Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 30-05-2022

monday 30th may, 2022

New Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge in the works

No.106738

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Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

–– other major infrastructural projects for Region 10, says VP Jagdeo

A breathtaking view. Lawn at the riverside, West Watooka House, Linden, Region 10

Owning a home means a lot, 03 it is empowerment PAGE

Denise Dufu

Government willing to fund 5,000 scholarships for 04 Region 10 residents PAGE

Medical 13 fraternity loses a hero PAGE

Dr. Ramsundar Doobay

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guyana CHRONICLE monday may 30, 2022

New Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge, other major infrastructural works for Region 10

A NUMBER of major infrastructural upgrades are expected in Region 10, including a new Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge. This was revealed by Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo over the weekend when he met with residents of Region 10 during a second outreach to the region in as many months. Some $550 million was initially set aside for infrastructural works on community roads across the region, but this amount has been increased to $1B. This is the biggest allocation yet to the region for roads. The projects include the repaving of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway to the tune of US$120 million. The road is currently in bad shape and the government is hoping that the Islamic Development Bank approves funding for this project next month. Dr Jagdeo noted that the government is also engaged in the designing of a new Wismar Bridge. The current structure has only one vehicle lane. This project, he said, the government hopes

to have out to tender before the end of the year. The new bridge, the repaving of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway and repairs to the Linden to Mabura Road, together represent an investment of over US$300M in Region 10, the Vice-President told residents at the outreach held on the lawns of West Watooka House. He urged them to ‘ferret out’ the misinformation on discrimination and neglect being spread by Coalition leaders in the region. “When we got into office in the early 90s, that was before many of you were born, we had a situation where the bauxite industry was on the verge of closure. There was a company that the government at that time, the PNC government, had hired to close the industry,” Dr Jagdeo said, adding: “We could not let that happen, and that is why we managed, throughout the period, to get an investor to come to this region; but we lost quite a few jobs because the bauxite industry used to hire about 1500 people; it went down to

Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo addressing the gathering in Region 10 on Saturday (Office of the Vice President photo) 500. “We then decided, the new government, even with the burden to pay back the debts, we decided that we had to find a way to create employment in this region. “And so, when I was Minister of Finance, I led a team here that did an area study, and out of that, as I explained the last time I came here in West Watooka,

the road in West Watooka was opened up to agricultural lands. “When I was Minister of Finance, we put in place the LEAF programme, that is the incubator just by the market. We put in place a small loan, a grant system. That is the LEN programme; we built the new hospital; we built Amelia’s Ward Housing Scheme, Block 22, a

new water- treatment plant, the infrastructure in this region. So, when we get accused of neglecting the region, I say to the other side, you show me what you have done.” The PPP/C, the Vice-President said, has a plan for the region, unlike the ‘Coalition’ leaders who had plans for themselves, and did meagre things for the people of Re-

gion 10. The government, he said, is investing $400 million at Millie’s Hideout to develop a new housing scheme there, and will facilitate the building of 1,000 homes in that area. The Linden Hospital will be upgraded, as well as power generation in the region, the Vice-President said.

guyana CHRONICLE monday may 30, 2022

Owning a home means a lot, it is empowerment

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–– say owners of house lots; eager to sign up for Home Construction Assistance facility which opens today By Tamica Garnett

THE government will start accepting applications under the “Home Construction Assistance” facility from today and for many who know the hardships of trying to finance the construction of their own homes, the programme means they can breathe a sigh of relief. The programme will be administered under the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), where a separate unit will be established to handle the applications. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Housing and Water Minister Colin Croal explained that the ministry is anticipating a rush by persons to get into the programme, so a separate waiting area will be created for these applicants to not add to the existing line system at the CH&PA. “We expect an influx of persons, so we are putting mechanisms in place. Peo-

certificates. The application process can be done in person or online at www. mohw.gov.gy or www.chpa. gov.gy. “In-person application will be facilitated by a team from CH&PA and banking

with the prospective homeowners, the banks and the contractors in delivering an end product that is a home to the respective families,” the President said. For some land owners, they are eagerly anticipat-

is currently in the process of purchasing land privately and is looking forward to signing up as an applicant in the programme as soon as he has the chance. “There are so many problems you face in terms

help with the financing process for many potential applicants is the most attractive part of the programme. “Finding the capital to put down the foundation and then to find a contractor to do the work, are two of the

Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal

A house under construction at one of the government’s housing schemes

Denise Dufu ple won’t even have to go upstairs [at CH&PA], they’ll go to a specific section to deal with applicants in that regard. They won’t have to go through that section where persons are coming for normal housing activities,” Minister Croal explained. To apply, persons need to submit the original and copies of their ID cards or passports and their TIN

institutions at our head office,” Minister Croal noted. The assistance is available both to persons who have lands in government housing schemes and those who have privately owned lands. The assistance for private land owners to build their homes was first mentioned by Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo at a community meeting at Novar, Mahaicony, Region Five, last month. This month, the assistance programme was officially announced by President, Dr Irfaan Ali. “If you increase the occupation level in existing housing schemes, it will reduce dependency on rental, it will accelerate home ownership, it will accelerate more activity in the construction sector. It will make it easier for persons to get financing to build their homes where the government will be partnering

ing commencement of the programme. They want to quickly register and get the ball rolling on being that much closer to owning their own homes. “It is absolutely something I’m looking forward to signing up for,” said Stephon Watson, a 35-year-old self-employed, furniture-maker from Canal No. 2 on the West Demerara. ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY “This is a very, very interesting thing the government is doing and I applaud them for it 100 per cent. I would advise a lot of young people who already have their land to take up this opportunity. Especially if you know you are not comfortable where you are living. Take it, it’s a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity.” Watson, who is married,

of construction. There is the material cost, and when you have to work and you might not always be around to see everything that is going on, sometimes the contractors might work half way and leave it.” Under the “Home Construction Assistance” programme, applicants will be able to select their preference from an option of three standard models of houses, which will cost $7 million, $9 million or $12 million. Depending on the applicant’s income level, government will support them through the process of applying for bank financing to meet the cost of construction of the home, and will also look at helping in the initial phase of construction by the releasing of resources to expedite the construction process and help in bringing the homeowners and the banks together. The thought of getting

major challenges that you have when building a home. For someone who doesn’t really have a proper contractor or the capital to start my own home, this programme is something I am driven to apply to,” said 30-year-old, Denise Dufu, who recently received land from the government in the Belle West Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara Under the assistance programme, the government will also undertake construction on the home on behalf of the applicant and give the applicant a complete home in accordance with the option selected. With the rising cost of renting, now more than ever owning their own homes is something that many Guyanese are yearning to achieve. MEANS A LOT “It means a lot, it means having privacy,

having your own space. It’s your place of peace. It’s very much exciting to have my own home,” said Watson. “It’s very much important. I don’t only see it as a means of shelter and comfort but it’s also a means of generational wealth. It is something I could pass on to my kids as a sense of security to my kids. So it very, very much important for me to have my own home,” said Denise, a mother of two. Minister Croal noted that understanding what it means for citizens, particularly young citizens, to own their home is what has been the government’s motivation to implement this programme as the revenue became available. “When you elect a government you elect them to make the lives of citizens better and as far as investments we can make. As we keep getting better as a country, and more resources become available it will allow us to make much, much more intervention[sic], and so that is what is happening here,” the minister noted He added: “We already have our housing programme with money being spent for infrastructural development in the billions; we already have that and we already have our land allocation. So this is an added aspect that we are able to do because the economy is doing better and we have prudent management of our resources.”

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guyana CHRONICLE monday may 30, 2022

Government willing to fund 5,000 scholarships for Region 10 residents

VICE-PRESIDENT, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo on Saturday urged Region 10 residents to take full advantage of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships being funded by the Government of Guyana. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is providing some 20,000 online scholarships to Guyanese in various fields in fulfilment of a promise made in its 2020 manifesto. Dr Jagdeo, who was speaking at an outreach held on the lawns of West Watoo-

ka House on Saturday, said thus far, some 6,000 scholarships have been awarded and anther 5,000 will be awarded this year. “I’ve also been saying we are not satisfied with doing the 20,000 in the country in the five years as we promised. If we can find 5,000 people in this region who want to eventually study, the government will pay for their scholarships; so as many people as we can find because we want our people to upgrade themselves,” he said. Persons who do not meet

May 29, 2022

I 06 07 13 14 15 22 05 May 25, 2022

L 06 08 14 20 24 28 25

the requirements for a tertiary-level programme, could undergo a remedial programme whereupon successful completion they could gain access to a tertiary or technical programme. “I want all the people in Region 10… Linden a lot of young people here, I want you to also make full use of the online scholarship programmes that we have launched,” said the Vice-President in an appeal to more Region 10 residents to get qualified and actively participate in the development of Guyana.

