Kara Kara, Amelia’s Ward, Silver City and Block 22, on Tuesday.

He was accompanied

by Regional Executive Officer (REO), Dwight John and a team of engineers from the ministry.

Minister Edghill said

that the interventions are as a result of representations made by residents during Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s outreach in Linden last month. “… so, I’ve have gone myself to see the state of the roads and the fact of the matter is the state of the roads in Region 10 is horrible because it’s

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

clear no proper maintenance and rehabilitation was done over the last period; so things have gotten worse,” he said.

Edghill added that the tendering process for the projects will commence shortly, after which works will commence.

Additionally, he said the ministry is finalis-

ing the programme for sub-district two – Kwakwani, Hururu and Landersville and sub-district one -- Wismar and Mackenzie, as well as the road to Muritaro, and Malali, among others.

In the case of the internal roads in Kwakwani, Minister Edghill related that the minimum amount

of funds that have to be expended is $200 million.

Those works will be done as part of the ministry’s 2022 hinterland work programme.

This year, the sum of $76.7 billion was budgeted in the national budget to improve roads and bridges countrywide.

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, inspecting a section of the road to be done in Amelia’s ward, Region 10 (DPI photo)

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, interacting with a resident of Linden, Region 10, in the presence of Regional Executive Officer (REO), Dwight John (DPI photo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

Region Seven gets maternal, child health centre

IN keeping with the government’s commitment to provide quality healthcare services and improved infrastructure in all ten administrative regions, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, recently commissioned a $26.3 million Maternal and Child Health Centre in

Bartica, Region Seven.

“This is one of many things that would be happening in this region. We are looking at 16 other health centres, health posts in the region where we’ll be doing some work, we’ll be spending $100 million on those institutions and, hopefully, we can make some

upgrades,” Dr. Anthony said.

He said such institutions are important to ensuring a healthy population. Without proper care, Dr. Anthony said, many complications could occur that could impact the life of a child.

“The care that you give to the mother who is

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, speaking to the audience (DPI photo)

Regional Health Officer of Region Seven, Dr. Edward Sagala (DPI photo)

pregnant, it is that care, once we do that well, that child will be born a healthy child,” the minister noted.

Further, while speaking to health workers, Dr. Anthony said: “We will work with you to enhance your skills so that we can improve the quality of service that we

are offering.”

Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer of Region Seven, Dr. Edward Sagala, said the health of mothers and children is not one ‘to play with.’

He urged health care workers in the region to continue their hard work and commitment to provide the best services to

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citizens.

“This is a dream come true, it’s a beautiful building, but infrastructure alone cannot function in a vacuum.

It takes people and not just people, it takes people who are committed, dedicated and passionate,” Dr. Sagala said.

Changing the ‘boys only’ narrative in ‘tech’ 12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

— robotics enthusiast calls on more girls to join the field

By Telesha Ramnarine A young robotics enthusiast, Arrianna Mahase, has built a career for herself in the field of technology and wants to spread awareness of the sector, share opportunities, and mentor other youths, especially girls, in her bid to persuade them to join the “tech” field.

As women and girls around the world mark International Girls in ICT Day today (April 28), an

Arrianna Mahase has often represented Guyana in tech in overseas competitions

occasion which draws attention to the critical need for more girls and women in the ICT sector, Mahase is of the firm belief that women belong in any field that they set their hearts and minds to, irrespective of whether it’s viewed as “male dominated.”

The 23-year-old of Enmore, East Coast Demerara, had always heard that only boys do well in technology, and so, she decided to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science at the University of Guyana (UG) just to

Chronicle.

Mahase has always had an impressive academic background and graduated as a distinction student with her bachelor’s from UG before being granted a scholarship through the government’s GOAL initiative to pursue her Master’s in Artificial Intelligence.

Hoping to specialise in robotics, Mahase, a junior programmer at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the team manager of Team Guyana Robotics at STEMGuyana, should

courses and sites that you can get information from,” she said.

While some women and girls may find it difficult to get into tech, Mahase said: “You would be surprised to know how many women are on your side. Understand that you belong in the field.”

She said that the tech community in Guyana is quite small and it would not be difficult to point out someone in the field who is willing to help.

While Mahase believes that the tech field is male

Tech enthusiast, Arrianna Mahase, mentors the national robotics team

prove the notion wrong.

