Guyana Times - Monday, February 7, 2022

Joe Vieira Park upgrades to be completed in 20 months — Minister Indar P2

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 4913

guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022

Local consortium identified to work with int’l firm on Exxon’s cost oil audit

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Region 4 P17 pensioner dies from COVID-19 – 196 new infections

18-year-old P16 busted with ganja plants in home

– VP Jagdeo says collaboration to build local capacity for future audits

Bollywood singer Lata Mangeshkar, “the Nightingale”, given State Funeral

Rodrigues raps APNU/AFC for its incompetence in housing P11 sector during term in office

2016 Black Bush Polder triple murder

See story on page 14 Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi joined mourners at a packed open-air State Funeral for the late iconic singer Lata Mangeshkar on Sunday after her body, wrapped in the Indian flag, had been paraded through the streets of her home city Mumbai on a truck decorated with flowers

Gas-to-shore, Amaila Falls 1 dead, another See story Hydro projects to facilitate hospitalised on page 8 Page industrial revolution in 7 following motorcycle Guyana – Dr Ashni Singh accident at Laluni Uncertainty reigns over new Opposition Leader’s appointment Page 9

– as Nicolette Henry yet to officially resign as MP

Confessed P16 killer to be sentenced on Thursday Patron arrested at ECD bar with unlicensed P18 firearm

P10 CJIA, Soesdyke NDC host clean-up exercise

2 NEWS Joe Vieira Park upgrades to be completed in 20 months — Minister Indar MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

T

he iconic Joe Vieira Park, West Bank Demerara (WBD) will take about 20 months to be upgraded, according to Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar.

The Minister, along with the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan, spoke about the project during the National Clean-up and Beautification Campaign that was led by President Irfaan Ali on Sunday in Region Three.

Indar related that the Park would be rebuilt into something “very, very attractive” not only for the region but for the entire country.

He also reminisced on the pre-COVID

Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar and Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan at Joe Vieira Park on Sunday

traditions of Easter celebrations at the venue.

The project will commence this year at a cost of over US$11 million. The project is being funded by the Chinese Government as Guyana and China celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties.

Ambassador Guo reiterated that the park would be renamed the GuyanaChina Friendship Joe

Vieira Park. She said that the park would be built with the aim of providing a public place for families and would not only host recreational activities but cultural events as well.

She also said that the park’s concept reflected the Government’s people-centred development approach.

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-

Guyana friendship, our relationship, and we cherish our friendship and cooperation very much,” the Ambassador said.

Once completed, the venue is expected to have a China-Guyana Friendship Guyana Monument, an amphitheatre, a picnic lawn, a stand canopy over a pond, twin pavilions, and playing areas for football, tennis, and basketball.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Monday, February 7 – no closure as previously scheduled and Tuesday, February 8 – 09:30h-11:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, February 7 – 08:00h-09:30h and Tuesday, February 8 – 08:35h-10:05h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Lightly cloudy skies are expected throughout the day with sunny conditions in the late afternoon.

Partly cloudy skies are expected at night.

Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North North-Easterly to East NorthEasterly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 08:39h and 21:05h reaching maximum heights of 2.41 metres and 2.32 metres.

Low Tide: 14:36h reaching a minimum height of 0.82 metre.

Local consortium identified to work with int’l firm on Exxon’s cost oil audit

– VP Jagdeo says collaboration to build local capacity for future audits

W

hen the tender for a company to audit ExxonMobil’s post-2017 cost oil claims was scrapped, the Government had called on local auditors to form a consortium to participate in the audit. And local auditors have heeded that call.

During a recent press conference, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo announced that a local consortium of auditors has been identified to partner with whichever company wins the reissued tender for the audit of Exxon’s expenses post2017.

“There’s been a lot of controversy about the audit, the post-2017 audit. So, we have now gone out back.

