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Tuesday April 27, 2021
Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456 Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
GUYOIL - a case study of Guyana GUYOIL stands as a prime example of how governance, at many levels, functions in Guyana today. GUYOIL could serve as the perfect picture of a rare behind the scenes look at how men entrusted with responsibility conduct themselves. They conduct themselves in this manner, because it is understood all around that they have been given a mandate, in the fullness of powerful carte blanches, to make a killing while living a deep dark lie. Indeed, it could be confidently and convincingly said that GUYOIL is so much more than any one lie, but an expression of so many countless other deplorable and damnable lies. In all of this, what has allegedly occurred at GUYOIL furnishes the context and long degrading trail of what could be a genuine case study of the plagues that bewitch Guyana that bedevils the hopes of all of its diverse band of hopeful peoples. They hope in vain, other than for a crumb here and a charitable drop over there, which comes in well-rationed trickles. Keeps them from overreacting and keeps them so contented that they cannot even summon the energy to bark in growling defiance, to rail up and rage and last to rush forward with uncontrollable anger in their hearts. GUYOIL is a case study in leadership cunning; the PPPâs leadership lack of any iota of integrity. It is more than a case study of corporate mismanagement and corporate malpractices (all allegedly, of course, at this early hour). This state agency is representative of many others and the character of the people put in charge, the criminal expectations instilled in them and the rich returns that they must produce as proof of their worth. In some sense, the expectations of PPP leadership, and as evidenced in their choices for state stewardship, confirm that they think and behave like regular sharpshooting, sky aiming investors, and their on the ground investment managers. Just get the job done, and rake in the cash, and be assured that there will be the required smokescreen put in place. From the interferences called protection rackets run, be those through the police supposedly falling short, or the court system falling further apart. It is how the system is known to work, and is actually setup, if not guaranteed, to deliver. The only things separating the visions and plans of PPP leaders and their operational commanders and foot soldiers here in Guyana from those who make a living overseeing billions in foreign markets are best embodied in a small handful of simple words. They fall under such categories as principles and rules and accountability (real accountability and not because some hollow leader makes good use of them). And to those must be added something called concern for personal reputation and a steadfast commitment to personal honour, in playing by the rules. We do not have much of a speck of that here in Guyana, where the governance of the stateâs assets and the stateâs business is concerned. In fact, any rules we have are on paper and apply nowhere else; while personal principles are but abstraction and all but meaningless. Instead, what we have is GUYOIL and the many smaller and larger versions of agencies that look and smell and live like GUYOIL. It is why we at this paper must rather regrettably memorialise a few positions for our fellow citizens to absorb. We do so in the hope that they may be able to digest wrongdoing, maybe even appreciate things like we do. GUYOIL is more than a case study of things in Guyana. GUYOIL is a microcosm of what Guyana is really all about and all the way down to its nasty, dirty, ugly, public soul. GUYOIL is a microcosm that is a monstrosity. For it is not a standalone, or an outlier, or one of those rare developments called Black Swan events. GUYOIL is the Guyanese norm and the norm is riddled through and through with what condemns the anticipating peoples of this society to a state of perpetual impoverishment and as accompanied by its closest cousin, which we know all too well as the anarchy of immovable racial animosity. GUYOIL is all at once that unchallengeable microcosm that is also a case study and the ugliest of monstrosities. GUYOIL is Guyanaâs dirty laundry that is now fully ventilated
Charmaine Stuart was a pioneering woman in the Guyana Police Force Dear Editor I recently learned with much grief about the death of an outstanding Guyanese, Charmaine Stuart, Senior Superintendent of Police, and Director of Music and Culture of the Guyana Police Force. News of this irreparrable loss hit me like a bolt from the blue. I believe that all those who knew Charmaine are equally perturbed. I was acquainted with Charmaine for over three decades. During that period, I found her to be a person of the highest calibre. Aside from being intelligent, honest and hardworking, she was extremely easy to get along with. She joined the Guyana Police Force Military Band MS as an apprentice and worked her way through the various rank structure to the position of Senior Superintendent and director
of the best band in the land. She was the first and only female to reach the apex of management of the police band. Several years ago while I was the Training Officer for the Guyana Police Force, against all odds, I selected her to attend the Junior Officersâ Course which was a threemonth live-in training programme. The training was designed to focus on leadership and general policing. It did not have anything to do with music which at that time was Charmaineâs strong point. This training which was executed in collaberation with the University of Guyana was intensive. Although Charmaine spent all her service in a specialised section of the Force where she blended well with her peers, superiors, subordinates and
facilitators. During the course, I discovered that she had a serious addiction. Yes, she had an addiction for knowledge in general policing. During one of our numerous confabulations, she told me that she was passionate about self development. She opined that members of the GPF owed it to themselves to develop themselves and not for the GPF to develop them. Later, on her own, she gained admission to the University of Guyana and graduated with a degree. Shermaine was a founder member of the Guyana Association of Women Police. She served as the Vice President and on several occasions, she represented that body both locally and overseas. Charmaine also took part in numerous
activities conducted by the Force and the Joint Services.You name it and Charmaine was there participating. In 2017, she was adjudged the Best Cop for that year. Prior to her death, arrangements were in train at the highest level to retain her service for the the strategic development of the band and its members. However, before play could have started, her innings was unfortunately abbreviated. Charmaine had clean hands, a warm heart, a cool head and a passion for her job and God. To her sorrowing family, relatives, friends and members of the Guyana Police Force, I hasten to express my deepest sympathy. May her soul Rest In Peace. Yours truly, Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired)
Eshri Singhâs golden voice will be missed Dear Editor, The golden voice of Shri Eshri Singh, a legendary broadcaster in Guyana and in the US (among the diaspora), will be missed. He had a passion for broadcasting. Eshri has left a legacy of positive experiences in his homeland of birth and his adopted homeland. He was among the pioneers of broadcasting (for Indians) in Guyana. I grew up in Guyana listening to his radio programs during the 1960s and 1970s. He was enormously popular; there was hardly anyone who listened to (Indian) music and didnât know his name. He had a huge following in Guyana and New York. One can learn a lot from the legacy that he has left behind in emceeing cultural shows. Eshri had extraordinary talent and developed a remarkable broadcasting career, emceeing countless (Indian) concerts, and radio and TV programmes in Guyana and America. Indians in Trinidad, UK, and Canada also knew him; he appeared on several Indian cultural programmes in Trinidad including the popular Mastana Bahar singing and dancing contests. He related his Trinidad experience with me in chats, which we had. He spoke very fondly of the Mohammed clan of Mohammedville in El Socoro,
Trinidad who were promoters of Indian culture (on radio and TV since the 1960s) on the island. He contributed significantly to the institutionalisation of IndoCaribbean culture and community life among New York Indian Guyanese. He had a presence at countless cultural, religious, and community political events in the greater NY area. He was seen at events where Presidents Cheddi Jagan, Janet, Jagdeo, and Ramotar were main speakers. I do not think anyone emceed more events than him. I faintly recall his presence as a judge at a Miss Diwali pageant, which I organised decades ago. He emceed charitable programmes and was present at the annual Diwali and Phagwah parades in Richmond Hill. He was a professional. He worked very hard for success. Eshri, as we called him, had a mesmerising voice that one could not forget. In fact, people would say he was the man with âthe golden voiceâ. I canât think of anyone who had a more pleasant and refined voice than him except in India and Trinidad. He brought great joy to audiences wherever he hosted or emceed musical programmes or concerts and disc jockeying on radio and TV. Tens of thousands grew
before the world, as to how business is handled in this country. The code words used, the careful and concerted attempts at covering tracks that are practiced and the appalling greed of those who, from top to bottom, talk a good game about good governance and good leadership and doing good for the people. All they do is good for themselves only.