But it became more than just trying to prove a point for Mahase. Before enrolling at UG, she didn’t have a clear plan as to what career she wanted to pursue, and technology was definitely out of the picture as it was not something that she was exposed to as a child. In fact, it was only during her high school days that she got her first computer.

Through her studies at the university, though, she realised that her real love and passion was right there in the tech field.

“I started doing Computer Science at UG because it was challenging.

Because I was so competitive, I wanted to do it because I heard that only boys did it. I just wanted to prove myself, but that’s where I found my real interest,” she said in a recent interview with the Guyana

complete her studies by 2023.

Mahase couldn’t be happier that she joined STEMGuyana. Being there confirmed to her that the field of technology was where she wanted to be.

“Robotics helped me to grasp that love and robotics is mainly what keeps my interest,” she related, adding that her plan is to continue mentoring the national robotics team.

“It’s one of those things that I love. I hope to stay a part of STEMGuyana and other organisations that help to spread awareness of technology in Guyana, share opportunities, mentoring and experiences to help others to get into the field because I think technology is one of the easiest fields to get into; everything that you need is on the internet and there are so many free

dominated, she doesn’t think that it is because the opportunities are not available to women.

“It’s mainly because the narrative has always been that women aren’t meant for tech. This is something that we need to break so that girls growing up know that they belong in the field,” she posited.

Mahase is especially grateful for the opportunities that she benefitted from.

“Personally, I believe that I am lucky because I am in an organisation that fosters women leadership and a comfortable space for girls to thrive in the field.

We really need to stick together and make an impact that other girls will see and be encouraged and inspired to get into the field of tech,” the robotics enthusiast said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

Eight months’ jail for confessed ‘ganja’ farmer WAYNE Harris, a 36-year-old Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) resident, was sentenced to eight months’ jail after he admitted to planting marijuana, a controlled substance.

According to a police statement, the convicted man was arraigned before Magistrate Zamilla Ali-Seepaul at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for the offence committed Tuesday last.

Harris was not represented by an attorney.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

After four years, ‘beggar’ remanded for Alexander Street murder AFTER almost four years ‘on the run’, Damian Bissoon, accused of fatally stabbing a 27-year-old man at Barr and Alexander Streets, Kitty, Georgetown, was arraigned on Wednesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

33-year-old Bissoon, a labourer whose recorded address is Shell Road, Kitty, was arraigned before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

The accused was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that on March 30, 2018, at Barr and Alexander Streets, Kitty, he murdered Taj Andrew Jarvis.

Represented by attorney-at-law, George Thomas, Bissoon was remanded to prison. He will return to court

DEAD: Taj Andrew Jarvis

on May 17.

According to reports relating to the incident, the now-deceased Jarvis was walking along Alexander Street, Kitty when he was approached by Bissoon.

Bissoon reportedly asked the now-deceased man for money.

Jarvis reportedly told Bissoon that he did not have any money and continued walking. The facts of the case claim that Bissoon became annoyed by the response. A confrontation reportedly ensued.

During the melee, Bissoon allegedly pulled out a sharp instrument and stabbed Jarvis before making good of his escape.

Jarvis, of Dowding Street, Kitty, sustained stab wounds to his chest and chin and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The police had issued a wanted bulletin for Bissoon in connection with the murder.

On Monday last, after being on the run from law enforcement, Bissoon turned himself over to the police with his lawyer by his side.

When questioned about the allegation, Bissoon reportedly denied killing Jarvis.

Murder accused: Damian Bissoon

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

CXC exams to begin on May 23

THE commencement of the 2022 Caribbean Secondary Examinations Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), administered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), has been pushed back by three weeks and will now commence on May 23.

Results for those exams, according to CXC, are estimated to be released by late August to early September.

C X C R e g i s t r a r, D r.

Wayne Wesley, on Wednesday, said that the decision to push back the examinations was taken as a means of affording the students some “extra time” to better prepare for the imminent assessments.

This decision followed a meeting earlier on Wednesday between members of the CXC Schools Examinations Committee and CXC Council, which comprise representatives from all of the various countries where the exam is administered.

“After careful consideration and deliberations of all the pertinent issues, council agreed that the revised strategy will be a delay in the sitting of the regional examinations by three weeks; this will provide candidates with additional time to prepare for the examinations,” Dr. Wesley said during a virtual press briefing on Wednesday.