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A section of the gathering at the outreach held on the lawns of West Watooka House, Linden, Region 10 (Office of the Vice-President photo)

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29/05/22- 2, 6, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30 , 2022

Cost of living crisis: Relying on food handouts and moving country

Rosiane Inácio Bulhões de Oliveira making soap in her family home (BBC photo) Millions of people around the world are facing tough decisions as food and energy prices surge. An increase in temperatures linked to climate change has resulted in poor harvests, and the COVID pandemic has led to shortages of goods and workers. In addition, the World Bank has warned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could cause a global recession as gas supplies are cut and fertiliser costs soar. Here, people from five countries share their stories about the impact of the cost of living crisis with BBC correspondents. BRAZIL: FIELDS ARE FULL, BUT FRIDGES ARE EMPTY For Rosiane Inácio Bulhões de Oliveira, even buying the basics is hard. The mother-of-four who lives in Araraquara, São Paulo, now relies on handouts and discounted groceries. She opens her fridge - it’s bare, apart from a pot of leftover food. “My boss was about to throw out these beans and bacon, but I rescued the

pot just in time,” she says. In the past year, Brazil has seen double-digit inflation on basic goods and services. One in four people are not getting enough food, despite Brazil being an agricultural powerhouse. Food prices are rising in the country, but salaries haven’t kept pace. Supply chain disruption as a result of the pandemic, along with climate change and the rising cost of fertiliser, is pushing up production costs for farmers - which is having a knock-on impact on consumers. Inside Rosiane’s home there’s a foul smell - a result of the fact it’s expensive to keep the place clean. With the price of cooking oil soaring, Rosiane and her father Irandi have come up with a useful skill: turning used oil into soap. NEW ZEALAND: STRUGGLE SPARKS MOVE TO AUSTRALIA New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, has been ranked one of the least affordable cities in the world for buying a property. The picture is also

grim for renters, with a 12 per cent rise in prices in the past year. That, along with increases in petrol and food prices, has led many to consider moving to nearby Australia where they have the right to live and work. Chris, a builder, his partner Harmony and their four daughters recently left Wellington to start a new life in the Australian city of Brisbane. Despite owning their home and earning reasonable salaries, they were still struggling. “We have four kids, so it was expensive. We’d notice Australians saying you know the cost of living is going up - but that was the cost five years ago in New Zealand,” says Chris. Leaving New Zealand and the rest of her family was a difficult decision for Harmony. But she says the move was necessary for the children. “You can’t make a living in New Zealand. There is no living. You just go backwards. You don’t get a choice if you want live, you have to move, or New Zealand has to change. I want a future for my children and there is none in New Zealand,” she says. The New Zealand government has tried to increase some short-term measures like fuel subsidies and halving the cost of public transport - but

for many, it’s not enough. ITALY: BELTS TIGHTENED AS ENERGY COSTS DOUBLE In Brescia, Italy, steel runs through the veins of the community. In the past 15 years the industry has endured the financial crash and the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with the war in Ukraine and COVID lockdowns in China, trade is being disrupted further. Mirella and Lucas met at a cast iron foundry in Brescia. Their two steady wages are up against rising food, petrol and energy costs. “With regard to electricity, we have recently suffered like everyone else. Our bill has doubled - even though we are never at home”, says Mirella. “We are tightening our belts. Instead of saving a lot, you’ll save less,” says Lucas. Orders at this cast iron foundry continue. But a crucial source of raw materials from the south-eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol are in now short supply, after Russian troops occupied the region. GHANA: DRINKING WATER EATS INTO WEEKLY BUDGET Mark Impraim owns a catering business in Ghana - one of the most expensive countries to live in Africa. He shops for ingredients for one of his most

popular dishes - jollof rice - at a local market. But prices have doubled in recent months. Mark looks at a bucket of tomatoes, dismayed at the price tag. “[This box of tomatoes] used to be 20 cedis [$3; £2]. Now it’s going for 40,” he says. “I should double the price of the food I serve, but that would scare away customers. I try to find a way around it by decreasing the quantity.” Among other rising costs eating into Mark’s weekly budget is a supply of drinking water. Sachets of water have increased in price twice in four months, due to the devaluation of the cedi. Water suppliers say passing the costs on to customers is unavoidable. THAILAND: FERTILISER PRICES THREATEN RICE EXPORTS In fields now sparkling from the monsoon rains, rice farmer Bunchuay Somsuk and her neighbours scatter the fertiliser that should ensure a good yield. Thai rice is renowned for its quality, and much of the crop in Suphanburi, north

of Bangkok, is exported, mainly to the Middle East and Africa. Bunchuay has a notebook where she records her debts. She still owes the equivalent of £400 from last year. With global rice prices low and fertiliser costs rising, she is less likely to cover her costs after this year’s harvest. Last April, fertiliser was sold at 550 baht (about $16; £12), but this year it is being sold at three times the price. Thailand imports more than 90 per cent of the ingredients for its fertiliser. The government has been using a price cap to keep costs below global levels, but manufacturers say this is unsustainable as they’re losing money. Thailand’s rice farmers need large quantities of fertiliser to produce a surplus of crops that can be exported around the world. In order to keep growing it, either fertiliser prices must fall, or the price of rice must increase. A worrying prospect for the many countries that depend on this staple. (BBC)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30, 2022

The Big Picture

THERE is a tendency among some people, especially those in the political opposition, to focus on the smaller things in national life and they lose focus on the bigger issues of development. In their quest to score perceived political points, they sometimes spend an inordinate amount of time on the mundane and the ordinary. The truth is that decades of underdevelopment under colonial rule has left in its wake a situation in which there still remain festering problems which would require significant sums of money and resources to make good. The problem was further exacerbated by nearly three decades of mismanagement under the PNC’s undemocratic and incompetent rule, which saw the country further retrogress to that of being one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. For most of our post-independence years,

the economy experienced negative growth until democracy was finally restored to the country on October 5, 1992. Those were what could be described as the ‘lost decades,’ which saw the country being placed in reverse gear, even as most of the countries in the region were, in varying degrees, surging ahead in the development curve. And all of this despite the fact that the country was blessed with an abundance of natural and mineral resources. We experienced what could be described as ‘poverty in the midst of plenty,’ for which the previous PNC regime cannot escape responsibility. Thankfully, after 56 years of national independence, the economic tide has finally changed course and the country is now on the cusp of monumental changes. Guyana’s economy is now among the fastest growing in the world, thanks in part to our

emerging oil-and-gas status, but also prudent economic and fiscal management on the part of the PPP/C administration. Despite our changing economic fortunes, there still remains significant developmental challenges which cannot be solved overnight. Simply put, there is no silver bullet when it comes to our development; it requires hard and sustained work on the part of the PPP/C Government and this is exactly what is taking place in the country at this moment in time. Given our relatively low population density, scattered terrain and uneven geographic spread, there will always be ‘irritants’ of one type or the other, be it a street that needs fixing, a clogged drain, or some ‘unresponsive’ bureaucrat; but these do not in any shape or form define the essential characteristics of the PPP/C administration and its commitment to the cause of a better Guyana.

Never before in our entire history had so much been achieved in so short a period, thanks to visionary and proactive leadership of President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, VicePresident Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and the entire Cabinet. These pro-people leadership interventions have impacted the lives of Guyanese all across the ethnic, political and geographical divide in positive ways. For the PNC Leader Aubrey Norton to accuse the PPP/C administration of ‘selective’ development and ignoring areas of perceived PNC support is at best disingenuous and at worst an attempt to play up to an ‘ethnic’ gallery, when in fact the reality on the ground suggests otherwise. The PPP/C has always been even-handed in its approach to development and no amount of cheap propaganda on the part of Norton and the PNC can be adequate to convince the population otherwise.

The rapid pace of development currently underway in the country appeared to have caught Norton and the APNU+AFC off guard. Unable to find any fault with the government’s massive and transformational agenda, the PNC has resorted to what it knows best, and that is to play the ethnic card with the hope of connecting with the ethnic sensitivities of the Guyanese people. These are different times and the Guyanese people are much more discerning of what is in their best national interests that Norton and the PNC are prepared to give them credit for. And while there will always be festering issues in communities all across the political and ethnic spectrum in Guyana, highlighting such issues in perceived PNC communities is far from making a convincing case of ‘discrimination’ on the part of President Ali and his PPP/C administration.

Instead of focusing on minutiae and peripheral issues, the political opposition needs to focus on the bigger issues of governance and national development. The PPP/C, for its part, is aggressively pursuing its national development agenda. The Opposition Leader has to come to terms with the fact that President Ali has a constitutional mandate to govern. The Leader of the Opposition is also a constitutional office holder and so far there is little indication that Norton is prepared or willing to execute his constitutional duties in a responsible manner. Meanwhile, the big picture is unfolding in ways not hitherto thinkable. Guyana is moving forward at an accelerated pace and the One Guyana vision as articulated by President Ali is picking up momentum, despite the political posturings of Mr Norton and the APNU+AFC Coalition.

A taste of real independence

Dear Editor, THE PPP/C Government led by His Excellency, Dr Mohammed Irfaan Ali, has all reasons to acknowledge, accept and applaud the appreciative accolades adumbrated by the representatives of nations throughout the world, as Guyana celebrates the 56th independence of this Green land of Guyana. In less than two years, the Honourable hard-working President and his astute Cabinet members have salvaged this bankrupt nation from the claws and pangs of the APNU+AFC coalition. The world shuddered as the Granger-led government held Guyana and her people at ransom for five tedious and prolonged months under a dictatorship, refusing to allow a legitimate and elected PPP/C to govern the country when they were declared the legal winner from that infamous 2020 general election

witnessed by local, regional and international observers. Included were ambassadors, various heads of government and professionals and experts from throughout the world. It is universally accepted that the APNU+AFC attempted to rig the last election and were caught red-handed. After 56 years, The PNC’s mantra is to break, the AFC’s karma is to bend while, the PPP/C’s dharma remains to build. It is easy to see who is exercising an independent mind. Guyana is on the verge of economic prosperity and currently sitting on the apex of a foundation grounded by the development of its oil-and- gas industry and ably supported by its agricultural drive and other rich natural resources, including minerals and timber. The BBC once commented that come 2025, Guyana’s GDP will go up by 300 per cent to 1,000 per cent and will be the richest

country in the hemisphere and potentially the richest country in the world. 1992 and 2020 saw this government inheriting a country with the bottom dropping out with problems flaunted in politics, economics, social issues, COVID-19, crime, violence, robberies, traffic hazards, virtual schooling limitation, leadership failures and embarrassment, corruption, financial misappropriation, lies, deceit, dishonesty, mistrust, greediness, recklessness, use and abuse, police shocks, racial perpetration, floods, fraud revelations, frustration, depression, oppression, homelessness, poverty, chaos and conflicts. The APNU+AFC was successful in denying the people their independence and chained them to dependence. No wonder they were voted out of office and replaced by the dependable PPP/C to lead this nation to peace, prosperity and progress by restoring their independence.

