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Four Mazaruni NEWS prisoners cut their way out to freedom AIETEUR

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Wednesday Edition February 17, 2021 - Vol. 16 No.07

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Online readership yesterday, 103,075

Jagdeo commits to making oil production statements available to the media Man who went missing Cop accused

Roaming car of raping bandits pounce from mining camp on ECD residents found floating in river sleeping woman Guyana joins int’l declaration Harmon closes door against ‘arbitrary’ detention to commitment on oil press conference of foreign nationals

Harmon signals he won't advocate against flaring because AFC, Dr. Adams have said enough 20 days since Exxon increased flaring…

Wife, hitman jailed Harmon says 2021 Budget ‘Testimony to 68 years for killing disarray’ - did not address specifics Herstelling block maker

Mystery boat with decomposed bodies disappears Local content matters- hear Kaieteur journalists discuss the government’s ongoing consultation @ 11:00AM today, Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM (Rebroadcast)

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 17, 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

Tigray The land of Ethiopia continues to enjoy a mythical place in the Guyanese/Caribbean imagination.

From Bob Marley to Buju Banton, the homeland of Emperor Haile Selassie, has been presented as a sort of Zion, one to which people of Afro-Caribbean and a much broader Rastafarian heritage could someday return. As Buju laments in his song, ‘Til I’m Laid to Rest’: “Work 7 to 7 but I’m still penniless, All the food upon my table Massa God bless, Holler for the needy and shelter less, Ethiopia awaits all prince and princess.”

Marley, would for his part, in his anthem ‘War,’ immortalizes Selassie’s seminal 1936 speech to the League of Nations. While his poetic ‘Until…’ mantra is well-known, the Emperor covered in far more prosaic but still as powerful terms, the dire humanitarian crisis that was facing his country in the wake of Italian aggression: “I pray to Almighty God that He may spare nations the terrible sufferings that have just been inflicted on my people, and of which the chiefs who accompany me here have been the horrified witnesses.

It is my duty to inform the Governments assembled in Geneva, responsible as they are for the lives of millions of men, women and children, of the deadly peril, which threatens them, by describing to them the fate, which has been suffered by Ethiopia. It is not only upon warriors that the Italian Government has made war. It has above all attacked populations far removed from hostilities, in order to terrorize and exterminate them.”

The thing is, the Ethiopia of the Rastafarian imagination has not existed, if it ever truly did, for a very long time.

After World War II, Ethiopia more or less vanished from global sight for decades under Selassie’s rule, even as his own personal mythos flourished via the spread of Rastafarian philosophy and the global popularity of the Reggae aesthetic.

The more obscure the reality of Ethiopia under his rule, which lasted until his death in 1974, the more powerful the mythical Ethiopia grew in the global imagination, that is, until the unprecedented famine of the mid-1980s. This is despite even after a decade-long war of Independence waged (and won) by Eritrea and the post-Selassie revolution and military take over.

The famine of the 1980s replaced the image of the regal Haile Selassie in his full imperial traditional wear with a photograph a starving four-year-old girl, Birhan Woldu, already wrapped in a funeral shroud by her father, dying from starvation.

That photograph would be used to galvanize international aid to Ethiopia, saving hundreds of thousands of children like Birhan (and adults as well) from starvation.

Birhan, whose journey had started in her home province of Tigray, would go on to recover, a symbol of hope of what was possible with the right international humanitarian focus in a troubled part of the world.

Today, however, Tigray – once devastated by famine – is now increasingly being devastated by war, a war that has struggled to compete for global notice in the time of pestilence, the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn that has accompanied it.

An Al-Jazeera report, published yesterday, on the conflict that has been waging between the Ethiopian government and an armed insurrection group called The Tigray Liberation Front since November of last year, sums up both how dire the conflict itself is, and the dangerous turn it has taken with the government attacking the free press seeking to cover the conflict: ”The government-imposed lockdown of the northern region and communications blackout affecting the internet, mobile phones and landlines has made access and assessment for aid agencies dealing with the unfolding humanitarian crisis extremely difficult.

It has also made it next to impossible for media seeking entry to investigate artillery attacks on populated areas, deliberate targeting and massacres of civilians, extrajudicial killings, widespread looting and rape, including by

Local content policy, good on paper and then…

DEAR EDITOR, Almost from the first discovery of oil below our seafloor, I have been absorbing the righteous indignations over local content policy, or lack of one that hits the sweet spots for Guyanese. But on Sunday, we were all informed by the President himself that consultations on local content policy were set to begin on Monday; they did.

That is a good first start; and my own take follows on where this should lead, and where it may not.

I read of documenting a slew of clauses and conditions in our local content policy, to memorialise and enshrine, what we insist is the national position, on how things should be locally, with our people and country reaping the benefits.

That is good, in the saying and the putting on paper. Hard requirements and non-negotiable positions, which must all be met, as to what must prevail. Jobs for Guyanese; penalties for breaches; and foreign payment of taxes, among other mandatory positions.

Those all speak for themselves and are supportable; they are good to hear about first, and then to see committed to paper. I

agree and stand in support of what I read. The word is that local content policy will cover all sectors, which is even more agreeable. The playing field must be levelled, so that Guyanese are not condemned to be stonecutters and bottom feeders.

Editor, with all that in mind, and with no intention of being a winter blast, I must be realistic and bring citizens on the same page with me.

We have, and are, being held prisoner by foreign countries and companies.

We, who have never experienced such sustained interest on most things, and could barely get the time of day from the occasional hard bargaining foreign investor, are suddenly overrun by unending waves of them, from everywhere, but mainly from the advanced and deeppocketed North.

Thus far, numerous foreign investors and companies have come here and put a rope around our necks, to quickly suck the air out of any leadership resistance, while extracting the richness from national treasures. All the components of what could be an official, and inspiring local content policy will have considerable cost elements for foreign operators in Guyana.

They are maximum profit seekers, functioning in a highly competitive world, with still higher shareholder expectations, and almost zero accommodation for disappointment. They may agree publicly, while stubbornly resisting secretly.

How successful they are, for how long they will be allowed to succeed at either dodging or denying the objectives of our national local content policy, in the future is up in the air currently. And how much political will there is to hold them to local content requirements is another grabbag of uncertainty.

The record of the recent past is not encouraging. The foreigners have been allowed

by Guyana’s governments to get away with the barest minimum, regarding delivery with what is good for Guyana.

To emphasize the mindset of foreign investor, I remind my contemporaries of negative and dismissive American investor reaction to the court award for Union Carbide’s chemical spill in that forlorn, impoverished outpost named Bhopal. There is our proof of how we stand.

I further remind my fellow Guyanese that we have had comprehensive policies before on non-oil things, and then we sit back contentedly

and do absolutely nothing more. To state differently, we have had a long and solid history of crafting robust policies, and then a troubled record of putting immediately mothballing them on the shelf to gather dust and cobweb from non-use. To be clearer still, there is neither implementation nor enforcement. It is like a rich man who goes through with the public spectacle of a will for the handling of his business, but then promptly and quietly buries it at sea.

My hope is that we do not do the same following all the current fanfare about local content policy. For certain, our final local policy content policy will have all the elements identified before and more. The big challenge and test would be what is done with the policy, how widely, how seriously, and how effectively. If we can do those on an uninterrupted basis, we will get something from this oil (and other treasures).

In the next instance, if we don’t, then it will be business as usual, with ceaseless squabbling and bickering following. And that will be only the first down payments on the price to be paid.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

The sugar Industry: an opportunity being missed DEAR EDITOR, When the government changed in August 2020, I was among thousands of delighted Guyanese to see the long night of the APNU+AFC rule had come to an end.

I was particularly pleased because the PPP/Civic had promised to reopen the closed sugar estates. This was most welcomed since, like many people, I am convinced that the sugar industry is viable and can still play an important role in the expansion of our economy.

Moreover, it is important to ensure that the economy is put on a wide variety of products and not caught to be dependent on oil.

Therefore sugar can play an important role in enhancing our people’s welfare.

The closure of the estates

by APNU+AFC was based purely on its racial politics, its own vindictiveness and nothing more. This can be seen by the fact that at the same time when the APNU came to power the industry was demonstrating great resilience and positive outcome as far as production was concerned. So much so that the APNU+AFC regime rushed to take credit for its good performance in 2015.

The APNU closed the estates when it was on the rise.

Therefore, the reopening of the estates was the right thing to do.

However, the industry needs much more than money to make it viable, to allow it to contribute to our country’s allround development. Things cannot be done in the same old way. The industry needs to be restructured,

suspected Eritrean soldiers.”

Almost a hundred years after Selassie’s speech to the United Nations, and forty years after the great famine, the great nation of the imagination, Ethiopia, is once again under dire threat as the conflict in Tigray – just three months old – is threatening to spiral out of control, and this at the worst possible time, one in which not only is there an unprecedented global pandemic, but in which the sort of economic resources that were marshalled in the 1980s will not be possible now. In his song, Buju laments that there is no peace in the West and that “Only Ethiopia protect me from the cold.”

That is the Ethiopia of myth – the reality is that Ethiopia might very well need all the protection from the West that it can get.

reorganised as much as it needs financial inputs at this stage. Not to reorganise this could end up just throwing money at the problem without tangible results.

The first step was for senior persons in the government to bring together all the experience that we have in this country. These would be experienced field and factory persons, experienced workers, people with enormous practical experience and appeal to their patriotism to put the industry on its foot again.

It should have been made clear that the super salaries they were accustomed to was not possible at this time.

Appeal to management to take a pay cut since the PNC had damaged it seriously.

They would be rewarded as successes are made and the industry regains its viability.

This would have ensured that GuySuCo and the country would have benefited from people who were committed to the industry and the country.

That kind of motivation and commitment would have been an important indication of success.

It is clear too that a new type of management is needed in sugar. Everyone knows about the history of

the industry which almost spans our country’s history, from slavery through indentureship and later the monopoly of foreign control.

Even after nationalisation the management structure was not changed. We had a public corporation with a management structure of the plantation era. The same top down command type of operating.

Therefore, we need to democratise management.

Ensure that machinery be created to give workers an opportunity to say how things were being run and how they could be improved.

This is a great resource since workers who gave all their lives to the industry have acquired vast knowledge that should be harnessed in an organised way to benefit the industry.

This invaluable resource/ knowledge has been mostly ignored in the past and is being ignored now.

One of the ways in which this could be done was by giving workers a greater stake in the industry. To create worker cooperatives in which workers would not only look forward to wages but to dividends at the end of the crop.

This means assisting (Continued on page 6)

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Is the PNC fast becoming an obsolete opposition?

DEAR EDITOR, Three noteworthy matters took place this past week, they are, the inaugural address by the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali; the Budget presentation by Dr. Ashni Singh and the PNC’s protest. I shall direct my comments specifically to the last mentioned action.

Now, the PNC Opposition is in a very serious bind, in that they do not recognise the legitimate existence of the PPP/C Administration and as such they would like to mount protest actions at various auspicious events to embarrass the government.

Their claim is that the Irfaan Ali Government was fraudulently installed and should be resisted at every available opportunity. Be that as it may, it is very ludicrous of them to go the route they are taking, because, if they have questions with the process in which the PPP/C came to office, then, the decent thing is to take your queries to the appropriate forum, that is, to a court of law.

This they actually did in an election petition filed some

months ago, and which we are soon to go into great details.

But the PNC cannot wait for those hearings to begin, probably thinking that they will not stand a ghost of a chance with those watered down facts, so they have now resigned themselves to a life of disgraceful acts all under the name of protest.

The latest events in their quest, was a Trumpian invasion of the house with placards and loud shouts of “fraud.” They were not there to attend parliament, certainly not, but in an expressed battle mode to disrupt proceedings.

It was a yard fowl scenario with their nonstop heckling, as a friend of mine puts it “this yard fowl behaviour with wanton lawlessness,” should not be condoned. Y ard fowl belongs to the yard or better still on the roadside! It was a pathetic display of “yardie” behaviour, with the controversial Patterson scaling the police barricade, the spikes ripping away his clothing; it could have also ripped that part of his anatomy to shreds. This sort of behaviour was all happening here in good old

Guyana.

And to think of it, the PNC not being satisfied with such belligerence, would turn again and lie to the public that they were arbitrarily locked out of parliament by the speaker.

This is a very egregious remark coming from the main opposition party and I call on the speaker to demand an apology from those involved.

This sort of behaviour will not be allowed to flourish here, our parliament is a dignified and hallowed place and as such all those who come within its walls should act in the appropriate dignified way.

So, while some of their supporters might run away with the silly idea that they represent a strong political party, the majority of us prefer to hang our heads in shame to see the degradation we have fallen into. I too join with the moral majority in denouncing them, we see them as desperate people who are in the final stages of becoming obsolete in Guyana’s rapidly evolving politics.

