Kaieteur News

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Pregnant NEWS teen abducted, raped, loses baby AIETEUR

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

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Saturday Edition June 19, 2021 - Vol. 14 No. 23

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday, 89,415

Trinidad took decades to close oil loopholes p.

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- expert warns Guyana not to walk the same road 22-year-old chops brother for beating father, 63, with umbrella p.

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Results of First NGSA Mock Examination p. being analysed to 12 identify weaknesses - Second test set for July 7, 8

e r a y r t n u o c e h t Citizens from across ! a n a y u G r o f l a e d r demanding a bette

Duo remanded for allegedly robbing businessman p. 8 $10.7M in raw gold E-Networks encourages COVID-19 vaccinations with discount p. 2

Woman who returned to

attend mother's funeral dies in accident, son injured

We are all on Life Support Machines with Exxon contract

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Listen @11am on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

Saturday June 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

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E-Networks encourages IPED appoints COVID-19 vaccinations new CEO with T discount

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-Networks Inc, Guyana's only l o c a l telecommunications provider recently announced that it is offering an incentive to encourage more Guyanese to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

The company said new customers who show a valid COVID-19 vaccination card, will get $2,000 off 4G Home Internet sign-ups. This kicked off yesterday.

Kaieteur News understands that this

discount is valid at all ENetworks locations until June 30, 2021. The company's 4G Home Internet service offers 20 Mbps of speed for just $7,900 monthly, and is available in Georgetown, West Coast and West Bank Demerara and parts of Berbice.

E-Networks in a release to the media said it hopes other companies will add vaccine-related promotions to encourage more persons to protect themselves and

others by getting vaccinated, so that Guyana can start getting past COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health has since reported that 46% of people nationally have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, while 19% of the population is fully vaccinated. For more information, please contact E-Networks on telephone: 231-3890, e-mail: s a l e s @ e n e t w o r k s . g y, WhatsApp: +592-624-5153, or any of its social media pages @enetworksgy.

he Institute of P r i v a t e Enterprise Development (IPED) was pleased to announce yesterday, the appointment of Jagdesh Haripershad as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

In a missive to the press, the organisation noted that H a r i p e r s h a d ' s appointment took effect on June 1, 2021.

Kaieteur News u n d e r s t a n d s t h a t M r.

Haripershad is no stranger to IPED, having served as the company's Finance Manager from 2010 to 2018.

He now returns to the company after the departure of its previous CEO, Ramesh Persaud, who gave 15 years of exceptional service to the enterprise and small businesses in Guyana.

Speaking on his appointment Mr. Haripershad said, “I am delighted to be re-joining IPED at this time as we forge ahead with the development of micro and small businesses in Guyana.

Guyana is on the road to economic prosperity and with this in mind, my objective is to add to the exceptional work IPED has been doing over the years, helping micro and small businesses realise their potential.”

Mr. Haripershad, who holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) f r o m O x f o r d B r ookes University in the United Kingdom, brings to the company in-depth knowledge of micro and small business financing and loans portfolio management.

He is also a Chartered Accountant and skilled in working with Generally A c c e p t e d A c counting Principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Chairman of the Board o f I P E D , M r. K o m a l Samaroo, commenting on the appointment of the new CEO said, “I am confident and can assure our clients that Jagdesh Haripershad, with his years of experience at IPED, will guarantee stability at this extremely

New IPED CEO, Jagdesh Haripershad difficult time for micro, small and medium sized businesses.

But I am equally confident that he has the experience and tools that are required for continued innovation and development as we take advantage of the new opportunities for startups and growing businesses in this economy.”

IPED said it welcomes Mr. Haripershad and wished him a long and fruitful stay with the company.

Kaieteur News

Saturday June 19, 2021

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Trinidad took decades to close loopholes

- Oil expert warns Guyana not to walk the same road

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ven though G u y a n a ' s CARICOM s i s t e r, Tr i n i d a d a n d Tobago, has been in the oil and gas industry for well over 100 years, its poor management and weakened institutional capacity that spans decades have thrown its economy into a state of ill health.

The Government, led

by Prime Minister, Dr. K e i t h R o w l e y, i s struggling to repair the damage by embarking on a campaign of contract renegotiations, while its

experienced industry stakeholders zero in on Guyana's emerging oil wealth as a means of survival.

To ensure it does not find itself in the same predicament, Trinidad and Tobago's energy expert, Anthony Paul, firmly asserts that Guyana needs t o begin the critical groundwork now.

The energy strategist made these and other remarks during one of his appearances on Kaieteur Radio's Programme, 'Guyana's Oil and You.'

T h e r e , t h e transparency advocate noted that Trinidad and Tobago has been in trouble with the management of its gas resources for years.

The problems have only been exacerbated since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Trinidad offers a lot of lessons for Guyana because the country has been struggling with managing its Natural gas for some time now in terms of production.

And in my view, it is something that requires good governance, strong

22-year-old chops brother for beating father, 63, with umbrella

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f a t h e r ' s disapproval of his 22-year-old son's choice of attire for a meeting, led to him being beaten with an umbrella by his other son. However, the assault would quickly come to an end after his younger son rose to his defence.

According to a police report, the 63-year-old father, Heon Matthias, along with his two sons, 43-yearold Regan De Souza and Edon Matthias, a 22-yearold labourer, had returned to their home in Mabaiba Village, North West District, after a village meeting at 16:00 hrs. When the trio

arrived home, Heon who is a miner, reportedly told Edon that his mode of dress was not appropriate for a meeting.

The man was scolding his son when De Souza became annoyed and started to curse him. Continuing his assault, De Souza then dealt a few blows to his father's hand and head with an umbrella.

Edon, in an attempt to stop De Souza from injuring his father further, armed himself with a nearby cutlass and dealt De Souza a chop to his hand.

He then attempted to chop him again, when Heon

picked up a piece of wood and dealt De Souza a lash to the back of his head.

Persons within the area saw the fight and immediately contacted the village Toshoa, who then reported the matter to the Acquero Police Station.

Police ranks responded quickly and the trio was carried to the Kumaka District Hospital, where they were examined by a doctor before being admitted to the institution.

De Souza was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to receive further medical attention.

Woman who returned to attend mother's funeral dies in Soesdyke accident, son injured

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5 6 - y e a r- o l d woman, who had just returned to Guyana to attend her mother's funeral, lost her life in a tragic accident on the Hararuni Public Road, Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

The incident, which occurred on Thursday at approximately 17:30 hours, also left her 37-year-old son badly injured.

The woman was identified as June Forde and her son, Michael Forde.

According to the Guyana Police Force, the vehicles involved in the accident were Motor Lorry GZZ 2701 driven by Cavel Carew, 25,

from South Amelia's Ward, Linden, and Motor car PTT 7073 owned and driven by Michael Forde, 37, and occupant June Forde both of One Mile Wismar, Linden.

Carew was proceeding north along the western side of the Hararuni Public Road while Michael and his mom were proceeding in the opposite direction.

It is alleged that while in the process of passing each other, the motor car ended up on the western drive lane and collided with the front left side of the motor lorry.

As a result of the collision, both vehicles were damaged. June and her son

were removed from their car by public spirited citizens and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where they were seen and examined by doctors.

June Forde was pronounced dead on arrival, but her son was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where he was examined by doctors and was admitted as a patient suffering from a penetrated injury to the right eye.

The driver of the motor lorry was subjected to a breathalyser test but no trace of alcohol was found. He remains in custody as further inquiries are conducted.

institutional framework, good decision-making to correct…”

Further to this, the industry expert shared that Trinidad's institutional capacity to govern the sector weakened considerably over the years, while noting that this even resulted in the late observation that there was a shortage in production.

In this regard, he said that production was falling by almost a billion cubic feet per day and very little revenue was going to the people.

Paul said, too, that the country subsequently became aware of the fact that there was massive tax avoidance by the oil companies.

“That means that the

TT Energy Expert, Anthony Paul gas was being sold but the benefit was not coming back to TT.” Considering how weak the institutional capacity

had gotten over time, as well as the significant effort it would take to correct this once and for all, Paul shared that the Government in 2018, moved to increase its royalty for Natural gas to a whopping 12 ½%.

By doing this, Paul said that millions of d o l l a r s Tr i n i d a d w a s losing over the years via tax avoidance by the oil majors started returning.

H e s aid too that this loophole was able to be plugged by ensuring that legislation was put in place.

To e n s u r e t h a t Guyanese are not made to suffer the same way, Paul urged the authorities to ensure the relevant protective measures are in place.

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Saturday June 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456 Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Nothing on oil other than, it is there We at this publication have been tireless and relentless in spearheading the charge for more from our incredible oil wealth. We have called for more that is contractually better.

We have pressed for more honesty and clarity from successive political governments and their leaders. We have more and more laid bare the terrible predatory record of Exxon, which more and more confirms its pillage and rapine of this country’s oil, its prospects, and its peoples. And, despite more and more of all of this, we have - the country has - got absolutely nothing in return from the political masters that are bent on what serves their interests, and destroys the hopes and dreams of the many in this society.

Look at the record, our record, and it speaks for itself.

Where are the others, the rest of the media, civil society, concerned Guyanese? Surely, there cannot be no more of us, who have little or nothing to offer, nothing to say, nothing to dispute and denounce? At this rate, it might be better if we had not discovered any oil, and we say this with a sharp eye to the fates and tragic plights of our brothers and sisters in Africa and nearby Venezuela. They, too, had all that oil, and all those prosperous visions dancing in their heads and hearts, and then they all came crashing to earth with nothing, but despair and the abject hopelessness left in the wake of what could have been.

People from elsewhere got nothing but the pains that followed their excited aspirations. This threatens to be the fate of most of the 750,000 members of this country’s population, unless they wise up and say enough and no more. Enough and no more of the political deceptions and trickeries with this oil; it is our oil. And we will sacrifice for it, we will struggle for it, we will be willing, when the time is right to die for it, too, if it comes to that. Guyanese had better be prepared to get some commonsense as to what could be enriching and take their destiny into their own hands. If they do not, then they condemn themselves to a life of endless poverty and uninterrupted dependency on those who mislead them, take advantage of them, and cruelly and wantonly exploit them.

Look again, listen again, and absorb again. There is nothing that is truthful and encouraging and constructive that is coming forth from our political leaders. For certainty, it has not been from the PPP government; and, when the record is examined, it has not been from the Opposition coalition, either. There is no leadership interest and movement towards a much called for independent review of oil and gas resources.

What is the President and Vice President so afraid of, that they shelter in telling silence and sturdy resistance?

Why is the opposition leadership, who is content to carefully select non-issues, dodging and distancing from what should be uppermost - this oil of ours and its clean management through its impotency and growing lack of credibility?