Guyana finds itself perched on an admirable pedestal with high decorum, honoured by neighbours, friends, partners, dignitaries, investors and associates from near and far, especially since it has been financially predicted with economic precision to potentially becoming the most soughtafter country in which to invest. While naysayers continue with their charade of travesties, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, had this to say of the President’s leadership, “President Ali continues to be a shining light for cooperation and solidarity within the Caribbean and is the “greatest example of the success of the regional experiment.” There was no coercion involved by the PPP/C but that statement reflected the independence of any “mental laziness.” During the days of slavery and indentureship, our ancestors were pilfered, persecuted

and plagued by the colonial masters as our fore- parents ploughed the planet and paid a precious price to preserve, promote and persevere with their pride, personality and people. The culture of supremacy ordained their lives and kept them in bondage until 1966 when the inputs of Dr Cheddi Jagan, this country’s first Premier, and Forbes Burnham, made representation to Great Britain for the then British Guiana to become Guyana. But the dominance of the PNC party for 33 years under their twoperiod governance, catapulted this nation and its people back to the torrential, turmoiled and thunderous days which tapered the landscape of imperialism and subjected the citizens to dictatorship, hardship and censorship. A society infiltrated with inequities, inequalities and indifference was chained to a suppressive state led by oppressors. The emancipation

of sovereignty was once again a cry. This liberation was introduced by the PPP/C in 1992 and again in 2020. The PPP/C is currently in a solitary but solid league all by itself, thanks to the aiding and abetting of a lonesome and lost PNC (APNU+AFC).“There is only one future and that future requires a united Guyana; that future requires a strong Guyana; that future requires every Guyanese to play a part in building our country, ensuring that we leave a better Guyana for the next generation,” said Dr Irfaan Ali during his inauguration speech. Today, The Honourable President is governing a “One Guyana” and the people are once again tasting the real victory of independence from their blood, sweat and tears. Yours sincerely, Jai Lall

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30 , 2022

Tom Sanzillo’s ignorance of Guyana’s economic context and reality in his mediocre analysis (Part I)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TOM Sanzillo, Director of Financial Analysis for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), has once again exposed his profound ignorance of Guyana’s economic context and reality altogether, inter alia, his deeply flawed and mediocre analysis, published in a certain section of the local media. Sanzillo argued that the Guyana Government spent all of the money in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) in the 2022 Budget, and that the government failed to adhere to achieving some of the goals set out in the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s 2019 report. These are closing the fiscal deficit, reducing

Financial Analyst Joel Bhagwandin national debt, and saving for future generation. This is where Sanzillo is either outright ignorant, and has no clue how to perform any proper financial and economic analysis, and, therefore, he is falsely projecting himself as an international financial analyst and/or,

he/IEEFA is/are perhaps funded (by a certain Guyanese group or individual (s) in the pursuit of his/ her/their covert political agenda), vis-à-vis peddling propaganda aimed at deliberately misleading the Guyanese public with his weak and mediocre analysis. Firstly, with respect to the first drawdown, Sanzillo ignored the withdrawal rules of the Fund and the rationale for the withdrawal rules altogether in the NRF Act, where there is a sliding scale from 100 per cent to three per cent. Secondly, Sanzillo made the argument that despite the drawdown from the NRF, Guyana’s public debt is climbing, and, he further implied that the public debt levels will reach unsustain-

able levels. Yet, in his ramblings and so-called analysis, Sanzillo failed to demonstrate that he performed any thorough public debt sustainability analysis to support his wild and careless assertions. Having examined the growth of the above indicators for the past eleven years (20122022F), though the figures for the fiscal year 2022 are the forecasted figures according to the National Budget 2022, the average annual growth in total public debt is 15 per cent, external debt one per cent, GDP 20 per cent, and revenue 18 per cent. Clearly, the level of growth in revenue and GDP are greater than the average annual growth rates for total public debt and external debt. With this in mind,

given the low debt-toGDP ratio, Guyana’s total public debt is well below the minimum sustainable benchmark. For example, the benchmark for the debt-to-GDP ratio is 60 per cent, which is considered fiscally sustainable, and this ratio for 2022 is less than 30 per cent. Thirdly, Sanzillo contended that the fiscal deficit should be closed, according to some IMF report, and he religiously used this report to argue that the fiscal deficit is an adverse macroeconomic condition for Guyana. According to the IMF standard, moderate levels of fiscal deficit relative to GDP are in the region of three per cent-10 per cent of GDP. Evidently, Guyana’s fiscal deficit position for the period 2012 – 2022(F) is well within

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this range. The fiscal deficit is forecasted at 3.7 per cent of GDP for 2022. The highest fiscal deficit during this period were in the fiscal years 2020 and 2021, of 6.04 per cent and 6.74 per cent respectively, and still below the 10 per cent benchmark was due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, Budgets 2020 and 2021 allocated substantial resources to help cushion the impact, and revamp the economy. Therefore, in this situation, this level of fiscal deficit was very necessary, and well justified, in the circumstance, while remaining, nonetheless, below 10 per cent of GDP. Finally, the findings of the analysis contained herein quite evidently debunked the contentions TURN TO PAGE 11

Guyanese celebrate country’s 56th independence anniversary in New York By Vishnu Bisram

GUYANA’S 56th independence anniversary was observed with a cultural variety show, speeches and a hot meal in Richmond Hill on Saturday afternoon. The observance took place at the Tulsi Mandir on 111th Street at the corner of Liberty Avenue. The mandir is under the spiritual leadership of Pandit Lakeram Maharaj Although a long holiday weekend with the observance of Memorial Day on Monday, and the official start of the summer holidays, Guyanese still found time to grace the event that was co-sponsored by several groups, including the New York Guyana Democracy Project. Dr Tara Singh played the lead role in organising the event and was ably assisted by this writer and a few other individuals. Dr Singh recognised and thanked them all for making the event a success. The official guests of the event were the Guyana Ambassador to the US, Samuel Hinds and Deputy Ambassador, Zulfikar Ally. Also gracing the ceremony was acting Consular General of Guyana to New York, Aneesa Alli and Fazal (Joe)

Yussuf of the Consulate; Dr. Satish Prakash, Pandit Rooplall Phagu and several other pandits. Dr Tara Singh, President of New York Guyana Democracy Project (GDP), gave a warm welcome to the attendees, artistes and official guests. He introduced the emcee for the proceedings, Shameeza Ally, a popular radio and TV personality. The programme began with the invocation of prayers by Dr Satish Prakash. There was a beautiful Bharrat Natyam dance rendered by Jaya of the Shri Sundar Gopal Mandir Dance class. Then there was the dance choreographer, founder of the Sarswattie Dance Academy, Sursatie, who led her troupe with a scintillating dance which drew the undivided attention of everyone. Dr Satish Prakash asked the audience “to give them another round of applause for a magnificent performance.” Pandit Rooplall Phagu organised the dances. Hinds, a former President and Prime Minister of Guyana, delivered the keynote address. In discussing the journey to independence, Hinds slammed critics of the PPP/C Government for fab-

ricating news and providing false narratives about issues and development in Guyana. “The evidence of remarkable progress is there for all to see and yet this continual engagement in distortion and falsehood,” he said, as he insisted that the PPP/C Government will continue to govern for the benefit of all six races and is passionately committed to the idea of “One Guyana.” “I have worked over 30 years within the party and they always put the country first. The current leadership of the President, Dr Irfaan Ali; Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and Prime Minister, Mark Phillips follows in the path of Dr Jagan, but they are more vibrant,” he said. SO-CALLED EXPERTS Hinds spoke on the “socalled experts” on the oil industry and warned his audience to beware of their false narratives. “Right now Guyana earns 14.5 per cent of oil revenues and depending on oil prices, the flow of revenue into the Natural Resources Fund could either expand or reduce dramatically.” The Guyana Ambassador continued: “While we utilise

Guyana Ambassador to the US, Samuel Hinds and Deputy Ambassador, Zulfikar Ally, along with others at the independence celebration in New York some funds for grants, we don’t believe in handouts.” Hinds lashed out at the PNCR, Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and other sources who have been advocating vigorously for handouts. “An important portion of oil funds is for budgetary support in such areas as physical and social infrastructure. But handouts do not build countries and empower people; jobs, education, housing, etc. empower people,” he said. Zufikar Ally, his deputy, made a plea for Guyanese to return home with their children to witness the phenomenal changes taking place there “because in 10 years’ time, they might not [be]

able to recognise the country which would have gone through dramatic transformation.” He also indicated the need for a good education. Joe Yussuf, the Diaspora and Investment Officer at the New York Consulate stated that the Consulate serves every Guyanese and they will organise interactive sessions with Guyanese frequently to address their needs. Albert Baldeo, a community activist and politician, praised the leadership of Dr Cheddi Jagan and said that one of his legacies is working for and with all Guyanese, irrespective of race, religion, gender or physically or mentally challenged. He said he has full confidence that the

PPP/C leadership team will make a significant transformation of the country in a very short time. He wished all Guyanese a happy 56th independence anniversary. Also in attendance was representative of New York State, Assemblywoman, Jennifer Rajkumar. Shameeza Ally did a wonderful job emceeing the proceedings. The organisers expressed gratitude and appreciation to Pandit Phagu of Gopal Sundar Mandir; Sydney of Hibiscus Restaurant; Srad Kublall, Dave Narine of Dave West Indian Imports and host, Pandit Lakeram Maharaj, who provided the hall gratis for the event.

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‘Mixed energy approach’ to tackle climate change issues

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30, 2022

- Minister Teixeira tells Bartica consultation on LCDS MINISTER of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira on Saturday ex-

plained to Region Seven residents that the g o v e r n m e n t ’s L o w Carbon Development

Strategy (LCDS) 2030 is “a mixed energy approach” to address the issue of climate change.