Respectfully submitted, Neil Adams

A step in the right direction DEAR EDITOR, First, I would like to commend the government for presenting a great budget. I listened to most of the presentation and I was able to check off some of the promises made in their 2020 election manifesto. I am impressed.

I noted with great appreciation that a $50 million subvention was allotted for support to survivors of domestic violence, about 400 percent increased or thereof.

This is a step in the right direction. It is the first time such amounts has been allotted to domestic violence, however I still believe more could have been considered, but it’s a start.

This increase in subvention and the 24 hours hotline service are just the beginnings of more

that is needed to help survivors of domestic violence.

I remain optimistic that the amount allotted may be increased during the debates and consideration of the estimates. I call on all parliamentarians to make this happen.

In December I penned a missive where I called for “the conversation on violence to be intensified, more public awareness

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Kaieteur News

sessions using survivors, more hand holding for victims, more resources such as safe houses for victims, economic empowerment, trauma informed counselling, stricter penalties for perpetrators, development of an emergency response action plan on genderbased violence”. Today I still stand by this call.

Regards, Shaundell Shipley

The key is to effectively manage the various budgetary allocations DEAR EDITOR, The national budget is pegged at $383.1Billion which as an amount is difficult to conceive in real terms.

The late President Ronald Reagan, a skillful communicator described one of his budgeted amount by stating that if you were to stack US$100 together, it would fill the entire Empire State Building.

A similar vivid imagery of our $383.1B budget would be if you were to stack $5,000 notes together, it would probably fill our National Stadium at Providence up to roof level about four times.

This is a lot of money, hence we have to ensure that it is effectively managed in a sustainable, transparent and cost effective manner. We have to ensure among the following: 1. The preparation and awarding of bids for all central and local government tenders are in accordance with the regulations of the National Procurement and Tender Administration. We should avoid sole sourcing and secret tenders, they raise a lot of unsavoury questions.

2. Every drain that is dug, every road that is being built must be done to approve standards. If the depth of the canal is to be dug to 12 feet,

that does not translate to 10 or nine feet. If the asphaltic layer for the road is specified at six inches then it should be no less. For too long we have been tolerating substandard works that deteriorate quickly and have to be redone at taxpayers’ expense.

3. We have to ensure proper inventory management of medical drugs and fuel procured by the budgetary funds. Year after year we continue to receive audit reports of wasted and expired drugs running into the billions.

This is a terrible tragedy given that some of our people die because of a l a c k o f d r u g s . Wi t h regards to fuel used for the drainage and irrigation projects, it appears the phenomenon of the Black Hole operates where copious amount of diesel just disappear without any trace. We have to zealously guard against this extreme wastage.

4. The various revenue and capital works identified for each community must have majority local content.

If a drain is to be dug, a school or community centre to be built, roads or streets to be paved it must employ the people from that community.

This is what empowers

individuals and retain them in their communities.

5. We have to curb bureaucratic extravagances. It is almost comical to see the length of the security details for our government officials in the absence of any real or perceived threats. For a people with three quarters of a million in population, our security details outclass developed countries with over four hundred million people as well as those Afghan warlords.

It is a terrible waste. I have seen vehicles of government officials running for hours while they are in a conference just to keep it cool when they emerge.

All the unnecessary lunches, fabricated allowances, irrelevant meetings are milking our resources.

The government bureaucracy is bloated and needs to be trimmed of its fat.

The budget is fairly balanced and has something for all the various sections of our society but until and unless we manage our monies effectively, real development will always be elusive and we will continue to have bigger and bigger budgets to no avail.

Yours sincerely, Reggie Bhagwandin

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Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

A growth oriented budget DEAR EDITOR, It was an impressive growth oriented 2021-2 budget unveiled by the Finance Minister last Friday.

It has been a long time since I studied or taught economics or analysed a budget. So I am a bit rusty on economic concepts.

Nevertheless, I still remember some basics to know that the Finance Minister and the Vice President teamed up to produce a very good budget.

A National Budget is a tool to enable government to

achieve its development agenda and political manifesto. It is approved government plans, programmes, and projects for a fiscal year. It consists of government’s estimated income and planned expenditures.

The Finance Minister did a thorough job offering a very good framework for growth during COVID. As expected, the budget will meet with criticism from the political opposition, as it should because that is its role although credit should be

given to the Finance Minister for the new and creative and innovative aspects of the budget. There are several aspects of the budget that can be critiqued especially with regards to rural and hinterland spending and the farming sector. But I leave that for the opposition. Public servants should not be kept in the dark and the Vice President said money has been set aside for salary increase. But public sector incentives must be commensurate with productivity. There should be government foisted salary

...The sugar Industry: an opportunity being From page 4 workers with technical skills to run a worker cooperative to give the lands to these workers in groups to produce canes for the publicly owned factories. This would be real helpful in improving workers conditions and helps to make them more than just depending on wages but being also shareholders.

This is one way of allowing workers to be owners as well.

Management would then free itself to think of developing new products, increasing revenues streams and building new relationship such as joint ventures for a new distilling and refining facilities, cogeneration and the making of ethanol among other measures.

The cane industry of India and Cuba has vast experience in new products and we can benefit from their technologies since this country has many cooperation agreements with both those states. I’m sure both will be most willing to work along with us.

At the same time a strong focus could be put on cutting

costs in a major way.

GuySuCo was doing this work only a short time ago under Dr. Rajendra Singh’s leadership. All of this work appears to have been lost.

Possibilities of saving millions in fertilisers by producing liquid fertiliser, as is done in India, was already in train five years ago. Much money could also be saved by compressing garbage and burn them in the broiler to start up factories.

This too amounts to substantial savings from not buying wood to do the same job. GuySuCo and IAST had done a lot in this area. The compressed baggase was far more efficient and a fraction of the cost of wood.

At the level of procurement, the workers and their unions can play an important oversight role to ensure that the corporation and the country is making the best and most sensible use of scarce financial resources.

Recently there was news emanating from the corporation in relation to the purchase of some 40 tractors.

The tractors identified were very expensive. However, GuySuCo has records and experience with very good machinery at far less cost from other sources.

The Mahendra tractor from India is a very good piece of machinery at a fraction of the cost of what was being proposed.

Therefore more equipment could have been purchased with the same money. However some people seemed determined to want the most expensive.

Therefore, the workers and union should have an important oversight role here to ensure value for money and the most optional way to use scarce financial resources.

It is unfortunate that the team put up by the administration is not generating nor demonstrating any confidence that it is up to the challenge. It is not motivating workers nor managers at the middle level.

All the signs are that they are old style managers who are more focused on prestige such as fancy expensive vehicles, huge salaries and expensive personal accommodation.

Its employment practices do not seem to be searching for the most skilled and experienced managers, but on cronies who can sing the praise of the boss. Egoism is now more dominant than finding the best. It is time that the government pays close attention to what is taking place at GuySuCo. If this is not done then the point would be reached where the government would look for the easy way out and accept privatization of the industry.

They would say we tried, we have put in a lot of money but it has not work therefore we have no other option but to sell out the industry.

That would be a huge collective slap in our faces and a great let down to our ancestors who invested their life’s blood in sugar.

A great opportunity is being missed!

Donald Ramotar Former President

increase not only for the public sector but the private sector as well. You don’t want a situation where government employment is more attractive than private sector, causing people to leave the private sector for government employment.

In a time of unprecedented economic stress, the government’s responsibility is to spend enough money to revive the economy to ease enormous

human suffering without triggering inflation or unaffordable deficits.

Uncertain times call for high responsible, government spending.

And the government has not disappointed.

The Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, and Vice President Jagdeo are to be applauded for a well-rounded budget that is expected to revive the struggling economy after five years of

disastrous economic policies of the preceding government.

The economy was worsened by the Corona disease but the preceding government made virtually no meaningful effort to mitigate the effects of Corona on the public. This is the first full budget of this government and of this new decade.

The Singh-Jagdeo duo has done a fine job in planning a budget that is (Continued on page 26)

Jagdeo hits the nail red hot!

DEAR EDITOR, I wish to recognise the exposé: “VP tells oil companies to rent, not purchase local properties,” as published in the February 16th, 2021 edition of the various print Media. I would like to agree with the Honourable Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, especially since this topic has been an area of great concern for which I have strongly advocated since 2015 when the previous government was in power. To me, the idea of buying local properties is irrational and needs to be reassessed with strict laws in place to prevent not just the big oil companies, but some of the wealthiest foreign industrial, commercial, and manufacturing industries and personalities from making us beggars in our own country.

In my opinion, it would be unwise to open a new door for these companies without first ensuring that Guyana and Guyanese are getting their due. As such, my heart is smiling to see that our current government is looking at these issues with much attention, and I must compliment the honourable Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, on his wisdom and conscientious leadership as it relates to our oil and gas sector. We know that he speaks on behalf of His Excellency the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, the Cabinet, and the Government of Guyana.

Since 2015, I have expressed the same sentiments in various media: radio, my Islamic television programmes, social media, and in the print media, as the honourable Vice President

pointed out in his recent speech. In one such article: “Companies and contractors need some control,” published in another newspaper on February 11th, 2019, I stated that these oil “Corporations and businesses operate as persons and they look after their self-interests and the shareholders first. We as the owners of our independent country must ensure we protect our assets and our citizens and get maximum benefits for our country and people.” I further went on to state: “We must ensure that valuable lands and properties are secured for our children and our children’s children for generations to come.

Otherwise, we will have to rent lands, flats, houses, and offices from the foreign investors and we will become nothing and own nothing.”

Our properties, particularly our lands, must remain Guyaneseowned. This is not a novel idea, but it is something that has been achieved in a variety of countries, including Trinidad and Tobago. Any lease must be in a Guyanese name, who will contract with foreign partners to build to suit or lease to them for a sum so that they can build their own property.

Additionally, we need to set down strict laws whereby assets cannot be transferred to their names. Subsequently, a law must be established that, if anything is done clandestinely with local personalities, very strict penalties will be enforced.

Renting properties from Guyanese will cause us to build to international

standards and specifications needed by the investors and oil companies and give Guyanese an opportunity to raise their standards and control the valuable assets of Guyana. In this way, we have local content wealth preserved and circulation of funds. It is important to mention, let us remember that these companies, even if they register in Guyana as a Guyanese company, they always find ways not to pay the requisite taxes. They tend to export their profits from Guyana without any benefit to Guyana and Guyanese.

Some Guyanese may have a few low-level paying jobs here or there, but for highpaying management jobs, these corporations still seem to be overlooking and undermining our people whilst bringing in their own.

At this juncture, I wish to once again recognise the Government of Guyana for looking out for the interests of all Guyanese and our future generation.

I reiterate that as Guyanese, we must look after our own peoples and generations to come by not selling or leasing our land to any foreign industries — not only oil companies but industrial and commercial ones as well. We must ensure that our properties remain Guyanese-owned. I, the undersigned, respectfully ask that we move quickly to make this a law. We cannot sit back and watch these companies, that are only interested in their own well-being and shareholders, suck our nation of its resources dry.

Sincerely, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan

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Guyana’s Vice President seems to think that he can substitute weekly press briefings, which the Guyana Press Association has called for, with his once-upon-a-blue-moon press conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

Bring back the weekly post-Cabinet press briefings.

This three-month thing is not enough.

The Vice President also seems to think he can get away with speaking for just about all Ministers on all issues, while some of these Junior Ministers have been hiding since taking office.

Let them face the fire – that is how they will learn.

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Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Guyana joins int’l declaration against ‘arbitrary’ detention of foreign nationals M

inister of F o r e i g n Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd on Monday said that the government has joined an international declaration supported by scores of nations, the Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations.

This follows the recent release of Guyanese fishermen by the Venezuelan government, after they were arrested by a Venezuelan military vessel off the Essequibo Coast which was enforcing claims the Bolivarian Republic has made on Guyana’s territory.

The Government c o m m e n d e d t h e Government of Canada, the nation which launched the initiative, as its Government noted, it would provide

particular support for small nations, particularly vulnerable if the practice of arbitrary arrest, detention and sentencing prevails. The initiative has received the support of nearly 60 countries so far.

“The Government of Guyana strongly condemns politically motivated arbitrary arrest, detention and sentencing of foreign nationals and embraces the position that every person, regardless of who they are and where they are, is entitled to the protection of their basic human rights and fundamental freedoms as established in international law.

Every State has the responsibility to safeguard these rights, not just for their citizens but for foreign nationals within their jurisdiction.” Government

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd

said.

