Kaieteur News

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Wednesday Edition August 25, 2021 - Vol. 16 No. 23

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US independent think-tank warns Guyana about massive cost overruns for gas projects - Says they can be as high as 45 % or more Speeding GDF rank dies in Hauraruni accident Interim Town Clerk forced to leave meeting after Council refuses to recognise her

Elderly man robbed of pension Development or Destruction:

Manganese mining in Matthew’s Ridge A brother drops dead while chasing away his brothers eking on Kaieteur out a living on a foreign gold mining concession. @11:00hrs Radio 99.1/99.5FM

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 25, 2021

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

Mandatory vacillations Today, the PNC – Guyana’s main opposition party – is hosting two rallies: one in Linden, the mining town named after its Founder-Leader, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham; the other at the Square of the Revolution, in Georgetown.

Both rallies call on teachers, nurses, doctors, bus drivers and conductors “to down tools and protest for your right”.

The advertisements claim “They want to force this vaccine on us and now our children”.

Although both municipalities are overwhelming supportive of the PNC, and although the PNC is the only entity that is actively promoting the events, no PNC leader – top or middle or bottom tier – has clearly associated themselves with the initiative.

That said, the intent of today’s protests is transparent.

The PNC has consistently failed so far to create any unifying issue to galvanise is base against, particularly after the humiliating electoral defeat that has sent its Leader into effective social exile after the indecent attempt to rig the elections last year. There is no genuine mass belief among the party’s constituents that they were cheated in the last elections.

The attempt to foment socio-political unrest in the wake of the brutal murders of Joel and Isaiah Henry eventually failed.

The accusations of racial discrimination have been lacklustre, rhetorical and without any attempt to present documented evidence to either the independent press or to the Ethnic Relations Commission. However, the controversial issue of COVID-19 vaccination has – as is taking the place the world over – presented a lodestone around which political leaders can and have freight-trained otherwise ineffective political stratagems, preying upon the often legitimate, but often irrational, fears of their constituents, and the PNC leadership has been predictable in this regard. Advertisements for the protests therefore touch briefly on the vaccine ‘mandate’ but are more expansive upon the claims of ‘dictatorship’ and ‘illegitimacy’ of the current political administration. The endgame is a proxy shutdown of government.

The only reason that there are no political ‘leaders’– and the word is used here very generously – sallying forth and branding the anti-vaxx theatrics outright is that in order for the con game to work, vacillation is mandatory. Joseph Harmon and David Granger – both fully vaccinated – cannot come out on stage and now fully decry any vaccination measure because the whole farce would become even more transparent than it already is. The anti-vaxx brigade that is leading the rally is a sort of redux of the Burnham era incorporation of the House of Israel as proxy proponents, fifth columnists and enforcers of the manic, surreal alternate reality of Congress Place. It is the politics of cynicism, of cowardice, and of effective impotence.

It should be noted that, from this month, with full enforcement due in September, New York City is going to enforce a sweeping “Key To The City” measure requiring proof of at least one dose of vaccine for entry into multiple categories of indoor venues. Also, two days ago, the city mandated vaccinations for public school teachers and staff, a measure that was already in place for other categories of city workers. There has been zero pushback against the measure from the New York-based PNC groups, no calling Mayor Bill De Blasio a dictator, no planned marches, not even a single negative comment from the PNC’s favourite Congressman, Hakeem Jeffries, even as these measures are virtually identical to what is taking place here in Guyana, and will be much more effectively enforced.

This is not to say that Ali government has not blundered at all in how it has handled the vaccination issue. While it has done laudable work on procuring the vaccines, with such a visceral thing such as vaccination in the middle of a pandemic, it has dropped the ball in what should have been a seamless intertwining of an epidemiological strategy with a communication strategy. The reality is that COVID-19 like any pandemic represents an existential crisis to many people, and therefore a chance for opportunistic exploitation along the lines of race, religion, politics and very often the fundamental sense of personal autonomy. If today’s protests are an example of that opportunism at work – and they are – it should be noted that they also present an opportunity for government to observe the major themes of the misinformation being offered, and to fill the gaps in its own communication strategy on vaccination.

DPI releasing misleading information on gas-to-energy project, EPA a party to the lies peddled Dear Editor, I was outraged when I read the Department of Public Information (DPI) release that the “Gas-to-Energy project, when constructed and operationalised will significantly reduce the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere, thereby improving Guyana’s status as a good environmental steward.” As a former Chemistry teacher of long standing, I cannot remain silent in the face of such public disinformation by the DPI. The release continues, “Records dating back to the state of the environment report in 2016 would have indicated that the electricity sector, the power generation sector is a primary consumer

of fossil fuel and subsequently, is a great emitter. It contributes significantly to the emission of greenhouse gas, particularly carbon dioxide.

So, a move toward Natural gas will mean that those emissions, though there will still be greenhouse gas emissions, it will be reduced.”

Ignoring the DPI’s obvious inability to edit the message, this clearly demonstrates that Senior Environmental Officers of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are not aware that Natural gas from oil wells is also a fossil fuel that emits Carbon Dioxide when burnt, and that it will emit an equal amount of that gas as the other fossil fuels because an equal amount of CH bonds will have to be

broken in any hydrocarbon fuel for the C and the H to react with oxygen.

CXC students are supposed to know this. How come these EPA seniors with oversight of their Oil & Gas Department don’t? Can’t they consult their teachers or our university instead of the advisors employed by their bosses? Poor Guyana!

The only difference in emissions between the current fossil fuel and the Natural gas will be from their compositions.

Transparency Institute Guyana Incorporated, of which I am a member, has been told by Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd. (EEPGL) to ask the Government for the analysis of the oil and gas from the

wells. We asked, but the oil and gas compositions have not been forthcoming, so we don’t know how much sulphur or other pollutants are associated therewith.

These are just examples of the sad fact that our incompetent leaders must employ people who are unable to discover their incompetence, and so rubber stamp public lies.

Some students used to fear me because I declared that while I would do all I can to help them learn, I would not be a party to certify them to menace society. The incompetence radiates from the top and it is about to saddle the country with a burden of considerable debt.

Alfred Bhulai Exaudi Domine justitiam

The absurd wastefulness of vaccinating schoolchildren, expect a surge late September Dear Editor, The usefulness of vaccines in saving lives and preventing hospitalisations, particularly among those over 50, is verifiable by the data; although it is now being seen that they are not the magic bullet that brings life back to normal, given the numerous cases of breakthrough infections and the findings that the vaccinated can still transmit the Delta variant at the same rate as the unvaccinated.

That said, the best for everyone is to take it. It won’t

kill you.

However, this new insistence by the Ministry of Health to vaccinate schoolchildren is an absurd waste of money, time and effort. When one looks at the numbers as compiled by the United States CDC for the week ending August 21, the percentage of children aged 5 to 17 in hospital from COVID19 compared to other age groups was just two percent.

For those between 18 to 49, 36.1 percent; 50 to 64, 28.3 percent; and over 65, 32 percent. Cumulatively, there

have only been 361 deaths for those Americans between the ages of one to 17 out of a total of 614,000 deaths up to August 8. Compare this to the 3,410 children and teenagers killed in gun related incidents in America in 2017, or the 4,000 who drown on average each year.

Do the math. A child in Guyana is probably in more danger of being knocked down walking to school or taking a minibus than dying from COVID-19. The government is utterly misguided in its current

policy. It must focus on those over 50, and we will see a reduction in both hospitalisations and deaths going forward. As for the reopening of schools, this looks like a Mega Spreader Event, which the government will live to regret. While children will be largely asymptomatic, they will infect each other and their households. Watch for late September and a surge in cases and deaths if schools are forced to reopen.

Yours sincerely, Lynn Nicholas

Reopening of schools - some thoughts and one question Dear Editor, I break my self-imposed retreat into the wilderness to speak to the issue of the reopening of schools. I appreciate what is offered by the Hon. Minister of Education, Ms. Priya Manickchand, relative to clarity and balancing differing considerations.

My thoughts follow.

I agree that our children are not best served by being at home, notwithstanding the pluses of online schooling.

Also, I agree with the minister that arm’s length classroom learning is better, because I believe that it brings out the best in both the educator and the to-be-educated. Yes, our children need to be out there learning and playing and socialising; really growing up, too. I learn that parents have a choice about attendance, which I agree with, when all is weighed. I am concerned, and more are more concerned than I am.

Yet, as we all know, there are these unprecedented

times that are dangerous and troubling. They can be severely traumatising, even death-dealing, on occasion; too many of them for comfort.

I am agreeable to vaccination of the 12-17 year student/child age range, despite some reasonably strong misgivings. The fact that parental consent is factoredin is a positive and thoughtful step. Yet, there are residual uncertainties and hesitancies that are not easily overcome, and which will not go away.

For, statistically, reopening goes against a rising tide of infections affecting all age groups.

Environmentally, I reserve myself to saying: Guyanese aineezee, deh azehaaad, and as evidence of which I submit the usual hotspots and gathering places.

Psychologically, after a year and half of this pandemic, there is virus protocol fatigue (masking, distancing and, incredibly, washing).

Politically, there is suspicion.

And racially, there is distrust

and division. Yeah, I said it.

In aggregate, we are own worst enemies when dealing with our own, which endangers all. I am absolutely certain that if a foreigner, especially a European appearing one, were to say we have to do this and do that, there would be sheep-like obedience on a national level.

Even the Vice President would love to get that, other than from his own people.

Now back to the children and schools.

Today, there are vaccines available. But vaccines are now operative after being expedited in extreme emergency conditions.

Though today’s vaccines did have their range of research and trial runs, let me be blunt and call it for what it is: it was a rush job. Against time and cresting viral tide avalanching on stricken societies and a fearful world.

I have taken the vaccine, and I encourage others, all other eligible citizens, to get them; on that I am unambiguous

and unmoving, barring the severest underlying individual risk factors, In fact, I look forward to my third shot, the booster.

But, relative to the little ones, I am uncharacteristically unsure; even 12-17 years. But I would say this: if I had to make that choice, it would be not to have it. The most I would do is to discuss with the upper end of the range (15-17) and say these are the facts, let us help each other to proceed together. I will respect and support whatever choice is made. But regarding the still younger ones, namely, 12 and below, I confess to being not as solid. This is even as I recall receiving those vaccines (and at home, to boot) before I was under 10 years old, way back in Guyana’s First Dark Ages, and of which the marks are still on my shoulder. Those came about after decades of trial and error and, admittedly, less sophisticated medical know (Continued on page 5)

Wednesday August 25, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Part of my vision for giving effect to Article 13 of the Guyana Constitution Dear Editor, Many people have indicated to me that they would like to learn more about my vision for Guyana as a Presidential candidate in 2025.

I am delighted to share more on the vision. Our platform will be ‘Project: One People, One Nation and One Destiny.’

The theme is: ‘Your Hope for a Sustainable Future and a Better Guyana.’ Our Vision is: To realise the true potential of Guyana and the Guyanese people, together; and become the ‘Singapore of South America.’ Our Mission is: “To change the political, economic and social culture in Guyana.

We will do this by building Strong Families; Strong Communities; Strong Citizenship; Strong Economy; Strong Bonds; with Strong Leadership.”

Our governance approach will give full effect to Article 13 of the Constitution which states that ‘The principal objective of the political system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organisations in the management and decisionmaking processes of the state, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their well-being.’

The following are some of our approaches and initiatives which will give greater effect to that inclusionary democracy in practical ways. We will establish a Reconciliation Commission/Committee.