We have a local consortium. We’re going out back for an audit that would allow the foreign company to work with the local people and build capacity here,” Jagdeo explained during the press conference.

“We’re hoping that after this would be done, the 2017-to-2020 audit is done, that locals would have all

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

to see reasonableness and fairness and all of that, to protect our interest as to what is charged for cost oil.”

Jagdeo explained that this audit would be separate from the audit done by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

According to him, the tax agency will have to build its own capacity to do audits for tax purposes.

The Vice President also assured that for those concerned about the elapsed timeframe for the audit of Exxon’s cost oil claims, there is nothing to worry

if Exxon were to decide not to comply with the audit.

“We don’t mind waiting a few more days. It’s not going to change, Exxon is not going to insist that there is two years and the time has expired to do the audit. If that happens, they would have to reopen the whole PSA and I don’t think they’d want to reopen the whole PSA… so if they insist on that… we have the time and we’re going to use the little time. We’ve gone out to tender to work with the locals to build that capacity,” he said.

According to Annex C

about since the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) would have to be reviewed

of the PSA Guyana signed with Exxon, pre-contract costs “shall include four

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COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$93.75/barrel

+0.51

Rough Rice

$275.31/ton

+0.21

London Sugar

$497.10/ton

0.00

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USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1810.00

$1811.00

Low/High Change

$1808.00 +1.60

$1815.90 +0.09%

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

hundred and sixty million, two hundred and thirty-seven hundred thousand and nine hundred and eighteen United States Dollars (US$460,237,918) in respect of all such costs incurred under the 1999 Petroleum Agreement prior to the year ended 2015”.

There is an additional sum of approximately US$400 million from 2016 to 2017, which it is believed will also come under the rubric of cost oil.

Meanwhile, the post-2017 sum is believed to be over US$9 billion, inclusive of sanctioning expenses for the Liza Phase one and Two projects.

When the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government assumed office in 2020, it took over the shepherding of audits for ExxonMobil’s pre-contract and other pre2017 costs. The pre-contract cost audit was conducted by the UK firm, IHS Markit, which was hired by the previous Administration four years after oil was first discovered offshore.

Based on the bids that were opened last year when Government went out to tender to audit the post2017 cost oil claims, four international audit firms and one local firm had submitted bids for the project.

The international firms were Bayphase Limited of the United Kingdom (UK); Rosa Correia and Associates of Portugal in partnership with Swale House Partners of the United States; Squire Pat, Gaffney Cline and Associates Incorporated of the UK and Calendar Law Firm. The local company was Eclisar Financial and Professional Services.

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guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 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

Lata Mangeshkar L

ata Mangeshkar, the “Nightingale of India”, passed away yesterday at the age of ninety-two. Very few persons outside India and its 30+million-diaspora (the largest and most widely dispersed in the world) may appreciate her impact. Perhaps the fact that she was given a full state funeral draped in India’s flag, flags across the country flown half-mast, her native state Maharashtra declaring a public holiday, PM Modi personally appearing and offering floral tributes, no official celebration for the next two days and millions flooding Shivaji Park where the cremation was done, offer a hint.

Music is a central element in the Indian psyche: one of its most ancient text, the Sam Veda, is simply mantras from the foundational Rig Veda, set to music. Lata Mangeshkar was not just a “singer” for Indians and People of Indian origin: she symbolized India itself and its ethos.

This may seem strange to non-Indians, especially in the West but while she holds the Guinness World Record for performing the most songs - over 30,000 - her life story in a sense recapitulates modern India’s.

Late’s father, Dinanath Mangeshkar, was a noted stage personality and trained her - the eldest of five siblings from age five. He passed away just after Lata recorded her first song at age 13 and she then struggled to help support her family and establish herself as a playback singer in the Mumbai film industry. Her first major hit came with the song ‘Aayega aanewala’ from the movie Mahal in 1949.