up during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s listening on radio to his very distinct voice on programmes that provided a staple of Bollywood music and songs with birthday requests. No one else had that magnificent, superfluous voice as he did during that period. Almost everyone I knew would tune in to his programme. People used to pen requests for songs to be âplayed on airâ. Phones were not available then (through the 1970s and 1980s). Forbes Burnhamâs institutionalised racism saw Eshri and so many of us escaping Guyana never to return for domicile. His departure from Guyana was a blessing for Guyanese in NY. He became a promoter of Indian culture in America. Although it was not a paid full-time career, he approached his task with great enthusiasm. He was a serious broadcaster who was not much into joviality. He collaborated with other broadcasters to promote Indian culture in NY. I first met Eshri in New York sometime in the late 1980s through Ramesh Kalicharran who used his business earnings to fund radio and musical programmes and concerts. I had countless encounters with him thereafter at various events including cultural programmes that I emceed or organised including the annual Indian Arrival cultural variety concerts in Richmond Hill. At first, Eshri appeared on radio programmes hosted by other broadcasters before getting his own programmes on radio and on TV. He was a weekly feature (Saturdays
and Sundays) on TV for several hours. There is no question, he was the best emcee and had countless followers. He also served as emcee for concerts and other community events. My experiences with Eshri were very warm and friendly. I once engaged him at his home in Ozone Park with a friend (Ms. Tanman) who was visiting from Trinidad for Miss India Worldwide pageant and whose organisation had hosted Eshri and his wife on the island. Eshri and his wife were very good hosts. He was very humble. His humility and his voice were his real power. His personal values included respect for others, kindness, compassion, collaboration with other broadcasters and gratitude to those who assisted him especially during his early years in America. He always had very kind words to describe Mr. Kali who sponsored Eshriâs trip to India. When Eshri accompanied Kaliâs group on a tour to India more than a decade ago, I communicated with him daily for a report on the tour of which I penned several articles. He described that India visit as most inspirational, incredibly beautiful, fantastic, and unforgettable. He shared wonderful pictures. In NY, Eshri condemned the Burnham government for marginalising Indian culture and discriminating against Indians in employment practices. He was not very active in the movement in NY against the dictatorship. But he lent his moral support and his voice to those of us who (Continued on page 5)
Tuesday April 27, 2021
PAGE 5
Kaieteur News
To avoid confusion, government should bring all stakeholders to the table on oil sector Dear Editor, During my primary school years, I read a story in one of my reading books about a man, his son and a donkey who were travelling through some villages on their way to a distant destination. As they traversed each village, someone would somehow offer an advice to the travelling trio. As the story goes during their passage through the first village someone shouted out to them, why chase behind the beast instead let the man get up on the donkey and have his son prod the animal on, so they gratefully obliged and the the man got on the donkey. During their trek through the next village another villager called out what a lazy big man, why not have the little boy ride on the donkey and let the adult gentleman chase after them, so they readily heeded the advice and the little boy got on the donkey. Passing through another village, they all shouted out to them in chorus, look at these two senseless people, they should be carrying the poor animal! At the advice of the last set of villagers, the little boy suddenly got off the donkey, the father and son then made a raft and thereafter went struggling on their way
through the streets carrying the heavy animal. It was a sight of laughter and humiliation as the two went through village after village carrying a heavy beast of burden. Now the moral behind that story is when you try to please everybody or acting on every advice the most ridiculous things will be the result. With the above premise in mind, I turn your attention to our situation here in Guyana. Now that we are an oil producing giant, US $342 M and counting, the call comes as to what should be done with our new found wealth and how best it should be utilised. 1. Coming from one source, let us plough much of the oil wealth into a fund to develop that industry to full capacity, that is, put more money into the oil industry so that we can maximize profit. A nice sounding idea, but how much of that would redound to the benefit of the people of this country is left unanswered. 2. Yet, another says that we should do some more on the border with Venezuela. Let us buy some fighter jets to combat any aggression from our neighbour to the West of us. 3. Put the oil dollars into medicine and fight the Covid-19 disease. People are
Dr. Validum will be missed Dear Editor, A short note to reflect on Dr. Lloyd Validum, whom I learnt died yesterday in Guyana. After arrival from Cuba as a Doctor in Medicine, he subsequently proceeded to Venezuela to study Malariology. On his return to Guyana, he worked at the Vector Control Department of the Ministry of Health and subsequently became head of the Ministryâs Malaria Unit at the Georgetown Hospital. He then proceeded to work at the Woodlands Hospital in malaria and other health conditions. He was one of the first
persons who promoted the use of impregnated mosquito nets and rapid diagnostic tests for the prevention and detection of malaria among the gold mining population and others at risk of the disease in Guyana. Coincidence is that we, who continue working against malaria, recognise today, 25th April, a day after his death, as World Malaria Day. We shall continue our efforts to eliminate malaria in the Americas, a goal for which he strove. Rest calmly my dear colleague; your efforts will not be in vain. Yours truly, Keith H. Carter, MD
dying and the death toll is rising, come on people, let us channel more of our resources into the medical field. 4. Let us put a major part of our earnings into agriculture; after all, it is the productive sector so let us focus on the modernisation, retooling and refashioning of this sector. It will bring in much-needed foreign reserves which will work towards the development of our country. 5. Place all our monies into the pockets of our frontline workers. Definitely a pet project for the Opposition; they constantly clamour for these workers whom they claim risk their lives for our health and safety. They are the most important people in our country today, so let us put all our resources into this avenue. 6. Another one of those in the arsenal of the Opposition, is the housing and water sector. Water is life - they will argue - we also need
a place to live, why should a country as large as ours and richly blessed as ours called the âLand of many waters,â should there be a problem accessing these. Much, if not all our resources should be put into housing and water. 7. Then infrastructure should take centre stage. As a nation, we must have good roads highways, bridges, buildings, sewer systems and a reliable power supply. Without these, we would be a backward and underdeveloped third world economy. More, if not a major part of our resources ought to be put into infrastructural works. 8. Crime and crime fighting is crucial to development. Lest we forget this fact we shall soon be overcome by the criminals out there. The very fabric of society will come crashing down should the criminals have their way, so why not put a hefty part of our reserves into crime fighting. 9. Job creation. People
need jobs, we need jobs so that we can work and earn and feed ourselves and our families. This was the top priority during the election campaign and the government should provide more jobs for its citizens. 10. Education training and people development. Without an educated workforce, we would be backward and at the mercy of outside forces. Guyana can ill afford being uneducated at this period of our development. Yes, we subscribe to a democratic process, but with everybody shouting from every corner, let us do this and let us do that, then, we will certainly be in a position like that man, his son and the donkey. I am talking about being bogged down by every tit bit of advice. Truly it would be democracy gone made and nothing will ever get done if we only source that line of reasoning. Then it behooves us to
rely on the government who has the intelligence and brainpower in calling all stakeholders to the table in discussion as to the way forward, that is opposition and the wider society. Those ideas, projects and programmes are now marshalled into a national development strategy. The point I am making, is there must be a harmonious coordinated approach of all sectors of society with varying degrees of intensity. Only then can true development be effected. Careful planning and the putting together of those programmes for the most viable outcome. If this process is followed then and only then can true progress be achieved. No doubt Guyana is in good hands and I implore all of us to put our best foot forward as we build a nation, which we can all be proud of. Yours truly, Neil Adams
...Eshri Singhâs golden voice will be missed From page 4 led the struggle in the diapsora. He courageously spoke out against Burnhamism, the banning of foods critical to the Indian cultural diet, and restrictions on foreign currency for importation of Indian films and music. Many who know Eshri Singh pay generous tribute. Ralph Tamesh, President of Indo-Caribbean Federation, thanks him for hosting several community events. âHe was an icon. His voice was unique and he is irreplaceable as an emcee. He promoted local content and trained youngsters interested in the profession and for that our community is most gratefulâ. Guyana Democracy Project President Dr. Tara Singh stated: âHe was an inspiration for several generations. He had a golden voice and the kind of poise, grace, and tenacity needed in broadcasting and emceeing
programmes. I know him since his days as an insurance valuator during the early 1970s. He was a great guy who did fantastic work for cultureâ. Ashook Ramsaran, President of Indian Diaspora Council, said Eshri was âa broadcasting pioneer, providing a reassuring voice and connection at a time when it was so critically needed as the community was being establishedâ. As he was aging, in his later years, Eshri mentored his daughter and son in the profession, with both appearing on radio and TV for over a decade. But their voice could not match his. Those who know him, mourn the loss. Although he was never recognised for his contributions to culture in Guyana, Eshri Singh belongs in a list of national honourees for his contributions to broadcasting in Guyana.
