Guyana Times -- Friday, June 10, 2022

Special needs schools to benefit from guidance counselling

P

17 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 5035

THE BEACON OF TRUTH FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

US throws support behind Caribbean’s energy security, climate crisis efforts Page 3

– VP Harris launches 2030 partnership pact

PRICE

$100 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Police, religious leaders to help “take back our schools” – Education Minister P9 Cop, mechanic arrested for carjacking P2

Woman, 23, remanded for smuggling P13 cocaine in Havan Kund Vice President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris and Caribbean leaders after a meeting during the IX Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, California

Scotiabank’s agreement of sale with T&T’s First Citizens Bank mutually terminated Foreign Affairs $2B in Ministry tackling contracts red tape to make signed doing business for rehabilitation easier for Diaspora – says Diaspora wants to invest in numerous projects, sectors of roads in Regs 3, 6 Page 7

Page 5

Page 11

Cook robbed, murdered, dumped in river at Puruni – suspect arrested, confesses to committing act Page 9

GDF ranks P8 robbed on seawall by knifetoting bandits Several roads in Georgetown, EBD to be widened P17 – Min Indar PM supports M&CC’s authority forcing contractors to comply with bylaws P16

2 NEWS Cop, mechanic arrested for carjacking FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

The music system and other parts were missing

The car before it was stolen

S

everal persons, including a Police Constable and a mechanic, were arrested as investigations continue into the alleged carjacking which occurred on Sunday night at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

On Sunday, 34-yearold Rameshwar Singh of #70 Village, Correntyne, Berbice reported to the Police that he was relieved

The hijacked car which was painted another colour

of his white Toyota Premio motorcar bearing registration number HD 2132.

However, on Tuesday evening, acting on information received, investigators went to the home of a 27-year-old mechanic of Patentia, West Bank Demerara (WBD), where a search was conducted for the stolen car, but it was not found.

The mechanic was sub-

sequently interviewed, and based on information collected, the Police then proceeded to the residence of another mechanic at La Grange, WBD. Another search was conducted at his premises, during which several parts belonging to the missing car were found and positively identified by the owner.

Also found were several documents from a ship-

ping company, which again were positively identified to be his by Singh. As a result, the workshop owner was arrested and subsequently taken to the Diamond Police Station.

Further information received led the ranks to Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, where a motorcar, HD 2387, was found abandoned in a yard. It was later learnt that that mo-

torcar was allegedly used to hit Singh’s car from behind, thus forcing him to stop in the vicinity of Providence, EBD. As Singh exited his vehicle to check on the damage, he was confronted by two men, who robbed him of his car and an undisclosed sum of cash.

Meanwhile, at about 08:00h on Wednesday, a Police rank who is presently on medical leave was contacted by the investigators and questioned.

That Police rank then took the investigators to Canal Number One Polder, WBD, where he pointed out a freshly sprayed-over ‘gun metal’ Toyota Premio to be the said car that was stolen from Singh.

Despite being in a different colour, the victim and the investigators were able to verify the car to be that of Singh by the chassis number. Several parts, including the music system, were ripped from the car.

Investigations are ongoing.

NEWS

3

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Friday, June 10 – 04:00h-05:30h and 10:00h – 11:00h and Saturday, June 11 – 01:00h-02:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Friday, June 10 – 12:45h-14:15h and Saturday, June 11 – 13:40h-15:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily

WEATHER TODAY

There will be thundery showers and light rain showers during the day and night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to South-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 3.56 metres.

High Tide: 13:17h reaching a maximum height of 2.42 metres.

Low Tide: 06:48h and 19:10h reaching a minimum height of 0.78 metre.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2022

LOTTERY NUMBERS G

11 12 13

15 16 23

FREE TICKET

9 Bonus Ball

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022

DAILY MILLIONS

14 15 16 22 24 LUCKY 3

4

7

1

8

Afternoon Draw

6

9

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

04 10 12 13 14 16 18 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2022

01 03 10 13 17 13

01 02 03 07 08

2

5 Afternoon Draw

2X Afternoon Draw

5

1 Evening Draw

FP Evening Draw

DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$122/barrel

Rough Rice

$297.936/ton

-0.17

London Sugar

$578.70/ton

-0.10

Live Spot Gold

-0.84

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1846.30

$1847.30

Low/High Change

$1839.60 -2.10

$1856.70 -0.11%

US throws support behind Caribbean’s energy security, climate crisis efforts – VP Harris launches 2030 partnership pact

R

ecognising that the Caribbean is on the frontline of the existential crisis posed by climate change, the United States has launched an initiative that would see the country supporting its regional neighbours in addressing energy security as well as climate adaptation and resilience with the urgency that these challenges demand.

As part of the Ninth Summit of the Americas being held this week in Los Angeles, California, US Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday met with President Dr Irfaan Ali and other Caribbean Heads of State along with Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett.

During that meeting, VP Harris announced the launch of the United StatesCaribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030), which she explained is the US Government’s primary mechanism for addressing energy security and the climate crisis in this region.

“Through this partnership, we will support energy infrastructure and climate resilience projects at every stage of development, from beginning to end…,” she noted according to a transcript of the meeting that was released by the White House on Thursday.

According to the US Vice President, this initiative will see the North American nation support the Caribbean nations in four particular ways. These include working with countries to identify new clean energy projects; providing technical assistance to make sure these projects are viable and appealing not only to the nations but also to investors; and bringing investors to the Caribbean on roadshows to showcase these projects.

“And fourth and finally, we will improve access — and importantly — we will improve access to development financing, which will make these projects a reality. We will engage with the Private Sector at every stage of this work because, of course, their involvement is essential to making this productive and meaningful,” she posited.

VP Harris contended that when the transition to clean energy is accelerated, it would unlock great economic opportunities for the entire region as well as advance efforts to tackle the climate crisis.

“When we work together to address this urgent threat, it benefits the people of the United States and the people of the Caribbean.

And all of us, of course, benefit by reducing emissions…

And regarding the climate

Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali with US Vice President Kamala Harris (left) and Caricom Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett along with other Caribbean leaders at the meeting on Thursday in LA, California

crisis, it is one of our highest priorities. But there are other issues that are also very important that we can and must address together,” she asserted.

In conclusion, the Vice President underscored that strengthening the USCaribbean relationship was a priority for her and the Joe Biden-led administration.

Thursday’s meeting between VP Harris and regional leaders served as a follow-up to a virtual engagement last month. At that meeting, discussions were held on the Region’s priorities and the Vice President had indicated that the United States would look into the issues raised and work with Caribbean countries on re-

solving the challenges that they are presented with.

Having committed that the US would develop a plan, VP Harris on Thursday stated that action was “actually taken” and added that she looked forward to continuing to do just that.

During last month’s virtual engagement, President Ali had contended that Caricom must have a seat at the table when talks of the future of the fossil fuel industry and the shift to renewable energy – which he said must be the subject of deep conversation – arose.

The Guyanese leader had made it clear that the Region “must be part of that conversation in defining this policy going forward”.

He said that while the world was heading in the direction

of reducing its dependence on fossil fuels, locking out new suppliers could create a monopoly for those who were currently involved in the oil industry.

“The question is, if you’re locking out new suppliers, it is to whose advantage? We can be very well creating a monopoly for those who are already in the business, who have already extracted this natural resource and developed their own jurisdiction,” President Ali said.

During the discussions, President Ali also called for a better working relationship between the USA and the Caribbean Community, especially in understanding and respecting the policies of the Region.

TURN TO PAGE 5

4

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Corporate responsibility

E

very business seeks to maximise its profit, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) would seem to contradict this logic by taking away some of the company’s resources.

At its heart, Corporate Social Responsibility is about an organisation taking responsibility for the impacts of its decisions and activities on all aspects of society, the community, and the environment. Corporate Social Responsibility is more than just donating money; it’s about contributing to the health and welfare of society, operating transparently and ethically. More importantly, this way of operating should be embedded in the business, rather than an afterthought.

What many may not know is that Corporate Social Responsibility also helps to build a good corporate reputation.

In other words, companies agree to do more for society than simply create jobs and pay wages and taxes with the expectation of some reward, such as a good reputation or a competitive advantage in the local market.

Corporate philanthropy can serve to promote solidarity in a society where different groups agree on what is ethical and beneficial, according to the researchers. In societies built on this consensus model, CSR can smooth out the effects of economic inequality, and corporations voluntarily support public benefit projects to achieve this goal.

It can be understood that CSR helps in building a reputation as a responsible business and as a good citizen.

Keeping social responsibility front of mind encourages businesses to act ethically, and to consider the social and environmental impacts of their business. In doing so, organisations can avoid or mitigate detrimental impacts of their business in the community. In some cases, organisations will find ways to make changes in their services or value chain that actually delivers benefits for the community, where they once didn’t.

In addition, CSR supports public value outcomes; put simply, public value is about the value that an organisation contributes to society. A sound, robust corporate social responsibility framework and organisational mindset can genuinely help organisations deliver public value outcomes by focusing on how their services can make a difference in the community.

This might happen indirectly, where an organisation’s services enable others to contribute to the community, or directly, through the organisation’s own activities, such as volunteerism and philanthropy.

Quite recently, a local company, in seeking to fulfil its CSR, donated a quantity of cash to the victims of a fire; a family of five was left homeless after the tragedy. This is commendable.

However, this was only one family in need of such assistance.

Another benefit of a strong corporate social responsibility framework is essential to building and maintaining trust between the company and clients. It can strengthen ties, build alliances, and foster strong working relationships with both existing and new clients. One way this can be achieved is by offering probono or similar services where a company can partner with notfor-profit organisations to support their public value outcomes where funds or resources may be limited.

In turn, this helps deliver public value outcomes that may not have been delivered otherwise. Studies have shown that a robust Corporate Social Responsibility framework can also help a company become more attractive to potential future employees who are looking for workplaces with socially responsible practices, community mindedness and sound ethics.

The era of the social enterprises is upon us. More so than ever before, the most successful, respected, and desirable businesses exist to do much more than make money; they exist to use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.

Study after study has shown that socially responsible businesses (aka social enterprises) not only provide sustainable business models, but also have improved marketing, employee recruitment, employee satisfaction, legal treatment, customer loyalty, brand perception, and richer partnerships.

The questions that many local businesses need to consider are: Can corporate social responsibility help your organisation?

Do you see the benefits of CSR?

President Dr Irfaan Ali shares a light moment with US Vice President Kamala Harris on the sidelines of the IX Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, California. Also in photo are Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne and Surinamese President Chan Santokhi

It makes sense to support the vaccination of Guyana’s children Dear Editor, Yet again, I am forced to commend the Ministry of Health for being at the forefront of health issues, especially in the area of COVID-19. I note that “… the vaccination of children 5 to 11 (is set) to commence on Saturday. And my hope is that the occasion will be maximised. The word is that “Immunisation of children, between the ages of five to 11 will commence on (this) Saturday, following the arrival of 52,800 doses of COVID paediatric vaccine from the Government of Spain.” It will undoubtedly be hard work for Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony and Education Minister Priya Manickchand, and I hope that they will be well supported and that parents and guardians will make the most of this opportunity. So I will share a few comments, hoping to encourage our adults to be very careful with the health and well-being of our children.

First, we need to realise that childhood vaccines or immunisations can seem overwhelming for many new parents. But I re-

mind them all that vaccine schedules are fully recommended and practised by agencies and organisations all over the world, and the World Health Organization (WHO) is right behind these kinds of activities. The reason is very simple and straightforward. It is that vaccinations not only protect children from deadly diseases such as polio, tetanus, and diphtheria, but they also keep other children safe, by eliminating or greatly decreasing dangerous diseases that can be spread from child to child.

I add that the benefits of vaccination include less time away from school or activities, with positive impacts on the physical and mental health of the children. Vaccination is the way for children to get back to their activities, time with friends and families, and other things that they enjoy.

According to Dr. Anthony, “…from the 65,000 and counting persons who contracted the virus, about one-third were children. As such, children are at risk if they do not take the COVID shots.”

For this exercise planned for the weekend, parents need to give consent, if success will be reaped. As a given, the Minister explained that, “We cannot go and vaccinate a child without parental permission. When we start the vaccination process on Saturday at the tarmac of the [National] Cultural Centre, one of the things we would like is for parents to bring their children and give permission, so that we can do the vaccination.”

This kick-off, if successful, and hopefully it will be so, will help Guyana achieve the targets set out by the World Health Organization.

I doubt if anyone would refute that “One of the best ways of reducing COVID in Guyana (and the world at large) is to make sure that we get people vaccinated. The WHO has set certain targets in terms of vaccination, and we are working to achieve those targets.” This is what Dr. Anthony rightly stated, and I am with him all the way.

In terms of schooling, I am glad that

Education Minister Priya Manickchand is also behind the drive to get the children into a safe zone.