Some of the individuals who I would like to see on that Commission are: Former President, David Granger; Former President, Donald Ramotar; Clement Rohee; Indra Chandarpal; Major General (Ret’d), Joseph Singh; Volda Lawrence; Eusi Kwayana; as well as representatives from the religious community, Civil society, some international experts, among others.

The rule of law is

significant to our growth and sustainability. We will also establish a Constitutional Reform Commission/ Committee early.

A Constitutional Court as a critical component for resolving constitutional and other legal issues. One of the individuals I would like to see involved on this endeavour is Dr. Bertrand Ramcharan.

Additionally, we will develop the ‘Cheddi Jagan National Labour Policy.’ We will invite representatives from agencies such as the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), and representatives from other relevant organisations, as well as key individual stakeholders. I am of the view both GTUC and GAWU, if they work together, along with others, can come up with a substantial policy document on the way forward for labour in Guyana.

Another important document would be the ‘Forbes Burnham Community Development Policy.’ This policy will reflect Forbes Burnham’s comprehensive approach to community development which was a sustainable development approach – economic, social and environment, to community development.

A ‘National Investment Commission’ will be established. This commission will manage all investments, including those relative to the oil and gas and extractive industry. Some of the individuals who will be invited to be a part of this commission are Carl

Greenidge and Christopher Ram, as well as representatives from the public, private and civil society sectors.

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, will also be invited to be a part of this commission.

I wish to state that it is highly inappropriate for the Vice President to be the investment commission, as is currently perceived to be the case. The current approach does not promote democratic principles such as, transparency and accountability.

Some aspects of the economic development policy and strategy will give consideration to Mr. Stanley Ming’s promoted ‘Guyana 2030’ project. I am particularly interested in the infrastructural aspect of the ‘Guyana 2030’ project; however, funding is a major concern. The aspect of the ‘Guyana 2030’ project on the housing development plan in the Parika area, fits well with our general housing component of the national development plan, as well as the President’s ‘baby’ project ‘Silica City,’ which is to be constructed on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

Nevertheless, I have some other ideas on how both Mr. Ming’s and the President’s Silica City projects can be enhanced in the national context. President Ali could also have the opportunity to be the Chairman of the ‘Silica City Management Board.’

The education component of our development programme is profound. The current ‘Guyana Online Academy Learning’ (GOAL) will be placed

under the administration of the University of Guyana. It is important to note that, the sustainability of this programme is hinged to it being appropriately institutionalised.

We will also invest heavily in the University of Guyana, and technical institutions such as, the Technical Institutes, Guyana Industrial Training Centre, Carnegie School of Home Economics, etc.

On the foreign policy side, it is my view that countries from both the West and East are important and strategic to Guyana’s development and growth. I have a preference for the ‘soft, smart’ diplomacy that Guyana has been practicing for decades. I am strong on regionalism and multilateralism, and it is my view that Guyana can be a strong leader nationally, regionally, and internationally.

Our political philosophy is democracy, but with a unique ‘Guyana Standard.’

The ‘Guyana Standard’ of leadership or ‘Sustainable Leadership Behaviour’ is what I would refer to as ‘Goal 17’ of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs will not be sustainable, except

world leaders exhibit governance behaviour that enables sustainability; and it is my desire for Guyana to be an example in this area. This will require a government that upholds the rule of law, is not corrupt, is transparent, accountable and understands and practices service to country and the people of Guyana. Our national development policy will be built on and be measured both in the context of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross National Happiness

(GNH). A policy on Gross National Happiness is critical for the wellbeing of citizens.

Hence, our leadership style which will guide our behaviour at the central, regional, local and community levels is a ‘Strong Humble Leadership (SHL)’ style. This is a combination of ‘Transformational Leadership’ and ‘Servant Leadership,’ this will also form a part of our Code of Conduct.

Yours faithfully, Audreyanna Thomas Presidential Candidate 2025

PLEASE HELP Dear Editor, I am in Guyana and I desperately need your help.

My niece is getting married on September 9 in Canada and I am in the wedding party.

Canada requires every one entering the country to have both vaccines 14 days prior to entering the country.

I need the Johnson and Johnson vaccine before this Friday to be able to enter the country within the 14 days window.

I can only get the Johnson

and Johnson vaccine because it’s only one jab. I am willing to share with you proof of wedding and purchase of plane tickets.

Editor, please share this letter with the relevant government agencies to help me make it to the wedding. Anyone willing to help me please contact me.

Thank you.

Anthony Pantlitz 592-675-3062 E m a i l : Quallis1_s@yahoo.com

...Reopening of schools - some thoughts From page 4 how. I am particularly worried about the under 12 group, with much more guidance needed.

To emphasise, though the word from the minister and ministry has been centered on 12 and above, the secondary level, which has its wisdoms, there is nothing about the age group below. That is, about attendance for Primary and

Nursery levels. Would the minister care to be more explicit on that, please?

Last, the reopening date has been advanced by a week.

I would hope that between now and then, arrangements already in the works could be finalised for some hybrid combination, though nothing has been said.

Meaning, physical presence in class along with online hours for students.

It would help if the Hon. Minister would share something on this. Since reopening is a foregone conclusion, the best is extended to students and teachers, and the surrounding family casts.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 25, 2021

The President offends the letter and spirit of the Constitution if he assumes that he is everybody’s representative Dear Editor, I wish to discuss one or two constitutional issues that have been raised publicly and are still being contested. I have noticed, for example, that the learned Attorney General has pinpointed a constitutional office that has attracted the active attention of many since its origin in 1980. It is “the supreme executive authority,” one of the President’s functions, according to Article 89. To my knowledge, no one has so far invoked this function in the Court, but the Attorney General has hinted that he may do so in the hearings concerning the Police Service Commission.

Over the last two years and certainly since March 2, 2020, the Courts have played a beneficial role in responding to constitutional disputes, wisely brought to them for settlement. In previous times, disputes of that nature had been processed, in the words of a Leader of the past by “other means.”

Before I enter upon the single conflict I wish to explore today, let me remind readers of the Hon. Attorney General’s concept of the times: “the victory of the PPP represents the triumph of Good over Evil.” I repeat this reminder because no one in high places has challenged the concept. Worse than that,

it may represent the way the Hon. Attorney General expects things to unfold. The triumph of Good over Evil is a stage of human existence at which the efforts of mere humans can affect nothing and cannot change the destiny opened up by the triumph of Good over Evil.

Soon after August 2, 2020 when the PPP assumed office, the Hon. Leader of the Opposition described the incoming administration as “fraudulent.” The concept of fraud had also been applied by the PPP to entries in the spreadsheet used in the Region 4 count, entries not matching those in the source documents, the Statements of Poll. As older cases began to be withdrawn in the Magistrates Courts, I became aware that charges of fraud had been invoked against its opponents by the Coalition administration.

For the sake of history, I dare to recall that after the 2001 General Elections, the former President, Mr. Hoyte, led an active campaign against the just concluded elections which he described as “fraudulent.” It is recorded in my book - “The Morning After” – that, as the campaign went on, Mr. Hoyte, an effective user of language in his messages, changed “fraudulent” into “flawdulent” and was not

asked to explain the change.

There is another relevant experience previous to 2001.

After the 1973 General Elections in which the electoral machinery declared the PNC winner by more than its own target of a 2/3 majority, the PPP’s leader, Dr. Jagan, and many other organisations labelled the results fraudulent. The PPP supported its rejection of the declared results by refusing to enter Parliament, so that its chosen MPs did not take the Oath of Office and were not entitled to be paid. Some three years after the 1973 General Elections, the PPP found itself being pressured by the international antiimperialist movement in favour of the Guyana government. The PPP responded to these pressures by declaring “critical support” for the PNC government. The question of declaring that the PNC was the lawful government did not arise publicly.

The PPP entered into negotiations with the Government and returned to Parliament on conditions agreed upon between them.

I leave these conditions to be stated and interpreted by the parties concerned. From this brief review, it is clear that by merely declaring the PPP administration to be fraudulent and stopping

Optimism in the air as Guyana aims to meet the local demand for livestock feed by 2023 Dear Editor, We will not dispute that Guyana, even though advancing in technology, is still a country that is steeped in livestock, nationally and individually. We all know too that even though we are managing fairly well, we can do far better in terms of exacting a bigger profit margin in this area. Well, it seems as though our dream may be realised quite soon, and I am saying this based on a commitment made by His Excellency, Dr. Irfaan Ali. According to the Head of State, the local demand for animal and bird feed is soon to be met, as trials are ongoing for soya and corn crops. The President is quite optimistic that production would come on stream by 2023, and this industry will indeed get a deserved fillip. In fact, so close is this realisation that local Agriculture Ministers, Zulfikar Mustapha, and his Surinamese counterpart, Parmanand Sewdien, signed the Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU), to boost agricultural trade between Guyana and Suriname, as well as to find foreign markets for their produce. All of this I gleaned from the recently held joint press conference that was hosted by the Guyana Head of State and with his Surinamese counterpart, President, Chandrikapersad Santokhi.

From a Guyana perspective, rearing livestock is traditionally profitable, and with our vast landmass, we should venture more and more in this area. Too many times we have been stymied for some silly reason, and with hope for greater productivity and profit, smuggling of meat from Suriname will be nullified.

In terms of agriculture, the industry is gaining momentum as it should be, since food security is a major world issue, and the sooner Guyana can foster a healthy agricultural climate, the better it will be for both national and

external gains. In fact, President Ali noted that “… extensive discussions were held, and the two countries have agreed on a strategy that would see them supporting each other, in entering the North American, European, and regional markets.” Of immediate interest is that Guyana and Suriname will shortly examine the possibilities in the poultry sector, so as to harness the potential in satisfying requirements of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). This will point us in the direction of truly regaining the tag of the ‘food basket’ of the region.

I call on all the stakeholders to work assiduously, in ensuring all the soya and corn requirements for the poultry industry, the feed for the livestock industry, be produced locally by 2023, as our leaders want to take Guyana to the next level.

Respectfully, Alvin Hamilton

there, the present Leader of the Opposition has in no way obstructed the processes or machinery of government.

According to exchanges reported in the media, the Leader of the Opposition has been requesting to be consulted by the President, in keeping with the Constitution. It is well known, and not contested, that without the prescribed consultations, a number of offices vital to good governance cannot be filled.

Any doubt about this principle is unreasonable after the CCJ’s ruling and comments in 2020 on the issue of the appointment of a chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission. To say the least, the CCJ’s comments in effect called into question our political culture.

When President Irfaan Ali assumed office, especially as Guyana’s youngest

President, many of us felt that there was a chance for the old garbage to be dumped. As is known, I had felt something like this when the PPP nominated Mr. Jagdeo to fill this important office. Even if I made the same mistake twice, I prefer to make that kind of misjudgment, rather than to fall into the rut of dismissing a younger generation.

President Irfaan Ali, after taking the oath of office, declared that he saw himself as, and intended to be, everybody’s President. No previous President of Guyana had ever made such a declaration. It must have uplifted many.

While it is encouraging for the President to see himself as everybody’s President, he offends the letter and spirit of the Constitution, if and when he goes on to assume that he is everybody’s representative.

Until it is altered negatively, the Constitution prescribes for representatives chosen by voters, whether “Good” or “Evil,” certain rules and functions outside of the discretion of the supreme executive authority. One of these prescriptions is the rule laid down for the Leader of the Opposition in the filling of certain vacancies by the President. Remember the CCJ’s remarks in 2020.