He was honoured by community organisations in NY. In my book, Eshri would be automatically inducted in any kind of âHall of Fameâ for Guyanese or Caribbean or Indian broadcasters or emcees. He was excellent, outstanding. Thank you, Eshri Singh, for your lifelong contribution towards the music and culture of the Guyanese people and Indian diaspora in NY. Condolences to his extended family and all those
whom his voice touched. It seems trite to say that Eshriâs voice will be missed. But itâs true. He was a great broadcaster whose skill and trained voice should be emulated. Yours truly Vishnu Bisram
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Tuesday April 27, 2021
Kaieteur News
Residents of Georgetown need to ask what they are getting in return for municipal rates, taxes and fees Dear Editor, I believe the time has come for the residents of Georgetown to begin seeking answers as to what services they are really receiving in return for the municipal rates, taxes and fees that they are compelled to pay. And this question needs to be asked, because no longer do they receive demand notices with a summary of proposed income and expenditure attached, something that is required by law, neither are the details of the yearly budget made public. So why all the cloak and dagger stuff? For years now, the City Council has stopped building, repairing or maintaining the roads in Georgetown. It is well known that the Ministry of Public Works is responsible for all declared and main roads in Georgetown, which include the main public highways and roadways. However, it is also established that the Georgetown City Council is responsible for all other
streets, roadways and footpaths. But for years now, they have stopped purchasing aggregates and binders such as lime, asphalt, concrete, along with other assorted products. In fact, they no longer own any crawler excavators, motor graders, road rollers, wheel loaders or an asphalt mixing plant, but rather they just simply await central government to do all the roadworks. So where does that portion of property rates that citizens pay go? Under the law, the Mayor and Councillors of the City Georgetown has a duty and obligation to collect and impound stray animals found on their own wandering around streets, roads or parks of Georgetown. But alas! They await the Ministry of Home Affairs to do this job for them, opting to not even have a dog cart of their own. In the meanwhile donkeys, horses, cows and other four footed friends are left to roam the streets aimlessly, posing a risk to life and limb of their
own and to humans. Well over a year ago, a crane toppled over and crashed into the municipal abattoir. Slaughtering of animals, processing of meat and inspection of meat products ground to a halt and has not restarted since. One would have thought that the Council would have used the occasion of this near tragedy to tear down this old derelict structure erected since 1933 and replace it with a modern facility to complement the vast potential of Guyanaâs agricultural sector, with the goal of boosting beef and pork production with the long-term aim of tapping into the international market. But no, the city seems ready to give up yet another of its functions to central government. Under the perceptive leadership of the astute lawyer, politician and diplomat, Sir Lionel Luckhoo, who was Mayor of Georgetown in 1955 and again from 1960-1961, the Luckhoo Municipal Pool was
developed in Georgetown, and provided affordable access to a form of exercise thatâs seen as a valuable life skill and one which could bring people together to learn, bond and get fit. After more than 25 years of operation, a crack was discovered and the pool was closed. To date, despite the hopes and aspirations of many, many persons, a new pool was never constructed. What recreational facilities is the Council providing to the citizenry? Years ago, the Council had in its employ an officer that went around checking to see which street -lights were not working and which lamp posts were rotting in the city. This was reported to the power company for remedial action. Those services are gone. Streets are left dark and rotting light poles are left to snap and crash to the ground. The city had its own incinerator and landfill sites to take care of the garbage generated by the citizenry which was hauled by its own
fleet of refuse trucks. Today, everything has to be hauled all the way to the Haags Bosch Landfill in Eccles that was constructed by central government. The Le Repentir Cemetery, first used in the early 19th century, is the countryâs largest burial site with thousands of old and new graves, has been all but abandoned by the Georgetown Municipality. One has to put up with vandalised tombs, foul smells, piles of garbage, animal carcasses and roadways blocked with broken palm trees and old fridges, before reaching the final resting places of their loved ones. Is there still a Sexton, and maintenance staff of the cemetery?. The municipality no longer weeds the parapets and reserve areas in the city, no longer fixes broken bridges, hardly maintains the Promenade Gardens, the East Ruimveldt, Albouystown and La Penitence markets are in a state of ruin. City Hall is on
the verge of collapse, at the Stabroek Market Wharf, zinc sheets dangle dangerously, after a section of the roof caved in a few years ago. Whenever a criminal act is perpetrated in the city, one can never find a City Constable to report it to. No longer are Sanitary Inspectors visiting yards to ensure proper hygiene practices, no longer are the pavements washed or the streets swept, there is no fogging for mosquitoes, buildings are going up all over the city in violation of building codes, itinerant and street vending has gotten out of hand, drains are clogged and flooding occurs after the least rainfall, and now the icing on the cake is that they have decided to shutter their day care centres, one of the few worthwhile services that they offered. So what are the citizens paying for? Less than ten percent of the services to which they are entitled? Yours truly, Anu Bihari
We need to be systematically tracking variants; SARS-CoV-2 is likely here to stay Dear Editor, A top-ranking science journal (N. Phillips, Nature, 2021, 590, 382) recently polled immunologists, virologists and infectious disease experts (the people who best understand virus science, how their structure changes with time and their epidemiology) working with Coronaviruses on whether they think it will be eradicated (gotten rid of completely with zero cases of infection globally). The survey showed that 90% of them think that it will become endemic but less potent as more of the worldâs population becomes immunised. Endemic means that it will circulate in sections of the world for many years to come with a risk of outbreaks in regions where it has been eliminated or there will be seasonal outbreaks. Polio is endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan; global vaccination campaigns
allowed its elimination from the rest of the world exemplifying that vaccines work! That SARS-CoV-2 is here to stay is reasoned from the fact that we have four endemic coronaviruses currently in global circulation that infect humans causing the common cold â 229E, NL63, OC43 and HKUI (https://www.cdc.gov/ coronavirus/generalinformation.html). OC43 is speculated to have caused the deadly 1889-1890 pandemic or the âRussian Fluâ however that could not be confirmed as technologies such as genome sequencing was not in existence. Genome sequencing reads out the genetic code of the virus that infected a particular person allowing it to be compared to many others. SARS-CoV-2 was detected and identified rapidly using genome sequencing. Its genome sequence was made available on the 10th January