It added that detention of foreign nations has been used as a political tool to coerce or influence another State’s foreign policy, despite the fact that it contravenes international law, the rights of due process and multiple international treaties, including Article 9

of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 25 of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man. Guyana’s position is that no foreign citizen should be a pawn of any nation. It

urged all nations to end the practice, and has asked the United Nations to pursue the Declaration against Arbitrary Detention in StateTo-State Relations within the United Nations Framework.

Further, the Government said that it “endorses Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations under which consular officers shall be free to communicate with nationals of the sending State and to have access to them; to be informed if a national of that State is arrested or committed to prison or to custody pending trial or is detained in any other manner.

Consular officers shall also be free to visit and communicate with a detained national, as well as arrange for legal representation.”

Two Guyanese fishing vessels, Lady Nayera and Sea Wolf had been operating just off the coast at Waini Point in January, when they were intercepted by the Venezuela Navy Vessel, Commandante Hugo Chavez GC 24, and ordered to navigate their way to Port Guiria to be held.

T h e Ve n e z u e l a n government had said it ensured the safety and respect for human rights of the crew, but the arrest further strained GuyanaVenezuelan relations amidst litigation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which Guyana hopes would bring the controversy to an end.

Venezuela has rejected the Court’s jurisdiction, and has not participated in the case.

Venezuela released the Guyanese fishermen on (Continued on page 12)

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

Jagdeo seems to be getting forgetful In October 2019, then Opposition Leader, now Vice President of Guyana, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, was reported as recommending that no further concessions should be granted to oil companies until Guyana’s model Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) is complete. The reason for taking this stance was because the contract with Exxon had set a precedent for how contracts are made with other companies.

Slightly more than a year after saying that, the Exxon contract sets a precedent. He is now saying that any new contracts would have to be on better terms than what was obtained for the Stabroek block. Surely, he ought to know that if the Exxon contract set a precedent, then it is going to be very difficult for any PPP/C government to demand more favourable terms than what Exxon and its partners obtained for the Stabroek block.

Setting a precedent means that the Exxon contract has become the benchmark by which other oil companies will negotiate with the government. They will demand no less favourable conditions. Is this not what setting a precedent means?

Why then should anyone take seriously the idea that the PPP/C will be able to extract better terms for other oil blocks? It certainly did a terrible job with the Payara permit.

Jagdeo also on October

2019 acknowledged that any government has the power to review any oil contract when it meets the production stage. This is what he said then, “If this government found reason to renegotiate the Exxon contract and make it even more lucrative, in my view, than 1999, there has to be a reason why we can review all those exploration contracts that were issued when we come to the production stage because now we have five billion barrels of proven oil out there.”

The PPP/C was handed a golden opportunity to renegotiate the Stabroek contract when the oil companies came to the PPP/C government for the approval of the Payaya Development Plan. The PPP/C had the opportunity to demand better terms then because Exxon was banking on that approval. The g o v e r n m e n t , h o w e v e r, squandered that opportunity.

It backtracked on the opportunity to claw back greater concessions from the oil companies. The PPP/C retreated from Jagdeo’s stated position that the government has a basis for reviewing all exploration contracts when it comes to the production stage.

The new model Production Sharing Agreement, which the PPP/C is developing, is only of academic importance. The Canje and Kaieteur oil blocks are not likely to be subject to that model production sharing

agreement because Exxon has already started to buy-in to those blocks. And Exxon already has a production sharing agreement, which does not limit its operations to any one block.

All the talk therefore about new negotiations when the model PSA is developed is hot air. The oil blocks have been handed out and those persons, into whose hands it has landed, are most likely going to have the oil companies, with existing PSAs, buy into the oil blocks. In other words, these oil blocks are going to become the subject of speculation.

According to a news report, Jagdeo is also suggesting that the oil companies rent property rather than build. It may be his way of trying to promote local content. But he seems to have forgotten that among the costs, which can be reclaimed, are those relating to rentals. In effect, if the oil companies rent a property, it is taxpayers who will end up paying the rent to rich landlords.

But Jagdeo also seems to have forgotten that Guyana does not have an alien landownership law, which would prohibit foreign companies from buying up properties in Guyana. He was Finance Minister when the country had an opportunity, as part of its investment policies and laws, to try to prohibit foreign property ownership.

Over the past five years, foreign companies have entered Guyana’s real estate

Ogle property boys values gan freefall seh...

Dem

A lot of people getting worried. Dem troubled after dem read how de Vee Pee suggest dat dem oil companies rent property.

Deh had some people, when dem hear dat Exxon going and build dem headquarters in Ogle, dem start call high prices fuh pasture land. Some of dem old house in Ogle suddenly fetching price more dan dem mansion in Prado Ville 2.

De Hap+New+Hay-EffSee bin even share out nuff land nearby. Some people get ownership of de land even before dem pay off

fully fuh it. Nuff ah dem give back de transport and seh dem gan wait on de new government. Dem too bin hoping dat de area woulda become a high-end property area.

But now if Exxon decide fuh rent instead of build headquarters, it means dat nuff people dreams gan get shattered. Ogle property values gan go into freefall.

De Attorney General writing plenty letter these days. He telling a lot of people to nah bother with some of dem property wah dem get cheap from de Coal-

a-Shun. Dem boys glad he doing dis but not fuh de reason he wants.

Dem boys seh jus as how he calling for all of dem people who he seh get land illegally or below value fuh give it up, he should do de same fuh dem get de oil blocks. After all one man seh he nah know wah he sign and de sidekick seh how he nah know de people wah bin get de oil blocks.

Now dat is reason for the AG fuh reclaim de oil blocks. happen!Talk half and wait fuh see wah gan.

market. The Trinidadians have been known to be scouting for properties.

Foreign-owned medical schools have acquired properties. Under the PPP/C itself, foreign companies were given lands, not told to

go and rent from property owners.

Jagdeo cannot pick and choose when it comes to alien property ownership. It is either his government passes a law to prohibit foreign land-ownership or

allow the current liberalised system to continue. He has to make up his mind.

(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 February 17, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Today is Rusesabagina’s trial: President Ali and PM Mottley must act

I

believe Mia Mottley, the Barbadian Prime Minister, and Dr. Irfaan Ali, the Guyanese President, are going to become two of the most admired CARICOM heads when their respective tenure is completed.

They both seem to be leaders who want to leave a legacy that will put them in the category of the great CARICOM leaders of

yesteryear.

Dr. Ali has been through a torrid time before reaching the presidency.

He saw his electoral success slipping away for five months in which this nation got drowned in the vortex of pessimism saved o n l y b y t h e w o r l d ’s inflexible intention to preserve the democratic process in Guyana. In this crisis, the Commonwealth of

Nations and its Secretariat stood with Dr. Ali. In Barbados, Mottley has emerged as one of the most popular Barbadian prime ministers who may very well be recognized as the second greatest Barbadian PM after Errol Barrow.

Both leaders seem inclined to expand the democratic culture of their respective countries. They should move this attempt to

the world stage when they attend the Commonwealth Heads of Nations meeting in June in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

Barbados and Guyana have no political or trade relations with Rwanda. They owe that country and its murderous president, Paul Kagame, nothing. Kagame makes the dictators in China and Putin in Russia look like angels. You criticize the

Chinese and Russian dictators, you end up in jail.

Yo u c r i t i c i z e Kagame; you end up in a coffin.

Kagame is one of politics’ g r e a t e s t disappointments i n t h e contemporary Frederick Kissoon Third World. He came to power begins. It need not be after he led a guerrilla war against the mentioned that he is on Hutu regime that committed several trumped-up charges.

One doesn’t know if by genocide against the minority Tutsi people. The the time the Commonwealth massacre of the Tutsis H e a d s m e e t i n J u n e , remains one of history’s Rusesabagine’s trial will be over or he will mysteriously worst acts of genocide.

Kagame is intoxicated die in his cell.

If he is still alive, when with power.

His rule is marked by the confabulation begins, secret murders of thousands Mottley and President Ali of Hutus against whom he is must seek CARICOM’s on a permanent crusading assistance in calling for an vendetta, and his fellow enquiry into the deaths of Tutsis who criticize his these persons and his violent rule. Kagame has (Rusesabagina) release.

Rusesabagina’s assassinated some of Kigali’s most prominent persecution may be the citizens who have spoken Achilles’ heel for Kagame. out against his murderous The US, the EU and rule. He sends out hit squads international human rights a r o u n d t h e w o r l d t o groups are taking a keen “rendition” opponents he is interest in the trial that afraid of. Four of them stand begins today. CARICOM needs to join them. out.

What the five-month One is Rwanda’s most famous pop singer, Kizito election impasse in Guyana Mihigo. He was found dead showed the world, is that the in his cell the day after he s m a l l i s l a n d - s t a t e s o f was detained. Mihigo’s CARICOM represent a father was killed in the f o r t r e s s o f e n d u r i n g democracy comparable with genocide.

The second one is the any region in the entire former spy chief, Patrick world. CARICOM as a Karegeya, who broke with community of democratic Kagame, began to speak out states was forceful in and was killed in his hotel preserving democratically held elections here. room in South Africa.

They must present that This infuriated the South African government and stamp of democracy when relations between the two they attend the meeting in countries have been strained June.

It is doubtful that since.

Any government would Kagame will escape focus on view it as an assault on its his murderous regime today. sovereignty if you send hit Sadly, the US and Europe m e n t o m u r d e r y o u r have turned a blind eye to Kagame’s atrocities the past opponents in its country.

The third rendition was 20 years out of a sense of Callixte Nsabimana, who guilt.

Anyone reading about was abducted in the Comoro Islands. But the most famous the genocide will know that o f t h e f o u r i s P a u l the US, Europe and the UN Rusesabagina, the man who waited too late to act. By the became an international hero time they did, 800,000 Tutsis after a Hollywood film were savagely killed. To featured his real life story in revenge that genocide, the movie, “Hotel Rwanda.” Kagame is on a killing spree.

President George W. Bush He must be stopped.

(The views expressed in awarded him the Medal of this article are those of the Freedom in 2005.

He was abducted from a u t h o r a n d d o n o t Dubai and taken to Kigali. necessarily reflect the Today, Rusesabagina’s trial opinions of this newspaper.)

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Cevons told 50-year lease to city property illegal, ordered to vacate premises A ttorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C, has written to Cevons Waste Management over its alleged illegal lease and occupation of a plot of land located at Le Repentir, Georgetown.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cevons, Morse Archer, the AG explained that while the company was

granted a 50-year lease to occupy the land located at Area C, Tract B, Le Repentir, Georgetown, by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC), the lease cannot be deemed legal, since the land falls under the control of the National Sports Commission (NSC).

Added to this, Nandlall noted that the waste management company had subleased the property to oil

company Sol Guyana Inc., and Corum Restaurant Holdings, which owns and operates fast food franchises including Churches Chicken and Mario Pizza.

“You recall the company had previously held a purported lease from the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown (M&CC) in respect to the same lands, which was voided for the same reason that the legal title to the said

lands did not reside with the M&CC,” the AG reminded in his letter.

Similarly, he noted that the Lands and Surveys Commission had no legal authority to lease the said land to the company or anyone else.

The Attorney General noted that “indeed the every purported dealing with the lands is unlawful, null, void and of no effect.”

In any event, he

explained, the former GLSC Commissioner had no lawful authority to promise to sell the lands to the company.

“The power to sell state lands resides with the President by virtue of Section 3(1) of the State Lands Act, Chapter 62:01 and was never delegated to the former Commissioner.

In consequence, the sub leases which were executed with Sol Guyana Inc. and Corum Restaurant Holdings Inc. are also unlawful, null, void and of no effect,” he explained.

Further, Nandlall pointed out that while the company has paid a substantial sum of money pursuant to a Memorandum Of Understanding which appears to a be a sum of money paid to secure the a lease and title to the lands; this mechanism is not provided for in the State Lands Act. He said too that the procedure is unheard of in the regulations of the

Cevons Waste Management, Morse Archer.

Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, (GLSC).

In the circumstances, the AG noted that given the entire transaction was done without the knowledge, authority and approval of the owner of the lands, the National Sports Commission, simply compounds the impropriety a n d i l l e g a l i t y, w h i c h permeated it.

Nandlall informed the company too that although it (Continued on page 16)

Guyana joins int’l...

From page 8 February second. However, during the ordeal, Ve n e z u e l a ’ s F i n a n c e Minister Jorge Arreaza had

released a statement, warning against more of what the country called “illegal incursions” in the Essequibo waters.

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Mystery boat with decomposed bodies disappears I

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, alongside the Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, during yesterday’s press conference.

t appears so far that the mystery boat spotted on Monday afternoon drifting offshore Guyana with what appeared to be decomposing bodies, might have disappeared.

The vessel was first seen around 14:04 hrs. by a supply vessel (a motor tug) contracted by US oil company ExxonMobil, which is operating in the area.