A resident reading about the LCDS (DPI photo)

She noted that the new and expanded LCDS allows for sustainable development in every sector, including agriculture, oil and gas and infrastructure, while at the same time reducing the effects of climate change, and protecting the environment. Minister Teixeira was at the time speaking at a LCDS consultation in Bartica. “When we look at what we call a mixed energy approach, we will continue to exploit oil and gas to reduce the cost of electricity, so that our people will have reliable, affordable electricity, and also the manufacturers and others will have a reliable source to produce,” the minister said. She added: “We intend to use the oil-andgas revenues to be able to develop the country in a faster way than if we didn’t have oil and gas.” She pointed to the tremendous benefits that will accrue to the citizens of Guyana, as the strategy

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira will create hundreds of jobs. M i n i s t e r Te i x e i r a noted, too, that over the past seven years, Guyana has earned approximately US$200 million through carbon services. This means the country was generating income by sustainably managing its rainforest. Minister Teixeira further affirmed that Guyana has one of the best forest management programmes in the world. Meanwhile, the minister said the LCDS will allow for newer methods to be established to protect Guyana’s agriculture sector. “We have to use sci-

ence and technology to help us to reduce the impact of flooding in our country, and that means infrastructure, which is expensive. We have to look at ways in which we can also use agriculture in a way that is not always subjected to flooding,” she said. Further, Minister Teixeira assured citizens that the government will continue to build the necessary infrastructure, like sea defences. Residents were also given an overview of the LCDS by Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) Vanessa Benn. (DPI)

Residents at the LCDS consultation (DPI photo)

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guyana CHRONICLE monday may 30, 2022

Marketing of e-cigarettes, hookahs as healthy alternatives to tobacco is dangerous, misleading –– Dr. Ramsammy

CHAIRMAN of the Presidential Commission on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, has described as “dangerous and misleading,” the marketing of e-cigarettes and hookahs as healthy alternatives to traditional tobacco. Noting that accumulated scientific evidence points to hookah smoking as being just as harmful as smoking cigars or cigarettes, Dr. Ramsammy disclosed, in a recent press release, that the commission is committed to intensifying its efforts to lead the fight against the use of tobacco and tobacco products, particularly hookahs and e-cigarettes. The hookah and e-cigarette are among products defined as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). There are also electronic non-nicotine delivery systems known as ENNDS. Among the ENDS and ENNDS products are vapes, vaporizers, vape pens, hookah pens, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or e-cigs), e-cigars, and e-pipes. The ENDS products use an “e-liquid” that usually contains nicotine derived from tobacco, as well as flavorings, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and other ingredients. The liquid is heated to create an aerosol that the user inhales. Many ENDS products are manufactured to look like conventional combusted cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some resemble pens or USB flash drives. Larger devices, such as tank systems or mods, bear little or no resemblance to cigarettes. These products may have reusable parts, or they may be disposable and only used once before they are thrown away. Similarly, ENNDS products are made to look like

ENDS products. Some of the major health risks associated with the prolonged smoking of these devices include disabilities, lung damage, seizures, other neurological symptoms, and death. Dr Ramsammy noted that the Commission is concerned that both e-cigarettes and hookah products are imported, distributed, and sold in shops, stores, and streetside vendor stalls which is in contravention of the Packaging and Labelling Regulations (2018) which were passed under the Tobacco Control Act 2017. “Hookah has become an integral part of bars and restaurants around the country and hookah bars are now popping up across the country at an alarming rate. While the Commission recognises the use of e-cigarettes in tobacco-cessation programmes, the marketing of e-cigarettes as a healthy alternative to traditional tobacco is dangerous and misleading,” Dr. Ramsammy said. EQUALLY APPLY The Tobacco Act 2017 recognises that the alternatives the tobacco industry have provided do not represent a healthier alternative to traditional tobacco products and, therefore, the regulations in the Tobacco Control Act 2017 equally apply to these products. Dr. Ramsammy stated that the use of hookahs in Guyana and other countries is almost totally unregulated. He opined that, in Guyana’s case, this unregulated environment for hookahs is “wholly an oversight” because the Tobacco Control Act 2017, together with its associated Packaging and

Labelling Regulations 2018, require regulations of hookah importation, distribution, and vending. According to him, Section 25 (2) of the Packaging and Labelling Regulations 2018, stipulates that hookah products must meet the same packaging and labelling requirements as traditional tobacco products. He noted that, currently, the hookah products imported, distributed, and sold in Guyana, invariably, do not meet the packaging and labelling requirements. He noted that the online sale and delivery of these items also contradict Section 30 of the Regulations. Presently more than 30 countries have banned ENDS products, more than 109 countries regulate the packaging and labelling of ENDS products, and more than 170 countries regulate traditional tobacco products. The commission, according to Dr. Ramsammy, is urging the National Tobacco Control Council to be more vigilant in working with relevant government agencies to ensure that the applicable Articles in the Regulations are enforced. “We would like to highlight to the authorities and to those who import, distribute and make such products available to the public, that the laws of the country must be upheld. In particular, we remind the National Tobacco Control Council that Clauses 25 (2), 29, 30, and 33 require that e-cigarette and hookah products must be properly packaged and labelled before they are permitted to enter Guyana and before they are allowed to be distributed and sold in the country.” He added that the Commission has recommitted to intensify its effort to lead the fight against the use of tobacco and tobacco products in Guyana.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30, 2022

A great way to help care for children

NEWS FLASH! Do you live in regions 7 or 8? Or maybe you live in the Hinterland and Riverine communities of regions 9, 2, or 1? If so, you can consider becoming a Foster Parent. The Childcare and Protection Agency is looking for reliable, considerate adults in every region of

Guyana who can offer children a temporary ‘home away from home’ when they require protection. Compared to first world countries, Guyana is relatively new to Foster Care. In England during the 1950s, more children were in foster homes than in institutional care (chil-

dren’s homes). Today Foster Caring in the UK is a thriving organised profession with stricter rules and regulations than in bygone years. Prospective Foster parents are thoroughly investigated and assessed - and although pending applicants might have good intentions, not everyone meets the stringent

Foster Parent criteria. Foster caring was officially introduced to Guyana in 2009. However, the fostering of children has been taking place in some form or other since time immemorial. Many stories tell of kind neighbours, good friends or family members who welcomed children, in dire circumstances, into their homes and lives – helping them out for a while or taking them in as their own. Presently there are 127 Foster Parents attached to the CPA, caring for children across Guyana. It is a worthwhile, satisfying vocation if you have the time, patience, space and understanding to take a child (or children) under your wing. One Foster Parent said: “I feel like I’ve been looking after children all my life. My older sisters had babies, and I had to do everything for them – change their nappies, bathe and feed them - ever since then, I’ve had a love for children. Of course, I have my own, but they’re big now, so I thought I would look into Foster Care. I have the space in my home, and I can devote some time to helping a child, so I decided to ‘go for it’. I didn’t mind the application procedure, once I had applied because I had already decided that I wanted to Foster a child. They did their enquiries and background checks, and I waited for confirmation that I got through. This year will be four years since I started Fostering children, and quite a few of them have passed through my home. To say that every day is a good day and things are always fine and dandy would be stretching the truth. There are times when a child will try your patience or test you to get a reac-

tion. Knowing the child’s background and the environment they came from helps me understand what type of problems they may have faced and the reasons behind their behaviour. Becoming a Foster Parent is one of the best decisions I have ever made’. In the Foster Care Unit, CPA Officers try to match children in need with suitable Foster Parents. It is essential for children to feel welcomed and comfortable in foster homes. In addition, children must have their own bed and a proper place to keep their clothes. Children are allowed to speak to CPA Officers if they have concerns about their foster home; likewise, Foster parents can raise any (foster) child-related issues with Officers. Although lone men can foster children too, most Foster Parents are women; some have husbands or partners, and some do not. Another Foster Parent recaps her experiences with the siblings she chose to foster. Due to unforeseen circumstances, they have been with her for an extended period: ‘Deciding to take three siblings into my home was not easy, but I knew they needed me, and I didn’t want to let them down. When they came to me, the youngest child was two years old, his sister was five, and the eldest boy was seven. People asked me why I tie down myself with young children; (I have none of my own), but for me, these are God-given children; they are not a burden. Even when it comes to challenges, I don’t get stressed; I put God first in my life and overcome trials that confront me. The important thing for me is life – every other thing will fall in place.

The greatest satisfaction for me is when the children come home from school with their report cards and the teacher’s remarks, and grades are good. I feel very proud because I know what I am putting in. On Mother’s day, the two big children made me cards and sang songs to say how much they love and appreciate me. The children we are dealing with today are technology children, and you have to be on top of it. I do not allow devices to train them. They occasionally use the computer and tablet when necessary, if they have school work. But they have spelling competitions with each other, and friends and neighbours. I keep them away from adult conversation; that’s not good for them; also, I make sure I have a good relationship with their teacher and other people in the school, the cleaner, security and so on - that way, they know they have to behave their best -I do all I can to help them enjoy their education. On the whole, I enjoy fostering these children; I am helping to shape their lives. To become a Foster parent, I think you must have a lot of faith, strength, wisdom and understanding’. If you are interested in becoming a Foster Parent, call the Foster Care Unit at the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) on 231 8423 or 227 4082. If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail. com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL SECURITY

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30 , 2022

Tom Sanzillo’s ignorance of Guyana’s...