2020, less than a month after the WHO was informed of pneumonia cases from an unknown disease in Wuhan (COVID-19). Influenza (flu) is also endemic in tropical regions with seasonal epidemics elsewhere and there exists many commercial vaccines that target multiple strains. One of these targeted strains is H1N1, notorious for its mutation rate (Note, the flu virus is structurally different from Coronaviruses and mutates at a much faster rate). So, we are still vaccinating, 100 years later, against a descendent of the H1N1 strain responsible for the deadly 1918 pandemic; a much less potent version. The WHO has a robust Global Influenza Programme, which collects epidemiological and virology data on circulating flu strains from thousands of samples. They pass this information and strain recommendations to vaccine developers to allow adjustment of the seasonal flu vaccine every year, for Northern and Southern hemispheres. With SARS-CoV-2 in circulation for a long time, there will be several challenges. Vaccination allows us to be immunised and build up antibodies to fight off the virus but one large scale study (J.M. Dan et al., Science, 2021, 371, 587) shows that antibodies begin to decline 6 to 8 months after vaccination (this is
where booster shots come in). So, the length of time immunisation lasts is still being worked out. This along with the race against emergence of more transmissible variants may carry us into years before enough of the global population has been immunised to the point of virus elimination. We are now seeing the devastating impact of this in Brazil and India with the P.1 and B.1.617 variants dominating, respectively. The good news is ongoing studies show that we have vaccines that are still effective against new variants (to date) but with varying degrees of reduced efficacies. There is only one case (to date) where a vaccine was ineffective and its rollout stopped â the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine in South Africa where the B.1.351 variant dominates. Itâs definitely not easy staying ahead of the virus! Genome surveillance data lets us know specifically and quickly what weâre dealing with and the prevalence of a particular variant over time. It lets you pinpoint the mutation(s) on the virus that may be problematic, allowing vaccines to be adjusted to maintain efficacy. Of course, this takes time and if the virus continues to spread unchecked in populations, weâre going to be chasing
variants for a long time â the more unvaccinated and susceptible people we have in the population, the greater the risk of more variants emerging. I think Guyana is doing well with its vaccination campaign given the major challenge the developing world faces with equitable access to vaccines and supply shortages, which is even a problem for rich countries. H o w e v e r, I t h i n k systematic tracking of variants should be a top priority in Guyana as it can only serve to enhance and improve public health policies and countermeasures for the long term. South Africa ramped up their genome surveillance programme with the dire need to track the disease progression with the more contagious B.1.351 dominating. Canada recently announced in its federal budget $400 million dollars dedicated to a new PanCanadian Genomics Strategy. This recognises the major role genomics plays in helping to track and fight COVID-19. The US is accused of lagging behind globally because they lacked widespread genetic sequencing has now significantly upped their surveillance game too as more variants have been detected in circulation (e.g., B.1.526 in
New York, B.1.427 and B.1.429 in California). These days, genome sequencing is routine and a simple high throughput benchtop instrument costs around US$ 20000-50000. I think it can be incorporated into existing testing/ analytical labs in Guyana for ease of maintenance. Collaborating with CARPHA to test for new variants is great but in my opinion, the time constraints to get information is not practical especially if an emergency situation arises. Systematic tracking of variants on a large scale can only serve to improve and accelerate effective public health strategies. Finally, if you havenât been vaccinated as yet, I implore you to do so. Remember vaccines work best in communities not individuals and this is the reason why we need to keep practising other public health measures such as wearing a mask (until we have enough people immunised). The H1N1 influenza strain went from deadly in a pandemic to mainly causing mild illness while OC43 (a Coronavirus) may have gone from pandemic to common cold but it took over 100 years! We donât have that time! We know better and are more technological advanced, we just all need to do our parts! Yours truly, Jacquelyn Jhingree, Ph.D.
Tuesday April 27, 2021
Kaieteur News
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Tuesday April 27, 2021
Kaieteur News
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are the âwrench in the works that determines how long we are stuck with this virus and how much deadlier it becomes.â Social media vs. Vaccines Turning his attention to the impact of social media, Dr. Bux recalled that there was a time when the advice of doctors and medical experts carried weight. But because of the advent of social media which allows false narrative to be shared, he noted that some patients are now refusing tried and tested treatments. A simi-
lar situation, he said, is occurring with vaccines, which have been tried and tested for decades and have helped to eradicate or control many diseases. Anti-vaxxers, he revealed, have been using social media to peddle untruths or magnify untoward effects of vaccines, which have confused many to the point where they avoid vaccines. âMost of us when we were little, took up to 10 vaccines that have protected us from so many diseases. It was a time when we were too
little to understand social media. Now that we are educated, vaccines have become dangerous to the point where we ignore the real danger which is the disease itself,â Dr. Bux counselled. He is nevertheless optimistic that persons would opt to analyse the facts provided before deciding on the way forward since âyour choice on whether you should be vaccinated against COVID-19 should not be determined from some random social media post.â
Tuesday April 27, 2021
US to share AstraZeneca shots with world after safety check WASHINGTON - (AP) â The U.S. will begin sharing its entire stock of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines with the world once it clears federal safety reviews, the White House said yesterday, with as many as 60 million doses expected to be available for export in the coming months. The move greatly expands on the Biden administrationâs action last month to share about 4 million doses of the vaccine with Mexico and Canada. The AstraZeneca vaccine is widely in use around the world but has not yet been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The White House is increasingly feeling assured about the supply of the three vaccines being administered in the U.S., particularly following the restart of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot over the weekend. The U.S. has also been under mounting pressure in recent weeks to share more of its vaccine supply with the world, as countries like India experience devastating surges of the virus and others struggle to access doses needed to protect their most vulnerable populations. âGiven the strong portfolio of vaccines that the U.S. already has and that have
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President Joe Biden been authorized by the FDA, and given that the AstraZeneca vaccine is not authorized for use in the U.S., we do not need to use the AstraZeneca vaccine here during the next several months,â said White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients. âTherefore the U.S. is looking at options to share the AstraZeneca doses with other countries as they become available.â More than 3 million people worldwide have died of COVID-19, including more than 572,000 in the U.S. The U.S. has vaccinated more than 53% of its adult population with at least one dose of its three authorized
vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and J&J, and it expects to have enough supply for its entire population by early summer. About 10 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine have been produced but have yet to pass review by the FDA to âmeet its expectations for product quality,â Zients said, noting the U.S. regulator is recognized as the âgold standardâ for safety around the world. That process could be completed in the next several weeks. About 50 million more doses are in various stages of production and could be available to ship in May and June pending FDA sign-off.