Crewmembers onboard the tug took photos and forwarded them to the r e l e v a n t a u t h o r i t y, t h e Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), along with key details of the boat’s location.

Kaieteur News had reported that efforts were being made to tow the vessel to Port Georgetown, where further investigations would have been carried out.

However, according to a joint press conference held last evening by Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, and the Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, at the Maritime Boat House, searches were conducted to locate the vessel, but it was not found.

Edghill said that the last sighting of the boat was reportedly around 19:53 hrs. on Monday.

Based on what he was told by his technical team, it was drifting in a western direction at about 81 nautical miles off shore Guyana.

He explained that upon receiving information from the motor tug about their discovery, a request made for its crewmembers to attach a towline to the boat and bring towards a sea buoy located some ten miles away from Port Georgetown.

The crewmembers, told authorities that they needed permission from their principals, which they eventually obtained at around 15:00 hrs.

Their efforts to attach the towline, however, proved futile, after the weather at sea suddenly changed and became inclement. Edghill said that the crewmembers did all they could to drift along with vessel, but soon lost sight of it.

E a r l y y e s t e r d a y, continued the Public Works M i n i s t e r, t w o G u y a n a Defence Force (GDF) boats were deployed from Morwhana, North West District (NWD), Region One, with Coast Guards and members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to scope

the area. The search by sea was also backed-up by a fivehour long air patrol by GDF ranks as well.

Those ranks also received support from ExxonMobil, which conducted air searches too.

A fishing vessel operating in the area was also contacted by the authorities and instructed to head to the direction where the boat was last spotted.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, s a i d Edghill, despite all the efforts made yesterday, the vessel was not sighted.

Nevertheless, the Public Works Minister, assured that the search will continue. He detailed that Coast Guards departed Georgetown around 17:00 hrs. yesterday in a privately owned fishing trawler, heading to an area where his technical team believe the boat might have drifted and are expected to arrive there at sunlight.

That area Edghill said should be at 31 nautical miles just off the coast at Waini, Region One, if the boat continues to drift in the western at a steady speed.

This location, he explained is based on plotting made by his technical team at MARAD. Another flight by GDF ranks will also depart early today to continue the search by air.

Meanwhile, during the conference, Director of Safety at MARAD, John Flores, said that there could be a possibility that because of the inclement weather, the boat could have sunk.

Apart from that, he said, depending on the direction and strength of the wind at the time, the boat could also drift in another direction and at a faster speed.

Nonetheless, as the search continues, Edghill said that should the boat not be located by end of the today, then the international community will be engaged in order to determine the origin of the boat and the nationality of the decomposed bodies.

So far, he added, there is no information pointing in the direction that it might be a boat from Guyana, since there is no report of a missing boat or a missing crew.

Contact was made with neighbouring Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago to see if those countries might have missing a boat along with a crew but so far, they have been ruled out.

Edghill said that they are (Continued on page 14)

PAGE 14

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

Cop accused of raping sleeping woman

A

member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is under close arrest, after a report was made that he allegedly raped a woman, who was reportedly intoxicated and asleep.

According to a police report, the incident occurred around 00:30 hrs. on Monday last, at Kumaka, Moruca, in the North West District (NWD).

The report stated that on Sunday last, around 16:00 hrs., the woman was consuming alcohol with some friends at a shop situated at Kumaka Water Front, when the accused joined in the drinking.

The report further stated that around 22:00 hrs., the woman, her friends and the accused went to another location and continued imbibing.

The woman told the police that on February 15, 2021 about 00:10 hrs., she became intoxicated and her female friend and the accused carried her home.

The woman further stated that her friend left her in the company of the accused and around 00:30 hrs. while being in a semi-conscious state, she realized she was on her verandah lying on her back with the lower part of her body naked and the naked police officer allegedly having sex with her.

The report stated that the woman pushed him off and raised an alarm, which alerted the household, and the accused then left the premises.

The matter was later reported to the police and the accused has been placed under close arrest and an investigation was launched.

Mystery boat with decomposed...

From page 13 speculations based on the direction the boat was drifting from, that it could originate from as far as Africa. The photo evidence obtained so

far indicates that it is a relatively small river vessel.

No engine was seen attached to the stern but a noticeable towline was seen attached to the bow of the boat.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 17, 2021

PAGE 15

JetBlue fires Kalina Collier Flight Attendant, Kalina Collier

GCOPD expresses satisfaction to Govt. for highlighting needs of the disability community in Budget

T

he Guyana Council of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) has expressed its satisfaction towards the government for highlighting the needs of persons with disabilities (PWD) in the 2021 national budget.

In a release issued by GCOPD yesterday, the Council stated that it recognizes the inclusion of a specific category in the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. A s h n i S i n g h ’s b u d g e t presentation, in which measures for the PWD community were highlighted.

In this regard, the Council is optimistic that the measures highlighted would significantly improve the lives of PWDs across the country.

GCOPD states that, “We are pleased that our persistent advocacy has resulted in positive outcomes and that aspects of our ‘GCOPD Disability Manifesto’ are being fulfilled.

We also note that productive meetings with the current Minister have led to the placement of Disability on the agenda for their respective Ministries.”

As of the recent announcement of Budget 2021, GCOPD wishes to highlight the increase in budgetary allocation to the

Department of Disability and Rehabilitation Service, for the fulfillment of the contents of the Guyana PWD Act. GCOPD also highlights the $120 million allocated, as a special disability fund, and $30 million that was allocated for the establishment of a training center in Mahaica for PWDs. In addition to that, there was an increase of the monthly “Public Assistance” grant, which was increased from $9,000 to $12,000.

Resulting from this, approximately 7,000 PWDs are now beneficiaries of this grant.

Further, GCOPD recognizes that budgetary allocations were made to address vocational skills training for PWDs through the Ministry of Labour Board of Industrial Training (BIT) and allocations to the Ministry of Education to address Special Education Needs (SEN) within the public education system.

It is pleased that the government has pledged to review the Guyana PWD Act to ensure the articles are relevant and in sync with the current needs of the disability community.

In conclusion, GCOPD looked forward to a productive and continued partnership with the government, as it works to promote and fulfill the rights of PWDs in Guyana.

The Gleaner American stewardess Kalina Collier, who reported that she was being held hostage in Jamaica after testing positive for COVID19, has been fired from her job at JetBlue Airways.

“After an investigation, the crewmember in question is no longer with JetBlue.

We continue to offer our apologies for the frustration and concern this incident has caused and reiterate our confidence in the health protocols Jamaica has put in place,” said Derek

Dombrowski, Manager, Corporate Communications in a statement a short while ago.JetBlue announced Monday that it was launching an investigation into Collier’s actions.

Trafficking hoax spawns scare in US Early yesterday, Dombrowski, in a statement on behalf of the airline, apologised to the Goverment of Jamaica.

“We deeply apologise to the people of Jamaica and the Jamaican government for the concern and frustration this incident has

caused,” he said.Collier arrived in Jamaica on January 28 and was scheduled to depart on February 1.On Saturday, January 30, Collier did an antigen test that returned a positive result; another test an hour later was negative.

Owing to the uncertainty surrounding the two tests, the Ministry of Health and Wellness recommended a PCR test on February 2, which came back positive.

She was given a 14-day quarantine order by the health ministry.

Moreover, US COVID19 protocols would not allow her entry into the country with a positive result.Collier made headlines after convincing social media influencers, including Amanda Seales, an US activist, that she was being held against her will.

Her claims were disputed by the police, health officials as well as hotel officials.

Police say Kalina Collier faked kidnapping Collier departed Jamaica on Sunday.

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Roaming car bandits pouncing on ECD residents

O

ver the weekend, roaming car bandits have pounced upon two East Coast Demerara (ECD) residents in the confines of their homes, robbing them of cash and other valuables.

The first, who fell victim to the bandits was Shireen Khan, of Robert Street, ECD. Khan was robbed around 13:05 hrs. on Wednesday, February 10.

Khan told police that she was sitting in her hammock on the veranda of her twostorey wooden and concrete home enjoying the afternoon breeze, when a Toyota 212 motor car pulled up in front of her house.

She recounted to police that a masked man, armed with a knife, exited the car and entered her yard, and then into her house ordering her to go inside. She reportedly refused, but the bandit proceeded to drag her into her bedroom and started to ransack it in her presence.

He found gold rings worth some $70,000 and pocketed them.

The bandit proceeded to relieve her of her cellular phone and then reportedly dragged her again, but this time towards the kitchen.

There he tied her up with a rope, shoved a piece of cloth down her mouth and locked her in the toilet before making his escape. A short while after, Khan told police, she managed to free herself

and alerted her neighbours about what had transpired.

On Saturday, another victim, Lennox Adams, popularly known as “PO” of Sparendaam, ECD, also fell prey to the roaming car bandits. Adams told police that he was sitting in his grocery and beverage shop situated in the lower flat of his two-storey home in the early evening hours, when a white Toyota Allion, pulled up.

Two gunmen exited he recalled, and ran up to him demanding money. He offered them $300 cash, which he had in his hand at the time.

One of the bandits, he told police grabbed the money and forcefully entered behind the counter.

The bandit headed straight to the money drawer and took out all the cash it contained.

He and his accomplice then escaped in the waiting car, but before doing so, they discharged a couple rounds towards his shop.

The Police Officers stationed at the East Coast Demerara Police Stations, are currently on the ground, searching for the roaming car bandits.

Cevons told 50-year lease...

From page 12 has already constructed a building on the property, the use of these lands is delegated for the development of sports and for the construction of facilities in re l a t i o n thereto.

“In the circumstances neither your company, nor it sub-lessees have any right to use or occupy the said land.

I hereby demand that you vacate the said lands on or before March 31, 2021,”

the AG instructed in the letter.

A failure to vacate the premises, Nandlall has warned will result in legal proceeding being filed against the company and its sub-lessees.

He noted too that the matter would be reported to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force, with a request to investigate and proffer all criminal charges arising out of the transaction.

Have your Legal Notices published every Saturday Call our Advertising Dept.

Tel: 225-8452, 225-8491 Fax: 226-8210

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday February 17, 2021

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From page 6 geared at reviving the growth impulses in the economy. It gives the public an opportunity to re-imagine the kind of economy that will be developed in years to come and offers hope to the population that the country has a bright future ahead.

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It is all rounded, with no sector neglected, that should foster growth in all productive sectors of the economy. Every sector has received an increase in funding.

Despite the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, Budget 2021-22 has not

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levied any new tax on the people.

Instead, it has reduced taxes.

It relies on non-tax resources but a high deficit which is manageable. Once the economy grows, the government can eradicate the debt. It has not burdened any section of the country with new or increased taxes.

There is a significant increase for health, education, and capital expenditure to boost the economy that, aside from mining and rice production, contracted significantly, last year and in the preceding years.

Health seems to be the top sector in the budget.

The budget for health will help us to tackle the Corona by providing vaccine for all.

There is also an increase in budgeting for education, agriculture, infrastructure, housing, security, social services, public administration, labour, in fact, for all sectors of the economy.

It is a budget with a difference from the preceding five years.

The PPP administration seems to consistently focus on responsible spending, not profligacy.

This as well as the budget of last September has erased tens of billions of dollars in debts of the predecessor regime.

This budget will infuse new energy during the time of corona. It should provide impetus for growth of the

economy. It should help to revive the ailing economy and take the country on a path of development with job creation.

What I would have liked is to see additional budgeting for some kind of mechanism (perhaps an expansion of monitoring by the Auditor General Office) for greater transparency on all government expenditure.

Government agencies and Ministries should deliver reports on a timely manner on their performance, perhaps on a quarterly basis, so that the public can be kept abreast and monitor them. People can better hold the government accountable.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Minister of Agriculture told security a major concern at Meadow Bank wharf - fishermen, business owners also appealed for water, repairs to wharf, better prices for catch (DPI) Fishermen, fish vendors and business owners who operate from the Meadow Bank wharf, in Georgetown, are calling for better security measures to be put in place at the facility.

This was the main concern raised by persons who ply their trade at the wharf, on Tuesday morning, when Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, visited the facility to check on the operations there.

During the visit, several fishermen and business owners told the Minister that there were several issues affecting them, the most burning of which is the lack of proper security. Mr. Krishna Jettoo, Managing Director of Del Ice Co, said that better management systems need to be put in place at the wharf.

“Security is the biggest issue we have. Secondly, the wharf is falling apart and everybody is doing as they choose to do. Nobody operates by rules and regulations.

There’s no management here. We had a meeting last week, concerning the same issue. I’m actually the only one who spends money to fix the wharf. Nobody pays anything and it has become a free for all.

It doesn’t work that way.

They come concerning issues of maritime fees for boats, but nobody pays anything because the Co-op is not functioning,” he said.