The PPP talks a tempest about the gas to shore project, now seemingly fixed for siting at Wales, but it doggedly refuses to share any supporting information, as to the foundations and drivers of the decision to settle for Wales.

We hear and read that this very expensive project is slated to start soon. But, in the meantime, Guyanese are given no details on what is involved, what it means, and what is their place, if any, in what is shaping up to be one grand and costly misadventure.

This has been the norm, and there is every indication that the President and Vice President, who are piloting this oil speedboat will change course. That they will come clean and be more revealing, that there will be more information sharing, that there will be some leadership truth and honesty with the nation’s oil. Despite our sharp and strong efforts, there has been nothing, but the shaky and tricky from government and opposition. And that is best displayed in what they have delivered: NOTHING! Is this a country or a cabal? Is this an open, democratic society, or the criminal conspiracy of a geographical entity?

Is this oil the property of the peoples of this nation? Or is it the toy of the politically crooked to do with as they please, while leaving nothing for Guyanese?

We must get serious about crime by sending just, in view of your horrific modern measures. It needs strong messages crimes having regards to the the support of all the law DEAR EDITOR, Justice was finally served on Wednesday in the High Court in Demerara, when Abishai Caesar from Tuschen was convicted of murdering Jennifer Persaud and her two sons from Anna Catherina, when he was sentenced to death by Justice Sandhil Kissoon. Murderers have been on a rampage in Guyana, taking innocent lives, having no regard or respect for the value of a human life and they have continued recklessly, carelessly and mercilessly.

The crime situation is certainly out of hand and the police is at their wits end to combat this battle. There has been numerous calls from various sources for the implementation of the death penalty in order to curb the crime situation. After a long time, finally, answering the call, one such positive initiative emerged from the

brave Justice Kissoon to use the tool that has been always readily available, but was reluctantly overlooked.

The honorable judge addressed the court before reading the riot act, “This crime committed by Abishai Caesar is a despicable unparalleled act of coldblooded ruthless savagery where an entire family was meticulously and methodically brutally executed by Caesar while these three persons were in the security of their home.”

The judge certainly did not mince words and his description is befitting of the rest of murderers still in the streets or safely behind bars, having escaped similar punishment, unfortunately.

The learned judge then told Caesar, saying, “You have treated life and death as meaningless. It is only right, it is only proper, and it is only

exceptional and specific circumstances that, you be sentenced to death.” Again, his choice of words justifies his action. The father and grandfather of the victims said, “I’m happy with the verdict; justice has been served. My daughter and grandsons can finally rest in peace.”

The last execution took place in August 1997 when Michael Archer and Peter Adams were hanged for murder. There has been an outcry for parliament to institutionalise the death penalty as mandatory because of the callous crime situation in Guyana. Tough times call for tough measures and the innocent citizens of the state need protection.

The crime prevention unit is under armed to deal with this situation and it needs to be strengthened by employing more tactical, technical and

enforcement agencies, the courts, the government, the politicians, parliament, people, private and public entities, the labour unions and all social organisations.

Justice delayed is justice denied. Currently, there are dozens of convicts sitting on the death row, pending hypocritical bureaucracy and all the painstaking red tapes.

Currently, there is a Court of appeal hearing challenging the death penalty imposed, by four murderers, three of them being members of the GDF. For the past week, this disdainful and despicable behaviour from ruthless and demonical individuals continued. On the roads, criminal negligence continues with traffic fatalities. Last Saturday, a salesman was arrested along with two accomplices for staging a robbery around (Continued on page 6)

Continued hurling of poisons hurt and not help DEAR EDITOR, I noticed Ms. Ryhaan Shah’s very interesting reply to Mr. Hamilton Green. I worked with this gentleman for many years, and believe that his effort and reconciliation allowing Guyanese to learn the truth of previous events so that we do not repeat them is highly commendable.

Ms. Shah’s letter is valueless unless she can move away from well-worn propaganda and statements with no basis in fact, no evidence whatsoever. I recall some years ago, Mr. Green placed an open challenge to the PPP top brass and the public on the subject of a polygraph (lie detector test),

hoping that others would do so. Today, to the best of my knowledge, no one has taken up this challenge.

To deal with Ms. Shah’s letter, it is full of inconsistencies. On the one hand, Shah claims that an enquiry into the Son Chapman incident was not conclusive, but yet she puts pen to paper and accuses the PNC of a number of absurdities and even where inquests and enquiries were inconclusive, she attempts to lay blame at the feet of Mr. Green and the PNC. And for example ignores the influence evident of the recorded fact that Abraham was promoted (SIC) from PS of the Premier Office to that of PS in the

Ministry of Works. She has ignored or has not read the enquiries into the death of the victims of the Son Chapman tragedy. She ought to know that Mr. Green’s stated objective is to find opportunities for reconciliation so that the people of Guyana can learn from the past and have the good sense to move to high ground as One People, and so long as the likes of Shah and others continue to behave as though the PPP were saints and the PNC sinners, we would be unable to unlock the door of hate, suspicion and distrust. Ms. Shah should provide facts to support any of the accusations she has levelled at the PNC. I read in

one of Mr. Green’s letters that Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, operated on the basis that if you repeated untruth often enough, it will soon be believed. Ms. Shah is apparently a disciple of Goebbels, and we challenge her to present any credible evidence, I say credible evidence to support her poison arrows directed to the PNC and Mr. Green, and I notice how she assiduously avoided commenting on the Ishmael incident at Tain Village on the Corentyne.

So long as this racebaiting continues, we will all be victims of warped images from the past.

Eric Moseley

I heard Waddell incite violence DEAR EDITOR, Tacuma Ogunseye challenged “Kissoon to provide evidence contradicting his position” (June 13) on Freddie’s contention that the late Ronald Waddell threatened violence against Indians. The evidence exists (ed). I agree with Ogunseye that people must not lie on the dead. But we must also not whitewash history, which must be accurately recorded for posterity.

Ogunseye contends that Waddell did not call for violence against Indians. I disagree! Freddie is right.

Waddell was known to use language laced with specific calls for violence against supporters of the PPP. My recollection is Waddell speaking on Channel 9

imploring violence against Indians. This is in keeping with several other statements made by Waddell against Indians. And Freddie penned a series of articles relating to the violence. I distinctly recall Waddell saying that Indians were legitimate targets for violence because of their electoral support for the PPP. THIS WAS AFTER THE March 2001 election IN WHICH WADDELL WAS A PNC CANDIDATE. When it was brought to his attention that some Indians also support (vote) for the PNC, Waddell advised that “those Indians (meaning Indians who backed PNC) should seek shelter at Congress Place”.

This was a fact that OGUNSEYE cannot

DISPUTE! Others also affirm what I heard.

In one particular programme that I listened (watched), violence was advocated against Indians. PNC supporters were urged to take up arms against PPP supporters.

Waddell called on PNC to procure weapons. The prison escapees who went on a killing spree murdering Indian businessmen and others were referred to as “freedom fighters” by Waddell. In one TV programme, Waddell called on the PNC to take measures to provide weapons to supporters “to defend themselves”.

Also, I distinctly remember reading a series of articles penned by Freddie on the prison escapees, in which he condemned the murders of

people; the Indians were killed simply for being perceived supporters of PPP based on their ethnicity.

Contrary to what Ogunseye may suggest, economics played no role in Indians being targeted for murder by the criminal prison escapees.

There was a call to take Channel Nine before the Broadcast Authority for allowing all that violence talk on TV. For whatever reason, action against Channel Nine was not pursued. We all must eschew violence and repudiate those who spit racial venom in our ethnically polarised nation. We all must strive to build a harmonious and equitable society. And we must strive to portray history accurately.

Yours sincerely, Vishnu Bisram

Saturday June 19, 2021

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Kaieteur News

GHK Lall has it wrong, PAC Chair Time for Guyana to move must come from Opposition benches away completely from plastic

DEAR EDITOR, The Laws of Guyana clearly state that the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee must come from the Opposition benches of Parliament; therefore, it is beyond surprising to see the former Chair of the Guyana Gold Board, Gabriel Lall, positing that the removal of David Patterson is an attempt by the PPP/C to wrest control of the said committee.

Lall proceeds to belay this straw man of his with dark words and graphic p h r a s e s , u n f o r t u n a t e l y, GHK Lall has no factual leg to stand on with this and other cases he has tried to build since his beloved APNU+AFC were voted out of office.

In his opinion piece (Demerara Waves 16.6.21) Lall pointedly refuses to examine the reasons for Patterson’s removal from the PAC, no doubt GHK is uncomfortable with the excesses and personal expenses incurred

by Patterson as they may have parallel and precedence in the Gold Board. To be clear, the next Chair of the Public Accounts Committee will come from the Opposition benches of Parliament as the PPP/C is a law-abiding party and has no history of selfserving interpretations of the clear language of the Laws of Guyana.

Editor, two weeks ago GHK used the termination of service of Messrs. Hilbert Knight and Thomas Nestor at the Gold Board as ‘evidentiary racial discrimination, following my debunking, Lall doubled down on his claims which forces me to reveal further details of my research. Knight and Nestor were hired post2015 by the Granger administration; a position was created for Knight (who claimed to be a senior Alliance for Change official and his training took weeks longer than normal for he was a teacher and unfamiliar with

accounting and management.

Nestor was hired at the age of 68, a retiree with connections to the PNC leadership, how GHK Lall can characterize these men as ‘senior employees’ and not admit that they are political appointees speaks volumes to his judgment or lack of thereof.

Hilbert Knight was not terminated as he was allowed to finish his period of contract work despite acting beyond his remit and authorising the purchase of Gold from a miner without there being logbook evidence of production in Guyana. This purchase is still reverberating within the industry and Guyana’s gold industry is under threat of blacklisting internationally.

Given the lack of factual basis for GHK Lall’s opinions recently, I would suggest that Lall inform himself before seeking to edify others.

Faithfully, Robin Singh

COVID-19: are we really serious, committed?

DEAR EDITOR, I share a COVID-19 incident that occurred on Monday at the GPHC. It is not the way that our health sentinels should be going about protecting citizens and building confidence. It does not reassure.

Before proceeding, I seek to assure the Hon. Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, and those tireless and dedicated members of his supporting team of medical and non-medical professionals that my intent is not to embarrass, but to put on the table what should not be, what does not make sense, to a layman like me.

My first and only objective is alert as to what pertains, and in the hope that the appropriately firm guidance would be issued.

A citizen went to GPHC at my prompting to get tested.

She is a senior citizen, who can be nervous around officialdom; she is not in the strongest season of her life.