Sanctions and food shortages raise fears of North Korean famine The Telegraph - North Korea is under âmounting economic pressureâ as food shortages and sanctions hammer the secretive dictatorship, analysts have warned. The warning from ratings agency Fitch comes after the totalitarian stateâs supreme leader Kim Jong-un said the country faced its âworst ever situationâ and raised the spectre of the Nineties famine which killed almost 3m people. North Korea does not publish statistics but researchers at Fitch Solutions - one of the few outlets to monitor North Koreaâs economy - estimate the country suffered its worst year in decades during 2020 after an 8.5pc slump. The lingering effect of Kimâs Covid-19 shutdown and the tougher economic sanctions in place since a series of nuclear tests and rocket launches in 2017 will limit any growth recovery this year to just 0.5pc, Fitch said. The scale of the crisis facing Pyongyang was underlined by the recent exit of Russian embassy staff - one of the few countries to maintain diplomatic relations with the dictatorship - as officials complained of âunprecedentedâ restrictions of movement as well as shortages of basic goods and medicines. Kim, who has ruled the state for ten years, called for another âarduous marchâ earlier this month in a speech to party officials, in an echo the phrase used to describe the
Nineties famine when starving citizens were forced to eat tree bark to stay alive. Although North Korea is not facing a famine on that scale shortages are âacuteâ according to local reports. Pork prices have jumped almost 60pc in the past six months and corn prices have hit the highest level since 2009, Fitch said. A United Nations report warned last year that more than 10m people in North Korea were in âurgent need of food assistanceâ but the UN now has just a handful of staff on the ground following the pandemic. Progressively tightening sanctions have meanwhile cut the countryâs trade with the rest of the world by almost 90pc over the past two decades. Anwita Basu, head of Asia at Fitch Solutions, said: âOverall, we do not expect to see a relaxation of international sanctions on North Korea any time soon, as the Biden administration is unwilling to reward Pyongyang without the latter making a tangible gesture in relation to abandoning its nuclear weapons programme.â The countryâs biggest trade partner, China, is set to resume a cargo train service with North Korea next month after both countries closed their border due to the pandemic. Ms Basu added: âHowever, even if trade with China recovers in a substantial way, we believe that on balance this will not add positively to growth in North Korea as the country imports more than it exports.â
Man kills cousinâs âunsuitableâ boyfriend A 20-year-old mechanic, who left his residence on Saturday to pay a visit to his girlfriend at her Sophia, Greater Georgetown home, is now dead after he was stabbed by the womanâs cousin. The stabbing incident reportedly stemmed from an argument, which the man had with the cousin over his relationship with the woman. Knifed to death is Devon Xavier of La Penitence Street, Albouystown, Georgetown. He was reportedly slain sometime around 21:30hrs at âAâ Field Sophia. According to police reports, at the time of the incident, Xavier was speaking to his girlfriend when they were approached by her father and the cousin. The woman told investigators that she had told her boyfriend to leave because her relatives were not in favour of the relationship. She further revealed to investigators that her father had instructed her to âgo inside the houseâ and while heading in, she saw her
cousin grabbed on to Xavier. Kaieteur News was told that an argument and a scuffle ensued between the victim and the cousin. The cousin reportedly armed himself with a knife and stabbed Xavier to his right side chest. As a result of his injury, the young man fell to the ground and the suspect made good his escape. According to police, Xavier was examined at the scene and pronounced dead by a doctor from the Alberttown Emergency Medical Service. His body is currently at the Lyken Funeral Home awaiting a post mortem. An investigation into the killing was launched. Based on information reaching this newspaper, the suspect was on Sunday apprehended and taken into custody. Yesterday, when this media house contacted the dead manâs relatives, one of his uncles disclosed that for about a year (up to the time of his death), his nephew was in a relationship with the young woman. According to
Stabbed to death: Devon Xavier. the relative, Xavier had complained to them that his girlfriendâs father had threatened to âchop him upâ because of his involvement with the girl. The man explained that from what he understands, âthe family didnât want Xavier to have a relationship with the girl.â Xavier, who was described as a âcalm, cool and collectiveâ person, had resided with his grandmother in Albouystown. He leaves to mourn four siblings, parents and other family members.
Security guard accidently shoots self in leg, drops gun, tells boss it was a robbery A security guard, Ntini Garnette, 21, last evening told his supervisor that he was shot and robbed of his firearm but CCTV footage from his workplace depicted a different story. The footage showed the he had accidently shot himself in the leg, dropped his
weapon and ran into his workplace, Allied Health Pharmacy, located at Area H, Lusignan, East Coast Demerara (ECD). A short while after a Venezuelan national, Emile Medima Perdomo also 21, who was passing by, picked up the firearm, pocketed it and joined
a minibus. The incident took place around 18:54hrs. Garnette was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Venezuelan national was intercepted by cops with the firearm along the Rupert Craig Highway.
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Tuesday April 27, 2021
Tuesday April 27, 2021
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Morgan, bowlers lift Kolkata Knight Riders off bottom of IPL table ESPNcricinfo -Eoin Morganâs 47 not out off 40 balls took the Kolkata Knight Riders home with five wickets and 20 balls to spare after his bowlers restricted the Punjab Kings to 123 for 9 in the first game of IPL 2021 in Ahmedabad. It wasnât a smooth ride though. At one stage, the Knight Riders were 17 for 3 but a 66-run stand between Morgan and Rahul Tripathi shut the door on the Kings. During his innings, Morgan also completed 7000 runs in T20 cricket and helped his side climb from the bottom of the points table to the fifth spot. Earlier, the Kings innings
never really took off after they were asked to bat first. The Knight Ridersâ seamers restricted them to 37 for 1 in the powerplay and 56 for 3 after ten overs. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy then proved too good for the Kingsâ middle order. Despite the dew setting in the second half of the innings, the spin duo finished with combined figures of 3 for 46 from eight overs. A cameo from Chris Jordan proved too little, too late. Knight Riders seamers strike at top The Ahmedabad pitches were conducive to seamers during the recent India-
England T20I series, and it was no different yesterday. Shivam Mavi, bowling at a brisk pace, hit the good length consistently and kept the scoring rate down. KL Rahul tried to cut loose against Pat Cummins. He managed a six over third man but fell on the very next ball while going for another big shot, giving Cummins his first powerplay wicket in the tournament. From the other end, Mavi dismissed Chris Gayle for a first-ball duck. Pushing away from his body, Gayle ended up bottom-edging to Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps. Mavi was done by the seventh over, finishing with
Tuesday April 27, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21âApr. 19) Discussions with friends or colleagues about possible future business enterprises could find you taking notes. Your natural meticulousness should serve you well. TAURUS (Apr. 20âMay 20) Today everyone will notice how attractive, articulate, and charming you are, Taurus. This is an excellent time to invite friends over or go out with them. Romance should go particularly well. GEMINI (May 21âJune 20) Whether or not you're artistic, Gemini, inspiration for music, painting, writing, or other creative projects could come to you thick and fast today. Write down your ideas. CANCER(June21âJuly22) A group activity could involve a number of people, including some close friends, who share your intellectual, philosophical, or spiritual interests, Cancer. A romantic partner could choose to attend this occasion with you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23âOct. 22) Some unusual dreams could have unexpected side effects, Libra. They could spark new ideas for creative projects or possible innovative concepts to advance your career or social life. SCORPIO (Oct. 23âNov. 21) Social contact with new and exciting people, perhaps at a neighborhood gathering, could bring intriguing information your way. You could learn about new fields that interest you. SAGIT(Nov.22âDec.21) Work might take up a lot of your time today, perhaps job related, perhaps chores around the house. Friends or family may join you, and their conversation could help relieve some of the tedium. CAPRI(Dec.22âJan.19) Much of your day is likely to be spent in the company of family, close friends, and a current or potential love partner, Capricorn. Business partners could be involved.
LEO (July 23âAug. 22) Today you might be in the public eye along with some close friends and perhaps a love partner. You may be giving a speech, leading a discussion group, or be the center of attention at a party.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20âFeb.18) Today you might decide to host a social event in your home, perhaps for friends and colleagues with whom you share intellectual, philosophical, or spiritual interests. Dreams, astrology, or metaphysics could come up.
VIRGO (Aug. 23âSept. 22) A new and exciting person, possibly someone from a distant state or foreign country, could come into your life. You could spend hours talking. The conversation could make you aware of new fields of interest that you find fascinating.