Redman (only name given), a fisherman, said he was the main breadwinner for his family and that there needs to be better prices for fishermen’s catch.

He too spoke out about the lack of proper security at the wharf.

“This out here is my

Minister Mustapha, left, engages with fish vendors.

living. I’m a father of four. I got a lotta family and friends working here.

When the fishermen them go to sea, working so hard fuh bring in them lil fish, we get next to nothing for the fish . When ya sell the fish now, sometimes you gotta be careful.

The security system is bad. People coming and rob ya. We need a camera system so that ya could pick up something.

A proper security system.

We need better price and thing for we fish. This area where we mend the nets. The roof is leaking, is best you mend it in the sun,” he said.

Mr. Ravin Singh, a fish vendor, also spoke about the lack of water at the facility.

“For years now, we ain’t getting no water on the wharf to do nothing properly.

They come round and collecting a $500 a day. We does pay. I does sell also out here and the same issue with the robbery and thing,” Mr. Singh said.

Ms. Renita Joseph, who

operates a seafood retail store at the wharf said there needs to be a capable body in place to address the issues faced by those operating out at the wharf.

“We need a functioning Co-op. We need a body to handle our issues. We only see the Chairman when there is a meeting so I’m asking. I spoke to him and he asked me to give him two weeks.

That’s last year.

We just want a capable body so they can look into all the problems because we can list them.

Everybody can come and list their problems and if we have that body they can look into things like security, every aspect of it.

We do have police presence here, but … we can’t even call the police because we don’t know who to trust,” she said.

Chairman of the Greater Georgetown Fishermen’s Co-op, Mr. Mohamed Khan, said while there is a police presence at the wharf, allegations of police

collusion with bandits are rampant. With regard to the facility not providing water, Mr. Khan said this is due largely to it not having access to its own water source.

He explained that in the past, water was supplied through a private well, but after the owner sold his business, that convenience ended.

M s . Ly d i a B a s d e o , another fish vendor, who operates from the wharf, said the fishermen and the Co-op need to work together to maintain order at the facility.

“Security here is twoway.

People saying Mr. Khan is not doing his duty, but the fishermen or the boat owners also not doing their duty.

They were supposed to be paying to use the wharf.

Nothing of that sort happens here and everybody doing as they like.

Even the people them that clean the fish; if you go and tell them ‘if you clean the fish and throw the guts there, worms are going to

come up’ they abuse you. It reach a stage where you cannot say anything here,” she said.

After listening to the concerns, Minister Mustapha said there needs to be improvements to the services provided at the facility and that he would try to have some repairs done at the wharf.

“Before we collect money from anyone, we have to provide a service, so we will try to see what we can do from our level.

The most burning issues, based on what was said, are security, the state of the building and the water. I can’t make a full commitment that we’ll do all the repairs right away, but I’ll review our work programme and see what can be done. I’ve also instructed the Chief Fisheries Officer to meet with the Co-op and the fishermen to see how soon we can deal with all these issues.

I’ll try to see what renovation works we can do to this building.

These repairs cost a lot of money and only recently we had the National Budget read, so I’ll see from my Ministry what resources we’ll have to try and enhance the structure.

We also have to look at the cost to maintain this building. It has to be cost effective.

If the services are being provided, then we have to ensure those benefiting pay a small fee to maintain these services, but we first have to get the facility back in order.”

Minister Mustapha also said that due to the COVID19 pandemic, exports to certain countries were halted, which has resulted in a glut of fish and other seafood items on the market.

This, he said, has in turn influenced the prices of fish.

However, with export markets slowly reopening, fishermen can expect better prices for their catch as the year progresses.

Minister Mustapha also assured the fishermen and business owners that he would engage his colleague Ministers, who are responsible for security and water, Honourable Robeson Benn and Honourable Collin Croal respectively, to have systems put in place to improve security and provide water at the facility.

The Agriculture Minister also said that his Ministry will be working with both the fishermen and the Co-op to resolve all other existing challenges.

Further, a committee would be established, headed by the Chief F i s h e r i e s O ff i c e r a n d comprising representatives from the Co-op and the fishermen, to resolve issues that may arise in the future.

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Kaieteur News

Tokyo 2020 organisers says new head needs deep understanding of gender equality

The Olympic rings are illuminated in front of the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan January 22, 2021. (REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon)

TOKYO (Reuters) Whoever becomes the next president of the Tokyo Olympic organising committee must have a deep understanding of gender equality, organisers said yesterday, after former head Yoshiro Mori quit over sexist remarks he had made.

Preparations for the delayed Summer Games have been marred by a firestorm over comments made this month by Mori, who eventually stepped down on Friday.

In its first meeting yesterday, the Tokyo 2020’s candidate selection committee agreed on five requirements for a new leader, including a deep understanding of gender equality and diversity and the ability to actualise those values during the Games, the

...Cottoy, Fletcher slam Wednesday February 17, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Some rather depressing information could come to you today from far away, Aries. This is less likely to be about your immediate situation or circle of friends than it is about something social or political in nature.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You've been working hard to improve your financial situation, Taurus. You might be on the verge of attaining what you want, but temporary obstacles could get in your way.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A partner might be feeling rather down and need you to cheer him or her up.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Today you might enjoy planning to have some visitors stay with you for a while.

Worry about developments on the job might have you feeling a bit stressed and under the weather.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A friend could be depressed and need your advice, Leo. Some long-held, cherished goals that you've been working toward could be temporarily blocked, causing you to wonder if they will ever come to fruition.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Some professional colleagues might be coming to visit, Virgo, and you may not be looking forward to it. You could be worried.

How will it go?

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You've been working hard to improve your financial situation. You might be on the verge of attaining what you want, but temporary obstacles could get in your way.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You might reflect on recent successes in business and money and suddenly feel a strong sense of gloom, wondering if it's going to continue. Don't panic, Scorpio.

It isn't a vision of the future SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Work that could advance you professionally could take you away from loved ones, Sagittarius, and cause some emotional tension.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) A task, perhaps job related or perhaps one of your own, might prove weightier than you expected. You're working too hard and you could be feeling tired and dejected.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Someone, perhaps a person involved with a group you're in, may ask you to help in some way today. You probably don't want to do it, Aquarius, possibly because you have plans. Don't be afraid to say no.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Career developments could look promising now, Pisces, and you might be in a hurry to finish whatever needs to be done. But responsibilities to home and family might interfere.

From page 37 Powell followed shortly after, caught off Edward for two as Jamaica Scorpions were reduced to 47-4. Edward sent back Javelle Glenn for five as wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, however Andre Mc Carthy and Allen steadied the chase somewhat with a sixth wicket of 69. Allen hit two fours and three sixes before he was caught and bowled by Cottoy for 39 off 43 balls. Carthy timed the ball well and stroked six fours and one six before he was caught

by Ambris at mid-wicket off a full toss from Ryan John for 55 which came off 55 balls.

The rest of the batting didn’t offer much resistance with Derval Green being the last batsman to be dismissed for 12 as the Jamaica Scorpions were bowled out for 168 in 36.4 overs. Edward picked up 3-6, Fletcher 2-3 and John 2-33.

...Speakers T20 C/ship Expression From page 39 sponsorship) First Prize – GYD 1,000,000 Runner Up – GYD 500,000 Third place- $200,000 Fourth place -$100,000 All Expressions of Interest must be on the club’s letter head and addressed to Chairperson of Speakers T/20 Championship and sent by email to: admin@guyanacricketboard.org The closing of Expression of Interest shall be 9:00 hours or 9 AM (Guyana time as calibrated by the admin computer time) on Monday 22 February 2021.

The Championship run from the middle of March with finals scheduled for May 5.

organisers said in a statement.

Among other qualities required are an international profile and experience on the global stage.

“The committee will make its selection of candidates for Tokyo 2020 president in accordance with these five criteria as swiftly as possible,” the organisers said.

The resignation of the 83year-old former prime minister has further eroded confidence in the organisers’ ability to pull off the huge sporting event during a coronavirus pandemic. Public opinion polls in Japan show many no longer want the

event held there at all.

Mori drew more fire by asking the mayor of the Olympic Village, 84-year-old Saburo Kawabuchi, to take over the job, prompting demands that a younger and/ or female candidate be found, rather than another octogenarian male.

Seiko Hashimoto, an incumbent Olympic minister and seven-time Olympian, is among potential candidates to replace Mori, local media said. Several Olympic medallists and a former Olympic minister can emerge as contenders, media reported.

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The name is Karatsev; Russian reaches semis on major debut

M

ELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Aslan Karatsev will have no trouble with name recognition now.

With a 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 win over 18th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov yesterday, the 11 4 t h - r a n k e d R u s s i a n qualifier became the first man in the professional era to reach the semifinals in his Grand Slam debut.

His next assignment couldn’t get any more difficult. He has to play topranked Novak Djokovic, who is into the semifinals in Australia for the ninth time and has never lost a match at Melbourne Park after reaching the last four.

Djokovic has been bothered by an abdominal muscle problem but had enough grit to beat sixth-seeded Alexander Zverev in four tough sets in a 3 1/2-hour night match.

Just over a week ago, Karatsev was in the shadows of Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev on the Russia team that won the ATP Cup team title in Melbourne.

At the champions’ news conference, on the eve of the Australian Open, Russia coach Evgeny Donskoy pointed to a player to the left — Karatsev didn’t get to play a “live” match because Medvedev and Rublev were unbeaten in singles — and told everyone “you’re going to hear his name soon.”

That prediction has come true. All three Russians reached the quarterfinals.

Two will feature in the semis.

The 27-year-old Karatsev started putting wins together on the secondary tier of international tennis late last y e a r. L a s t m o n t h , h e qualified for a Grand Slam tournament for the first time after nine failed attempts.

Now he has won five matches at Melbourne Park, and taken out three seeded players including Dimitrov — a three-time major semifinalist — No. 8 Diego Schwartzman and No. 20 Felix Auger-Aliassime.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Karatsev said. “Of course, it’s first time. First time in main draw; first time semis. It’s incredible.”

Now people are asking questions, starting with: Where have you been?

Here’s the summary he gives: born in Russia, moved to Israel at the age of 3, back

to Russia with his father at 12, on to Moscow when he was 18, then stints in Germany and Spain. For the last three years — since he’s been working with coach Yahor Yatsyk — in Minsk, Belarus.

He said he’d been moving too much, and credited Yatsyk with helping him settle. He’s had injury setbacks, too, such as a prolonged problem with his knee in 2017 when he thought long and hard about his career.

That’s where Yatsyk has had his biggest impact.

“He helps me a lot,” Karatsev said, “more the mental part.”

Karatsev is the lowestranked man to reach the Australian Open semifinals since Patrick McEnroe — John’s brother, who also was No. 114 in 1991 — and the lowest-ranked man to reach the semifinals at any Slam since Goran Ivanisevic was No. 125 at Wimbledon in 2001.

Karatsev was asked if he thought he go all the way. He didn’t say no.

“We will see,” he said, putting out one hand. “I try to believe that what I do on court helps me to win the matches.”

WATCH YOUR STEP Naomi Osaka’s path to the Australian Open semifinals has included taking some careful steps on court: She avoids putting her foot down on the lines or along the white “MELBOURNE” lettering behind the baselines.

“Yeah,” Osaka said with a smile, “that’s probably superstition.”

The three-time Grand Slam champion said she isn’t sure when it started.

But Osaka did offer an explanation after her 6-2, 6-2 quarterfinal victory over Hsieh Su-wei on Tuesday.

“I don’t know if they have that saying here,” Osaka said, “but they say, ‘Step on a crack, you break your mother’s back.’

Then I just, like, started to really try avoid stepping on lines and stuff ever since then.”

McCOCO OUT The teenage team of Coco Gauff and Caty McNally — self-dubbed “McCoco” — were beaten in t h e w o m e n ’s d o u b l e s quarterfinals at Melbourne Park.

Gauff and McNally lost to fourth-seeded Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands

Russia’s Aslan Karatsev serves to Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair) and Nicole Melichar of the United States 7-6 (4), 6-1.

Gauff and McNally had a 4-1 lead in the opening set before a series of unforced errors saw Schuurs and Melichar stage a comeback.

The American pair had

beaten two seeded teams in previous matches.

Gauff made her Grand Slam singles breakthrough in Melbourne last year by beating defending champion Naomi Osaka to reach the fourth round, then pushing

eventual champion Sofia Kenin to three sets. But the 16-year-old Gauff was ousted in the second round this year, losing to fifthseeded Elina Svitolina.

TENNIS ON WHEELS Dylan Alcott deliberately rammed his partner Heath Davidson during their tense victory in the Australian Open quad wheelchair doubles final.

Alcott said the tactic was designed to refocus his teammate, and it worked.