Her husband tested positive for the virus, and among her first concerns was whether she had also caught the virus.

Well, she didn’t know then, and she still doesn’t know now. On arriving at the GPHC area reserved for such inquiries and consultations on East Street in the vicinity of New Market Street, she ran into a bureaucratic roadblock that unfolded along these lines.

Does she have any symptoms? The answer was ‘no.’ The guidance provided, more of the nature of the conclusion settled for in short order, was that she did not need to be tested. When this worried woman pressed that her husband tested positive, and it would be comforting for her to know where she stood, the position was still: ‘there

is no need to be tested.’ And that she should go home, isolate, and monitor herself.

Editor, without delving into the intricacies and mysteries of the COVID-19 pandemic, and of which expertise I am at nil, the responses of the medical screener(s) the GPHC unit seems to conflict with commonsense. This is a citizen past three score and 10 years, like her spouse, with issues to manage. The age bracket and unsteadiness should have been obvious.

Thus, to deny her so rigidly (am struggling to be courteous here) flies in the face of basic wisdom. She is part of a vulnerable group.

And (God forbid) should she be positive, then who is going to give care to whom in a time (Continued on page 6)

DEAR EDITOR, Now that the entire nation of Guyana feels the effects of the floods, which are partly due to clogged gutters and trenches with plastic materials, it is time for the government to put an actual date to an official plastic ban like other countries that have been successful at this initiative.

Guyana is on the edge of officially banning single useplastics and following the growing global trend in the direction of no longer using single use plastic bags. The Guyanese population has gone beyond needing to be “sensitised”. Worldwide, governments in the developing world including EU countries are banning the use of single use plastic bags in some form or another and the business community has taken the lead in urgently rolling out eco-friendly alternatives. In the United States which took the lead in this change of direction, over 10 years ago, single use plastic bags in grocery stores are a thing of the past.

Customers have the option at the checkout counter of

either a paper bag or paying an extremely small price for a branded store bag that is nonplastic. The majority of Guyanese in the United States, live on the East Coast, predominantly in New York and Florida. All major grocery stores in those states gravitated to non-plastic bags for their customers years ago and it worked effectively. In countries where this issue has been a success, no store regardless of size is using “biodegradable” bags either.

The purpose of an official ban should be three-fold.

Firstly, to promote our local Guyanese businesses that can play a part in this conversion by offering alternatives; secondly, to inform citizens to pivot to non-single use plastic bags, which is proving to be better for our environment, and importantly to attempt to keep our waterways less clogged with plastic items. As Guyana is in the process of transforming its economy, why not also be at the forefront in the South American continent on this issue. Again, there are already small enterprises on the

ground, including individuals on the ground to be part of the solution to move us forward, in joining the rest of the global community on this critical issue. The advantage we have as a small population is that the rollout is likely to be a success quickly, if done properly. As an oil producing country, it makes no sense to play catch up.

As grocery stores for example have already invested in purchasing plastic bags, those bags can still be used to separate certain food items, for a certain time, but Guyana needs to look at the bigger picture. In the United States and Europe that have made a success of this switch, shoppers also separate food items-but plastic bags are not used for that purpose either.

Guyana has to evolve with the rest of the world on this simple issue. (For any questions and interests from grocery and other consumer stores as it relates to converting to non-plastics bags, please send inquiries to ATeam@primeguyanesestores.com.)

Yours Truly, Jacqueline C. Kansi

Citizens caught in the middle DEAR EDITOR, It would appear both sides of the divide are each caught between a rock and hard place. One side, amid the brouhaha and calls a certain brand of vaccine being fake, now the latest to join the melee are the statements attributed to an advisor of a sitting Caricom head of government, on the brand of vaccine at the centre of the controversy, which have been denounced (NewsRoom June 18).

Just how and on what basis an advisor was given such latitude to make such statements, which can be construed as being for and on behalf of the government, is yet to be determined. Now

the government has to do damage control and mend relations. While the other side has been accused of antivaccination stance and stoking fear-mongering with incendiary statements of misinformation.

So for days, time and

monies are spent defending, explaining, advocating, justifying, endorsing, supporting, upholding and of course arguing, their respective positions. And, we, the people, are caught in the middle.

Shamshun Mohamed

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Saturday June 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

Harmon’s self-preservation is above all other issues DEAR EDITOR, Harmon’s anti-vaccine posture is really anti-nation.

This man seems ruthless and his recent utterances confirm his identity, or lack thereof, as a person who heads the Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

Let me categorically state that his outbursts remain scientifically and medically unsubstantiated and as regards questioning the credibility of the operations of the Government, again, there is no evidence that he can bring to the discussion.

It is common knowledge, gleaned from the World Health Organization and even from personal talks with medical professionals that “Vaccination has been shown to contribute to reducing deaths and severe illness from COVID-19, and to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

Vaccinating as many people as possible and reducing the spread of disease remain important.”

I add that in the United States of America, the citizens know that “Vaccines to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are perhaps the best hope for ending the pandemic.” And there is no discrimination against any particular vaccine. In fact, on the issue of the Sputnik, in use here in Guyana, I point Harmon to a February BBC release.

The details show that “Russia’s Sputnik V

coronavirus vaccine gives around 92 percent protection against COVID-19.” The article explains that “It (the Sputnik vaccine) has also been deemed to be safe, offering complete protection against hospitalisation and death. That is why it has joined the ranks of proven vaccines alongside Pfizer, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen.

Talk about a baseless pronouncement from a scientific perspective, and fictitious in its claims, regarding sourcing and authenticity, and we have Harmon in a nut shell.

Readers, I want to show the contrasting nature of Mr. Harmon against that of President Irfaan Ali. So, off to Harmon now.

This Opposition Head has always been at the forefront of some of the most insalubrious situations in Guyana. He led the APNU+AFC’s claim that the Coalition won the March 02, 2020 Guyana Elections, even stating that they possessed the Statements of Polls (SoPs) to prove victory.

Harmon and his cronies then tried to stop the Recount of the votes, right after the APNU+AFC had brokered the same (in their efforts to steal the election by not using the SoPs).

This too did not materialise, and the strategy went towards ‘figmenting/ conjuring up elections anomalies’ that the court

frowned upon.

Shameless indeed!

Let me add the September 2020 case when “The badlymutilated bodies of 16-yearold Isaiah Henry and 19-yearold Joel Henry of West Coast Berbice (WCB) were discovered almost one day after they went missing.”

Harmon incited racial retaliation by blaming the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic for this still unsolved crime. He is on record as calling the protest that ensued, mainly because of his racist rhetoric, “a struggle against oppression, a struggle against a fraudulent government.” He went on and stated that “too many black youths are vanishing in the same way that cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry were killed and mutilated.” What lies?

Preposterous! Dangerous!

Riotous!

So, Harmon’s rantings regarding COVID-19 vaccines are consistent with his soiled core being. In questioning the authenticity of the Sputnik V vaccines and calling for them to be put on hold is to get another glimpse of his dirty side.

He is disingenuous and characterised by dissimulation. He cannot refute the validity and efficacy of the vaccines obtained, so, he tries to discredit the process by which the vaccines were procured, naively using that to seek to cast doubt on the efficacy of the vaccines. I point to his

...COVID-19: are we really serious, From page 5 of severe trial for these struggling citizens? In fact, officials of the Health Ministry that made a followup call to her home on late Monday evening to check on her infected husband were appalled to hear the substance of what I share publicly. The thinking of the caller was that the test should have been administered. I reached out to the medical people I know, but didn’t connect.

Now this is not an isolated situation, for recently a group of almost a dozen visited the same East Street

screening and testing area, and were similarly blocked.

That is, until a name was called, leading to tests being done. I think this norm is what should be, and without any ‘lines’ pulled; especially for those who actually go to the GPHC to ascertain where they stand, given what the circumstances are in their homes. I believe that such testing delivers the invaluable. If there is the regrettable situation of a positive result, then necessary escalations take effect. This is what protects, restrains spread, as supported by the power of

preemptive knowledge. Lots of resources have been expended on vaccinations, billions have been spent to place us in a stronger position today. And though I have serious objections on how the curfew is managed and socialising protocols enforced, I think that some good things were implemented.

When, however, there are situations, such as the one encountered by the folks I point to, then the broad objectives aimed for are diminished, if not partially undone.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

basic need for selfpreservation, in that he and all his colleagues in leadership have taken the very vaccines. Indeed, the man is willing and ready to use his supporters as collateral in his quest to score political points.

Now to President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who is the very opposite of Harmon.

As expected, and rightly so, President Dr. Irfaan Ali deemed the outburst by Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon, in relation to the Sputnik V vaccines as “shamefully reckless, selfish and against the interest of Guyana and Guyanese.” As the President noted, coming from Harmon, “This level of irresponsibility, this level of

selfishness is beyond anything that a leader or someone who has prided himself with the values of leadership can demonstrate.”

We all know that the President and his Administration has been working extra hard “… to ensure that the population reach herd immunity.” For him and his team, when it comes to the nation’s well-being, nothing will be a barrier, as “they have explored all available avenues to save lives and to keep Guyanese out of harm’s way.”

In his own words, he reiterated that the “Government is going to explore all avenues to ensure we get our people vaccinated. (as) This is the only way we

can get ahead of the curve and return Guyana to normalcy–and that position would not change.”

Ali added that “We tried countries directly, we tried developers directly, we tried manufacturers directly, and we tried diplomatic channels.

We tried every single thing and we continue to try every single day.” Why? “There is no cost to protecting the lives of Guyanese and that is the only interest of the Government-that is my only interest.”

I therefore urge all of us, especially the ‘Harmonites and APNUites,’ to be realistic and ‘hurry up’ the vaccination process. It is the only option we have.

Matthew Hendrix

University of Guyana corrects inaccuracies about law programme DEAR EDITOR, Grateful if you would publish the letter attached in your ‘Letter to the Editor’ column in order to correct the inaccuracies contained in a letter published by your newspaper last Monday, 14 June 2021 captioned ‘Grades for UG law students long overdue.’

We will appreciate, if the attached letter is given similar prominence considering that you did not seek the necessary response from us before publishing the original letter.

The University of Guyana IS doing Better International External Second Marking Causing Severe Delays to be addressed as UG works with AG, CLE Sub-Committee on Upgrades to Law programme Obligations.

The Administration of the University of Guyana has noted a letter published on Monday 14th June in sections of the media purportedly written by a first year Law student whose name was not published.

The University shares the frustration of its students who have historically been made to endure several long months of waiting while their law scripts are second marked externally. Pursuant to a long-standing agreement between the Council of Legal

Education, University of the West Indies, and University of Guyana, examination papers are marked in accordance with the terms of the agreement. Thus, examination papers are first marked by the University of Guyana, then second marked by the University of the West Indies, after they have addressed those of their own students.