She pointed out that we can glean from basic figures that vaccination for the children is the way to go. She noted that by “just looking…at the data, it says to us very clearly that vaccines work to prevent spread and serious illnesses… (and so) “To all the parents, vaccines will continue to be voluntary, and we are not insisting that anyone take the vaccine, but we’re encouraging you strongly to pay attention to the data. One is less likely to get severely ill if they are inoculated against this disease.”

I close with a simple caveat that even though, over the years, vaccines have indeed generated controversies over safety, there is no convincing evidence of harm being found. And although children can have a reaction to any vaccine, the important thing to know is that the benefits of vaccinations far outweigh the possible side effects.

Yours truly, H Singh

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

5

News

Foreign Affairs Ministry tackling red tape to make doing business easier for Diaspora ...says Diaspora wants to invest in numerous projects, sectors

C

ognizant of the prevalent complaint from those in the diaspora about the red tape hindering them from doing business with their homeland, the Diaspora Unit in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working assiduously to dismantle that red tape and improve the ease of doing business.

Diaspora Unit Head Rosalinda Rasul was a guest on a webinar hosted by the Caribbean Policy Consortium and Guyana Business Journal. In her presentation, she spoke about the efforts the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through her unit, has been making.

“We have lots of projects and interest in pretty much every single sector that you can think of. And we didn’t just receive that interest and point people in various directions; we literally walked alongside them every step of the way,” she said.

“To ensure that if there were any challenges they were facing, we would basically come in and help mitigate those challenges and help, whether with the land

authorities or the tax authorities.

“If they need to talk with GO-Invest on incentives for investment, we were there in every meeting, and we’re facilitating that process,” she said.

According to Rasul, the Diaspora Unit is actively working on ensuring that customer service and the ease of doing business is improved. She admitted that a frequent complaint of the diaspora is that their ideas are sent to Ministries and are never heard of again.

“We’ve been engaging the policymakers at the very highest levels, and they are committed to ensuring that some of those very bureaucracies are actually removed. I think you will see that happening as we move along in transitioning Guyana to, one: make it more readily available for a different kind of more modern, fast-paced economic transformation that will actually target a lot of our diaspora coming from more sophisticated backgrounds and banking sectors.”

Rasul also noted that the unit itself has been directly interfacing with members

est in politics, and how best we can engage them,” Rasul said.

Since its return to office, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government has made engaging the diaspora a priority, particularly at a pivotal time of Guyana’s development. Apart from diaspora engagement, the Government has been engaging Guyanese missions,

the fact of their suffering, and the very great contribution they have made in the struggle for the creative survival of the Guyanese people. An authentic history of the Guyanese working people is equally their history.

“This perception of the Indian as alien and other, a problem to be contained after the departure of the imperial power, has been a major part of the thought and feeling of the majority of AfroGuyanese, and a stubborn conviction among the black middle layers of Guyanese society. Indian power in politics and business has been regarded as an example of an Indian strategy for conquest. And this accusation persists even though, in the fashionable arithmetic of democracy, their numerical superiority might have justified such an ambition for supreme political power. “…it is one of the most instructive aspects of this book that we are allowed to see how the original force of estate labour, supplied by both groups, would acquire new levels of social function and open out into the emergence of new and distinct class formations.

mation that would attract possible remigrants.

The Government has always urged the Guyanese diaspora, which according to Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud has a critical role to play in Guyana’s economic development, to tap into the opportunities available under the Local Content Act and the local content framework it supports.

US throws support behind...

FROM PAGE 3

Diaspora Unit Head Rosalinda Rasul

of the diaspora, and helping them through the processes.

“We actually decided that the best thing to do is to start getting those structures in place. Whether they are bureaucratic challenges that the diaspora would have faced, what are some of their tensions, and we needed to act on that.

So we started doing a lot of work with various diaspora groups, and particularly a lot of individuals have been coming to our office on a daily basis, sometimes 10 to 12 meetings on a daily basis, to engage them on their inter-

The Guyanese Head of State spoke about the “strong and strengthened relationship” between the US and Guyana, but he also called for more trust and better coordination at both the country-to-country level and between the US and Caricom.

Meanwhile, only Sunday last, during Guyana’s observance of World Environment Day, President Ali renewed his call for developed nations to make good on their pledges toward environmental preservation.

According to the Head of State, the issue of climate change, mitigation, and adaptation is one that affects the entire world and for the “One Planet” dream to be re-

George Lamming’s advice to Guyanese

Dear Editor, The passing of the great Caribbean prophet George Lamming has elicited very well-deserved praise from West Indians across the globe. Maybe we can honour him in the midst of some very divisive politics playing out in our dear land by recalling his advice to us in the foreword to our own Walter Rodney’s posthumously published “History of the Guyanese Working Peoples”.

“Admirers of Rodney’s earlier work, Groundings with My Brothers, must come to realise that the great emphasis he placed on the moral necessity of Black Power - the ancestral dignity that African peoples must rediscover and keep alive was only part of a larger assignment in his intellectual life. It was no part of his intention to promote a racial sectarian attitude in our approach to the problems of human society, especially in the concrete circumstances of Caribbean society.

“He takes great pains, therefore, to make us open and generous before the predicament of Indians, to make us register and internalise

consulates, consuls-general and honorary consuls across the globe. This has extended to Guyanese organisations in North America and elsewhere, to update them on developmental projects.

An allocation of $50 million has been earmarked for the Diaspora and Remigration Unit for staffing, internships, and providing the positive infor-

“The Afro-Guyanese, who had had a longer association with the culture of the dominant European group, now made a huge investment of talent in education.

The school became the most accessible means of rescuing their offspring from the enslavement of estate labour.

The history of the AfroGuyanese middle class is the history of the school. Many a black lawyer would have started his career as a primary school headmaster, a position of great status and importance to a mass of unlettered and aspiring exslaves.

“But what began as a necessary strategy of self-emancipation would become, in our time, a major obstacle to national liberation. For the mystique of the educated one has proved to be a mystifying influence on the Guyanese and West Indian masses throughout the process of decolonisation. It has been one of the permanent features of the imperial experiment. Education was a means of escape from the realities of labour, a continuing flight from the foundations of society. To grow up was to grow away. Cultural

imperialism is not an empty or evasive phrase. It is the process and effect of a tutelage that has clung to the ex-colonial like his skin.”

Being forewarned, the new economy opening up offers all Guyanese a chance of starting over with respect for labour.

Sincerely, Ravi Dev

alised, every nation, particularly the developed nations, should step up and play their part.

President Ali further outlined the economic plight of the world to drive home his point that the climate change conversation could not happen in isolation, but rather it must take into account every factor critical to the conditions of living. “…this is the reality of the world we live in today.

That is why we have been consistently calling on the developed world to stay true to the pledges they made. We are far away from the minimal $100 billion pledge that the developed world would have made to fight climate change, [with] adaptation and mitigation measures. If you look at adaptation alone, just for adaptation measures in the developing economies, it will cost between US$140 billion to US$300 billion annually if we are to successfully meet adaptation costs alone by 2030,” Ali had stat-

ed on Sunday.

Meanwhile, a factsheet from the White House on Thursday describes PACC 2030 as the Biden-Harris Administration’s new initiative involving fresh commitments to – and integration of – climate adaptation and resilience and clean energy programmes across the Caribbean region.

It further states that PACC 2030 establishes a framework to elevate US cooperation with Caribbean countries to support climate adaptation and strengthen energy security while building the resilience of critical infrastructure and local economies to the climate crisis. PACC 2030 will serve as the US government’s primary mechanism for regional climate adaptation and resilience and energy cooperation through 2030, as countries work towards meeting the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 18:45 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 23:30 00:00

(Sign on) Inspirational Time Cartoons Evening News (RB) Stop Suffering MasterChef Junior House Hunter Renovation Paternity Court Divorce Court Movie - My Babysitter the Super Hero (2022) Wheel of Fortune The Thundermans S3 E11 No Good Nick S1 E3 Indian Soaps Richie Rich S2 E8 Inspector Gadget S2 E4 The Young & The Restless CNN Health Education The Evening News Stop Suffering Brooklyn Nine-Nine S3 E22 NBA Finals Game 4 Whose Line Is It Anyway? S13 E5 Sign off

6

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

Page

Foundation

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

National Grade 6 Assessment 2020 Mathematics Paper 2

Take control of your calendar

Controlling your schedule and your distractions will help you to accomplish your goals.

If you are in control of your calendar, you will be able to complete your assignments and stay on top of your coursework.

The following are steps to getting control of your calendar: On the same day each week, (perhaps Sunday nights or Saturday mornings) plan out your schedule for the week.

Go through each class and write down what you’d like to get completed for each class that week.

Look at your calendar and determine how many hours you have to complete your work.

Determine whether your list can be completed in the amount of time that you have available.

Before going to bed each night, make your plan for the next day. Waking up with a plan will make you more productive.

National Grade 6 Assessment 2020 English Language Paper 2

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Scotiabank’s agreement of sale with T&T’s First Citizens Bank mutually terminated

Scotiabank’s Carmichael Street, Georgetown branch

M

ore than a year after announcing that it has sold its operations in Guyana to Trinidad-based First Citizens Bank (FCB), Scotiabank has now said that the sale has fallen through.

In a brief statement on Thursday, Scotiabank explained that the agreement for the sale of its banking operations in Guyana to First Citizens Bank Limited has expired. Consequently, it noted, “The agreement has been terminated in accordance with its terms.”

Meanwhile, the Trinidadbased Bank also published a legal notice confirming that the purchase and sale agreement for the sale of Scotiabank’s retail operations in Guyana expired and the agreement has been terminated in accordance with its terms.

“First Citizens remains resolved to advance our geographic diversification and digital transformation strategies. These efforts will increase our shareholder value by the active progression of all strategic options to expand our core commercial banking and other lines of business into new markets and territories while we con-

tinue to deliver digital products, channels, and services to the markets that we serve,” First Citizens Bank noted.

Nevertheless, the Canadabased Scotiabank said it “…remains committed to providing the highest level of customer service and quality banking solutions to our customers in Guyana and across the Caribbean”.

For several years now, Scotiabank has been looking to sell its operations in Guyana. It first announced plans to sell to FCB in March 2021.

FCB had published a notice in the Trinidad Guardian on its decision to enter into a purchase and sale agreement with Scotiabank to purchase its operations in Guyana. Scotiabank, in a subsequent statement, had stated that the agreement was subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

At the time, however, the Bank of Guyana (BoG) had contended that not only did FCB and Scotiabank enter the agreement without informing the central bank but the Trinidadian bank did not have a licence to operate in Guyana in keeping with

the requirements of the Financial Institutions Act 1995 (FIA).

BoG Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga, had told Guyana Times that Scotiabank needed permission from the Bank of Guyana before it entered into any agreement to sell its operations here, in accordance with Section 12 of the FIA. “They can’t sell, transfer, or anything before they get permission from the Bank of Guyana.

That’s a requirement… Their sale is subject to our approval,” he had contended.

This, Dr Ganga explained, is to allow for the central bank to conduct the necessary mandatory assessments of the transaction, including in this case assessing the company seeking to enter Guyana’s banking market.

“We have to do our assessments with respect to the requirements, and those requirements include our objectives in terms of what we need from another financial institution entering the Guyana market… We have to do our assessment from different perspectives…Any applicant we’ll have to judge with respect to the merit of the application from the perspective of our requirements and our objectives going forward,” the BoG Head had stated.

Meanwhile, last year’s announcement of the sale between the two banks was described as premature and inappropriate by the Guyana Government.

Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh had said at the time that “…the Government of Guyana considers it extremely unfortunate that this transaction was announced, considering that any such transaction is subject to a specified regulatory process… We consider it premature to announce a transaction of this nature, particularly given that the regulatory process to consider the request for such a trans-

First Citizens Bank in Trinidad

action is yet to be initiated, much less concluded.”

This attempt to sell to FCB was Scotiabank’s second try to exit the Guyana market. In 2019, the Canada-based bank had its application to sell to Republic Financial Holdings Limited denied by the BoG. At the time, Dr Ganga had told this newspaper that the application was rejected in light of concerns about “concentration” and “competition”, which would have

negative impacts on the country’s financial system. He pointed out that in its assessment, the central bank found that if the transaction had gone through with Republic Bank Limited, which is already operating in Guyana, it would have jeopardised the local market.

Scotiabank’s Guyana operations currently encompass four branches and approximately 180 employees.

GPS, GFS announce promotions for junior ranks

H

ome Affairs Minister Robeson Benn has approved the promotion of 25 junior ranks of the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) and 248 from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS).

The promotions for the GPS include three Chief Prison Officers, seven Principal Prison Officers II, two Prison Trade Instructors and one Principal Prison Officer I. With respect to the Fire Service, the promotions include 40

Sub Officers, 61 Section Leaders, and 147 Leading Fire Officers.