He further said: “Council would’ve considered all the presentation from the respective stakeholders who would’ve expressed concerns of readiness of students and that extra time would be needed for them to be in a better position to perform well during those examinations.”

Some 105,078 candidates are registered to write the 2022 CSEC, while another 25,429 candidates will be writing the 2022 CAPE, across the 16 Caribbean territories where the examinations will be administered.

This year, the CXC annual examinations will return to its original May/June period, following disruptions over the past two years due to the COVID-19.

It was reported, however, that while most countries are beginning to return to normal functioning, some stakeholders are still feeling the effects of COVID-19. This was one of the main reasons that influenced the decision to push back the examinations.

“CXC stands in solidarity with the regional and the international community, as we grapple with the impact

CXC Registrar, Dr. Wayne Wesley

of COVID-19 on our way of life. The Council recognises the impact of COVID-19 on the education system in general and more specifically on the schedule of CXCs regional exams,” Dr. Wesley said.

CXC had initially released a timetable which stated that the written exams will start on May 2, preceded by the oral exams for the foreign subjects which were scheduled to begin on April 12. A new timetable will be available soon.

Aside from the extension of the commencement of examinations, an additional two weeks was also granted to all territories for the submission of the School Based Assessments (SBAs) for CSEC and Internal Assessments (IA) for CAPE. However, the exact submission date of the SBAs would differ among respective territories based on when the varying countries will require their students to submit the SBAs to national bodies before it is then relayed to CXC. The release of broad topics for the Paper Two, which will feature open ended, structured questions, will also be done a few weeks before the commencement of the written exams. CXC will share the broad topics with the respective Ministries of Education for dissemination to the candidates.

Candidates will still have the option to defer their examinations to the next year.

This option can be accessed up to the day before the examinations commencement.

“We continue to work with our stakeholders for the best interest of our students across the region,” Dr. Wesley said.

Individual territories will be required to have respective contingency plans in place to deal with any case where a student might contract COVID-19 during the exam period and require isolation.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

Rashid, Tewatia pull off final-ball heist for Titans

(ESPNCRICINFO) A 21-year-old and a 22-yearold made the world sit up and take notice. Abhishek Sharma carved up Rashid Khan, Umran Malik roughed up Hardik Pandya. The new kids were gunning for the old pros.

And it made this game all kinds of breathtaking.

The result, if anyone cares, is that Gujarat Titans chased down 196 to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets. But honestly, this was way more. This was the IPL at its most vivid, pulse-pounding, heart-breaking best; because in the space of 40 overs, we saw the future of Indian cricket and the enduring brilliance of one the greats in T20 history.

Rashid actually did the unthinkable twice, bowling his fifth-most expensive spell ever but then turning around and hitting three sixes in the final over and winning the game off its very last ball.

To get it to that point though, Titans needed Wriddhiman Saha at the top,

scoring 68 off 38 and Rahul Tewatia in the middle, plundering an unbeaten 40 off 21.

THE MOST UNREAL BATTLE Abhishek has come up against Rashid only once before. But that's in an actual IPL match. Who knows how many times these two had sparred at Sunrisers training. And if events yesterday were any indication, they missed out on a massive money-making opportunity.

Charging admission to the nets while those two did battle would have raked in plenty because the 21-yearold kid kept pawning a modern-day master.

Rashid ended his night with figures of 4-0-45-0.

Abhishek was responsible for 34 of those runs, which came at a strike rate of 226, a massive improvement on the figure (107) left-handers usually manage against the Afghanistan ace in this tournament.

Titans had done their homework. They knew Aid-

Sir Andy Roberts, Roland Butcher ...

FROM PAGE 27

attitude and the importance of education.

Former West Indies Test opener Dr. Desmond Haynes also spoke to the players.

He attended the batting clinic on Sunday and spoke on a wide range of topics while using his legendary career as an inspiration.

Haynes urged the players to put into practice what they had learnt and to develop a formula of hard work, discipline and dedication.

Each player at the clinic received a Certificate of Participation, signed by the legendary Test players.

Roberts, Haynes and Butcher all expressed delight at the large number of cricketing talents in the Ancient County.