This legal requirement with which UG must comply has been a licensing condition set by the Council of Legal Education (CLE) since the inception of UG’s law programme over 20 years ago.

It is one of six agenda items currently being renegotiated by UG’s administration and both past and present Attorneys General with the CLE. The particular proposal is designed to remove several bottlenecks in the UG system from external administrative delays while still preserving the current high quality of legal instruction being offered

by The University of Guyana’s Department of Law. It is a matter of public record that UG trained legal practitioners have continuously graduated at the top of the Hugh Wooding law school and outperformed other students in other international academic

programmes and performance competitions.

Notwithstanding, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Paloma Mohamed, DVC Academic’s Dr. Emanuel Cummings, Registrar Dr. Nigel Gravesande and new Head of the Department of Law Kim Kyte-Thomas on Monday, June 14, 2021, met with firstyear Law students for a comprehensive brief on the process of the negotiations and steps being taken by the GOG and UG administration to bring permanent relief to the issue of delayed Law programme grades.

The University sincerely regrets that the Letter to the Editor was published without adherence to the norm of journalistic practice which mandates the publishing entity to seek to verify or contextualise claims in letters they plan to publish.

This is necessary to protect the newspapers as well as named entities from legal challenge due to unfair or unfactual presentation. It is also to ensure the public trust is maintained through confidence that reporting will occur in a fair, balanced, factual, contextually nuanced and complete manner especially when letters are being published.

Yours Truly, University of Guyana Public Relations Unit

...We must get serious about crime From page 4 Stabroek Market. Crime is certainly one of the key areas which the government needs to pay special attention to in order to safeguard the people of this nation. Visitors need to feel safe and protected.

People need to walk the streets freely. Citizens need to

sleep soundly.

Society must be guaranteed security from all criminal elements and this disease needs to be eradicated as quickly as possible. Guyana needs to rid itself of this cancerous disease. Judge Kissoon must be applauded for his decision

and to send a message that the crime situation is intolerable, and the court will not hesitate in using the death penalty when applicable. Hopefully, the rest of the bench will sit up and take notice and follow suit.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Saturday June 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

Are we yet to truly understand the notion that together we stand, divided we fall?

Why in this 21st century are we still about the business of “them” and “we?”

We have long professed that we are One People, One Nation with One Destiny.

But are we really?

We at this publication believe that it is high time that we, once and for all, sever the lines of division and truly begin to live our Motto.

PAGE 07

Duo remanded for allegedly robbing businessman $10.7M in raw gold

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wo men who are accused of r o b b i n g a businessman a quantity of raw gold in the value of $10.7 million back in April, were on Wednesday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

The duo, Nizam Benny and Enrico Joseph, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts where they were charged with the offence of robbery under arms.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the charge, which states that on April 19, 2021, at Anira Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, while being armed with a dangerous weapon, they robbed Mohamed Khan of 34.5

Saturday June 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

ounces of raw gold valued $10.7 million, property of Milton Seenaraine.

The court heard that Khan and Seenaraine are friends. On the day in question, Khan had uplifted a package from the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle, East Coast Demerara, which contained the raw gold.

H e w as ins tructed by Seenaraine to take it to his daughter who resides in Queenstown. Khan left the airport in his car and went to the woman's residence.

Arriving at the house and while waiting at the gate, the men rode up to Khan's car and the pillion rider reportedly opened the side door and placed a gun to his

abdomen area. The pillion rider had threatened Khan that he would shoot him which caused him to give up the gold. After relieving the man of the gold, Benny and Joseph made good their escape on their white XR motorcycle.

The two were arrested last weekend and placed into police custody.

Bail for the duo was refused based on the fact that they are part of a gang which in the past, committed several robberies on persons. The two also have several matters pending before the court and should be charged shortly.

The Chief Magistrate remanded both defendants to prison and adjourned the matter to June 24.

FITUG slams Opposition Leader for “reckless, thoughtless, and irresponsible” statements on vaccines

T

he Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) stated yesterday, that it considers the recent statements made

by Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, on the Sputnik V vaccine to be reckless, irresponsible and thoughtless.

Kaieteur News reported in its Friday publication, that the politician called on the Government to suspend the distribution of the vaccines until it can prove that they are authentic.

Harmon made these statements based on spurious reports about fake vaccines being found in Mexico. He also made the comment in spite of the fact that he is fully vaccinated via the same Sputnik V vaccine

he is now casting aspersions on.

FITUG's outlook is that, the Opposition Leader's wild statements will only result in higher vaccine hesitancy among Guyanese, while adding that it is in no way beneficial to national efforts to fight the pandemic. With this in mind, FITUG said the Opposition as a whole, must be condemned for what can be described as “unwise and deeply upsetting propaganda.”

In the press release, FITUG also stated that the irresponsibleness, once again, demonstrated by the coalition is seemingly characteristic of its behaviour since taking the reins of the Opposition. “ We r e c a l l t h e n o w Opposition Leader and his

Party's Leader (David Granger) viral statements made shortly after the gruesome murder of the Henry boys.

Similarly, we recollect too, indecisiveness exhibited by the Opposition in encouraging Guyanese to be inoculated against COVID19 or more recent statement regarding the establishment of a so-called squad without any evidence of any kind.”

FITUG said, it understands that the Opposition has a role to play in scrutinising the Government, and that such a task comes with high levels of responsibility.

In conclusion, FITUG said it is urging all Guyanese to get vaccinated and continue to observe the COVID-19 protocols.

Pregnant teen abducted, raped, loses baby

A

pregnant 17year-old girl was allegedly abducted by two men who brutally raped her and videotaped the entire ordeal.

According to the police, the incident reportedly took place in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) sometime during the month of April. Based on information received, the young woman told police

that during that period, the men had approached her while she was in a car. There, she said, they forcefully took her against her will to a house where one of the perpetrators resides and committed the act.

The teenager reported that the men then took turns in having sex with her while they both videotaped the horrifying act. She further alleged that because of that,

she suffered a miscarriage.

The police in their statement said that the young woman reported the matter to her family on Tuesday before a report was made to them.

Kaieteur News understands that one of the suspects involved has been arrested and is in custody assisting with the investigation, while a search has been launched for the other individual.

Kaieteur News

Saturday June 19, 2021

A MAN'S OWN TO KEEP

A

man gets up early. He quickly does his sanitary rituals, has his breakfast, kisses his family goodbye and sets off to work.

He has his problems but he does not burden the world with them. He wants to work hard and honestly so that he can provide for his family.

His family is important to him and even though he may be barely making ends meet and just only covering the bills, he knows that day in day out, he has to rise for work so that he can take care of his family.

Over time, he may have accumulated some assets. He may have over time been able to buy a car or some piece of expensive jewellery through his hard work. That is a product of his labour.

They belong to him and not to any other. He should be entitled to those things.

Yet while this man is busy making his daily bread, there are others who are plotting to deprive him of what he has worked for. They will try to either rob him or steal his assets. Some even go as far as plotting to extort money from the poor fellow.

These criminals are not interested in making an honest living. They are interested in taking what others have worked hard for.

Sometimes a poor man's possessions have taken many years to accumulate and therefore he deserves to enjoy the fruits of his labour.

The criminals who deprive other people of their hard-earned savings and assets deserve no mercy.

They should feel the full

brunt of the law. Many of these criminals when they are caught, attempt to cover their faces so that they would not be shamed in public.

But have they ever considered what they have done to those whom they rob? Among the many victims of carjacking, for example, are taxi drivers.

Most of these guys are working class individuals who are forced to work late hours just to make some money to take care of the bills and to take care of their families.

Many of them have repayment plans for their vehicles. When these guys are carjacked what happens is that their whole life is turned upside down. The bank or credit agency still has to be paid and you can wail from now till doomsday about being robbed, you still have to pay back what you had borrowed.

The bank may say there are sorry but they still have to be paid. Years ago, a man whose vehicle was carjacked said that the parts stripped from the vehicle were valued at some $400,000. Now that is a lot of money and this man now has to work all over just to replace what he has lost.

There are individuals who work hard to buy a cell phone for the children or their partners and then someone likes what they see and decides to deprive the beneficiary of the phone.

They go up to you and rob you of what you have.

There is nothing that is more humiliating than knowing that someone can simply

take from you what you have spent years accumulating.

How can this be right?

And guess what, whenever the culprits are caught, they try to conceal their faces so that they will not be recognised.

They hide their faces in their shirts, they pull their jerseys over their heads; they use their hands to cover their faces because they do not wish to be publicly embarrassed.

But have they ever stopped to think what they have done to someone else, to another man who when deprived of what he worked for does not know how he is going to put a meal on his family's table or how he is going to continue to earn an income?

These crimes whereby persons are deprived of their hard-earned property happens every day.

But the crimes that make the sensational headlines are the large robberies. There are also other personal crimes in which the impact is greater for the victim than some of those larger crimes and therefore, when persons are found guilty of these crimes, their identities should be made known so that others will be cautious around them and avoid falling into the same trap as the victims.

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

Advisor is nat boys spokesman! seh...

Dem

D

em boys feel shame. De Trinidadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had to embarrass we and show how wan ah we advisors nah understand what he read and how he guh and give he mouth liberty and criticise dem Prime Minister and de Chairman of CARICOM. It did remind dem boys of de feral blast. Dem boys bin think dat de Pee Pee Pee would ah learn from dem mistakes. But de feral blaster is back and look weh of all places.

But dem boys also feel

vindicated because was dem boys who bin advise Uncle Frank fuh nah let advisor talk things in public. But nobody nah listen to dem boys and now look at de shame wah de country find itself in.

Advisor does suppose to give advice, not tek on role of critic. God knows we gat some critics who would mek Satan cry.

But dem boys gan mek some people more vex. It was dem boys wah bin first point out how we pay twice de normal price fuh dem Sputnik vaccine. But when dem boys talk dat, nobody nah bother with dem boys.

Dem was more concerned about getting de jab dan about de deal.

Dem boys accept dat it was not easy to get any vaccines at de time. Even COVAX didn't getting any.

But to pay double price fuh single dose nah right.

And dem boys nah see nothing wrong with asking fuh test fuh see whether any of dem vaccine is fake. All it gan tek is fuh a small sample of 50 vials to be extracted and sent overseas fuh verify.

Wah wrong with doing dat?

Talk half and wait and see if de advisor gan get fired or resign!