Minister Benn extends congratulations to all ranks who were promoted and continued to urge improved professional performance and better participation to achieve a diverse workforce. He is also encouraging them to stay true to their mandate and strive to provide better service to the citizenry and to the country.

The approved promotions are effective from January 1, 2022.

8 NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GDF ranks robbed on seawall by knife-toting bandits T

wo serving ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were on Wednesday evening robbed on the seawall in the vicinity of the Rupert Craig Highway by two men, one of whom was armed with a knife.

The ranks - a 39-yearold Woman Corporal and a 23-year-old male Private were relieved of one black handbag, one black Alcatel cellular phone, and $19,000 cash.

Police have said that on the day in question, at about 19:45h, the victims were sitting on the seawall along

the Rupert Craig Highway in the vicinity of the Pump Station when they were confronted by the suspects.

One of the two suspects reportedly pointed a knife at the victims and demanded that they hand over their valuables.

Fearful for her life, the female victim ran and left her bag, while the male victim was relieved of his cash.

The suspects then made good their escape. The matter was reported and an investigation has been launched.

Construction worker slapped with attempted murder charge T

wenty-two-year-old construction worker Earl Kelvin Mc Adams, called ‘Baby Boy,’ has been placed on $150,000 bail after appearing before Sparendaam Magistrate

Rochelle Liverpool on an attempted murder charge on Wednesday.

Adams, of Lot 7 ‘B’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was not required to plead to an indict-

able charge alleging that he committed the offence on 43-year-old Evan Rose of ‘B’ Field Sophia on April 10 at Red Road, Sophia.

The charge laid states that his action is contrary

to Section 103 (C) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01. The accused was arrested by the Police only on May 26.

The matter has been adjourned to July 5.

Rubbing shoulders...

N

…at the LA summit

ow don’t you, for a moment, think that Los Angeles was chosen as the venue for the “IX Summit of the Americas” gig by accident!! No siree, Bob!! The Yanks know that in addition to the City of Angels having strong connections with Latin America, it’s the home of Hollywood and all that it signifies - GLITZ baby, GLITZ and glamour!! In case the message was missed, the opening ceremony held in the 7100-seat Microsoft Theatre, where the Emmies, MTV, Grammies, Billboards Awards etc are held should’ve brought it home!! Did you see all those awestruck faces of the Hemispheric Leaders and their entourages as they walked down the aisles like movie stars?? Once they’ve seen the (US) bright lights, how can you keep them down on the farm??

Anyhow, by today those leaders would’ve been hammering out agreements that each were told would further their progress, so they’d live happily ever after!

So what’s on the agenda?? Quite a smorgasbord - if the advance teams’ rhetoric is to be believed. But what else could you expect when you have 21 countries attending?

And that’s the first agenda item, isn’t it? Why 21 and not 25+ countries?!! Why were Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela excluded, clamoured some - including Mexico’s President and St Vincent’s Prime Minister, who stayed away.

But in swallowing that American decision and showing up, the leaders were accepting that, in international politics, you gotta be pragmatic. Did Ralph Gonsalves really think his refusal to attend had any effect on Biden??

Mexico, your Eyewitness can understand - they’re America’s biggest trading partner in the hemisphere, and so has some leverage. Couldn’t Gonsalves have showed up like Mia Mottley and made his opinion known face-to-face?? As far as Guyana’s concerned, sticking it to Venezuela is the way to go, and your Eyewitness hopes President Ali reminded Biden that Maduro’s anti-democratic!!

That’s relevant, because “democracy” IS on the agenda at Los Angeles, but not in Caracas!! But, as the Americans are fond of saying, since “all politics is local”, Biden’s guests gotta understand that his main agenda item will be all those refugees who keep pouring out of Latin America. What will it take to keep them home? Well, for one, he could start with development funding and kill two birds with one stone. If the countries get developed, there’ll be no reason to trek thousands of miles to cross the Rio Grande!

And secondly, he’ll be poking China in the eye!! They’ve been making friends and influencing Latin American and Caribbean delegates with their developmental Belt and Road Initiative.

Maybe Biden can switch the US$3B budgeted for migration efforts with the US$55 billion for the Ukraine War?? …or stabbing backs?

Imagine the PNC’s going to the Courts to parse what’s “meaningful consultations”. It’s one reason your Eyewitness can’t understand why some in the Opposition are jumping up and down and screaming “majoritarian democracy” can’t work in Guyana. And demand power sharing. The two political parties can’t even decide how to consult on the appointment of less than half-a-dozen Commissions!! And they’ll be able to run a Government when together they’ll have to decide EVERY DAY on dozens of initiatives??

On which planet are these people living?? Certainly not on Planet Earth, and certainly not Guyana!! The basic problem with politics in Guyana is the PNC will accept no other situation than one in which they have total control of power in the country. So what about their constant drumbeats for “power sharing”? Well, dear reader, all the institutions of the state are staffed by THEIR supporters.

If the PNC’s given even the role of “dog catcher” in tandem with the PPP, THEY’ll be calling the shots!! …with empty pockets The LA Summit’s slogan is ‘Building a Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Future’ to compete with China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

So, when will be have an American company bidding for a project?

The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

NEWS

9

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police, religious leaders to help “take Cook robbed, back our schools” – Education Minister murdered, dumped

in river at Puruni

– suspect arrested, confesses to committing act

T

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

I

n light of two incidents of violence in schools over the past two days, the Education Ministry will be taking a holistic approach to address the situation on a long-term basis.

The approach will see the involvement of the Guyana Police Force, including the Community Policing Group, as well as religious leaders in the respective communities.

Subject Minister Priya Manickchand has related that while students need to be educated, any unruly behaviour which affects teachers and other students will not be accepted.

“I want students particularly to understand something: while you have a right to education, other people have a right to enjoy their space without fear, and that right will trump any right you believe you have to be disruptive; and I want to say that very clearly.”

She was making reference to the incident at the Lodge Secondary School, where teachers downed tools in protest against intimidation and threats by students suspected to belong to gangs.

“We cannot have one or two or ten children hold any school to ransom, and it is not going to happen,” she

added.

She said teachers, students, parents and community elders, along with the Ministries of Health, Home Affairs, Human Services and Social Security, and Local Government and Regional Development, will all be engaged to ensure the situation is changed.

“We are on (a) mission (to) take back our schools, and so you will see right now there are Police right in that school, searching bags and speaking to students, and we can already see a calming down in the school; so, there are going to be measures that are going to be implemented.

All may not be conventional. all may not be welcome.”

She further encouraged parents to check on their children and have an idea of what is in their bags. “Check on them. Know who they are liming with, know who they are hanging out with, know what kind of friends they have; and we are going to put some tough measures in place.”

For the Lodge Secondary, Minister Manickchand said there will be a PTA meeting at which parents of children would be invited. If they fail to attend, the child would not be accepted back into school

An air gun that was taken away from a student of Lodge Secondary on Wednesday

“before we engage with their parents”.

“That does not mean we will leave them to stray on the street; that means we will take them and go to their homes until we find each and every one of those 338 children’s homes; and get their parents to understand what’s happening in the school, what their role is, and how together we can make their children shine,” Minister Manickchand said.

She said schools with such problems need an entire overhaul.

“It didn’t happen overnight. None of this happened overnight, and so we have to look at the entire structure of that school: academically, physically, civil works, everything; and we are in the process of doing that with a few of the schools, and we will require all the help we can get,” she noted.

Meanwhile, classes were forcefully halted at the New Campbelville Secondary School after several students from Form Three were engaged in a violent attack on each other. The Police were called in, and were able to quell the situation before it escalated.

he body of a female chef was on Thursday pulled from the Puruni River in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) hours after a suspect confessed to murdering the woman and throwing her body overboard.

The woman has been identified as 25-year-old Miriam Edwards, a mother of two and resident of St Cuthbert’s Mission. From reports gathered, the woman was working as a chef at a mining camp at Kumung Kumung Backdam, Puruni River.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, when contacted, explained that residents had reported to the Police that they had apprehended a miner who admitted to robbing, murdering and dumping the body of a cook in the river.

Reports are that the man robbed the woman of a quantity of gold before committing the act, and it is suspected that he had also raped her.

Upon receiving the report, ranks were dispatched to the scene, where the wom-

Dead: Miriam Edwards

an’s nude body was subsequently pulled from the river. Blanhum further stated that the suspect has been handed over to the Police, and is being questioned in relation to the murder.

As investigations continue, the woman’s family are left perplexed as to what might have transpired on the day the woman was killed.

TURN TO PAGE 11

10

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

11

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

$2B in contracts signed for rehabilitation of roads in Regs 3, 6

Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill addressing contractors on Thursday

T

he Ministry of Public Works on Thursday signed a total of 57 contracts valued at over $2 billion for the rehabilitation of miscellaneous roads in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Region Six (East Berbice-Corenyne).

Based on information received, the sum of $1.5 billion has been allocated for Region Three, and close to $522 million has been allocated for Region Six. In total, 57 miscellaneous roads will be rehabilitated, spanning the length of 27 kilometres across the two regions.

The design features rehabilitation of existing alignments to either asphaltic concrete or concrete pavement.

Among the grouping at the signing were several new contractors who tendered for projects.

Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill, while delivering brief remarks, welcomed the new contractors to the fold, and emphasised the need for quality work.

Edghill stated that the new contractors being on board is evidence of the Government’s continued commitment of ensuring a level playing field for opportunities for every person and business, regardless of size.

He assured the nation that Government would continue to implement its budget to advance its infrastructure development agenda

One of the contractors receiving his contract from Minister Edghill

Cook robbed, murdered, dumped in...

The woman’s sister, Sarah Edwards, who resides in Brazil, stated that she is baffled by the woman’s sudden death, and is demanding answers as to why the suspect gruesomely murdered her sister.

“I would like to see him.

All I want to know is why he did this to my sister,” she said. The woman related that she is unaware of what exactly transpired, or when exactly the woman was murdered.

“I had a phone call from a lady…she said that, ‘Your

sister dead, a guy killed your sister, robbed her where she worked in the backdam’.

That’s all I heard.”

She related that she had spoken with her sister on Tuesday, and Edwards had informed her that she was returning home soon.

Edwards was a mother of two girls, aged 8 and 6. Though they do not live with her, Sarah said, Miriam would work to support her children.

“She has two children in Georgetown who stay with their father’s parents.

and bring much-needed relief to communities nationwide.

The Minister also urged contractors to work on their community relationships, ensuring respect and cordiality with communities.

“Government’s intervention in bringing development in communities must not leave a bitter taste in the mouth of the beneficiaries.

It must be a pleasant experience,” he said. “Again, I am emphasising that before work starts in a community, the engineers must go with the contractor and meet the leaders of the community, to talk to them about the project and to give them a copy of the unpriced bill of quantities. The people must be able to have that, and I want to emphasised that again.”

The duration of work on average is 2-10 months.

FROM PAGE 9

So she gone and work as a cook…she does support them kids,” the sister explained.

The sister has said she is emotionally devastated and deeply saddened by this news, and is hoping to get answers soon.

“Right now I am weak, weak… It’s hard for me, I live in Brazil, I don’t really be in Guyana, so it’s hard for me because I don’t really know how to get to she body, but I’m trying,” the sister explained.

12

FRIDAY, JUNE 10,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

13

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Woman, 23, remanded for smuggling cocaine in Havan Kund tained 3.692 kilogrammes of cocaine.

As a result, CANU ranks

P

The cocaine that was found hidden in the Havan Kund

rincipal Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus on Thursday remanded a 23-year-old Guyanese TikToker who was busted while attempting to smuggle $560,000 worth of cocaine in a Havan Kund at DHL. Lisa Ramnarine of Hague, West Coast Demerara (WCD) appeared in that Georgetown Magistrate’s Court and denied that on June 7 at DHL’s Fifth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown offices, she had 540 grammes of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Her matter has been adjourned to July 5.

Ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Tuesday arrested the young woman who attempted to ship the cocaine hidden in a Havan Kund.

Reports are that CANU officers, acting on information received, went to the DHL Headquarters and intercepted a parcel containing a Hindu Havan Kund and other religious items.

“The officers examined the items and discovered a hidden compartment within the Kund, which was suspected to contain narcotics.

Further examinations determined that a substance suspected to be cocaine was concealed within the reli-

Remanded: Lisa Ramnarine

gious item,” the anti-narcotics agency said.

It was reported that the sender’s information was retrieved from the package, and this led CANU ranks to Ramnarine, who was arrested and escorted to CANU Headquarters, where the item was dismantled in her presence and the suspected narcotics was revealed.

CANU has said the cocaine had a street value of US$2500-US$2700, but would have been worth more had it reached its intended destination.

In February 2021, CANU ranks had unearthed 294 grammes of cocaine con-

cealed in a box at the DHL Alberttown, Georgetown location. Acting on information received, the ranks conducted a search at the shipping business, during which they discovered a multi-coloured floral box.

Upon checking the box, the cocaine was found in a false wall at the bottom.

