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Monday August 09, 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
The Sanzillo Report The Sanzillo Report on the oil outlook for this country promises the hellish for Guyana. What should be a time of reaping and rejoicing for Guyanese, even the lowliest ones, already looks forbidding with what is in store, compliments of thoughtless, heedless political leaders in successive national governments. In brief, this is what the Report by Mr. Tom Sanzillo of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) places before leaders of and citizens in a comprehensive and unsparing manner. It is not as much as a bombshell of a Report as it would normally be, because we have been putting parts of this out before all Guyanese on a continuing basis, through the analyses of local and foreign heads. Though the effects may be somewhat less startling than before, it is what is brought out (yet again) on how badly we could fare with our oil gift and the future returns from it. For what Mr. Sanzillo did in this Report was to flesh out the damaging details, and wrench out interpretations that leave us cold. This Report should leave all Guyanese cold, including any political leader who says that he cares about the welfare of each of the 750,000 citizens of this still poor and struggling society. It is one which could be condemned to a savaging fate, should Exxon be allowed to continue to get away with what is financial predation and murder by the numbers. Among the devastating prospects unearthed by the Sanzillo Report is that, even in the best-case scenarios, this country stares at barely managing and barely getting by for the next two decades, because so much favours Exxon, and so little is on the plus side for Guyana. First, it is now beyond disagreement that Exxon is free to do whatever it pleases with expenses, including their amounts and the timing and placement of such billion-dollar expenses. On our part, Guyana is largely at sea, regarding the authenticity and relevance of those bulked-up expenses from prior projects (Liza-1/Stabroek Block). There is every indication that leaders and most citizens are already well entrenched in a culture of going along with whatever Exxon dumps in our laps by way of billion-dollar bills, so as to get along with the company. As the Sanzillo Report confirms, this is a disaster not so much in the making, but one that has already started, and which is likely to place the profitability prospects of this country on a very slim footing. This could continue well into the next decade, while Exxon has carte blanche to rig expenses to suit its own visions and priorities. Among Exxon’s priorities, the one numbering the highest is the mandatory requirement to please feared Wall Street analysts, who pay close attention to the quarterly earnings of companies. A favourable reception from such powerful analysts usually means a rising stock price, which leads to plaudits for top management. From a Guyanese perspective, any praise for Exxon’s leaders comes at the expense (to be taken literally) of Guyana. Exxon gets to gouge us by steering its past expenses to current exploration projects. Moreover, this sheds some additional light as to why Exxon, and the PPP government and its leaders who are in partnership with the company, are so enthusiastic about drilling, and more drilling, as rapidly as could happen. It is a rewarding business practice, even though on the sharp side, since Exxon gets Guyana to foot the bills, because it has a readymade reservoir to absorb the related exploration expenses. This is intensified by what the Report emphasized are the heavy hits inflicted by the lack of ring-fencing provisions. The handling of these historical costs, and the absence of ring-fencing and other protective contractual terms and conditions, leave Guyana at the mercy of whatever financial gimmickries that Exxon comes up with to smooth its earning numbers. Because the second all-important priority of Exxon is to keep its big investors (Blackrock, and mutual fund giants Fidelity, State Street, and Vanguard) happy with a steady stream of dividends. Again, this is on Guyana’s dollar, and this is among the costly weaknesses that leave this country with the poorest prospects, should it continue unconcerned.
The Attorney General is popular but he disappoints on oil, local content, and other areas Dear Editor, Reference is made to a Dr. Vishnu Bisram poll revealing Attorney General Anil Nandlall as the most popular Minister in the government (KN Aug 7). That is not surprising; in my book, the numbers are higher than three quarters of the population. I admire Nandlall’s intellect and the reservoir of knowledge, which he possesses. The Attorney General is charismatic, brilliant, and very articulate. But he disappoints on the oil contract renegotiation and passage of laws on local content; neither one has been attempted a year after being in office. And the AG has let down those who were with him through thick and thin, and he has broken his promises to combat official corruption and to stand with the dispossessed. He closes his eyes to so many wrong doings, and he has abandoned those who fought alongside him when he was in the political dungeon. He forgot the incident of those who betrayed and who conspired against him, and he was almost denied the AG
position on August 2. The PPP is in office largely because of two individuals – Bharrat Jagdeo and Nandlall, in addition to the diplomats and those who watched the ballot boxes and worked quietly behind the scenes. It is not exclusively because of the political leaders that the PPP was in office. Credit also goes to those who gathered information and worked behind the scenes, those who infiltrated the PNC and obtained valuable information, those who worked with the diplomatic community to put pressure on APNU to concede. Their names and what they did would not be known. Jagdeo fought the political battle. But it was Nandlall who fought the legal battle and charmed viewers with his legal acumen and public relations. Without Nandlall’s legal skills and insistence and determination to file court cases, David Granger would have been sworn in and the PPP out of office forever. Jagdeo is indisputably the political boss. But Nandlall has equally strong political credentials if not
higher. It should not be forgotten that the PPP leadership was not held with respect by the international community having been removed from office in 2015. Nandlall gained political currency when all others fell when they supported the attack on the US. And he made a name for himself during those five months combating the rigging almost daily on TV or social media, demonstrating his brilliance in front of the world. He can’t be pushed aside as when Jagdeo attempted to bypass him on August 2 by offering him an obscure Ministry rather than the AG position. The AG position was promised to another lawyer who is a MP. And another lawyer, a political opportunist who jumps from party to party also lobbied for the job; he and his family were historically PNC but switched to AFC in 2011, APNU in 2015, and PPP in 2020 after a member of the family was terminated from a prominent legal position by the PNC. Nandlall is known and respected internationally. The country, the diaspora, and the
international community love him. Nandlall is his own man. He does not need anyone to make his name. People naturally are attracted to him because of his grass roots upbringing and grounding. He worked his way out of poverty, selling in the market and attending mandir. Because of his enormous political appeal and support and the people’s love for him, he can’t be easily tossed aside by any political leader. He is powerful enough to make demands on the ruling party and correct injustices. He does not realise his power. The PPP cannot survive without him inside. He is widely respected across the political divide. And had he been the candidate, the country would have been a better place. Unfortunately, Nandlall has abandoned several of those who have been excluded from positions but fought for him during the contest for the party’s Presidential nomination. Several of those who sided with Nandlall were victimised; they are in the dungeon. (Continued on page 6)
A refusal to vaccinate puts your own life at risk as well as the lives of others Dear Editor, In 2020 I wrote, “any rational examination will lead to the conclusion that we cannot avoid COVID-19 infections and deaths and those most vulnerable should take as many precautions as affordable” (SN 20.5.20). Today, ALL Guyanese have access to COVID-19 vaccines, made available by the government for which there is no fee; this is affordable as it gets and yet many are hesitating or outright refusing to get inoculated. The hesitant and intransigent are now feeling pressured because of new government regulations requiring proof of vaccination for entry into government buildings, recreation, and dining facilities, etc. The country has become a battlefield of the vaccinated versus the unvaccinated and the politicians have entered the fray to add to the already confusing landscape. There must be a better way to assist the undecided, the uninformed, and even the intransigents than to force the vaccine down their throats; we can begin with understanding and provide helpful information.
