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Tuesday Nov. 16, 2021

FINANCE MINISTER ASHNI SINGH HOSTS FOLLOW-UP AGRICULTURE INVESTMENT MEETING

LINDEN’S BLUE LAKE DEEMED A TOURIST DESTINATION

MAN BEATEN TO DEATH OVER THEFT ALLEGATION

Tuessday Nov. 16, 2021

Finance Minister Ashni Singh hosts follow-up agriculture investment meeting

Government continues to push and implement strategies for Guyana’s non-oil sector to be expanded. On Monday, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh

hosted another follow-up meeting with Chandra Pratap Singh, Business Development Director; and Emil Moukarzel, Chief Operating Officer of Elite Agro LLC of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Accompanying the Finance Minister at the meeting were Ministers of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, and Tourism Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond.

Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Paul

Cheong, and other private sector representatives including David Fernandes, Head of a consortium dealing with the expansion of corn and soya-bean production in Guyana, and Sachin Singh who heads another private

sector consortium dealing with the expansion of the seafood sector, were also present.

The meeting was a follow-up to earlier meetings held between President Irfaan Ali and officials of Elite Agro LLC (one of the UAE’s leading agriculture companies having largescale integrated farming operations and currently engaged in growing, sourcing, importing, and marketing of agricultural products).

During the meeting, Minister Singh explained to the officials of Elite Agro LLC that traditionally agriculture has been an extremely important anchor in Guyana’s economy.

It is still an important anchor in the non-oil economy.

He added that with Guyana looking to

expand the agricultural sector currently, two big streams of opportunities are available to Elite Agro LLC either to be a direct investor or to facilitate trade in agricultural commodities to other export destinations.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said that with the emergence of oil and gas, it is expected that the oil and gas sector will complement the non-oil sector and the Government will invest in infrastructure to support the development and expansion of the agricultural sector.

The private sector representatives provided extensive and detailed presentations to Elite Agro LLC on agriculture (including corn and soya bean) and seafood along with the available opportunities for inv

Sonia Noel Foundation to host International Men’s Day forum from Nov. 18 best lives and create the world we desire to live in together.

This is the third year Sonia Noel Foundation has been involved in International Men’s Day Celebration.

In 2019 former British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn, hosted an event at the residence to launch the Men Across Borders Anthology.

Last year the foundation hosted a virtual forum for men and boys featuring some of the co-authors from around the world.

“We are having an impressive lineup for both days. The founder of SNF, Sonia Noel, will be the moderator for November 18. We will broadcast from Sonics boardroom, compliments Sonia Noel Foundation November 18 at 7 pm.

The main objective relations with ourselves, of Ryad Boyce.” will be hosting a two- The theme is “Let’s do is to inspire, empower each other and the International Men’s day Virtual Forum from better” and encourage better environment, to live our Day was founded in

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1999 by Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh. He was a history lecturer at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad Tobago.

Jerome Teelucksingh chose November 19 to honour his father’s birthday.

Esan Benzy, Recording Artist/ CEO Hardball Entertainment.

This super talented young man writes his own music. He also a collaboration with Quacy Boyce AkA Dj Avalanche on a few songs.

DJ Avalance is also a popular Radio personality and he will be part of the discussion, We are encouraging people to register to join the forum by emailing beyondtherunway1@ gmail.com or WhatsApp 5926289044

Tuesday Nov. 16, 2021

LINDEN’S BLUE LAKE DEEMED A TOURIST DESTINATION

Despite the concerns over the safety of the Blue Lake in Linden, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry & Commerce, and the Guyana Tourism Authority, has joined the Region 10 Regional administration, Region 10 Tourism Committee, and the Linden Town Council with another official launch making Kara Kara Blue Lake a tourist destination.

As Guyana continues to celebrate Tourism Month 2021, Blue Lake in Region 10 has been

now been listed as a tourism destination.

According to the Minister of Tourism, Oneidge WalrondAllicock, giving the area the title is “no brainer” as the lake was cleared for ‘leisure activates’ only.

“Getting into that kayak is a bit of adventure. People love the little adrenaline and the sites are so beautiful.

It’s pristine out here; this is a no-brainer for a tourist attraction. You could come here to the beautiful white sand, the

safe water, swimming, adventure kayaking, jet skiing. There is so much to do here in just one spot,” Minister, Waldron noted.