FROM PAGE 7 put forward by Tom Sanzillo of the IEEFA. Clearly, Sanzillo does not appreciate the need to perform robust evidenced-based analyses to inform his conclusions. The analysis, therein, (by Tom Sanzillo) is, therefore, highly misleading and inaccurate. Furthermore, Guyana’s national debt and fiscal deficit positions are at their strongest levels, and considered sound, from a macroeconomic stability standpoint. In terms of saving oil revenues in the NRF for future generations, it is imperative, given Guyana’s economic development needs, that is, the need to accelerate development, that a significant portion of the resource is invested at the very outset. Consequently, as production levels are ramped up, and development cost recovered, the NRF balance will grow substantially, and towards the end of the decade, there will be sufficient sums available to save for future generations. At this point, the country needs to invest in infrastructure development, among many other developmental needs, for future generations as well and those investments needed to be made today. DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS With respect to the first drawdown, Sanzillo ignored the withdrawal rules and the rationale for the withdrawal rules in the NRF Act, where there is a sliding scale from 100 per cent to three per cent. To this end, all withdrawals from the Fund have to be deposited into the Consolidated Fund, in accordance with the Act, thus subjecting the monies from the Fund to full parliamentary scrutiny and approval through the budget process. According to the withdrawal rules (First Schedule), the ceiling on annual withdrawals are as follows: 1. 100 per cent of the first US$500 million 2. 75 per cent of the second US$500 million 3. 50 per cent of the third US$500 million 4. 25 per cent of the

fourth US$500 million 5. 5 per cent of the fifth US$500 million 6. 3 per cent of any amounts in excess of US$2.5 billion RATIONALE FOR WITHDRAWAL FORMULA With this simplified formula, one can observe that the withdrawal rules of the Fund are NOT designed to withdraw all of the monies from the Fund each fiscal year, especially as the balance of the Fund starts to grow. The upfront drawdown from the Fund is necessary to accelerate and advance Guyana’s massive development agenda in infrastructure (new roads and bridges, drainage and irrigation, social infrastructure, healthcare, education, national security, and ICT etc.), all of which are aimed at modernising, transforming the economy, and to structurally diversify the economy away from oil and gas, and, more so, a heavy emphasis on improving national competitiveness. This is in keeping with a sustainable development model framework, thus preventing the economy from being exposed to any significant risks of bankruptcy and external shocks, and averting the paradoxical Dutch Disease, or resource curse. There is another important positive impact as a direct result of this withdrawal formula, and that is the reduction in the national debt in the first five years at least, thereby freeing up more liquidity in the banking sector to extend more credit to the private sector. As such, this augurs well for the long-term macroeconomic stability framework of the economy, as the country seeks to accelerate development to a modern economy. In other words, what might take Guyana 50 years to achieve without oil, can now be achieved in 25 years, or half that time. Important to note is that the investments of today are also for the benefit of future generations as well as the present generation. The new four-lane road networks that will be built, the modern education system,

cheaper energy etc., will be enjoyed by the present and future generation. The government, and as a country, cannot only save for the future generation, but also needs to invest in the facilities, infrastructure, education system etc., today, for the future generation to enjoy. This is more so against the backdrop of Guyana’s development being stymied for various reasons, includ-

ing political in nature for the past 15-20 years. For example, the new bridge across the Demerara River was identified as part of the 1996 Development Strategy, and should have been built since 15 years ago; the Amaila Project should have been built 10 years ago; the Brazil Lethem Road, Corentyne Bridge connecting Guyana and Suriname and a deep-water port, to name

a few, are examples of important development projects; strategic national investments that were all part of the 1996 Development Strategy, and should have already been implemented. But because of several periods of political instability during these periods, a total of 17 years of disruption and political attempts to de-stabilise the country, these projects could not have been imple-

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mented. Then, there was the minority government during the period 20112015 (which triggered snap elections in 2015) because, under this dispensation, the Political Opposition at that time would have vetoed almost everything, including national budgets in the National Assembly. And so, the country could not have moved forward as a result of this deadlock. (To be continued)

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guyana CHRONICLE monday may 30, 2022

Claudette Caesar Foundation offering university scholarships to ARSS students

THE Claudette Caesar Foundation which was launched on April,16, 2022, is offering full scholarships to students of the Anna Regina Secondary School (ARSS) who wish to pursue undergraduate studies at the University of Guyana. The non-governmental organisation (NGO) was formed to provide annual university scholarships and to support elderly persons

in Region Two. The foundation is currently supported by a board of individuals and volunteers. The members include Karen Glasgow, Lalljeet Ruplall, Lavern Lynch, Gary Williams and Rajpattie Inniss. It is also receiving support from its patron Vidia Roopchan, an ARSS alumnus and a renowned Pfizer Principal Research Scientist. Trustee and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Elwyn Boyle, said the foundation was formed by the children of Claudette Caesar-Loncke in her honour. Boyle said the organisation is able to fulfil its objectives thorough fund-raising activities. Shannia Hoyte, a Grade 11 student at ARSS received the first scholarship for this year. The aspiring Biomedical Engineer will commence studies in Biology at UG in October.

Boyle said Hoyte was chosen from amongst her peers after she met the academic standards and personal criteria set out by the foundation’s board. “We will continue to support the children and unlock their potential; Essequibo needs this and all the donations we make from fundraisers will go towards the scholarship and supporting elders,” she added. Persons desirous of

supporting the foundation’s work can deposit a monetary contribution into Republic Bank Guyana account 300000192225. For those in the UK and USA, details on how to donate can be sourced from the foundation’s website, www.claudettecaesarfoundation. com. Tangible gifts can be delivered to the foundation’s office at 69 Middle Walk, Henrietta, Essequibo

Claudette Caesar Foundation CEO, Elwyn Boyle Coast. Emails can also be sent to info@claudettecaesarfoundation.com for further details or clarifications.

guyana CHRONICLE monday may 30, 2022

Medical fraternity loses a hero

THE Ministry of Health, on Sunday, received heartbreaking news of the passing of one of its finest and most dedicated medical professionals of more than 50 years, Dr. Ramsundar Doobay. “One of the indelible images in many persons’ memories of GPHC is walking into the medicine wards and seeing a simple, unassuming man finding a corner of a patient’s bed to tuck himself in, sitting, talking to the patient, assuring the patient and teaching doctors,” a press release from the ministry said. Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony and the Health Ministry said the news of the passing of Dr. Doobay, MBBS, MRCP had been received with absolute shock and sadness, although the ministry had known about his battle with illness several months before. Dr. Doobay was said to be gifted with an intellect that was the envy of many. He was brilliant but remained at all times a simple, humble gentleman. According to the Health Ministry, in his early years with poor infrastructure in the health sector, with access to little or no technology and few journals, Dr. Doobay awed his local and visiting colleagues with the depth of his knowledge of medicine. “He was always up to date with developments in medicine, with new medications and new scientific findings. His main activity outside of the hospital was his incessant reading of journals and documents relating to medicines. As journals began to appear online, ‘Doobs’ would spend most of his spare time lost in the pages of these journals,” the ministry said. “Doobs”, as his colleagues and friends often referred to him, started his career in Guyana in the late 1960s where he joined other illustrious medicine professionals. He started his career under the illustrious Dr. Enid Denbow in November 1968 at the age of 26 and quickly began to make his mark on the medical profession and service in Guyana. CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL Among his early colleagues would have been Dr. Roger Luncheon with whom Doobs shared a personal and strong friendship and bond.

By the 1970s, he had become the Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, a position he served until he was requested to relinquish it in 2016. At various times he served as Medical Superintendent of the Public Hospital Georgetown (PHG) and acted as Director of Medical and Professional Services at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) when the PHG became a public corporation. Dr. Doobay is one of the few medical professionals who served the public sector throughout his career. While he did serve in the private sector at institutions such as the Balwant Singh Hospital, he never sacrificed his duty in the public sector for private practice. While he departed from GPHC in 2016, he did not allow this to stop him from practising medicine. He continued serving people at the Doobay Hospital in Annandale, East Coast Demerara, a hospital founded by his cousin.

TEACHER AND MENTOR Outside of his service to thousands of citizens that he diagnosed and treated, he served the people of Guyana by teaching and mentoring hundreds of young doctors. He also served as a professor in the School of Medicine of the University of Guyana for more than three decades. Additionally, he mentored hundreds of interns at the GPHC and, when Guyana introduced post-graduate training, he was one of the pillars of the post-graduate training programme. Indeed, both the internship and post-graduate internal medicine programmes benefitted from indispensable contributions from Dr. Doobay. Dr. Doobay molded the career of many young and experienced doctors who today serve and who served in the past in medicine in Guyana and many countries around the world. He played a major role in the early introduction of treatment guidelines for diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart diseases, asthma, liver diseases, cancer, kidney diseases, lung diseases, neurological diseases and various infectious diseases, such as leptospirosis, and exposure to toxic chemicals in Guyana, the ministry said. The elaborate guidelines that are now available to

both young and experienced doctors in various areas of medicine were initially developed with considerable contributions from Dr. Doobay. “Beginning in the 1970s and particularly in the beginning of the 21st century, Dr. Doobay was instrumental in the reorganisation of medical clinics, medical wards, and the ICU at the PHG and then the GPHC. These models are being further improved today and

are the models for hospitals across the country,” the release stated. Dialysis is today, a routine service in Guyana, but long before dialysis was introduced in country, Dr Doobay introduced peritoneal dialysis in the 1970s in medicine in Guyana. In fact, without access to peritoneal dialysis in 2005 at the GPHC, dozens of people would have died from leptospirosis resulting from the big flood of 2005.

Dr. Doobay’s contributions to health and medicine in Guyana is unsurpassed and will live on as a legend in this country, said the Health Ministry, pointing out that, on behalf of the entire health sector, it expresses profound sympathies to Dr. Doobay’s family and friends. Meanwhile, the board of directors, management and staff of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) also

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Dr. Ramsundar Doobay joined the medical fraternity in extending deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Dr. Doobay.

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guyana CHRONICLE monday may 30, 2022

Five ways climate change is intensifying threats to plant health

PLANTS are humans’ best friends and main allies in life on earth. Plants are responsible for 98 percent of the oxygen we breathe and make up 80 percent of our daily calorie intake. However, we often take them for granted, not realizing the importance of keeping them healthy. Every year up to 40 per cent of food crops is lost to plant pests and diseases. These losses in both yields and income have a devastating effect on the poorest communities who base their livelihoods on agriculture. Plant pests and diseases know no boundaries. In a highly globalized and interconnected world, it is not surprising that these can travel and colonize new areas. Climate change is exacerbating this spread, creating favourable conditions for these pests and the survival of specific plant diseases in new areas. For example, climate change has already had a hand in expanding the host range or distribution of pests such as the red palm weevil, Fall armyworm, fruit fly, desert locust and emerald ash borer. An increase in pests poses a significant threat to the environment because pests, particularly invasive ones, can cause a major loss in biodiversity. Plant diseases are equally devastating, wreaking havoc on

harvests and slashing incomes for farmers. So, what are the some of the most invasive plant diseases and how is climate change contributing to their spread? Here are just five increasingly dangerous plant diseases threatening plant health: 1) Potato late blight Late blight is a disease that attacks potatoes and tomatoes and is caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans. In tomatoes, the disease causes lesions on leaves, petioles and stems, while potato tubers develop a rot up to 15 millimetres deep. The fungus has a great ability to adapt to changing conditions, preferring warm and wet seasons. Climate change is creating favourable conditions for this fungus at different times and places than before. For example, in Egypt, increasingly warm and wet weather is promoting potato late blight epidemics, allowing the pathogen to accumulate earlier in the growing season. 2) Coffee leaf rust This fungal disease, also known as Hemileia vastatrix, affects the leaves of the coffee plant. It begins to show up as yellow spots and then turns into a yellow-orange powder that easily spreads to other coffee

Climate change is exacerbating the spread of plant pests, such as Fall armyworm (FAO photo) plants. Coffee leaf rust is one of the biggest challenges for global coffee production because the disease is able to adapt to different climates. Global warming seems to help to reduce the incubation period of the pathogen, meaning that more generations of the pathogen can develop in a growing season. 3) Banana Fusarium wilt This is a lethal fungal disease caused by the soil-borne fungus, Fusarium oxysporum TR4. Entering the banana plant through the roots, the fungus blocks the flow of water and nutrients to the plant cells, gradually devastating the leaves. Eventually, this disease leads to the death of the plant. High temperatures as well as extreme environmental events such as cyclones, both common impacts of climate change, can increase the risk of banana Fusarium wilt.