One person was arrested in relation to that discovery.

One week prior, a Christianburg, Linden couple was arrested for attempting to ship cocaine concealed in fudge via DHL. Shaka Nunes, a 36-yearold labourer, had pleaded guilty to a narcotic trafficking charge and had received a four-year sentence along with a fine of $1.7M. The charge against his wife was subsequently withdrawn.

It was reported that on February 15, 2021, Nunes had given his wife a box filled with several snacks and asked her to ship it to the United States of America (USA).

The DHL Georgetown branch summoned CANU about the suspicious package that had arrived from its Linden branch. This resulted in an inspection, and the field test conducted on the contents of the box revealed that the fudge con-

visited the mailing address in Linden, where they met Nunes’s wife, who told them

that her husband had given her the package to post.

14 NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 10,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GCCI’s Investment Portal to link local businesses with investors

Executives of the GCCI with GO-Invest CEO, Dr Peter Ramsaroop and Indian High Commissioner, Dr KJ Srinivasa at the launch

G

uyana has been dubbed an investment destination with the flurry of developments taking place, and businesses now have a gateway to access foreign investors through the Investment Portal of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

The GCCI on Thursday launched the Investment Portal, which is now available to its membership. It is geared at improving Private Sector development, through new partnerships and expansion of services offered by local enterprises.

GCCI President Timothy Tucker said the portal was a brainchild of the organisation that would revolutionise its operations. Potential investors will no longer have diffi-

culties identifying opportunities to invest.

“Generally, somebody coming into Guyana does not know the landscape and what exactly is going on in the country. You may have members of the GCCI that have very grand ideas or have a business that really needs that investor. What this portal is meant to do is to bring those two together,” Tucker outlined.

He noted that the Local Content legislation has made possible the opportunity to find overseas partners, which was taken into account with the creation of the portal.

“What we have is the opportunity to create that partnership…Our membership is legitimate businesses. Those legitimate businesses can use our GCCI portal to up-

load their business ideas…

It’s really the opportunity to not only look for financial assistance, but also looking at connecting businesses. You can have similar businesses looking for a partnership to boost themselves,” Tucker explained.

The portal has a simple registration process and easy-to-use interface. The portal also enables businesses to upload a brief overview of their missions, goals, and objectives and the investors will also be able to register and assess start-up listings for possible investment opportunities.

To get involved in this network, businesses can easily register to become a member of the Chamber, where a vetting process will follow. Legitimate members

can use the interface, via which they can upload their business proposals and objectives. The GCCI will be using its linkages with delegations; Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) partners, and other collaborating stakeholders to provide the connections.

GO-Invest Chief Executive Officer, Dr Peter Ramsaroop noted that Guyana would keep expanding, thus creating the environment for new ventures and partnerships. As the transformative agenda moves apace, businesses will need to match the agenda of the country.

Dr Ramsaroop relayed, “Local businesses putting this information in the portal makes it so much easier to push for the consortium, joint ventures, and various partnerships…In Government, we try not to recommend any businesses, because it is not our job to validate. It’s easier now to push it all to the Chambers. The transformative agenda is rapidly expanding.

“The Local Content [Act] has changed the outlook of Guyana…We have changed the mindset and thinking of foreign investors. In 2021, of the national investment projects that we approved,

over 60 per cent was local Guyanese businesses. That was probably the best number we could have had.”

Meanwhile, the Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar has called for stakeholders to market this portal at every opportunity.

“The populating of this portal by the locals as well as persons coming in is key to give you indications of where people want to go. Not everything is oil and gas. The construction sector is kicking up. Mining is kicking up. Agriculture is a big driver of our government,” the Minister postulated.

GDF ranks participate in IHC’s yoga session

T

he Indian High Commission in Guyana conducted another successful curtain-raiser yoga session event this week, in which more than 50 ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were given the opportunity to participate at its Camp Ayanganna base.

This was the second curtain raiser event organised by the High Commission in the run-up to the eighth International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations. A yoga session event was earlier held with the Guyana Police GDF ranks participating in the yoga session

Force (GPF) in May. Indian High Commissioner, Dr KJ Srinivasa and GDF Chiefof-Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess were in attendance in the session spearheaded by yoga guru Agnela Patil.

While addressing the GDF officers at the yoga session, the High Commissioner shared insights about yoga and its benefits for mental, spiritual, and physical well-being. According to him, frontline workers, including army officers, across the globe have benefited from practising yoga even during the testing times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The yoga session was organised with the aim of demystifying the traditional Indian science of yoga and allowing GDF Officers to personally experience the benefits of yoga as it helps in controlling mental stress and tension as well as to keep them healthy and fit in keeping with the IDY 2022 theme, “Yoga for Humanity”.

“Yoga is a system of holistic living, having its roots in age-old Indian tradition and culture. Yoga transcends the barrier of race, religion, and culture and has thus become a global health movement.

Yoga is essentially a mental and physical discipline based on an extremely subtle science that focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is an art and science for healthy living,” the High Commission said in a statement.

In December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution sponsored by 177 member nations unanimously proclaiming June 21, the longest day in the northern hemisphere, as the International Day of Yoga. Since then, June 21 has been celebrated as International Day of Yoga each year.

The High Commission of India will also be organising one more curtain-raiser event for IDY 2022. The main event will be held on June 19, at the Everest Cricket Ground in Georgetown where Guyanese dignitaries are expected to join in along with members of the diplomatic corps and students.

On June 21, a yoga event will be held at the Indian Arrival Monument in Palmyra, Berbice. This event has been selected to be telecast live across the world as part of an initiative of the Government of India to ensure live broadcast of 24 hours of yoga on IDY 2022 from iconic locations across the globe and is denoted as “Yoga Ring”.

The High Commission of India has invited all Guyanese to join these celebrations. These events will be live broadcast on the Facebook pages of the High Commission of India and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center as well as on prominent local TV channels.

NEWS

15

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

begins for man Active COVID cases jump to Trial accused of killing 1086 with 154 new infections Better Hope pensioner

T

he Health Ministry on Thursday stated that 154 new COVID-19 infections were detected, hiking confirmed cases to 65,714, New statistics showed that of the confirmed cases, 30,214 are males and 35,500 are females. The Ministry is presently monitoring 1086 active cases.

The death toll, however, remains at 1239 – the latest death was that of a 71-yearold man from Berbice that was reported on Wednesday.

There are 28 infected persons in hospitals across the country. Two persons remain in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 27 in institutional isolation, 1041 in home isolation and four in institutional quarantine.

To date, 63,405 persons have recovered, and 642,018 coronavirus tests have been processed since the virus was detected here back in March 2020.

An analysis shows new cases dispersed among nine administrative regions, with one in Region One (Barima-Waini); nine in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam); eight in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); 79 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); three in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); 46 in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne); one in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); four in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and one in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) did not report any increase in positive cases.

Overall, the vaccination statistics for adults reflect 442,762 first doses or 86.3 per cent. Second doses are at 342,431 or 66.8 per cent of the adult population. For the 12 to 17 category, 34,760 first doses have been administered, covering 46.7 per cent of the population along with 25,485 second doses (34.9 per cent).

Presently, 66,440 booster shots have been administered as persons now return for their second booter jab. The adolescent cohort is now eligible for their first booster dose. This weekend, the Health Ministry will commence the rollout of vaccination for the five to 11 age group at the National Cultural Centre tarmac.

“We have seen a gradual improvement, but I think it can be much better if people are more proactive in coming out to get their vaccination,” indicated Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony during the COVID-19 update.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline on 2311166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD JUNE 9, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

154

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

27 1041

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

2

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

4

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

35,500

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

30,214

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

65,714

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

63,405

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED

REGION 1

2530

REGION 2

2682

REGION 3

8279

REGION 4

32,672

REGION 5

2456

REGION 6

6157

REGION 7

2453

REGION 8

886

REGION 9

4065

REGION 10

3534

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN BE SAFE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Wear a face mask.

442,395 342,021

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020

1239

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

Wash your hands or use handsanitizer If you have any symptoms, call the COVID-19 Hotline.

GET MEDICAL ADVICE ON COVID-19 FROM MOH 24/7 HOTLINE NUMBERS: 2311166; 226 7480; 624 6674; 624 2819; 624 3067 OR 180/181.

health.gov.gy.

Global figures show that almost 530 million people

have tested positive for the virus and 6.2 million have died. In the Americas, more

than 157 million confirmed cases have been reported with over 2.7 million deaths.

Murder accused Sherwin Clarke, called “Hot Skull”

Killed: David Ramkissoon

herwin Clarke, aka “Hot Skull,” has pleaded not guilty to the capital offence of murder in the August 21, 2016 killing of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) pensioner David Ramkissoon.

On Thursday, the murder accused, who is being represented by Attorney-atLaw Damien Da Silva, was arraigned before Demerara High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon. A mixed 12-member jury heard that Clarke killed the pensioner during the course of a robbery at the 76-year-old man’s home.

State Counsels Mohammed Ali and Taneisha Saygon are representing the prosecution.

Ramkissoon was found by his son Anand Ramkissoon who, along with his wife and two children, also lived with his father. He found his father’s body facing the wall in a sitting position in a pool of blood. An undisclosed amount of cash was missing from the home.

It was reported that following the discovery of the pensioner’s body, footprints were seen in the mud at the back of his yard, leading to an alleyway. Along with the footprints, drops of blood were spotted, and they led to a shack located a short distance from the slain man’s house.

S

GMCS launches 5-Year Strategic Plan to promote growth of blue economy

T

he Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS) on Wednesday launched its 5-Year Strategy Plan that would cover from 2022-2027 with a focus on expanding its efforts to support effective conservation and management of ocean biodiversity and promote the growth of a sustainable blue economy.

The 5-Year Strategic Plan will entail further research and monitoring to improve knowledge of Guyana’s marine and coastal ecosystem; promote education and awareness, that is intended to foster a greater appreciation of the values and threats to Guyana’s ecosystem; facilitate community development, that will empower coastal communities for increased resilience to climate change and other hazards; and strengthen its capacity as it relates to marine conservation and the sustainable development of the blue economy.

As the country’s economy continues to accelerate as a result of its oil wealth, the Government has moved to update the Low Carbon

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat with the GMCS team

Development Strategy (LCDS) to include new sectors, such as the blue economy.

Recognising this movement, the GMCS has also aligned its 5-Year Strategic Plan with the LCDS 2030.

Delivering remarks at the launch, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Baharrat commended the GMCS for all it has done thus far in protecting and conserving Guyana’s biodiversity.

“I think they deserve the

commendation and the recognition for the role that they have been playing in ensuring that our marine life and our environment in general is protected and is given the kind of focus that is deserved,” the Minister said.

Referencing the LCDS 2030, the Minister noted that the Government is playing its part in conserving Guyana’s biodiversity.

“We want a good life for ourselves and our children; we want the kind of facil-

ities that developed countries have too; we want the type of healthcare, education, the infrastructure that others in the First World are enjoying too; but the only way we can achieve that besides from having a responsible Government is to ensure that we continue to produce from our natural resources. But, mind you, in a sustainable and responsible manner, and that is what the LCDS 2030 speaks to,” he explained.

“A lot of people are un-

der the impression that the LCDS will stop mining, will top logging, but that is not true. It speaks to sustainable mining and logging; it speaks towards us moving to value-added, that is what we’re gearing the forestry sector towards,” Minister Bharrat added.

Meanwhile, Shyam Nokta, the Managing Director of Environmental Management Consultants Inc. – a key player in this sector –highlighted the importance of the work and goals pursued by the GMCS. “With the strategic plan that the Guyana Marine Conservation Society has put forward, those critical elements remain prominent research data collection. So, much of what we need to do in the marine space requires us to have data to be able analyse, to be able to make sound decisions.

“We are playing catch up in many respects here, but it’s never too late. But it’s really that this is a key element of what the organization is going to focus (on), and already there is work happening there,” Nokta stated.

16 NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

In light of flooding PM supports M&CC’s authority forcing contractors Health authorities on lookout for water-borne diseases to comply with by-laws

I

Prime Minister Mark Phillips shares a photo with Mayor Ubraj Narine and other officials from the City Council

P

rime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips is supporting the Georgetown Mayor and City Council’s authority to force contractors and agencies to comply with the city’s by-laws.

These remarks were made following an engagement with Mayor Ubraj Narine and Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore. In this meeting, the local officials bemoaned the construction of drains and revetment work without consultation with the City Engineer’s Department.

Mayor Narine highlighted the work on Vlissingen Road next to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) base, an area that has technical challenges owing to the pump station being located nearby. He stated that the drains being constructed are narrower than what existed, and no consultation was done with the Council on the

construction.

Narine also claimed that work being done on Camp Street in front of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has already shown signs that surrounding drains would be compromised.

The Mayor contended that the Council was not anti-development but promoted collaboration to ensure all stakeholders were involved to avoid unnecessary inconvenience to the citizens of Georgetown.

