Guyana Chronicle 27-12-2020

27th December, 2020

, No.106225

US$150M to service O&G sector next year –– as Guyana Shore Base Inc. moves ahead with plans to build supercenter offshore –– to employ additional 250 persons

SEE PAGE 03

Cop shot, beaten while attending party in Buxton

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Trust in COVID-19 vaccine must be developed 04 PAGE

– UWI School of Nursing head emphasises

Karen Josiah

The babies wrapped in Christmas blankets were delivered on Christmas Day at the Dr. Balwant Singh's Hospital by Dr. Madhu and Midwife, Nisha. In the other photo, First Lady Mrs. Arya Ali speaks with first-time mother, Tiffany Ann Smith-John, who gave birth to a baby girl on Christmas morning at the Georgetown Public Hospital (Photos courtesy of Dr. Balwant Singh's Hospital and DPI)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, December 27, 2020

11 ‘Christmas babies’ at GPHC FIRST LADY, Mrs. Arya Ali, on Christmas morning, brought good wishes, holiday cheer and care packages to the mothers of Christmas babies in the delivery unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The First Lady was accompanied by Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony.

Mrs. Ali was delighted to share the happy occasion with the mothers, even as she marks her first Christmas as Guyana’s First Lady.

“As a young mother, I feel everyone needs a little bit of support, and, as it’s Christmas morning too, I felt it was my duty as First Lady to visit. I know some moms have a challenging time, but they make it through and I

am glad to give my support to our women with the little care packages for our newborns.”

The Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that the GPHC delivered 11 Christmas babies. The first babies were born at exactly one minute after midnight, a boy and a girl, to separate parents. Mrs. Ali thanked the nurses and doctors in the maternity unit and the hospital for their hard work She also extended greetings to the nation, noting that while festivities must be pared down this year, there is still much to celebrate.

“It has been a challenging year for all of us. What I can ask is everyone to dedicate some time, just to

First Lady, Mrs Arya Ali, delivers a care package to first-time mom, Farnanda Suarez at the Georgetown Public Hospital

reflect and be thankful for all that we have. COVID-19 has really put a damper on

our society and our lives, but we should be appreciative of whatever little we have right

now.”

Dr. Fawcett Jeffrey, Director of Medical and Pro-

fessional Services at GPHC also accompanied the team during the visit.

Local youth group hosts successful Christmas food & toy drive FOR the soul Guyana, a non-governmental organisation and youth group, on Christmas Day donated a number of food hampers and toys to residents of Mon Repos, on the East Coast Demerara, and Sophia in Greater Georgetown.

President of the organisa-

tion, Kareem Mackenzie said the children were presented with toys of various kinds, while the adults were given food hampers comprising of flour, sugar, milk rice and canned items. Some 120 toys and 80 food hampers were distributed during the exercise.

Mackenzie said that the

exercise is the organisation’s third project, as the second was a ‘back to school drive’ on the West Bank of Demerara, which was done with the aim of bringing joy to the children and relief to families in the region in light of COVID-19.

“Through the kind and generous assistance of ExxonMobil, Namilco and other donors, we were able to spread some Christmas cheer,” Mackenzie said, adding: “Our vision is to partner with the community, business, and government to strive for excellence in meeting the needs of the ‘Total Person’, body, mind and spirit, through the provision of supportive, recreational, cultural, sports and welfare programmes.”

Mackenzie said the group plans to roll out several initiatives of this nature during 2021. Meanwhile, founder of the youth organisation, Tianna Graham expressed satisfaction with the way the group has evolved over the past year.

She highlighted that the group was solely established to give young people a safe space to express themselves without fear of judgment, and to foster a spirit of leadership. The organisation aims to foster and develop increased learning and development in the empowerment of women and youth,

Members of the ‘For the soul Guyana’ youth group donated gifts and hampers to this family

through encouraging and supporting them to contribute, steer activities and lead their own “Soul session” projects.

Though most of the work is voluntary, special

emphasis is placed on the training of young people to become peer educators, counselors, social activists, and youth leaders. The organisation supports the advancement of gender

equality, social education, and equipping young people with the necessary skills and attitudes that may be considered an asset on their journey to become youth leaders.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, December 27, 2020

US$150M to service O&G sector next year

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–– as Guyana Shore Base Inc. moves ahead with plans to build supercenter offshore over the years, has moved from employing 30 persons to a current staff complement of 350 persons, the majority of whom are Guyanese.

–– to employ additional 250 persons

By Navendra Seoraj OPERATIONS in Guyana’s nascent oil and gas sector have been moving apace and growing rapidly, and, with this alacrity anticipated to continue over the next few years, the Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI), as a means of increasing its capacity and maintaining its strategic position in this sector, will be investing a further US$150 million (over G$31 billion) next year.

Guyana Shore Base Inc., which is a Guyanese joint venture made up of Muneshwers Ltd., Pacific Rim Constructors, TotalTec Oilfield Services and LED Offshore, has been servicing the oil and gas sector for about four years, and building its reputation as one of the go-to shore base facilities in Guyana.

At present, GYSBI occupies 130 acres of land around the Houston, East Bank Demerara area and is strategically located north of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, enabling the most efficient logistic solutions.

This company already offers services such as waste management, chemical storage, warehousing, construction, berthing of supply vessels, cargo marshaling area, loading and offloading, supply chain management, expatriate management, and customs services.

But, with ExxonMobilthe key stakeholder in Guyana’s oil and gas sector- set to expand its operations in the near future, GYSBI has taken steps to ensure that it stays in line with the oil company’s strategic direction.

Since 2015, ExxonMobil, operator of the Stabroek, Canje and Kaieteur Blocks offshore Guyana, has increased its estimated recoverable resource base to more than nine billion oil-equivalent barrels. And, following an agreement with the Government of Guyana, the company recently decided to proceed with the Payara field development offshore Guyana.

Payara is the company’s third project in the Stabroek Block and is expected to produce up to 220,000 barrels

of oil per day after start-up in 2024, using the prosperity Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel. The $9 billion development will target an estimated resource base of about 600 million oil-equivalent barrels. Ten drill centres are planned, along with up to 41 wells, including 20 production and 21 injection wells.

Considering this and other major advancements in this sector, General Manager of GYSBI, Sean Hill, has said that the company will be investing approximately US$150 million to increase its infrastructural and human resources capacity, among other things.

“We will be investing in new training and development programmes, and new preventative maintenance and certification and calibration programmes as well. All in all, 2021 is going to see some significant growth of the Guyana Shore Base Inc.,” Hill said during an exclusive interview with the Sunday Chronicle, on Thursday last.

Speaking about some of the company’s specific plans, the general manager said GYSBI is working with Noble Corporation to develop a new site offshore, to service the oil rigs. At this time, Noble has four oil rigs offshore, so the plan is to build a large, new supercenter to help service those facilities.

Additionally, GYSBI will also be working on providing additional services needed for the sustainability of the FPSO vessels.

“We are working with Exxon [ExxonMobil] to improve our warehouse out there [offshore]…we have a warehouse on the shore base for the spares for about three FPSOs, but we are working on upgrading this,” Hill said.

Further, work will include the construction of adequate infrastructure to facilitate three and a half million litres of fuel bunkering. This, as said by Hill, will come on stream in the early part of next year. Other infrastructural work includes the establishment of a World Health Organisation (WHO) certified water treatment plant and the construction of

two berths.

“We have two berths, but we will be adding two more and these will be coming on line in the third quarter [next year]…this would be a change for the industry because, at the moment, we are limited to around 40 to 50-tonne lifts. So we are going to be building a new berth and crane that would be able to get us to about 130 tonnes,” Hill said, adding that this would be a “shift change” for the industry, allowing stakeholders to handle heavier loads.

A new facility will also be built for waste management. With the completion of this facility, all of the waste from offshore would be coming onshore to be categorised and then either be incinerated, recycled or treated another way.

General Manager of Guyana Shore Base Inc, Sean Hill

to shore…we are putting it through this unit which will allow us to burn cuttings so that the rock will be reusable.

LOCAL CONTENT Speaking specifically about local content, Hill said 95 per cent of the company’s employees are Guyanese and about 75 per cent of its spending is done in Guyana.

“We are investing in new training and development tools to ensure that, at each level of the organisation there is competent personnel…we have a competency programme included there too,” Hill said.

For the competency programme, the company is looking to make sure that there is not just on-the-job training, but also classroom training and evaluations of personnel and their aptitude and attitude towards achieving the job. In this way, the company believes

Flashback- Pipes being packed into the racks at the Guyana Shore Base Inc (Adrian Narine photo)

REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT The company will also be acquiring a new thermal desorption unit to mitigate the environmental impact of the oil and gas sector.

In explaining the functions of the new unit, Hill said: “…As you are drilling your hole, the rock has to come out and go somewhere, so all of that will be coming

We will recover the water which we can treat, and the oil, so this is another positive step towards zero impact on the environment.”

State-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment are nothing without human resources, so, GYSBI, as part of its strategic plan and vision, will also be hiring close to 250 more persons to complement the anticipated advancements. The company,

that it will have the right people in the right positions throughout the organisation, especially amidst the local advancements in the oil and gas sector.

Added to this, the industry is also dangerous, so the company’s ultimate goal is to ensure that everyone gets home safely. And, this requires everyone paying attention and being deemed competent in each of their roles.

“So all of this [company’s operations] take a lot of engineering, time and money…it takes a lot of suppliers to supply us with the right items to invest at the right time, which is why we are developing this in stages and in sync with Exxon [ExxonMobil],” Hill reasoned.

While the company, in its initial stage, made a capital investment of approximately US$100 million, it has spent “significantly more” than that on repairing and servicing equipment, operational expenditure and the growth of employees.

“The salaries and taxes and the training and development of those people for a significant part of the investment…the human capital part is what gives a company its potential growth and longevity. This industry will be here for decades, so making sure we get the right people here and that we train them appropriately for the future is a true investment in a company and that is a true investment that you are putting into Guyana,” Hill explained.

Such investments are easily made in an encouraging environment, something which the company enjoyed for its first three years of operation in Guyana before there was political instability.

This has since been corrected with the holding of General and Regional Elections.

“Obviously 2020 was a challenge because we had the combination of COVID and the change in administration and then the oil prices as well,” Hill said.

Looking forward, he said: “Where we are now, we are seeing a business-friendly environment as we move forward… we have seen a lot of progress on applications that we have had since the start of this year. Understandably with the change in administration there was a hold on approving a lot of those applications, but they are progressing now, so at the moment we are really happy with the way things are progressing.

“I do not see any reason why we cannot continue to progress with all of our development plans because of the current business environment here in Guyana.

We are looking forward to a pretty bright future here.”

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, December 27, 2020

Trust in COVID-19 vaccine must be developed

–– UWI School of Nursing head emphasises, touts open communication

By Vishani Ragobeer VACCINES for COVID-19 have been developed at a record speed and though that does not mean safety and efficacy have been compromised, public trust in the vaccines must be developed according to Head of the School of Nursing at the UWI’s Five Islands campus, Karen Josiah.

Speaking at a recent vaccination forum organised by the University of the West Indies (UWI), Josiah said that there is a litany of myths and perceptions of the vaccines being developed to protect against the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Though she acknowledged that these may stem from real concerns and fears, she posited that they must be dispelled.

“Communicating with the stakeholders is essential now to convince people of the safety (of the vaccine),” Josiah said. She emphasised that health officials ought to reveal sound scientific

Professor of Molecular Genetics and Virology, Christine Carrington

evidence on the efficacy of vaccines and how they work, in addition to communicating possible side effects.

“This will help to build trust and certainly once trust is built, the compliance is easy,” she affirmed. Not only is it important to build trust, she said, but it is also ethical.

She also opined that healthcare workers themselves must become edified on the COVID-19 vaccines and must come on board to help convince citizens of

Sunday December 27, 2020 –– 2:30HRS &13:30 HRS

their safety and efficacy.

“We ourselves must feel comfortable as healthcare workers… If we have our own doubt, how do we convince the public (that the vaccines are safe)?” Josiah said.

Common misconceptions, she highlighted, include that vaccines contain some sort of tracking ‘chips’ inside; they can make men sterile, and they cannot be effective because they were created so quickly.

While the first two misconceptions are ludicrous, the speed at which vaccines were created has been a topic of much discussion. The School of Nursing Head, however, stressed that in order for the vaccines to be rolled out, they had to meet certain ethical standards and they would have gone through various trials phases.

Professor of Molecular Genetics and Virology,

Head of the School of Nursing at the UWI’s Five Islands campus, Karen Josiah

who is also on the UWI’s COVID-19 Task Force, Christine Carrington, explained at the same forum that vaccines train the body’s immune system to recognise and combat infectious agents (like this coronavirus).