They urged the players to remain focused and to take advantage of the remarkable opportunities presented to them by the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB).

The BCB would like to express thanks to all donors who made the event a success including Bobby

Deonarine of Tenelec, Dr Puran Singh, Dave Narine of Dave West Indian Imports, Poonai Bhigroog, Ricky Deonarine, Safraz Sherrifuden, St Francis Developers, Ansa Mcal, Banks DIH Ltd, Guyana Breweries, Guysuco, Faizul Jaffarally, Lennox Cush, Guyana Beverages Company.

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Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan made 59 runs in the last four overs (BCCI)

en Markram was going a mere 115 runs per 100 balls of spin this season. They brought Rashid on to counter his threat, but Abhishek's presence at the other end completely killed the plan.

There was even a moment that signalled loud and clear that the youngster was picking the variations out of the hand. In the 15th over, when

a ball was dropped short on leg stump, Abhishek didn't shape to pull but instead made room for himself and straight-bat lofted it over cover because he had seen it was the googly.

That one moment exemplified this whole headto-head. Rashid Khan was no mystery to Abhishek Sharma.

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(2) When did Sunrisers Hyderbaad cop the IPL title?

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

Twenty youth players receive educational grants under Kadar Bhigroog Trust Fund SEVERAL youth cricketers received a financial voucher of $10,000 towards their educational career last Sunday when the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) held its Brian Ramphal Award Ceremony.

The simple ceremony which took place at the St. Francis Community Developers Centre, saw 20 Under-17 players receive the grant.

“We, at the Berbice Cricket Board, strongly believe in the pursuit of an educational career as it lays the foundation for a successful future for youths on and off the cricket field.

That is why the BCB, under the current administration, has invested so heavily in assisting youths to stay in school to obtain an educational background,” according to BCB president Hilbert Foster.

The players selected by their respective clubs and sub- associations were: Aryan Singh, Alina Sinclair, Akeela Sinclair, Hoopchand Dhanraj, Alec Moore, Divesh Ramkisson, Darshanie Subramie, Leon Reddy, Tyrel Hutson, Jerome Taylor, Thierry Henry, Micquiel Wilburg,

Some players pose with the children of Poonai Bhigroog after receiving their Kadar Bhigroog educational grants

Tyrese John, Romario Ramdeholl, Parmand Khemraj, Salim Khan, Rampertab Ramnauth, Devin Lallbeharri, Nathaniel Ramsammy.

Foster stated the voucher would be cashed at the New Amsterdam branch of Metro in exchange for school stationery and ma-

terials.

The $200 000 Trust Fund was sponsored by popular Rose Hall Town businessman, Poonai Bhigroog, in memory of his late father, Kadar Poonai Bhigroog, who died a few years ago.

Poonai Bhigroog, Chief Executive Officer of Poo-

nai Pharmacy and former president of the Central Corentyne Chambers of Commerce stated that he was very impressed by the work of the BCB and was delighted to support the promotion of the importance of education among cricketers.

He sais father, Kadar

Poonai Bhigroog, was his personal hero and he was delighted to honour him in a special way.

The BCB, over the last four years, has assisted hundreds of youths with educational grants while it has received the support of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS to provide

hundreds of youth players with bicycles, school bags and educational materials under a special Say Yes to Education Programme.

The bicycles were handed over to cricketers to assist them to attend school and cricket practice.

Grave surprised by Pollard’s retirement announcement

(CMC) – Cricket West Indies chief executive, Johnny Grave, has admitted to being surprised by the timing of Kieron Pollard’s retirement from international cricket.

The 34-year-old Trinidadian ended his 2-½ year tenure as West Indies whiteball captain when he called time on his career earlier this month, with the Caribbean side already preparing for the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia next October.

“I thought he would continue at least until the T20 World Cup in Australia,” Grave said.

“Obviously the 50-over game is that longer format and the older you get, the more difficult it gets to play, and that may not have sur-

prised me if he had called it a day after the T20 World Cup later this year.

“Certainly my hope was that he would have continued through to that 2023 50-over World Cup then call it a day.

“But none of us can plan these things and the individuals know their bodies and where their heads are at in terms of having the energy to take the team forward with the leadership it requires.”

Pollard, currently campaigning in the Indian Premier League (IPL), made the announcement via popular social networking service, Instagram, indicating the decision had been made following “careful deliberation”.