PM Phillips has offered to have a joint venture on Camp Street, spanning Middle Street to Lamaha Street, which was lauded by the Mayor.

In an update on the challenges facing the municipality, Narine stated that he hoped this demonstration would help to thaw the ice that exists between the Government and the municipality and promote greater collaboration to truly realise

“One Guyana” regardless of political affiliation, race, or gender.

While noting that the municipality was not without its challenges, he outlined that engineers of the Council enjoyed a good working relationship with all their counterparts and this relationship was commendable.

Following the meeting with the Prime Minister, there would be a follow-up with the engineers and the Town Clerk.

Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Mentore stated that a matter of concern from the Council was the apparent external influence of its officers who were sometimes called and given instructions counter to the decisions of the Council and without the knowledge of the Council. This coupled with the Council’s inability to discipline officers has resulted in a precarious situation.

n light of the rainy season that is being experienced, the Health Ministry is on the lookout for potential water-borne diseases that may come with flooding.

Subject Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Thursday reminded that contact with contaminated floodwaters could lead to skin infections. Medical workers have been prepared to identify and treat such cases, and he called on persons to limit their contact with floodwaters.

“We also have to look out that children and other persons might be walking in contaminated water.

In many instances, it can cause some kinds of skin infections and irritation, so we have to be on the lookout for those. If the area is really flooded, then you can have rodents that would go into the homes of people and stay there. We would look out for things like leptospirosis. These are things that we normally do and doctors at the health centres are prepared to make that diagnosis,” said Dr Anthony.

The Minister pointed out that treating water before drinking is also recommended to limit diseases.

“We want to make sure that the water we’re using is not contaminated. To prevent contamination, the eas-

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

iest thing to do is to boil the water. If we do that, whatever bacteria is in the water can be eliminated. In some instances, if you have chlorine, you can add it to water to help purify the water.

There are chlorine tablets available and instructions on how to use those,” he explained.

Guyana is bracing for another tropical wave this weekend, the Hydrometeorological Service has announced. This is likely to increase rainfall activity.

The Hydrometeorological Service had also predicted that there would be above-normal rainfall over most of Guyana between

Prison Service’s agriculture project reaps benefits

A

imed at creating a self-sustaining food supply within the prison system, the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), through its agricultural programme, has harvested a quantity of vegetables and fruits at its respective farms recently.

A quantity of eschalot, cauliflowers, pineapples, bananas, and plantains were harvested by inmates after the Prison Service dived into the agriculture sector.

Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot, expressed that the programme’s strategic goal is to maximise yields through the service’s investment in large-scale farming for the prison industry.

Meanwhile, Elliot disclosed that farming for the first half of the year has been productive, and has resulted in the GPS reaping 2,085kg of eggplant, 979kg of bora, 1463kg of pak-choy, 591kg of pumpkin, 304kg of papaya, 590kg of passion fruit, and 236kg of cherries. In the poultry sector, some 9,831kg of chicken and 941 trays of eggs were produced.

The recent efforts are focused on ensuring that farms are utilised to sufficiently supply the needs of the prison population in the

Inmates with the produce reaped under the GFS agricultural project

coming years. Over 60 inmates are currently being trained in agricultural production.

Farming has been undertaken at the New Amsterdam, Mazaruni,

Lusignan and Timehri penitentiaries, with the efforts geared at sustainably supplying the prison populations with produce and poultry supplies.

The Ali-led administra-

tion has been pushing its agriculture agenda not just locally, but regionally. Last year, President Irfaan Ali declared that his Government would be pursuing an aggressive campaign to dis-

mantle regional barriers to agricultural trade, and that in the next four years, with the assistance of more diversified crops, Guyana would aim to reduce Caricom’s food import bill by 25 per cent.

May and July. The forecast for this period indicates that the highest rainfall totals and the possibility of flash flooding were expected to peak in May and June.

According to the seasonal forecast issued, rainfall amounts and frequency are expected to increase as the season progresses. It has been noted that as the rainy season progresses, water levels in the conservancies, reservoirs, and rivers across all regions are likely to increase. The potential of flooding because of rain is also expected to increase throughout this month.

The highest amount of rainfall is to be expected in Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice). However, all other regions can still expect higher-than- normal rainfall.

The temperature outlook suggests that except for some areas in Regions One (Barima-Waini) and 10, all other areas can expect cool as usual to cooler (below-normal) night-time temperatures. Warmer-than-usual (above-normal) day-time temperatures can be expected in northern regions, while cooler-than-usual temperatures can be expected in the south.

The bulletin also noted that an increasing number of wet days and wet spells, coupled with high tides, could lead to water accumulation in coastal regions, and disruption to transport and the possibility of landslides in hinterland areas.

Since the beginning of May, Guyana has been subjected to increased rainfall.

However, this has not resulted in any major accumulation of water or flooding countrywide. The last major occurrence of inundation was in June 2021, when torrential rains resulted in mass flooding countrywide.

More than 50,000 households were affected.

NEWS

17

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Several roads in Georgetown, EBD to be widened – Min Indar

C

ognisant that the existing width of roads is not adequate for the ever-increasing traffic, the Government will be embarking on a massive road-widening project.

This was announced by Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, on Thursday. While more persons are now able to purchase their own motor vehicles, thus improving their livelihoods, Minister Indar noted, this is contributing to traffic congestion, especially at certain parts of the roadway, where there are bottlenecks/chokepoints.

He referred to those at Grove and Eccles on the East Bank of Demerara (ECD), as well as many across the capital city of Georgetown.

With the massive development Guyana is projected to undergo from its oil and gas sector, he said, the Government will invest in opening out those chokepoints and constructing connector roads, so that people can move freely.

For example, the Minister explained, road-widening works will commence on the road at Grove leading to Good Success, EBD, and it will be paved all the way to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, EBD. According to the Minister, by the end of this year, the Government is hoping to finalise funds to put out tenders for the paving of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. The chokepoint at

Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar

the La Penitence Road which leads into Albouystown, Georgetown will also be widened to three lanes.

Widening works will also be done at Cemetery Road, Georgetown, which will see

the addition of two to three more lanes to accommodate more traffic onto the

Back Road. Similar works will be done on the road by the Russian Embassy in Georgetown, which when completed would allow for four lanes of traffic to come from Conversation Tree, Greater Georgetown and onto Dury Lane, Campbellville Georgetown.

While these are among the plans to divert traffic in the city, Minister Indar also briefly outlined plans to improve the country’s highway systems in Berbice; Region Three: Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara; and Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

He pointed out that the new

road network would allow for the setting up of new gas stations and businesses in the communities.

“The wider economic trajectory is something that we have to be proud to be a part of now as a Guyanese. As a person who was born and raised in Guyana, we should be proud of where Guyana is now, and where it is going,” the Minister added.

These road works tie into the Government’s infrastructural development agenda that is linked to other transformational projects. They will provide easier access, and reduce traffic congestion.

CPCE set to reopen dorms

Special needs schools to benefit from guidance counselling

Education Minister Priya Manickchand and other officials at the meeting on Thursday

E

First Lady Arya Ali sharing a moment with a child with disability during a meeting last week at State House

S

ixteen special needs schools and organisations will soon benefit from guidance counselling services through a programme being funded by the Office of the First Lady.

The guidance counselling programme was implemented last year by the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), with support from First Lady Arya Ali. Mrs Ali prioritised persons with disabilities (PWD) upon her assumption of office in 2020, implementing several projects and programmes which directly benefit them through her ‘InclusAbility’ initiative.

Last year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mrs Ali was approached by GCOPD to provide funding for two counsellors who would provide psychosocial support to young people living with disabilities.

“This was a programme that was needed during the pandemic because of the devastating effects it was having on children and young persons with disabilities.

Life was already difficult for them, so the disruption that the pandemic brought compounded the issues they faced,” GCOPD Programme Coordinator Ganesh Singh

disclosed.

So far, the programme has been introduced in nine (9) Special Education Needs (SEN) schools and organisations in Regions Three and Four. However, it will be introduced in seven (7) more SEN schools and organisations beginning this month.

Group sessions have been held at those schools and organisations focusing on social issues and more personal matters, including navigating adolescence, and accepting and coping with a disability.

Apart from those group sessions, individual sessions have also befited more than 70 persons from regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six. The individual sessions are between six and twelve, depending on the progress and willingness of the beneficiaries. Those sessions deal with personal issues affecting those individuals in their domestic, social, and academic lives.

Singh explained that most of the sessions were done virtually, due to the pandemic, but there were some in-person sessions that were held. The lifting of COVID-19 regulations would allow for more in-person sessions to be held.

The First Lady shared

that her decision to support this programme was one that required little thought, as she believes it is “absolutely necessary” to provide these persons with this kind of support.

“These counsellors can enhance the understanding and knowledge of issues relevant to the needs of persons with disabilities and their families by highlighting the various forms of personal and societal barriers they often encounter, and advising them on how to navigate them,” Mrs Ali has said.

She added that it was important, too, for the individual needs of these persons to be taken into consideration, so they can influence policy-making at the national level.

The First Lady noted, too, that this is part of the strategy to ensure persons with disabilities have access to the kinds of opportunities, tools and resources which would support their empowerment.

Last week, Mrs Ali announced that her Office would be establishing a business centre to be run exclusively by persons with disabilities. It is expected to provide at least 25-30 jobs in the short term, and another 30 in the medium to long term.

ducation Minister Priya Manickchand on Thursday met with the principal and senior staff of the Cyril Potter College of Education to discuss the institution’s readiness to accommodate pre-service teachers in the dorms.

From Sunday, some 92 first-year students from Regions One (BarimaWaini), Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), Eight (Potaro-

Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) will be staying at the Turkeyen Campus as they complete their first year of studies, which starts in September.

During the meeting, it was assured that all systems are in place to accommodate the students over the next few months.

Also discussed was the expansion of the College’s capacity to train more

teachers from the next academic year which starts in September.

Present during the meeting were Chief Education Officer, Dr Marcel Hutson; Education Specialist, Dr Olato Sam; Deputy Chief Education Officer (Development) Volika Jaikishun; Director of School Boards, Deonarine Hardat and Assistant Chief Education Officer (Inspectorate) Saadam Hussain.

"One Guyana" lapel pin launched

F

ollowing the rallying call of President Dr Irfaan Ali to foster a ‘One Guyana,’ two local marketing firms have partnered to launch their unique ‘One Guyana’ lapel pin.

AA Marketing Company (the manufacturer) and SocialRank Media (the exclusive distributor), created a joint venture as they saw the need to create a visual representation of ‘One Guyana’ that any Guyanese can proudly wear.

Since the first batch of lapel pins was made available, it was sold out in record time, without any marketing strategy.

The Creative Director of AA Marketing Company, Anthony Nestor, took the initiative to craft and manufacture the ‘One Guyana’ pin as a means for Guyanese and visitors to foster the spirit of nation-building.

He had also created lapel pins in the past, which include the complimentary ‘I Love Guyana’ pins, Essential workers pins, ‘100% Vaccinated’ pins that were distributed free of cost, and a lapel pin based on the

One Guyana Lapel Pin

‘One Guyana Map’ which was unveiled in September 2020 by First Lady Arya Ali. Special Projects Coordinator of SocialRank Media, Dennon Lewis, said, “As a Guyanese company on the cutting edge of marketing, public relations, and digital initiatives, SocialRank Media is honoured to partner and be the exclusive distributor for the ‘One Guyana’ pin.”

AA Marketing Company and SocialRank Media jointly believe in providing opportunities to invigorate economic diversification and adaptation strategies, so as to foster non-traditional in-

come-generating activity to impact the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The two companies are passionate about youth empowerment initiatives, creative entrepreneurship agendas, diversity and inclusion mandates, gender parity issues, and nation-building. Their vision is to create strategic and networking scope through engaging commercial and cultural practices to deposit a holistic appreciation and an enabling environment for a better life chance for future generations for all in Guyana.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

News

CANU intercepts car with $8M in ganja – discovers illegal gun, ammo in separate operation

The firearm found on a dam in Sisters Village

The abandoned vehicle and marijuana found in Haslington

R

anks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Wednesday intercepted a motor car with millions of dollars’ worth of cannabis along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

The driver of the vehicle abandoned the car and managed to make good his escape in Haslington, ECD. CANU said its officers were conducting an operation in the vicinity of Hope Bridge, ECD, when they attempted to stop a white Fielder Wagon with licence plate PAB 1884.

However, the driver refused to stop, prompting CANU officers to give chase.

“The officers pursued the vehicle into Haslington New Scheme, where the driver of the motor vehicle stopped and fled into nearby bushes. Officers attempted to apprehend the driver, but were unsuccessful,” CANU related.

A search was subsequently conducted on the abandoned vehicle, which led to the discovery of several parcels of suspected cannabis.

The car, along with the suspected cannabis, was transported to CANU headquarters, where the substance was weighed. It amounted to 39.9 kilograms with an estimated value of

$8 million.