PAGE 09

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Saturday June 19, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Who has a neck on whom: False narratives can mislead innocent people I

don't believe that there was a multidimensional argument that went into the rejection of the dangerous, racist rhetoric that Amanza Walton-Desir sprouted a few weeks ago. But what was satisfying is that she was pounced upon by several persons some of whom are well known in the society.

It doesn't matter if the subject area is racism or rigged election or an area of lighter import, the point is, if you do not repudiate people's false narratives and shameless fictions then honest, decent people could accept what they read, and it makes them possess false consciousness.

There is a section in this society led by the PNC, AFC, WPA, ACDA, TUC, the PNC GECOM Commissioners, the Guyana Human Rights Commission, certain women groups, certain civil society bodies, certain newspaper

columnists that are inflexible in their conspiratorial mind to create false narratives with the insane intention of deceiving people who because of their youthful age do not know about Guyana's recent past.

Even those not so young, not schooled in the lessons of the past can be misled.

It is for this reason every concocted sermon must be confronted. It was shameful that a Stabroek News columnist wrote that there is a knee on the neck of African Guyanese. But even more shameful was that no one came out boldly to guillotine that depravity when it is the opposite that obtains throughout Guyana's recent past. It is Indians that have endured the knee on their necks, and it is African Guyanese led by African politicians, that have perpetuated this physical burden on Indians.

You trace the postIndependence physical attacks on Indians from 1968

when the first rigged national election occurred, it has been relentless.

The polemic of a knee on African Guyanese is simply a barefaced attempt at distorting history. It is historical vulgarisation. As recent as September last year in Region Five, the knee was on the neck of Indians when PNC supporters attacked Indians, burnt their houses and their cars and robbed them.

The repugnant vulgarisation that inheres in these factional narratives must be responded to. The facts to reject them are easily available. The rest of this column is relevant examples. There was a letter of Thursday June 18 by Mr. Jamil Changlee in the Kaieteur News in response to a newspaper publication by Tacuma Ogunseye.

It is these kinds of outputs that are essential for historical preservation. The more often they appear, the

more precious they are for opening people's eyes.

Ogunseye had written that I wrongly blamed Clive Thomas for sugar estate closures. In fact, of the three W PA b i g w i g s i n t h e APNU+AFC regime – Thomas, Dr. Maurice Odle and Rupert Roopnaraine – Thomas was directly in charge of the sugar industry and Odle indirectly through his chairmanship of NICIL. If there wasn't Changlee's rebuttal, many of Thomas' admirers may have fallen for Ogunseye's fiction that Thomas did no grievous wrongs when he and Roopnaraine led the W PA p r e s e n c e i n t h e government, 2015-2020. I was present on May Day at the rally in the National Park in 2019 when Lincoln Lewis said, dozens of votes should be needed for a noconfidence motion to pass.

When I quoted him, he

challenged me to provide the evidence. It is contained in the May 1st coverage of the rally by Demerara Waves, which could be obtained by a Google search. It quoted him as saying more than 44 votes are needed. By publishing this evidence, people have

Frederick Kissoon t h ef a c t s t o m a k e judgments and come to conclusions thus avoiding being misled.

Another example comes from UG lecturer, Sherwood Lowe. Writing during the tortured evasion of the constitutional requirement of the no-confidence vote (NCV) by APNU+AFC, Lowe polemicised that the

NCV drove Africans to feel angry and betrayed that after coming into power after a long wait, there is an attempt to curtail their time in government.

Anger and betrayal also resided among Indians for many acts of betrayal by the APNU+AFC regime thus; they saw the NCV as justification for the removal of an administration that fooled them. Berbicians voted against their own party in 2011 and 2015 only to wake up to find that 28,000 Indian families were put on the breadline through the closure of the sugar estates.

Even if economic science could have been used to argue for closure, the financial entitlements of these retrenched workers were blatantly denied. The courts had to be resorted to and the courts ruled in favour of the workers. Those reading Lowe on how Africans felt about the NCV need to know about Indian feelings too.

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

Saturday June 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Saturday June 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Results of First NGSA Mock Examination being analysed to identify weaknesses - Second test set for July 7-8 T

he first National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) mock examination was written on June 9 and 10, 2021 and the results from that examination are currently being analysed by the Ministry of Education with a view of identifying the weaknesses children have in the four subject areas: Mathematics, English Language, Science and Social Studies.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, met with teachers and Regional Education Officers from the 11 Education Districts, following the examination to discuss their experiences and what needs to be done moving forward.

Of the 14,300 students registered to write the NGSA next month, 12,500 students participated in the examination, with 2,000 coming from the private school system.

The second mock examination for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) 2021 will be written on July 7 and 8, 2021.

This will be held under full examination conditions, except for those

students who chose to write the examination at home.

This option will not be available for the official NGSA that is scheduled to be written on August 4 and 5, 2021.

Kaieteur News understands that all preparations are underway for the NGSA to be held successfully in August.

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has set the examination based on the consolidated curriculum that was prepared by the Ministry of Education and those Grade Four topics that usually feature in the NGSA. From all indications, based on preliminary analysis of the results from the first mock exam and the feedback from teachers and Education Officers, Kaieteur News understands that the decision by the Ministry to only allow CXC to test on topics up to Grade Five was the best option to give the students a fair chance due to prevailing circumstances.

Further, the Ministry

noted that the learning resources that were distributed to each Grade Six child in a study package including textbooks, notes and worksheets, have proven to be an effective solution to assist students as they prepare to write the examination.

The Ministry said that this, coupled with other initiatives such as the NGSA Booster Programme being aired on the Guyana Learning Channel via

television and YouTube along with the Quiz Me Platform on the Ministry's website, have greatly benefitted students.

As of yesterday afternoon, the Ministry said 103,000 quizzes have been taken on the platform.

Despite these gains in offering support to teachers and students, the Ministry said Grade Six teachers have indicated that they are experiencing difficulty when teaching

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand

some topics online, especially in the Mathematics subject area.

The Ministry said it has taken note of this, and has begun an exercise to identify how best teachers can be supported further with this specific challenge with the outcome being a better performance by our students.

The Ministry of Education was keen to note as well, that it will continue to engage all stakeholders on keeping the sector moving in the right direction for the benefit of every Guyanese.

ANSA McAL donates 300 cases of Trinchloro to CDC Flood relief effort

CDC Head, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig accepting the donation from Ansa's Head of the Consumer Goods Division, Anjeta Hinds.

A

NSA McAL Trading Limited (AMTL) on Thursday donated 300 cases of Trinchloro Bleach to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to aid flood affected areas in Guyana.

At the handing over, Head of the Consumer Goods Division, Anjeta Hinds, noted that it is imperative for ANSA McAL to lend a helping hand during this time that has affected the entire country.

“This one is personal, it's not just our corporate social responsibility but at this time we need to come together and help Guyanese, we are all Guyanese at the end of the day, and we need to help.

This is the second of two donations and of course we will monitor the situation and if we need to help some more, we will,” Hinds stated at the handing over.

With the CDC deeming the flooding a level two disaster, Director General, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, noted that the donation by ANSA McAL was timely.

“The items will help with the sanitation process so it means that it will easily fit into the hampers that will be distributed to the affected regions,” Carig shared.

President, Irfaan Ali, has deemed the flood a disaster with a total of 28,228 household being affected by the flooding as of June 7, 2021.

Saturday June 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Senior Minister holds discussions with USAID's Regional Representative

S

enior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, yesterday met with Mr. Clinton White, Regional Representative of the United States Agency for International D e v e l o p m e n t (USAID/ESC) in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, to discuss the strengthening of partnerships with Guyana.

During the discussions, Minister Singh, expressed appreciation to USAID for its staunch support to Guyana, especially in its most difficult times and also thanked the United States for adopting a proactive a n d p i v o t a l stance when democracy in Guyana came under threat in 2020.

“The position of the United States in helping to protect Guyana's democracy will forever be remembered,” the Senior Minister reiterated as he also alluded to various projects, which have been supported by the USA to assist Guyana in its development agenda over the years.

USAID's Regional Representative, Mr. White, in his response said that USAID's relationship with Guyana is of utmost importance as he outlined the areas of support his agency would be focusing on such as Disaster Resilience, Climate Change, Security, Education and Financing Sustainable Development.

These, he said, will form part of USAID's new Regional Strategy.

Minister Singh

67-year-old woman succumbs to COVID-19

A

sixty-sevenyear-old woman from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) who tested positive for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease has died.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Health, the woman died on Thursday while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

As a result of this, the country's COVID-19 death toll is 442.

Further, the Ministry

via its daily COVID-19 dashboard recorded 104 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 18,837.

The dashboard also shows that 21 patients are admitted in the COVID19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 108 persons are in institutional isolation, 1,371 are in home isolation and no person is in institutional quarantine.

To date, 16, 895 persons have recovered from the virus.

highlighted that these areas are in alignment with the Government of Guyana's own priorities and stressed that the assistance to be provided must be complementary to its endeavours.

In recent times, USAID has been focusing its attention on supporting many countries during their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and seeks to strengthen development

gains in these countries in such areas as climate change, conflict and humanitarian crises.

Only a few days ago, while making a US$30,000 donation (G$6.2 million) to Guyana to assist the country in immediate flood relief efforts, the Regional Representative asserted that climate change has become an essential part of the United States' President, Joseph Biden's foreign

policy and, therefore, USAID would be working with Caribbean countries to strengthen their awareness and preparedness for the impact of climate change.

Minister Singh r e i t e r a t e d t h e Government's strong commitment to work closely with development partners like USAID in advancing the dramatic transformation that Guyana is currently undergoing.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh

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One land for sale,Lot 251 Section 'C' Turkeyen.60 ft x 80 width with unfurnished property.Tel#627-7718.

TO LET

Apartment in Eccles from 20th June.Rooms in Albertown.Call: 225-3234/ 628-1183.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

SERVICES Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezer-Call: 610-5846 or 661-8158.

REPAIRS AT LOW COST: F R I D G E S , A I R CONDITIONER,WASHING MACHINE,FREEZER,SALE OF AC'S. TEL#6294946,225-4822.

8 7 - E - A l b e r t St,Albertown,third building from Lamaha in Albert Street.

Price 24 Million(Land 82x20) negotiable.

Property at Kuru Kururu concrete one flat house plus chicken pen. Call: 622-8265.

Large Property with huge concrete bond,Prime Location Cumberland,Canje.Ideal for business.Sale/Rent.6792497.

FOR HIRE Are you a graduate, dissatisfied with your income?

Looking for a lucrative career with a reputable company? Call 679-2497.