From that point on she voiced the musical parts for every major leading lady, representing every generation of Hindi cinema. Music directors composed tunes specifically to exploit the potential of her wide-ranging soprano. She was the first Indian to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in England in 1974 and filled Madison Square Garden and stadiums across the globe. She performed at our National Park in 1980.

After the Indo-China war of 1962, she sang the patriotic song written by the poet Pradeep, “Ae mere watan ke logo,” (Oh people of my country) in tribute to the fallen Indian soldiers. The words of the poem and the voice of Lata moved Indian Prime Minister Nehru to tears.

Since that time the song took on a life of its own and never fails to move Indians to patriotic fervor. This year, at the conclusion of the Indian Republic Day ceremonies, the Indian Army replaced the colonial era”Abide with me” with the song in their Beating Retreat performance.

Lata was a cricket “fanatic” and played a key role in the rise of the young fellow Maharastran Sachin Tendulkar’s early career. In turn, Sachin doted on her and attended many of her concerts. She sang at his retirement and he acknowledged his debt to her. After India won the 1983 World Cup, she performed in a massive concert the proceeds of which went to the Indian team. She was also recognised in the political realm and served in the Indian Parliament Upper House (Rajya Sabha) between 19992006.

Beneath her simple, shy demeanor, she was toughminded about her singing career. She refused to sing “raunchy” songs and when one of them (Bangla ka peeche”) was remixed and became a massive hit across the world including Guyana, she protested vehemently. She also successfully insisted that singers be given royalties for their songs but was opposed by her male counterpart Rafi who felt the initial payment was sufficient. Today all Indian playback singers are grateful to Lata.

As India’s PM Modi said, “The kind and caring Lata Didi has left us. She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled. The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerize people.” Pakistan PM Imran Khan noted, "With the death of Lata Mangeshkar the subcontinent has lost one of the truly great singers the world has known. Listening to her songs has given so much pleasure to so many people all over the world.”

Om Sadgati. (May her soul be liberated and merge with the Supreme soul

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday made an impromptu stop at the ‘fish market’ in Windsor Forest, where he interacted and mingled with fishermen. The Head of State also took the opportunity to interact with residents, listen to their concerns, and provide on-the-spot solutions

Russian attack on Ukraine possible “any day”, but diplomacy still an option, White House says

R

ussia could invade Ukraine within days or weeks but could still opt for a diplomatic path, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday.

"We are in the window. Any day now, Russia could take military action against Ukraine, or it could be a couple of weeks from now, or Russia could choose to take the diplomatic path instead," Sullivan told the "Fox News Sunday" programme.

Sullivan made the comments in television interviews after two US officials on Saturday said Russia, which seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, has in place about 70 per cent of the combat power it believes it would need for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

As Russia masses more than 100,000 troops near the border, Moscow has said it is not planning an invasion, but could take unspecified military action if its security demands are not met.

Those include a promise that NATO will never admit Ukraine, a demand the United States and the 30-nation Western security alliance have called unacceptable.

Possible Russian action could include annexing Ukraine's Donbass region, where Russianbacked separatists broke away from Ukrainian Government control in 2014, cyberattacks or

a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Sullivan added, saying Russia could act as soon as today though it could also be weeks.

"We believe that there is a very distinct possibility that Vladimir Putin will order an attack on Ukraine," Sullivan told ABC's "This Week" programme, referring to the Russian leader.

"It could take a number of different forms. It could happen as soon as tomorrow, or it could take some weeks yet. He has put himself in a position with military deployments to be able to act aggressively against Ukraine at any time now," Sullivan added.

US troops land in Poland

Ukraine, while seeking more military aid, has also sought to calm fears of an invasion. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Sunday urged people to ignore "apocalyptic predictions", saying his country was strong and had unprecedented international support.

Washington has made clear it would not send US soldiers to defend Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO. However, Washington has given Kyiv arms and last week said it would send nearly 3000 extra troops to Poland and Romania to shield Eastern Europe from potential spillover from the crisis.