Meanwhile, also on Wednesday, CANU officers discovered an illegal firearm and matching ammunition on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD).

Acting on information received, CANU said its officers went to Sisters Village, WBD, where they conducted an operation.

“A subsequent search of the sideline dam led to the discovery of one .45 calibre pistol with magazine and ammunition,” the agency said.

It further noted that following the discovery of the weapon, no one was seen in the vicinity of the area where the CANU officers were conducting the search.

CANU said it continued to prioritise the removal of illegal drugs and firearms from communities across the country.

Democracy is essential ingredient to Americas’ future – Biden

United States President Joe Biden and his wife Dr Jill Biden at Wednesday’s session of the Summit of the Americas (Picture courtesy PMO)

U

S President Joe Biden has warned that democracy was under assault around the world and called on leaders of the Americas to unite and renew their conviction that democracy was not only the defining feature of American histories but the essential ingredient to Americas’ futures.

“To state the obvious, our region is large and diverse.

We don’t always agree on everything, but, because

we’re democracies, we work through our disagreements with mutual respect and dialogue,” Biden told the opening of the Ninth Summit of the Americas on Wednesday night.

“At this summit, we have an opportunity for us to come together around some bold ideas, ambitious actions, and to demonstrate to our people the incredible power of democracies to deliver concrete benefits and make life better for every-

one.

“And no longer is this a question of what will we do, what will the United States do for the Americas. The question is what we accomplish by working together as true partners with diverse capabilities but equal and mutual respect, recognising both our individual sovereignty and our shared responsibilities.”

At least eight Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders are participating in the event that ends today. Caricom countries had been divided on whether or not to attend the Summit in support of calls for the host nation to invite Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela to the deliberations.

He noted that on Tuesday, the US launched the Cities Forward initiative, recognising the key roles of mayors and local governments in delivering for the people where they live. The US will host the inaugural Cities Summit of the Americas in Denver, Colorado, in 2023. (Excerpt from CMC)

Sex ring bust in T&T R

esidents in Arima, Trinidad and Tobago have expressed shock that a human trafficking and child prostitution ring has been operating in their community.

Police raided a building on John Shaw Street, Arima, last Saturday, arresting five people, including a Police Officer, after “diligent and pain-staking inquiries” into the matter.

Officers first visited the property on April 15, when they carried out a search warrant and found and rescued nine foreign nationals, including two minors. The officers also found sex paraphernalia, condoms, a large amount of alcohol, cash and a roulette machine.

Three of the five arrested suspects, which included a woman, appeared in court to answer the charges Tuesday.

Guardian Media spoke to several residents on John Shaw Street on Tuesday.

Some male residents, who asked not to be identified, said they were unaware the illegal activities were taking place in their quiet community.

The building where the five people were arrested once housed a bar, one resident revealed.

“There was a time when criminals used to be by that bar, they always had shootings there, it was all kind of activity taking place at the bar…there was really a

time when prostitution was taking place there and it was blatant,” one of the residents said.

The man said he had no problem with prostitutes who did business willingly, but said that type of business brought unsavoury characters into the community.

“Everybody knows that when you have these types of activities, it will breed violence, there was a time when it really was out of hand but after the bar was closed, it got real quiet there,” he said.

The man described the discovery of the child prostitution ring as “appalling.”

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Colombia presidential candidate Hernandez says his life is threatened

C

olombian presidential candidate Rodolfo Hernandez said on Thursday he was cancelling any remaining in-person appearances at campaign events because he is certain his life is in danger.

The anti-establishment Hernandez, 77, is running neck and neck against leftist Gustavo Petro, who has also previously denounced threats on his life.

A national police spokesman said they had no information about threats against Hernandez, but were investigating.

“I am certain that my life is at risk,” Hernandez said on Twitter in a series of posts about a leaked video showing a Petro advisor discussing strategy.

In the tweets, Hernandez

Colombian centre-right presidential candidate Rodolfo Hernandez gestures as he speaks during a news conference in Miami, Florida, US, June 9, 2022 (Reuters/ Marco Bello)

referred to Petro and his supporters as a “criminal gang.”

Petro says the video is proof his campaign is being targeted.

All of Hernandez’s remaining in-person appearances will be cancelled, his campaign said in a statement.

A Bogota rally on Saturday will go ahead, with the candidate appearing virtually.

Petro cancelled events in the country’s coffee region in May after his office said there was a plot by a gang to assassinate him.

The Government eventually provided Petro with additional security and the Police – who initially said they had no information on the plot – said they would investigate.

Hernandez is a civil engineer who says he amassed a fortune of US$100 million via his construction company.

(Reuters)

Brazil Police probe ties to illegal fishing in case of missing British journalist

B

razilian Police investigating the disappearance of a British Journalist and an Indigenous expert in the Amazon rainforest are focusing on people involved in illegal fishing and poaching in Indigenous lands, three officers told Reuters.

Two of the officers are Amazonas state detectives directly involved in the case, while the other is a senior Brazilian Federal Police Officer tracking it closely. They requested anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

“The principal criminal hypothesis at this point is that the people involved, and their motive, was related to illegal fishing and poaching activities in Indigenous territories,” said the Federal Police Officer.

Witnesses said they last saw Dom Phillips, a freelance journalist who has

A search team looks for British Journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, who went missing while reporting in a remote and lawless part of the Amazon rainforest near the border with Peru

written for the Guardian and the Washington Post, on Sunday. Phillips was travelling deep in a lawless part of the Amazon rainforest with Bruno Pereira, a former official with federal Indigenous agency Funai.

Their disappearance has echoed globally, with politicians, celebrities, Journalists and activists urging Brazilian

President Jair Bolsonaro’s Government to intensify its efforts to find them.

Brazilian Justice Minister Anderson Torres was due to meet a British diplomat on Thursday on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles to discuss the case, a member of the Brazilian delegation told Reuters.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil slips on China lockdowns, but bullish trends intact

O

il prices dipped on Thursday, but still hovered near three-month highs after parts of Shanghai imposed new COVID-19 lockdown measures, as strong gains in refined products contributed to an ongoing bullish backdrop for crude oil.

Brent crude futures for August settled down 51 cents at US$123.07 a barrel, a 0.4 per cent decline, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for July lost 60 cents, or 0.5 per cent, to US$121.51 a barrel.

Oil prices have been rallying steadily over the last two months, led by big increases in prices of refined products due to tight refining supply and surging demand.

Worldwide, refiners have shut facilities, and capacity is tight as well because of reduced activity in Russia, the world's largest exporter of crude and fuel, following its invasion of Ukraine.

Peak summer gasoline demand in the United States continues to boost crude prices. The US and other nations have engaged in a series of releases of strategic reserves, but it has had limited effect as of yet with global crude production rising very slowly.

"I think higher energy prices are here for the balance of the year unless we see some breakthrough that allows a significant amount of crude oil to return to the market," said Andrew Lipow, President of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston.

US gasoline stocks unexpectedly dropped last week, Government data showed on Wednesday, indicating resilience in demand for the motor fuel during the peak driving period despite sky-high pump prices. US four-week demand was around nine million barrels per day, just one per cent off of 2021's level.

"Even though prices are higher, we haven’t seen any sizable drop in demand yet," said Thomas Saal, Senior Vice President at StoneX Financial. "That may happen any day now, but people are still driving."

Refiners have been unable to keep pace with demand. The United States is at near-peak processing capacity while China has kept refiners offline due to COVID-related curbs.

China's May exports jumped 16.9 per cent from a year earlier as easing COVID curbs allowed some factories to restart, the fastest growth since January this year and more than double analysts' expectations.

That could suggest more refining capacity will eventually come online, but major Chinese metropolitan areas still have some COVID-related travel restrictions in place, dampening demand.

Parts of Shanghai began imposing new lockdown restrictions on Thursday, with residents of Minhang district ordered to stay home for two days to control transmission risks. (Excerpt from Reuters)

After veto on North Korea, China says “let's see” on UN action over a nuclear test

C

hina's United Nations envoy said on Thursday that Beijing does not want to see North Korea carry out a new nuclear test, which is partly why China vetoed a US-led bid to impose new UN sanctions on Pyongyang over renewed ballistic missiles launches.

But Ambassador Zhang Jun warned against making presumptions on how Beijing might react at the UN if North Korea goes ahead with its first nuclear test since 2017.

Washington has warned such a test could happen at "any time" and it would again push for more UN sanctions.

"Let's see what will happen, but I think we should not prejudge what will happen with a nuclear test," Zhang told Reuters, two weeks after China and Russia vetoed imposing

more UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea.

"The denuclearisation is one of the key goals of China," Zhang said. "We do not want to see another test."

The double veto publicly split the 15-member Security Council for the first time since it started punishing Pyongyang in 2006. The body has steadily – and unanimously – ratcheted up sanctions over the years in a bid to cut off funding for North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

However, in recent years China and Russia have been pushing for an easing of sanctions on humanitarian grounds – and in the hope that North Korea can be convinced to return to negotiations with the United States on giving up its nuclear weapons.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

2 Britons, 1 Moroccan sentenced to death by court of Russian proxy in Ukraine

T

wo Britons and a Moroccan who were captured while fighting for Ukraine were sentenced to death on Thursday by a court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), one of Russia's proxies in eastern Ukraine, Russian news agencies reported.

The court found the three men – Britons Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner and Moroccan Brahim Saadoun – guilty of "mercenary activities and committing actions aimed at seizing power and overthrowing the constitutional order of the DPR", the Interfax news agency quoted a court official as saying.

The three men were captured while fighting for Ukraine against Russia and Russian-backed forces after

A still image, taken from footage of the Supreme Court of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, shows Britons Aiden Aslin, Shaun Pinner and Moroccan Brahim Saadoun captured by Russian forces during a military conflict in Ukraine, in a courtroom cage at a location given as Donetsk, Ukraine, in a still image from a video released June 8, 2022

Russia invaded on February 24. Their lawyer said they would appeal against the decision.

Britain slammed the court's decision as a "sham judgment."

"I utterly condemn the sentencing of Aiden Aslin

and Shaun Pinner held by Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine," Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Twitter.

"They are prisoners of war.

This is a sham judgment with absolutely no legitimacy."

Prime Minister Boris

Johnson's spokesman said that under the Geneva Conventions, prisoners of war were entitled to combatant immunity and they should not be prosecuted for participation in hostilities.

Robert Jenrick, the Member of Parliament for the district where Aslin's family live, said the proceedings were akin to a "Sovietera show trial".

During the proceedings, the three men were held in a cage with black bars, guarded by soldiers with their faces covered and wearing armbands with the pro-Russian "Z" symbol, before being asked to stand while the verdict was read to them, a video from the courtroom published by the RIA Novosti news agency showed.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Russia says West risks “direct military clash” over cyber attacks

R

ussia warned the West on Thursday that cyber-attacks against its infrastructure risked leading to direct military confrontation, and that attempts to challenge Moscow in the cyber sphere would be met with targeted countermeasures.

The warning comes after Russia's Housing Ministry website appeared to be hacked over the weekend,

with an Internet search for the site leading to a "Glory to Ukraine" sign in Ukrainian.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that Russia's critical infrastructure and State institutions were being hit by cyberattacks and pointed to figures in the United States and Ukraine as being responsible.

"Rest assured, Russia will not leave aggressive actions

unanswered," it said. "All our steps will be measured, targeted, in accordance with our legislation and international law."

The statement, issued by the Ministry's head of international information security, said Washington was "deliberately lowering the threshold for the combat use" of IT. "The militarisation of the information space by the West, and attempts to turn it into an arena of interstate

confrontation, have greatly increased the threat of a direct military clash with unpredictable consequences," it said.

The websites of many State-owned companies and news organisations have suffered sporadic hacking attempts since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, often to show information that is at odds with Moscow's official line on the conflict. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Nigeria: ISIL affiliate blamed for Uvalde attack: US church massacre House passes gun bill

doomed to fail in senate

T Officials from Ondo state view the bloodstained floor after the attack by gunmen at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo town on June 5 [AFP]

T

he Nigerian Government has blamed an ISILaffiliated armed group in the country for carrying out an attack that killed dozens of worshippers at a church.

Security experts, however, expressed scepticism about the allegation.

The responsibility for Sunday’s deadly bomb and gun assault in Owo town, Ondo state, which killed at least 40 churchgoers, belonged to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), according to Nigerian officials.

The accusation was made to the press by Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola after a National Security Council meeting on Thursday in the capital Abuja. The Minister added that the armed forces are on the hunt for the perpetrators.

However, the armed group has yet to claim responsibility for the Sunday morning attack, and analysts noted this is unusual because ISWAP is known to quickly take credit for past violence. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

he US House of Representatives has voted through a series of measures regulating the sale of guns, but which are destined to fail in the Senate.