She detailed the numerous rigid steps and phases scientists and researchers go through in order to create a vaccine from the exploratory stages of characterising the disease and the body’s reaction, developing the idea for the vaccine and then several testing stages (known as clinical trials) to test the efficacy of the virus on different individuals.

“Creating a vaccine is, arguably, the easy part,” she said, adding, “The big question is whether a given vaccine is any good.”

Professor Carrington ex-

plained that a good vaccine is one that is safe, effective and can be produced and administered efficiently and cost-effectively. And with safety being paramount, she emphasised that an approved vaccine has a low risk of some severe, adverse impact.

Side effects such as pain and swelling at the vaccination site, headaches and joint pains are not necessarily a cause for concern since she explained that these are signs that the immune system is working to fight off the disease. And even after a vaccine is approved, it is continuously monitored for any adverse effects and to allow scientists to improve upon its functioning.

Josiah, too, highlighted, “The safety of the COVID-19 vaccine will continue to be closely monitored by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)… they will be the first to be aware if anything happens.”

So far, Pfizer, Moderna and Oxford Astrazeneca are three widely-known vaccines that have been approved.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are already being distributed across the United States. According to Professor Carrington, the results so far show that the vaccines are effective in preventing COVID-19 and they seem to be safe.

Guyana’s Ministry of Health is expected to an-

nounce its COVID-19 vaccination Task Force, which is a team of experts who will be tasked with the effective rollout of the vaccines early next year. The rollout of vaccines for COVID-19 will require careful logistical planning and management, but also specialised resource capacity. It is already known that cold-storage facilities are required.

Beyond physical requirements, human capacity-building is necessary.

The Health Ministry has also started to develop a training manual that would be used to train healthcare workers on how to administer a vaccine. Guyana’s first set of COVID-19 vaccines will be secured free of cost, since the country has signed up with the COVAX facility, a global initiative geared at accelerating the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and then providing them in a guaranteed rapid, fair and equitable manner to those countries which need them. COVAX currently has the world’s largest and most diverse portfolio of COVID-19 vaccines.

This initial set of vaccines that Guyana will be receiving for free is expected to cover 20 percent of the population, and it is likely that healthcare workers and elderly persons with comorbidities (other underlying medical conditions) will receive it first.

Uitvlugt man found dead

POLICE are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of 51-year-old Hubert Henry, who was found dead at his De-Groot Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara house on Christmas Day. The man’s 26-year-old son, Shivnanand Henry, told police that he found him lying on the ground in front the outdoor washroom at around 03:30 hours and so he picked him up and took him to bed.

Later in the day, at about 06:30 hours, the young man observed that his father was motionless and he made a report to the Leonora Police Sta-

tion. Police Headquarters, in a statement, noted that the elder Henry was an alcoholic who suffered from epilepsy.

“It was revealed that the deceased normally consume alcohol and lay down several places including the bottom of his house,” the police release noted.

According to the release, the body was examined and blood stains were seen on his stomach and his right ear. The body is at the Ezekiel funeral Parlor awaiting a post mortem examination. Investigations are ongoing.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, December 27, 2020

15 Christmases ‘behind bars’

By Richard Bhainie

WHEN one thinks about the people locked away behind the walls of the prison, automatically, attention is drawn to the inmates; one hardly ever ponders on the life of prison officers and the risks they take to protect the nation.

Prison officers play an imperative role in the administration of justice and the maintenance of social order within society, but they are often forgotten.

The Sunday Chronicle reached out to Roddy Denhart, an Assistant Superintendent, presently serving as the second in command of the Georgetown Prison ‘A’, to get his perspective on ‘Christmas behind bars.’

Denhart has been a prison officer for the past 20 years and has spent Christmas Day, for 15 of those years, on duty. He described spending Christmas in the prison environment as a “happy and sad moment” for himself. Happy, because he is delighted to serve and perform his duties, but sad, because he is not with his loved ones.

“Usually my children would not wake up and find me at home on Christmas morning and that’s very sad for me, but, it is a happy moment knowing that I am appointed to serve the nation,” Denhart said.

Denhart explained that in anticipation of the Christmas season and festivities, ranks are informed beforehand of who would be on duty, so that they may prepare and organise themselves for the

season.

“If by any means, any officer had some special plan or activity, the fact we give them adequate time, they would notify us and we would try our best to facilitate that officer,” Denhart explained.

As the immediate commander, Denhart would brief the ranks on environmental changes the season brings.

Based on his years of experience, he would enlighten the other officers on what it is like being on the job; what to expect and what is expected of them.

“I find myself encouraging them, as well as well-wishing them before we go into the prison, so everybody would be fully charged with the energy of the festive season so when we go into the prison we will discharge the very same energy to the inmates,” Denhart said.

He noted that during the Christmas season, some inmates would enter a state of despondency, especially those who are spending their first Christmas in prison.

“There’s a lot of fathers, sons and brothers, they reflect on home; so you find a lot of mixed emotions taking place in the environment and as officers, as professionals, we need to be able to recognise it and we would deal with individual challenges as it arises,” Denhart related.

Upon identifying individuals who isolate themselves during the season, the prison service takes steps to lift the spirits of the individuals and provide counselling where it is necessary.

Roddy Denhart, Assistant Superintendent, presently serving as the second in command of the Georgetown Prison ‘A’

“We would immediately involve the welfare or sometimes if they are not comfortable talking with the welfare, they might have a favourite officer that they feel comfortable expressing themselves [to],” Denhart said.

Leading up to Christmas, the prison service takes steps to ensure that inmates are well acquainted with what is happening in society, so that they too feel involved in the festivities.

“We have a lot of activities following up to Christmas to sensitise the inmate population that we are approaching the festive season and we did not forget them by any means; we try our best to ensure that we bring the Christmas spirit to them,” he explained.

Cop shot, beaten while attending party in Buxton A TWENTY-ONE-yearold police constable is nursing a gunshot injury to the upper right-side of his back at the Georgetown Public Hospital, after he was beaten, robbed and shot by members of a crew named ‘Team Diamond’, while attending a party at Middle Walk, Buxton, East Coast Demerara.

Injured is James Gordon, who is stationed at the Port Kaituma Police Station and who resides at Buxton.

Police, in a statement, noted the incident occurred at around 03:00 hours on Boxing Day.

Police said that Constable Gordon left home on Christmas night at around 23:00 hours for the party; while ‘liming’, he was approached by a male suspect and seven other members of the crew, who attacked him and dealt him several cuffs and kicks about his body.

During the commotion, they stole his three gold chains valued at G$300,000 and a Samsung Note 8 cellular phone valued G$120,000. The police report noted that Constable Gordon ran north through Middle Walk, Buxton to escape the beating; he al-

leged that all the males pulled out firearms and discharged rounds in his direction during which he was shot.

He was rushed to the Georgetown Hospital where he remains a patient.

The police report noted that during 2019, the male suspect and Constable Gordon had a misunderstanding, where it was alleged that he [Constable Gordon] had broken off a rear view mirror of the suspect’s car but they had settled the matter.

Investigations are ongoing.

He added “we ensure they have access to the media, to the news and everything that’s happening so they are fully aware of what’s going on, not only in the prison environment but around society as well.”

CHRISTMAS DAY AT ‘CAMP STREET’ At the Georgetown prisons, the day begins at 5:00h; the inmates are served with the ‘special breakfast’ which includes pepperpot and bread, sweets and other

niceties.

The prisons would later host a Christmas tree light up, along with a concert and the inmates would express their creative side through participation in skits, storytelling and writing poems.

If there are inmates with one or two children, the prison officers would go the extra mile to purchase a gift for those children and allowing the inmate an opportunity to present that gift.

“We would inquire how many kids do they have, and if they have one or two kids, the administration would stand the expense to purchase a gift and to invite their loved ones here and give them the opportunity to present a gift to their children just to ensure their Christmas spirit is up and they don’t feel disappointed,” Denhart explained.

Denhart related that the inmates display great appreciation for the efforts of the prison service. He recalled one Christmas, when a group of inmates secretly made a special gift for them.

“They planned for us and they had created some very artistic work that they did secretively to present to us to express gratitude that we are serving them throughout the year and they wanted to say a special thank you by presenting this craftwork that they had put together,”

Denhart explained.

He added: “it was really impressive it was a good feeling for me to know that not only are we thinking about our job but our job is thinking about us, and that was very unique and I really enjoyed the moment to receiving something from the inmates. It was a painting and a paper mache swan, and I have the painting and swan up to today.”

This year, Christmas at the prisons will be a bit different, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Denhart, the usual “family bonding” will not be facilitated.

However, the prison has implemented measures to ensure the inmates are able to connect with their families.

“We would not be able to have visitors [at] the prison but we have systems in place; we have our virtual visit, we have devices, tablets and so forth to facilitate the virtual visits. We will inform the families of the apps and we would supervise the meetings,” Denhart explained.

Denhart took the opportunity to encourage young people to desist from indulging in activities that may be to their detriment.

He emphasised that youths must find role models and heed guidance from persons who may have their best interest at heart.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, December 27, 2020

Tajeram Mohabir

The Unsung Heroes Of Democracy

GUYANESE say goodbye to 2020 with a resounding sigh of relief that this nation pulled together with admirable unity, togetherness, and with one voice to preserve the democratic ideal, and to put this country on track to develop a people free, fair, peaceful and progressive.

Citizens stood up with determined strength to repel the efforts of a few misguided souls who tried to derail the national elections earlier this year. All the nation today pays homage to the countless Guyanese who braved the day to stand up against a coalition that threatened to launch autocratic rule, and to face down the anti-democratic agents and to deliver a Guyana today that is free and facing its brightest future.

Young people from all walks of life turned up at the elections commission to make sure the process remained credible and that the integrity of the electoral counting system was not severely compromised. Men and women put their daily lives on hold and dedicated their time and effort, and their social media posts, to the cause of a democratic Guyana. As happened in the elections of 1992, this nation rallied together in 2020, civil society joining forces with the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), to make sure the electoral system did not descend into a sham. People were setting up 24-hour watch systems to guard the containers with ballot boxes from being tampered with or compromised. Citizens

cooked food and delivered to those manning the posts around the clock.

Guyanese end this year supremely proud of who they are as a people. This nation secured its integrity, character, and respect – both self-respect, and international respect.

After the PPP/C were sworn in to office, the nation buckled down to the hard work of repairing the breaches that myopic coalition policies had wrought, so that today Guyana is a land on the move. The country is well-established as a major global oil producer, and the massive amount of foreign and local investments that are fuelling worldclass development projects promise to make Guyana a land of sparkling newness, with projects that would be the envy of the Caribbean.

All of it is due to the mammoth confidence, hard work, and selfless determination and sacrifice of the many souls who fought hard for freedom and democracy to prevail.

Lawyers, business-owners, teachers, public servants, media workers, ordinary citizens on the street, all joined hands, heads and hearts to storm against the attempt to steal the elections. And everybody respected the peace, never allowing turmoil and tragedy to take over.

Guyana became an admirable nation on the world stage at the end of the fiasco, and today Guyanese hold their heads high across the world: the homeland is a place of respect for law and order, the democratic ideal, and freedom and fair play. At this year's end, as citizens

look back on a year that threatened to upturn the national good, everybody breathes a huge sigh of relief for the great work that Guyanese accomplished.

Of special mention must be the role of the leaders of the small parties. People like Timothy Jonas, Lenox Shuman, Rhonda Lam, Asha Kissoon, Vishnu Bandhu and even coalition members such as former Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, as well as well-known public figures such as Ralph Ramkarran, Christopher Ram, Freddie Kissoon, Yog Mahadeo, Ruel Johnson, Captain Gerry Gouveia, Roshan Khan, Nigel Hinds, Sixtus Edwards and umpteen others, including the Guardians of Democracy, came out with strong support for democracy and fair play, pushing back every effort at the Guyana Elections Commission to derail the system.

When Guyanese consider how blessed this nation is to harbour such souls, men and women who uphold the democratic ideal as sacrosanct ground, everybody realises how blessed this nation is, and how secure the people are that their future is in good hands.

Nothing secures and encourages Guyana more than passionate citizen-engagement. When citizens could stand up and voluntarily put their hands to the wheel to ensure that their country goes on the right path, everybody could rest assured that the future is truly in the hands of the people.

At one time, one may have said that Guyanese are passive people,

allowing political bullies to run roughshod over the country and the body politic, as happened under the Burnham days when free and fair elections became nothing but a myth. Guyanese chose to “vote with their feet,” as the common saying was, migrating to the Caribbean, the U.S., Canada, England and Europe. In fact, those days spawned the global Guyanese diaspora now spanning the entire global village, including Denmark and Sweden, Australia and New Zealand, Africa and Asia. Descendants of migrated Guyanese make up a big percentage of the population in New York, Toronto, and England.