A plane carrying US troops landed in Poland on Sunday, a Reuters witness said. On Wednesday,

the Pentagon said around 1700 service members, mainly from the 82nd Airborne Division, would deploy from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Poland.

US President Joe Biden sent a message to the troops as he arrived at the White House after a weekend at his Delaware home.

"We're thinking of you," he said, clenching his fist as he spoke to reporters.

Biden said he would not speculate on whether he might need to send more troops to Europe. Asked what Putin is weighing as he decides whether to pursue an invasion, Biden said the Russian President was looking for "things he cannot get".

Biden spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday ahead of the French President’s visit to Moscow, an effort to bring down the tensions that is coordinated with Washington and Berlin, according to a White House statement.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who will meet Biden at the White House today, signalled on Sunday he was open to deploying more troops to Lithuania to bolster NATO's eastern flank.

“Direct impact” of sanctions

The United States, with its allies, has threatened extensive economic sanctions against Russia should it invade. These could include financial sanctions as well as export-control measures.

US Deputy Treasury

Secretary Wally Adeyemo on Sunday said any sanctions would hit Putin and Russian elites hard given their reliance on Europe, which is Russia's largest trading partner, and the US dollar.

"By the United States and Europe acting together, we put ourselves in a position where we not only would have an impact on the overall Russian economy, but we'd have a direct impact on President Putin, who is tied to the Russian economy," he told CBS News' "Face the Nation".

On a daily basis, Russian financial institutions do about US$46 billion worth of financial transactions globally with 80 per cent of those in dollars, Adeyemo said.

Russia's biggest trading partner is Europe, accounting for about 40 per cent of Russian commerce.

Asked if Russia could instead just turn to China, Adeyemo said the severity of planned US sanctions and Russia's ties with the West would make that difficult.

China "does not have access" to critical technologies Russia relies on from the United States and its allies, he told CBS. "Russian elites, who would be cut off from the global financial system, are not putting their money in China. They're putting their money in Europe and in the United States," Adeyemo said. (By Susan Heavey and Arshad Mohammed, Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022

5

News

Govt says former GYEITI Head was politically aligned

– says it remains committed to Santiago Principles of good governance, accountability, and transparency

T

he Government has defended the non-renewal of the contract of former Head of Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI), Dr Rudy Jadoopat, pointing out his links to political parties, specifically the Alliance For Change (AFC).

The non-renewal of Dr Jadoopat’s contract has been vociferously condemned by the AFC. But according to the Natural Resources Ministry, Dr Jadoopat, who has now been replaced by former University of Guyana ProChancellor Dr Prem Misir, is an Executive Member of the AFC and, therefore, could not remain in the employ of the Secretariat.

“From the onset, the Ministry of Natural Resources has oversight responsibility for the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI) Secretariat and the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG), and would like to state that the local Head of EITI, Dr Rampadarat [“Rudy”] Jadoopat’s employment came to an end following the expiration of his contract in January 2021, but was retained on a month-

Former EITI Head, Dr Rudy Jadoopat

to-month contract until January 31, 2022. Hence, he was kept on the job to allow for a smooth transition for the appointment of a new Head of the GYEITI Secretariat.”

The Government noted that as such and in keeping with accountability and transparency in filling the position, it collaborated with the MSG to publicly advertise for Dr Jadoopat’s position and four other positions to strengthen the Secretariat.

“Dr Jadoopat, who is a known Executive Member of the Alliance For Change, reapplied and was not the top-ranking candidate following the interviews. Dr Jadoopat was placed as

Head of GYEITI by the then Leader of the AFC and former Government Minister, Raphael Trotman.”

“Further, the non-renewal of Dr Jadoopat’s contract and the process of appointing a new Head of the GYEITI Secretariat were done in keeping with acceptable employment SOPs governing the appointment for such positions,” the Ministry further explained.