True, the President has not called on the Leader of the Opposition to make obeisance to him as victor in the General Elections of 2020.

He has called for an open and formal acknowledgment of his victory. This call has no basis in the Constitution and it goes far beyond the excesses written into the Constitution, as imposed in 1980.

Yours respectfully, Eusi Kwayana

CSEC and CAPE syllabi need to be sharply revised to incorporate Indian history, heritage and culture Dear Editor, Professor Kumar Mahabir, from Trinidad appeared before the Caribbean Examination Council in 2017 and supported with extensive research his position that Indian history, heritage and culture were underrepresented/excluded from the CSEC and CAPE syllabi. COVID-19 and internet technology have resulted in this issue being discussed throughout the globe by many organisations, including the Indian Diaspora Council International, the Ameena Gafoor Institute, and the Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre regular zoom meetings each Sunday at 3.00pm.

Dr. Vishnu Bisram has also recently revisited this issue and concluded that the CXC Syllabus and Curriculum discriminated against Indians and Portuguese. Prior to independence in many Caribbean countries, the history of England a country that ruled an Empire on which the sun never sets was taught at the GCE level. However, since the 1960s when most of the nations attained Independence, one would have expected the Curriculum to include some aspects of the civilisation which predates Britain by thousands of years.

One example is the Vedic civilisation.

The children of Bharat (India) had been transported to countries across the oceans since 1834. More significant for our region, they arrived in Berbice and Demerara since 1838. By 1917 those who settled in Guyana

represented the greatest number in the Western Hemisphere.

Surely the best place to teach their descendants and make them proud of their history and culture is in the classroom. Even after the Caribbean Examination Council was set up in 1972, the process still resulted in the present situation of omissions and underrepresentation. While nations like Guyana and Trinidad have significant populations who can trace their ancestry to India and must have representatives on the board, one has to wonder what qualifies one to be an expert in deciding what should be included in the syllabi.

Unlike pre-Independence days this century is overflowing with professors, research materials and book writers specialising in IndoCaribbean History. Some of them have retired after teaching the subject for years in North American schools and may even volunteer their expertise to effect necessary changes. Education is certainly one way of changing students and the society in which they live, a fact recognised by all progressive governments.

Issues facing this region may vary from country to country, but history reveals that they generally include political violence, racism, alcohol and drug abuse, lack of respect for the rule of law, religious conversion, suicides mostly among youths, and corruption. Most may be

shocked to learn that one of the grounds on which women from Guyana and the Caribbean have been allowed to remain in Canada is by successfully claiming to be refugees by establishing through credible and trustworthy evidence that they fear persecution based on the domestic abuse in their home country.

Can the examples of lives like those of Gandhi, King, and Mandela not assist in resolving some of these issues if they are taught to students? That they come from different nationalities, religious, and racial backgrounds was not a source of division because they were seeking equality and justice right here on earth.

Recent communications from CXC advised that the history examination syllabuses are being reviewed for CSEC and CAPE. The council has invited submissions by stakeholders on or before August 30 to be considered by the panel of experts.

Comments and suggestions regarding Syllabus and Curriculum development can be sent to CXCWZO@CXC.ORG for the Barbados office and NYEARDE@CXC.ORG for the Jamaican office.

Hope the immediate stakeholders, teachers, parents, students take advantage of this opportunity to make their views known and keep themselves updated on the changes.

Yours faithfully, Ramnarine Sahadeo

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Wednesday August 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

The wisdom from analysts, as spoken at the Baker Institute in Texas, is that Guyana will be the largest producer of oil per capita in a few years. Meaning, that for each Guyanese man, woman, and child, this country would be producing more oil than any other country.

What the speaker didn't mention was that under the cunning leadership of the PPP Government, with Vice President Jagdeo the most cunning, each Guyanese man, woman, and child (outside PPP cronies), will be the biggest losers, despite that oil production.

PER CAPITA, EACH GUYANESE WILL BE AMONG THE POOREST ANYWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE, WITH OIL LEADERS LIKE THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT.

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Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Country's COVID-19 death toll surpasses 600 benchmark

T

he country's COVID-19 death toll has surpassed the 600 benchmark with four new deaths being recorded by the Ministry of Health yesterday.

According to the Ministry, the latest fatalities are that of two women, a 93year-old from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and an 80-yearold from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and

two men, an 83-year-old from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and a 52-year-old from Region Four.

All four persons died over a three-day period (August 20 to22) while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

As a result of this, the country's COVID-19 death toll has moved to 601.

Further, the Ministry in its daily COVID-19

dashboard recorded 134 new infections, bringing the total number of co n f irmed COVID-19 cases to 24,506.

Presently, there are 22 patients admitted into the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 96 in institutional isolati o n , 1,325 in home isolation and seven in institutional quarantine. To date, a total of 22,462 persons who tested positive have recovered.

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 25, 2021

PAGE 09

The reopening of schools is a disaster in the making

S

chools reopen on September 6, 2021. However, how many students will be turning out on that day?

Parents are bound to be concerned about the untimely reopening. They are bound to be concerned as to the basis of the decision to reopen schools when the pandemic is far from under control.

Any decision to reopen schools has to be based on standard of measurement.

The government cannot simply decide to reopen schools because it feels that it is time to do so. The state of the pandemic – including the growth of new cases, the number of deaths and the number of active cases – ought to be the principal deciding factor in the decision to reopen schools.

But what is the state of the pandemic? Guyana has had a recent spike in cases.

The rate of growth of new cases has been increasing over the past two weeks.

There has been an average increase of 20 percent in new cases over the period August 10 to August 23, 2021.

In that 14-day period, a daily average of 92 persons tested positive for the coronavirus. The daily average for the month of August is 77, inclusive of the last two weeks. For the period 1st August to 9th August, the daily average was 52 cases per day. This means that the average number of cases has almost doubled since the end of the first week of August. This is the scenario in which our enlightened Ministry of Education is reopening

schools on 6th August.

There have been 33 coronavirus deaths reported over the past 14 days. For the first 10 days of the month, there were only 13 deaths.

This means that the past two weeks have seen a massive surge in deaths. This is the scenario in which our enlightened Ministry of Education is reopening schools.

The most critical measure which should be guiding the Ministry of Education is the number of active cases. On the 4th August, the number of active cases had fallen to 702. But over the remaining 19 days, the number of active cases began to rise again and as at August 23 had almost doubled to 1398. This is the scenario in which our enlightened Ministry of Education is reopening schools.

Schools were not reopened on 2nd January when there were 293 active cases. But a decision is being taken to reopen when the total number of active cases is approaching 1400. This is the scenario in which our enlightened Ministry of Education is reopening schools.

Parents should not send their children to school so long as the number of active cases is not below 600. The risk is way too high. It is well known that schools are super-spreaders of viruses.

Once a virus enters a school environment, its rapid and widespread is guaranteed. In a matter of days, it turns into an epidemic.

But even more distraught is to learn that not all teachers

have been vaccinated. It is downright irresponsible for teachers not to be vaccinated.

No teacher should be standing in front of a classroom unless that teacher is vaccinated. No parent should send his or her child to school if the teacher or teachers who are supposed to be instructing that child is not vaccinated.

Guyana is courting disaster by reopening schools. The level of infections and active cases in society is way too high to allow for the reopening of schools. And once the virus gets into the school, the death toll will skyrocket because the students will take the virus home and infect their elderly relatives who are most vulnerable.

Teachers can hardly control the behaviour of students in the classroom.

How will they control them when they leave the precincts of the school?

A few weeks ago, a massive group of students from one school in Georgetown celebrated the end of their CSEC examinations. After they had completed writing their final examination, they assembled at the Parade Ground. Most were either without masks or wearing their masks improperly. They had a whale of a celebration without any regard for social distancing or proper wearing of masks.

Imagine what is going to happen if schools reopen in an environment where infection levels are high. Yet, this is the scenario in which our enlightened Ministry of Education is reopening

Lottery ticket boys seh...

Dem

get snatch!

How you would feel if you win de biggest lottery dem gat and somebody snatch yuh ticket and go and cash-in on de jackpot?

Well dat is what happen to Guyana. It win de jackpot when it discover oil but de HAPNU+Hay-Eff-See went and give de ticket to dem oil companies and rob you of a comfortable life.

And when de Pee Pee Pee come in power, everybody expect dem would ensure dat de ticket return to de rightful owner. But instead dem nah do nuttin about reclaiming de ticket. But dem seh next time deh!

Dat is why dem boys sehing if contract sign behind Soulja Bai back, den de contract nah valid and gat fuh cancel.

De Jan man bin seh dat when he tell Soulja Bai about de contract wah Trotty sign, Soulja Bai bin look surprise. So dem boys seh if Soulja Bai nat authorise dat signing it nat legal and de matter should guh arbitration.

De contract provide dat if dem gat any dispute, de dispute should go to arbitration. But like nobody nah questioning who approve de signing of de contract.

Even Soulja Bai nah coming out and seh whether he or Cabinet authorise dat signing.

But everybody talking about transparency. And de Pee Pee Pee nah produce no Cabinet records yet fuh prove dat Cabinet approve dat cockand-bull contract.Dem fuhget dat de lottery ticket belong to you and me and nat to dem.

Talk half and demand fuh know who authorise de signing!

schools.

So what really is the metric – the standard of measurement – which the Ministry of Education is using to determine when to reopen schools? On the other hand, is this another instance of the government giving

priority to expediency over safety?

Every Minister should be required to stand or fall on his or her decisions. If schools reopen and there are high levels of infections in schools, the Minister of Education should be asked to

take responsibility for the consequences, good or bad.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Wednesday August 25, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Former Minister Winston Jordan belongs to yesteryear F

ormer Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, made a remark to the media last week that I found both comical and irritating. It is my belief that Mr. Jordan was the least impressive of all of the finance ministers since the first self-government administration at the beginning of the 1950.

You go through the list from the 1957 Jagan administration to Ashni Singh in 2015; Mr. Jordan comes no way close to those ministers from the PPP and the PNC, 1957 – 2015. Under Presidents Cheddi and Janet Jagan, Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoyte, and Bharrat Jagdeo those finance ministers were way above the standing of Jordan.

The finance minister that was a mistake was Salahudeen (one name), a school teacher that Mr. Burnham made Finance Minister. Mr. Salahudeen was merely a figure head. Mr.

Jordan was the second mistake for the choice of finance minister.

Whereas all finance ministers did not have ultimate space to carve out their own perspectives of the economy because they were operating under the jurisdiction of very selfconfident heads of government except Presidents Ramotar and Granger. The difference was Jordan. Peter D'Aguiar came closest to wresting independence as finance minister.

This was because of the coalition regime in 1964 in which D'Aguiar felt that as a coalition partner he was not beholden to Premier Forbes Burnham and was in fact his equal. It was an interesting situation under President Ramotar with his finance minister, Dr. Ashni Singh.

Ramotar was not as selfconfident as all his presidential predecessors and Dr. Singh had wide latitude.

But former president, Jagdeo had long chosen the economy as his baby and thus he made an input into financial policies at that time.

The finance minister that the head of government allowed total latitude in the history of both British Guiana and Guyana was Winston Jordan in the APNU+AFC administration of 2015-2020. But it was an uninspiring tenure.

No finance minister in the past birthed as much tax impositions as Jordan. Some of these new financial burdens were surreal.

Owners of animal drawn carts had to pay more for their licence. Dog licence was reintroduced. The edict that allowed only the importation of vehicles less than eight years old affected the working class, especially taxi owners and mini-bus owners.