FOR SALE

1 Boat Propeller 34" right hand pitch. Contact 6040342.

1 6 cyl Doosan Marine Engine, complete- gearbox, propeller & shaft 5 million neg Tel#627-8898 Massey Ferguson Tractor( Foreign used). MF165$1.5M, MF 135-$1.1M, Pickup Ford Ranger-$1.1m, F150-$1.2M. 682-5230, 6154414.

1 Toyota Allion PWW Series $1.8M & 1 Honda CRV $3.2 negotiable.Contact 649-0956 for more info.

FOR RENT Good for business 4.018 acres of prime land in New Amsterdam,Berbice.Call 679-2497.

3 bedroom,fully furnished North & Oronoque St.Bourda bottom flat.Contact 226-7012,6240041.

Fully furnish apt, one bedroom,two bedroom & three bedroom.Providence and diamond.Call:6046664,216-2299.

Saturday June 19, 2021

Kaieteur News

WANTED Wanted one experienced Gold Smith, Jacobs Jewellery and Pawn shop 16 Pike street Kitty Tel#622-4970 Wanted (2) experienced Welder/Fabricator. Contact Tel#222-3844.

Experienced Cooks and Servers,Cleaners, Handyman. Call:626-7285 to book interview.

Male able bodied sales representative.Contact Tel#227-3580 for more info.

Female sales representative experience in P.O.S system would be an asset.Contact Tel#227-3580.

Wanted 2 male sales boy must have knowledge about smart devices age 17-25.Contact 688-5951/225-7579.

Night guard between age 4060 years, from Liliendaal or Cummings Lodge area.Call# 688-2464.

Lorry driver, Factory work male & female.Apply in person to R.P Enterprise E.C.D. 220-2818/3710.

One cashier to work at Ice house,18yrs and older.Call: 223-7165.

2 handy men,2 assistant cooks/chefs at People's Choice kitchen.Tel#6799449.

1 porter from Georgetown.Must be able to fetch rice,flour & sugar.Tel#223-9677.

One male able bodied clerk.Call#231-2029,6165954.

One professional cook for family of four and one experienced cleaner.Call#5030359,608-2444.

Wanted experience carpenters and mason.Contact: RJD Construction 6147669/628-5738.

Family to live & work on a farm.Contact: 622-1976 or 227-1744.

Experienced land dredge workers.Call:699-3857.

1 general domestic to work in Providence, from age 30.Please call:673-5300.

Looking for honest & reliable person for cleaning job.Age between 45 & up.Tel#231-4933.

VACANCY Pump Attendant & Cashier.

Shifts (6AM-2PM & 2PM10PM). Shell Station Providence E.B.D. Email: Shellramsburg@gmail.com R o o m Attendant,Supervisors,Receptionist, 30-50 years old. 233 South Road Lacytown. Tel#2252304.

Driver must be able to assist in workshop,age 25-45, Car/Van licence.Call: 6429823.

Male cleaner for a workshop.Call: 642-9823.

Minibus and Taxi drivers.Call: 225-3284/6281183.

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

Experienced masseuse/cosmetologist required. Nalini's hair salon,225 New Market Street (opposite Maggies).

226-6705/609-6259.

Pitmen for interior location.Applicants must be experienced.Call:231-2250.

Vacancy exists for one office assistant.Must be computer literate with organiztional skills.Send application:innovationsamericamng@gmail.com.

For carpenter & porters.Apply at Alabama Trading. 65 Robb Street Bourda.

For accounts clerk & cashier.Apply at Alabama Trading. 65 Robb Street Bourda.

For Sales girl to work on delivery truck. Apply at Alabama Trading. 65 Robb Street Bourda.

VACANCY

Maid to cook and clean for East Bank call: 6159132.Female cleaner for office call: 642-9823.

LEGAL NOTICE 2021-HC-DEM-CIV -FD398 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO.: FD- 398 BETWEEN:- LAWSON (COLLEEN PAMELA) nee CHAN Petitioner -andLAWSON (VIBART JOSEPH) TO: VIBART JOSEPH LAWSON (Last Known Address) Lot 28 Kingston ‘C’ Field, Leonora, West Coast Demerara TAKE NOTICE that on the 25lh day of March, 2021 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you b.y COLLEEN PAMELA LAWSON nee CHAN, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown,Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 13lh day of May, 2021, the Petitioner was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News Newspapers, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web (Online).

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 35 (thirty- five) days from the date of the second and final

publication of this

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice, TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on thursday the 221111 day of July, 2021 at 9:30 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry in Court lA via Zoom Meeting / ID: 503 218 6789 and Password: court 1 a of the High Court at Georgetown.

IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention .to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in’ your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce. The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara].

The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the day of 1st June, 2021

Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of t he Kaieteur News Newspapers, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy ofthe Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), an Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 35 (thirty-five) days from the date of the Second and final publication of this Notice. TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on IN DEFAULT of you filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, an Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara].

The office is open to the public between 8:00 am and 3:30 pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00 am to 2:30 pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed. Dated the 11th day of June, 2021

2021-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-545 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO.: FD545 BETWEEN: DRUSIS (MELISSA PEREDETT A nee GORDON) Petitioner-V-DRUSIS (ST. ELMO SILVESTER)Respondent TO: ST. ELMO SILVESTER DRUSIS Formerly of: Lot 67 Evans Phillips Park, Agricola, East Bank Demerara, Guyana. TAKE NOTICE that on the 28th day of April, 2021 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by MELISSA PEREDETT A DRUSIS nee GORDON, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 4th day of June, 2021 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of her

Saturday June 19, 2021

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Kaieteur News

LEGAL NOTICE IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE OF GUYANA CIVIL ~URISDICTION , 2018 - HC - DEM - CIV SOC - 181 BETWEEN:HAMDAT BISESUR MOHAMED ALI Claimant -and- 1. STACEY FRENCH 2. THE TOWN CLERK OF THE CITY OF GEORGTOWN 3.THE CENTRAL HOUSING AND PLANNING AUTHORITY Defendant BEFORE THE HONOURABLE MADAM JUSTICE DEMONE YOUNGE DATED THE 17TH DAY OF JUNE, 2021 ENTERED THE 18TH DAY OF JUNE, 2021 Ms. Jamela AIi, Attorneyat-law for the Claimant, THIS APPLICATION, made by the claimants was heard this 17th day of June, 2021 at the High Court. The application was for: a. Default Judgment against the DefeAdant pursuant to part 12 of the Civil Procedure rules 2016; cost of the Application Any further or other order as the may deem just. AND UPON READING NOTICE OF Application filed on the 14th day of June, 2021 and Affidavit of HAMDAT BISESUR sworn to and filed on the 14th day of June, 2021 and the matter b.having been considered without a hearing THIS COURT ORDERS that default judgment is granted as follows: A declaration that EII2 42 Fourth Avenue, Subryanville, ‘Georgetown held by Deed of Transport No. No. 465 of2017 is a residential property; A declaration that E1I2 42 Fourth Avenue, Subryanville, Georgetown is subject to the laws including the Georgetown Building By-laws and conditions set out in Transport No. 1536 dated 26th November 1951; declaration that the first Defendant is illegally carrying on building operations at EI/2 42 Fourth Avenue, Subryanville, Georgetown; A declaration that any approvals or permissions granted by Mayor and CouncilLors of the City of Georgetown (M&CC), the City Engineer and by Central Planning and Housing Authority (CHPA) to build or alter the buildings at E1/2 42 Fourth Avenue, Subryanville, Georgetown (the buildings) are unlawful; recalling the decision of the M&CC, the City Engineer and the CHPA to grant approval tocarry on building operations at Ell2

TTMA calls for greater accountability in Free Trade Zones The Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association (TTMA) Illicit Trade Desk is calling for greater accountability in Free Trade Zones to prevent illicit trade and money laundering.

Roger Montero, Managing Director of Bastion Market Intelligence Limited said some business use FTZs to re-package consumer goods, and export to another Free Zone or Country which, sometimes, can create the environment for illicit trade, “Many people use the free zones to bring in items to reduce the administration time and speed up the movement of goods that are in transit to another FTZ or Country.

When the goods are exported, they are in different containers and it is difficult to track goods from point of origin when they pass through FTZs. When goods are exported from FTZs they are done legally; however, when those goods are not declared before entering a LEGAL NOTICE 42 Fourth Avenue, Subryanville, Georgetown (the buildings) are unlawful f. A declaration that the buildings are in breach of the Georgetown building By-laws and servitudes contained in the transport; An injunction restraining the Defendant Stacey French from using the buildings to carry on any industry and business on the lot, including the business of a school apartments.

AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Costs to the Claimant in the sum $50, 000.00 (fifty thousand dollars) IF YOU FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS Of THIS ORDER, YOU WILL BE IN CONTEMPT OF GOURT AND MAYBE LIABLE TO IMPRISONMENT OR TO HAVE YOUR ASSETS CONFISCATED.

Attorney at Law, Fanta Punch destination Country it is illegal (contraband/ smuggling). Those products are then sold at a reducedprice tag, and the profit is high. Illicit trade robs Government of taxes, is unfair to businesses who legally imports goods, in some cases provides goods that are inferior or unsafe and contribute to organized Crime & Terrorism.”

Two of the most illegally traded items are tobacco and alcohol, and even though there are COVID-19 restrictions around the world on manufacturing, these products are in demand.

According to Mr. Montero, there is a huge movement of illicit goods in the Caribbean and Latin America, and it is steadily increasing, “Recently we had to destroy four sets of illicit footwear that were

seized by Customs & Excise because there is an increase of persons bringing in items under the veil of “entrepreneurship”, and they want to buy products and sell with a profit, but they are not doing it the right way.”

The responsibility, however, to monitor FTZs should not fall squarely on the Customs and Excise Division, he said, “The main focus of Customs and Excise is to collect revenue and they do not have the resources to continuously audit all these warehouses. I would recommend the owner and company of the Free Trade Zone be held more accountable and provide Customs & Excise with regular and frequent documented updates. It is important to note that, in most cases, unless goods leave the Free Zones, Customs and Police do not have access or jurisdiction over these goods.”

Mr. Montero regards Suriname as the most efficient in curbing illicit trade in their FZ because of their coding and bonding system. He said, “Suriname has even discouraged loose cigarettes from moving through their bonds – meaning, its difficult to ship the cigarettes by master cases, shipping by containers is heavily encouraged. They did this to prevent adding to the annual 26 billion sticks illicit trade numbers in Brazil.”

To curb illicit trade in

Trinidad, Mr. Montero is calling for an enforcement arm and the introduction of license requirements for all companies who operate in FTZs, “In order for companies to maintain this license there should be a track and trace of some feature with the products they have moving through the free trade zones. I believe this will discourage illicit trade, it will not stop it, but will discourage it from occurring.”