The Ministry also compared Dr Jadoopat’s situation with that of the former Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Vincent Adams. Adams, also an AFC executive, who was appointed under the former Government. He lost his job when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) came to office.

“The Government of Guyana and the Ministry of Natural Resources remain committed to the Santiago Principles of good governance, accountability, and transparency which resulted in the appointment of an enhanced 12-member Government and civil society comprised MSG last September to strengthen the capacity of the GYEITI

New EITI Head, Dr Prem Misir

Secretariat.

“Therefore, the GoG and the Ministry of Natural Resources will not be distracted by the AFC’s deliberate attempt to distract and stymie the work of the GYEITI Secretariat and the MSG to preside [over] and deliver a high standard of natural resources governance,” it was explained.

It was also explained by the Ministry that an international consultancy firm has been hired to independently manage the GYEITI Secretariat and work was ongoing for the preparation of Guyana’s next EITI Report.

The EITI is a global standard to promote the open and accountable management of oil, gas, and mineral resourc-

No one is afraid of Aubrey Norton

Dear Editor, During the budget debate, one of the female hecklers - though one might never be too sure of the gender - from the main Opposition heckled a comment, "Wait until Norton come here in Parliament, you all gon see what he gon do."

Now, that statement is suggestive and loaded with threats, because from her standpoint there seems to be something sinister about the leader of that grouping (PNC, PNC/R, APNU) that the ruling party should be mindful of.

The heckler is giving a stern warning that the new party leader is some sort of a powerhouse that everyone sitting in Parliament should be frightened of.

Well, for starters, I would like to inform and educate that heckler that no one is afraid of Aubrey Norton; never was, and never can be. If ever the main Opposition should be ter-

rified of him, it is for reasons they know best. What is of significance is that many of them would not be there when he comes into the house as Opposition Leader; that's for sure.

In his dictatorial style, those who cannot work with him would certainly have to leave. This is already evident in one of the members booting herself out, showing clear signs that she would not be able to cope with the dictatorship.

I am well acquainted with the human being also, having worked alongside him in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where his work relations could best be described as irritating and obnoxious. So, to lend credence to the comment of the heckler, it is his autocratic style of doing things that those Opposition members should be mindful of. They are the ones who should be cognisant of the new leader and his idiosyncrasies, and

not the ruling party.

The PPP/C eagerly awaits the installation of the Leader of the Opposition, and look for future good relations with him, all towards the peace-

ful and dignified development of Guyana.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

es. Under the EITI standard, companies in the extractive sector publish what they pay to Governments, and Governments publish what they receive in an annual EITI country report.

In many countries, most of the revenues from natural resources accrued at subnational levels are not derived from company payments to Local Government entities, but from transfers to the Central Government.

Depending on the revenue distribution frameworks in place, these trans-

fers can be a considerably larger source of revenue for subnational entities than taxes and fees collected at local levels. The revised EITI standard requires that such transfers are reported.

Where companies are legally or contractually required to make social contributions, these must be disclosed, under the EITI standard. Where countries collect significant revenues from the transportation of oil, gas, and minerals, such as pipelines, the Government will also be required to disclose the revenues received.

Guyana became an EITIimplementing country on October 25, 2017. Its first EITI validation was done last year by a visiting international validation team, scoring Guyana on stakeholder engagement, transparency, and outcomes and impact when it comes to the natural resources sector. This encompasses oil and gas, gold mining and quarrying.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022

Page

Foundation ◄

Types of angles cont’d

C

omplementary angles are two angles that form a right angle. Their sum will be 90o.

Example: If angle A = 30o, what is the measure of angle B? Step 1: Think: A right angle = 90o Step 2: Subtract: 90 – 30 = 60 So angle B = 600 When two lines intersect the angles opposite each other are called vertical angles. Those angles are equal.

By Ange Mlinko

I

n this quick and easy science experiment tutorial, you will learn how to make a “cool” little ice pack.