PISCES (Feb. 19âMar. 20) A large gathering, perhaps a festival of some kind, could take place in your neighborhood today, Pisces. You could choose to attend with some close friends and your romantic interest.
figures of 4-0-13-1, but there was no relief for the Kings. In the next over, Prasidh Krishna removed Deepak Hooda for 1, Morgan holding on to a low catch at backward point to leave the Kings 42 for 3. After three wickets in 13 balls, the onus was on Mayank Agarwal to bail the Kings out. He l a u n c h e d Krishna for a six over deep midwicket to take the side past 50 in the tenth over. In order to push the run rate, Agarwal tried to take on Narine too but Tripathiâs tumbling catch sent him back for a 34-ball 31. S o o n a f t e r, N a r i n e bowled Moises Henriques through the gate to make it 75 for 5. Nicholas Pooran had three ducks in four innings coming into this match. Here he hit Chakravarthy for a six and a four on successive balls but the spinner had the last laugh when he uprooted Pooranâs off stump as the batter failed to connect a slog. It was only because of Jordanâs 18-ball 30, which included three sixes and a four, that the Kings could
...AAG South America C/Ships From page 21 final high level meet for Guyanese Olympic hopefuls to go all out in an effort to achieve Olympic Standards for the Tokyo games but since Guyanaâs National Championships have been pushed back until May month-end, there is still hope. In addition, Hutson highlighted that many of the top local athletes are currently competing in the U.S. College circuit, while National menâs long jump record holder Emanuel Archibald departed for Jamaica last weekend to get his feet on some high level competition in âThe Land of Wood & Waterâ as the 2021 track season heats up.
...KKRâs Pat Cummins donates From page 22 someone.â India is currently battling a vicious wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, and has steadily been clocking over 300,000 new cases a day over the last week - the most by any nation since the pandemic broke out last year. The countryâs fragile healthcare system is struggling to cope, and appeals for beds, drugs, vaccines, and oxygen have dominated Indian social media spaces since the start of April. Since the IPL began on April 9, there have been over 25,000 deaths.
cross 120. Knight Riders stuttering at the start Given the small target, the Knight Ridersâ openers had the opportunity to get their eye in and find some form. They failed to made use of that though. Nitish Rana got a full toss from Henriques in the first over that he hit straight to short extra cover. In the next over, Shubman Gill ended up playing across the line to Mohammed Shami and was lbw for 9. Narine was peppered with the short ball right from the start. He managed to connect one well against Arshdeep Singh but Ravi Bishnoi sprinted to his right from deep midwicket before putting in the dive to complete a stunning catch. Suddenly, it looked like the Kings could pull off a surprise. Morgan, Tripathi dash Kingsâ hopes Morgan and Tripathi had other plans. The two didnât hesitate coming down the pitch to fast bowlers and
found boundaries regularly to keep the Kings on the back foot. That Bishnoi let a couple of fours slip in the field didnât help either. The Knight Ridersâ finished the powerplay on 42 for 3. The flow of runs didnât stop even after the field restrictions were lifted. Jordanâs first over, the eighth over of the innings, went for 13. Hooda finally broke the stand when Tripathi holed out to long-on with the Knight Riders were on 83. Andre Russell tried to smash almost every ball he faced but found either an under edge or a fielder. He was run-out for 10 off nine balls but by then the Knight Riders needed just 24 from 35 balls. Morgan and Dinesh Karthik hit a flurry of boundaries to take knock them off. Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 126 for 5 (Morgan 47*, Tripathi 41, Henriques 1-5) beat Punjab Kings 123 for 9 (Agarwal 31, Jordan 30, Krishna 3-30, Narine 222) by five wickets.
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Tuesday April 27, 2021
Guyana could have womenâs cricket team at Commonwealth Games 2022
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Guyanaâs womenâs cricket team.
ricket is the first discipline to a n n o u n c e qualifying teams for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games as the sport makes a landmark re-entry to the prestigious multi-sport event scheduled from July 28 to August 8, 2022. The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) made the announcement yesterday which will see women in the Games for the first time and cricket for only the second time ever with the first occasion being a menâs ODI competition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1998, which was won by South Africa. The six qualified teams that will join hosts England in the eight-team Twenty20 competition are Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and a country from the West Indies. Those teams have secured qualification as a result of their standings in t h e M R F Ty r e s I C C Wo m e n âs T 2 0 I Te a m Rankings on 1 April 2021. As per the qualification process, the winner of a designated Qualifying event will determine which country from the Caribbean region gets to participate as athletes will be representing their individual countries and not the West Indies as they would at ICC events. The last participating
K.A. Juman-Yassin - President of the Guyana Olympic Association.
team will be decided through a Qualifying tournament to be held by January 31 2022, details of which will be announced in due course. The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete across 11 spectacular days of sport. Birmingham 2022 will be the first major multi-sport event in history to award more medals to women than men. The Commonwealth Games cricket tournament will take place at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium, with tickets set to go on sale later this year. ICC Acting Chief Executive Geoff Allardice: âWe are incredibly proud and excited to be part of Birmingham 2022 and it is a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to grow the womenâs game globally. Head of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA)
K.A. Juman-Yassin, in an invited comment with Kaieteur Sport revealed that he is, âExceedingly happy that cricket will be part of the commonwealth games in Birmingham 2022. It is womenâs cricket and West Indies will be represented by one of the countries that have boards affiliated to Cricket West Indies. It will be an extremely good venture for the Guyana Cricket Board as they will be in charge of selecting and ensure that our women cricketers are up to standard for the qualifiers.â Yassin continued that, âIf Guyana would win the qualifiers then the womenâs cricket team would come under the umbrella of the Guyana Olympic Association as part of the team to the commonwealth games which means that their airfare, travel and accommodation expenses will all be covered.â
Stephen Curry sets record for most three-pointers in a month BBC Sport - Stephen Curry broke the NBA record for the most three-pointers made in a month as Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings 117-113 on Sunday. Curry, who finished with 37 points, hit seven three-pointers to take his total to 85 with two games to play in April. The previous record of 82 was set by James Harden while playing for the Houston Rockets in November 2019. Curry enjoyed his 30th 30-point game of the season and has hit at least that target in 13 of his past 14 games. âIt seems like Iâve run out of ways to describe Stephâs play,â said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. âThe shot-making is just unbelievable and mind-boggling.â A second successive win pushed Golden Stateâs record to 31-30 this season as they chase a play-off spot in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant scored 33 points on his return from a three-game absence with a thigh injury for the Brooklyn
Nets during a 128-119 victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns. Kyrie Irving had 34 points with 12 assists and Blake Griffin scored 16 points as the Nets held on to their place at the top of the Eastern Conference. Devin Booker scored 36 points for Phoenix, who are second in the Western Conference despite successive defeats, while Deandre Ayton scored 20 points with 13 rebounds. Atlanta Hawks earned an important 111104 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Memphis Grizzlies held off a late rally to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 120-113. Charlotte Hornets beat Boston Celtics 125-104 thanks to Devonte Grahamâs 24point performance, to move within two games of the Celtics for the sixth spot in the East. Elsewhere, Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers both kept their play-off hopes alive with respective wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic.