Second-hand tyres were banned.

The banning of used tyres resulted in unconscionable

mistreatment at the wharves by the Guyana Revenue A u t h o r i t y. Wi t h o u t exception, all imported vehicles were slapped with a $40,000 duty because the GRA officers claimed the tyres were not brand new. So I hatched a plan to catch the GRA. At the time (July 2019), my Rav4 had died so I had to get a car. A personal friend with knowledge of the Japanese second-hand market arranged to import a car for me. I insisted on new tyres because I was warned what GRA on the wharves was doing. My item came in October 2019 and just causally, the officer told me that I have to pay $10,000 for each tyre that was worn.

You know how excessive my decibels could get. I told her the tyres were new and she had to measure it in front of me and my engineer friend who was right next to me.

The excuse was they could not find the measurement

specialist. That was the end of that. I got the personal cell phone of Jordan from a Frederick Kissoon senior minister. I texted him twice with the words; “This is Freddie o f dreamy and saccharine Kissoon.” My purpose was to vocabularies. But when he alert him to the tyre scam. a n d h i s A P N U + A F C colleagues were in power for Jordan did not respond.

5 years VAT was placed on For the five years Jordan held the portfolio of finance, water, electricity, school fees I met him once. It was at the etc.

Disparaging the one-off weekly lime of African $25,000 COVID-19 gift, middle class men at Julian's Restaurant at Cummings and Jordan referred to it a “jerky Sixth Streets, Albertown. I announcement” by the PPP. was with David Hinds. He When I read the word looked at me and said, “Hi “ a n n o u n c e m e n t , ” I Freddie.” The greeting lasted remember in August 2019 at an APNU+AFC campaign for two seconds.

So last week, Jordan told rally in Bartica, Jordan made the media that if he was still a jerky announcement. He finance minister, he would exclaimed; “War break” in have awarded a six month relation to the scrapping of cash grant rather than the house to house registration. one-off cash offering of We are still to see the war.

(The views expressed in $25,000 as COVID-19 relief.

The obvious reaction of this article are those of the countless Guyanese is that a u t h o r a n d d o n o t Jordan can now open his necessarily reflect the mouth and give off all types opinions of this newspaper.)

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Man disguised as woman shoots at 'bullies'

M

embers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) have launched a manhunt to locate a suspect who disguised himself as a woman, walked up to two men who had reportedly bullied him and shot at them, injuring one.

The police reported that the shooting incident occurred at Block 22, Wismar, Linden, on Monday around 19:00hrs.

This publication understands that the 20-year-old male suspect and the 38-year-old male victim have an ongoing issue which resulted in previous conflicts.

On Monday around

16:00hrs. the suspect was reportedly taunted by the victim and his friends as they walked through the area where the suspect lives, shouted his name and laughed at him.

According to the police report, later that day the victim was with his friends looking at a movie when the suspect who was dressed in female attire – a long blue skirt, a grey jacket and a gold coloured wig – walked up to them, whipped out a small handgun from his waist and discharged three rounds in their direction. One of the bullets struck the victim in the region of his right knee.

It was reported that the

suspect then ran from the scene but the injured victim chased after him, and he observed the suspect pulling off the wig before escaping.

The victim then stopped and was escorted to the Linden Hospital Complex where he was seen by a doctor, treated and discharged.

Ranks acting on information received went to the suspect's home but while approaching the house, observed the suspect running shirtless into a dark gully area and making good his escape.

The search to locate the suspect continues as the investigation into the shooting incident is ongoing.

Interim Town Clerk forced to leave meeting ...

From page 2 “It is feared that if the implementation or further implantation of the decision is not suspended, Candace Nelson will further disrupt the activities of Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown,” the grounds for the application stated.

Further, it is being claimed that the conduct of Nelson, who is purportedly

acting under the power of the LGC is “inimical” to the best interests of the M&CC, the infrastructure of the City of Georgetown and the residents of Georgetown.

Citing that Nelson is acting w ithout p r o p er authority, the claimant said that her action has had a disrupting effect on the smooth and efficient functioning of the M&CC. Meanwhile, Chairman of the LGC, Julius Faerber, shared some insight into the

matter a few weeks ago, where he stated that the decision to remove Jerrick was a unanimous one.

But this notion was rejected by two oppositionnominated members of the LGC, Trotman and JoanAnn Romascindo, who issued at joint statement to the press, explaining that the decision was not unanimous since Commissioner Trotman did not vote to remove Jerrick as Acting Town Clerk.

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

Elderly man robbed of pension A 72-year-old man, who had just collected $187,000 in pension, was on Monday morning robbed by a lone bandit.

The incident occurred around 11:00hrs, sometime after the pensioner exited the Leonora Post Office, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

The victim had gone to the Post Office where he collected his N.I.S, Senior Citizen and Public Servant Pension, which amounted to $187,000 in cash, which he secured in a black purse.

He then went to a pharmacy opposite the Leonora Fire Station to purchase some medication.

As he was about to enter the pharmacy, the suspect approached, grabbed the pensioner's purse and started to run away.

The pensioner then ran behind the suspect but the perpetrator entered a black car which was parked in front of the Leonora Fire Station.The vehicle then immediately sped from the scene. Investigations are ongoing.

PAGE 13

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Wednesday August 25, 2021

TSC introduces online application for teachers The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) launched its digital application process for teachers yesterday.

During the launch on Tuesday at TSC's office in Brickdam, Georgetown, TSC's Systems Analyst, Ray Bassoo, explained that the

new online system will put an end to the lengthy manual paper application process.

He noted that the online service will assist teachers applying for junior and senior positions as well as teachers seeking transfers.

Bassoo explained that applications for senior

- Says it will shorten time spent on processing paperwork p ositions such as headteachers, deputy headteachers, and heads of department usually take nine months to process, but now with the online application,

this has been reduced to roughly two months. He said also that the process for persons applying for junior positions usually took weeks but that has now been reduced to three days.

Additionally, the process of teachers transferring from one school to another took months to process; this has also been simplified with the online application.

Bassoo also assured that with the new online mechanism applicants are also able to track and see at what stage their application is at.

The systems analyst explained that the process can be further reduced but consideration was given for teachers in the hinterland areas who do not have access to the internet.Meanwhile addressing the launch, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, said the target

is to completely digitise the TSC by 2023.

She noted that “the Te a c h i n g S e r v i c e Commission has enormous responsibilities and I believe the move in this digitalised direction is critical.”

The Minister urged the TSC to continue to process manual applications to cater to persons who may not have access to the internet and also stated that persons applying from areas such as Eteringbang must be treated the same as persons applying from Georgetown.

Over 4,000 applications for senior positions are sent to the TSC every year.

Persons can now access those applications at

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

Driver flees after crashing bus Police are on the hunt for a 23-year-old bus driver who escaped after crashing a minibus on the Adventure Truck Line Dam, Essequibo Coast on Monday afternoon. The driver has been identified as Budraj Ramlall of Adventure, Essequibo Coast.

Police said he was travelling east on the said access road when he lost control and turned turtle in a nearby trench on the southern side of the road around 17:35hrs.

The injured persons have been identified as Akash Persaud, a 17-year-old and Michelle Gouveia, a 30-year-old, were taken out of the minibus by publicspirited citizens in a conscious state and were rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital.They were seen and examined by a doctor on duty who admitted them to the Emergency Ward. Investigations are ongoing.

Scenes of the aftermath.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

PAGE 22

Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Alert girl, 6, saves mom’s life in brutal knife attack WANTED Taxi and Minibus drivers to work and keep. Call: 2253234/628-1183.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

Live in domestic,Lusignan E.C.D. Tel:662-1883.

Toyota Tacoma (year 2011) GXX series excellent condition. Call:610-4242 or 6266722.

Experienced cook,bartender and waitress for newly openedLounge Bar. Attractive salary.Call:610-3974.

Motor Lorry drivers needed and Porters. Tel:627-1835.

Male seeks common law wife,ages 18-38. Light housework,salary $80,000monthly. Call:6039085.

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040 Installation, Repairs and parts for AC,Fridge, Washing machine, Stove etc.Call Nick#656-0110.

Delivery,Lorry license driver.Tel:621-9336.

Able body porters needed.Apply@Why Pay More Trading,7 Public RD Houston E.B.D with application.

Chowmein machine operator/steamer.Apply in person R.P Enterprise area 'k' L e R e s s o u v e n i r E.C.D.Call:220-2818/3710.

Boy and girl to work in factory. Applyin person. R.P E n t e r p r i s e a r e a 'k'LeRessouvenir E.C.D. Call: 220-2818/3710.

FOR SALE Pure breed german shepherd pups,11 wks old. Price $100,000.Call:615-6589/6500347.

1 6x6 Truck,1 Freightliner,1 Sylphy,1 Hilux LN 172,1 JCB loader.Tel:673-4002/6653676.

Wanted Masons, Carpenters, Labourers & Welders.

Contact: 602-9469, 657-5800, 666-2887.

Experienced cook,must have be able to lead a shift.

ExperiencedSecurity Guard.

H e r d m a n s t o n Lodge,PeterRose Lamaha,225-0808.

1-16ft boat,1 5 HP Tohatsu engine,4-20ft Hauling seine(Shrimp), 200lb 5" Nylon Seine complete. 6703912.

VACANCY Cleaner,maintenance worker,labours to work with P.S.G.C.S.Call:621-6969 or 615-7784,7-4pm.

WANTED Experience welders between ages30-45.MechanicDoosan & Excavator operator. Tel:223-5273/74.

Taxi driver & dispatcher at Princess taxi.Located at RamadaPrincess Hotel.Tel:616-5419,2657075,265-7076.

Seamstress,Tailor w a n t e d . Te l l : 6 9 1 - 1 9 1 8 whatsapp.

Porter and Welder/Serviceman. Applicants must be experienced. Call: 231-2250.

One female cashier & one malewelder/fabricator@Del ice Co.Call:642-9191/2311408,8am-1pm.

Auto Electrical apprentice age 19-25 yrs.Apply in person, Lot 120 Forth Street Albertown G/Town or call 610-0340.

Counter attendants.Apply @Shanta’s,225 Camp & New Market St.

Person to assemble bicycles. Apply in person at Alabama Trading.65 Robb Street Bourda.

One mature general domestic.Must be able to cook.Must be COVID vaccinated.Tel:628-6724;MF,5-7pm.

Cook/Baker,Kitchen assistant & Pitmen for interior location.Applicants must be experienced.Call:231-2250.

From page 15 gardener told her to run.

“I ran out into the streets and he came after me but the only thing I could remember after then was a group of residents nearby running out,” she added.

“They pushed me into a car and tell the driver to carry me to the hospital and someone grabbed him,” detailed the woman.

It was after receiving treatment that Ramdeo would be told that persons liming at a nearby shop had responded to the cries of traumatised little girl (her daughter) reVACANCY WANTED 1 part time experienced canter driver.Call:626-6722.

Security officers male & female 18+. Lamaha St between Waterloo & Parade.

Call:223-4172/632-0510.

1 western union representative 5 CXC inclusive Maths &English,3pump attendant,sound secondary education. Tel:646-3117/2740144.

One clerk for TSI Eccles office.English& Mathematics,grade 1 or 2.

Email application:techserigy @yahoo.com or call 6429823.

Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles,age 25-50,Car/Van licence.Call:642-9823.

Maid to cook and clean for East Bank.Call:615-9132.