At the time, the Minister was making several stops around Region 10, where she met several stalk holders in the tourism industry in the region, where concerns and plans for development were shared.

The minister named the Kara Kara Blue Lake a tourist destination

as Guyana celebrates Tourism Month 2021.

Kara Kara Blue Lake is an old mining area, where over many decades’ chemicals were used in the area. After the mining stopped the manmade lake was formed.

As such over the years, there were several concerns raised overacidity in the water and the risk it poses to the health of those venturing off into the waters.

This pushed the authorities in the area to halt swimming in the waters but that decision was later reversed.

According to the Minister, this is because of independent studies done on the water that showed that the water is safe for leisure activities.

“We have had an independent study done of the water, as well as a study conducted by GWI, Guyana Water Authority. They have certified that the lake is safe for recreational activates. So, we would not have been reckless enough to say that it is safe when it’s not. We do have studies to back it up.”

The Minister also emphasized that the next step is to develop the area by having a proposal from the people of Region Ten to develop the area with resorts etc.

“Already, we have given the support the tourism committee in terms of developing, and also to Mr (Deon) Anderson, a Chemical Engineer by profession and the proprietor of Elite Kayaking and Nature Tours) as a stakeholder in this particular venture.

“I could see with the proposals, and encourage the tourism committee that if they can come together with proposals to put up and beautiful resorts.

To have sporting activities done here in this beautiful lake, all of these things we can help partner and help to sell these destinations for people, who are coming from outside of Guyana with monies to invest in tourism.

“They really want to partner and when we present this as a project I believe it would not be in terms of selling for it

to be a major resort tourist destination,” Minister Walrond also disclosed.

The town of Linden has been known as the mining town for over 100 years. Since then several areas in the town show the history of that mining.

The Blue Lake area was once a flat piece of land but just but over time heavy excavation for bauxite eventually formed mining pits.

The pits filled water from springs beneath the earth’s surface and surrounding hills.

However, as people started to use the area for swimming and other activities, several times heavy metals and other toxins were found.

In the end, according to officials, they were tested and it was shown that the water was not safe for consumption but for recreation.

The area is set to be developed with various resorts and added security. The dumpsite nearby is to be removed soon.

MORE THAN 50 PER CENT ADULT POPULATION FULLY VACCINATED —DR. ANTHONY Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, on Monday, announced that Guyana has surpassed a major milestone in its vaccination campaign. It has fully inoculated more than half of the adult population.

During the COVID-19 update, Dr. Anthony said 51 percent of the adult population has been fully vaccinated against the deadly virus.

“So, this is not the entire Guyanese population.

Of the adult population, we have achieved the 51 percent.”

He said while the milestone can be applauded, some regions are still lagging in their

vaccination. He said 51 percent overall was reached because of the high vaccination rate in Region Four.

“So we are 43.2 percent in Region One; Region Two, 41.6 percent, for Region Three, 48.9 percent; Region Four, 58.5 percent; Region Five, 51.9 percent; Region Six 49.8 percent; Region Seven, 46.9 percent; Region Eight, 34.8 percent; Region Nine at 53.4 percent, and Region Ten at 22.3 percent.

“These are persons 18 years and over who would have received both doses of the vaccines.”

As of Monday, the Ministry of Health

recorded 391,521 adults, 18 years and older taking the first dose of a COVID vaccine, representing 76.3 percent of that population.

A total of 261,811 adults, or 51 percent of that population have already returned for the second dose of the vaccine.

For persons 12 to 17 years, 28,345 or 38.9 percent were vaccinated with the first dose, while 19,536 or 26.8 percent received the second shot.

Meanwhile, despite vaccination numbers progressively increasing, persons are still flouting the COVID-19 guidelines, Dr. Frank Anthony adding to the number Just over the past 24 cases, raising the currently of positive cases, Dr. hours, the Ministry of active cases to 2,412.

Anthony stated.

Health detected 55 new Of that number, 50

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persons are currently hospitalised, Minister Anthony noted.

“Thirty-two persons are now at the Ocean View Hospital with 15 of them in the ICU. The others are indifferent regional hospitals: four at Suddie Hospital, three at West Demerara, two at the Region Five facility, one at Skeldon, one at Bartica, two at Mahdia and we have four persons in the Wismar Hospital.”

Region Three is still topping the chart with 1,014 active cases.