The pair claimed the title with a 6-2, 3-6, 10-7 win over Andy Lapthorne of Britain and David Wagner of the United States.

Alcott said the clash of wheels in the second set was something wheelchair basketballers do if they’re nervous, just to “get contact.”

“I could see Heath glassy-eyed, just like he was looking through me, not at

me,” Alcott said. “Needed a bit of a circuit breaker. Gave him a wheelchair tap — a chest bump for us wheelchair players.”

Davidson said he needed it, “just to snap me out of it.”

British pair Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid successfully defended the wheelchair doubles title by beating French duo Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer 75 7-6 (7-3).

Top seeds Diede De Groot and Aniek Van Koot of the Netherlands won the w o m e n ’s w h e e l c h a i r doubles title, beating Kgothatso Montjane of South Africa and Lucy Shuker of Britain 6-4 6-1.

In singles, Hewett plays Joachim Gerard for the men’s wheelchair title, De Groot plays Yui Kamji for the women’s wheelchair final and Alcott meets Sam Schroder in the quad wheelchair singles final.

Osaka thrashes Hsieh to reach Australian Open semi-finals M E L B O U R N E (Reuters) - The brute force of Naomi Osaka crushed the artistry of Hsieh Su-wei as the Japanese former champion charged into the Australian Open semi-finals with a 6-2 6-2 win yesterday.

On a warm and muggy day at Rod Laver Arena, Osaka attacked Hsieh’s weak serve with gusto and the Taiwanese giantkiller quickly wilted under the pressure of her Grand Slam quarter-final debut.

Osaka had a torrid time in her last Australian Open clash against Hsieh in 2019, needing to come back from a set and a break down on the way to claiming the championship.

So the Japanese third seed was thrilled with her form against the Taiwanese maverick in a 66-minute clinic.

“Yeah, definitely really happy,” 23-year-old Osaka said on-court.

“Really happy with how I played today. Every time I play her it’s a real battle and, despite the score, this was again a real battle today.”

Osaka’s reward will be a semi-final against either Serena Williams or Simona Halep, the pair having a rematch of the 2019 Wimbledon final in the evening session at Rod Laver Arena.

The brute force of Naomi Osaka crushed the artistry of Hsieh Su-wei.

“I always watch Serena’s matches, anyway,” said Osaka, who has never failed to win a Grand Slam after making the quarter-finals.

“Definitely going to be real fun.”

Hsieh, 35, bowed out after a stellar tournament, having become the oldest women’s player to debut in a Grand Slam quarter-final in the professional era.

The improbable angles conjured by her doublehanded, double-sided game had Osaka in some trouble early, but Hsieh was unable to convert any of the three break points she raised in the opening games of the first set.

Osaka quashed the first of them in the opening game with an ace down the ‘T’ and smashed Hsieh’s defences with a blazing backhand down the line to break to 3-1.

After holding on grimly through a 14-point game to hold serve, Osaka raised the pressure when Hsieh served to stay in the set at 5-2 and sealed it when the Taiwanese slapped a limp backhand wide.

Hsieh was soon in a tailspin, pounding a backhand well over the line to be broken to 2-0, emboldening Osaka to race to the finish.

Having suffered some famous wobbles in the past,

there was no hint of frustration from Osaka when Hsieh saved two match points.

She bided her time to claim the win on the third when an overwhelmed Hsieh floated a sliced backhand long.

“I would say it makes me a bit more calm, realising that even when my back was against the wall, I still had chances,” said Osaka, who saved two match points in a cliffhanger against Garbine Muguruza in her previous match.

“Even today when I had two match points and she saved them ... I was a bit more calm.”

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday February 17, 2021

NBA roundup: Jazz topple 76ers for eighth straight win

J

ordan Clarkson helped the Utah Jazz overcome big nights

by Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris while leading the NBA’s hottest team to a 134-123 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Salt Lake City on Monday night.

Clarkson came off the bench to score a team-high 40 points, two shy of his career-high and the most with the Jazz, to lift Utah to its eighth straight win and the 19th victory in 20 games in a matchup of the teams with the best records in the West and East.

Playing without Joel Embiid, a late scratch because of back tightness, the Sixers managed to make a competitive contest thanks to a near-triple-double effort

by Simmons (42 points, 12 assists, nine rebounds) along with 36 points and 10 rebounds from Harris.

Harris scored five points in a row late in the fourth to cut the Jazz lead, once as big as 16 points, down to 113109.

But Donovan Mitchell made a driving score and then Clarkson hit three free throws and drained a 3pointer during an 8-2 run for Utah.

Brooklyn Nets 136 Sacramento Kings 125 Kyrie Irving established season bests of 40 points and nine 3-pointers and Brooklyn set a franchise record with 27 treys en route

Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) shoots behind the three-point line Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry (31) in the fourth quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. (Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports) to a victory over host Sacramento.

James Harden made six 3-pointers while recording 29 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds as Brooklyn prevailed despite the absence of Kevin Durant (hamstring).

The Nets, who attempted 47 treys, shot 57.4 percent from behind the arc and 57.3 percent overall.

Hassan Whiteside accumulated season bests of 26 points and 16 rebounds for the Kings, who lost their fourth consecutive contest.

Cory Joseph added a season-

best 22 points and Buddy Hield made six 3-pointers while scoring 21 points.

Golden State Warriors 129 - Cleveland Cavaliers 98 Stephen Curry had 36 points in 30 minutes and Draymond Green tied his career-high with 16 assists, lifting Golden State to a victory over Cleveland in San Francisco.

In a matchup of the NBA finalists for four years in a row from 2015-18, Curry shot 13-for-19 from the field and 7-for-11 on 3-pointers en route to his game-high point

total.

It was his 10th straight game with at least 27 points on 50 percent or better shooting as he became the first guard since Michael Jordan (1995-96) with at least 25 points and 50 percent shooting in 10 straight games.

Chicago Bulls 120 Indiana Pacers 112 Zach LaVine continued to be prolific and clutch as he scored a game-high 30 points to lead Chicago to an overtime victory over Indiana in Indianapolis.

LaVine scored 12 of the

Bulls’ final 15 in regulation and both Garrett Temple and Coby White scored clutch buckets in the extra period to help Chicago secure its first road win over the Pacers since March 29, 2016.

LaVine recorded his 12th 30-point game of the season and eclipsed the 20-point mark for the 13th consecutive game.

Washington Wizards 131 Houston Rockets 119 Bradley Beal scored 37 points as Washington spoiled John Wall’s return to the nation’s capital with a victory over Houston.

Beal made 14 of 24 shots from the field and Davis Bertans sank five 3-pointers to highlight his 18-point performance for the Wi z a r d s , w h o p o s t e d consecutive wins for just the second time this season.

Russell Westbrook, who was acquired in the December deal that sent Wall to Houston, recorded a triple-double while playing in both games of a back-toback set for the first time this season.

Westbrook had 16 points — albeit on 8 of 22 shooting from the floor — to go along with 15 assists and 13 rebounds.

New York Knicks 123 Atlanta Hawks 112 Julius Randle delivered a stellar performance with a season-high 44 points, nine rebounds and five assists as host New York recorded a

victory over slumping Atlanta.

Randle helped the Knicks match a season high with their third straight win and fifth in seven games.

Randle shot 14 of 22 from the field and hit a career-high seven 3-pointers as the Knicks shot 50.6 percent and hit a season-high 17 3pointers.

Trae Young scored 23 points but shot 6 of 19 from the field as the Hawks lost their fourth straight. John Collins added 19, Danilo Gallinari and Cam Reddish totaled 16 points apiece.

Los Angeles Clippers 125 Miami Heat 118 Playing without Kawhi Leonard, Patrick Beverley and Paul George, Los Angeles got a game-high 32 points from Marcus Morris Sr. and held off visiting Miami.

Ivica Zubac added 22 off the bench for the Clippers, who went 15-of-32 from long distance against the Heat. Morris did his part in keeping them on pace when he scored 26 in the first half, including 6-of-7 from beyond the arc.

Bam Adebayo scored 27 points and added a gamehigh 12 rebounds for the Heat. Jimmy Butler recorded a triple-double with a teamhigh 30 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for the Heat.

Tyler Herro came off the bench to score 27 points.

(Field Level Media)

Kings XI Punjab to be renamed Punjab Kings ESPNcricinfo - The Kings XI Punjab will now be called Punjab Kings. The idea behind the change is to “add a fresh look and fresh feel,” Mohit Burman, one of the co-owners of the franchise, said.

According to Burman, the franchise, which also has Ness Wadia, Preity Zinta and Karn Paul as the other owners, will also unveil a new logo on Wednesday as part of its rebranding strategy. Burman, who is vice-chairman at Dabur India Pvt. Ltd, said the plan to rename the team had been in the works for at least a year.

Burman said that the franchise decided to change the name following not just in-house feedback but also from fans. “We put it to research, both with fans and

with closed groups and have finally arrived at the new name,” Burman told ESPNcricinfo. “The idea behind the new name is to add a fresh look and a fresh feel to the franchise. As with any product/service, everything has its own life cycle and we believe given the changing ethos and the audience taste we thought it was apt for the brand to go through a complete new refresh.”

The franchise has timed the rebranding exercise in the week of the IPL auction.

In fact, the new name and the logo will be unveiled the day before the auction - a small one this year - where a total of 61 slots are available for the eight franchises to fill their teams up.

The Kings have the strongest purse this auction

at INR 53.9 crore having released several players recently including Glenn Maxwell, Sheldon Cottrell, K Gowtham, who were some of the most expensive buys at the 2020 auction. Overall the Kings have nine slots to fill to reach the maximum squad strength of 25, including five overseas players.

Instability has been among the factors that have hurt the franchise in the 13 seasons, during which they made the playoffs only twice: in 2008 and 2014.

Last year the franchise spent INR 68.5 crore out of the total purse of 85 crore under the new team management led by former Indian captain Anil Kumble, who took charge as the team director. India wicketkeeperbatsman KL Rahul was named the new captain.

Kings XI Punjab have the strongest purse in the upcoming auction.(BCCI) Although Rahul was the most consistent performer last season, Maxwell’s weak form combined with the close defeats in three crucial matches hurt their playoff chances as they finished sixth.

The Kings are the second

franchise to opt for a new name. In 2018, the Delhi Daredevils rebranded themselves as the Delhi Capitals after Indian business conglomerate Jindal South-West (JSW) Group bought a 50% stake in the franchise, which is co-

owned by GMR Sports Private Ltd. KPH Dream Cricket Private Limited, the consortium that owns Kings XI, recently also purchased the Caribbean Premier League team St Lucia Zouks about a year ago.

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 35

Positivity, watching the Court rules Demerara Cricket-Board Appeal elections to be held on Friday filed ball, staying balanced were keys to success - Barnwell dedicates maiden ton to family and supporters

By Sean Devers Last Sunday at the Coolidge ground in Antigua Guyana Jaguars beat Jamaica Scorpions by 109 runs in the Regional Super50 tournament with Christopher Barnwell smashing four fours and six sixes in his 90-ball 107 before he was run out.

It took the 34-year-old batting all-rounder 62 matches and 59 innings to convert his 11th score of over 50 into a century.

The confident Barnwell had missed the landmark by one run when he made an unbeaten 99 from 77 balls against Canada at the Brian Lara Academy in Trinidad in the 2018 tournament.

“It is always a wonderful feeling to score a century but this one was more special because of the position the team was in at that moment,” said Barnwell, who has scored two centuries and 12 fifties in 61 First-Class games between February 2009 to March 2020.

When Barnwell walked to the crease the Jaguars were on the ropes at 23-3 in the ninth over, with left-

hander Chanderpaul Hemraj (8), Assad Fudadin (10) and stand-in Captain Shimron Hetmyer (1) all back in the pavilion.

Barnwell shared in a 91run stand with Akshaya Persaud who made a responsible 25 from 65 and 88 with Anthony Bramble who blasted a 49-ball 69.

Barnwell, just back from the US Open T20 Tournament, explained that the pitch had a bit of inconsistent bounce but revealed that ‘Once you got in it was easy to score’.

“What I tried to do different here was that I was positive, watched the ball longer and stayed balanced,” said the pugnacious DCC right-hander who played six T2O Internationals for the West Indies between 2011 and 2013.

Barnwell reached his first ever Regional 50 overs century with a six and disclosed what was going through his mind just prior to playing that shot.

“I just had a clear mindset…it was a free-hit so I just wanted to make contact with the ball,” continued Barnwell who has

represented West Indies, Barbados Tridents, Guyana, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Royal Challengers Bangalore, St Lucia Zouks and West Indies A. In 2010 it was Barnwell’s spell of 1-19 from four overs and Jonathon Foo last minute aggression in the final of the 2010 Caribbean T20 against Barbados which helped Guyana Amazon Warriors qualify for the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

Barnwell, who scored a century and two fifties from eight games in this year’s Regional First-Class tournament, seems more matured and responsible both on and off the pitch since he became a father.