Senior accounts & Sales Clerk & Cashier,must have 4 CXC subjects.Apply at Alabama Trading, 65-66 Robb St Bourda.

Vacancy for Night handy man. Call:637-6700.

portedly yelling, ‘Yall come quick ma father killing ma mother.”

As they investigators reviewed the CCTV footage of the incident, Ramdeo would be shocked yet again after she saw her daughter kneeling in the yard, just in front of the house. The girl bowed twice to the ground before running out of the gate. Ramdeo learnt later that her daughter was actually praying to God for her safety before she ran off to get help.

The girl was brave enough to share her story with Kaieteur News too. She said that her dad had entered the yard and he looked normal but what happened next had shocked

her.

“He was normal and I looked away and then when I looked again he was trying to kill my mother,” she said.

The alert girl continued, “I was like thinking and then I was like no, I am not gonna let my mother die.”

This was when she decided to run and alert the people at the shop.

“They all looked surprised and it was like they did not believe me, but when they saw my mom running out in blood then they believed me,” recounted the girl.

After her mom was rescued, a female worker from a nearby wash-bay picked her up and took her home. That indi-

vidual noted that child was traumatised at the time.

As Kaieteur News concluded their interview with the family, the girl turned to her mom and said, “Mommy I can’t forget what I see, I does keep remembering it.” Her mom hugged her and responded “Alright babe, you have to forget it, forget it now.”

Her dad, Dwayne Williams, has since been remanded to prison for attempting to murder his ex-wife and grievously wounding her mom and cousin. Williams was charged at the Leonora Magistrate Court yesterday and is expected to make his next court appearance on September 14, 2021.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 25, 2021

PAGE 23

Bids open for the No. 58 Village road project Yesterday, during the opening of tenders at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), eight companies submitted expression of interest for the construction of No.58 Village road,

Corentyne Region Six. The procuring entity was the Ministry of Public Works. Under this Ministry too, bids were also open for the construction of bridges at Seaford and Fowler Canals and No.58 Village. No bids were

Ministry of Legal Affairs Support for the Criminal Justice System Police Prosecutor's Offices: Court's Superintendent's office, Leonora Police Station, Region Three.

Bidder Digital Technology Group& Co. PBS Technology Guyana Inc. Giftland Office Max

Amount Tendered $8,392, 500 $7,382,640 -

Ministry of Finance Procurement of Office Furniture - Lot 1: Supply and Installation of Cubicles, Lot 2: Supply and Delivery of Ergonomic Office Chairs, Lot 3: Supply and Delivery of a conference table sitting room suite, coffee table and reception desk.

Bidder

Amount Tendered

J&R Shepherd Investment

(Lot 1) $6,908,400 (Lot 2)$2,297,100 (Lot 3)$1,573,200 Starcomm Office Furniture Guyana (Lot 1)$5,061,258 Inc. (Lot 2)$1,929,564 (Lot 3)$828,324 A.S Woodworking Establishment (Lot 2)$2,173,156 (Lot 3)$826,500 Protected Area Commission Consultancy Services for the Supervision of Works: Construction of Ranger Station and Outpost in Kanuku Mountain Protected Areas, Region Nine.

Bidder

Amount Tendered

KaliTech Inc. Engineering Design and Consultants Supervisory

Financial proposal submitted

Civil Engineer’s Lab Guyana

Financial proposal submitted

Innovative Engineers Consultancy Services Financial proposal submitted Sizwe Jackson Consultancy Services Financial proposal submitted Financial proposal submitted RVS Structural Engineers GUYSUCO Extension of Sugar Storage Bond, Blairmont Estate.

Bidder Amount Tendered

Memorex Enterprise JS Engineering Services & Supply

$82,986,872 $88,538,890

Engineer’s Estimate

$84,056,984

Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ADA) Lot 1: Supply and Delivery of white sand, Lot 2: Supply and Delivery of sand clay, Lot 3: Supply and Delivery of crusher run.

Bidder

Amount Tendered

received for the East Bank to East Coast road linkage project (Ogle to Haag Bosch, Eccles).Tenders were also open for the extension of the Sugar Storage Bond at Blairmont Estate, the rehabilitation of road at

Congenial Super Center

(Lot 1)$8,000,000 (Lot 2)$22,500,000 (Lot 3)$16,800,000 Romel Jagroop General (Lot 1)$2,000,000 Construction Services (Lot 2)$7,200,000 National Data Management Authority (NDMA) Procurement of Memory and Hard drives.

Bidder Amount Tendered NT Computeac $12,911,250 Zancoup $7,599,600 PBS Technologies Guyana Inc. $14,010,000 Procurement of Cloud Application and Solutions.

Bidder Amount Tendered Digital Technology Group & Co. Inc. E-Networks Inc. U. Mobile Cellular inc.

Imon Wireless Solutions inc.

PBS Technologies Guyana Inc. NT Computeac

$32,044,890 $48,705,119 $26,833,950 $15,248,668 $38,406,600 $35,465,258

Parliament of Guyana Repairs to floor in the Accounts Section.

Bidder Amount Tendered Cecil Ivelaw Yansen Construction Service $3,622,960 C&N Construction Enterprise $5,123,250 Memorex Enterprise $3,489,430 Eric Bess Construction $3,426,140 JPM’s General Construction & Engineering Services $3,269,770 Engineer’s Estimate $3,567,800 Repairs to the Sergeant at Arms Office area.

Bidder Memorex Enterprise JPM’s General Construction &Engineering Services Cecil Ivelaw Yansen Construction Services C&N Construction Enterprise Eric Bess Construction Engineer’s Estimate

Amount Tendered $3,811,540 $3,582,425 $3,729,140 $5,442,220 $3,685,449 $2,948,720

Ministry of Health Supply and Delivery of ATV and Aluminum Boat - Community Health Workers.

Bidder Amount Tendered Marics & Company Limited

Legalise Trucking and Contracting Service C. Jorree Farming &Contracting Services Narindra Lachman & Co. Inc.

DNS Enterprise Sawah Investment

VR Construction Inc. JS Guyana Inc.

(Lot 1)$1,850,000 (Lot 2)$3,750,000 (Lot 3)$10,500,000 (Lot 1)$2,000,000 (Lot 2)$5,002,500 (Lot 3)$7,420,000 (Lot 1)$2,701,800 (Lot 2)$6,925,500 (Lot 3)$8,339,100 (Lot 1)$3,800,000 (Lot 2)$6,750,000 (Lot 3)$9,100,000 (Lot 1)$5,500,000 (Lot 3)$11,200,000 (Lot 1)$10,720,000 (Lot 2)$10,050,000 (Lot 3)$13,132,000 (Lot 3)$7,980,000 (Lot 1)$5,460,000 (Lot 2)$11,182,500 (Lot 3)$8,232,000

(Lot 1)$3,638,648 (Lot 2)$7,802,000 Supply and Delivery of Laptops computers and Accessories for quality analysis.

Bidder NT Computeac PBS Technologies Guyana Inc.

Procurement of building materials repairs to Timber Bridge at Prem Nagar, Meten-Meer-Zorg.

Bidder N.Singh & Sons Contracting Services TRL Lumberyard Super Graphics Z&H Investment Inc. Bhowan Trucking & Construction Services Singh &Son Construction A.Nazir& Son Contracting & General Supplies

Amount Tendered $3,974,521 $4,644,000

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Procurement of building materials repairs to Greenheart Timber Bridge at Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara.

Bidder Amount Tendered Memorex Enterprise

$4,462,530

TRL Lumberyard

$5,396,000

Bhowan Trucking &Construction Services $5,220,900

Amount Tendered $4,599,304 $5,759,700 $5,882,400 $9,531,415 $5,714,000 $9,718,825 $6,289,407

Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) Supply and Delivery of Agro-Equipment.

Bidder Meditron Inc. Giftland Office Max

Amount Tendered $32,700,904 $13,420,000

Supply and Delivery of Agro-Processing Equipment for Region Five Bidder

Amount Tendered

Giftland Office Max $10,790,000 Meditron Inc. $37,763,628 Western Scientific Company Limited $16,121,484 Region One - Barima Waini Rehabilitation of road at Oronoque, Port Kaituma.

Bidder Amount Tendered Supreme Contracting & Supplies $35,299,000

Engineer’s Estimate

$19,998,000

Construction of Koberimo Road Phase 2.

Bidder Supreme Contracting & Supplies Engineer’ s Estimate

Amount Tendered $24,801,000 $19,999,980

Rehabilitation of Big Creek Road, Port Kaituma

Bidder

Amount Tendered

Supreme Contracting & Supplies Engineer’s Estimate

$28,259,000 $19,998,550

Ministry of Public Works East Bank to East Coast Road linkage project (Ogle to Haag Bosch, Eccles).

Bidder

(Lot 2)$5,723,864

General Equipment Guyana Limited

Zebo & Sons Construction

Oronoque located in Port Kaituma, Region One and the rehabilitation of Big Creek Road which is also located in Port Kaituma.

Below are the companies and their bids:

Amount Tendered No Bids Received

Construction of bridges at Seaford and Fowler Canals, No.58 Village, Region Six

Bidder C&L Construction Inc.

Amount Tendered $196,224,380

H.Nauth & Sons $205,539,350 Kares Engineering Inc. $135,442,350 Engineer’s Estimate $161,342,363 Construction of No.58 Village Road, Corentyne Berbice, Region Six.

Bidder Japarts Construction Inc.

Amount Tendered $585,891,500

GuyAmerica Construction Inc. KP Jagdeo General Contracting

$640,713,500 $717,255,500

M&B Construction

A. Nazir & Son Contracting & General Supplies $5,690,829

Associated Construction Services

Mohabir’s Construction

$5,837,500

JS Guyana Inc.

Super Graphics

$6,159,900

A&S General Contractors Inc.

$701,692,000 $584,814,000 $872,769,000 $603,341,685 $686,814,500

Z&H Investment inc.

$8,657,635

Engineer’s Estimate

$602,594,000

Singh &Son Construction

$9,410,900

AJM Enterprise

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Taliban say no evacuation extension as G7 meets on Afghan crisis *Thousands crowd airport ahead of Aug. 31 deadline for exit *No deadline extension agreed - Taliban spokesman (Reuters) - Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers said yesterday all foreign evacuations from the country must be completed by Aug. 31, and U.S. President Joe Biden was reported to be aiming to stick to the date due to the high chance of a terrorist attack.

The developments follow what two U.S. officials said was a meeting between CIA Director William Burns and Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul on Monday to discuss the chaos in Af-

ghanistan after the Taliban’s unexpectedly swift takeover.

Biden, w ho said last

week troops might stay past Aug. 31 to evacuate Americans, will follow a Pentagon recommendation to remove the troops by that date as long as the Taliban enables the U.S. to complete its evacuations, three U.S. officials said.

Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was increasing concern about suicide bomb-

ings by Islamic State militants at the airport, which has been overwhelmed by Afghans and foreign citizens rushing to leave, fearing reprisals.

home.

“We guarantee their security,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a news conference in the capi-

One U.S. official said it was no longer a question of

tal, which Taliban fighters seized on Aug. 15 from the Western-backed government after two decades of war.A s he spoke, Western

if, but when, militants would attack and the priority was to get out before it happened.

The hardline Islamist Taliban told the thousands of Afghans crowding into the airport in the hope of boarding flights that they had nothing to fear and should go

troops were working frantically to get more foreigners and Afghans onto planes and out of the country.Mujahid said the Taliban had not agreed to an

extension of the Aug. 31 deadline and called on the United States not to encourage Afghan people to leave their homeland.