Once established, plant pests and diseases are difficult to eradicate. Prevention is the most effective solution (FAO photo)

4) Xylella fastidiosa Xylella fastidiosa is a bacterium transmitted by several species of sap-sucking insects, like leafhoppers, infecting several economically important crops, such as grapevines, citrus, olive, almond, peach and coffee, and in ornamental and forestry plants. The bacterium blocks the host’s ability to absorb water, ultimately causing an internal drought. Xylella is prevalent primarily in the Americas, southern Europe and the Near East, but has the potential to expand beyond its current distribution. The increase in insect vector populations could lead to the severe distribution of this disease.

5) Grape downy mildew Triggered by the Plasmopara viticola fungus, downy mildew is an extremely serious fungal disease of grapes that can cause heavy losses in crops. The pathogen attacks green parts of the vine, especially the leaves, causing angular, yellowish, sometimes oily lesions between the veins. Increased air temperatures favour the onset of the disease. The risk of severe grape downy mildew outbreaks increases as climate change alters temperatures in many regions. Once established, plant pests and diseases are difficult to eradicate and doing so requires a great deal of money and time. That is why adopting preventive strategies is the most effective solution. To raise awareness of the importance of plant health and protection, FAO and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat have published the Scientific review of the impact of climate change on plant pests. The publication provides a comprehensive background on the impact of climate change on plant health and contains recommendations on measures to prevent risks. Starting this year, FAO and the United Nations are marking 12 May as the International Day of Plant Health. It is an opportunity to understand the importance of plant health and disease prevention and to raise awareness of the need for action. Plants give so much to us humans without asking for anything back except their protection. It is time to return the favour. (FAO)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30 , 2022

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IDB to host regional trade and foreign ministers forum

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30, 2022

- on margins of Ninth Summit of the Americas

INTER-AMERICAN Development Bank (IDB) President, Mauricio Claver-Carone, will host a Trade and Investment Forum for the Americas on June 7. The forum will bring together regional trade and foreign affairs ministers and chief executives from leading global companies to discuss investment and regional supply chains, as well as sustainable trade and climate change, and trade and the digital economy in the hemisphere. The event, to be held in Los Angeles, California, aligns with Vision 2025, the IDB’s roadmap for accelerating inclusive, sustainable growth, including through better leveraging the private sector. The IDB, as the only international financial institution that is actively financing nearshoring, aims to use the Trade and Investment Forum as an opportunity to further help Latin America and the Caribbean to seize today’s once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to increase regional integration and participation in the current global realignment of supply chains. “We are prioritising action and look forward to deepening our engagement so we can fully use the expanded nearshoring toolkit we developed to help countries and companies take advantage of the regionalisation of supply chains. This forum can serve as a bedrock for results. Forums like this, which unite the public and private sectors, reflect our vision for a truly 21st-century IDB. Now is the moment to capitalise on sectors that can jumpstart economies and mobilise critical private capital for co-financing and investment,” said President Claver-Carone.

In gathering leading business executives alongside senior government officials, the IDB seeks to expand the historic publicprivate collaboration it has fostered over the past year and support matchmaking to enable greater investment in key sectors across the region. This forum demonstrates the potential of the IDB’s new value proposition to build synergies between the public and private sectors that lead to economic growth and social inclusion. The IDB’s mission of improving lives and its role as the premier development finance institution for Latin America and the Caribbean has never been more important. The bank is committed to helping its 26 borrowing member countries overcome ongoing pandemic setbacks, historic supply-chain disruptions, and the fallout from Russia’s war against Ukraine. The bank’s priority is to deliver measurable results in response to these challenges and it is fulfilling its commitment to better serve both lower and higherincome countries. DIVERSE AND AMBITIOUS INITIATIVES “We look forward to building on our diverse and ambitious initiatives, especially after what will undoubtedly be productive discussions with regional leaders at the Ninth Summit of the Americas. While the upcoming Summit is tak-

IDB President, Mauricio Claver-Carone ing place at an inflection point in the region’s history, because of its high-stakes political backdrop and our institutional commitment to remain apolitical, we are carefully tailoring our activities in connection to the event,” said President Claver-Carone. The IDB will continue to help the region combat climate change, create jobs, institutionalise equality, forge more transparent, digitalised economies, improve healthcare systems, and invest in the kind of reliable, resilient regional supply chains needed to make the countries of the Americas stronger and more secure. This work builds on a standard-setting year in 2021, when the IDB achieved a record $23.4 billion in new financing approvals, commitments, and private-sector mobilisations. The bank also increased the share of operations in small and vul-

nerable countries to a record 40 per cent, while making the largest direct investment in gender equality in the bank’s history – more than $780 million. The IDB’s private-sector arm, IDB Invest, achieved a one-to-one mobilisation ratio for long-term investments, meaning that for every dollar that IDB Invest put into a deal, a private investor matched it. That was a nearly 50 per cent increase over the previous year. Additionally, the IDB launched some of the most innovative projects and market-friendly financial tools of any international finance institution, reflecting a determination to better leverage private-sector capabilities. Latin America and the Caribbean face both ongoing pandemic challenges and an unprecedented combination of global problems, including rampant inflation, rising interest rates, supply-chain bottlenecks, and the global impacts of war, including a growing food and energy crisis. Current forecasts indicate the region will grow less than three per cent this year. Even so, the IDB is confident that Latin America and the Caribbean can surpass expectations. “I believe the region can prove the forecasters wrong and do something similar to what it did in 2021, when it grew nearly seven per cent. We are working for that outcome every day, guided by our mission of improving lives across the Americas,” President Claver-Carone said.

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Residents of flood-hit Kwakwani again urged to relocate

The water level in a section of Kwakwani (Civil Defence Commission photos) ALTHOUGH the floodwaters at Kwakwani, Region 10, are slowly receding, residents are being urged once again to relocate to higher ground as the water level is likely to rise, given the heavy rainfall that is expected in the coming weeks. Speaking with this newspaper on Sunday, Elroy Adolph, a resident of Kwakwani and councillor attached to the Region 10 Regional

Democratic Council (RDC), explained that the waterfront and Lamp Island communities are located close to the Berbice River and several swamps. Adolph emphasised that any amount of rainfall usually results in overtopping of the river and nearby swamps, which results in flooding in the two mentioned areas. “The Kwakwani waterfront is like a dam. It has

the river and then it has the swamps, so any rainfall would cause it to flood. When the river water rise and the swamp water rise, it covers the dam,” he added. In May last year, the Regional 10 authorities declared Kwakwani to be in a “severe state,” since water levels had risen above 15 feet, completely covering several homes. Yearly, when the May/ June rainy season comes, residents would brace themselves for heavy torrential rainfall and light flooding. Efforts by residents to rebuild their lives following the 2020 flood, were recently disrupted after heavy rainfall led to severe flooding. This development has prompted the regional authorities to advise all persons living in flood-prone areas, such as Lamp Island and the waterfront, to relocate to higher ground. Adolph disclosed that Jeep Landing has since been identified to facilitate relocation; however, many residents are still reluctant to make the move. “I personally encourage many of them to go over there because it is higher ground and some have moved, about five or six of them have moved to higher ground and others are now thinking to clear spots and

move, but if the water goes down, they will not move,” he said. He noted that yearly, the authorities are faced with the challenge of convincing residents to relocate. “Maybe if the whole place flood out for the whole year and they cannot do any-

thing, then they would move. If the water recedes, they gone back to square one. So, it’s a bit of a challenge of what to do to really help them,” he said. According to Adolph, the floodwaters of last year, have not completely receded and it is for this reason that it

is critical for residents who live in vulnerable areas to relocate to higher ground. “What you find is that we still had constant rainfall in between, so the swamps were still under water and so as soon as rain comes, it would just overflow. It’s like a cup, TURN TO PAGE 18

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30, 2022

Residents of... FROM PAGE 17

A home in the flooded Region 10 community its actually full and so it’s just waiting for a little more to overflow.” This newspaper was told that only four families out of the 46 that are in the danger zone have opted to move to higher ground. SEASONAL FLOODING To trace the history of seasonal flooding in the Region 10 community, this newspaper had spoken to the former Regional Chairman, Mortimer Mingo, who was the acting regional chairman some 10 years ago when severe flooding had hit the community. Mingo, in that interview, had said that severe flooding in Kwakwani is a phenomenon that tends to occur every 10 years or so during the rainy season or whenever there is above-normal rainfall. “There is what I want to call a cycle of flooding that takes place primarily in the Kwakwani Waterfront area. What happens is whenever there is persistent rainfall…the

rain falls in the upper regions of the Berbice River so the water keeps rushing down there and it normally overflows the banks of the river in the vicinity of Lamp Island and also the waterfront area,” Mingo explained. He noted that in 2006 just after a wave of severe flooding, the then government had identified an area in Kwakwani to be transformed into a housing scheme to facilitate the relocation of residents from the waterfront area. However, only a few residents would have opted to relocate to higher ground. The Kwakwani Neighbourhood Democratic Council (KNDC) is currently working to establish flood shelters across the community. Previously, during periods of severe flooding, the NDC would utilise schools as shelters, but now that schools have reopened, alternative locations will have to be identified to house the affected residents.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30 , 2022

Nottingham Forest return to Premier League after 23 years

Nottingham Forest players celebrate after Levi Colwill’s own goal in the first half (BBC) - Nottingham Forest ended their 23-year wait for Premier League football with a narrow win over Huddersfield Town in the Championship play-off final at Wembley, a victory worth about £170M. Promotion back to the top flight caps a brilliant turnaround to their season, which had started with six defeats in seven. Levi Colwill’s own goal from James Garner’s cross was the decisive moment. Town improved after the break, but struggled to create a big chance. Their best opportunity saw Harry Toffolo booked for diving in the area by referee Jon Moss, officiating for the final time before retiring, and, although replays suggested Jack Colback had made some contact, it was not overturned by VAR.