These are different days, a different time. Now, Guyanese are standing up to what is theirs, denying political victimisation and bullying. Indeed, 2020 would stand out in history as the year when Guyanese, especially young people, stood up with determination to safeguard their homeland.

In 1992, Samuel Hinds led the Civic fight that partnered with the PPP to right the ship of state, after 28 years of electoral fraud. In 2020, Samuel Hinds also joined the chorus of national voices to ensure that democracy prevails. He marched when required, wrote letters to the newspapers, counselled the leadership on the way forward, and humbly played an important role in making sure a positive outcome ensued.

The nation also saw members of the Guyana Police Force and the army stand up and refuse to engage

in nefarious activities, one officer even refusing to clear GECOM of independent observers.

These are the heroes of the progressive, peaceful, plentiful Guyana. Without them, today, so many would be suffering, such as pensioners who got relief under the government of President Ali, and all the households that got relief with water and electricity tax removal, and children who got the uniform vouchers and school grants, and even every household who received the $25,000 COVID-19 relief. The heroes of 2020 go about their daily lives now, silent, humble, thankful.

But the part they played in securing a progressive Guyana is forever etched in the national consciousness.

Today, Guyana pays homage to its heroes who stood up and fought for democracy in 2020. As a late former General-Secretary of the United Nations said, “...let us remember the large numbers of citizens who, day in and day out, through acts of volunteerism large and small, bring hope to so many of the world's disadvantaged. Let us ensure that this wonderful resource, available in abundance to every nation, is recognised and supported as it works towards a more prosperous and peaceful world.”

All Guyana extends a hearty thank you to every Guyanese who fought for a democratic Guyana.

Sharing and cooperating for national development

Dear Editor,

IT is not an unfair assessment that humans seem no longer to care about others as in the old days.

Today, it is all about self-preservation with some people, the top few percent in particular, not realising that life is meaningless if no one else is around with which to share it. Unlimited wealth in a vacuum is useless and meaningless. So we must be caring and compassionate towards others, be willing to share whatever we have with the less fortunate. Giving a little would not impoverish anyone.

We must take note of the fact that Guyana is on the horizon about to experience a spurt in wealth from oil discoveries. But it is a troubled nation facing development and social issues with some going to extreme measures

to get their way. Such acts do not serve national interest. If people truly desire to make our nation become developed and a potential paradise, we must embrace the spirit of living together in peace and sharing with each other’s best interest and cooperate in the effort for developed-nation status.

The acrimony, hatred, and selfishness must end.

As religious figures have implored, let us turn away from selfishness and deceit and embrace the true spirit of the holiday season – of giving and sharing as written in all religious books. As we continue to celebrate the holiday season, let us contribute to efforts to help feed, clothe, and house fellow man. Let us pledge to work towards uplifting our people and showing respect to others regardless of ethnicity or party affiliation. Develop a graceful spirit of humanity during the season!

Amidst the gaiety and festive activities of the season, we must be cognisant of all the terrible things around us – robberies, violence, immorality, election-rigging, poverty, hunger, hate, homelessness, etc. – and play our part to correct them. Let us not forget the horrific suffering and deprivation that exist among fellow humans and those who are trying to survive from various illnesses, including the COVID pandemic that has taken a huge toll among our people. We must take time to remember the needy and bedridden and those in hospitals and our service providers such as doctors, nurses, firemen, whose duties are critical during this holiday season.

The end-of-year season is usually not a time of sorrow. But this year it so because of loss of so many lives and jobs caused by the COVID pandemic and or recklessness of bad governance

or road carnage. Families are without breadwinners or he or she is out of work. They need our assistance.

We should look to improve the well-being of not only immediate families but also that of relatives and others around us, the community, and the wider family of man. We must give help to others living in deprivation, care for all. We must return to the old days of being thy brothers’ keepers as it used to be during slavery, indentureship, and colonial rule. In the old days, a certain civil compact was observed in which people did not do to others what they would not want others do to them. Thus, for decades, there was relative peace and quiet and respect for one another until in recent years when bullying raised its ugly head. Some politicians encourage their supporters to bully others.

I note that the private sector,

including foreign investors, shall shortly be engaging in a proliferation of viable productive and commercial activities on a scale unprecedented in this country. They need the support of the politicians to feel at peace. The government and opposition should leave no stone unturned to work together to facilitate investment that would help create an environment that would lead to a better quality of life for all. They should work together with irreducible resolve to rid our society of obstacles to achieve developed-nation status as early as possible.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, December 27, 2020

Motorcyclist critical after Christmas Day accident A 44-year-old motorcyclist of First Avenue, Bartica, Region Seven is in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hos-

pital after he crashed is motorcycle on the Karuw Trail in Cuyuni Mazaruni on Christmas Day. Police Headquarters, in

a statement, noted that the accident occurred at around 16:30 hours. Reports indicate that he was proceeding north along the trail at a fast

May the spirit of the season remain with all throughout our lives Dear Editor,

THE month of December is quite a celebrated month, especially in ending a leap year, a much-dreaded thought that entertains a negative imagination with contorted and convoluted perceptions. This 2020 year has posted unprecedented challenges and is impounded with the components of potent damage, devastation and destruction.

The Jewish community celebrated their “Festival of Lights” called Hanukkah, earlier this month from the 10th to the 18th. Those nine days of “dedication” is observed by the lighting of candles on a menorah. The seven-day African celebration of Kwanzaa followed on the 26th of the month to January 1st. This period is dedicated to the observance of life and to honour their heritage.

The much-awaited Christmas is being celebrated on the 25th to observe the birth of Jesus Christ by Christians, this being a national holiday throughout the world.

Incidentally, Hindus in all parts of the world are also celebrating Gita Jayanti, the “birth” of the Bhagwat Gita, on the 25th of December this year, coinciding with Christmas Day. Gita Jayanti Mahotsav possesses huge significance and importance as it is regarded as the birthday of the Bhagwat Gita, which is considered as the most pious and influential scriptures of Hindu Philosophy. It comprises political, spiritual, psychological, practical and philosophical values. Thus, to commemorate the sacred day when Lord Krishna offered his philosophical teachings to Arjuna during the battle of Kurukshetra, people celebrate Gita Jayanti.

Gita Jayanti falls on the Shukla Ekadashi of the waxing phase of Moon in the Hindu month of Margashirsha.

The celebrations of Gita Jayanti take place in several parts of the country of India, but the grand fervour can be seen in Kurukshetra. Devotees across India gather in Kurukshetra to participate in the ritual of taking holy baths in the sacred ponds named Brahm Sarovar and Sannihit Sarovar. To celebrate the day, a fair is organised every year which lasts for almost seven days, popularly known as Gita Jayanti Samaroh.

Thousands of people gather and celebrate the festival with Gita readings, dance performances, skits, dramas, acts, bhajans, aartis, talks etc.

The text is written in the third person, narrated by Sanjaya toking Dhritarashtra as it transpired between Sri Krishna and Arjuna. Sanjaya, the secretary of the blind King Dhritarashtra, had been blessed by his Guru, Veda Vyasa, with the power to remotely view the events taking place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra ( modern day Haryana, India) as they transpired, some 5,000 years ago. Gita Jayanti is celebrated worldwide by all devotees of Lord Krishna who revere Bhagavad Gita as their Divine Mother because she teaches (in a non-sectarian and scientific manner) how to re-establish our lost relationship with God Almighty (The Supreme).

The 700 verses of the Gita are chanted throughout the day. Devotees also fast on this day, since it is an Ekadashi day (Ekadasi is the 11th day of the waxing moon and waning moon) – it occurs twice every lunar month and is observed by fasting from grains and lentils (peas, beans, dhals) by those who seek to progress spiritually.

Special bhajans and kirtans are sung and poojas are held on this day. In places where this festival is celebrated grandly, staged plays and Gita-chanting competitions

are held for kids to show their talents as a way to encourage their interest in reading Gita. Yogis, Sanyasins, Swamis and learned scholars give talks and hold forums of this Holy Scripture. Leaflets, pamphlets, and books containing the essence of Gita are distributed to the public.

It is especially auspicious to distribute free copies of the Gita on this holy day.

This has been a year particularly when the need for caring and sharing was highlighted and man was tested for the spirit of generosity and charity. The Bhagwat Gita teaches us that, “A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place, and when we expect nothing in return.”

No matter how great the struggle for survival becomes, regardless of the humongous challengers when many obstacles and impediments face us, the approach to a resolute determination is reproached by the will of strength and durability and the strong belief in a faith devoted to that “Higher Power,” referred to by multiple names but shadowed on a single path to oneness. The Gita reminds us that, “The impermanent appearance of happiness and distress and their disappearance in due course are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from a sense of perception, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.”

On this grand and dual occasion, may peace, bliss, joy and happiness transcend upon all with the choicest blessings of Lord Krishna. May the spirit of the season remain with all throughout our lives. Happy Gita Jayanti and Merry Christmas.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

rate of speed when he lost control of the motorcycle and fell on to the surface, sustaining injuries to his face.

Police said he was picked up by a passerby in an unconscious state and taken to the Bartica Regional Hospital where

he was treated for his injuries and subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further treatment.

Kindly change this misleading sign Dear Editor, ON the occasion of the death anniversary of former President Desmond Hoyte, my friend Francis Quamina Farrier posted a photo of the Hoytes’ residence on North Road, Bourda, which is now a museum dedicated to the life and memory of the late President.

However, the sign on the building is misleading,

as it states: “Dedicated to the memories of Mr. Hugh Desmond Hoyte and Mrs Hoyte, Former President from 1985-1992.” Mr. Hoyte was President, not former President during the stated period. Therefore, the sign should clearly state President 1985-1992.

As trivial as this issue may appear, I am usually guided by my doctor who often says to me, “when you don’t address the little things,

big things erupt.” Institutions, especially museums, must have their facts clear.

I hope those responsible will have the sign corrected.

I once attended a function at which then President Hoyte was invited to give an address. He got up and stated 18 North Road, Bourda. That’s where he lived even as President.

Yours sincerely, Wesley Kirton

Is GHK Lall the marionette or the master?

I FEEL compelled to push back against GHK Lall’s December 21st, 2020 quasi communique, “Help most definitely needed,” in another newsprint.

Again, Mr. Lall seemingly appears to have a monopoly on wisdom and expatiate thusly in polysyllabic neurosis, distressingly devoid of facts. His attempt to proselytise on situations that is beyond his conscious comprehension. Pointedly, his excerpt about President Ali’s promising a “full investigation” of the Cotton Tree murders. Mr. Lall’s lamentation that Dr. Ali is dragging his feet (my words) by deflecting the flak onto the GPF is Mr. Lall’s Dante’s “Inferno.”

He exculpated the political actors who extemporaneously jetted into the area and influenced/ attempted to influence the vulnerable and emotionally tormented Henry family and peripheral friends, neighbours etc, to act in certain ways with certainty to generate negative outcomes. Mr. Lall neglected to mention that because the exhortation of the provocateurs created extended lag time, the crime scene was further compromised, thereby significantly placing an undue burden on the GPF. Gathering forensic evidence is as painstaking as it is thorough.

To gain a conviction, presented evidence will have to be convincing beyond a shadow of doubt and the burden of proof

lies resolutely within the purview of the prosecutorial team and the investigative arm of the GPF. Defence attorneys are trained to hone in on the rubric and peruse for even the tiniest of misalignments and will ferociously tear the entire fabric of the prosecutor’s presentation in order to influence/ convince a jury otherwise, thereby gaining a non-conviction for their clients.

What is significant to understand is that Mr. Lall is feebly attempting to recreate a tempest in a teapot by insinuating that this government is static in the Henry investigations. This administration is doggedly attempting to clean the inherited Augean Stable and the President wears many hats, concurrently, and delegating authority is a productive association within any administration. Non-usurpation of the GPF’s role in the investigation, seemingly has not created a crisis of confidence. Decrying President Ali’s religious persuasions, Mr. Lall is a seemingly eternal perdition for your perfidy, despite you being kenosis.

Mr. Lall, Sir, again, musings are bereft of factual information and squarely belong to the op-ed section and one now has to wonder which are you? The marionette or the master?

Yours sincerely, Jonathan Subrian Esq.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, December 27, 2020

More child advocacy centres expected in 2021

By Rehana Ahamad THE Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) has recorded a total of 695 cases of children being sexually abused during the period January 2020 to October 2020. Even as the agency works to institute protective and preventative measures within communities, it is also examining the expansion of its Child Advocacy Programmes for young victims.

At least two additional Child Advocacy Centres are expected to be established in 2021. This is according to Ann Greene, Director of the CPA. “In Region Six, two centres are being prepared for opening in the new year,” Greene said in her address to a CPA staff conference last week.