In Guyana, we have Sputnik V, Oxford AstraZeneca, Sinopharm readily available; a small quantity of Moderna was donated and utilised also. The Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V uses a weakened virus to deliver small parts of a pathogen and stimulate an immune response; the Oxford AstraZeneca is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus (known as an adenovirus) from chimpanzees. It has been modified to contain genetic material shared by the coronavirus - although it can’t cause the illness. Once injected, it teaches the body’s immune system how to fight the real virus. Sinopharm is an inactivated virus vaccine. This means that it’s made from viral particles produced in a lab, which are then inactivated so they can’t infect you with COVID-19. The vaccine is mixed with an adjuvant, which is a substance added to vaccines to stimulate a stronger immune response. The Sinopharm vaccine contains many proteins the immune system can respond to, stimulating the production of
antibodies to fight COVID-19. Many other vaccines use similar platforms, including injectable polio, Hepatitis A, and flu vaccines. Editor, above is the technical information but there are other reasons for persons to inoculate against the virus. A refusal to vaccinate puts your own life at risk, which is a choice that a person should enjoy in a free society. However, refusal also puts the lives of others at risk; our children are experiencing truncated childhoods, unable to attend school for over a year, valuable periods of socialisation lost forever; soon they will return to classrooms and the onus is upon responsible adults to ensure that we minimise the risk they encounter. Teachers who refuse to inoculate are not part of the solution but are creating a problem where none should exist. It is a teacher’s right to refuse vaccination but it is the responsibility of the authorities to put the welfare of our children first. Other professions exist for teachers who refuse to inoculate and the same applies to all professions. Coretta McDonald of the Guyana Teacher’s Union is
organising a protest of possible mandatory vaccination of teachers and in her voice note to members ended with the following, “Remember to wear your masks. Wear them correctly every time you have to go out there; wear them and if you have to be in large crowds, ensure that you sanitise, you wash your hands. You wash when you get home, you take every single necessary precaution when you get home from these events,” this is the advice of a fully vaccinated person to unvaccinated teachers; it is vile advice from a heartless place. I have survived COVID-19 (without fuss) been inoculated with Sputnik V (both doses), I look forward to returning to normalcy, real freedom from masks, endless bouts of sanitisers, and meaningless temperature checks and curfews. All of these curtails to our life can cease to exist when Guyana gets to a higher percentage of inoculation; get vaccinated today! Let’s get our lives back on track and our children back into schools safely. Yours truly, Robin Singh COVID-19 Survivor
Monday August 09, 2021
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Kaieteur News
It makes no sense to The long-term implications for the oil and operate a business and gas industry need not be “troubling” at all possible to create petroleum or anyone from the already transition period within which Editor, not take adequate actions Dear Chatham House Fellow, value, prudent as this was at developed world or Guyana can benefit from Dr. Valerie Marcel has opined the time our sister Caricom representing the current substantially cheaper Guyana could find itself country became an oil perspectives of the already electricity and cooking gas to protect your investment that facing the risks of oil producer over 50 years ago, developed world, set time and recoup the US$900M that
Dear Editor, A few years ago, I’d written some letters citing my concerns about the installation of security cameras and their purposes. To date, my personal opinion is that even though many are offering their services for the installation of cameras, they don’t seem to understand the concept or the purpose of security cameras and how to properly install them to get proper footage. Most are installing the cameras at a convenient position, where it would look good in appearance and failing its true purpose. In most footage that is provided on social media, some 90% of the subjects are impossible to identify their faces due to the position the cameras are in. As I said before if you cannot identify someone by their physical structure, then lawmen would have a hard time capturing criminals. Even reputable companies are installing cameras and their only purpose is to inform
people that cameras are around. While crimes committed are being captured on surveillance cameras, some are fortunate to get footage worthy of using to help capture criminals, whilst some are not, for various reasons. The recent robbery in Kitty was captured on cameras, whilst the criminals wore masks, if the cameras were placed in a more strategic position, better results could have been yielded. In addition, it’s compulsory to wear a mask around the place and provide a vaccination card to enter certain places, business owners should position a camera at a convenient place and make it compulsory that everyone should remove the mask and look at the cameras once before entering. It makes no sense for you to operate a business and not taking adequate actions to protect your investments. Yours truly, Sahadeo Bates
dependence if it goes further into the abyss of fossil fuel development, querying whether Guyana wants to follow the path of Trinidad & Tobago which has created a whole industry and economy around oil and gas, especially when the rest of the world has begun a slow but steady march towards decarbonisation (KN, 6 August 2021). Dr. Marcel is acknowledged as an international petroleum expert, which I am not, whereas I am Guyanese, which she is not. The good expert however makes the potent point that Trinidad & Tobago’s path of using as much of their oil and gas as
may not be good for our country in light of the current awareness of and global reaction to the effects of climate change. The international expert further comments on the perception of gas as a “transition fuel” for reducing the use of heavy fuel oil thus reducing emissions pending transition to a fuller green energy mix. All well and good thus far. It is from the point where Dr. Marcel expresses reservations about putting in place expensive gas infrastructure to last a maximum of 10 years that I take issue with her expert opinion as a Guyanese, which the expert is not. Why should she
parameters for our development? We were in no position for 4 centuries to set time parameters for the development of the already developed countries. Indeed, our forefathers toiled first for no reward and later for pittances, living in virtual darkness after dusk for generations and only for a few decades to date with barely reliable (and very expensive) electricity services. In my opinion as a nonexpert though otherwise learned Guyanese, that 20 to 30 years is a very reasonable
the project is estimated to cost. The long-term implications need not be “troubling” at all but positively encouraging, once careful plans to develop and nurture commercial endeavours beyond the chain of dependence on oil are put in place and executed. In any event, we Guyanese treasure our rainforests and are proud of our contribution to the world by keeping our rainforests alive. Yours truly, Ronald Bostwick
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Monday August 09, 2021
Kaieteur News
The abandonment of relatives is a cruel and horrifying epidemic Dear Editor, Recently, the Kaieteur News wrote about an elderly man’s abandonment by his relatives. Mr. Ovid, also known as ‘Joku,’ of Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, was reported to have been abandoned at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by his children. The same publication reported in a subsequent report dated August 6, 2021, that “a total of 33 patients were abandoned at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for the year so far.” The publication asserted that this was according to Clayton Neuman, Head of the Social Work Department at the hospital. This ‘epidemic’ is truly horrifying, cruel, and plain wicked in my opinion! I say epidemic because we are seeing an emergence of similar instances, in which children, in particular, abandon their elderly parents later in life. We see this not only in Guyana, but also in India, the United States of America, and other countries where parents are frequently placed in wards or facilities to be cared for while their callous offspring pay little or no attention to their wellbeing and subsequently abandon them. Regardless of intent, I will