Kaieteur News
Tuesday April 27, 2021
Cricket stars leave IPL as India virus toll grows AFP - Two Australian cricketers became the latest stars to pull out of the Indian Premier League yesterday as top bowler Pat Cummins s aid h e w as to ld th e competition was being kept going to provide âa few hours of joy and respiteâ during Indiaâs growing coronavirus crisis. His fellow Australians Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson are returning home for âpersonal reasonsâ, their Royal Challengers Bangalore team said, joining Rajasthan Royals bowler Andrew Tye who flew back on Sunday. India star Ravichandran Ashwin also withdrew to support his family on Sunday as the country staggers under 350,000 new infections and almost 3,000 deaths each day. England batsman Liam Livingstone left the Royals last week just before Britain imposed a travel clampdown on India as its hospitals became overwhelmed and shortages of oxygen and hospital beds grew. A handful of players, including India star Axar Patel, tested positive for coronavirus before the
tournament. The worldâs richest cricket league has faced criticism for continuing in empty stadiums during the crisis, with a leading newspaper group accusing it of âcommercialism gone crassâ as it suspended coverage on Sunday. - âHelplessâ in cricket bubble IPL organisers were anxious to hold the tournament â said to generate billions of dollars for the Indian economy â after last yearâs event was moved to the United Arab Emirates because of the pandemic risk. Cummins, one of the most expensive foreign imports into the league, said he had felt âhelplessâ watching events in India and announced he was donating $50,000 to buy oxygen equipment. âThere has been quite a bit of discussion over here as to whether it is appropriate for the IPL to continue while Covid-19 infection rates remain high,â the Kolkata Knight Riders bowler said on Twitter. âI am advised that the Indian government is of the view that playing the IPL
while the population is in lockdown provides a few hours of joy and respite each day at an otherwise difficult situation for the country.â Cummins, who is continuing to play in the IPL, urged other âprivilegedâ players to also donate. Players are being tested every two days in bio-secure bubbles where they will be based for eight weeks. The Australian players are said to have left because of fears that they could become stuck as their country clamps down on travel from India. Tye, who flew back on Sunday, said other players had asked him how he got home. âOther guys are just happy to make sure Iâm OK and make sure Iâm in a good space,â he told the SEN WA radio station. Cricket Australia said it was in contact with IPL players, coaches and commentators and was listening to their âfeedbackâ as well as to advice from the Australian government. âOur thoughts are with the people of India at this difficult time,â a statement said. While Delhi Capitals
coach Ricky Ponting described Indiaâs coronavirus situation as âquite grimâ, social media commenters have been divided over the IPL carrying on. T h e E x p r e s s Publications newspaper group said it had stopped reporting the competition until a âsemblance of normalcy is restoredâ. âIn such a tragic time, we find it incongruous that the festival of cricket is on in India,â the group said. Senior journalist Sharda Ugra hit out at the IPL in a column for the Hindustan Times, saying the IPL was âbubble-wrapped into tone deafnessâ oblivious to âthe suffering outside its gatesâ. Australian coach David Hussey, who is helping Kolkata, said some players and staff had lost family in the pandemic. â E v e r y o n e âs p r e t t y nervous about whatâs going on over here,â he told Australian media. âFrom a Kolkata point of view, weâre desperate for the tournament to keep going, purely because everyoneâs in lockdown, thereâs not much else to do.â
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AAG South America C/Ships hopes in limbo The 2021 South America Senior Championships are scheduled to be run off from May 14-16 in Argentina but the covid-19 pandemic is creating problems for the local organising committee (LOC) of the biennial event. C u r r e n t l y, h e a l t h officials in Argentina have enforced strict restrictions for visitors from Brazil, stating that they must spend no less than 10 days in quarantine which means that the contingent from the covid-19 ravaged nation would have to leave immediately in order to be quarantined and have enough time be back into competition mode. This situation has put a huge worry on the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) that has communicated through their head; Aubrey Hutson, to Kaieteur Sport that there is basically an unwritten rule that the competition must be run with representatives from all South American nations. However, Hutson revealed during a telephone interview that he spoke with the head of the
Aubrey Hutson head of the AAG. CONSUDATLE (South American Athletics Confederation) who is due to relay word on the progress of the Argentinian LOC in getting their health authorities to relax the quarantine measures of the Brazilians, today. The Athletics boss noted that with each passing day, the ticket prices continue to escalate and it doesnât make sense that the AAG use already limited resources to purchase advance tickets to find out that the South America Championships is then called off. The South American Championships were earmarked by the AAG as the (Continued on page 19)
Kaieteur News
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Tuesday April 27, 2021
More tests, no quarantine in updated Tokyo Olympic rules
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OKYO (AP) â Tokyo Olympic organizers and the IOC are to unveil new plans this week to explain how 15,400 Olympic and Paralympic athletes can compete in Japan when the games open in three months in the midst of a pandemic. The rollout of the second edition of the âPlaybooksâ â an IOC guidebook explaining how the games can be pulled off â comes as Tokyo, Osaka and several other areas have been placed under a third state of emergency as coronavirus cases surge. Japan, which has attributed about 10,000 deaths to COVID-19, has also been slow with local vaccination with about 1% so far getting shots. Organizers are expected to announce daily testing for athletes. They are also expected to drop a 14-day quarantine requirement, allowing athletes to train when they arrive. Athletes will be required to stay within a âbubbleâ consisting of the Olympic Village on Tokyo Bay, and venues and training areas. Japanâs Kyodo news
Seiko Hashimoto, the head of the Tokyo Olympics (Tokyo 2020) organizingcommittee, holds a Tokyo 2020 folder during a Tokyo 2020 executive board meeting Monday, April 26, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Nicolas Datiche/Pool Photo via AP) agency, citing unnamed sources, said athletes and staff will have to be tested twice within 96 hours before leaving home. They will also be tested upon arrival in Japan. The Playbook for athletes is to be updated on Wednesday, with Playbooks for media and others unveiled on Friday. The first edition published in February was vague, and there are doubts the latest
Bianca Andreescu
Andreescu out of Madrid Open after positive COVID-19 test ( R e u t e r s ) - Wo r l d number six Bianca Andreescu is out of the Madrid Open after testing positive for COVID-19, the Canadian confirmed on social media Sunday. The 20-year-old said she tested negative twice before flying to Madrid for the tournament, which is set to begin Friday, but was told upon arrival that she had produced a positive test. âI am feeling good, Iâm resting and continuing to follow the health protocols and safety guidelines,â she said. âI look forward to getting back out on the court very soon.â The announcement marked yet another disappointment for
Andreescu, who won her maiden Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open in 2019 only to suffer a torn meniscus in her left knee a month later. She was unable to return to competition until February this year, losing in the second round of the Australian Open, and earlier this month made a tearful exit from the Miami Open final against world number o n e A s h B a r t y, a f t e r tumbling on the court and injuring her foot. Like numerous other sport governing bodies across the globe, the WTA has said it will encourage players to receive the COVID-19 vaccine but would not require it for competition.
editions will offer much specificity. A final edition of all Playbooks will be published in June. Toshiro Muto, the CEO of the Tokyo organizing committee, said Monday that 500 nurses were being requested for the games. âOf course, this is on the premise that this wonât have a negative effect on the local health care system,â Muto said, though he did not indicate if any research had
Toshio Muto, CEO of Tokyo 2020, attends a press conference after a Tokyo 2020 executive board meeting Monday, April 26, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Nicolas Datiche/Pool Photo via AP) been done in this area. Resistance to the Olympics in Japan is still running high with 70-80% opposed in recent polls. Fans from abroad have already been barred, and organizers have put off until as late as June a decision on having any fans at all at Olympic venues. Taro Kono, the minister in charge of vaccination in Japan, suggested earlier this month that empty venues
were a probable option. IOC President Thomas Bach last week said his plans to meet the torch relay in Hiroshima on May 17-18 are still not confirmed. Bachâs arrival would be just days after the latest state of emergency ends on May 11. Opposition lawmakers in Japanâs national legislature have suggested Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga scheduled the state of emergency to accommodate
Bach. The government and the International Olympic Committee have said the precautions are in place specifically for Japanâs âGolden Weekâ holiday, which begins on Thursday. The torch relay, which began on March 25 in Fukushima in northeastern Japan, has been detoured several times this month and was forced to run in an empty city park in Osaka. It was also rerouted in Matsuyama City Ehime prefecture. It will be banned altogether this weekend on the Okinawa island of Miyakojima. The small island has only one hospital. The relay will run through other locations on Okinawa. The heavily sponsored relay is a caravan of more than a dozen cars and other vehicles festooned with advertising from major sponsors like Coca-Cola and Toyota. Torch runners â there are 10,000 in total â typically bring up the rear amid blaring music and banter from DJs. The relay is scheduled to end at the National Stadium on July 23 for the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Games.