This activity is super easy and can be performed with a few items you already have at home. This science experiment uses an endothermic chemical reaction to create an impressive chill for your ice pack.

Materials: Small ziplock bag About one tablespoon of baking soda About one quarter cup of vinegar Thumbtack or safety pin Water

Instructions:

Poke a small hole with the safety pin near the very top of the bag. This will release pressure and keep your bag from popping.

Open the ziplock bag and put the baking soda inside.

Add the vinegar.

Zip the bag closed.

The baking soda and vinegar will begin to react and bubble.

The bag will quickly expand and you will be able to feel the air escaping through the hole you created.

Shake the bag and mix the ingredients around.

Place the bag in your hand.

You will feel a significant decrease in temperature.

Exercises: Identify the complementary angles and vertical angles 1) 2)

How it works:

When the vinegar and baking soda mix, an endothermic chemical reaction occurs that absorbs heat from the surroundings and reduces the temperature of the area.

Make this a science project:

3)

With a dolly and a zoom, the airbus entire Everglades shows us: blotchy cloud-shadows thrown on seepage algae’s overgrown.

Observe—the air we freely breathe from this height seems to sheath earth in miasma. The clouds look like dross. The Everglades look like dross. Biomass is, essentially, dross.

In Miami, all the gold that could enclose a woman’s finger, wrist, or neck was on display, as if? to deflect knowledge of? her own mossiness.

Pretend not to know what this says about our aspirations to the high life.

Up in the airbus, I see as if for the first time how a cloverleaf turns a highway into a motif on the margins of a manuscript illuminated with a wing that tipped itself in asphalt. The story it tells wants unstapling into angels, heavenly bodies drawn raptly in on tail winds, touched with halogen.

Source: Poetry (December 2020)

What happens if you use a larger baggie? What happens if you use a different amount of baking soda?

What happens if you use a different amount of water?

What happens if you use very warm water to begin the experiment? (sciencefun.org)

Saturday’s answers 1) 2) 3)

No Yes Yes

Teacher's Tip

“A good education is a foundation for a better future” – Elizabeth Warren

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Gas-to-shore, Amaila Falls Hydro projects to facilitate industrial revolution in Guyana – Dr Ashni Singh

W

ith Guyana on the cusp of a massive economical and infrastructural transformation, the highly anticipated Gas-to-Shore and Amaila Falls Hydropower Projects (AFHP) are expected to lead the path towards an industrial revolution in the country.

This is according to Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, during his presentation to wrap up last week’s debates on Budget 2022.

The $552.9 billion Budget, under the theme “Steadfast Against All Challenges, Resolute in Building Our One Guyana”, will lay the foundation for Guyana’s massive economic transformation and modernization. It also contained the use of the country’s earnings from the oil and gas sector for the first time to finance several major development projects including the Gas-to-Shore and Amaila Falls projects.

Dr Singh this budget outlines an agenda for transforming Guyana in a way that generations of Guyanese have been waiting for. He noted that the energy sector will be the driving force behind this transformation.

“The Gas-to-Shore project and the Amaila Falls [will] deliver energy at scale, using clean and renewable sources including gas a transitional fuel… delivering electricity at the level that is required to facilitate an industrial revolution in Guyana.

Finally, the industrial revolution that our fore-parents have dreamt of but were unable to

realise because of inadequacy and cost of power; finally, this People’s Progressive Party government will deliver it and Budget 2022 initiates that delivery,” the Finance Minister declared in the National Assembly on Friday last.

In its shift to renewable energy, the Dr Irfaan Ali-led administration is pursuing a diverse energy mix that includes hydropower, solar power, wind power, and the transition from fossil fuel to natural gas as a much cleaner option. To this end, a total of $29.4 billion is allocated to the energy sector in Budget 2022.

The PPP/C Government is pursuing the US$900 million game-changing initiative that will see gas from the Liza Field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana being piped onshore to generate power.