never fully fathom what drives such children to perpetrate such atrocities against the parents who gave them birth, supported and nursed them in their infancy people who fed them, taught them, and protected them. As a matter of fact, there is no crueler act than abandonment of another human being, especially when that other human being is your parent. Consider the mother, who bore the child in her divine womb for nine months in excruciating pain, or the father, who sweated, toiled, and suffered to ensure that the child was clothed and fed. Unfortunately, like Mr. Ovid, there are hundreds more like him on the roads of Guyana, abandoned and forgotten. While there are shelters for homeless elderly people maintained by charitable organisations and the Government across Guyana, namely the Palms Geriatric Institution, The Night Shelter, and even the Venezuelan funded Hugo Chavez Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration, these shelters are generally overcrowded. And, while the Government of Guyana, notably the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, led by Honourable Minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud is working excellently to assure the provision of
services to our senior population, the question remains, how much can they do? Unfortunately, if one were to walk along Regent Street, they will come across many people who have mental illnesses caused by a number of factors, one of which is being abandoned by their children. This is exacerbated by the fact that they do not bring in any income since their previous employers would have stolen their NIS contributions. As a result, they have been left to suffer. Others stated that their children were fatigued and annoyed as a result of a lack of finances to support themselves at home and that they were abandoned either in the corner or at an institution to die. To me, this is cruel, genuinely horrifying, and completely unacceptable. Abandonment has disastrous effects. If an aged person develops dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, they may forget who they are, where they belong, or even what they need to do to receive medical treatment. Even if they do not have a cognitive impairment, abandonment can cause depression, sickness, and even death. It is unfortunate that some selfish and uncaring children
with no conscience and humility may dump their old parents on the side of the road or take them to the hospital and abandon them there, while forgetting that their body, bloodline, and existence all stem from that parent. This is not only abusive, unprincipled, immoral, and unethical, but it also reflects poorly on who the child that abandoned the parent is, what they value, and the true nature of their character. Yours truly, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan, firmly believes that abandonment should never be an option for any child to inflict on his or her parents. As a result, I am convinced that, in the same manner that a parent is charged for neglect and abandonment, the child who neglects and abandons his or her parents should be charged as well. Being dutiful to one’s parents is a religious obligation in Islam. It is essential to treat parents well in all circumstances, all of the time. As stated in the
following Quranic verse, special emphasis is placed on caring for our parents when they reach old age, as this responsibility becomes even more fundamental. The Holy Quran states: “and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], “uff,” and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.” (Quran 17:23-24) In another verse, Almighty God states, “And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years. So give thanks to Me and to both your parents, unto Me is the final destination.” (Quran 46:15). Not only in Islam, but all other religions stress on the importance of treating one’s parents with love and
compassion. The Holy Bible teaches, “Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” Exodus 20:12. These values are so important in Hinduism as well, so much so that when performing a religious ceremony, the worshipper honors and respects the parents first before the Pandit. According to Hindu texts, parents should be treated as God. The Vedas teaches: “Do not neglect your duties to the gods and the Manes. Treat your mother as God. Treat your father as God.” When parents speak, God listens! And so if the parent can cry out to God for the child’s salvation, why can’t the child sacrifice and cry to God for the parents’ salvation? We should all note that when we fail to address the needs of our elders, we are just writing a terrible prelude to our own eventual fate. Yours truly, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan Snr.
The unequal deployment of vaccines is hurting many nations Dear Editor, Globally, this pandemic has exposed many existing political challenges. Failure to tackle unemployment, the accumulation of debt, and increases in the levels of inequality has and will continue to lead to social unrest with no end in sight to this health crisis. As this third wave moves across this world, national governments are saddled with new kinds of human development challenges that they have never faced before. But what is real today, is that the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen in many countries. What is clear is that the unequal deployment of vaccines is hurting many nations and this does not
bode well for all. About 40% of the populations in advanced economies like the USA have been fully vaccinated; while that figure is just averaging around 10% in emerging markets. Fortunately for Guyana, some 30% of our population is now fully vaccinated thanks to the vision of His Excellency President Dr. Irfaan Ali. It takes a real “sanctimonious gangster” to step up to take both the vaccines and then turn around in a whisper campaign and tell his supporters not to take the vaccines? What manner of men will conduct such an atrocity to their support base. But what is even more baffling is that the supporters are silly enough to compromise their personal
health and follow these selfish leaders who continue to protect their inner circle and are willing to throw their supporters by the wayside by exposing them to this deadly pandemic because they remain unvaccinated. I call on all Guyanese and the 20,000 Venezuelan guests who are living in Guyana to step up and get vaccinated ASAP so that we as a collective, who occupy the land of many waters, can banish this plague from our land. I want to personally thank Dr. Irfaan Ali for his leadership on this issue and for stepping up and purchasing these vaccines so that all of our people can be safer. Yours truly, Sasenarine Singh
...The Attorney General is popular From page 4 Nandlall could have made demands and insisted that these figures be appointed to ministries or other prominent positions. Real friends and loyalists stick to one another through eternity. Nandlall is reminded that an attempt can be made again to marginalise him like what happened on August 2 before he was sworn in as AG. Who will stand up for him if he is not willing to stand up with friends through thick and thin? And Nandlall disappoints in not speaking out against
victimisation of party folks or going after colleagues involved in nepotism and other wrong doings. He is not championing the poor with the same zeal as when he was in the opposition. He is not going after Exxon and the oil companies with the same zest that he investigates corruption committed by former government persons now in the opposition. The AG is asked what is the real purpose in life if not to enhance humanity and correct injustices. What is the purpose of
education and talent when such a person can’t stand up for ordinary folks or friends in need or against the oil company exploiting the country’s natural resources? When will we have local content laws and their enforcement? When will we have an audit of Exxon’s expenses? And when will Exxon provide monthly information of oil production, sales, and revenues that has not been made available since January 2020? Yours truly, Sharmila Ally