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Forest held out in the face of mounting pressure to spark scenes of jubilation, and end their two-decade exile from the Premier League. Steve Cooper has completely turned the club’s fortunes around, after taking over from the sacked Chris Hughton in September. They were not at their best in their first appearance at Wembley in 30 years, but the game’s big moment went in their favour before the break. The impressive James Garner, on loan from Manchester United, whipped in a dangerous ball from the inside left position, and Town defender Colwill could only divert the ball past his goalkeeper, Lee Nicholls, under pressure from Ryan Yates. The Terriers had more possession, and carried more threat after half-time, but

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could not force Brice Samba, or his replacement, Ethan Horvath, into a save of note. THIRD TIME LUCKY Forest’s promotion in their first ever play-off final comes at the end of a season which started disastrously. The two-time European Cup winners took one point from their first seven games, their worst start to a season in 108 years, and when Hughton was sacked in September, it looked like the team was likely to spend the campaign battling against relegation. However, Cooper, who had taken Swansea to the play-offs in his two seasons in south Wales, quickly turned the ship around, and they eventually moved into the Top Six for the first time this season on February 9. There were also impressive home FA Cup wins over

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Arsenal and local rivals Leicester City before being narrowly beaten by eventual winners, Liverpool, in the quarter-finals, as the momentum around the team and city grew. Like opposite number, Carlos Corberan, Cooper has thrived off the back of good recruitment, including the season-long loan addition of Middlesbrough full-back Djed Spence, and Manchester United midfielder Garner by his predecessor, and excellent coaching, with Wales forward Brennan Johnson enjoying a breakout campaign. There was some disappointment, though, when their bid to take their fight for automatic promotion to the final day was ended by defeat at second-placed Bournemouth in their penultimate game of the season. They regrouped, and looked to be cruising to play-off semi-final victory over Sheffield United, before conceding two second-half goals in the second leg at the City Ground to take the tie to penalties, where Samba saved three Blades spotkicks to send them to Wembley. It was by no means a vintage performance at the national stadium, but they will not care, and start next season as a top-flight team for the first time this Century.

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CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Monday May 30, 2022)

COMPLIMENTS OF CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Tenth (2) Ninth Today’s Quiz: (1) Who are the 2022 IPL champions (2) Who was declared Man of the Tournament? Answers in tomorrow’s issue ……………………………………………………

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30, 2022

Carty focused on good international debut for Windies

CMC – Keacy Carty is focused on making a mark in his international debut when he plays for the men in maroon for the first time, in the two upcoming One-Day International (ODI) series against the Netherlands and Pakistan. “I’m not really anxious or nervous. I’m just trying to start well so I’m trying to be as prepared as possible – mentally calm, physically prepared. I just want to get a good start in international cricket,” said Carty, the first player from St. Maarten to be called up for the West Indies senior men’s team, ahead of Tuesday’s first match against the Netherlands here. The 25-year-old right-hand-

Keacy Carty speaking ahead of the ODI series against the Netherlands and Pakistan ed batsman said the squad had welcomed him with open arms and he intended to learn as much as he can from the experienced

players. “I try to take little bits and pieces from all the good players and just try and add them to my

game, where it makes sense with my style of play,” said Carty, who was part of the young West Indies team that won the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, the Caribbean side’s first title in that competition. When the ODI series against the Netherlands bowls off, he will be playing against a side that he could have an opportunity to represent, as a Dutch citizen. However, the specialist batsman said that such had never been his goal. “Growing up in a household where my father supported West Indies cricket so much, I never really thought about leaving the Caribbean and trying to play for the Netherlands,” Carty said.

“I grew up watching West Indies cricket and day-dreamed of playing, so when I actually got the call from [lead selector] Desmond Haynes and heard that I was a part of the team….I was really excited.” In announcing Carty as part of the ODI squad that will play Netherlands May 31- June 4, followed by Pakistan June 8-12, Haynes said the young batsman had impressed selectors “with the way he goes about his innings”. “We saw several glimpses of his ability the way he played against England earlier this year for the CWI President’s XI. We hope that giving him this opportunity he will recognise the

importance of representing West Indies. We think he is a young batsman with great promise, and this is the kind of tour he can show he fits in,” he had said. Carty said it was possible for other young cricketers in St. Maarten to follow in his footsteps. “I was once at their stage. I could see the talent in them like how people saw it in me and if they want to play the game seriously they can, but they just have to remain disciplined and continue working hard,” he said. Carty is one of three newcomers in the ODI squad, the others being fast bowlers Jayden Seales and Shermon Lewis.

Nadal sets up quarter final match with Djokovic

(BBC) - Rafael Nadal set up a French Open quarter-final against long-time rival Novak Djokovic with an absorbing five-set win over Felix Auger-Aliassime. S p a i n ’s N a d a l , 3 5 , dropped sets for the first time at this year’s event, but recovered to win 3-6 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3. Top seed Djokovic produced his best level so far in the tournament to beat 15th seed Diego Schwartman 6-1 6-3 6-3. Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev will also meet in the last eight after each claimed straight-set victories. Sixth seed Alcaraz, 19, sublimely swept aside Karen Khachanov 6-1 6-4 6-4, while third seed Zverev triumphed 7-6 (13-11) 7-5 6-3, despite a patchy performance against qualifier, Bernabe Zapata Miralles. The biggest draw of the next round, though, will be Nadal and Djokovic meeting for a men’s record 59th time. Fifth seed Nadal fixed up the encounter by beating ninth seed Auger-Aliassime for his 109th win in 112 matches at the French Open. The 13-time champion looked in serious danger of suffering his earliest exit at Roland Garros since 2009, when 21-year-old Auger-Aliassime showed quality and composure to force a fifth set on Court Philippe Chatrier. It was only the third time Nadal had been taken to a de-

cider on the Paris clay. In front of a captivated crowd, Nadal demonstrated yet again why he is so special on the court where he has enjoyed the greatest successes of his career. Nadal found an extra level when it mattered, and used all of his experience to maintain clarity of thought in the decisive moments. At 4-3 in the decider, he stretched to knock a forehand winner down the line for two break points, and converted the second by scampering forward to push in a backhand. As he prepared to serve for the win, Nadal’s name was chanted around Chatrier, and he clinched victory, after almost four-and-a- half hours, on his first match point with some deft touches at the net. “It was a very important victory for me, without a doubt,” said Nadal, who has never lost before the fourth round at Roland Garros. “I didn’t start the match well; I had a lot of opportunities to break, but I couldn’t convert. After coming back in the next two, I finished the third much better. “I’m very happy with the attitude at the end, because I was able to play more aggressive, and go more to the net. That made a difference, without a doubt.” An interesting subplot to the match was the presence of Nadal’s uncle, Toni, who now coaches Auger-Aliassime.

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RHTY&SC Tribute to Heroes programme…

Namilco Thunderbolt teams honour medical workers and law enforcement

T H E R o s e H a l l To w n Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC)’s Namilco Thunderbolt Flour U21 and First Division teams last weekend honoured a combined eight law enforcement officers and medical workers under the Club’s Tribute to Heroes programme. The teams, led by Kevlon Anderson and Jonathan Rampersaud, respectively, have a mandate from Club Management to host a total of 40 personal self-development programmes under a wide range of sub- headings, including sports, public health, awards, education, community, and youth development. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster congratulated the awardees on a job well done, and stated that the RHTYSC and its cricketers were honoured to recognise their services to Berbicians in general. He noted that the law enforcement officers were all positive role models to youths in the Rose Hall Town area, and called on them to uphold the image of the Guyana Police Force. He also thanked the lawmen for allowing residents of the township to sleep in rel-

The Tribute to Medical Workers programme awardees with Dr. Sharma, Head of the Port Mourant Hospital; Dr. G. Sukhdeo; and RHTYSC’s Hilbert Foster ative peace at nights, as well as for the current low crime rate the town is currently experiencing. The awardees: Constable Roger Saunders, Constable 24973 Coleen Ayling, Special Woman Constable Marcilla Profitt, and Constable 25105 Kevin Tyndall were selected by the management of the Rose Hall Town Police Outpost, and the Club. At Port Mourant, the

teams honoured four medical workers who were specially selected by the hospital’s management, based on their hard work and dedication. Those honoured were Abdool Kadir (Porter); Teola Gonsalves-James (Lab Technician); Verona Campbell (Pharmacy Dept); and Venelli Brewster (Nursing Assistant). Foster stated that the award was launched five years ago when he was a patient at

The Tribute to Law Enforcement Officers awardees

the Port Mourant Hospital, and was very impressed with the high professional attitude of the management and staff. He said that over the years, the RHTYSC has developed a very close working relationship with the hospital, and has made several donations to it. The Regional Health Officer thanked the cricket teams and Foster for recognising the performance of the workers,

and called for more organisations to follow in their footsteps. She praised the positive effort of the Port Mourant Hospital’s staff, and the effect they have on the lives of residents in the area. Each of the awardees received a plaque, a medal of excellence, a framed certificate of excellence, and four special gifts that include a Namilco Thunderbolt Flour

hamper. The two teams are planning to soon join hands with several of the other units within the Club, namely: Farfan and Mendes Under15; Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division teams; Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate teams; and the Metro Females, to honour teachers, retired educators, firemen, and post office workers under this programme.