The new measures would bar sales of semiautomatic weapons to people under 21 and ban large-capacity magazines.

But Republican Opposition in the Senate means the bill has little chance of entering law, despite a renewed focus on gun control in the wake of a series of mass shootings in the US. Hours before the vote, survivors of the Uvalde school shooting gave emotional testimony to lawmakers which reduced some to tears.

The primary school shooting in the Texan city claimed the lives of 21 people, including 19 young children.

One 11-year-old girl told the hearing – in pre-record-

ed testimony – that she had smeared her classmate's blood on herself to play dead, and graphically described the moment the gunman shot her teacher in the head.

The Uvalde attack and other recent mass killings have sparked a new round of bipartisan talks on gun control in the US Senate, but Democrats need at least 10 Republicans on board to pass any new laws.

Conservatives want to protect the constitutional right to bear arms and object to limiting sales of the assault-style rifles used in the Uvalde shooting.

And while a group of Republican and Democratic Senators are trying to find common ground, correspondents say that whatever they come up with is very unlikely to involve any sweeping reforms.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

20

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

Be realistic. Don't believe everything you hear or take on more than you can handle. Emphasize what you can do to tidy up loose ends. A heart-to-heart chat will give you some perspective.

(March 21-April 19) Take care of money matters, your reputation and your position. Leave nothing to chance or up to someone likely to step in and take charge. Keep your opinions and plans to yourself.

DILBERT (April 20-May 20)

Do the research. A biased opinion will cause uncertainty, leaving you in a vulnerable position. Go over details, rules and regulations, and make sure you have taken care of everything.

(May 21-June 20) Get expert advice before initiating changes or starting something new.

Make sure your plans fit your budget. A physical factor will influence how you go about making a transformation.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Challenging yourself physically will ease stress. Put your energy into something that matters to you, and you'll find a way to make a difference. Home improvement projects are favored.

(July 23-Aug. 22) A change will lift your spirits and put you in the mood to get out and have fun with friends or spend a romantic day with someone you love.

Worry less about what others think.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You'll have the drive and stamina to get things done. Refuse to let someone get in your way or take control. Map out your plan and go about your business.

Doing things yourself will pay off.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Keep life simple. Don't get into an emotional tiff with a friend, relative or peer. Plan your next move or fix up your space to make it easier to handle your responsibilities.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Make yourself comfortable by improving your surroundings. Take charge of your happiness, and don't give anyone the chance to ruin your day. Get together with someone who challenges you.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Spend time pampering and pleasing yourself. A couple of changes at home will make you feel at ease and assist you in distancing yourself from someone who is a bad influence.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Take a moment to figure out what others want or expect from you. Don't feel you have to make a change because someone else does. Stick close to home and work on inspiring projects.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Keep personal and financial information to yourself. The fewer things others know about you, the easier it will be to avoid being asked for handouts and favors. Protect your assets.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

21

CSA vs India: T20I series, game 1 of 5…

SCOREBOARD

South Africa took the first win in the 5-match T20I series

S

outh Africa have pulled off their highest successful chase in T20I cricket and denied India a record 13th successive T20I victory despite being a batter light in the series opener.

Unbeaten half-centuries from David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen, who shared a 131-run fourth-wicket stand, a record for South Africa, built on an impressive powerplay led by a surprise move to promote Dwaine Pretorius to #3, and earned South Africa victory with five balls to spare.

On a pitch that India’s top-scorer Ishan Kishan described as “not easy”, run-scoring was quicker than expected, and boundaries were in over-supply. India hit 16 fours and 14 sixes; South Africa hit 17 fours and 14 sixes.

India would have fancied their chances after they made use of some early luck to post their highest total against South Africa - 211 for 4 - the highest T20I total at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. Their batters were particularly severe against South Africa’s two spinners.

Keshav Maharaj, who opened the bowling, and Tabraiz Shamsi bowled five overs altogether, and conceded 70 runs between them, with Maharaj finishing with his most expensive T20I figures of 1 for 43.

But, in response, South Africa played the powerplay to perfection, and scored 61 runs in the first six overs. They lost captain Temba Bavuma and Pretorius, but the latter’s cameo set up the middle order to finish off.

Though van der Dussen had a customarily circumspect start, and the required run-rate grew to over 14 an over at one stage, Miller kept South Africa in the hunt in the first half of the partnership.

The pair took on the Indian pace bowlers at the end, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel conceding 86 runs in their 8 overs.

Kishan turns uncertain start into cracking finish

Kishan mis-hit three of his first four boundaries, and played down the wrong line to almost everything else, as India appeared to struggle despite the runs on the board.

His opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad also wasn’t striking the ball entirely cleanly. He top-edged Anrich Nortje over short fine-leg, but after India piled on 36 runs in five overs and survived the first properly disciplined over, from Wayne Parnell, things changed.

Kishan showed his touch when he dabbed Nortje behind third man, and then smoked a drive through the covers to finish the powerplay with India on 51 without loss. He was unstoppable from there. He slayed the short ball, advanced down the track to hit Shamsi for six three times, and then belted Maharaj through the leg-side for 20 runs off four balls,

before successfully reviewing an lbw call.

Fielding fluffs

South Africa made four errors, and two of them were costly. The first came immediately after the powerplay, when Gaikwad pulled a hiphigh short ball from Parnell to Pretorius at long leg. He hit it hard but straight at Pretorius, who could not hold on as the ball burst through his hands for six. Gaikwad was dismissed off the next ball.

Then, three balls past the halfway mark, Maharaj shortened his length as he saw Shreyas Iyer coming down the track, and Quinton de Kock had an opportunity to stump him, but could not break the wicket in time. Iyer was on 25 then, and he went on to score 36.

And three balls after that, Kishan top-edged a slogsweep to midwicket, where Maharaj, van der Dussen, debutant Tristan Stubbs and Shamsi all converged, but the ball fell between them.

Kishan was on 52 then, and he went on to add 24 more to his score, most of it off Maharaj.

The very next ball, there was an opportunity to run out Rishabh Pant for a duck at the non-striker’s end, when he wanted to sneak a run but collided with Rabada.

Stubbs lobbed the ball over the fielder backing up at that end, and Pant smashed a 16-ball 29.

Pretorius promoted

Ishan Kishan led the battling for India with 76

In a surprise move, South Africa opted to move Pretorius rather than Miller or Stubbs to #3 when Bavuma was dismissed in the third over, but a little bit of digging revealed there was some method to what seemed like madness.

Pretorius has batted at #3 ten previous times in his T20 career, and once in an international, when he scored his career-best 77*. He punched the second ball he faced through

the covers for four, and slogswept the fifth for six to suggest what he could do, and then took three sixes off Hardik Pandya to confirm it.

Pretorius swung hard and got the short, full, and length balls over the leg side before Harshal broke through his defences with a slower ball and took out off stump.

INDIA INNINGS (20 overs maximum) Ishan Kishan c Stubbs b Maharaj 76 Ruturaj Gaikwad c Bavuma b Parnell 23 Shreyas Iyer b Pretorius 36 Rishabh Pant (c)† c van der Dussen b Nortje 29 Hardik Pandya not out 31 Dinesh Karthik not out 1 Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 12) 15 TOTAL 20 Ov(RR: 10.55) 211/4 Did not bat: Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Ruturaj Gaikwad, 6.2 ov), 2-137 (Ishan Kishan, 12.6 ov), 3-156 (Shreyas Iyer, 16.1 ov), 4-202 (Rishabh Pant, 19.1 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Keshav Maharaj 3-0-43-1 Kagiso Rabada 4-0-35-0 Anrich Nortje 4-0-36-1 Wayne Parnell 4-0-32-1 Tabraiz Shamsi 2-0-27-0 Dwaine Pretorius 3-0-35-1

SOUTH AFRICA INNINGS (Target: 212 runs from 20 overs) Quinton de Kock † c Ishan Kishan b AR Patel 22 Temba Bavuma (c) c †Pant b Kumar 10 Dwaine Pretorius b HV Patel 29 Rassie van der Dussen not out 75 David Miller not out 64 Extras (lb 7, nb 1, w 4) 12 TOTAL 19.1 Ov (RR: 11.06) 212/3 Did not bat: Tristan Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Temba Bavuma, 2.2 ov), 2-61 (Dwaine Pretorius, 5.2 ov), 3-81 (Quinton de Kock, 8.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-0-43-1 Avesh Khan 4-0-35-0 Yuzvendra Chahal 2.1-0-26-0 Hardik Pandya 1-0-18-0 Harshal Patel 4-0-43-1 Axar Patel 4-0-40-1

NBA Playoffs, Game 3…

de Kock dismissed and pressure builds

de Kock holed out to Kishan at square leg off Axar Patel with South Africa’s required rate above 11 an over, and then India applied the squeeze. Between Axar, Avesh Khan and Harshal, they bowled 18 boundary-less deliveries, which pushed South Africa’s required rate up above 14 an over.

van der Dussen shifts gear

It was expected that Miller would be the batter to keep South Africa in the game - given his impressive IPL - and he did exactly that. He broke the boundary drought with 10 runs off the last two balls of Harshal’s second over, and then hit Axar for a six onto the third tier of the stands.

But van der Dussen, oft-criticised for his slow scoring rate, could not get the ball away as regularly, until he broke the toe-end of his bat and had to change it for another. With the new bat, he hit Avesh over his head for four off a no-ball, and then sent him straight to deep midwicket, but Shreyas spilled a simple chance. van der Dussen was on 29 off 30 balls at the time, and he went on to plunder 22 runs off Harshal’s third over, including sending two full-tosses for six and bringing up fifty off the 39th ball he faced with a six over deep square leg.

He brought the requirement down to 34 off the last three overs, and then 12 off the last two, before surviving an lbw review to hit the winning runs in the first ball of the final over. (ESPNCricinfo)

The hoop being measured during Wednesday night’s warm-up game

B

OSTON (AP) — The Golden State Warriors arrived at the TD Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday to find that the basket they were shooting at in warmups was the wrong height.

A 10-foot wooden pole was brought in to measure, and it confirmed that the basket was a couple of inches too high. It was quickly adjusted.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said during his pregame media availability that he wasn’t aware of the issue, but it wasn’t uncommon.

“Players have a really sharp eye for that. Players can tell,” he said. “I imagine somebody went out there, looked at it, didn’t look right. So as long as they take care of it, then everything is good.”

Kerr then took the opportunity to needle the league for the Finals’ late start times. All weekday games have tipped off after 9 pm ET, with the Sunday games tipping off an hour earlier.

“It’s a good thing the game starts at midnight,” Kerr said, as reporters laughed. “We’ll have plenty of time to fix it.”

The teams had split the two games in San Francisco before the best-of-seven series shifted to Boston, where the 17time NBA champion Celtics have a history of success — and some say shenanigans. Former Celtics coach, general manager and president Red Auerbach was often accused of everything, from turning off the hot water in the visitors’ locker room at the original Boston Garden to engineering dead spots in the parquet floor.

Hall of Famer Bill Walton, who was a member of the Celtics’ 1986 championship team, said he didn’t think there was anything untoward going on.

“I’m surprised Steve didn’t say anything about Red Auerbach,” he said.

The Celtics went on to win the contest 116-100. (NBA)

22

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ten of Guyana’s best chess players selected to compete at 44th Olympiad …Fund-raising dinner set for June 25th

bers will undergo training with GM Georg Mohr and IM Atanu Lahiri in preparation for the high-level event.

Guyana competed in the Chess Olympiad from as far back as the late 1970s, when Guyana was known as the best in the Caribbean at the sport. This was followed by a large gap when Guyana competed in no Olympiads for 36 years, until a team competed in Norway in 2014. Guyana has since not missed a single Olympiad event. Even during the pandemic, the Federation had managed to put together a

the Ramada Princess Hotel on June 25th, and tickets would be available for just $10,000.

Persons interested in supporting this team can contact the Guyana Chess Federation through any team member or executive, or through their Facebook page.

FIDE and the All-India Chess Federation have also collaborated to introduce the first ever annual torch relay. This Olympic-style tradition will begin this July in India, the birth-place of the game. The inaugural edition

Guyana’s 2022 Chess Olympiad Team. In back row from left to right are: Wendell Meusa, Anthony Drayton, Taffin Khan, Roberto Neto, Loris Nathoo. Front, seated are: Pooja Lam, Jessica Callender, Sasha Shariff, Anaya Lall, Nellisha Johnson

A

fter an intensive selection process, the Guyana Chess Federation has named 10 chess players to represent Guyana at this year’s 44th FIDE Olympiad in Chennai, India; where, for the first time in almost 100 years of the game's history, the Chess Olympiad will be staged from Thursday, July 28th to Wednesday, August 10th.

For the Open category, the five males selected are CM Taffin Khan, CM Wendell Meusa, FM Anthony Drayton, Roberto Neto, and Loris Nathoo.

Meusa is the reigning national champion, and has notably won the title eight times in his chess career.