The main objective of the project is to transport sufficient gas from the offshore oil operations to supply some 200-250 megawatts of energy to the national grid by 2024, leading to a significant reduction in electricity costs. It entails the construction of a 225 km pipeline to transport the guaranteed minimum of 50 mmcfd of natural gas from offshore Guyana to the Wales Development Authority, West Demerara.

Only last month, it was disclosed that some 13 companies have applied to construct the natural gas-fired power plant and the natural gas liquids plant components of the project.

The National Procurement

Preliminary artist’s impression of natural gas plant (Source: EEPGL)

and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) opened 12 bids from local, regional and international firms.

Among the companies whose Expressions of Interest were deemed acceptable enough to now enter the prequalification process, were CH4 Guyana Incorporated in collaboration with Lindsayca Incorporated, a Texas-based company.

Power China International Group Limited, a company that specialises in hydropower and electrical infrastructure, was also prequalified, as well as China Energy International Guyana Company Limited.

China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) was also prequalified.

Other companies include Apan Energy, Wilson Offshore and Marine Limited, Constutora Queiroz Galvao, Tecnicas Reunidas, Black and Veatch, Amerapex Corporation (USA),

SEPCOII Electric Power and Trinidadian company NGC Group.

The rationale for the combination of the power plant and the NGL facilities is guided by findings by Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) – the local subsidiary of ExxonMobil – that there will be substantial savings from combining these two facilities.

As such, notwithstanding that the Government of Guyana has separately received Expressions of Interest in September 2021 that included the power plant, and that EEPGL had separately pre-qualified firms for the NGL plant, the decision to combine the power and NGL plants necessitated that all interested parties be invited to submit or re-submit the information.

Meanwhile, the construction of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, which is projected to generate some 165 megawatts

of electricity, is set to begin this year and be completed by 2027.

As a result, the Government has allocated a total of $29.4 billion to the energy sector in 2022.

The Finance Minister had said in his Budget presentation two weeks ago that Government has requested, received, and evaluated proposals for this project, adding that negotiations are underway with the highest-ranked company which is an experienced international company.

“The project will be developed under a Build-Own-OperateTransfer (BOOT) arrangement within which the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) will purchase power from the operator under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)… Once operationalised, the facility will significantly reduce the cost of energy for both businesses and households,” Dr Singh said in his speech.

The AFHP initiative, which was created by the previous PPP/C government, was scrapped by the APNU/AFC regime after they took office in 2015.

The PPP/C had promised to revive the project on the 2020 campaign trail.

In fact, these two flagship projects are key features of the PPP/C’s revised Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS 2030) which is aimed at transforming Guyana’s energy landscape with the aim of ensuring that the nation is fully powered by affordable and non-polluting power in the next decade.

8 NEWS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC MPs face hefty fines, jail time if convicted of cyber crimes to humiliate Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Colonel Omar Khan.

The senior GDF rank is reported to have made a complaint with the Cyber Crime Unit after Ferguson, in a Facebook post, said he would be in charge of a killing squad. Her case is continuing in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Sherod Duncan

Gavin Matthews

T

wo Parliamentarians from the coalition A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC) are among three persons recently charged under the cybercrime law for comments made on Facebook about a Government Minister and other persons.

Opposition MPs Sherod Duncan and Annette Ferguson, along with social media talk show host Gavin Matthews, have been charged with offences committed contrary to Section 19(3)(a) of the Cyber Crime Act — a law passed under the previous Coalition Government.

That section of the law states that a person commits an offence if he/she uses a computer system to disseminate any information, statement or image that causes damage to the reputation of another person, knowing same to be false; or subjects

APNU/AFC parliamentarian Sherod Duncan

APNU/AFC parliamentarian Annette Ferguson

another person to public ridicule, contempt, hatred or embarrassment by the dissemination of such a statement, when they know same to be false.