During this year, two centres were established to serve the areas of Kwakwani and communities in Region One. The data for 2020 shows Region One as having the highest rate of child abuse in all categories, including sexual abuse. It specifies that in that region, children are abused at an overall rate of 17.8 per 1000 children. As it relates to child sexual abuse, Region One has a rate of 5.3 per 1,000 children.

The Child Advocacy Centres, also known as ‘One Stop’ centres, are “designed around responding to cases of child sexual abuse efficiently by ensuring that children have access to a childsafe and child-friendly space to share their stories and get the support that will help them overcome the trauma they have suffered. Being child-centred,

the one-stop facility ensures that survivors do not have to recount their experiences any more than necessary,” a UNICEF Guyana press release had indicated.

The centres are usually established in partnership with UNICEF and Blossom Incorporated, a Non-Governmental Organisation. Some seven children are abused daily in Guyana; the CPA is looking expand its essential psychosocial support to vulnerable children and their families, especially within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We definitely will be concentrating on providing assistance to the family by increase services and social network supports at the community level,”

CPA Director, Ann Greene

She explained that the long-

For the period January 2020 to October 2020, a total of 3,631 were assisted through the CPA’s family support programmes.

Some 775 boys were reached through parental counselling, as against 991 girls.

Paramount to the CPA is the prevention of children being separated from their biological families. Consequently, the agency has several programmes geared at the successful reintegration of children with their families.

During the aforementioned period, three children were successfully reunited and reintegrated with their families. The CPA figures indicate that 58 children were “reached through poverty”.

Nonetheless, to support its

Some persons at the opening of the Child Advocacy Centre in Kwakwani, Region 10, back in July 2020

Greene said.

SAFETY-NET FOR CHILDREN

term goal is the development of the family as the safety-net for children, especially since the family is regarded as an agent of the Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDG).

“It is said that through the essential roles of the family that the SDG is achievable.

Consequently, the plan is to use a family-centred and strengthbased approach, which involves building positive partnerships with the family and identifying their strength and build on it,” Greene noted.

The CPA Director recognised that each family is unique; as a result, support systems are crafted for individual families and situations based on specific needs and culture patterns.

“Helping them to make their own decisions is known to create the best environment for children’s health, development and wellbeing,” Greene said.

existing programmes, the CPA is working to implement a fiveyear strategy for the National Alternative Care Policy for Children. This is especially important given the fact that in excess of 500 of Guyana’s children remain in institutional care.

This newspaper had previously reported that as of October 2020, the CPA had received some 2,761 cases of children being abused. This represents a 26.5 per cent increase in reports, as compared to the past two years. The CPA data indicated, too, that mothers continue to be the leading perpetrators of child abuse, with most cases being related to neglect. A total of 1,224 children were neglected as of October 2020. Eleven children were completely abandoned during the aforementioned period.

65 prisoners granted early release SIXTY-five prisoners will be spending the holidays with their families after being granted early release from their sentences, according to Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, who made the announcement during Wednesday’s sitting of the National Assembly.

According to the minister, all 65 of the prisoners who were released, have served one-third of their sentence and have displayed commendable behaviour.

Minister Benn did, however, provide a breakdown of the offences committed.

They are manslaughter, causing death by dangerous driving; abduction; armed robbery; robbery; unlawful and malicious wounding; unlawful assault; bestiality; attempt to commit a felony; trafficking in cannabis; trafficking in cocaine; unlawful possession of a firearm; break and enter larceny; affiliation arrears; damage to property; breach of protection order; simple larceny; fraudulent conversion; escape from lawful custody; contempt of court and fraud.

The government is keen to address overcrowding in prisons and has implemented several strategies to address this issue. In November, at the launch of Road Safety week, Minister Benn highlighted that rehabilitation works have started at the Lusignan Prison to provide adequate spacing for inmates, in keeping with the COVID-19 preventative measures. This measure will reduce the incidence of transmission among inmates and prison officers.

Since the arrival of COVID -19 in Guyana, over 300 convicted non-violent offenders have been released from prisons as part of the Service’s efforts to reduce overcrowding.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn.

Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, in a recent interview, had stated that this was accomplished by either reducing bail, which in turn allowed more persons to be able to post bail, or reducing inmates’ jail sentences.

Prisons, he said, are generally considered to be amplifiers in the spread of infectious diseases, and pose a great challenge for those in authority who are working to prevent and contain COVID-19.

According to the Prisons Director, a sudden eruption of COVID-19 in prisons would put intense pressure on the public healthcare system in Guyana. In October, more than 290 inmates at the Lusignan Prison tested positive for the disease, as did several prison officers. The affected inmates at the East Coast Demerara facility were isolated, while some were relocated to other facilities to ensure adequate spacing among prisoners to stem transmission of the disease.

Since then, the prison service has implemented several new strategies to ensure that prisoners are not exposed to the disease.

Fire destroys teen mother's house A SIXTEEN-year-old mother of one, who returned home from a party on Christmas night, found her Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo house on fire.

Police Headquarters, in a statement, noted that the fire occurred at about 20:00 hours on December 25; it was a wooden structure that had no electricity.

Police said the victim resided there with her child, and the father of her child, Kesshon Smith, who is a gold miner.

The Leonora Fire Ser-

vice was summoned and immediately went into action, however, the house was completely destroyed.

Investigations are ongoing.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, December 27, 2020

50 wishes granted through ‘Wish Upon A Star’ initiative THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, under its "Wish Upon A Star" initiative, has granted the wishes of 50 children with special needs for Christmas.

Among the 50 were five-yearold Ayush Bharat; 12-year-old twins, Hafizah and Saleemah Harmon and their eight-year-old sister, Shareefa, who all met President Irfaan Ali on Christmas Eve at State House.

During the visit, Bharat’s mother expressed that her son “has always idolised the President”, and has an autograph book with images of all his heroes. The book was signed by President Ali.

Meanwhile, Hafizah and Saleemah, during their interaction with the President, asked him to assist them with a scholarship to attend the ISA Islamic School, since their mother cannot afford the tuition fees. Following a ‘brief dialogue’, the President announced that their wish will be fulfilled.

Prior to the State House visit, several beneficiaries visited the ministry’s head office to uplift their gifts from Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud.

The minister, who was moved by the children’s reaction, posited: “Today, there were moments of smiles and tears, as I watched these

children receive their gifts. There isn’t a price tag for a child’s smile.”

The countrywide “Wish Upon A Star” campaign was launched on December 14, and targeted children between the ages of four and 15 who either suffer from a terminal illness, disabilities, or psychological trauma, or have lost their parents or never had the opportunity to enjoy that one gift that would make them incredibly happy.

Having received over 350 handwritten letters, the ministry’s Santa Helpers had a difficult task of reviewing the heartfelt requests, and to determine who were eligible to receive gifts.

The distribution of gifts com-

menced on Christmas Eve, with the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Ms. Shannielle Hoosein-Outar visiting Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) to personally hand over the ‘goodies’ to eligible children.

Following the favourable feedback, an elated Minister Persaud stated that her mission has been accomplished.

“I want to thank the ministry’s staff, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, including the PS and her team. All the hard work over the past few days really paid off,” Minister Persaud said.

She also expressed her appreciation to the companies that came on board for the campaign, among them Synetech; Courts Guyana Inc.; Massy Motors (Guyana) Ltd; Massy Gas (Guyana) Ltd.; Massy Distribution (Guyana) Ltd; Giftland Group of Companies; Game Xpress; Unique Innovations; Guyana National Bureau of Standards; NAMILCO; Caribbean Containers Inc; Pritipaul Singh Investment; Digicel; Medicare; and the Rotary Club of Demerara.

Dr. Persaud makes a personal delivery

Ayush Bharat and Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud during his meeting with President Irfaan Ali on Christmas Eve Day at State House

The Harmon twins, Hafizah and Saleemah (extreme right), their sister, Shareefa, and their mother (first and second left, respectively) during their visit with Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindyha Persaud.

With them also is Ayush Bharat (third right)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, December 27, 2020

COVID-19 and Acute Kidney Injury COVID-19 predominantly affects individuals between 30 and 79 years of age, with 81 percent of cases being classified as mild.

Despite the majority of the general population displaying symptoms similar to the common cold, COVID-19 has also induced alveolar (lungs tissue) damage, resulting in progressive respiratory failure with fatalities noted in 6.4 percent of cases.

Patients with COVID-19 have displayed kidney damage through acute kidney injury (AKI), mild proteinuria (protein in the urine), hematuria (blood in the urine), or slight elevation in creatinine (blood marker testing for kidney function), possibly as consequence of kidney tropism of the virus and multiorgan failure.

The impact of COVID-19 on patients with pre-existing kidney impairment, including those with chronic kidney disease (CKD), kidney transplant recipients, and individuals on hemodialysis (HD) has not yet been clearly established. No specific treatments for COVID-19 have been found yet.

Renal (kidney) involvement in COVID-19 (coronavirus-nephropathy) has a complex etiology (causes).

AKI in COVID-19 is strongly associated with higher mortality and morbidity and is an indicator for survival with coronavirus infection.

According to a prospective cohort study, 44 percent of COVID-19 patients had

proteinuria and 27 percent had hematuria at hospital admission, while five percent of patients experienced AKI during in-hospital. Patients with kidney disease had a significantly higher risk of death.

Since the coronavirus outbreak in China at the end of 2019, increasing interest emerged regarding renal involvement during COVID-19 infections. AKI, with or without proteinuria, is described in a variable percentage of patients with COVID-19, and several reports outlined an increased mortality risk in those with AKI. The mechanisms of renal (kidney) injury during COVID-19 are difficult to study due to the interference of several coexisting factors, such as polypharmacy, hypoxia (decreased oxygen in tissue), and cytokine storm (immune response to the virus).

The coronavirus entry into target cells is facilitated by the presence of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a specialized receptor where the virus attaches itself. This is expressed in respiratory cells, as well as renal tubular cells and podocytes, making the hypothesis of a direct renal infection particularly intriguing.

Patients with COVID-19 have displayed kidney damage through AKI, proteinuria, hematuria, edema -- swelling in the lower extremities or body, and slight elevation in creatinine (kidney function

marker).

AKI A new comprehensive report shows that people hospitalized with COVID-19 are at significant risk of AKI, which can lead to serious illness, dialysis, and even death.

Acute renal failure (ARF) or AKI occurs when your kidneys suddenly become unable to filter waste products from your blood. When your kidneys lose their filtering ability, dangerous levels of wastes may accumulate, and your blood's chemical makeup may get out of balance.

This develops rapidly, usually in less than a few days. Acute kidney failure is most common in people who are already hospitalized, particularly in critically ill people who need intensive care.

ARF/AKI can be fatal and requires intensive treatment. However, acute kidney failure may be reversible.

If you're otherwise in good health, you may recover normal or nearly normal kidney function.

AKI normally happens as a complication of another serious illness. It's not the result of a physical blow to the kidneys, as the name might suggest.

This type of kidney damage is usually seen in older people who are unwell with other conditions and the kid-

neys are also affected. It's essential that AKI is detected early and treated promptly.

Without quick treatment, abnormal levels of salts and chemicals can build up in the body, which affect the ability of other organs to work properly. If the kidneys shut down completely, this may require temporary support from a dialysis machine, or lead to death.

Symptoms Symptoms of AKI include feeling sick or being sick, diarrhea, dehydration, urinating less than usual, confusion and drowsiness.

Even if it does not progress to complete kidney failure, AKI needs to be taken seriously. It has an effect on the whole body, changes how some drugs are handled by the body, and could make some existing illnesses more serious.

AKI is different from chronic kidney disease, where the kidneys gradually lose function over a long period of time.

Who's at risk You're more likely to get AKI if: -- you're aged 65 or over.

-- you already have a kidney problem, such as chronic kidney disease.

-- you have a long-term disease, such as heart failure, liver disease or diabetes.

By: Dr. Haimchand Barran MMSc Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases Fellowship -- Nephrology Nephrology Department -- GPHC -- you're dehydrated or unable to maintain your fluid intake independently.

-- you have a blockage in your urinary tract (or are at risk of this).

-- you have a severe infection or sepsis.

-- you're taking certain medicines, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS, such as ibuprofen or motrin, diclofenac, advil, excedrin, tylenol 3) or blood pressure drugs, such as ACE inhibitors or diuretics; diuretics are usually beneficial to the kidneys, but may become less helpful when a

person is dehydrated or suffering from a severe illness.

-- you're given aminoglycosides – a type of antibiotic; again, this is only an issue if the person is dehydrated or ill, and these are usually only given in a hospital setting.

This article is submitted as part of the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 public information and education programme. For questions, email ministersecretaryhealth@gmail. com.