Minister Anthony is urging the population to come forward and be vaccinated against COVID-19.

GRA to relocate LRO Smyth Street Operations

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will be moving its Licence Revenue Operations from Smyth and Princes Streets to the GRA’s Parking Lot, Lamaha Railway Embankment, Camp and Lamaha Streets. Operations at this new location will take effect from Monday, November 29, 2021.

In order to facilitate the relocation, the office at Smyth Street will be closed on Friday, November 26, 2021, from 12 noon.

This move is a temporary one, which stems from the need to demolish the existing structure at Smyth Street and reconstruct a modern, more functional office space for the comfort of both staff and customers with optimised service.

The hours of operation at the Railway

Embankment facility will be: • Mondays- Thursdays from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM, and • Fridays from 7:00 AM to 2:30 PM. However, autodealers will be granted three half-hour slots daily to complete their transactions. The allotted times are: • Mondays to Thursday 7:00AM – 7:30AM, 11:30AM – 12PM, and 3:00PM-3:30PM, and • Fridays 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM. Services, which will be available at this location, are motor vehicle registration, change of registration, transfer of registration, motor vehicle examination, and motor vehicle licence.

A drive-through system will be in place for persons whose only transaction is purchasing

motor vehicle licence(s).

All registration and examination services at this facility will be rendered by appointment.

This includes hire cars incorporating yellow and minibuses to be registered in the ‘G’ series.

Requests for appointments can be facilitated through an online mailbox lroappointments@gra. gov.gy or Whatsapp on 655-0806 during the aforementioned business hours. Upon receipt of the request, a confirmation notice will be sent.

Persons visiting this location to lodge documents for motor vehicle registration purposes MUST also present the said vehicle (s) on the date of the appointment. In the case of Motor Vehicle

Transfer transactions, both parties MUST be present for the processing of the said transaction.

Access to the facility Customers will access the facility from Camp Street, using the inner lane of the eastern carriageway that flows south towards Lamaha Street. The first gate, near to the northern side of the facility will be used for entry, while the other gate further south will be the exit point.

GRA wishes to remind taxpayers that the COVID-19 Emergency Measures published in the Official Gazette dated October 30, 2021, are in effect, and encourage all to comply with them; including wearing masks at all times, sanitizing hands and practising social distancing.

Tuesday Nov. 16, 2021

MAN BEATEN TO DEATH OVER THEFT ALLEGATION

A 54-year-old is dead after he was allegedly beaten with a cutlass, rope, and chain, placed in a rice bag, and dragged 300 feet to his death over the accusation of him stealing a silver chain, gold chain, and eight silver rings from one of his alleged attackers’ home.

The dead man has been identified as, Bheem Evans, 54, of # 11 Squatting Area, West Coast Berbice. Reports are that the incident occurred just after about 20;00 hours on Friday.

At the time of the incident, the victim’s son, Tishan Persaud, said that he was on his way home on a street in Block “D” Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, when he was attacked by two suspects, armed with a cutlass, rope, and chain.

He said that he was told that his father went into one of the suspects’ homes and stole his silver chain, gold chain, and eight silver rings.

The suspects subsequently started to deal with the victim’s son with several lashes

about his head, face, and back which caused him to receive injuries.

Subsequently, the suspects then went on to find Evans and dealt him lashes about his face and body asking him for the supposed stolen articles.

Evans denied the allegations and the suspects then wrapped him in a one-ton rice sack and dragged him about 300 feet into another street in the said village and threw him on the grass parapet. They then told his son to take him home.

Being injured as well, the son, Persaud, went to the police at Fort Wellington Police Station and reported the matter and while Evans was picked up by police in an unconscious condition and taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment.

The body is presently lying at Fort Wellington Hospital Mortuary while the suspects, age 23 and 27 have been arrested and remain in custody pending further investigations.

Pedal cyclist killed on Profit Public Road

WCB. Dead is a 24-year-old, Pedal Cyclist, Neville Anthony Small.

According to reports, the incident occurred just around 05:10 hours yesterday afternoon when a motorcar drove by 45-year-old Sandra Gittens of Brushe Dam, Friendship, East Coast Demerara.

The family of a pedal after he was hit by a car She was Resident cyclist is now in mourning on the Profit Public Road, proceeding east along the info@guyanapostonline.com

northern side of the road.