Monday August 09, 2021
Kaieteur News
VACCINE RESISTANCE Vaccine hesitancy is now being replaced by vaccine resistance. There is a now movement brewing which is demanding respect for an unknown right of not having to take the vaccine. No such right exists. Those who are formulating petitions demanding respect for their so-called right not to be vaccinated should be reminded that all human rights are circumscribed by respect for the rights of others. In other words, individual rights cannot conflict with the rights of others and, in this instance, the right of others to be protected from infectious diseases is a protected right under most democratic Constitutions, including Guyana’s. The Government of Guyana has not made it mandatory for persons to be vaccinated. They are simply saying that if you are not vaccinated, you cannot have unbridled access to government facilities. Nor is anyone being denied government services. All that is being required is that if you are not vaccinated, special arrangements be put in place for you to receive the service – arrangements which involve measures being taken to guarantee the safety of staff and others. How different is this from being asked to wear a mask. At present, you cannot go into any public building, business or public transportation without being masked. But when these regulations were published, no one spoke about being denied access to services. So what is different from extending this regulation to require that persons be vaccinated before automatic entry? No one is being forced to take any vaccine but if you are not vaccinated, you cannot be allowed to pose a threat to those who are. It is as simple as that. When countries passed laws saying that before you
enter their territory, you have to have a negative PCR testing, there was no big hue and cry. No one jumped up and said that they do not have the right to be tested. When the rule was changed to indicate that for some countries, including Guyana, persons must be vaccinated, no one protested. But a big hue and cry is being made about the requirement of being vaccinated before you can receive government services. No one is being dismissed from their places of employment for not being vaccinated. But if you are not, then you must be tested regularly to ensure that you are not infectious. No place of employment is going to allow any staff member infected with the small pox virus to be on the job while symptomatic. They do this to protect others from being infected. The Delta variant of the coronavirus is considered more infectious than small pox. So why should persons be allowed to work unless there are immunised or unless they can show that they do not have the virus? Vaccine hesitancy is high in Guyana. It is high also in other countries. The Government of Guyana made extraordinary efforts to obtain vaccines at a time when vaccines were not easily accessible even for developed countries such as Canada. The government did what was recommended by the World Health Organisation. They began with inoculating front-line healthcare workers. Then they targeted persons over 65 years. The uptake was not impressive. They then extended it to persons over 50 years. Again, the uptake was not impressive. Vaccine hesitancy was high and it still remains high, including among the elderly despite the largest vaccinated demographic being persons over 65 years. That is why so many of elderly are dying. Some of them are saying that
they don’t go anywhere so why get vaccinated. The answer is that while they may not be going anywhere, others are in their way and they are contracting the virus through contact with these individuals, and many are dying because they lack the protection afforded by vaccines. In Guyana, vaccination had to be quickly opened to all ages because the elderly and later those 40 plus persons were not coming forward in large numbers to receive the vaccines. There was no blunder on the part of the authorities; people were not coming forward as expected. At present, around 54 percent of the adult population have received a first dose and just under 30 a second dose. But the trend around the world suggests that once more than 50 percent of the total population is inoculated, the rate of vaccine uptake decreases dramatically. In America, from a high of 3.3 million doses per day, less than 700,000 doses are being administered daily for weeks now. And more than 100 millionAmericans are not coming forward to be vaccinated. No amount of public education will change anything. If by now people do not see the urgency of being vaccinated, no amount of public education will force them. As such, the next best strategy is to protect the vaccinated from the unvaccinated, which is no different from protecting those without small pox from those with small pox. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Dem Boys Seh…
Democracy is not only fuh guvment Is time fuh change some ah dem leaders in we trade unions. Some ah dem nah fit and proper. Some ah dem bin condone de rigging of de elections. If dem support dat on a national scale, yuh cyan trust dem fuh run free and fair elections in dem unions. Democracy is not only fuh guvment. It also gat to be de norm in dem workers’ organisations like dem trade unions. People seh dem gat right fuh choose whether dem get vaccinated. But dem also gat right fuh decide whether to be unionised or not. Some ah dem trade union leaders drop anchor. Dem nah known nuttin bout term limit. Dem term in office unlimited. Some ah dem drawing old age and NIS pension and still receiving union salary. But dem nah pressing no more fuh de retirement age fuh workers get extended. Dem trade unions need a breath of fresh air. Is time new and younger and more
vibrant leaders tek over. Is time trade unions stop seeing dem mission as fighting employers and guvment. Sometimes yuh does wonder whether some ah dem union leaders is really trade unionists or politicians. If dem had gains to show for all dem years dem hot up dem seat in dem union, dem boys would ah seh dem do good. But some ah dem closer to dem employers dan is good fuh liking. And others closer to dem politicians to be called independent. Politics and trade unionism nah far apart but when it mix, it deadly. Dat is why dem boys feel dat is time fuh change. But is hard fuh dislodge dem union leaders. Dem sit down in dem chair pon cement. But when yuh can’t change wan abusive relationship, yuh best choice is fuh walk away from it. Is time dem workers walk away from dem unions wah dem can’t change. Talk half and wuk pon de other half!
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Kaieteur News
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The 25 Influential Women Leaders Award (25IWLA) which recognises women for their commitment and passion in uplifting the business sector, their communities and society is scheduled for this October 23, at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. This event which is spearheaded by entrepreneurs Michelle A. Nicholas of the NICO Consulting Inc. and Lyndell Danzie of Black CERULEAN Incorporated is an only vaccinated award ceremony. This year, Symmetry Brokerage and Logistics will be serving as the 2021 presenting sponsor of the awards celebration. According to a release
from 25IWLA, the event honours women leaders who have achieved successes in a wide range of fields, redress the underrepresentation of women and transform how they are viewed in Guyana by highlighting their value, achievements and contributions. Nominations forms for women who fit the criteria for this event will be made available on the 25IWLA’s Facebook page, through the media and will be distributed widely through several organisations. As nominations ends on September 10, 25IWLA is encouraging Guyanese to nominate those “who left such an indelible mark on their community, business or organisation.”
Co-Creator of the Awards, Michelle A. Nicholas.
Co-Creator of the Awards, Lyndell Danzie.
With over 350 persons attending the inaugural gala in 2019, this year’s award ceremony will include a duality of form and function,
with smaller vaccinated only in-person gala, but with an extensive presentation on live television and on local social media platforms.