The development came as a shock to the regional and international cricket frater-

nity, especially with Pollard also expected to lead the West Indies squad on tours of the Netherlands and Pakistan in June.

“He called me on the morning Antigua time and explained that he had been deliberating over the decision for a good few weeks, but that he thought it was in his best interests and West Indies cricket, to retire from international cricket,” Grave told Starcom Radio’s Mason and Guest cricket show.

“And I just thanked him for his services and wished him all the very best in the remainder of his career.

“I think he was at peace with the decision and with a (T20) World Cup this year and a 50-over World Cup next year, we’ve got some

time and a significant number of fixtures to plan a move forward for those two global events under new leadership on the field.”

Grave said Pollard had played a key role in developing young players and revitalising the squad during his time in charge.

“Polly came in in difficult circumstances in 2019 on the back of a disappointing 50-over World Cup and he’s led the team in both formats with great leadership to bring everyone together and mentoring those younger players,” the Englishman noted.

“Obviously we had a disappointing COVID World Cup in Dubai (but) with a good performance against England in the T20s in the early part of this year. With

CWI chief executive Johnny Grave

so many young players coming through, Kieron thought it was time to relinquish the role.”

Grave said he expected Pollard’s successor to be

named shortly, once the Desmond Haynes-led selection panel made a recommendation through Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams, to CWI’s board.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022

Sir Andy Roberts, Roland Butcher complete successful cricket clinics for Berbice youth cricketers The Players in classroom session

Rampertab Ramnauth, Jonathan Rampersaud, Kevlon Anderson, Jermey Sandia, Adrian Hetmyer, Romario Ramdeholl, Ashmini Munisar, Romesh Bharat and Rampersaud Ramnauth, Butcher, who played at the Albion Ground for England in a One-Day International Match

Fast bowlers pose with Sir Andy Roberts and Roland Butcher after Friday’s session

THE Berbice Cricket Board last weekend successfully completed two cricket developmental programmes for close to 100 youth cricketers.

The clinics were conducted by legendary Test players Sir Andy Roberts and Roland Butcher.

The two overseas coaches arrived in the country last Wednesday evening and toured the New Amsterdam, Canje and West Berbice sub-associations on Thursday, where they spoke to dozens of youths on the importance of discipline, the need for hard work and a positive attitude.

The two clinics started on Friday with Sir Andy conducting the fast-bowling clinic with over 40 promising young fast bowlers which included West Indies Under-19 players Isiah Thorne, Leon Swammy, Gevon Shultz, Sylus Tyndall, Collis Greene, Shiv Harripersaud, Shamar Joseph, Christopher Deroop, Shamar Angel and Raymond Vankenie.

The legendary West Indies pacer, who played 47 Test matches and took 202 wickets, worked with the attentive youths on a wide range of topics including run-up to the crease, the need to jump be-

fore releasing the ball, follow through, hand grip, how to bowl on a flat wicket, swing through the air and how to master the art of bowling the bouncer.

Sir Andy also passed on tips on the importance of physical fitness and spoke widely on the need to develop strong legs as fast bowling was the most difficult aspect of the game.

The bowlers were also educated on the importance of warming up before the start of a bowling spell.

Butcher, who created history in 1981 when he became

between the wickets, bat lift, how to play fast bowling, using your feet against spin and the importance of playing each ball on its merit.

A large amount of time was also spent on indoor educational sessions with topics such as mental toughness, how to prepare for an innings, to vi-

Roland Butcher imparts knowledge to young batters

the first black cricketer to play for England at the Test Level, worked with over 50 players over the three-day programme.

Among his charges were

versus the West Indies in 1981, worked on a number of topics with the batters including bat grip, batting stance, running

sualise the bowlers you have to face, physical fitness, positive TURN TO PAGE 25

Swimming, table tennis to start Dave West Indian Imports Under-15 inter-county tournament Guyana’s campaign at SA Youth Games … Inclement weather shifts third-round U15 matches to today

YESTERDAY was scheduled to be the third and final preliminary round of the Dave West Indian Imports Under-15 inter-county tournament, but the organisers were forced to shift those matches to today due to the inclement weather.

Demerara were scheduled to play Rising Stars at Everest Cricket Club (ECC) while Berbice were to face Essequibo at Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Bourda.