Ms. Gittens claimed that at the time, she was blinded by the lights of a vehicle coming from the opposite direction. This caused her to collide with the pedal cyclist who was proceeding west along the northern side of the said road.

As a result of the impact, the Small was thrown onto the front windscreen then onto the roadway where

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he sustained injuries to his head and about his body.

He was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to Fort Wellington Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Gittens was then taken into custody to assist with the continuation of the investigation.

Friday Nov. 12, 2021

F.W. de Klerk, Last President of Apartheid South Africa, Dies at 85

F.W. de Klerk, who as president of South Africa dismantled the apartheid system that he and his ancestors had helped put in place, died at his home near Cape Town on Thursday. He was 85.

His death was confirmed by the F.W. de Klerk Foundation, which said in a statement that he had been receiving treatment for cancer.

A member of a prominent Afrikaner family, Mr. de Klerk had vehemently defended the separation of the races during his long climb up the political ladder. But once he took over as president in 1989, he stunned his deeply divided nation, and the wider world, by reconsidering South

Africa’s racist ways, a step that led to his sharing the Nobel Peace Prize with Nelson Mandela, whom he had released from prison.

South Africa had become such a pariah in the eyes of the world by the 1980s, its internal strife and tainted reputation so disruptive to the economy, that Mr. de Klerk argued that the country’s future depended on a new course.

“He didn’t say apartheid was bad or immoral, but that he had decided it wasn’t going to work,” said Herman J. Cohen, who held talks with Mr. de Klerk during that tumultuous time as the State Department’s top Africa adviser in

the administration of President George H.W. Bush.

With its web of insidious laws doling out rights, privileges, and even meal sizes in prisons based on skin colour, apartheid was not easy to undo; ending it required years of legislative action and significant national angst.

But when Mr. de Klerk in 1990 announced the lifting of the 30-year ban on the African National Congress and the release from prison of its most prominent leader, Mr. Mandela, he set in motion a transformation so powerful that it quickly pushed him to the margins.

Mr. Mandela would

trample Mr. de Klerk in presidential elections just four years after winning his freedom. Even as Mr. Mandela invited Mr. de Klerk into his transitional government as second deputy president, Mr. de Klerk struggled with his diminished role and eventually quit.

He then sought to transform the National Party, which his grandfather had helped create, from a whitedominated organization into a multiracial one with the clout of the A.N.C., but those efforts fizzled. Frustrated by internal party tensions and criticism from the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which investigated the

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country’s past, Mr. de Klerk announced his retirement from politics in 1997.

“I was seething,” he wrote of a frank speech Mr. Mandela made in Sweden after the prize ceremony. “It was only with the greatest selfcontrol that I once again managed to bite my tongue and not shatter once and for all the illusion that there was a cordial relationship between me and Mandela.”

He added: “It was ironic that we had both traveled so far to be granted the world’s highest accolade for peace and reconciliation — while the relationship between us was characterized by so much vitriol and suspicion.”

In his own autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom,” Mr. Mandela characterized his relationship with Mr. de Klerk as one born of necessity. “To make peace with an enemy,” he wrote, “one must work with that enemy, and that enemy becomes one’s partner.”

Although the two men would become symbols of racial harmony, their likenesses sold in South African shops on T-shirts and as salt and pepper shakers, Mr. Mandela was circumspect in his praise of Mr. de Klerk’s role in ending apartheid.

“Despite his seemingly progressive actions,” Mr. Mandela wrote, “Mr. de Klerk was by no means the great emancipator.

He was a gradualist, a careful pragmatist.

He did not make any of his reforms with the intention of putting himself out of power. He made them for precisely the opposite reason: to ensure power for the Afrikaner in a new dispensation.”

As a new generation of Black South Africans found their voice, Mr. de Klerk’s legacy faced increasing criticism. In a final message — a video released by his foundation hours after his death — he clarified his stance on apartheid.

In particular, he spoke to those who he said did not believe his apology for the pain and indignity caused by racist policies, and apologized once again, “without qualification.”

“Allow me in this last message to share with you the fact that since the early ’80s, my views changed completely,” Mr. de Klerk said, looking frail, his voice shaking. “It was as if I had a conversion and in my heart of hearts realized that apartheid was wrong.”

He is survived by his wife, Elita, and his children Jan and Susan, his foundation said.

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