“I am confident that we could go all the way but we want to take it one step at a time, we have two more group matches before we go into the semi-finals so we just want to keep improving as a team and we want to win all of our matches.

I want to dedicate this innings to my family and all those that keep encouraging me to get a century,” Barnwell concluded.

Serena Williams beats Simona Halep to reach Australian Open semi-finals

U

S A To d a y Serena Williams stayed on track for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title, advancing to the Australian Open semifinals with a 6-3, 6-3 victory against Simona Halep yesterday.

Next up for Williams is Naomi Osaka. Osaka, ranked No. 3 in the world, rode a big first serve to a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Hsieh Suwei, who became the oldest woman at 35 to make her Grand Slam quarterfinal debut.

Williams seeks her 24th Grand Slam singles title, which would tie the all-time record held by Margaret Court. No. 23 came at the Australian Open in 2017, where Williams prevailed in a 6-4, 6-4 final against big sister Venus. She is a seventime Australian Open

The High Court on Monday ruled that the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) election of officebearers is to be held on Friday, February 19. The meeting to elect the DCB Executive has been scheduled for 11:00hrs at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC), Lance Gibbs and New Garden Streets, Queenstown, Georgetown.

However, it was disclosed that an appeal of the decision has been filed.

The five associations affiliated to the DCB are mandated to submit d e l e g a t e s b y t o d a y.

However, after the ruling by Justice Navindra Singh, three of the five associations

under the governance of the DCB; Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA), East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) and Upper Demerara Cricket Association (UDCA) were in full compliance providing their list of delegates to contest the elections.

The other two associations with voting rights are the East Bank Cricket Association (EBCA) and the West Demerara Cricket Association (WDCA) who did not produce a list at that time.

The GCA, ECCB, EBCA and WDCA have seven votes each, while the UDCA has three for a total of 31 votes to determine the DCB elections.

However, following the Supreme Court ruling an appeal was filed to set aside the decision.

More details as this development unveils.

Following a decision in September last when the Court of Appeal ruled that the Cricket Administration Act be restored to its original condition, this paved the way for the DCB elections and the subsequent Guyana Cricket Board elections which are to be held hereafter. All will now have to wait for the legal moves to determine if these DCB elections, to be held on Friday, will go ahead as was initially ordered by the Court on Monday last.

Demerara Cricket Board holds trial games

Kaysia Schultz led the performers yesterday. (file photo) Demerara Cricket Board held the first of two trail matches yesterday at LBI ground. A total 17 players turned out for the trail where West Indies selectee Kaysia Schultz dominated with the ball. The left arm spinner grabbed 4 for 15 and kept the batters’ on their toes for most of the day. Nevertheless, former National cricketer Kavita Yadram marked her return with a top score of 34 not out and shared in an instrumental half century partnership with West Indies selectee Cherry Ann Fraser who made 30 and took two wickets.

Other notable performances came from Haseena Mohamed with 18 runs and two wickets, Mandy Mangru 16 runs and two wickets, Heema Singh 12 runs and Latoya Smith 10.

The session was supervised by Coach Ryan Hercules who outlined targets for the ladies in 15 overs period. The first session saw the ladies reaching 71 for 5, while going on to close at 147 for 6 from 30 overs.

The next trail is set for today from 9:30 hours again at LBI ground.

Reggae Boy Fisher joins LA Galaxy Serena Williams plays a backhand in her women’s singles quarterfinals match against Simona Halep during the 2021 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on February 16, 2021. champion, with her first title in Melbourne coming in 2003.

At 39, Williams is chasing her 11th Grand Slam singles title since turning 30.

Halep, ranked No. 2 in the world, is a two-time major champion who reached the semifinals at the Australian Open last year, losing to Garbine Muguruza.

SportsMax - Jamaica international, Oniel Fisher, has signed with Major League Soccer (MLS) club LA Galaxy as a free agent.

The 29-year-old previously represented Seattle Sounders who he represented from 2015-2017 and later D.C. United, who he also represented for two years, between 2018 to 2020.

The experienced defender, who also played for Seattle Sounders 2, has a total of 89 appearances in US football.

The player also spent a year

playing for the New York Red Bulls U-23.

Fisher retcovered from surgery to a partially torn ACL, MCL, PCL, and medial meniscus, for an injury suffered in 2019, and went on to make 15 appearances for DC United last season. However, the club declined to renew his contract at the end of the 2020 season. te Kloese believes the player will be a welcome addition to the club.

“We are excited to have

Oniel join the LA Galaxy,” LA Galaxy general manager Dennis te Kloese said.

“He is a talented defender who can play multiple positions along the backline and brings versatility and MLS experience to our defense.

We look forward to him joining our club.”

Fisher has made 15 appearances for the Jamaica national team.

He last represented the national team against Saudi Arabia in November of last year.

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday February 17, 2021

Panko Steel and Stag beer latest to support Drag C/Ship

T

w o n e w companies have jumped on to support the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) Drag race Championship that gets underway on Sunday February 28th at the newly refurbished drag strip at the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri.

Head of the organising body, Rameez Mohamed, has maintained that, “STAG and by extension Ansa McAl has always been a good supporter of motorsport in the past, both circuit and drag racing events and to welcome them back so soon speaks to the quality of events that we [GMR&SC] hold.”

He further disclosed that, “Panko steel has been a company that has offered us support without hesitation and we obviously want to thank them for that. I don’t think we’ve ever been denied assistance from them for events.”

The GMR&SC boss also pointed out that plans are well advanced in planning the event which is likely to be live-streamed via the club’s Facebook page.

Drag racing returns on Feb. 28 at South Dakota after two years of inactivity.

He noted that, “We are in talks to have the event livestreamed. We understand that the sport, especially drag racing has developed a lot of fans over the last few years and we want to keep that fan base safe.”

“As it is, persons have been asking about tickets and accommodation for spectators and we aren’t looking at that; hence the

plan to have the event live streamed. We are cognisant that COVID-19 is real and we need to do what we can.”

For competitors on the other hand, we will have mandatory temperature checks for all persons entering the venue as well as mandatory sanitisation areas for all drivers/riders.”

The GMR&SC boss also reminded that persons

should be registered early with cars being charged $5,000 per entry and bikes being free.

He also confirmed that testing will be available on Friday (February 26) and Saturday (February 27) with pre-qualification available on the latter date.

Further, persons who do not get to qualify on Saturday will have a chance

to do so on Sunday morning (February 28) before the Knockout segment gets going at Noon.

Other sponsors include Mohamed’s Enterprise, Secure Innovations & Concepts Inc., Prem’s Electrical, KFC Guyana, ENetworks, Motor Trend S e r v i c e C e n t e r, Wi n d Jammer International Hotel, Cyril’s Taxi, A&R Jiwanram

Printery, B.M. Soat Auto Sales, Trans Pacific Auto Sale, Unicom United Commodities, MMD Hollow Blocks & Pavers, KGM Security, Ready Mix Concrete, Mac Batteries, Mannol, Homeline Furnishing, Imran Auto Wo r k s , A s s o c i a t e d Construction Services and We s t C o a s t C u s t o m s Washbay.

Salah and Mane goals see Liverpool take control of Leipzig tie BBC Sport - Liverpool ended their dire recent run with a confidence-boosting victory over RB Leipzig to give themselves a superb chance of reaching the last eight of the Champions League.

Playing the away leg in Budapest’s Puskas Arena because of Covid-19 restrictions, the Reds struck twice in five minutes near the start of the second half, in both cases following defensive errors from the German side.

Mohamed Salah showed superb awareness to quickly latch on to a loose back-pass before finishing neatly.

Sadio Mane was then equally alert to take advantage of a fluffed attempted clearance from Nordi Mukiele to charge through and side-foot past Peter Gulacsi.

In what had been a fast-paced match between two high-pressing sides, the Reds’ greater experience and quality had started to tell before the break.

However, they were fortunate not to fall behind inside five minutes when Dani Olmo’s header from an Angelino cross struck the base of the post.

Having managed the game well after going 2-0 up, Jurgen Klopp’s side will defend their advantage at Anfield on 10 March, when they will be firm favourites to go one round further than they managed

Salah’s goal was his seventh in seven games and takes him to 24 for the season - one more than he managed last campaign. (Getty Images) last season.

Liverpool take first step on road to recovery In the gap between their final group game and this, Liverpool’s season has imploded somewhat.

Their long unbeaten domestic home record has come to an end, as has their challenge for this season’s FA Cup, and their last three league matches have ended in defeat leading boss Jurgen Klopp to wave the white flag on their title defence.

Tuesday night, though, was a much-needed reminder of the qualities that drove them to that

league win and the Champions League trophy the season before it.

Having survived Olmo’s early header, they grew into the game, wresting control away from Leipzig before shellshocking opponents who reached the semifinals of this competition last year, saw off Manchester United in this season’s group stage and currently sit second in the Bundesliga.

The game was billed as master versus apprentice, one of Germany’s finest managerial exports of the modern era in Klopp up against the country’s - possibly

the continent’s - brightest young thing in Julian Nagelsmann.

It showcased a shared DNA between two sides intent on playing on the front foot in enemy territory.

Players charged forward when they had the ball and harried in a high press when they did not. Fire fought with fire.

It made for a frenetic and fascinating spectacle, which tested even the most lauded of defenders and forced them into errors, chief among them Bayern Munichbound Dayot Upamecano, who repeatedly gave the ball away as

Mane and Salah buzzed around him.

Despite having the better of the first half, applying the more consistent pressure and producing the greater number of chances, Klopp’s side were unable to get their noses in front.

In the space of 30 seconds, Salah saw an effort blocked by Gulacsi after he had darted in behind the Leipzig defence before Roberto Firmino fired into the sidenetting from an angle.

Mane headed over another opportunity, Robertson was inches away from the beating the backpeddling Gulacsi with an effort from near halfway and Firmino had the ball in the net but only after the ball had gone out of play before being hooked back into the middle.

However, these were all forgotten before the hour mark was reached as the German side snapped and Salah and Mane took advantage.

Leipzig never fully recovered, their only real chance of salvaging anything to take to Merseyside being a shot from an angle that substitute Hwang Hee-chan pulled wide in added time.

It represents a big foot forward towards the quarter-finals for the Reds and a first step on the road to potentially reigniting their flagging season.

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 37

International Cricket to return to the Caribbean, as CWI confirm Sri Lanka Tour CWI - ST JOHN’S, Antigua - Cricket West Indies (CWI) yesterday confirmed the all-format International tour between West Indies and Sri Lanka starting in March, signalling the return of international cricket to the Caribbean. The two teams will play three (3) T20Is, three (3) One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and two (2) Test matches in a biosecure environment in Antigua from Wednesday, March 3 to Friday, April 2.

The T20I Series will create history as the first official International matches to be played by the West Indies Men’s team at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) and the first West Indies T20Is to be played in Antigua since 2013. As reigning ICC T20 World Cup champions, West Indies will use these matches as important preparation for the defence of their T20 World Cup title which is scheduled to be held in India later this year.

The CG Insurance ODI Series will played at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium on March 10, 12 and 14 — with the third being a day/night encounter.

The CG Insurance ODIs form part of the ICC Super League and these three

matches provide the opportunity for West Indies to secure their first points as the team tries to qualify automatically for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India.

The two Test matches will be played at the same venue with the first match starting on Sunday, March 21 and the second starting March 29, providing the West Indies with another opportunity to win points and climb the ICC World Test Championship table following the recent fantastic series win in Bangladesh.

The last International West Indies Men’s Home Series featured Ireland in January last year. Since then West Indies men have made three overseas tours to England, New Zealand and Bangladesh as part of the I C C ’s F u t u r e To u r s Programme (FTP).

As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, both teams will stay and play in bio-secure bubbles with all the matches being held in Antigua to accommodate a later arrival date by Sri Lanka. Fans will not be able to attend matches, but will be able to follow on TV, radio and through CWI’s digital channels.

Kieron Pollard will be available for the Windies. (CWI)

Jason Holder will also be back in the fray for the home team. (CWI)

CWI President Ricky Skerritt stated: “We are pleased to be able to finally confirm this tour. A number of COVID-19 related logistic hurdles have now been overcome and I want to thank Sri Lankan Cricket President, Shammi Silva and his team, for their cooperation in honouring their obligation to tour under the ICC FTP Agreement. We are also extremely grateful for the support we received from the Governments of Antigua & Barbuda, and St. Lucia in planning this tour.