He also urged foreign embassies not to close or stop work.Leaders of the G7 major industrialized nations - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States - met virtually to discuss how to complete the chaotic withdrawal and deal with the Taliban now that they have seized power.

They said they would remain committed to Afghanistan and back the United Nations in coordinating immediate humanitarian help in the region, which faces a new influx of refugees.

The talks did not result “in new dates” for the end of the evacuation mission, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, though there were intensive discussions on whether a civilian-operated airport in Kabul could be used after Aug. 31.

Development or Destruction: Manganese Mining in Matthew’s Ridge From page 16 coupled with the chronic lack of proper monitoring and enforcement of local laws, the country’s biological diversity is under severe threat.

The Green State Development Strategy and Low Carbon Development Strategy may well become a thing of the past as the nation steadily moves from being a carbon sink to becoming a serious carbon emitter, especially with issues like flaring in the oil and gas sector. The Environmental Protection Agency has, this year, amended ExxonMobil’s permit to limit the amount of flaring and to impose a fine despite the company having already flared in excess of 14 billion cubic feet in natural gas, since operations began in 2019.

In an attempt to develop a culture of preservation and conservation, Guyana has entered into numerous multilateral agreements such as the United Nations Conventions on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), The Nagoya and Cartagena Protocols, The Paris Agreement and recently the ESCAZU agreement, among many others.

So, on the one hand, and at the official level, Guyana has all the necessary protections and obligations to ensure that the environment, those who fight to preserve it and the agencies responsible for enforcing it, are all protected.

But, on the other hand, the bilateral agreements brokered between Guyana and its closest partners like the USA, the European Union and China which purportedly aim to support Guyana’s development, directly counteract the intended benefits of many of these multilateral agreements.

Furthermore, the execution of these bilateral agreements, the companies involved and the manner in which they conduct business in Guyana has led to many issues arising in relation to Guyanese developmental rights and resources. Debates surrounding extractivism, en-

vironmental degradation and pollution are common, notwithstanding the limited benefits, which are gained by the local population at the expense of their resources and livelihoods.

Guyana’s growing geopolitical significance has elevated discussions around the role of its two competing and closest developmental partners, the USA and China.

And increased scrutiny of their aims and intentions for Guyana and Guyanese people.

In March 2021, Head of State, President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Chinese President Xi Jinping held friendly discussions, reaffirming the longstanding friendship between the two nations. During those talks, President Ali noted that Guyana considers “China as the most important partner in its national development”. Indeed, Guyana and China’s friendship spans almost five decades and the two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of official diplomatic relations next year in 2022.

As such, China’s role in Guyana’s national development is marked. Chinese companies have led numerous infrastructural development projects in Guyana, which include the building of roads and bridges, amongst other initiatives. Chinese companies like Zijin Mining, BaiShanLin and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, which has a 25% stake in the ExxonMobil lead consortium are among those who lead many of Guyana’s extractive sectors.

But with China set to host the upcoming UNCBD summit in October of this year, there is renewed focus on the role of Chinese extractive companies and the manner in which China influences and impacts local environmental policies, directly and indirectly.

Chinese-owned companies like BaiShanLin and Bosai have been accused in the past of exploitative prac-

tices impacting the environment and affecting local communities socio-economic and developmental rights.

Noeilene Bess, a Councillor on the Neighbourhood Democratic Council in Matthew’s Ridge wondered: “Is it because we are Amerindians that we should be treated like this?” Councillor Bess went on to say that when the community takes a stand against the wanton destruction of their roads, bridges, creeks and farms, no one listens and it is as though, “we have no right to talk”.

There continues to be a disconnect between official rhetoric, policy and operations on the ground. According to Chen Xilai, Charge d’Affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Guyana, “we are adopting the green mining concept since 2011”, which he stated has been accepted voluntarily by Chinese companies such as Zijin Mining Group which operates here in Guyana and in other countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo.“Green mining” refers to attempts to mitigate the destructive impacts of mining on the environment through initiatives like revegetation and habitat rebuilding.

Mr. Chen stated that overseas Chinese companies have left many green footprints and take their social responsibilities seriously as part of their culture. He also noted that the controversial Belt and Road Initiative is premised on the basis of green investment principles and that the “BRI cares much about green development”.

Mr. Chen concluded that Chinese companies abroad “would like to ensure that when man and nature is living together, we have to take care of nature. We have to take care of the forest and we have to take care of the animals.”

However, the complaints coming from Matthew’s Ridge prove that relations, even between men, let alone man and nature, are very much inharmonious and cer-

tainly not in alignment with Mr. Chen’s aspirations.

Community members have commented on the drastic changes to the environment, noting for example that one of the community recreational grounds and home to various species of birds has been turned into a watery swap, which now overruns, flooding the main access road.

The damage to the roads is exacerbated by poor drainage constructed by GMI, which causes the roadways to flood and cuts off access to the neighbouring village of Port Kaituma where much of the villagers’ business is conducted.

Councillor Bess has noted with distress the damage that is being done to the environment and the local infrastructure. She has attended “countless meetings” with the company and recounted that they had promised to address a number of issues relating to the state of the roads, bridges and drainage infrastructure, which have all been affected because of the company’s operations.

Despite their promises to address the situation, “nothing has been done”. Councillor Bess went on to say that the company has blocked off the community’s gazetted roads and have “made their own road for us to get to the airstrip”, which she contends is in a “deplorable state and needs urgent attention”.

According to Derek Barnes however, a longstanding member of the Matthew’s Ridge community who works with local youths, “the future of the community is on the move”. Mr. Barnes stated that an economic development programme is needed and that a “modernised approach to development” must occur for the community to benefit fully from the company’s operations.

Mr. Barnes believes that mining is crucial to the development of local infrastructure and for the future of the community’s young people.

He stated that, “mining is responsible for the economic existence of this community and it is very difficult to harness the youths” without any avenue for their development, but ultimately, Mr. Barnes believes that the company “should start giving back to this community because they came here and they met a structure, an infrastructure already in shape, and they have saved millions of dollars” because of that. Therefore, he concluded that it is realistic to ask that the company “should give a cash incentive to every household”, given the value of the resource, length of operations and impact on the community.

Another area of contention between the company and residents of the Matthew’s Ridge community relates to promises made by GMI about working with the local population. In 2018, during their rehabilitation phase, GMI had promised five hundred jobs for the local population once operations started. However, residents are saying that this has not happened.According to one former employee of GMI, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, there are “not even one hundred local workers” at the mine and possibly closer to two hundred foreign Chinese nationals. GMI had promised in their Environmental Impact Assessment, that once they reach the production stage of their operations, there would be roles for at least three hundred local Guyanese workers, in all areas and at all levels of the company.

But according to the source, there is no sense of job security at GMI because the company only provides contracts for a six month period and when that approaches its end, there is always a problem with getting it renewed. That also means that there is no chance of accruing the benefits that he would be able to get once he completes one year with the company. He also stated that

there are only a limited number of jobs for locals and most of them are for low skilled workers like handymen.

The young man further stated that he has been bullied, has had overtime and double-time payments withheld, has been overtaxed and personally victimised by his supervisor as they ultimately refused to give him a new contract. He stated that sometimes he would work every day in the month and “take home less than a hundred thousand” Guyanese dollars, come month end. GMI also pays their local workers a $1000 dollars per day food allowance but this is included in their salaries and is taxed as a result.

Unfortunately, there are no trade unions in the Matthew’s Ridge area and the workers have no formal representation, so many of their concerns and issues are unreported. Members of Matthew’s Ridge are calling on the Guyanese government to engage with them and to monitor closely what is happening with GMI in their village. They note that government officials have not been engaging with the community to the extent that is needed in order to address their concerns, to properly monitor GMI’s activities and to enforce the law.

Attempts to solicit a response from GMI and the relevant government agencies were unsuccessful.

Guyana’s growing extractive sectors are key to the nation’s development and there is an understanding of that nature within the nation.

However, communities like Matthew’s Ridge highlight the need for a more robust engagement on the part of the government when monitoring the activities of companies like GMI and enforcing laws, which are supposed to protect citizens, their livelihoods and environment.

(This story was reported with support from the Internews’ Earth Journalism Network)

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

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FIFA awarded $201mln in compensation Chicago Women’s Open: Venus a toxic organisation at

by US Department of Justice from the time, to a highly Williams crashes out in first round SportsMax - FIFA has FIFA confirmed the money esteemed and trusted global been awarded with $201million as compensation for the criminal activities of former officials.

In 2015, world football’s governing body was raided

by Swiss authorities on behalf of the United States Department of Justice, with Sepp Blatter among over 40 officials charged.

Yesterday, FIFA confirmed the Department of Justice had awarded a $201m compensation package to the FIFA Foundation.

This sum – seized from the bank accounts of the officials who were prosecuted – covers the losses suffered by FIFA, CONCACAF and CONMEBOL as “victims of decades of football corruption schemes”.

will go into a newly formed World Football Remission Fund, established to help finance football-related projects.

“I am delighted to see that money which was illegally siphoned out of football is now coming back to be used for its proper purposes, as it should have been in the first place,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“I want to sincerely thank the US Justice authorities for their efforts in this respect, for their fast and effective approach in bringing these matters to a conclusion, and also for their trust in general. The truth is that, thanks to their intervention back in 2015, we have been able to fundamentally change FIFA

sports governing body.

“Thankfully, we are well past that unfortunate period in history now and it’s great to see significant funding being put at the disposal of the FIFA Foundation, which can positively impact so many people across the football world, especially through youth and community programmes.”

In a separate statement, South American federation CONMEBOL confirmed it would receive $71m of the package.

CONMEBOL stated it would use these funds for youth camps, education, refereeing and coaching courses, community outreach and women’s football.

Wednesday August 25, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A missed communication - or miscommunication - with a romantic partner could find you waiting in the wrong place, Aries.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today you could find that you've left something at home, perhaps a book or letter that you need. There's no way around it, Taurus, you'll have to go back. This could make you late. Stay calm!

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may need to spend a lot of time in the car today, Gemini. You could hit traffic and miss some of the people you need to see.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Paperwork involving money may need doing today, Cancer, and this could take you away from what you love most - working on your own projects and spending time with a love partner.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) An unhappy visitor, probably a woman, could come to your home today, Leo. This person has a lot of anger right now and probably won't make much of a conversationalist.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Have you been expecting an important letter, Virgo? If so, it may not arrive for a while.

If it doesn't appear today, call the person who sent it and ask for a duplicate because the original could be lost in the mail.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Money worries could have your nerves on edge. It's better to focus on doing what you have to do to resolve your difficulties than it is to waste time fretting over them.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) A lot of tedious paperwork is probably waiting for you, and you will want to get it done as quickly as possible.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Some facts that you may need for certain projects might prove elusive today.

No matter what website or periodical you consult, you'll probably come across some interesting stuff but not exactly what you're looking for.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) What a perfect day to go to a spa, get a massage, or enjoy a sauna, Capricorn.

You've accumulated a lot of tension and stress lately, and you may have had a hard time trying to calm down.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) A miscommunication with a business or romantic partner might cause some ruffled feathers today. You can divert this by explaining the facts clearly whenever you give information.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Do you work with a lot of documents, Pisces? If so, you might find today that some of the papers you need are missing. They might seem to have vanished into a black hole.

BBC Sport - Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams crashed out of the Chicago Women’s Open in the first round after being handed a wildcard.

It came after her world ranking dropped to 147, her lowest since 1997.