Understanding Energy

Brazil should look to Guyana on incentivising investment IT appears Guyana’s southern neighbour could learn a thing or two about attracting international investments in oil development. Home to some of the most sought-after real estate in the oil world in its offshore basins, Brazil has capitalised on that desirability with some of the strictest contract terms in the world. The country’s production sharing agreements for new leasing acreage include high royalties, strict local content provisions and mandatory participation of the state oil company

Petrobras.

For a time in the early 2010s, companies were willing to pay. But a tough price environment and a supply glut have changed the equation, leaving Brazil without buyers willing to accept such strict terms.

Once oil’s fastest rising player, Brazil is now a case study on the difficult balance that needs to be struck in order to attract major investment in deepwater offshore areas.

The Brazilian government appeared stunned in 2019 when two major auctions for offshore leases,

which were expected to bring in billions, returned only one minimum bid from foreign investors.

The government had hyped the auctions as record breaking events expected to draw huge interest and tens of billions of US dollars in signing bonuses alone. Instead, the struggling state-owned oil company Petrobras was left with most of the acreage for minimum bids while foreign companies stayed on the sidelines.

The verdict from the investor community: overly stringent

contract terms on the part of the government had made the fields a bad deal for companies, no matter how much oil was there. Marcelo de Assis, head of Latin America upstream for energy consultancy, Wood Mackenzie, told Reuters at the time, “All majors are focused on capital discipline and value versus volume. They will not bid at any cost.”

Brazil, like many deepwater offshore regions, faces relatively high production costs compared to onshore regions. Combined with high

government royalties and taxes and low global oil prices, buying new leases to explore there had simply ceased to be economical. In plain terms, companies ran the math and it just didn’t check out, so they took their investments elsewhere.

The government responded by moderating their contract terms slightly and reducing Petrobras’s role, in what was seen by the analyst community as an admission that their initial estimates had been overconfident.

TURN TO PAGE

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, December 27, 2020

President Ali pledges more support services for the elderly

–– at Dharm Shala Christmas luncheon PRESIDENT IRFAAN ALI, on Christmas morning, pledged to implement more programmes and initiatives to ensure elderly people have more access to medical and social welfare services.

The President gave this assurance at the annual Christmas luncheon hosted by the Dharm Shala Home of Benevolence for All Races at its King Edward Street, Albouystown complex.

“I want to assure you that, in the coming years, we will be working on specific programmes, specific initiatives, to ensure that facilities like these are not only supported, but that the residents are also supported in key and important areas of life like healthcare,” the President was quoted as saying by the Department of Public Information (DPI).

President Ali added,

“These are things that you can expect; more social support, social programmes, welfare programmes that are important.”

The President made a monetary donation to the Home to help it to continue its service. Komal Singh, Managing Director of GAICO Construction and General Services Incorporated also presented a cheque to the Home.

President Ali said he is

President Irfaan Ali making a donation to Ms. Kella Ramsaroop, Managing Head of Dharm Shala, in the presence of members of the institution (DPI photos)

pleased that the private sector is partnering with his government to advance development.

“This tells us that we have a private sector now that is keen on corporate social responsibility… Know that you have a Government that cares for you, you have people in our society that care for you and will always be looking out for you,” he told the gathering.

Rector of St. George’s Cathedral Reverend Thurston Riehl and his wife Clarissa President Irfaan Ali serving lunch to the elderly at Dharm Shala FROM PAGE

Brazil should look to Guyana ...

Brazil now has to face the grim reality that those terms still might not be generous enough to attract investment dollars in 2020, as oil markets are still in a tough spot and the transition away from oil is accelerating.

The government held another auction in early December and again was disappointed to receive only one bid for offshore.

More than 30 other blocks remained unsold, even in areas where Petrobras had already found oil.

Now, for the second time in as many years, Brazil is looking to revise its contract terms to reflect harsh market realities. Brazil’s Congress is debating sweeping changes to relax the country’s

production-sharing regime and bring in much needed international investment in 2021.

Brazil is likely to look to Guyana’s success in this area. Despite a major downturn in global energy investment—especially in high cost areas like deepwater offshore—Guyana has managed to attract major multi-billion US dollar commitments over the last year.

Exxon is continuing with major drilling programmes on the Stabroek and Kaieteur blocks despite a recent non-economic find at the Tangager-1 site. In September, Guyana attracted a commitment from Exxon to invest more than $9 billion US to develop the Payara project.

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That’s a testament to Guyana’s own contract terms and production sharing arrangement, which international investors widely agree helped attract companies to drill in the deep and unproven waters off Guyana’s coast in the first place.

The prize is significant for contract terms that balance incentives for investors and benefits for the country. Guyana gains new revenues, additional jobs and business for local companies.

Most importantly, major new investments and increased capacity are the foundation of a strong economy over the long term.

also attended the luncheon.

The Dharm Shala has served residents of the Albouystown ward and its environs for nearly a century. The facility is managed by sisters Kella and Pamela Ramsaroop, who serve as Managing Head and Vice President, respectively. The sisters took on the mantle of managing the Home on the death of their father Mr. Harry Saran Ramsaroop in 2013, who himself had assumed the responsibility after his father, founder of the Dharm Shala, Pandit Ramsa-

roop Maraj died in 1950.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has made several steps to ease the burdens of the elderly. Pensioners are no longer required to pay for the consumption of water with the passage of the Emergency Budget 2020.

Additionally, old age pension was increased to $25,000 per month effective January 1, 2021. The seniors currently receive $20,500 per month.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 27, 2020

President, PM share out s

I

N an effort to spread the Christmas spirit to all, President Irfaan Ali, along with Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, spent several hours on Christmas morning sharing meals to the needy.

They were joined

by Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy, staff of the Office of the President and other government officials for the meal distribution exercise, which took them along several streets of Georgetown.

The Department of Public Information reported that persons without homes or those just in need accepted the meals with blessings and thanks.

For most, Christmas is the time when families join together to share a specially prepared meal, but for many, it’s just another day without shelter, warm clothing or food.

“The Head of State recognised this, and in the spirit of giving and providing to the less fortunate, he organised the event, which saw the distribution of hundreds of meals and beverages,” the release noted.

The event started at State House where President Ali and other government officials warmly greeted a gathering before offering them meals. The team then journeyed to Bourda Market and other areas, where they distributed even more meals to smiling recipients.

President Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 27, 2020

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special Christmas meals

s, spent several hours on Christmas morning sharing meals to the needy (Elvin Croker photos)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 27, 2020

Five Christmas Day babies delivered at NA Hospital

By Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur FIVE women of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) will forever remember December 25, 2020, not because of a traditional ma-

terial gift, but for the birth of their precious boy or girl, who was delivered at the New Amsterdam Hospital on that day.

Since ancient times, the birth of children on this day

has been widely celebrated because the holiday itself, as stated in biblical texts, commemorates and celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

While this occasion might not be auspicious in this con-

Director of Regional Health Services, Dr. Vishalya Sharma along with Santa and team donate a hamper to first-time mother, Natasha Gobin text to all, it is still known as a time for joy, gratitude and fulfillment, all of which were captured on the faces and by the actions of the five women who delivered their babies on Friday.

The mothers, who hail from various parts of Region Six, gave birth to two boys and three girls. And, as is customary at the hospital, the administrators, doctors and nurses ensured that the

reminisced about seeing her baby for the first time.

She said that despite the pain from the Cesarean (C-section) surgery, it was worth every bit of it.

Aurora Ester Gabriana Rahim, a baby girl weighing just over six pounds, was delivered by the medical staff at 06:05h to an excited Ester Halley Rahim, who hails from 41 Scheme, New Amsterdam.

An elated Ester Halley-Rahim festivities were not absent.

The hospital workers even went the extra mile to bring in ‘Santa’ all the way from the “North Pole.”

Director of Health Services Region Six, Dr. Vishalya Sharma said that the health services would usually visit the children and maternity wards of the hospital on Christmas Day to distribute gifts and “goodies bags” to mothers and their new-born children.

“We want to make the hospital stay less traumatic, because it is a special time of the year; it is a festive time, and we are in challenging times. And we are hoping that the gesture can serve in some way to make the hospital experience a little more friendly,” said Dr. Sharma in an invited comment on Saturday.

Natasha Gobin, 19, of Corriverton and a first-time mother, gave birth to a sixpound baby boy at around 01:34h, making her the first of the five mothers in the maternity ward to give birth.

Gobin was all smiles as she

The overjoyed mother said that her due date was initially slated for the first week of 2021, but she started experiencing labour pains, and went to the hospital last week. She said this is now her second child.

Rahim’s first child was a daughter as well, and she has even more reason now to celebrate the holidays. Some three hours and twenty minutes later, the staff delivered another baby girl to Keyona Angus. The baby weighs 7.1 pounds.

Jill Sookram was the fourth woman to deliver a baby. At 17:00h, Sookram delivered a girl weighing 5.7 pounds, while Roberta Alphin, 21, of Orealla, gave birth at 22:00h to a 6.6-pound baby boy.

Staff at of the Paediatric and Maternity Unit, along with the Chief Executive Officer of the New Amsterdam Hospital, Michael Khan and Medical Superintendent, Dr. Vasana Henry accompanied Dr. Sharma on the visit.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 27, 2020

Keeping the art of Embroidery alive

By Naomi Parris

A BIG part of a Guyanese Christmas is the traditional year-end cleaning and decorating; around this time of the year many Guyanese can be seen visiting some of the country’s largest retailers to purchase their new carpets, curtains and various decors to welcome the season and give their home a new look for the New Year.

If one were to visit the home of a Guyanese during the festive season, his/her house would be decked out in all of its finest curtains and unique décor. However, with times changing, it would appear that many have lost the appreciation for a good ‘ole’ knitted ‘chair back’ or embroidery needle work.

With hopes of keeping this tradition alive, 33-yearold Olivia Trotman has organised a ‘pop up’ shop on Camp Street, Georgetown displaying her needle work and many hand- crafted creations to catch the eyes of a few passersby and shoppers.

“Embroidery is kind of like a dying art. I love embroidery, I grow up doing embroidery in school, so when I started doing this part of my business, I started back doing embroidery. I even bought books, I watched videos to even see new patterns in the embroidery stitches also,” Trotman related.

She acknowledged that there are not many people who still enjoy and appreciate the art of needle work, but it is something she wishes would return to the markets.

“I would like it to come back. It’s a great art form; it’s unique and it is different from what we have on the market place itself. When you get a hand-embroidery piece you know that you get something made from love, made from right here.”

Trotman urged for more

towards somebody that is like knitting and stitching.”

Embroidery uses various combinations of stitches.

Each embroidery stitch has a special name to help identify it.

These names vary from country to country and region to region. Some of the basic stitches of embroidery are running stitch, cross stitch, stem stitch, back stitch, satin stitch, chain stitch and blanket stitch.

Olivia Trotman with one of her unfinished pieces

persons to support locally made items rather than going to large retailers who are shipping many of the same

A few of Trotman’s hand products from overseas.

“You know what I think has happened over the years is that as they bring house-

stitched embroidery work hold pieces and so it’s kind stuff that you’re buying in of cheaper; so a hand-em- the store. So you would find broidery piece would be more persons might more more expensive than the run towards that than come

PRSERVING THE ART FORM Hand-made embroidery has a rich history dating back to the fifth century BC, and has been termed as a “feminine”, “civilized” activity for “proper young ladies”.

Trotman, however, is bending the societal norm by teaching her four-year-old son about the art of needle work and embroidery. If given the opportunity, Trotman would not mind teaching others some of her techniques.

“Right now I have a fouryear-old at home and I am teaching him how to do hand embroidery and it is possible I don’t mind going and teach persons, teach them how it is done,” she said adding: “Embroidery is not like grand time or two stitch or one stitch. Embroidery has grown, there is thread embroidery - what I do, there is ribbon embroidery - what I also do; there is beaded embroidery, there is cross stitching all the different things and techniques of embroidery.”

Trotman disclosed that she is hoping to gain some recognition during the Christmas season to further build her business and brand “Enchanted Gardens- floral arts”.

Trotman has a small store and platform where she sells all handmade décor and hair accessories.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 27, 2020

A Tribute to the late Reyaz Hussain by Neaz Subhan

Neaz Subhan

A fixture was suddenly taken away TO say that I am shocked at the sudden death of Reyaz Hussain would be a gross understatement.

I am still to bring myself to the reality of his passing.

It is extremely difficult to grasp that he has passed on, especially since it was just over 48 hours prior to his death that he and I were engaged in conversation in a popular mall. We were both in the process of Christmas shopping.

There were no visible signs of illness from neither his appearance nor movements. Therefore, with his death not by vehicular accident or a robbery, the instinctive shock lingers and will for a long time. I cannot imagine what it’s like for his wife, children and immediate relatives.