...Detectives find part of stolen cash buried in soldier’s backyard From page 2 Military Police Department is cooperating with GPF and assisting detectives where necessary. The statement assured that a “vast majority of its ranks” are honest and hardworking Guyanese who uphold the standards of the Force. Meanwhile sources explained how detectives were led to the backyard of the GDF rank. Detectives had reportedly found that the plan to rob the gold trader was a well-orchestrated one. It allegedly VACANCY Driver Eccles office,Car/Van licence.Call:642-9823. Female cleaner office.Call:642-9823.
for
One clerk for TSI Eccles officeEnglish& Mathematics,grade 1 or 2 . E m a i l application:techserigy @yahoo.com or call 6429823. Factory workers and sale representatives.Must have a sound secondary education.Call:223-0090. For person to assort goods.Apply at Alabama Trading.65 Robb Street Bourda. For security.Apply at Alabama Trading.65 Robb Street Bourda. Auto Electrical apprentice age 19-25 yrs.Apply in person, Lot 120 Forth Street Albertown G/Town or call 610-0340. Cashier,Sales representative (in doors),Driver-Lorry/ Canter & Porter.Tel:2275286/609-2995. Email: survival.humanresources@ gmail.com. Receptionist & Room Attendant,25-50yrs.233 S o u t h R o a d Lacytown.Tel:225-2304.
involved security guards employed with the establishment. Further investigations had led them to the home of one of the suspects located in Sophia. They had found items belonging to Wallison Enterprise in the house but the suspect was nowhere to be found. The detectives had learnt that the loot was split at the same Sophia home. As their investigations continued, one person held reportedly buckled under interrogation and leaked some more information. It is believed that this information led cops to the home of the GDF rank located on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD). Ranks had reportedly showed up at the location and managed to recover the cash. It is unclear if the detectives knew exactly where the money was or if GDF rank buckled too and led them to where it was buried. A video which surfaced on Facebook showed detectives unearthing the cash from a shallow hole in the yard. The cash was stashed in a margarine bucket,
Suspects handcuffing one of the employees with a plastic zip tie during the robbery wrapped in two black plastic bags. As investigations continue, detectives related that the other suspects involved are still to be caught and express hope that they will be able to recover the rest of the loot. Wallison Enterprise located at Gordon Street, Kitty was robbed by three armed bandits posing as gold dealers. They had pulled up in
front of the building in a white car. They entered the premises under the pretense that they had gone there to sell gold. After gaining access to the building, they held the employees at gun point forcing them to open two metal safes. They filled their haversacks with $38M in cash and $20M worth of raw gold before making good their escape.
...Town Clerk denies vendor removal From page 3 number of appropriate facilities and poor monitoring of those facilities - wash sinks and appurtenances - installed at strategic areas, in the city. The meeting also addressed the issue of unknown persons removing facilities, which were placed for the wellbeing of the citizens. The meeting agreed that, these are vital to the
collective national effort to contain the spread of the Coronavirus in the city and the country as a whole. The solution to this issue according to the M&CC is to put in place systems, not only to increase the number of such facilities but also to ensure that they are properly used by citizens. The release stated that this would require assistance from partners and friends of the municipality. Nelson stated in the release that she will engage the National Task Force on COVID-19 about greater collaboration with the City’s Public Health Department. In the meantime, the Constabu-
lary will play a greater role in working with the Public Health Department to persuade citizens in the city to comply with COVID-19 measures. The question of the refurbishing of the Water Street Abattoir was raised within the meeting and it was agreed that the facility is in need of urgent repairs. The M&CC noted that in its present physical condition and numerous defects, and the resource constraints of the Council, make it necessary for the Council to seek assistance from the relevant national and international organisations.
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Kaieteur News
Monday August 09, 2021
Monday August 09, 2021
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Kaieteur News
Brutal KO kick leads to Olympics disqualification of would-be winner in karate gold medal match
Tareg Hamedi thought he had won the gold medal. Sajad Ganjzadeh learned it was his after waking up in a medical room. (Wei Zheng/VCG via Getty Images)
Monday August 09, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Be gentle and reserved in your approach, Aries. There's a great deal of tenderness in the air that you should tune into and enjoy. Do things to improve your home. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) This is a great day to go to thrift stores. Your eye for beauty is keen and your radar for good deals is sharp. Lady Luck is with you and you may score some terrific buys. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Things that have been building for a long time suddenly come to a head today. Strong, slow-moving trends rear their ugly heads. There's a great deal of opposition now making itself known in your life.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Put some roots down today. Concentrate on a creative project that you've had in your head for a while. It's time to follow through. Ideas are great, but implementation is the key to making them work. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) If you plan on arguing for a cause today, make sure you have solid facts to back up your statements, Scorpio. People aren't likely to fall for things too easily. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today is a very expansive day for you. Long-term projects are coming into focus. There's a huge windfall coming your way.
CANCER(June21–July22) It may be difficult to get moving today, Cancer. You may want to just stay in bed. Don't feel guilty about it. Take an afternoon nap and enjoy the tender company of a partner.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Connect with people on a deep level, Capricorn. Much of your focus is on emotional security. Make sure your home is a sanctuary where you feel comfortable being exactly who you are.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Check your stocks today. Read the latest investment news and assess your finances. Figure out the best place to put your hard-earned money. Do some serious long-term planning to make sure your home and family are secure.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Much of your focus today will be on personal possessions and material goods in general, Aquarius. Think about what you can do to improve your home. Make your physical surroundings comfortable and inviting.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) There may be something or someone trying to slow you down today, Virgo. Maybe this is a sign that it's what you need to do. Don't fight the urge to sit on the couch and do nothing.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Dependability and stability are key aspects of today. Take action that will prove to others that these parts of your nature are fully functional. Other people may be stubborn and not easily moved.
Yahoo Sports - The Olympics play by different rules than UFC. What would have qualified for a KO victory in professional mixed martial arts instead resulted in the disqualification of the wouldbe winner in a karate gold medal match to close out the sport’s Olympics debut on Saturday. Iran’s Sajad Ganjzadeh faced off with Saudi Arabia’s Tareg Hamedi in the men’s 75kilogram kumite final. Karate athletes competed in individual demonstrations called kata and one-on-one combat called kumite. Leading the match 4-1, Hamedi landed a violent kick to Ganjzadeh’s head, leaving the Iranian unconscious on the mat. The fight was
officially over after a 10count. Hamedi celebrated, thinking he’d won gold. He had not. Ganjzadeh wins via hansoku Judges conferred and disqualified Hamedi based on a serious violation of the rules called a hansoku, per the Associated Press. According to AP, competitors aren’t permitted to fully follow through on their blows in Olympic competition, unlike professional fighting, which rewards violent knockouts. Ganjzadeh, still suffering the immediate effects of the knockout blow, was named the gold medal winner. Hamedi won silver after the DQ loss. Per AP, Hamedi left the mat in tears. “If you ask me if I agree or not, I disagree, of course, because I love the gold medal,” Hamedi said through a translator. “But I am
satisfied with the level of performance I gave, and I accept their decision. I don’t have any objection. I think I played well. That’s all I can say.”’ ‘I’m sad it had to happen like this’ The two fighters appeared at a post-fight news conference together. Ganjzadeh told reporters he learned about his gold medal after re-gaining consciousness in a medical room. “The last thing I remember was that I was behind by scores, and then that incident happened and I don’t remember much after that,” Ganjzadeh said. “And what I remember was that in the medical room I woke up and I heard from the coach that I won the match. I’m very happy that I achieved this gold medal but I’m sad that it had to happen like this.”