The oldest person in the draw at 41, former world number one Williams lost 6-2 6-3 to Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei.

Elsewhere at the WTA 250 tournament, Great Britain’s Heather Watson retired hurt while 6-2 1-0 down against Romania’s Ana Bogdan.

At the Cleveland Championships, GB’s Tara Moore was beaten 6-4 7-5 by Linda Fruhvirtova in the first round.

US Open qualifying started yesterday, with seven British players hoping to join Johanna Konta, Watson, Dan Evans, Cameron Norrie and Andy Murray in the main draw.

Williams has been awarded a wildcard for the Grand Slam - at which she won the singles title in 2000 and 2001.

The US Open takes place from 30 August-12 September.

Venus Williams has been awarded a wildcard for the US Open. (Getty Images)

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday August 25, 2021

Lady Jags strike optimistic tone following CONCACAF qualifiers draw Members of the Guyana Senior Women’s National Team of are confident of delivering a strong performance in the first stage of the region’s revamped qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, following the 2022 Concacaf W Championship qualifiers draw last weekend.

The Lady Jags will face Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a g o , Dominica, Nicaragua and the Turks and Caicos Islands in Group F of the regional qualifiers, which will be played in November 2021 and April 2022.

The six winners of each group will progress to the Concacaf W Championship – the next step on the journey to the World Cup, the 2024 Olympics and the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup. “I am excited to see the teams we’ve been grouped with for the first round. Each of these nations will bring different challenges, and I feel with the group we have this will be a great test to help prepare us for the next phase of qualifiers,” said Lady Jags

star Kayla De Souza.

“Dominica and Turks and Caicos are nations that will give us a challenge right from the start.

These two games will allow us to grow as a team as we prepare to face the likes of Trinidad and Tobago later on our qualifying journey. I am confident with the leadership of our staff and veterans, mixed with our up and coming talent, we will be able to find the right solutions to perform,” she said.

The Lady Jags are ranked 88th in the world by FIFA and 15th by Concacaf in the region, although a lack of game time for many Caribbean national teams throughout the COVID-19 pandemic makes it difficult to gauge current form.

However, a strong performance by Guyana’s upcoming talent in the nation’s first appearance at the 2020 Concacaf Women’s U20 Championship – where the team reached the quarterfinals – bodes well for the future.

“While they have not

Akilah Castello

played since 2018, the senior women’s team is looking forward to their opening round games to build on the momentum from the U20 tournament results,” said Head Coach Ivan Joseph. “We have a lot of preparation to do in order to be ready for the opening round games

against Dominica as well as Turks and Caicos. We will approach our goal of qualifying for the tournament one step at a time.”

“Our number one priority is to select our team from a quality pool and have a team camp in early fall prior to our opening home

and away stance,” Joseph said. “We have been waiting for this tournament for over three years. Our women feel like we have something to prove and won’t be satisfied with anything but our best effort.”

Domestic-based Lady Jags and female youth national players have already started training at the GFF National Training Centre (NTC), under the guidance of Akilah Castello, who is in charge of the Guyana-based programme.

“It’s a tough group with some challenging teams in it, but we’ve been doing a lot of work at the NTC with the girls and they’ll certainly be well prepared for the games,” Castello said.

The domestic-based players have been working on building up their fitness and enhancing their technical and tactical skills after an enforced long break caused by the pandemic. The spirit among the group is positive as they push for selection in the final squad.

“I think we got a fairly

good group, but we have to ensure we win our first two matches,” said GFF administrator and Lady Jags forward Lakeisha Pearson.

“Nicaragua will be a tough match, but I believe we can come out on top because we’ll have a chance to see them play before our match, so we’ll have a good game plan.”

The GFF is planning to relaunch the GFF-Always N a t i o n a l Wo m e n ’s Development League, alongside youth competitions for girls, as soon as approval for the safe return to play is granted by the authorities. The U17 female national team will also be in action this year in regional Concacaf competition.

“We’re excited about the launch of the new senior women’s national team competitions schedule for 2021 through 2024, which will give our Lady Jags a platform to excel in the new C o n c a c a f w o m e n ’s ecosystem,” said GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood.

Wednesday August 25, 2021

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St Lucia Kings expect du Plessis to be fit - Head coach Andy Flower also expects Keemo Paul for their CPL opener and Obed McCoy to be available for their first game ESPNcricinfo - St Lucia Kings head coach Andy Flower has hinted that Faf du Plessis is set to return to action in the franchise’s CPL opener against Jamaica Tallawahs on August 27. du Plessis had been sidelined from the entire Hundred competition after having not adequately recovered from the concussion that had forced him to miss a chunk of the PSL as well.

“He’s had his own personal fitness challenges just recently with his concussion issues,” Flower said during a virtual media interaction. “But he’s on a back-to-play programme that should see him ready for our first match. We hope and

pray that he’s obviously fit for his own good but also for ours. There’s no 100% guarantee about that, but that’s what we’re planning for. “ du Plessis had suffered the initial concussion when his head collided with his Quetta Gladiators team-mate Mohammad Hasnain’s knee during a game against Peshawar Zalmi at the PSL in Abu Dhabi in June. The injury subseqeuently put him out of the remainder of the tournament and he returned to South Africa shortly after, and then travelled to Croatia to quarantine ahead of the Hundred. du Plessis was originally scheduled to captain Northern Superchargers, before Ben

Faf du Plessis last played a game in early June.

(BCCI/IPL)

Stokes and David Willey t o o k o v e r t h e responsibilities. du Plessis will now lead St Lucia Kings in the Caribbean before reuniting with Chennai Super Kings in the second leg of the IPL, which will

restart four days after the CPL ends on September 15.

He was in particularly strong form in the first leg of the IPL, rattling off 320 runs in seven innings at an average of 64 and strike rate of 145.45. Seam-bowling

allrounder Keemo Paul, who has moved from Guyana Amazon Warriors, and leftarm seamer Obed McCoy are also fitness concerns for Kings. Paul has not been in contention for West Indies selection after suffering a groin injury last year; he hasn’t played any competitive cricket since the BBL last December. As for McCoy, he was pulled out of the West Indies squad for the last two T20Is against Australia in July after suffering a niggle. Flower also expected the pair to be available for Kings’ first game on Friday.

“I’m yet to meet up with him [Paul] and yet to get a very clear update on his

fitness, but he’s going to play a part in the tournament and there’s no doubt about that,” Flower said. “And I expect him to play some matchturning performances as well. Again, I’m yet to catch up with Obed and our physio will be coming in with the [Test] contingent this evening from the second Test match... I anticipate Keemo Paul and Obed being fit for the first match.”

The Kings’ new recruit Samit Patel, however, will not be available for the start of the CPL. The England and Trent Rockets allrounder will only link up with them after playing in the Vitality Blast knockouts for Nottinghamshire.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Test cricket ‘might’ have evolved for the better but not for Windies

By Sean Devers

S

It would be an insult to compare the batsmen in this team to those in the present side. (Getty images)

omeone recently said that the great players of the past would not have been very successful in this area since ‘Test cricket has evolved and it’s better now.

It would be hard to imagine that Roberts, Holding, Garner, Croft and Marshal (arguable the best of them all) would have struggled bowling Kholi, Williamson, Root, Smith, Sharma or Babar Azam.

Or that Richards, Greenidge, Haynes, Gomes, Lloyd and Richardson would find it hard facing H a z l e w o o d , Wa g e r , Anderson, Rabada, Southee, Cummins, Bond and Bumrah.

That might be so with teams like India, England, Australia and New Zealand but I highly doubt it.

Look at the West Indies cricket now.

When I played regional Youth Cricket the pitches in Jamaica and Barbados were fast and had a lot of bounce, the one in Trinidad was spin-friendly, while Bourda was a batting paradise. Now the pitches have gotten slower with many balls keeping low.

I grew up watching Shell Shield cricket at Bourda which had capacity crowds.

Now our Regional first-

class cricket is arguably the lowest standard among the Test-playing Nations. Our batsmen can’t bat and our spinners dominate in Regional cricket but struggle to replicate that success at the international level.

O u r b a t s m e n d o n ’t average above 40 in Regional cricket and we expect them to average 40 at international cricket.

Some say that our three best batsmen apart from Skipper Kraigg Braithwaite (Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetymer and Nicholas Pooran) should have been a part of the Test line.

I agree to some extent that Hetymer could be used as opener, while Bravo could have filled a middle order position while Pooran has never played a Test match and gives the impression that he does not want to play Red Ball cricket.

Both Bravo (36.47) and Hetymer (27.93) have not reached an Average of 40 at First-Class level so it’s unlikely they would Average 45-plus at Test level.

We blame coaches for the repeated failures of batsmen who reach the highest level with lots of basic flaws which should have been addressed at the club level.

These are our best crop of batsmen and if we expect

them to consistently get hundreds at the international level then we are in denial.

Our cricket standard in the West Indies has gotten worse. Our fast bowlers are pressured to win us matches.

And it’s not because of a lack of talent but a cultural shift of a generation that strives for instant gratification instead of working hard and long to get great results.

How many schools have Inter-House cricket? How many schools have PE teachers, how many clubs have three teams that can play first, second and third Division cricket on the same weekend?

How many clubs have a U-19 and a U-15 that could play on the same weekend?

These are things that happened in the past in Guyana. And we keep fooling ourselves that the standard of cricket in the West Indies has ‘evolved’ for the better.

If nothing is done to fix the problems at the bottom it’s unlikely we will get back to the top when we dominated Test cricket for 15 years without losing a single series.

Wednesday August 25, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Shaheen Afridi, Nauman Ali bowl Pakistan to series-levelling win Afridi takes ten for the match as West Indies fold in the final session ESPNcricinfo - 2005, 2011 and 2021. Three twomatch series in a row, West Indies took the lead in a home series, only for Pakistan to drag them back to parity Rain, wet outfield, poor light all conspired to try and deny Babar Azam’s side triumph in this Test, but Pakistan’s positive approach and relentlessness in pursuit of a result rewarded with a hugely gratifying 109-run win.

Shaheen Afridi was the hero, finishing with a match haul of 10 wickets as the West Indies folded against a well-rounded attack. It meant they will have to wait a few more years to record a first Test series win over Pakistan since 2001.

At the start of the day, Pakistan needed nine wickets, West Indies 280 runs. For a brief while on the fourth evening, Pakistan were slightly jitter in the face of West Indian resistance. It remained that way for a brief spell this morning, as Alzarri Joseph and Kraigg Brathwaite kept the bowlers at bay. Each struck a boundary to get the ball rolling, and with the ball losing its shine, West Indies appeared to be making progress.

But once Afridi bounced

Joseph out, the innings changed colour. Hasan Ali hadn’t enjoyed a particularly memorable series until Tuesday, but it took just one ball to make an impact towards levelling the series.

Nkrumah Bonner played down the wrong line and was struck dead in front; Hasan didn’t even bother to appeal as he set off to celebrate. The umpire made Pakistan review, but there was no redemption for Bonner.

Faheem Ashraf at the other end should have seen off Brathwaite, but while one Pakistan opener simply cannot drop a catch in the slips, Brathwaite’s outside edge looped to the other one.

Abid Ali put down a dolly, perhaps illustrating why Imran Butt had dived so spectacularly in front of him in the first Test. To rub the point home further, when Roston Chase offered up a chance the following over, Butt dived adroitly to his right as Pakistan had another wicket.