GFF, Blue Water launch U15 girls’ Development League with festival THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and Blue Water Shipping officially launched Guyana’s first U15 national league for girls on Saturday, with a football festival for

Some of the competitors

participating girls, and the distribution of equipment at the GFF National Training Centre. The new league will provide a crucial stepping stone in the development of young talent for Guyana’s female national teams, rapidly accelerate participation among girls in football across the country, and provide opportunities for more coaches and match officials. Alongside a football festival featuring some of the girls that will star in the competition, the GFF’s regional associations also received footballs and equipment to support the implementation of the league, as part of the GFF’s Member Financial Assistance Programme (M-FAP). “We are creating history,” said GFF President Wayne Forde. “Over the next few months, for the first time, we will see thousands of girls in

the U15 category learning the fine art of football.” “We want these girls to be in football, not just to play, but because many valuable life skills will be learned through this experience,” Forde said, adding: “They will learn to be a team player, they will learn to win and to lose, they will learn to respect authority and they will develop new friendships. They will become part of the football community for the rest of their lives.” Blue Water Shipping Country Manager Richard DeNobrega said he knew the girls taking part in the tournament would do the nation proud, with some likely to represent Guyana in the future. “What we want, in partnering with the Federation, is to encourage the team spirit of football, and to inspire these young ladies to make our country even better than

it already is,” DeNobrega said. President Forde revealed that the competition will stretch beyond the GFF’s nine regional associations, with an edition taking place in Region One (Barima-Waini). “It is important that we realise our responsibility to make football accessible to all Guyana,” Forde said, adding: “We will have Blue Water U15 leagues across the entire 83,000 square miles of the nation. This is the mandate we have from FIFA, and Blue Water, as our enduring partner, is giving us the necessary support we need to deliver on this mandate. “Thank you to the management of Blue Water Shipping; the investment you are making in these young women’s lives will pay dividends for many years to come.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30, 2022

Gujarat Titans win IPL glory

(ESPNCRICINFO) - Captain Hardik Pandya starred with the ball and bat to lead Gujarat Titans to IPL glory, in front of a home crowd of over 100000 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. After losing the toss on the same pitch that was used for the second qualifier on Friday, Hardik ripped through Royals’ line-up by dismissing Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, and Shimron Hetmyer in a spell of 4-0-17-3. The damage proved irreparable, especially for a line-up that had R Ashwin, Riyan Parag, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Prasidh Krishna and Yuzvendra Chahal from Nos. 6 to 11. Royals took out Wriddhiman Saha and Matthew Wade early in their defence of 130, but Hardik, the batter, stopped them in their tracks, with 34 off 30 balls. Chahal snagged Hardik in the 14th over, with Titans 45 away from victory, but Shubman Gill and David Miller coolly finished the job that Hardik had started in grand style. THE ROYAL SLOWDOWN Yashasvi Jaiswal, Royals’ powerplay dasher, needed eight balls to get off the mark on Sunday. When Mohammed Shami erred full,

Regional Four-Day Championship…

Jaiswal pumped him down the ground, and over extra-cover for boundaries. Yash Dayal, however, had him hauling a pull to deep square leg for 22, off 16 balls. As for Buttler, he dawdled to 10 off 14 balls in the powerplay, and struggled to hit a higher gear throughout his 35ball stay. The slowdown from the openers forced Samson to take risks at the other end. After hitting two fours in his first three balls, the second via a fumble, Samson shaped to line-up Hardik’s hard length, only to sky a catch to R Sai Kishore at backward point. HARDIK’S MASTERCLASS Hardik continued to pound the hard lengths, and ensured that Devdutt Padikkal couldn’t score a single run off the bat against him from seven balls. Something had to give, and that something was Padikkal throwing his bat at Rashid Khan, and swishing a catch to backward point for 2 off 10 balls. Buttler threatened to break free with back-to-back fours off Shami in the tenth over, but Hardik had him limply guiding a catch to the keeper for 39 soon after. Hardik wasn’t done yet with the ball. He capped his spell by having Hetmyer plopping a return catch for 11

The Gujarat Titans off 12 balls. In more encouraging signs for India, Hardik bowled without the fear of injury, and even let rip bouncers at speeds north of 140kph. SAI KISHORE FRONTS UP Hardik, the captain, didn’t miss a beat either. Once the left-handed pair of Padikkal and Hetmyer were dismissed, Hardik introduced Sai Kishore into the attack. Fronting up to

bowl the 16th and 18th overs, the left-arm finger-spinner responded with the wickets of Ashwin and Boult. Sai Kishore had entered the tournament with the reputation of being one of the most economical bowlers in T20 cricket. He ended the tournament with an enhanced reputation, and back-to-back IPL titles. BRINGING TITANS HOME

The only way for Royals to claw their way back into the game was to make early inroads. Prasidh and Boult did that, getting rid of Saha and Wade, respectively, to leave Titans wobbling at 23 for 2 in the fifth over. Gill could’ve also been dismissed in the powerplay, had Chahal held onto a catch at short square leg. Gill, who was on zero at that point, pressed on to score an unbeaten 45 off

43 balls. It was Hardik, though, who put Titans’ chase back on track when he hit three boundaries in seven balls, after being on 11 off 17 balls. When Chahal coaxed an outside edge from Hardik, he snatched the purple cap from fellow legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga. Miller, however, laid into Royals’ attack, and gave Titans’ first IPL campaign a rousing finish, along with Gill.

Harpy Eagles move to third, but Pride extend lead

The Guyana Harpy Eagles will need a lot to go in their favour to win this year’s FourDay title (Photo courtesy News Room)

THE Barbados Pride (67.0 points) is now 15.8 points ahead of the third-place Guyana Harpy Eagles (51.2 points) as they head into the final round of the Cricket West Indies FourDay Championship from June 1. The Jamaica Scorpions, who are fifth with 37.8 points and out of the title contention, frustrated the Harpy Eagles with a draw on Saturday at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex in Trinidad. The Leeward Islands Volcanoes (65.4 points) are in second, and they, too, are well within the grasp of winning the title.

In the final round, the Eagles will play Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (47.2 points) at the Queen’s Park Oval; Windward Volcanoes (21.0 points) will battle Barbados Pride at Diego Martin, and Scorpions will face Leeward Hurricanes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. While it is not impossible for the Eagles to win the title, it is more impractical, as they would have to hope that both Pride and Hurricanes lose or draw with little bonus points, and they defeat Red Force. There is a maximum of 24 points on offer in a match.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 30 , 2022

Perez wins in Monaco after Ferrari blunder (Formula 1) Red Bull’s Sergio Perez won his first race of 2022 by 1.1 seconds after a nail-biting end to the Monaco Grand Prix, with Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen unable to make it past the Mexican – and Charles Leclerc losing out after dropping from pole to P4. Rain saw the start delayed and, at 1518 local time, drivers completed one lap, heading back to the pits as a red flag was called. Gazebos unfurled and teams waited until 1605 for a rolling race start behind the Safety Car on wet tyres. The Safety Car pulled in for Lap 3 of 77 and Leclerc led away with Sainz, Perez and Verstappen in tow. The front-runners swapped to intermediates, with Perez coming in first on Lap 17, Leclerc and Verstappen following two laps later, while Sainz skipped straight to hards with a switch on Lap 21, Leclerc following for a Ferrari double-stack. Red Bull followed one lap

later and pulled off an overcut with their own double-stack – the order was now Perez, Sainz, Verstappen and a furious Leclerc in P4. Mick Schumacher spun and crashed spectacularly at Swimming Pool on Lap 27, bringing out another red flag on Lap 30. He walked away, the gearbox and rear suspension having detached from his Haas. Resumption came with a rolling start on Lap 33, Ferrari on hards while Red Bull opted for mediums. Perez held his lead and the mediums held their own on the restart, but began to drop off past the Lap 55 mark, with around 10 minutes remaining. It was now that Sainz, Verstappen and Leclerc closed in. The Mexican almost lost out in the dying moments of the race, Sainz almost sticking his nose in front at the hairpin, but victory would be his – a huge statement after a disappointing Spanish Grand Prix. With the race timer showing zero on Lap 64,

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez

Perez’s margin of victory was just 1.154s over Sainz, Verstappen just 0.337s behind the Spaniard, and Leclerc shocked to finish 2.9s off in P4. Having skipped a stop for intermediates – going straight from wets to slicks – George Russell rounded out the top five for Mercedes ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris. Alpine’s Fernando

Alonso started seventh and finished there despite Lewis Hamilton hanging on his tail for much of the late phase. Hamilton had taken damage in an early scrap with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, the Frenchman then given a five-second penalty. Despite finishing ninth, he was thus demoted to 12th, giving Valtteri Bottas P9 for Alfa Ro-

meo and Sebastian Vettel the final point for Aston Martin. Pierre Gasly’s early charge on intermediates was cut short at P12 when the track dried up and he finished 12th, promoted to 11th thanks to Ocon’s penalty. Daniel Ricciardo missed out in P13 ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, the last driver on

the lead lap. Late mistakes saw Yuki Tsunoda finish last and 17th behind Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu, and 15th place Williams driver Nicholas Latifi. There were three retirees, with Kevin Magnussen bowing out before Schumacher’s heavy crash, and Alex Albon quitting late on from last-place.

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GFF, Blue Water launch U15 girls’ Development League with festival SEE PAGE

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Girls participating in the launch festival of the GFF-Blue Water Shipping Girls’ U15 National Development League

Regional Four-Day Championship…

Harpy Eagles move to third, but Pride extend lead SEE PAGE

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The Guyana Harpy Eagles will need a lot to go in their favour to win this year’s Four-Day title (Photo courtesy News Room)

Gujarat Titans win IPL glory SEE PAGE

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