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Monday August 09, 2021
Tearful Messi confirms he is leaving Barcelona, in talks with PSG BARCELONA, (Reuters) - Lionel Messi wept yesterday as he bade farewell to his boyhood team FC Barcelona and confirmed he was talking with French club Paris St Germain over a possible move. The 34-year-old Argentine’s emotional news conference followed Barca’s announcement last week that it could no longer afford him after a glittering two decades. French newspaper L’Equipe reported yesterday that he will travel to Paris either yesterday or today to undertake a medical and finalise a deal with the Qatar Sports Investment-owned club. Spanish newspaper Marca reported PSG formally sent their offer to Messi yesterday morning, just as the Argentine held the news conference. While Messi did not confirm he would definitely join the Parisians, he said his plans were to carry on playing as long as possible, adding he still harbours ambitions to win another
Champions League trophy. “As long as I go on being competitive and as long as my body responds (I’ll carry on playing),” he told a news conference. “As long as I can, I will carry on competing.” PSG declined to comment on the report that Messi would be arriving in Paris later yesterday. “We are not in a position to confirm anything,” a club spokesman said. “I tried to behave with humility and respect and I hope that is what remains of me when I leave the club,” said an emotional Messi as hundreds of fans, many wearing his No. 10 jersey, massed outside Barca’s Camp Nou stadium to bid farewell to the player they called Messiah. Messi broke down as he walked onto the stage before conducting his news conference and was handed a tissue by his wife Antonella Roccuzzo as he fought back the tears. “This is the toughest moment of my career. When the club told
me, I just froze. This is all like a bucket of cold water has been poured over me and we are still coming to terms with it,” he sobbed. “When I get home, I’m sure it’ll be even worse. But I’ll be surrounded by my loved ones and I’ll carry on playing football, and when I do so, I’m sure it’ll become a bit easier.” FINANCIAL ISSUES It had been widely reported by local media that Messi was set to stay at Camp Nou, with the player admitting he had agreed to a five-year deal involving a 50% pay-cut. Barca, whose debts total way over 1 billion euros ($1.18 billion), were unable to make the deal work within the frameworks of La Liga’s financial fair play regulations - prompting their surprise u-turn announcement last Thursday. “Honestly, when the elections happened (in March), I spoke with (Barca president Joan) Laporta, we had dinner and after that I
Lionel Messi in tears during the press conference. (REUTERS/Albert Gea) was convinced I would be staying,” Messi said. “My contract was never the issue ... What I know is that I did everything I could. The club say it could not happen because of La Liga. I can guarantee you that I did everything I could to stay. Last year I didn’t want to and I said that, but this year it was different.” La Liga announced last Wednesday that it had secured a private equity injection of 2.7 billion euros from firm CVC, with the
funds to be shared amongst the clubs in return for a 10% of the league’s revenue. It had been believed this would allow Barcelona to get the Messi deal over the line, however after Real Madrid rejected the proposal and said they would take legal action against La Liga, Barca also came out against it. Laporta told a news conference on Friday that Barca’s finances were in worse shape than he had thought after conducting an
audit. He added the league informed him that accepting this injection was the only way they would approve a new contract for Messi, but rejected that saying he had to put the long-term interests of the club above any player. Marca also reported on Sunday that Barca fans had hired a French lawyer, who had lodged a case with the Paris Appeals Court to try and block Messi’s move to PSG. RECORD BREAKER Messi, Barca’s all-time record goalscorer with 682 in 21 years, received a lengthy standing ovation from the media, current and former team mates and coaches in attendance. It was noticeable that he was not accompanied by Laporta or any of the other Barcelona directors. All 35 trophies he won during his time at the club were laid out for what the club described would be a private photo session after the news conference. ($1 = 0.8503 euros)
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Tokyo Olympics: Closing ceremony marks end of behind-closed-doors Games Paris marked the handover of the Olympic flag with crowds and aerobatics. (Getty Images)
Simone Biles, who won three individual golds at Rio 2016, won bronze on the beam in Tokyo. (Getty Images) BBC Sport - The Tokyo Olympics, postponed and played out behind closed doors because of the Covid pandemic, concluded with an upbeat ceremony in Japan’s capital. The Games took place without spectators and athletes were barred from venturing outside the Olympic village. Their staging has faced local opposition and around 30 protestors jostled with police at the National Stadium before the closing ceremony. However, other locals have braved heat and warnings to watch events from afar. Fans took in outdoor events, such as triathlon and BMX, from overpasses and other vantage points despite temperatures that reached 35C, the hottest ever recorded at an Olympics. The Games’ official sign-
off, featuring ska bands, football freestylers, breakdancers and BMX riders, created more madefor-TV memories, culminating in athletes thanking the people of Japan by making a heart gesture with their hands. A scaled-down parade of flagbearers, missing 62 of the competing nations, started proceedings in Tokyo before an air display team painted the French tricolore across the sky in Paris, the host city for 2024. Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto, who appeared at seven Games as a speed skater and then a track cyclist, told the athletes: “There are no words to describe what you have achieved. “You have accepted what seemed unimaginable, understood what had to be done, and through hard work and perseverance overcome
unbelievable challenges.” She added: “This has made you true Olympians.” Athletes had daily swabs to test for coronavirus and wore face masks when not eating, training or competing. After they had finished competing, they had 48 hours to leave the athletes’ village. Games produce stars and the unexpected The Games were postponed a year from their original 2020 date and, as the global pandemic raged, Japanese support wavered, with unfavourable opinion polls in the months before and even the country’s Emperor Naruhito expressing concerns about their staging. The banning of spectators from most venues denied the Japanese public a chance to watch a summer Games close up for the first time since Tokyo 1964 and
the climax of an eight-year wait after winning the hosting rights in Buenos Aires in 2013. As ever, the Games produced a shower of stars. American swimmer Caeleb Dressel won five golds in the pool. Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah won another three on the track. Gymnast Daiki Hashimoto won two for the home nation in gymnastics.
But, equally inevitably, there were moments that noone could have expected. I t a l y ’s G i a n m a r c o Tamberi and Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim deciding to share high-jump gold rather than contest the title. Norwegian Lotte Miller consoling Belgian rival Claire Michel after she came in last in the triathlon. Simone Biles, predicted to collect a clutch of golds,
instead highlighting athletes’ mental health as she protected herself by withdrawing from five of her six events. The next Olympics begin in just 180 days time with the Winter Games opening in Beijing on 4 February. The next Summer Olympics are just three years away, with Paris hosting in 2024, before Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032.