Surely, they all had plans for the holidays. I am sure he looked forward to see the joy in the faces of his family

when presents would have been opened. Similarly, they would have wanted to see his. Unfortunately, fate intervened and those thoughts were drowned by unplanned tears on Christmas Day; tears of anguish and pain from losing a loved one.

Just as his family expected him to be there at the table for Christmas breakfast, his fans would expect him on television in the mornings to come; a routine he did

for over two decades. Like his family, the viewers will experience that void and to even contemplate disassociating him from the Colonial Cousins’ “Krishna” music video that was synonymous with his long-running television programme on NTN, could be virtually impossible.

It reminds of the relationship listeners knew of between Matthew Allen and the song, “One Day at A Time Sweet Jesus.”

Reyaz and I go back over 25 years. We both started our entry into Guyanese television programing on STVS Channel 21 in Queenstown.

We were three; the third was Nazim Hussain, the one who broke the news of his death.

The late Freddie Sanchara’s living room became the studio and the proverbial canvas for us to design.

Over time, we became known as the Freddie Boys as reflected in a Bill Cotton piece in the Stabroek News many years back. It’s not surprising that Bill messaged me following Reyaz’s death, while reminding me of the title he gave to us.

Reyaz and I co-hosted a quiz programme on Channel 21. We donned T-shirts branded with our images; his on mine; mine on his.

It was our innocent ploy to probably confuse viewers simply because our names sounded similar. Maybe that may have been responsible for people, at times, even up to today, calling me Reyaz and calling him Neaz.

Following his death, some thought it was me and even informed some of my overseas relatives of my passing. Through that, the pain of his death transgressed directly into my circle, seemingly inescapable given our T-shirt prank.

Even as all three of us moved on to different television stations and programming, we were always together through other endeavours. Through theatre, I was able to direct Reyaz in the stage adaptations of two popular Bollywood movies: “Deedar” of 1951 in which he played the Ashok Kumar’s role of Dr. Kishore and “Dosti”, of 1964, in which he played another doctor.

His pharmacy-related job

at the time was not a factor for what may appear as stereotype casting; it was mere coincidence.

I still fondly remember the hiccups of him trying to get the choreography of a particular song sequence in “Deedar” right in 1997.

It was the first time he was doing something like that.

The downstairs of Uncle Freddie’s home (now HJTV Studios), was the rehearsal ground; a place of treasured memories in which Reyaz will forever be a part.

His willingness to accommodate and interview myself and other cast members for various productions I did over time, was an engrained characteristic to which many can testify. He didn’t do it just for the sake of talking about a production; he did it because he felt a sense of responsibility to help in the promotion of local talent.

For many, he provided that platform that artistes need.

He was a multitasker, involved in various things at the same time; cricket, imparting education and knowledge on aspects of medicine, in activities of his Masjid and of course, television.

He juggled them effectively while finding the time for his family.

He was more than a friend. He was a role model; one that has now fallen. He was a fixture. He will be missed; missed by all with whom he directly interacted and those he touched through his long-running television programme. He will always be remembered, especially when the Colonial Cousins’ “Krishna” is heard here. The song speaks to inclusivity; exactly what his programme was all about. My sincere condolences to his family.

Rest in Peace, buddy.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 27, 2020

Politics & Society Forum

Roads of Carnage and Crime IF you have been reading the dailies, watching the news, and listening to the commentators, you might have had a difficult time avoiding the reality that we have been on a journey of road carnage and wanton crime for too long.

If you feel a sense of hopelessness that these twin issues are uncontrollable, you are not alone but correct, confirmed by the possibility that after reading this piece, someone, perhaps innocently, will bite the dust. What is equally unsettling is that the marketplace of ideas through the medium of community meetings, conferences, and anti-crime recommendations on how to tackle the above challenges have not made a perceptible difference.

On the surface, the initiatives for a better society, are like pouring water on a duck’s back. They just slide off.

Those who are oiling the wheels of power within the protection and law enforcement agencies would not want to create this negative image for themselves.

They would prefer a soft feather in their caps, tickling their heads, that public confidence is on their side. What has resonated instead is that the available statistics do not only provide an idea, but the graphic scenes of human wastage have sent a clarion message that road carnage and crime have engulfed the country, reaching deplorable standards.

The public was not ‘discombobulated’, therefore, when Traffic Chief Senior

Superintendent Ramesh Ashram declared Guyana had experienced a 37 per cent increase in road fatalities of 125 in 2020 as compared to 2019 when the country recorded 94 deaths. Crime statistics do not provide any solace either. According to the U. S. Department of State, the murder rate in Guyana ranges from 15 to 18 per 100,000 which is the fourth highest murder rate in South America and three times higher than the U.S. Other sources place the murder rate as high as 20 per 100,000 making Guyana one of the most homicidal countries in the world.

Regrettably, road carnage, and crime will continue to snuff out the most important resources in our society - human beings. Medical costs are high so are stress and trauma on families, communities, and the economy. Social service support is stymied by limited resources.

Also, some decisions by the courts have raised eyebrows. The dailies are teeming with such cases as ‘rapscallions waltz out of courts’ leaving onlookers with jaw-dropping expressions. This is the Stygian side of Guyana’s judicial system. Who will forget that the Supreme Court of Guyana ruled that 33 is not a majority of 65?

Continuous road carnage emanates from lawlessness, speeding, texting, obtaining driver’s licences under false grounds, driving under the influence, congestion, overcrowded vehicles, reckless-

ness, tailgating, inexperienced driving, shabby police work, and poor road infrastructure. Crime is coterminous with the lack of positive livelihood opportunities and weaknesses in policy and policing which criminals have exploited effectively. Worse still is that crime thrives when there is a market for it, and there has not been a shortage of unscrupulous people who will exploit this underbelly of society.

The Government and police, of course, are cognisant of these problems bedeviling society and have launched a series of programmes, for example, the Intercept of Communications Act, to tackle carnage and crime as well as calling on the public to exercise and exude caution and care. This is a right move in the right direction since road carnage and crime are not a partisan problem but affect all. The unfortunate situation we find ourselves in is not about harbouring differences but rather about harnessing differences to provide suggestions to stamp out the twin evils of road carnage and crime. Boosting the morale and motivation of those who carry the badge of service and protection is of critical importance as well as the restoration of public confidence in our security forces.

While it is expected that the Government and police will shoulder the responsibility for providing safer roads and managing crime to acceptable lev-

Professor Lomarsh Roopnarine

els, the citizens must be involved and must play a meaningful role such as rejecting being in overcrowded vehicles and reporting crime to law enforcement agencies. It should be incumbent on everyone’s part not to support illegal and underground activities such as wheeling and dealing with stolen items. Those who are smarting from crime-related activities ought to conjure up the will to report crime and their identity must be protected. It is advisable to follow that reliable adage that if you see something, say something. Unless the citizenry is wired to respect the laws that govern it, anything else would be a futile exercise to tackle road carnage and crime headon. In the absence of the latter, and by the end of the day, what will happen is that the reduction of road fatalities and crime will depend largely on the police and Government. This is not a win-win situation that generally inject and instill confidence between police and public.

We are in this together and we must act together.

We must be involved in meaningful and safe ways and refrain from engaging in outbursts that might render ourselves vulnerable to further attacks from goons, miscreants and their backers, a licence to hurt. Support the police so that they can do their job.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! (lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums.edu).

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 27, 2020

GFF/K&S, MCYS team up for 2-day Bounce-Back Football ...East Coast, Linden, West Dem and GT teams to feature

FOOTBALL players, fans, lovers and enthusiasts are bracing for the return of competitive football following a long hiatus due to the covid-19 pandemic. Teaming up to make this a reality in a few days are the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Kashif and Shanghai Organisation (K&S) and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

All-star teams from the East Coast of Demerara, Linden, West Demerara and the City will be battling for supremacy on December 29th and January 1st, 2021.

The winning teams from the opening night will clash in the final on New Year’s night, where many of the nation’s stars, current and future, would be in combat.

Fans would be able to follow all the action on January 1st, via NCN Ch. 11, Enetworks and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Facebook page.

As a result of the pandemic and the conditional approval granted by the National COVID-19 Task Force, no spectator would be allowed.

GFF president, Wayne Forde commented: “Almost two months ago, I met the Hon. Minister and shared an overview of the critical phases of the Golden Jaguars preparation for the 2021 international season. I also updated him on the GFF/ UEFA Bounce Back imitative and the importance of putting into practice the game-day COVID-19 protocols we had developed under the guidance of our European partners.

Today, I am very pleased to acknowledge the receptiveness and tremendous support of Minister Ramson, which has manifested in the GFF - Kashif & Shanghai Bounce Back classic.”

He continued: “The purpose of this event is to provide our local National team players an opportunity to play a few competitive games and to give the GFF Technical and operational staff a chance to test the implementation of the newly developed game-day protocols. This is yet another example of [the] important role the Government of Guyana can play in aiding the development of football, facilitating partnerships and engaging young people across Guyana.”

Minister of Sports, Charles Ramson, teamed up with the Guyana Amateur Body Building and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) to bring off an exciting completion two weeks ago and is at again. Minister Ramson said: “The Ministry is pleased to support and partner with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and the Kashif and Shanghai for this event as a precursor to the recommencement of football activities in Guyana as the world prepares to exit the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.”

The K&S Organisation was equally excited to be of support for this initiative and happy to share their expertise in the realms of organizing, being no strangers in this regard as they have been running the most successful football tournament in the history of Guyana.

Kashif Muhammad stated, “We are more than gratified to be teaming up with the GFF and the Ministry of Sports to aid in seeing the game bounce back. We can assure all and sundry that we’ll pull out all the stops to make these two days truly memorable, given the challenges brought upon us all by the global pandemic, covid-19.”

THE local cricket fraternity suffered a deep loss on Christmas Day, following the passing of Reyaz Hussain, with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) issuing its sympathy to those heavily affected.

The late Reyaz Hussain was a popular Public Announcer at Regional and International matches held in Guyana. On occasions, he also performed the duties of moderator at official functions of the Guyana Cricket

captain and coach-mentor for young players, while at the Everest Cricket Club, Reyaz served as an executive member, Club captain, as well as performing the role of coach-mentor for young players.

Besides taking up club responsibilities, Hussain was known for his friendly, cohesive, passionate and professional personality to public announcing. This social integrative and professional approach will

Board.

Just Wednesday night, he officiated as the moderator at the opening ceremony of the LBI Flood light facility and portrayed his usual charismatic and embracing approach in delivering his presentations.

Hussain was a long-serving member of both the Georgetown Cricket Club and Everest Cricket Club. In the past, at the Georgetown Cricket Club, he performed the roles of second division

no doubt be embraced by members of local cricket bodies.

His passing is a great loss to the members of the entire cricket fraternity. It is with a heavy heart that we extend our deepest condolences to his family, clients and friends.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time, as we share their pain and grief. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

FROM PAGE 21 Chandimal, De Silva half-centuries ...TURN

scan on Saturday evening to assess the damage.

“We were thinking 280 plus as a score in the first innings, so 340 is surprising everyone in our team,” Chandimal told broadcaster SuperSport at the close.

“But we have confidence after today’s play and we look forward to putting them under pressure tomorrow with another 30 to 40 runs and some early wickets.

“De Silva told me he

thinks it is a strain and he can’t play for two to three weeks, but we will see after the scan.”

South Africa bowled poorly in the first hour, but still managed to reduce the visitors to 54 for three as Sri Lanka gave their wickets away with injudicious stroke-play.

Captain Dimuth Karunaratne raced to 22 from 20 balls before he played the ball onto his own stumps off Lungi Ngidi (1-54), while Kusal Mendis tried to pull Anrich Nortje (1-60), but was beaten for pace and looped a catch to Ngidi at mid-on.

Kusal Perera then chased a ball that was far too wide from Mulder and was caught by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock for 16.

But Sri Lanka effectively added another 230 runs before losing another wicket when Chandimal fell, and Mulder then removed Dickwella for a well played 49, and seamer Lutho Sipamla (1-68) bowled fellow debutant Wanindu

Hasaranga (18).

“The guys aren’t happy with the performance, we are a young team and they are coming together as we go. We improved as the day went on,” Mulder said.

“Tomorrow will be a massive day for us in this

Test match and we will have to come out fighting.

“There was a lot in the wicket up front and the talk was to hit the top of offstump, but we bowled too short and didn’t execute (our plans) and they got away from us.”