Fanta Punch, Attorney at Law and Partner at HamelSmith and Co noted international reports which cite that illicit trade industry is set to increase and reach an estimated US $991 billion by 2022,[i]. Illicit trade operates in the underbelly of the world economy and counterfeiting is an integral part in its contribution to criminal activity.

In her view, stemming the flow of counterfeit goods through our ports of entry is now more possible with the recently proclaimed Trade Marks Act, 8 of 2015. Customs and Excise can now play a greater role in enforcement and has authority to conduct of ex officio actions, seize and detain counterfeit goods including goods for export and in transit on suspicion of being counterfeit.

While the Trinidad & Tobago Free Zones Act does not specifically set out similar powers for the transshipment of counterfeit goods through FTZs there may be other ways

in which Customs & Excise could exert its influence and presence, for example retaining goods where duties remain unpaid or are noncompliant with import restrictions.

She felt that FTZs require more stringent rules and regulations as they act as havens for unchecked criminality. One of main reasons countries establish FTZs is to encourage foreign investment, economic growth and employment. This focus sometimes takes precedence over instituting better controls and regulations so there is a bit of a blind eye by governing agencies.

Ms. Punch believes there ought to be specialized training for judicial officers on some of the complex issues involving FTZs and illicit trade to better adjudicate on criminal and civil actions.

Equally important is the empowerment of Customs & Excise and Police in the scope of their authority and the benefits of using a multifaceted approach to tackle the flow of counterfeit goods.

Ms. Punch noted that success in reducing the illegal activity in FTZs need not only co-operation between enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies like the Trinidad and Tobago Free Zone Company but also engagement with regional and international organizations to aid in the fight to restrict illegal activity in FTZs. (Trinidad Express)

US Eases Some Sanctions Against Saint Lucia Police Expressing the confidence that the vast majority of members of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) are professional and law abiding officers not connected in any way to alleged gross violations of human rights, United States Ambassador to Barbados and the OECS, Linda S. Taglialatela, Friday announced that her country will resume full cooperation with and assistance to a number of local police units.

Taglialatela said the move follows years of review that included consultations across US government agencies and close coordination with Saint Lucia.

“This means that those units, such as the marine and immigration units will again be able to enjoy the full benefits of the United States Security assistance that we are planning to begin as we speak,” the US Diplomat told a news conference here.

She said the units will be

United States Ambassador to Barbados and the OECS, Linda S. Taglialatela eligible for security assistance like that provided to the United States Caribbean Basin Security Initiative which seeks to reduce illicit trafficking in the region, advance public safety and promote social justice.

She told reporters that some Saint Lucian security units may also benefit from other security assistance programmes.

In this regard, she mentioned the professional military education and

technical training courses provided through the United States Department of Defence, state partnership programme exchanges, and regular maritime maintenance support through the United States Southern Command technical assistance and field teams.

“This is only the first step,” she explained, adding that the US looks forward to continuing to expand cooperation and engagement.

However, Taglialatela

asserted that an important part of that process is to ensure full accountability on allegations of extra-judicial killings.

“We continue to call for the credible investigation and accountability in these cases in order to broaden cooperation to all units,” the US Diplomat stated.

The US Department of State announced in 2013 a policy decision to withdraw training and material assistance to the RSLPF due to ‘credible allegations’ of gross human rights violations.

The sanctions were imposed under the Leahy Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA), commonly referred to as the ‘Leahy Law’. The allegations of extra judicial killings by some members of the RSLPF arose out of several fatal police shootings in 20102011 during an anti-crime offensive dubbed ‘Operation Restore Confidence’. (St. Lucia Times)

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Saturday June 19, 2021

Saturday June 19, 2021

...Half-centuries from Dean Elgar and Quinton de From page 21 introduction of Seales. In his second Test, Seales struck with the first ball of his third over when he tempted Petersen into the drive off a ball that moved away from him. Petersen edged to Holder at second slip.

Elgar started to look more convincing when he drove Seales through mid-off but he was beaten by Holder’s first ball, a beauty that pitched on middle and off and moved away and went back into his shell. He battled on, but Rassie van der Dussen couldn’t. Roach, who had switched ends from when he opened the bowling, got the ball to move into van der Dussen several times in his sixth over to set him up, and then did the same with the third ball of his seventh. van ver Dussen shouldered arms and was bowled.

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Kaieteur News

Verreynne stayed with Elgar until lunch and through most of the second session and showed glimpses of the aggression he has become known for in domestic cricket.

But he also had his nervy moments. He was beaten several times after that and survived an lbw review off Mayers, who surprised Verreynne with a ball that nipped back into him from outside off and hit him on the back pad. West Indies reviewed but ball-tracking showed it was going over the stumps.

Elgar had been watchful throughout that period but played a few shots in anger.

He brought up South Africa’s hundred with a flick off a Roach full toss and his own fifty when he top-edged a Gabriel short ball, which ended up being a no-ball, off the 146th ball he faced.

Two overs later, Verreynne attempted a pull off Gabriel, who had returned for a pre-tea burst but did not get hold of the ball as it swung down the leg side. He was given out caught behind but reviewed and UltraEdge confirmed Verreynne’s bat had made contact. de Kock picked up where he left off in the first Test and approached his innings positively. He punched a full Chase delivery between extra cover and mid-off, hit Gabriel through the covers and spurred Elgar on to some more aggressive strokes too.

The captain pulled Seales through midwicket and drove Holder down the ground to enjoy some reward after an innings of mostly hard graft.

The pair seemed set to take South Africa to the close but in the 78th over, Mayers bowled Elgar with a delivery

Saturday June 19, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Remind your loved ones how much they mean to you today, Aries. Words are especially powerful. Don't use them lightly. Be thoughtful about how you treat others.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Feel free to express your independent attitude today.

Break out of any restrictions that might be keeping you from doing what you want to do.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Have fun today and don't be so serious about anything, Gemini. This is a good time to lay low and enjoy the scenery. Go to a movie or see a play.

Go to a party and celebrate.

CANCER(June21–July22) You can do no wrong today, Cancer. In fact, you can navigate through the cracks without anyone noticing. You may find that you would rather be up on center stage.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Have some fun today. It's time to balance all the work you've been doing with a little bit of fun. Yesterday's honest efforts are turning into today's rewards. There's no need to be shy when it comes to receiving what is rightfully yours.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) The pace will be jumping today and your wit and cheerful words will be welcomed in almost every setting you enter, Virgo. Do things with others and see what kind of "trouble" you can stir up together.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Many people may have a great deal to say today, Libra, but you could find that you'd rather sit and listen.

Feel free to do so.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Don't be selfish today, Scorpio. This is a time to think about others. Instead of plowing ahead with a project by yourself, consider enlisting the help of a partner or friend.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) If you don't say exactly what you mean today, you might get into trouble. Don't compromise your values just to maintain the peace.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Today is apt to be favorable for you, Capricorn. You should keep the lines of communication open so you can spread your knowledge to others and receive the important information that is due to come your way.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You might feel a bit restless today. You may want to get the word out to others. Unfortunately, your tongue may be tied and it could be hard for you to express yourself exactly the way you want.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) If you keep waiting for things to happen, Pisces, you may wake up one morning and realize that your life has passed and you never did half the things you dreamed of doing.

that came back into him and snuck through the bat-pad gap. West Indies ended up not taking the second new ball and opted to wait until the morning to make use of it, when conditions may again be ripe for swing. They’ll look to repeat their first morning’s performance but will also be aware of the number of extras they gave away on the first day - 42 - the third highest scorer in the innings.

...National Senior Championships From page 20 12.61m, while Princess Browne was third in 12.19m.

In the Men’s 110m hurdles, Hosea Glen of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) won in a time of 18.59s followed by Isaiah Lewis (19.46s) and Trevor Scotland (25.25s).

Action continues today from 10:00hrs with the 400m and 4x100m being among the more highly anticipated races.

The event is not open to members of the public due to strict COVID-19 protocols, however, photos and videos are available on the Athletics Association of Guyana facebook account.

...CPL 2021 schedule tweaked to From page 23 Pakistan series kicks off with a five-match T20I series followed by two Tests, scheduled to end on August 24.

The BCCI wanted the CPL to bring forward the start of the tournament for two key reasons: Firstly, there are several players as well as coaching staff that are involved with both IPL and CPL franchises, and also, the owners of two of the IPL franchises - the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Punjab Kings - own teams in the CPL too - the Trinbago Knight Riders and the St Lucia Zouks respectively. Secondly, the BCCI wanted the IPL-bound contingent to move sooner from the Caribbean to the UAE, where the remainder of the IPL will be played.

“Both IPL and CPL are important to CWI, to our cricketers and to fans,” Ricky Skerritt, the CWI president, told ESPNcricinfo. “CWI’s role was to facilitate arrangements for a non-overlapping and smooth transition from

one tournament to the next.

Cricket administrators must collaborate if cricket is to survive the risks and costs of Covid-19.”

The 2021 CPL comprises 33 matches, all of which will be hosted at Warner Park. In April, Pete Russell, the CPL chief executive officer, had said this edition would be open to crowds but attendance would be capped at 50% of the ground capacity.

Skerritt explained that the CPL would also soon be finalising the guidelines for the franchises to be part of the bio-secure bubble. “Any bubble-related decisions are made by the local St Kitts health authorities and CPL medical advisors (same as CWI), in the context of the local Covid-19 situation,” he said. “Just four weeks ago, St Kitts recorded community spread for the first time. For over a year, all cases were imported, identified, quarantined, and recovered. The first local Covid-19 (related) death happened just two days ago.”

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Kaieteur News

Saturday June 19, 2021

Golden Fleece and Adventure advance from Region two

G

The victorious Golden Fleece team.

olden Fleece and Adventure have secured their places in the playoffs of the WeCare Community Services and Promotions inaugural Independence Inter-Region 10/10 Softball Cricket competition which continued on Sunday last at New Opportunity corps ground in region two.

Golden Fleece beat Crown XI by nine wickets.

Crown XI batted first and managed 58-8, while Golden Fleece responded with 60-1 from four overs. Neiland Cadogan made 27 and Patrick Rooplall scored 25.

Golden Fleece overcame Adventure by nine wickets.

Adventure made 30-4, taking first strike with E. Spencer scoring 14. Patrick Rooplall took 2-6. Golden Fleece replied with 35-1 in 2.5 overs. Neiland Cadogan struck 27.

Golden Fleece and Airy Hall played to a tie. Airy Hall

Patrick Rooplall (right) accepts his Man of match trophy from WeCare Reg 2 Coordinator Mr. Dass. made 96-7, batting first. R. Rooplall scored 27, D. Persaud 23 and T. Khemraj 14. Patrick Rooplall claimed 3- 19. Golden Fleece responded with 96-8.