W.J. Enterprise spot Caribbean Champion, Clarke Reigning Central American & Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding Champion; Kerwin Clarke, has received more support as he aims to defend his title at the regional Championships that is slated f o r S a n S a l v a d o r, E l Salvador, this week. T h i s t i m e , W. J . Enterprise; the sole distributor of Croxley Paper in Guyana, has come onboard with a timely contribution since the competitions get underway from August 12th – 16th. The handover of the sponsorship cheque was done on Friday last at the stationery supplying company’s 126 Regent Road Bourda location. Clarke, who won the under-176lbs division in
2019 noted in a correspondence to Kaieteur Sport that he is pleased with his preparations so far for the regional showpiece and expressed gratitude for the major support he is receiving since Bodybuilding is quite an expensive sport, with air travel and accommodation amounting to in excess US$1,500. T h e f i v e - t i m e M r. Guyana, who will be part of an eight-member team representing the Guyana Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation (GBBFF), also highlighted the contributions of the other supporters and gave sincere thanks to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Neurospine Services Inc., Fitness
Express and Fitness 53. The other athletes making up team Guyana to the CAC bodybuilding championships are Rawle Green, Rosanna Fung, Yannick Grimes, Emmerson Campbell, Roger Callendar, Darius Ramsammy and Nicholas Albert. Clarke had mentioned his great optimism for the team’s performance in El Salvador, stating that, “On paper we have a very good team. It is with high confidence I say that each and every one of us will deliver at this championship.” Head coach of the team, Videsh Sookram, had also noted that this is the best team he has ever prepared for a b o d y b u i l d i n g championship.
General view of fireworks outside the stadium during the closing ceremony. (REUTERS/Thomas Peter)
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U.S. rallies to top China in Tokyo Olympics gold medal tally Haleigh Washington (right), Jordyn Poulter and the women’s volleyball team won gold to help Team USA edge China in the medal count. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)
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ahoo Sports TOKYO — Te a m U S A , whose 600-plus athletes competed in hundreds of events over 19 whirlwind days here, staged a thrilling comeback in the final hours of the 2020 Olympics to top the gold medal table for the third Summer Games in a row. The U.S. entered Sunday trailing China 38-36 in that vaunted gold medal column. But U.S. women’s basketball beat Japan in their final, and American cyclist Jennifer Valente won gold in her omnium points race, to pull the U.S. level at around 1 p.m. here in Tokyo. And then, a little before 3 p.m. at the Ariake Arena, U.S. women’s volleyball won their first-ever Olympic title to clinch the nation’s spot atop the gold medal table for good. The final U.S. total of 113 was by far the most of any nation here. But it paled in comparison to the American haul five years ago — 121 total, 46 of them gold, in roughly 30 fewer events in Rio. The gold medal tally in particular, prior to this weekend, had been relatively underwhelming, and lagged behind China’s for much of
the Games. Of course, assessing “Team USA” as one single entity is always a bit foolish. Medals are won by athletes and their individual support systems, or in some cases by teams, not by a country. Sporting infrastructure across the U.S. contributes to those support systems, but no broad trends explain quadrennial fluctuations in the medal count. Success, or a lack thereof, in track and field isn’t connected to success in wrestling, or archery, or swimming, or really any other sport. The reasons, instead, were a hodgepodge of disappointing results across two and a half weeks and dozens of sports. Among them: No American man won an individual gold in track events. It’s the first time they’ve been shut out in modern Olympic history. The U.S. baseball and softball teams both settled for silver in their return to the Games. Women’s soccer lost in the semifinals of their competition to Canada. The women’s rowing eight fell short. No U.S. skateboarders won gold in their sport’s Olympics debut.
The U.S. topped the swimming medal table, but won 11 golds at the Tokyo Aquatics Center instead of the 14-15 that some had projected. Simone Biles had been expected to win up to five golds, and with Sunisa Lee a contender on bars, the U.S. women had a chance to sweep the six gymnastics events. Instead, Biles struggled with mental health and the “twisties,” and Americans (Lee and Jade Carey) only won two of the six. But of course, there were still American stars — including many who didn’t win gold, and many who did. There were dominant teams, a few of whom had to wait until this final weekend to claim their medals. Men’s basketball and women’s water polo pulled the U.S. within touching distance of China on Saturday. Women’s basketball, Valente, and women’s volleyball rounded out a list of more than three dozen U.S. Excluding host countries, the U.S. has now topped both the overall medal table and the gold medal table at every Summer Olympics since it hosted the Games in Atlanta in 1996.
Monday August 09, 2021
England and India draw rain-marred first Test AFP - Rain ensured the first Test between England and India at Trent Bridge ended in a draw after no play was possible yesterday’s last day. The match was intriguingly poised with India 52-1 in their second innings, needing a further 157 runs to reach a victory target of 209 in what promised to be tough batting conditions. But persistent early morning rain prevented play resuming as scheduled at 11:00 am local time (1000 GMT), with the pitch and square both remaining fully covered. Further downpours dashed hopes of a grandstand finish, with the umpires abandoning play at 3:49 pm (1449 GMT) to leave this five-match series locked at 0-0 ahead of the second Test a t L o r d ’s s t a r t i n g o n Thursday. That India faced a tricky chase was largely down to England captain Joe Root making 109 in his side’s second innings of 303 after he had top-scored with 64 in a first-innings 183. Root made his 21st Test century after coming into bat at 46-2 — the 14th time in 18 Test innings this year that England had failed to reach 50 before losing their second wicket. England were unable to call on Ben Stokes to bail out their top order, with the star all-rounder set to miss the whole of this series after announcing last week he was taking an indefinite break from all cricket because of mental health issues. Their batting woes were
Five wickets - Jasprit Bumrah led India’s attack in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge on Saturday. exemplified by Zak Crawley, who having made just 33 runs in this match is averaging 11.14 in 14 Test innings since his superb 267 against Pakistan at Southampton last year. India paceman Jasprit Bumrah took 5-64 on Sunday — his sixth fivewicket haul in just 21 career Tests — to finish with impressive match figures of 9-110. In India’s first innings 278 recalled opener KL Rahul top-score with 84 in his first Test in nearly two years, with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja making 56. England seamer Ollie Robinson, playing just his second match at this level, took a Test-best 5-85 after the re-emergence of historic racist and sexist tweets during his debut against New Zealand at Lord’s in June saw him serve a three-game ban. Meanwhile, James Anderson’s 4-54 took the England great, already the most successful fast bowler in Test history, into third in the all-time list of wicket-
The umpires shelter under umbrellas after carrying out an inspection before abandoning the first Test between England and India at Trent Bridge yesterday as a draw.
takers at this level. His tally of 621 is bettered only by retired spinners in Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) and Australia’s Shane Warne (708). This match was just the second time India’s quick bowlers have taken all 20 opposition wickets in a Test. The only other occasion was at Johannesburg in 2018 w h e n B u m r a h , Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami shared the wickets. India, who beat Root’s men 3-1 at home earlier this year, are bidding for only their fourth Test series win on English soil following 1971, 1986 and 2007 triumphs. This match also marked the start of the new World Test Championship cycle, with India having lost to New Zealand in the inaugural final at Southampton in June. Scores: England 183 and 303 (Root 109, Curran 32, Bumrah 5-64) drew with India 278 and 52 for 1 (Rahul 26, Broad 1-18).