Blackwood and Brathwaite have been West Indies’ brightest batting sparks this tour, and for more than an hour, they kept Pakistan waiting for another breakthrough. It came from an unlikely source - their left-arm spinner Nauman Ali

Nauman Ali’s late introduction worked immediately for Pakistan Aug 24, 2021 © Getty Images

Mohammad Rizwan took a sharp catch to dismiss Jermaine Blackwood Aug 24, 2021 © Getty Images

- who flighted the ball to draw the batter forward and induce an outside edge to the keeper.

Brathwaite appeared to be the focal point of resistance when the middle session began but a rare loose shot a few overs in allowed Pakistan to chisel their way into the lower order. A loose, uppish slash to point found Fawad Alam, and Pakistan were sniffing at the prospect of finishing the game off before tea.

But Mayers, who was yet to score a run this series before, found a bit of rhythm, and alongside Jason Holder, began to hunker down. The runs came from time to time, but they weren’t a priority, and as Nauman’s effectiveness wavered while the quicks tired, West Indies were raising local hopes of taking the game deep and infusing concern amongst the fielding side. Abid Ali’s butterfingers didn’t help, the opener putting down his second catch of the day, this time a routine grab at short leg after an inside edge from Mayers.

It was down to Shaheen Afridi - who else? - to give Pakistan a lift, coming with an exquisite off-stump delivery that shaped away from the left-handed Mayers. The batsman went for an expansive drive, only to see it take a feather off the outside edge, triggering relieved Pakistani celebrations.

You wouldn’t have blamed Pakistan for believing they were on the

cusp of a series-levelling win, but the heavens chose that moment to open, and within moments, it had gone from bright sunshine to an absolute downpour. Holder jogged back off alongside the dismissed Mayers, while Babar Azam followed in his wake, remonstrating with the umpires; after the drama around the wet outfield, thoughts must invariably have turned to a victory snatched from under his side’s noses.

But it was only a cloudburst, to Pakistan’s relief and an early tea later, back out they came. The darkening skies added dramatic flair to the occasion, and for a while, Holder made hay while the sun didn’t shine. He targeted both quick and slow bowlers alike, and rode his luck on occasion, no more so than when Afridi failed to gobble up a chance on the boundary.

Butt aside, Pakistan’s lacklustre fielding was thematically consistent, and with no clear notion of when time might run out, there was

always the danger it could cost them once more. But with Azam having turned to the spinners to rush through till the new ball became a v a i l a b l e , H o l d e r ’s extravagance got the better of him.

He had pierced Nauman through the covers the previous delivery, but three runs shy of a half-century found Fawad at cover the next ball. From that point on, Afridi took over with the new ball, summarily removing Kemar Roach and Joshua da Silva to close the game.

Test cricket in these two nations might have been set back over the past few decades, but over yet another humdinger of a series, there was nothing to separate West Indies and Pakistan once more.

Scores: Pakistan 302 for 9 dec (Alam 124, Azam 75, Roach 3-68) and 176 for 6 dec (Butt 37, Azam 33) beat West Indies 150 (Bonner 37, Afridi 6-51) and 219 (Holder 47, Afridi 4-43, Nauman 352) by 109 runs.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 32

Wednesday August 25, 2021

GFF kicks off annual FIFA Member Association Refereeing Course ahead of return to play FIFA Referee Instructor Peter Prendergast leads a session at the FIFA Member Association Refereeing Course.

The Refereeing Department of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Monday commenced a week-long, annual FIFA Member Association Refereeing Course, a crucial milestone in the return to play that provides match officials with clear guidance and training for the proper officiating of football matches.

The top level, intensive course, running from August 23 to August 27 at the GFF National Training Centre in Providence, features sessions from FIFA Referee Development Officer Javier S a n t o s , F I FA R e f e r e e Instructor Peter Prendergast and FIFA Fitness Instructor Alan Brown, as well as GFF Referee Instructors Ingram Johnson and Sherwin

Moore.

“It is very important to have this in-person course after more than one year that football stopped because of the pandemic,” FIFA’s Santos said. “We need to see the referees on the field of play and their fitness capacity. We came here to test the referees and to find new talent for the many future competitions we have in the region. In the past, we had many referees from Guyana participating, but now we need to see more, so this is a recruitment programme.”

During the week, Guyana’s match officials will be instructed on recent changes to the Laws of the Game and how to best apply them, alongside a focus on important areas such as the

offside rule and fouls. The programme also features fitness tests as part of a holistic theoretical and practical course that helps participants to better understand and execute their vital role on the field of play.

“This course is geared towards ensuring that our match officials have a common and uniform understanding of the interpretation of the Laws of the Game,” said Dion Inniss, GFF Head of Refereeing and Executive Committee member. “Our hope is that they would leave here with one knowledge – that the Laws of the Game should be implemented in one common way.”

“The GFF continues to ensure that, whenever the authorities say it’s a go for us

Participants at the FIFA Member Association Refereeing Course at the GFF National Training Centre.

to return to play, our coaches, our players, our administrators, our match commissioners and – certainly – our referees are geared up to be ready in the starting blocks. This programme is just one of many developmental programmes that we are having to ensure that when the time comes, we are raring to go.”

Currently, Guyana has three match officials on the prestigious FIFA Refereeing International List, which enables referees to wear the FIFA badge and to officiate at i n ter n a tio n a l mat c h es : Sherwin Johnson, Maurees Skeete and Kleon Lindey.

“As a referee, you have to be current and up-to-date with the Laws of the Game,”

said FIFA referee and Upper Demerara Football Association course participant Skeete. “We can see how football is improving rapidly, so we need to be on top at all times.

This course is important because we have FIFA instructors to guide us and teach us with all the new materials, and to give us a fresh understanding of the Laws of the Game and how to apply them.”

“I’m excited to have this course, and I am looking to grab and gain all the knowledge and experience that I could, so I could better myself and also the junior referees around me, and even the players and coaches too,” she said.

GFF President Wayne Forde said the in-person

Excitement anticipated at 8-team Dassy inter-county this Saturday

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xcitement galore i s h i g h l y anticipated this Saturday at Keele Top in Toronto for the another edition of the Dassy and Friends Promotion softball eight-team Intercounty one-day extravaganza.

Two teams each are

slated to compete from Demerara, Essequibo, Berbice and a Canadian AllStars in both the round-arm and flick-bowling categories.

According to organiser Damodar Daesrath, the stage is set to host these sides and is assuring fans the day is expected to be exciting as a

legion of top softball players from the across the Greater Toronto Area will be congregating there.

The 15-overs whiteball action will bowl off at 11:00hrs with two matches playing simultaneously; one each from the round-arm and flick-bowling. The winner in the flick-bowling will receive Cdn$2,500 and trophy while the runners-up will take home $500 and a trophy.

For the round-arm, the champion side will pocket $2,000 and a trophy while the runners-up $500 and a trophy as well.

Daesrath, a former Guyana first-class cricket captain, once again acknowledged support of the sponsors for the day’s event and thanked the teams in advance for their participation.

Apart from the on-field showdown, Daesrath, who also represented Canada at the international level, informed that there will be some side attraction especially with the performance of Trio Sisters from Foot Steps Dance Academy, while musical entertainment will be on throughout the day.

Damodar Daesrath

course would provide vital support and training for G u y a n a ’s n e w a n d experienced match officials as the Federation puts all the elements in place to ensure a safe and well-managed return to competitive football.

“Our referees have to be in tip-top shape to perform the critical duties of a match official,” said President Forde. “We have a very robust and aggressive competition calendar in place, once we are given the permission to get football back to the pitch, so it is important that we not only have our experienced officials being trained and getting back to work, but we are also doing a lot of work behind the scenes to bring new officials to the game.”

Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 25, 2021

PAGE 33

School of the Nations registers as first ever Archery School Club - Affiliates under Archery Guyana Mr Cheeks shooting the PVC Olympic-styled bow as Mrs O’Toole and Mrs Griffith look on.

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rchery Guyana Head Coach Nicholas Hing on Thursday, August 12, presented to Nations Director Pamela O’Toole at a small ceremony in the school’s compound, ‘School of the Nations Archers’, their official certificate of registration and affiliation together with a bow and arrow set.

An excited Pamela O’Toole expressed her joy and enthusiasm at having the opportunity to introduce and develop this new sport to the students together with Archery Guyana whom she thanked for providing the opportunity. She was also delighted to have the school be registered as the first ever archery club in Guyana, and looks forward to many competitions with other school clubs. She also

thanked Ms. Whyte and Mr. Kenrick Cheeks, the school’s Physical Education teacher, who has already begun learning the fundamentals of the sport for taking the lead to bring the sport into the school. She also thanked Archery Guyana for its commitment to training the instructors.

Archery Guyana has been working to introduce the sport of archery into schools for some time now and hopes that School of the Nations is the first of many school clubs. Archery Guyana envisions developing the sport within the school environment with the aim of discovering and encouraging athletes from the primary levels all the way to the university levels; Thereby ensuring the widest possible participation in its effort to find the best Archer

Archery Coach Nicholas Hing presenting Nations Director Pamela O’ Toole with the school’s certification in the presence of Mischka Griffith (left) and Kenrick Cheeks (right). to represent Guyana Internationally and specifically in the Olympic Games.

Archery Guyana commits to providing the necessary training for instructors and certified coaches, both junior and senior. With this in mind, Archery Guyana sees archery as an additional event at school sports; Interhouse, Inter-schools and Nationals, thereby fostering a competitive spirit among students and the camaraderie that archery is internationally known for.

Ex-El Salvador soccer chief pleads guilty in FIFA corruption probe NEW YORK, (Reuters) - The former president of El Salvador’s soccer federation pleaded guilty on Monday to a racketeering conspiracy charge arising from a global soccer corruption probe involving the payment of bribes to stage and broadcast matches. Reynaldo Vasquez, 65, the former president of the Federacion Salvadorena de Futbol (FESFUT), or the Salvadoran Football Federation, entered his plea through a translator before U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen in Brooklyn.

Vasquez acknowledged receiving a $350,000 bribe in 2012 from Miami-based Media World, which brokers rights to broadcasts targeting Spanish speakers, to induce FESFUT to arrange media and marketing rights to qualifier matches for the 2018 World Cup. He said some of it was forwarded to a co-conspirator at Media World, describing himself as a “conduit.”

Vasquez also admitted to being part of a scheme, including an alleged $10,000 bribe, to arrange friendly matches involving El Salvador’s men’s national soccer team.

“My participation in the bribery was

wrong,” Vasquez said. “I have come to understand that the way things were done for those transfers was indeed incorrect.”

Prosecutors said Vasquez could face 33 to 41 months in prison under recommended federal guidelines, though Chen said deportation “would appear a certainty at this point.” Vasquez also agreed to forfeit $360,000 and multiple bank accounts.

He has lived under home detention since being extradited in January from El Salvador, where he had been serving an eight-year sentence for fraud.

The defendant’s sentencing is Dec. 16. His lawyer declined to comment. Vasquez led FESFUT in 2009 and 2010. FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, banned Vasquez for life and fined him 500,000 Swiss francs in October 2019 after an internal ethics committee found him guilty of bribery.

Since the U.S. Department of Justice unveiled the corruption probe in 2015, more than 40 defendants have been criminally charged. Twenty-seven people and four corporate entities have pleaded guilty, and two people were convicted at trial.

Hing explaining to Mrs O’ Toole about a simple version of an Olympic-style PVC bow which can be locally produced to get students started.

Kenrick Cheeks is seen holding the bow.

Nicholas Hing presenting the club’s first bow and arrow set to Pamela O’ Toole.