Although yesterday’s matches were rescheduled to today, the final – between the two highest-ranked teams - is still set for tomorrow at Bourda.

In the second round on Monday, no play was possible between arch-rivals Demerara and Berbice at the #69 Village ground because of seepage under the covers after overnight rain and constant downpours.

At ECC, Rising Stars, led by Jonathon Mentore who scored an unbeaten 29 and snapped up 2 wickets for 35 runs,. got the better of Essequibo by four wickets, Essequibo had set Rising Stars a target of 163 and it was Mentore’s solidity that got them across the line as he hit one four in his 91-ball stay in the middle.

Yet again, extras piled up, and Stars gave Essequibo 53 additional runs which comple-

Team Guyana in Argentina for the South American Youth Games

Players inspect a wet pitch at #69 Village in Berbice

mented knocks from Arvin Suknanand (27), Keron Phillips (21), Dravid Manohar (15), and Hemant Sukhdeo (14*).

Varendra Pooran took 2-15 for Essequibo, who reached 162-4 from their allotted 50-overs. Essequibo got a 51-run opening stand from Ethon Silas and Omarion Smith.

Silas retired hurt with two from 73 balls, while Smith made 29 (3x4) from 85 balls.

Nicholas Lovell and Zandon Rose then added 94 runs for the third wicket.

Rose made 51 (5x4; 1×6) from 61 balls, while Lovell ended unbeaten on 38, as medium-pacer Mentore plucked out key wickets to put the brakes on Essequibo.

GUYANA will compete in the disciplines of swimming, table tennis, 3X3 basketball, boxing and badminton at the 3rd South American Youth Games in Rosario, Argentina, from April 28 to May 8.

According to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), “Technical meetings for table tennis and swimming were held yesterday, while the technical meeting for 3X3 basketball will be held today.”

Competition in the various sports disciplines starts today at 09:00hrs with swimmers Paul Mahaica Jr, Leon Seaton, Patrice Mahaica and Ariel Rodrigues taking to the pool.

The table tennis players go into action from 10:00hrs with Jasmine Billingy and Thuraia Thomas, followed by Jonathan Van Lange and Krystian Sahadeo from 11:10hrs.

Swimmer Vladimir Woodroffe competes

in his first event tomorrow morning and Guyana play Venezuela in the 3X3 basketball from 11:25hrs tomorrow.

Guyana’s representation at the Games: Badminton: - Matthew Beharry. Jonathan Mangra is the coach.

Basketball (3X3): Anthony Kimol, Manson-Hing Camelo, Arrindell Matthias and Travis Patrick Anthony Lewis. Junior Hercules is the coach.

Boxing: Travis Inverary. Sebert Blake is the coach.

Swimming: Leon Seaton, Paul Mahaica Jr, Vladimir Woodroffe, Patrice Mahaica, Ariel Rodrigues, Zara Cane. Paul Mahaica Sr is the coach Table Tennis: Jasmine Billingy, Thuraia Thomas, Jonathan Van Lange and Kristian Sahadeo. Idi Lewis is the coach.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, April 28, 2022 Organiser Treiston Joseph (right) collects sponsorship from proprietor of Fitness Express, Jamie McDonald, while president of the AAG, Aubrey Hutson, looks on

Fitness Express on board with Arrowhead League FITNESS Express has signed on as one of the sponsors for the Arrowhead League that will commence on April 30 at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.

At the simple presentation ceremony, proprietor of the fitness store, Jamie Mc-

Donald, noted that "this league in the next few years will help to develop athletics and when I saw it in the papers I thought this would be good to be a part of, this is what the athletes need," McDonald shared.

Organiser of the event, Treiston Joseph,

while thanking Fitness Express, stated that "with companies like Fitness Express on board, the overarching goal of moving the sport forward is easier to achieve," Meanwhile, president of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hut-

Swimming, table tennis to start Guyana’s campaign at SA Youth Games 27

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Team Guyana in Argentina for the South American Youth Games

son, was also on hand to thank Fitness Express and shared that "this league will help to give the athletes consistent competition and that is important," Hutson mentioned.

The first meet of the league will be on April 30 starting at 17:00hrs.

Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan made 59 runs in the last four overs (BCCI)

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Rashid, Tewatia pull off final-ball heist for Titans

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022