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Monday August 09, 2021
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‘Funding, Coaching, upgrading & managing facilities crucial for - GASA’s Sports Development’ President By Sean Devers Dwayne Scott, who was elected president of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA), last year November, spoke about G u y a n a ’s s w i m m e r s performance in the Tokyo Olympics on last Wednesday’s ‘Sean Devers Sports watch’ on Kaieteur Radio. The 44-year-old former National Hockey player posited that funding, coaching, upgrading & managing facilities are among the things that are crucial for Sports Development in Guyana. The pair of swimmers, 15-year-old Aleka Persaud and 26-year-old Andrew Fowler, were among seven Athletes that represented Guyana in the Tokyo Olympics which concluded yesterday in Japan. D e s p i t e P e r s a u d ’s personal best of 27.76s in women’s 50m freestyle which set a new Guyana record, Guyana ended their 18th Olympics with still a single Medal; a bronze achieved by Boxer Mike Parris in 1980 Games in Moscow, 41 years ago. Fowler’s 55.23s finish in the Men’s 100m freestyle failed to get him past the first round of the swimming Event. However, Scott said taking all factors into consideration, he was proud of the efforts of both swimmers. “I am extremely proud of the performances of both
Dwayne Scott swimmers at the Tokyo games. A lot has set us back… the pandemic has really messed up our training schedule and preparations of not only our Olympic swimmers but of our swimmers have suffered from that,” Scott noted. “Somehow, the authorities could not get their heads around the fact that we needed to get the athletes working again so that we could get preparations. I guess because the world is at a standstill it’s only fair to say that everybody should be at a standstill even though our athletes are not necessarily exposed to the close proximity in their training and preparation these factors were not taken into consideration. However, overall we are grateful for the opportunity and happy with what the athletes did at the Olympics Games,” the GASA Boss continued. Scott revealed that
GASA is currently in discussions with the GOA and Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport and these discussions commenced even before the Olympics. “We recognised the talent pool we have…we have a very gifted bunch of young athletes in the age range of 12-16 and all of them are showing great promise. We do not want to lose momentum, we want funding, access to facilities, need Coaches developed. It’s a 360 preparation, it can’t be with one person or one group…it’s a total overhaul of a system that is required to make this work. It goes beyond just money; it has to do with expertise. It has to with technical preparation and getting facilities upgraded and most importantly, managing the facilities because if you look at the Aquatic Centre it’s in disrepair and under maintained,” lamented Scott who took over the reins of Presidency in the middle of the Global pandemic. “Even if we were to go to activity today…these things will set us back, there is so much to be done with the little resources that we have,” Scott added. “I want to expand the sport beyond Georgetown and Linden, foster better working relations with the government and improve conditions at the Aquatic Centre.”
Guyana record holder in the Women’s 50m freestyle Aleka Persaud just after she achieved the feat in the Tokyo Olympics. He indicated that he is hoping to get clubs outside of the capitol city the same training facilities as those in Georgetown. Guyana is referred to as the land of many waters, many in the hinterland lean to swim before they could walk. When asked if GASA had plans for Open Water swimming Scott responded, “We have just confirmed with FEBA to have an open water clinic in September. These clinics will allow Coaches to develop what they have to do for Open Wa t e r s w i m m i n g competitions and then we have to reach out to the Hinterland…but not only the hinterland but to the 83,000 square miles of Guyana to recruit Athletes to come on board. We have seen natural talent. Andrew Fowler started swimming at age 17 and to have accomplished what he has in the sport in such a short time; his early development came from open water swimming and so that’s a testament of what can happen in remote places,” Scott noted. He stressed that these are areas that exist that we know
that we can tap into. Talent is out there once you have the resources to bring it in and figure out how to nurture it. Scott also explained that funding was a major reason that prevented Jamila Sanmoogan and Fowler from participating in the last two qualifying tournaments in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas which ironically allowed Persaud to qualify as fastest female swimmer in Guyana thus replacing Sanmoogan who had been selected for her second Olympics. “If we have state of the Art facilities here that would allow high level Coaches to come here to train our Coaches and Athletes which will be far less costly than sending them overseas, we could also host about three international events here and that will allow our young and aspiring Athletes to the top Regional and International level which could inspire them. The Aliann Pompey Invitational and the Edison Jefford Classic meets are making that happen in a small way but for big international stars to come we have to upgrade our
facilities or build new and better ones,” Scott reasoned. He feels Cricket is a great example and that is why it has the biggest following in Guyana, “Because you have first Class games here in addition to International and CPL matches…so you get to see the best cricketers in the world competing in your own back yard,” the Sports Administrator opined. Scott said the junior Pan Am Games in December will be the start of the preparations for Persaud for the next Olympics. “Of course Persaud and G u y a n a ’s t o p j u n i o r swimmer Leon Seaton will be there, but we have a number of young and talented swimmers, that if they get the proper funding, proper facilities to train, proper coaching and regular overseas international exposure, they have the talent but the other things are needed for them to be successful on the world stage. It is said that it takes a Village to raise a child but it takes a Country to develop an Olympic Athlete,” Scott concluded.
Brazil’s evergreen Alves savours golden dream Brazil captain Dani Alves exults at the Medal ceremony. (Reuters)
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OKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) Brazil captain Dani Alves said his dream had come true after winning an Olympic gold medal at the age of 38 with a 2-1 extra-time victory over Spain in Saturday’s final. Alves opted to play as an over-aged player in the Under-24 competition and had to battle through extra-time in the semi-final and final before getting a gold medal placed around his neck. “This means a lot for me. Everybody trusted in me, and I knew this would be a once-only opportunity, to be able to enjoy this dream,” said the former Barcelona defender. “It’s not every day that you become an Olympic athlete, and even less at the age of 38. And so I came here like everybody else, as a virgin, to this competition. “I came with the boys to live the dream with them. And we have managed it, after a lot of effort and sacrifice, and we are taking the biggest prize back home, back to our
people,” he added. Alves has won everywhere he has played — six Spanish league titles and three Champions League wins with Barca, a Serie A title with Juventus and the French league twice with Paris St Germain. But, having been unable to win a World Cup with his country, he said his success in Japan meant more than the club honours. “To be sincere, yes. Because the others are every year, and I have competed time and time again, but with this medal, this is my last chance. I won’t make it to Paris,” he said, referring to the next Games in 2024. Alves, who now plays back in Brazil with Sao Paulo, said he has no intention of hanging up his boots yet. “I have the drive of a 23year-old,” he said. “I still want to do big things in football, and have respect for the profession, because when you have respect for your profession, it brings you great things, and which is what I’m living.”