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA 1st innings Dimuth Karunaratne b Lungi Ngidi

22 Kusal Perera c Quinton de Kock b Wiaan Mulder 16 Kusal Mendis c Lungi Ngidi b Anrich Nortje 12 Dinesh Chandimal c Faf du Plessis b Wiaan Mulder 85 Dhananjaya de Silva Retired Hurt 79 Niroshan Dickwella lbw Wiaan Mulder

49 Dasun Shanaka Not Out

25 Wanindu Hasaranga b Lutho Sipamla

18 Kasun Rajitha Not Out

7 EXTRAS: 8b 8lb 5nb 0pen 6w

27 TOTAL: (85.0 overs)

340-6 Fall of Wickets : 1-28 Karunaratne, 2-54 Mendis, 3-54 Perera, 4-284 Chandimal, 5-296 Dickwella, 6-320 De Silva To Bat : Fernando, Kumara Bowling Lungi Ngidi 16 -2- 54- 1, Lutho Sipamla 14 1 68 1 4.86 2nb, Anrich Nortje 18 - 3 - 60 -1 (2w), Wiaan Mulder 18-3- 68-3 (3nb), Keshav Maharaj 19- 3 - 74 -0.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 27, 2020

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India land first blows on day one of Boxing Day Test

By Ian Ransom

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - India proved there is life without captain Virat Kohli as they bowled Australia out for 195 then weathered a fierce pace assault in the late afternoon to dominate the opening day of the second test in Melbourne.

India were 36 for one at stumps, with debutant Shubman Gill 28 not out and Cheteshwar Pujara on seven after the loss of opener Mayank Argarwal for a duck.

With soon-to-be-dad Kohli having returned home after the calamitous defeat in Adelaide, stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane called on his bowlers to respond and they duly delivered on a glorious day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

After Australia won the toss and elected to bat, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah grabbed four wickets and seamer Mohammed Siraj took two on an emotional Test debut little more than a month after the death of his father.

With the wounds still raw from India’s humiliating dismissal for 36 at Adelaide Oval, their lowest innings total in tests, the focus shifted quickly to their batsmen

and how they would fare against Australia’s fired-up pace attack.

The pressure proved too much for Argarwal, who was out lbw on the sixth ball of the innings after a withering opening salvo from paceman Mitchell Starc.

Melbourne’s outer suburbs.

Gill rallied superbly from the scare to guide India to stumps and complete a rousing day for the rebooted tourists, who flew out of the blocks in the morning with four changes to their 11 from Adelaide.

India’s bowlers were on song as the visitors bowled out Australia for 195

G i l l , re p l a c i n g t h e dropped Prithvi Shaw, was lucky not to follow him, getting a reprieve on four when Marnus Labuschagne grassed a regulation catch in the slips off the bowling of Pat Cummins.

The crowd of 27,615 was under the “COVID-safe” cap of 30,000 but the collective groan triggered by the drop might have been heard in

“We’re not looking too far ahead,” Bumrah told reporters. “We don’t want to be conservative in our mindset.

“Not being reckless but being confident ... that is the motive going forward now.”

PRIZED WICKET Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (3-35) did early damage with two wickets

including that of Australia’s star batsman Steve Smith for a duck.

Having dismissed him for one in Adelaide, Ashwin condemned Smith to his first duck since 2016 when he was out lbw by Keshav Maharaj in defeat to South Africa in Perth.

Reeling at 65 for three at lunch, Australia rallied with an 86-run partnership between Labuschagne and Travis Head, but neither could go on with it.

Bumrah had Head caught in the gully by Rahane for 38 before Siraj, held back until after lunch, savoured his first test wicket when Labuschagne was pouched for 48 by Gill at backward square leg.

There was a moment of controversy with Tim Paine surviving a line-ball run out decision after the tea-break, but the Australia skipper was unable to make India pay, being caught in close off the bowling of Ashwin for 13.

Siraj had young all-rounder Cameron Green out lbw for 12 before Bumrah and recalled all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja combined to wrap up the tail after some lusty slogging from Nathan Lyon (20).

With makeshift opener Matthew Wade squandering a start after being caught for

30 trying to slog Ashwin, Labuschagne praised India’s attack but said Australia’s batsmen had wasted chances.

“I think we had probably three innocuous dis-

missals,” he told reporters.

“I think we’re in the game, I think we certainly showed in the last game it doesn’t matter how many (runs) you have.”

SCOREBOARD

AUSTRALIA 1st innings Joe Burns c Rishabh Pant b Jasprit Bumrah 0 Matthew Wade c Ravindra Jadeja b Ravichandran Ashwin 30 Marnus Labuschagne c Shubman Gill b Mohammed Siraj 48 Steven Smith c Cheteshwar Pujara b Ravichandran Ashwin 0 Travis Head c Ajinkya Rahane b Jasprit Bumrah 38 Cameron Green lbw Mohammed Siraj 12 Tim Paine c Hanuma Vihari b Ravichandran Ashwin 13 Pat Cummins c Mohammed Siraj b Ravindra Jadeja 9 Mitchell Starc c Mohammed Siraj b Jasprit Bumrah 7 Nathan Lyon lbw Jasprit Bumrah 20 Josh Hazlewood Not Out

4 EXTRAS: 10b 0lb 3nb 0pen 1w

14 TOTAL: (72.3 overs)

195 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-10 Burns, 2-35 Wade, 3-38 Smith, 4-124 Head, 5-134 Labuschagne, 6-155 Green, 7-155 Paine, 8-164 Starc, 9-191 Lyon, 10-195 Cummins Bowling : Jasprit Bumrah 16 - 4 - 56 - 4 (1w 2nb), Umesh Yadav 12 - 2 - 39 - 0 (1nb), Ravichandran Ashwin 24 - 7 - 35 - 3, Ravindra Jadeja 5.3 - 1 - 15 - 1, Mohammed Siraj 15 - 4 - 40 2 . ...........................................

INDIA 1st innings Mayank Agarwal lbw Mitchell Starc 0 Shubman Gill Not Out

28 Cheteshwar Pujara Not Out

7 EXTRAS: 0b 0lb 1nb 0pen 0w 1 TOTAL: (11.0 overs)

36-1 Fall of Wickets : 1-0 Agarwal To Bat : Rahane, Vihari, Pant, Jadeja, Ashwin, Yadav, Bumrah, Siraj Bowling : Mitchell Starc 4 - 2 - 14 - 1, Pat Cummins 4 - 1 - 14 - 0, Josh Hazlewood 2 - 0 - 2 - 0 (1nb) Nathan Lyon 1 - 0 - 6 - 0.

Williamson leads New Zealand recovery with unbeaten 94 on first day Chandimal, De Silva half-centuries PAKISTAN’s Shaheen Afridi struck early to reduce New Zealand to 13-2 before Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor steered the Black Caps into a strong position on day one of the first Test at Mount Maunganui New Zealand captain Kane Williamson survived two dropped catches as he closed in on his hundred on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at Mount Maunganui.

Williamson, who reached stumps unbeaten on 94, shared a century partnership with Ross Taylor (70) to rescue the Black Caps after Shaheen Afridi had reduced them to 13-2.

But both Afridi and Naseem Shah saw the home skipper put down in the slips, while Henry Nicholls was also handed a life as New Zealand ended the first day in a comfortable position at 222-3.

Afridi (3-55) was immediately into his stride after Pakistan had won the toss and put the hosts in, having Tom Latham (4) caught at third slip with the third delivery of the match.

Latham’s opening partner, Tom Blundell (5), soon

followed suit, with Yasir Shah taking the slip catch to give Afridi his second wick-

the leg-spinner for two fours and a six in quick succession.

The pair batted through

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson ended the first day on 94 not out against Pakistan at Mount Maunganui

et, while Mohammad Abbas maintained the pressure with a relentlessly accurate spell at the other end.

Williamson and Taylor weathered the storm - although Pakistan could have picked up the captain’s wicket just before lunch when the diving Shan Masood was unable to hold on to an edge off Naseem.

While Afridi and Abbas continued to pose problems for New Zealand’s batsmen, Yasir came in for some punishment, with Taylor sweeping

the afternoon session, adding 120 before Afridi returned to dismiss Taylor shortly after tea, producing a perfect outswinger that took the edge and sailed into the wicketkeeper’s gloves.

But Pakistan failed to build on that breakthrough, with Naseem persuading Nicholls (42 not out) to go for an early hook shot that Abbas spilled at fine leg.

The tourists should also have picked up Williamson’s wicket late on, when Afridi found the edge again - only for Haris Sohail to fumble the opportunity at first slip.

SCOREBOARD

NEW ZEALAND 1st innings Tom Latham c Azhar Ali b Shaheen Afridi

4 Tom Blundell c Yasir Shah b Shaheen Afridi

5 Kane Williamson Not Out

94 Ross Taylor c Mohammad Rizwan b Shaheen Afridi 70 Henry Nicholls Not Out

42 EXTRAS: 0b 3lb 4nb 0pen 0w

7 TOTAl: (87.0 overs)

222-3 Fall of Wickets : 1-4 Latham, 2-13 Blundell, 3-133 Taylor To Bat : Watling, Santner, Jamieson, Southee, Wagner, Boult Bowling: Shaheen Afridi 20- 5 - 55 -3, Mohammad Abbas 21- 11 - 25 -0. Faheem Ashraf 13 - 5 - 30 - 0, Naseem Shah 15 - 1 - 51 - 0 (4nb), Yasir Shah 16 - 2 - 56 - 0, Shan Masood 2 -1 - 2 - 0,0

put Sri Lanka on top in first Test

By Nick Said

PRETORIA (Reuters) Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva scored fluent half-centuries as Sri Lanka took advantage of some lacklustre South Africa bowling to post 340 for six at the close of day one of the first Test at Centurion Park on Saturday.

Dasun Shanaka (25 not out) and Kasun Rajitha (seven not out) will resume on the second day having come through a difficult spell late in the evening session against the new ball, though South Africa aided them by not attacking the stumps enough.

The tourists won the toss and elected to bat, recovering from a poor start that was largely self-inflicted to seize the initiative on a wicket with plenty of bounce that is likely to become uneven as the Test goes on.

Chandimal’s bright innings of 85 came to an end when home seamer Wiaan Mulder (3-68) got the ball to leap spitefully off a length, clipping his glove and flying to Faf du Plessis in a second slip position.

He had put on 99 with

Niroshan Dickwella, and was involved in a stand of 131 runs in just 34.1 overs with the excellent De Silva, who retired hurt on 79 from 105 balls having punished the home side’s inconsistent line.

Dinesh Chandimal is congratulated by Niroshan Dickwella for his half-century (AFP via Getty Images)

De Silva was in complete control at the crease but suffered a hip injury as he jogged through for a comfortable single, dropping to the floor at the end of the run in obvious discomfort. He will have a TURN TO PAGE 20

22

Late Leicester equaliser ends United’s away winning streak

LEICESTER, England (Reuters) - Leicester City came back twice to end Manchester United’s away winning streak in the Premier League with a 2-2 draw at the King Power stadium on Saturday.

A Jamie Vardy shot which deflected off United defender Axel Tuanzebe, five minutes from the end, secured a point for Brendan Rodgers’ side after Bruno Fernandes appeared to have secured another victory on the road for United.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, who had won their last ten away games in the Premier League, stay third on 27 points, a point behind second-placed Leicester.

Liverpool are top of the standings on 31 points and have a chance to extend their lead when they face West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

Marcus Rashford had missed a wide-open header but put United ahead in the 23rd minute with a cool finish after being slipped in by Fernandes before Harvey Barnes equal-

ised eight minutes later with a fine shot from the edge of the box.

Rashford had a great chance to put United back

the influential Fernandes restored United’s lead in the 79th minute, drilling into the bottom corner after being found inside the area by sub-

in front on the hour but his powerful drive was well saved by the right hand of Kasper Schmeichel.

Two minutes later Anthony Martial had an effort disallowed for offside but

stitute Edinson Cavani.

Again though, the lead was short-lived as Vardy’s first time shot on the half-turn from a low cross from Ayoze Perez, went in off Tuanzebe and earned a point for the Foxes.

“Disappointed we didn’t win today because we had loads of big chances and we could’ve finished it off but they’re a dangerous side,” said Solskjaer.

“One point is not the worst result but we’re disappointed to not get the three points against a tough side,” he added.

Rodgers praised the way his team had approached the game and responded to the two United goals.

“I thought it was a good game - two attacking teams and I thought we had lots of really good play. Our defending and counter pressing was very good you have to do that against teams like Man United they break so fast,” he said.

“We go 2-1 behind and we’ve always had enthusiasm and confidence but these games you go behind against a team that’s been playing so well it really showed the mentality of the players and we deserved a point at least out of the game,” added Rodgers.

FORMER England batsman, John Edrich, has died at the age of 83.The lefthander played 77 Tests for England, making 12 centuries and finishing with an average of 43.54.

A Surrey legend, he made 39,790 first-class runs overall from 564 matches, including 103 centuries - one of only 25 men to compile 100 firstclass tons.