Khan is the former national champion, and he and the rest of the male team are no strangers to the Olympiad.

In the Women’s category, the GCF has selected its youngest contingent ever for the games. This team is comprised of 12-year-old Anaya Lall, 14-year-old Pooja Lam, 18-year-old Sasha Shariff, 20-year-old Jessica Callender and 21-year-old Nellisha Johnson.

Of those in the Women’s team, only Sasha Shariff and Nellisha Johnson have experience competing at an Olympiad tournament, while Callender has competed only in Online Olympiads.

Lam, the reigning national women’s champion, is the country’s youngest national women’s champion since the tournament first began in 2014.

Lall is the first chess player with a disability to ever travel to represent Guyana on a national team. The

CLASSIFIED ADS ACCOMMODATIONS Aracari Hotel, West Bank Demerara (Versailles – between Harbor Bridge and Vreed-en-Hoop) – AirConditioned Comfort. Amenities include TV, Restaurant, Bar, Swimming Pool, Jacuzzi, Gym. Free Parking, Free WiFi. Spend 7 nights and get 1 Free. Rates from $65 US. Breakfast included. Long term rates available. Phone: 264-2946-9. www. aracariresort.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Restaurant for Rent – West Bank Demerara (at Aracari Resort, Versailles – between Harbor Bridge and Vreed-en-Hoop). Turn Key Business. Covid-19 Reduced Capacity 60; furnished and equipped.

Phone 264-2946; 626-5290

ENTERTAINMENT Swimming Pool Family Fun & Picnic – Crystal Clear Pool. Kids and Adult Sections. Very Safe. Aracari Resort : West Bank Demerara (Versailles, Vreed-en-Hoop)- Every Weekend.

DJ Music. Groups and Excursions welcome. Phone: 264-2946-9.

FOR SALE Wholesale Chicken $420 per lb. Wholesale Liver $220 per lb. Wholesale Gizzard $220 per lb. Wholesale Foot $220 per lb.

Contact: 603-2777 or 638-3666.

HOUSE FOR SALE Fully concrete Top and Bottom, 24 x 42 - + 8 FT Extention, 4 12x12 Rooms, $30 Million neg. Contact: 692-7305 or +1 646 972 9267.

National Men’s and Women’s Champions Wendell Meusa and Pooja Lam have been selected for the Olympiad team

(deaf) chess player is also Guyana’s first chess player with a disability to represent Guyana in an international competition, having competed virtually in the World Chess Championship for People with Disabilities last year.

The travelling team will be accompanied by Team Captain Mr. Davion Mars and Head of the Delegation Mrs. Jaishree Lam. Additionally, the team mem-

team for the FIDE Online Olympiad comprising players who were competing virtually throughout the year.

The Guyana Chess Federation is currently seeking sponsorship for the team’s participation in the event, which is widely regarded as the “Olympics” of chess.

The GCF will also be hosting a fundraising dinner at the Roraima Ballroom of

of this torch relay will only traverse in India, due to the paucity of time. However, from the next edition of the Olympiad and onwards, the torch relay will always start in India, then pass through FIDE member territories across the globe.

The GCF wishes to extend heartiest congratulations to the team members, and to wish them every success on their journey.

WI vs Pakistan: ODI series, game 1…

Pooran praises 'magnificent' Hope, despite Windies Windies loss

TO RENT Office Space for rent, 3200 Sq Feet – West Bank Demerara (at Aracari Resort, Versailles – between Harbour Bridge and Vreed-enHoop). Phone 264-2946; 626-5290.

WANTED Male & Female to work in Factory.

Apply to RP’s Enterprise, Area ‘K’, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara.

Tel: 220-2818.

Looking for an honest and reliable Babysitter/Tutor for a toddler and infant. Must be well spoken and should have at least 3 subjects CXC including English and Maths. Must be able to work without supervision and work flexible hours when needed. Call 622-6297 for more info.

“He continues to show his class,” he said

W

est Indies captain Nicholas Pooran has heaped praise on in-form batsman Shai Hope, who has scored his 12th One Day International century against Pakistan, albeit in a losing effort.

On Wednesday, Hope maintained a rich vein of form that has seen him score centuries in consecutive series. Against Pakistan, opening batsman Hope racked up 127 runs in an innings that featured 15 sumptuous fours. Although this occurred in a losing effort, the score saw Hope move into fourth on the all-time list of most ODI hundreds for the West Indies. His tally of 12 edged him ahead of the likes of Gordon Greenidge (11), Viv Richards (11), and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (11).

Desmond Haynes (17), Brian Lara (19), and Chris Gayle (25) are the batsmen ahead of Hope.

“He continues to show his class,” Pooran said after the match. “He is one of the best batsmen in this format, and today was a magnificent innings. Especially in those tough conditions, he just showed his

class today,” he added.

Hope’s cameo led the team to an innings score of 305, but Pakistan successfully chased down the total with four balls remaining. (Sportsmax)

223-7230-1

(Ext 55) Shai Hope has hit two centuries in his last few games

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CWI Women’s T20 Blaze tourney…

Matthews showed her all-round class Story and photos by Brandon Corlette

D

efending champions Barbados continued to show their class in

played spoilsport and forced the match to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.

In the second match of the day, an all-round effort from Hayley Matthews

Shamika Bruce claimed three wickets

to help Barbados bowl out the Leewards for 60, then she returned with the bat to score an unbeaten 23.

Earlier, Barbados won the toss and opted to bowl first, and the Leeward Islands’ batting struggled against the seam of Shamika Bruce and the spin of Hayley Matthews.

In the first over, Terez Parker was stumped by a

sharp Kycia Knight for a duck. Two wickets then fell in Bruce’s second over as the right-arm seamer, who enjoyed the overcast conditions, sent back Shawnisha Hector (01) and Saneldo Willet (00).

Leewards lost three wickets for two runs, but Rosalie Dolabaille was steady in her approach.

Scoring runs became difficult for the Leewards, while wick-

SCOREBOARD

The players took the knee before the match

the Cricket West Indies T20 Blaze tournament, played at Providence, EBD. In the first match of the day, between Guyana and Trinidad, rain

caused Barbados to cruise to a nine-wicket win against the Leeward Islands.

Watched by less than 20 spectators in overcast conditions, Matthews bagged 3-9

LEEWARD ISLANDS WOMEN Terez Parker st Knight b Bruce 0 Shawnisha Hector b Bruce 1 Rosalie Dolabaille not out 14 Saneldo Willett b Bruce 0 Rozel Liburd (run out) 0 Amanda Edwards c Bruce b Matthews 9 Jenison Richards c Selman b Alleyne 0 Tynetta McKoy c & b Matthews 0 Tiffany Thorpe run out 10 Davanna Claxton lbw b Matthews 0 Tonya Martin c Matthews b Selman 8 Total (10 wickets, 18.2) (18 extras) 60 FOW: 0/1 (0.2) Terez Parker 2/2 (2.1) Shawnisha Hector 2/3 (2.3) Saneldo Willett 14/4 (4.1) Rozel Liburd 30/5 (9.5) Amanda Edwards 31/6 (10.3) Jenison Richards 32/7 (11.2) Tynetta McKoy 43/8 (13.4) Tiffany Thorpe 43/9 (13.5) Davanna Claxton 60/10 (18.2) Tonya Martin

Bowling Shanika Bruce (4-2-15-3) Shamilia Connell (4-0-12-0) Hayley Matthews (4-1-9-3) Aaliyah Alleyne (4-0-12-1) Naijanni Cumberbatch (1-5-0-5) Shakera Selman (1.2-0-6-1) BARBADOS WOMEN Kycia Knight c Liburd b Thorpe 12 Hayley Matthews not out 23 Kyshona Knight not out 15 Total (1 wickets, 6.4) (11 extras) 61 FOW: 23/1 (2.4) Kycia Knight Bowling Shawnisha Hector (1-0-5-0) Rozel Liburd (2-0-24-0) Tiffany Thorpe (2-0-16-1) Jenison Richards (1-0-6-0) Tonya Martin (0.4-0-10-0)

ets came at regular intervals for Barbados. However, the right-handed Dolabaille made an unbeaten 14 from 44 balls, while Tiffany Thorpe, batting at number nine, made 10. Extras had yielded 18 when the Leewards innings concluded on 60 all out from 18.2 overs.

Matthews had figures of 3-9 from four overs, includ-

23

ing one maiden. Bruce had 3-15 from her four overs, while Aaliyah Alleyne and Shakera Selman had one wicket each.

In reply, Matthews and Knight added 23 runs for the first wicket. The duo each lived a charmed life, being dropped on different occasions. Knight was eventually dismissed for 12, in an innings that included all boundaries, when she was caught at cover off the bowling of Thorpe.

Kyshona Knight then joined Matthews, and the duo added 38 runs to seal the deal in 6.4 overs, with Barbados ending on 61-1.

The tournament will continue on Saturday, June 11, with three matches at Providence. Barbados will play Windward Islands from 10:00h, Guyana will play Jamaica from 14:00h, and Leewards will play Trinidad from 19:00h Eastern Caribbean time.

ACCCC congratulates Gudakesh Motie on maiden Test call-up

Magnum Futsal returns for ‘Unfinished Business’

Back Circle were crowned the Magnum Futsal champions 2022 after a nail-biting victory over Sparta Boss

T

he conclusion of the Magnum Independence Futsal Cup, the National Park Tarmac in Georgetown is set to come alive once again, for more futsal action, under different circumstances.

The event is being titled ‘Unfinished Business’ and will feature the top four finishers from Magnum Independence Cup, which concluded last month, vying for more cash, prizes and bragging rights.

The Independence Cup’s top four teams, Champion

Back Circle, runner ups Sparta Boss, third place and fourth place finishers Gold is Money and Bent Street, will battle in the one-night extravaganza, in an ‘elimination’ contest.

June 18th, 2022, has been set a D-day, with Magnum tonic Wine coming on board as the primary sponsors once again.

Organiser Edison Jefford, who was one of two to confirm the hosting of the event, elaborated on reason behind the mini tournament, highlight-

ing that fans’ response played a huge role.

“Following the final, we had lots of feedback from patrons about the nature of the semifinals between Sparta and Bent Street which finished 18-17 and the final with Back Circle which ended 6-5, and didn’t finish in favour of Sparta. The nail- biting finishes are still fresh in the minds of the patrons and the main sponsor Magnum, felt as though we should relive the experiences,” Jefford said in a statement on Thursday.

The organiser went on to state, “That’s how we came to stage this one day event dubbed ‘Unfinished Business’ so we can give the patrons a chance who didn’t get to witness the semifinal and final, the chance to witness both matches on one night.”

The Champion of the one- night championship will clinch $300,000, while second place pockets $150,000, third place $100,000 and fourth place walks away $50,000.

Magnum Brand Manager Jamaal Baird was happy to co-sign the announce “The streets have asked us for it and we will deliver because of the tremendous support of the previous tournament and the spectators being jilted by the outcome of the tournament. We are a brand for the streets and we have heard the streets and we will deliver, it will be called unfinished business,” Baird commented.

According to organisers, an official launch for the mini tournament will take place soon, with added information about the event being disseminated at that time.

Gudakesh Motie

T

he historic Albion Community Centre Cricket Club (ACCCC) has continued its rich heritage of producing Test players for the West Indies cricket team with Gudakesh Motie being the latest Test product.

The left-arm spinner is set to make his Test debut against Bangladesh in the first Test match in Antigua from June 16. The ACCCC has congratulated Motie for his call-up.

Motie joins Sew Shivnarine, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Narsingh Deonarine, Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul as players from Albion who have represented the West Indies team in Tests. Sew Shivnarine was the ACCCC’s first Test cricketer after making his debut in 1977, and he was followed by Narsingh Deonarine in 2005, Chattergoon in 2008, Bishoo in 2011, and Permaul in 2012.

The 27-year-old Motie, who

played one T20 International for West Indies, has played 34 first-class matches and has taken 117 wickets at 21.15 and a best bowling figure of 6-20.

Motie has four first-class five-wicket hauls and a best match-haul of 11-105. He recently scored his maiden firstclass century in Trinidad and Tobago against champions Barbados Pride.

During the recently concluded West Indies Regional Four-Day Championships, Motie took 17 wickets at 24.76 in eight innings. His consistent performances at the regional level, including the Caribbean Premier League and Regional Super50, have earned him a Test selection. He has also shown improvement in his batting.

The ACCCC has said it hopes Motie would represent himself and his family, and make his country proud, thereby making the Albion Cricket Club flag continue to fly high.

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

Sport is no longer our game, it’s our business

CWI Women’s T20 Blaze tourney…

See story on page 23

Ten of Guyana’s best chess players selected to compete at 44th Olympiad Matthews and Knight sealed the deal

See story on page 23

…Fund-raising dinner set for June 25th Page 22

A glimpse of the Futsal action during the Magnum Independence Cup

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - marketing@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.