But it is regrettable that we are unable to include St. Lucia as part of this home series as we had originally hoped to due to the delay in

Sri Lanka arriving and the need for the tour to end before the start of the Indian Premier League.”

CWI has been working closely with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Sport in Antigua & Barbuda to orchestrate all the logistics

and agree the safety and medical protocols for the tour. All players, support staff and match officials will be kept in a bio-secure environment, with regular COVID-19 PCR testing taking place with assistance from the local Ministry of Health and CARPHA. CWI CEO Johnny Grave c o m m e n t e d : “ We a r e delighted to be able to restart international cricket in

the West Indies, with the announcement of the tour by Sri Lanka. We have a full schedule featuring all three formats, which is sure to attract lots of attention from our fans, especially following on from the terrific Test Series win in Bangladesh. A lot of detailed planning has gone into the hosting of this tour and we are confident it will be a success.”

Full Match Schedule Format Date Time*/ Location** 1st T20I March 3rd 6pm EC/ 5pm JAM | CCG 2nd T20I March 5th 6pm EC/ 5pm JAM | CCG 3rd T20I March 7th 6pm EC/ 5pm JAM | CCG 1st CG Insurance ODI March 10th 9:30am EC/ 8:30am JAM | SVRS 2nd CG Insurance ODI March 12th 9:30am EC/ 8:30am JAM | SVRS 3rd CG Insurance ODI March 14th 1:30pm EC/ 12:30pm JAM | SVRS 2-Day Warm Up match March 17th - 18th Time TBD | CCG 1st TEST March 21st - 25th 10am EC/ 9am JAM | SVRS 2nd TEST March 29th - April 2nd 10am EC/ 9am JAM | SVRS *EC - Eastern Caribbean Time | JAM - Jamaica Time ** CCG - Coolidge Cricket Ground | SVRS - Sir Vivian Richards Stadium

Cottoy, Fletcher slam half centuries as Volcanoes beat Scorpions by 92 runs Keron Cottoy and Andre Fletcher struck half centuries a s Wi n d w a r d I s l a n d s Volcanoes defeated Jamaica Scorpions by 92 runs when the CWI CG Insurance Regional Super 50 Cup continued yesterday at Coolidge Cricket ground in Antigua.

Wi n d w a r d I s l a n d s Volcanoes opted to bat and suffered an early setback when opener Desron Maloney was bowled by Jeavor Royal for three with the score on seven, however Fletcher and Sunil Ambris repaired the early damage with a second wicket stand of 80. Fletcher slammed four fours and three sixes before he was removed by Fabian Allen for 60 off 51 balls, while Ambris was taken off Allen for 28 with the score on 99.

Kevin Stoute and Emmanuel Stewart put on 51 for the fourth wicket before

Andre McCarthy scored half century for Jamaica. (CWI) Stewart was run out for 19 before Rovman Powell uprooted the stumps of Stoute for 45 which came off 65 balls and contained four fours and one six. Cottoy provided much impetus to the innings as he added 62 for the sixth wicket with Roland Cato. Cottoy struck four fours and a similar

number of sixes in a top score of 64 of 47 balls before he was caught of Powell while Cato made 23 as Windward Islands Volcanoes posted 260-8.

Powell claimed 3-47 while Allen had 2-35.

Jamaica Scorpions were put on the back foot early on as Brandon King nicked a

Larry Edward took 3 wickets and celebrates with Andre Fletcher. (CWI)

delivery to wicket-keeper Stewart off Preston Mc Sween to depart for four.

Paul Palmer was bowled by

Obed Mc Koy for 12 to leave the score at 39-2.

Without addition to the score, opener Aldane

Thomas was caught at the wicket off left arm spinner Larry Edward for 15, while (Continued on page 31)

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday February 17, 2021

Satishwar Persaud supports Djokovic edges out Zverev to reach semi-final ECC Speaker’s Cup Popular Realty Broker, Satishwar Persaud of Canada provided financial support for The Everest Cricket Club’s inaugural Speaker’s Cup International Softball Cricket Tournament.

The tournament will be played from April 2 to April 4, 2021, Easter Weekend at venues in and around Georgetown. The cash of $30,000 will be used as prizes for a fundraising raffle organized by the Everest Masters Cricket team and to be drawn on the final day of the grand tournament.

Proceeds from the raffle will be invested on the clubs youth programme.

The tournament will be hosted by the Everest Masters Cricket Team in partnership with the Honorable Speaker of the N a t i o n a l A s s e m b l y,

Reigning champion Novak Djokovic.

M

ELBOURNE (Reuters) Reigning champion Novak Djokovic overcame several dips in form to beat Alexander Zverev 6-7(6) 6-2 6-4 7-6(6) and book his place in the Australian Open semi-finals yesterday.

The Serbian world number one hit back strongly after losing a tight opening set on a tiebreak but trailed in both the third and fourth sets before turning them around.

German sixth seed Zverev will rue allowing Djokovic back from 4-1 down in the third set and he was also up 3-0 in the fourth.

Djokovic again wore tape on his abdominal area, a legacy of the injury picked up in his third-round win over Taylor Fritz.

But it did not appear to bother him as he reached his 39th Grand Slam semi-final, where he will face an unlikely opponent in Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev.

“After the tiebreak I felt like I started moving better, I started serving better and ended up with more aces than him which is a miracle against someone like Sacha,” Djokovic, whose route to the semi-finals has been a struggle, said.

“There were lots of

nerves out there, emotionally I feel a little drained, it was a great battle, tough luck to Sacha. We pushed ourselves to the limits.”

The 23-year-old Zverev began in confident fashion a n d b r o k e D j o k o v i c ’s opening service game as the favourite initially struggled to get into his usual silky rhythm.

Zverev failed to convert a set point on Djokovic’s serve when leading 5-3 and wavered on his own serve at 5-4 but showed plenty of composure as he edged the opening tiebreaker when Djokovic fended a return long.

While the first set took an hour, Djokovic needed only 29 minutes to grab the second as Zverev lapsed.

An unpredictable match them took another change of direction as Djokovic went off the boil and Zverev moved into a 4-1 lead, with the Serb’s frustration boiling over as he destroyed a racket, leaving fragments of frame across the baseline.

Zverev was 0-30 ahead on Djokovic’s serve in the next game but Djokovic clicked back into gear, reeling off 20 of the next 24 points to move one set from victory.

Again Zverev forged

ahead in the fourth set and he had three points to move into a 4-0 lead but Djokovic hung on.

Djokovic, bidding for a record-extending ninth Australian Open title, chiselled his way back into a high-quality set, saving yet another break point at 3-4.

Zverev was happy to trade from the baseline in long exchanges and a sumptuous backhand winner earned him a set point in the 12th game, only for Djokovic to reply with an ace.

Djokovic squandered his first match point in the tiebreak with a sliced backhand into the net but a dipping backhand earned him a second opportunity, this time on his own serve, and his 23rd ace sealed victory.

Wi t h 11 4 t h - r a n k e d Karatsev up next, it would be a huge surprise if Djokovic is not contesting Sunday’s final. But he said he will not be taking the Russian lightly.

“To be honest I hadn’t seen him play before this Australian Open but now I’ve seen him,” he said.

“He’s a very strong guy, physical, moves well and has a lot of firepower from the back of the court. He has a great backhand, serves well and has nothing to lose.”

Manzoor Nadir. It will be held in two categories, Masters Over 45 and Legends Over 50 with sixteen teams expected to participate, including six from overseas. Attractive cash prizes and trophies are up for grabs along with man of the match award for each preliminary game, final and player of the tournament.

Persaud, under his business name Adana Homes, said that he is pleased to be part of this tournament and wished for a long and fruitful relationship with the Club. He added that he is very happy to be given the opportunity to be part of this event and answered the call without hesitation.

The Everest Cricket Club takes this opportunity to thank the sponsor and also look forward to a long and

Trophy Stall onboard for ECC Speaker’s Cup

Trophy Stall has supported the Everest Cricket Club Speaker’s International Softball Cup which is set for April 2 to 4 in Georgetown.

The entity’s CEO Ramesh Sunich has sponsored all the trophies for the tournament which will be hosted in partnership with the Honorable Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir.

Sunich said he is excited to be associated with the competition which is expected to be

Satishwar Persaud fruitful relationship in the interest of sports. Persaud joins Ravi Etwaroo of Cricket Zone, USA to provide prizes for the raffle.

The club welcomes any support for the raffle or the event in general.

All covid regulations will be in place. The finals will be played at the picturesque Everest Cricket Ground. A Bar B Que and lime will also be held as a fundraiser for the club.

Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall presents the first place trophy to Manzoor Nadir.

keenly contested. The club thanked Sunich for his input and informed that all covid guidelines will be observed.

The competition will be held in two categories, Masters over 45 and Legends over 50 with sixteen teams expected to participate, including six from overseas. Attractive cash prizes and trophies are up for grabs along with man of the match award for each preliminary game, final and player of the tournament.

Wednesday February 17, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 39

Flying Stars CC to host Road Race on Sunday Providing the National Covid-19 Task Force signs off on the dotted line to approve, the nations cyclists will be under starters orders at 07:00hrs on Sunday when the Flying Stars Cycle Club hosts the first event for this year.

The covid-19 pandemic has severely punctured the sport of cycling like the others with very limited activity ever since it gripped

the world, last year. In November and December (2020), the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) had hosted the Speed Sunday Time Trial Series over three stages as a means of providing some level of competition for its cyclists.

Sanctioned by the National Covid-19 Task Force, the event was deemed a success and saw We Stand United member Briton John

taking the overall first place ahead of his more experienced counterpart, Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams of Team Evolution and Team Coco’s, Jamual John.

The junior category went to another We Stand united rider, Aaron Newton ahead of his club mate, Alex Leung.

Alex Mendes of Roraima Cycle Club claimed the veteran’s category.

Sunday’s event will

We Stand United CC’s Briton John seen leading these competitors at the inaugural Bartica Cycling Classic in March, 2019. John would be the leading contender to win Sunday’s Flying Stars sponsored road race.

(Franklin Wilson photo)

Speakers T20 C/ship Expression of Interest by teams now open

T

he Speaker of the N a t i o n a l Assembly in collaboration with the Guyana Cricket Board and the Everest Cricket Club has extended the opportunity for First Division Clubs in Guyana to express their interest in participating in a Nationwide T/20 Cricket Championship. The matches will be managed by the GCB and under T20 rules.

The tournament is proposed to comprise at least twenty four (24) teams, with priority to play in the championship being given to clubs on a first come first play basis. There will be four zones and clubs will draw for the zone.

Each first division club must be willing and able to pay the entrance fee and manage the logistics related to their involvement in the competition. Uniforms will be provided. The entrance fee and draft numbered

fixtures with dates shall be pre-determined and communicated subsequent to the receipt of expression of interest from the indicated first division clubs. A club(s) that enter the competition and withdraws from the same shall forfeit their entrance fees. Clubs that fail to show for a match shall be fined a pre-determined fee and be investigated for match fixing by an assigned committee of the GCB. First division clubs for this National T/20 Cricket Competition, shall be a club with generally considered domestic first division size ground and one (a club) that is currently playing or have recently played first division cricket within their Association/Committee or County and/or such team that may be considered as a CGI Franchise, County team or Association/Committee team which can validate the use of a home ground for the duration of the tournament.

Attractive Prizes are on offer: MVP of the competitionGYD $1,000,000/ or a motor car (depending on (Continued on page 31)

pedal off on Carifesta Avenue and proceed to Belfield on the East Coast of Demerara before returning to the starting line for the finish. The categories to be contested are the open, juniors and open veterans.

There will also be four sprint

prizes on offer. This race is anticipated to very exciting as athletes have been putting in their own work over the past weeks to keep fit.

Meanwhile, the registration process is currently ongoing at the Chin Chan Cycle Store,

Robb Street and this is to avoid any large gathering on race day as well as following the covid-19 guidelines.

Prizes would be presented to the respective category winners on Monday next at the Chin Chan Cycle Shop.

Positivity, watching the ball, staying balanced were keys to success - Barnwell dedicates maiden ton to family and supporters Chris Barnwell on the go during his 107 for Guyana Jaguars. (CWI)

t r o Sp

International Cricket to return to the Caribbean, as CWI confirm Sri Lanka Tour Kieron Pollard will be available for the Windies. (CWI)

Serena Williams beats Simona Halep to reach Australian Open semi-finals

Osaka thrashes Hsieh to reach Australian Open semi-finals The brute force of Naomi Osaka crushed the artistry of Hsieh Su-wei.

Serena Williams of the US in action during her quarter-final match against Romania’s Simona Halep.

(Reuters/Jaimi Joy)

Cottoy, Fletcher slam half centuries as Volcanoes beat Scorpions by 92 runs

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