He was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2000 but lived long past the seven years he was given at that time and died of natural causes at his home in Scotland.

Edrich believed injections of mistletoe which he received from 2005 extended his life and enabled him to cope with a rare form of the blood cancer.

He made his Test debut against West Indies at Old Trafford in 1963 and finished against the same opposition on the same ground 13 years later.

The opener top scored with 24 in the second innings of his last Test in 1976 as England were bowled out for 126 by West Indies’ formidable pace attack on an uneven pitch to lose by 425 runs.

His characteristic bravery was illustrated in that

final Test innings at the age of 39 as he and opening partner Brian Close, 45, stoically defended for 80 minutes at the end of Saturday’s play in the face of fearsome bowling by Andy Roberts, Wayne Daniel and Michael Holding.

Batting without helmets or chest protectors, Edrich was unbeaten on 10 and Close on one at the close and they took the score to 54 in the next day’s play before the former was out for the final time in a Test - bowled by Daniel.

Close, bowled by Roberts for 20 soon after, also did not play for England again. They were the only England players to reach 20 in the innings.

Edrich, awarded a MBE for services to cricket in 1977, compiled his career-high innings of 310 not out against New Zealand at Headingley in 1965.

He hit 52 fours - the highest number in any Test innings - as well as five sixes in an innings that lasted eight minutes short of nine hours and is the fifth-highest score by an England player.

Named one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 1966, Edrich was admired for his defence and temperament but

was also renowned for his cut shot and was prolific through the mid-wicket area.

He captained Surrey for five seasons and led England once, when Mike Denness dropped himself for the fourth Test on the 1974-75 tour of Australia.

but returned from hospital to resume his innings with the Ashes on the line.

Edrich repelled Lillee and Jeff Thomson for nearly four hours but ran out of partners at the other end with the draw that would have kept the series alive in sight.

Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring their second goal with James Maddison Pool via (REUTERS/Michael Regan)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 27, 2020

Former England and Surrey bowler Robin Jackman dies aged 75 FORMER England seamer, Robin Jackman, who took 1,402 first-class wickets at an average of 22, has died aged 75.

He played four Tests in the twilight of his career, taking 14 wickets with a best of 4-110, and was a respected commentator after retiring as a player.

Robin Jackman made his Test debut at the age of 35

His 11 winters, coaching and playing in apartheid South Africa, led to a Test in West Indies being cancelled in 1980-81.

The Guyana government withheld his visa and as a result, England’s management decided not to play the Test.

Jackman finally made his Test debut at the age of 35 later in the tour, with Gordon Greenidge his first wicket as he took 3-65 in Barbados.

Born in India but brought up in England, Jackman also played in 15 one-day internationals for England over the course of nine years, taking 19 wickets.

He made his debut for Surrey in 1966 and played for the county for 16 years, taking 50 wickets or more for nine successive seasons.

Jackman also played for Western Province in 1971-72 as well as Rhodesia - before it was recognised by the International Cricket Council as Zimbabwe - between 1972-73 and 1979-80.

After retiring he became a familiar and highly regarded voice on South African television coverage of the game.

His long-time Surrey team-mate John Edrich died over Christmas, aged 83. (BBC Sport)

Former England batsman John Edrich dies aged 83

John Edrich made his 100th first-class century in 1977, against Derbyshire at The Oval

Edrich’s unbeaten 33 in his Test as captain was notable for the fact he had two ribs broken by the first ball he faced from Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee

That innings in Sydney was an example of his ability to excel against the era’s premier pace attacks from West Indies and especially Australia, against whom sev-

en of his dozen Test centuries were made.

He averaged 48.96 in 32 matches against England’s fiercest rival and that figure rose to 55.78 in Ashes Tests on Australian soil.

His opening partnership with the similarly doughty Geoffrey Boycott - a classic right-and-left combination at the top of the order - was one of the key reasons England regained the Ashes in 1971-72.

“With John’s passing, we’ve lost a prolific and fearless batsman - one of the select few who have scored more than 5,000 runs for England,” said Tom Harrison, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

“His duels with some of the world’s best fast bowlers were legendary, and it’s a testament to his ability that his 310 not out against New Zealand in 1965 remains the fifth-highest Test score by an English batsman.”

Edrich played in the first one-day international, opening the batting with regular Test partner Boycott against Australia at the MCG in January 1971.

He hit the first boundary in the new format, a trade-

mark clip through mid-wicket, on the way to a man-ofthe-match innings of 82 off 119 balls as England made 190 from 39.4 overs.

Edrich played in a further six ODIs, averaging 37.16 with a highest score of 90 and a strike rate of 68.61.

Born in Norfolk, the cousin of former England batsman Bill, he played for Surrey for 20 years from 1958 and his 29,305 runs is the fourth-highest total in the history of the county.

Surrey fans voted for Edrich to open the batting alongside Sir Jack Hobbs in their ‘Greatest XI’ and the John Edrich Gates at the Pavilion End of the Kia Oval is a permanent reminder of his loyal service to the county.

“John Edrich was truly one of the greatest players to ever play for our club and his passing is an incredibly sad moment for us all,” said Surrey chairman Richard Thompson.

“From watching his brave and charismatic batting to sitting alongside him in our committee room and learning about the game, to have been able to call John a friend was a high honour.”

(BBC Sport)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE December 27, 2020

LeBron James ties Christmas Day wins record in Lakers victory LeBron James and Anthony Davis led the Los Angeles Lakers to a comfortable 138-115 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day. Davis scored 28 points and had eight rebounds, while James had 22 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for the defending NBA champions.

James, 35, has now scored 383 points in games on Christmas Day, moving him into second all-time above Oscar Robertson.

Only late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant has scored more, with 395.

It is a 10th victory for four-time NBA champion James in Christmas Day games, tying the record held by former Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade.

Two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant continued his

impressive return from an Achilles tendon injury that kept him out of last season as he scored 29 points in the Brooklyn Nets’ 123-95 win over the Boston Celtics.

they beat the Denver Nuggets 121-108.

Paul George scored 23 points, while fellow Clippers star Kawhi Leonard scored 21 before exiting in the fourth

LeBron James has now won 10 and lost five of the 15 games he has played on Christmas Day

Nets guard Kyrie Irving hit 37 points against his former side in Boston.

The Los Angeles Clippers made it two wins in a row as

quarter after an accidental collision with team-mate Serge Ibaka left him needing eight stitches in his mouth.

Reigning Most Valuable

Player Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to 15 points but his Milwaukee Bucks side still saw off the Golden State Warriors 13899.

Bucks small forward Khris Middleton scored 31 points as the hosts landed some sublime three-pointers to stretch away from the Warriors, who have now lost their opening two games.

The Miami Heat, who lost last season’s finals to the Lakers, beat the New Orleans Pelicans 111-98, despite star guard Jimmy Butler leaving the game with an ankle injury in the first half.

Former number one overall pick Zion Williamson scored 32 points for the Pelicans, but Duncan Robinson hit seven of 13 threepoint attempts in scoring 23 overall to lead the Heat to victory. (BBC Sport)

West Dem Masters donate cricket prize money to kidney transplant patient

WEST Demerara Masters have played a life-changing stroke by donating their entire prize money from a recent cricket tournament to a teenager who is preparing for renal surgery.

The WD Masters ended the inaugural Guyana Cricket Board over-40 tournament as runner-up to Regal Masters where they walked away with $100,000 and have passed on the entire sum to Nadia Budwah to assist with dialysis for her teenage son.

Aditya Mohabir, 15 years old, was diagnosed with renal failure in August this year and has since been battling for his life with his single parent mother by his side. The surgery which will be done at the Georgetown Public Hospital by Dr Kishore Persaud and his team of surgeons will see Nadia donating one of her kidneys to her son.

Aditya was forced to quit Endeavour Secondary School in Canal Number Two after he started to ‘drop back’ in his class. His mother then sent him to private tutoring in Canal Number One but he would often fall asleep during the sessions.

It was then that his mother realized that something was wrong and after a series of visits to the West Demerara Regional Hospital and then the Georgetown Public Hospital the terrible news was confirmed.

At that point it seems

as if the already bad situation in the family was getting worse since Budwah lost her job following the outbreak of Covid-19.

However, the determined mother still manages to take Aditya to the Doobay Medical Centre twice per week for dialysis travelling all the way from their

home at Vriesland Wales, West Bank Demerara.

Members of the WD Masters heard of the situation and immediately following the conclusion of the cricket tournament early in December, handed over the cheque to Aditya and his mother.

The WD Masters are also

urging others to reach out to Aditya and his mother in any way to make the already tough time a little easier.

Persons may contact 6861355 with assistance.

Budwah was grateful to the WD Masters and is hoping and praying for better days for her family.

(John Ramsingh)

West Dem Masters Chabiraj Ramcharran (left) and Mohamed Abid Haniff presenting $100,000 to assist Aditya Mohabir (centre) with dialysis

23

ODPM walks back claims Russell restaurants closed for Covid-19 violations

…says official release sent in error

Andre Russell

THE Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) hurriedly withdrew a previous advisory, which stated that the Russell’s T20 Restaurant and Sports Bar franchise, owned by Windies T20 star Andre Russell, had been ordered closed for breaching regulations.

On Wednesday the government body had issued a release stating that both the restaurants Old Harbour and newly opened Kingston location would be closed for breaching COVID-19 regulations.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Desmond McKenzie, however, then claimed that the both establishments were operating in contravention to other regulations. The ODPM has since claimed that the release had been prepared but was sent out in error.

There is yet to be any update in relation to the claims of other permit violations later referred to by the minister.

Russell, one of the region’s biggest T20 stars, opened the Old Harbour franchise in 2017 before adding the Kingston location earlier this month.

(Sportsmax)

LBI Cricket TURN FROM facility ... BACK PAGE the LBI venue, most notably the lights, much can be done to create a more lucrative environment for players.

“I feel the future of cricket in Guyana is going to be competitive at many levels. I see attractive prizes, I see teams playing for 10, 20 million dollars and this is not a dream, this is the future for cricket.”

Said Nadir.

Minister of Human Services, Dr. Persaud, during the feature address, was elated to see the continued progress of sports under the newly installed government, that has been relentless in placing heavy emphasis on ensuring that sports is equally recognized and catered for since coming into office.

The Minister believes that the venue will not only play a big role in ensuring the country’s top cricketers are comfortable, but also others outside of sports can also enjoy the benefits of this newly renovated ground, which is also the culmination point for the country’s annual Diwali Motorcade.

“With the progress that has been promised with the new government, I see this as

the beginning of great things for the future of cricket and other sporting events, said Minister Persaud.

One of the key figures behind the rehabilitation of the venue, GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie, was extremely pleased to have finally seen the hard work paying off with the opening of what he believes will be the next venue to host first class cricket for the 2021 season.

Another important entity involved in the celebrations is the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), which leased the land to the GCB for 99 years.

When the LBI’s estate closed operations back in 2010, new CEO, Sasenarine Singh, said the journey had been a tough one but thankfully they preserved to now enjoy a much brighter future with GuySuco promising to continue their support.

Meanwhile, Sanasie outlined a number of future plans, which include additional modifications set for the venue, modernized Media Centre area, a practice facility with six all-weather pitches, with a hospitality box and seating for fans.

GFF/K&S, MCYS team up for 2-day BounceBack Football TURN TO PAGE 20

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Charles Ramson (2nd left) stands with GFF president, Wayne Forde (2nd right) and organisers, Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major (left) and Kashif Muhammad in sharing a light moment

LBI Cricket facility officially opens, lights commissioned

By Clifton Ross IT was a momentous event last Wednesday, as the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB, along with government officials, cricketers and stakeholders finally switched on the lights to the newly upgraded La Bonne Intention (LBI) Community Centre Ground, thus lighting the way forward for sports with 2021 just around the corner.

The iconic moment came compliments of Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, who did the honours by activating the switch to lighting the venue, thus opening the newest chapter in Guyana’s history books of cricket.

President of the Everest Cricket Club and Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Manzoor Nadir was among the guest speakers along with the Minister present at the ceremony held a few nights ago.

Nadir was adamant that such a move was not highly beneficial for the country’s cricket arm; mainly due to the fact that now with the international standards of TURN TO PAGE 23 SEE PAGE 23

‒Minister Persaud, Everest president Nadir predicts bright future for cricket, sports

TURN TO PAGE 20

Minister of Human Services and Social Security , Dr. Persaud, flips the switch to officially commission the lights at the newly opened LBI Community Centre ground The late Reyaz Hussain addressing the audience at the GCB function on Wednesday night last

LeBron James ties Christmas Day wins record in Lakers victory

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| SUNDAY CHRONICLE DECEMBER 27, 2020