KKRâs Pat Cummins donates $50,000 âto purchase oxygen supplies for Indiaâs hospitalsâ ESPNcricinfo - The Kolkata Knight Ridersâ Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins has donated US$ 50,000 âspecifically to purchase oxygen supplies for Indiaâs hospitalsâ to PM Cares, a fund-raising scheme set up by the prime minister of India in March last year when the Covid-19 pandemic first broke out. Cummins - the first cricketer playing in this yearâs IPL to publicly announce such a contribution - put out a note on Twitter, also calling on his fellow IPL players to contribute. âThere has been quite a bit of discussion over here as to whether it is appropriate for the IPL to continue while COVID-19 infection rates remain high,â Cummins wrote. âIâm advised that the Indian Government is of the view that playing the IPL while the population is in lockdown provides a few hours of joy and respite each day at an otherwise difficult time for the country. âAs players, we are privileged to have a platform
âAt times like this it is easy to feel helpless. Iâve certainly felt that of lateâ, said Pat Cummins. (BCCI) that allows us to reach millions of people that we can use for good. With that in mind, I have made a contribution to the âPM Cares Fund,â specifically to purchase oxygen supplies for Indiaâs hospitals.â Cummins, who was signed for a record INR 15.5 crore (US$ 2 million approx.) last season, is part of a diminishing pool of Australian cricketers at the
IPL. His compatriots Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson of the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Rajasthan Royalsâ Andrew Tye have all pulled out over the past two days, while Englandâs Liam Livingstone had done the same last week. While Livingstone had spoken of âbubble fatigueâ for his decision to leave, the Royal Challengers put Zampa and Richardsonâs departure
down to âpersonal reasonsâ, while Tye has said that he wanted to avoid the risk of not being able to return home. On Sunday night, R Ashwin, a Delhi Capitalsâ player in the IPL, also pulled out at the end of his teamâs match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad saying that he wanted to be with his family as they fought the pandemic. Cummins, in his note, urged other cricketers to try and make a difference too. âI encourage my fellow IPL players - and anyone around else the world who has been touched by Indiaâs passion and generosity - to contribute. I will kick it off with $50,000,â he wrote. âAt times like this it is easy to feel helpless. Iâve certainly felt that of late. But I hope by making this public appeal we can all channel our emotions into action that will bring light into peopleâs lives.I know my donation isnât much in the grand scheme of things, but I hope it will make a difference to (Continued on page 19)
Kaieteur News
Tuesday April 27, 2021
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Dominoes action set for Linden on May 1
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enior Organising Secretary of the Guyana Dominoes League, Mark Wiltshire in collaboration with Arthur Chung will be hosting a dominoes competition in the Mining town of Linden on May 1. The competition which is expected to attract some leading teams from the Linden and Georgetown will be held at Supervisor Club. Entrance fee is $15,000 and the winning team will take home $175,000, a trophy and nine medals, the runner will pocket $75,000 and a trophy, third place $35,000 and a trophy and fourth place $15,000 and a trophy. The most valuable player will receive $10,000, while the best female player will collect $10,000 and a hamper. All covid guidelines will
Jamaicaâs 800m national record holder Natoya Goule.
After fastest 400m in a decade, Natoya Goule says she has a lot more left in the tank Mark Wiltshire accepts the prize from Tanda Crossman of Trophy Stall. be observed and the competition will conclude on May 2. Meanwhile, Trophy Stall has sponsored the trophy and medals for the first place t e a m . Wi l t s h i r e h a s
expressed gratitude to the entity CEO Ramesh Sunich and said a keen competition is expected. Te a m s c a n c o n t a c t Wiltshire on 659-8672 for registration.
CSA Membersâ Council, interim board reach vital agreement - Cricket in South Africa will continue to be run by CSA once the new memorandum is adopted in next 48 hours Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa had issued a notice of his intention to strip CSA of its status as the gameâs official governing body. (Getty Images)
SportsMax - Natoya Goule says she feels she has a lot more left in the tank following her fastest 400m in a decade at the UCF Knights Invitational in Florida on Saturday. Goule, who turned 30 in March, clocked 52.22 to win ahead of University of Central Floridaâs Latasha Smith and Alabama Stateâs Kyana Evans, who ran 53.88 and 54.25, for second and third, respectively. It was Gouleâs fastest quarter-mile since she ran 51.52 in El Paso, Texas in April 2011. âI felt great. That was my second fastest 400 that I ever ran and the fastest since college so I am very
pleased,â said the 30-yearold 800m specialist, who also ran as the pacesetter in the 800m. âI think there is more in the tank and I have another 400 scheduled so I am looking forward to it and also see if I can better this time that I ran yesterday (Saturday). She runs that next 400 in Athens, Georgia this coming weekend and explained that these 400m races and the 1500m she ran at the Florida State Relays in March, are all part of her plan to improve on her 800m for the Olympics this summer. âI am working on both strength and speed. It is very important to have a balance
Executives of West Dem, East Bank Associations are a no-show at DCB meetings
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SPNcricinfo Cricket South Africa has potentially avoided being derecognised and defunded by the countryâs sports ministry after agreeing to adopt a new Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) that will include a framework for a majority independent board. The Membersâ Council the body made up of 14 provincial presidents which has the highest decisionmaking powers at CSA - and interim board met on Sunday, to iron out the new MOI. They reached an agreement two days after sports minister Nathi Mthethwa issued a notice of his intention to strip CSA of
its status as the gameâs official governing body in the country and five days before Mthethwaâs actions were due to be published in the government gazette. Mthethwa had given CSA three ultimatums to agree to the new structure as part of his efforts to sort out governance issues in cricket. Until Sunday the Membersâ Council were resistant to a majority independent board, but under threat of the game ceasing to exist in the country, changed their minds. âToday we reached an important milestone, and I am delighted that the Membersâ Council and the Board reached agreement on a new governance structure,â Stavros
Nicolaou, interim board chair, said. â We h a v e n o w successfully managed to fulfill the mandate given to us by Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Nathi Mthethwa. We trust that this important agreement will give confidence to all c r i c k e t âs s t a k e h o l d e r s specifically, players, staff, sponsors and all in the country who love the game of cricket. We owed it to our country to find a solution to c r i c k e t âs g o v e r n a n c e challenges.â CSA will adopt the new MOI in the next 48 hours which should mean Mthethwa reverses his decision and cricket in South Africa will continue to be run by CSA.
for the 800m,â she explained. âActually, in previous years I also ran the 1500 and 400. The only difference now is that I am much stronger and my times have improved.â She remains optimistic that the improved times in these other distances will help her run faster than her personal 1:56.15 run in Monaco in July 2018, which is also Jamaicaâs national record. Should that happen, it is likely she will improve on her sixth-place finish at the 2019 World Championships in Doha where Ugandaâs Halimah Nakaayi won the gold medal in 1:58.04.
he recently elected Executive Committee of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) held its first Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) on April 24, 2021 at the Demerara Cricket Club pavilion, Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown, Georgetown. During the meeting, members expressed concern that the West Demerara and East Bank Cricket Associations have not attended any meeting of the DCB. These two Associations were also absent from the court appointed meeting in February 2021 to elect officers of the DCB for the 2021-2023 term of office. The DCB President, Mr. Bissoondyal Singh, indicated that he will continue to reach out to these two (2) Associations since they are important to the
Bissoondyal Singh, President of the Demerara Cricket Board
developmental process, and in any case the cricketers are the ones who will suffer as result of their continuing absence. Further, Mr. Singh said that the Presidents of both Associations had been sent registered notices of the meetings and copies of those notices were published in the
newspapers. In addition to the nona t t e n d a n c e , t h e We s t Demerara and East Bank Cricket Associations have not submitted their nominees for positions of the various sub-committees of the DCB, a release from the Demerara Cricket Board informed.