Neiland Cadogan slammed two fours and six sixes in a top score of 53, while E. Persaud scored 33 with four sixes. Adventure beat Venom by eight wickets. Venom took first knock and made

85-6. D. Mohan made 13.

Adventure replied with 86-2 in 5.4 overs. C. Jairam stroked 55 with five sixes and E. Spencer 14.

Govinda Sankar from Airy Hall, Patrick Rooplall of Golden Fleece, Davendra Mohan from Venom and Neiland Cadogan of Golden Fleece were all rewarded for their outstanding performances.

National Senior Championships off to great start Athletics Guyana (AG) Senior Championships commenced yesterday at the National Track and Field Facility, Leonora.

In the Men’s 110m hurdles, Hosea Glen of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) won in a time of 18.59s followed

by Isaiah Lewis (19.46s) and Trevor Scotland (25.25s).

In the men’s Triple Jump, the Surinamese Miguel Van Assen made light work of the Guyanese as he leapt to a gold medal jump of 16.53m as local boy Damon Williams (16.30m) finished second, while Police Progressive Sports Club’s Denis Roberts was third with a distance of (14.77m).

Meanwhile on the distaff end, Chantoba Bright in 13.53won followed by Natrena Hooper in second with (Continued on page 19)

Miguel Van Assen of Suriname that won the men’s triple jump.

Sports Minister gives financial support to Tokyo bound athletes Some of the athletes who have qualified so far for the Tokyo Olympics and Tokyo Paralympics Games, yesterday, met with Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, along with Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Kashif Muhammad and were presented with monetary support ahead of their journey to the event.

ALiyah Abrams (400m), Chelsea Edghill (Table Tennis), Keevin Allicock

(Boxing) and Walter GrantStuart, the lone Paralympics athlete (Cycling) were the athletes present. Swimmer Andrew Fowler is currently in Florida as part of his preparation for the games.

The athletes in attendance at yesterday’s event are being covered by the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) who provides their per diem, outfit and travel for the Olympics.

H o w e v e r, Minister Ramson handed over US$1000 to each representative, which he said

is for casual spending while in Tokyo.

The athletes were informed that the Ministry will help significantly with their training and preparation for the games.

Boxer Keevin Allicock will depart shortly for Russia for his preparation, while Table Tennis player Chelsea Edghill will leave this weekend for California and Portugal.

Paralympic cyclist Walter Grant-Stuart will also be heading overseas for high-altitude training.

Kaieteur News

Saturday June 19, 2021

PAGE 21

Half-centuries from Dean Elgar and Quinton de Kock keep South Africa afloat ESPNcricinfo - Dean Elgar, in his second Test as permanent captain in the format, top-scored with 77 as South Africa negotiated a tough batting day against a much-improved West Indian side. Facing a must-win situation to share the spoils in the series, the hosts’ fourpronged pace attack made good use of the movement on offer in seamer-friendly conditions to made inroads into South Africa’s line-up early on and kept their visitors relatively quiet, with a run rate that stayed under three an over throughout the day.

Shannon Gabriel, on his return from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the first Test, was the most successful bowler on the day.

Gabriel was used in short bursts, never bowling more than four overs in a spell, and took 2 for 47. Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales and Kyle Mayers took one wicket apiece and Jason Holder, whose 14 overs cost just 25 runs, held an end even though he went wicketless.

Between them, the quicks reduced South Africa to 37 for 3 inside 18 overs before Elgar and Kyle Verreynne shared a fourthwicket stand of 87.

Verreynne was dismissed in the last over before tea but Elgar took South Africa to within three overs of the second new ball being due and put on 79 for the fifthwicket with Quinton de Kock, the centurion from the first Test. de Kock remained unbeaten on 59 off 103, at a strike rate of 57.28, the quickest of the match so far.

Under cloudy skies and after a morning rain, the toss was delayed and play eventually started 15 minutes late and was interrupted after three-anda-half overs for another ten minutes by a passing shower.

By then, South Africa had already lost their first batter.

In the second over, Aiden Markram chased a short, wide delivery from Gabriel and was caught at backward point by Roston Chase. This was Markram’s sixth Test duck and he equalled the

most number of scoreless dismissals by any opener since his debut in September 2017.

Elgar shares that record with Markram and was at risk of going past him and departing for a second duck in the series. He was beaten twice by Roach and squared up by Gabriel before the rain break and went into it scoreless. But he returned to find his first runs with a

boundary and battled through most of the rest of the day.

At the other end, Roach found Keegan Petersen’s outside edge but the chance fell short of third slip.

Petersen did not look comfortable against the moving ball and though he survived a stifled appeal for a catch down the leg side, he did not last long after the (Continued on page 19)

Dean Elgar sets off for a single © AFP/Getty Images

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Brazil 4-0 Peru: Neymar stars as Selecao extend winning run with Copa rout

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Neymar stars as Selecao extend winning run.

portsMax - Brazil extended their winning run to nine games and made it two victories from two matches to start the Copa America with a 4-0 triumph over Peru on Thursday.

Alex Sandro fired defending champions Brazil ahead early before star teammate Neymar added the second goal in the 68th minute, marking the fourth consecutive match he has scored for the Selecao.

It was Neymar’s 68th international goal as the Paris Saint-Germain forward closed within Pele’s record of 77 for Brazil.

Everton Ribeiro and Richarlison completed the scoring during the closing stages in Rio de Janeiro, where the result continued Brazil’s exceptional form under head coach Tite, having not conceded a goal in their past six games.

Peru, playing their Copa America opener, were dogged but created few genuine goal-scoring opportunities.

After Fred shot wide early, the Selecao took the lead in the 12th minute, when Neymar broke on the left with his cross finding Gabriel Jesus – who cut back for Alex Sandro to turn home from inside the six-yard box.

Brazil had never lost in the 43 previous games under Tite in all competitions when they had scored first, but Peru still forced their way into the game.

Danilo blocked Peru’s first real chance from

Christian Cueva’s 39thminute shot which had beaten the onrushing Ederson, shortly after Fabinho flashed a shot wide through a crowded penalty area.

Neymar thought he had won a penalty on the hourmark when he fell under pressure from Renato Tapia, but referee Patricio Loustau reversed his original decision after a VAR check.

He did not need to wait long for his goal, collecting the ball just outside the box and drilling a low shot past Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.

Neymar set up half-time substitute Richarlison for a 73rd-minute chance saved

by Gallese, while Peru substitute Alex Valera volleyed over a gilt-edged chance in the 79th minute.

Brazil scored a third goal as Neymar dashed forward, finding Richarlison on the left and the Everton star centred for Everton Ribeiro who forced home his maiden international goal in the final minute of regulation.

Richarlison added another in the third minute of stoppage time, finding the back of the net following a goal-mouth scramble after Gallese saved Roberto Firmino’s initial effort from Neymar’s neat throughball.

STSC to host 3-a-side football tomorrow The South Turkeyen Sports Committee and Bannas Foundation will be hosting a 3-a-side small goal and football competition tomorrow at Durban Park.

Among the teams set to take part are Meadow Brook, Lodge, Charlestown, Sophia, Durban Street, Ogle, Plaisance, Vryheid’s Lust and Better Hope.

At Stake are trophies, medals and cash prizes sponsored by Ken Phillips of Antarctic Maintenance and Repairs, Joseph Harmon, Alfred Mentore, Reginald R o a c h , P a u l ’s I m p o r t Distributors, Carry Cargo and P and P Insurance.

Entrance fee is $1,000 per player and all covid regulations will be observed.

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Guyana amongst nations whose 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup preliminary rosters are announced

The ‘Golden Jaguars’ getting warmed up before their June 26, 2019 Gold Cup clash against Trinidad & Tobago at the Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas, United States. (Franklin Wilson photo) Miami, FL – The provisional rosters for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup have been submitted ahead of the 25 nations competing in the 16th edition of the Confederation’s premier competition for men’s national teams.

The rosters have been selected and submitted by each of the teams and are published as such. In order to be eligible to play in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, all players are subject to and must fully comply with the criteria stipulated in the applicable FIFA player eligibility regulations.

The final 23-player rosters for all participating teams will be confirmed prior to the start of the Preliminary Round (Prelims). After the deadline for submission, changes will only be allowed in the event of force majeure or injury up until 24 hours before each team’s group stage first

match. All changes must be approved by Concacaf.

Prior to the start of the 2021 Gold Cup Group Stage, 12 teams including Guyana will compete in the Preliminary Round (Prelims) from July 2-6, 2021. These matches will take place at DRV PNK Stadium (Fort Lauderdale, FL) and will determine the final three teams in the Gold Cup Group Stage.

The Group Stage of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup will kick off on July 10 and will run through July 20. At the end of the Group Stage, the top two teams from each group will advance to the Quarterfinals.

State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas will play host to the Quarterfinal doubleheaders on July 24 and 25, respectively.

The Semifinals will be played on July 29, in NRG

Stadium in Houston, and the brand-new Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. The venue for each specific semifinal matchup will be confirmed at the conclusion of the Group Stage (each stadium hosting one Semifinal). The winners of the two semifinal matches will travel to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium to face off in the Final on August 1.

2021 is Concacaf’s 60th anniversary year and the Gold Cup is its flagship men’s competition. The first edition was played in 1991 and the 2021 edition will be the 16th Concacaf Gold Cup. Mexico is the most successful team in Gold Cup history with eight Gold Cup titles, followed by the USA with six and Canada with one. The current Gold Cup champion is Mexico who lifted the Cup in 2019 after defeating the US Men’s National Team 1-0 in a hardfought final at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

CPL 2021 schedule tweaked to avoid clash with remainder of IPL season ESPNcricinfo - In a shot in the arm for the BCCI and the IPL, the dates for the 2021 edition of the CPL have been revised; it will now be played in St Kitts and Nevis between August 26 and September 15. The CPL was originally scheduled to start on August 28, and end on September 19, but that changed after the BCCI began talks with Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the CPL immediately after it identified the SeptemberOctober window for wrapping up the remainder of the postponed 2021 IPL. The revised dates will mean a tweaked match schedule for the CPL, and the challenge for both CWI and CPL is that there aren’t many

Kieron Pollard is one of many cricketers who play in both the CPL and the IPL. (Getty Images) free days in a packed home season comprising tours of the Caribbean by South Africa, Australia and Pakistan.

Immediately after the ongoing series against South

Africa, which ends on July 9, West Indies play a white-ball series comprising five T20Is and three ODIs against Australia, which will end on July 24. Three days later, the (Continued on page 19)

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