If convicted, those charged face time in prison and hefty fines. In fact, a person who commits an offence under this section of the law renders himself/herself liable to the following penalties: (a) on summary conviction, to a fine of $5 million and to imprisonment for three years; and (b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine of $10 million and to imprisonment for five years.

Charles Ramson Jr. It is alleged that on March 25, 2021, without legal or lawful justification or excuse, Matthews, 44, of Charlotte Street Georgetown, used a computer system to publish electronic data about Ramson Jr. with intent to damage his reputation and corrupt public morals.

Matthews was formally charged on June 4, 2021, and was placed on $100,00 bail by the Chief Magistrate after denying the charge.

The Police contend that via a Facebook live, Matthews hurled a series of accusations against the Minister while criticising his affiliation with the PPP Government.

Gavin Matthews

Police, in April 2021, arrested Matthews after he allegedly published a video on Facebook that was derogatory and intended to embarrass, humiliate, or cause emotional distress to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport,

Annette Ferguson

On June 16, 2021, Ferguson was granted selfbail on a similar charge.

Particulars of that charge allege that, on June 15, 2021, she used a computer system

Last month, APNUAFC Member of Parliament Sherod Duncan was charged over his referring to Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Information Technology Manager Aneal Giddings as a “trench crappo” and a “jagabat”.

Duncan, 42, appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Diamond/ Grove Magistrates’ Courts, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released on $200,000 bail.

Duncan’s charge alleges that on January 11, 2022, without legal or lawful justification or excuse, he used a computer system to publish electronic data about Giddings with intent to humiliate, embarrass, or cause him emotional distress.

Police Headquarters said Giddings filed a report in which he stated that Duncan, who hosts the ‘In the Ring’ programme on Facebook, called him by name and referred to him as ‘jagabat’, ‘trench crappo’, and other names.

Giddings also claimed that Duncan’s utterances have caused him significant emotional distress and humiliation.

1 dead, another hospitalised following motorcycle accident at Laluni

A

man is now dead while a teenager remains in serious condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital after the motorcycle on which they were travelling hit a pothole and ended up in a nearby trench along the Laluni trail, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway, in the wee hours of Sunday.

The dead man has been identified as 23-yearold Dave Taylor of Laluni Creek, while the man hospitalised in serious condition has been identified as 17-year-old Vishal Bahadur, who was the pillion rider on the motorcycle. The incident reportedly took place at about 1:00h on Sunday.

Guyana Times understands that Taylor, who might have been under the influence of alcohol, was driving motorcycle CL 3900 at a fast rate of speed with Bahadur as the pillion rider. As they made their way along the Laluni trail, the bike encountered a pothole

Dead: Dave Taylor

Seriously injured: Vishal Bahadur

under a pool of water, and Taylor lost control of the vehicle. As a result, the bike ended up in a nearby trench, and Taylor and Bahadur sustained injuries about their bodies.

Picked up by public-spirited citizens, they were taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, with Bahadur reportedly being conscious while Taylor was unconscious.

Taylor was pronounced dead on arrival there, while Bahadur was treated and referred to the GPHC for further treatment. He has been admitted a patient at that medical facility.

In August 2019, Taylor has been among 11 persons who were injured in a vehicular accident at New Hope Public Road, East Bank Demerara.

Oswald Roberts, 59, of Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway, driver of a Route 42 minibus, was killed in that accident.

Roberts was the driver of minibus BWW 2940 when a motor pick-up which was being driven by a 45-yearold resident of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara at a fast rate reportedly became uncontrollable on the New Hope Public Road, and began to swerve from east to west across the road before ending up in the path of the minibus, which was said to be proceeding north along the western side of the road.

The two vehicles collided head-on, and extensive damage resulted. The occupants of the minibus, as well as both drivers, were all rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where Roberts was pronounced dead on arrival.

Taylor and 10 others had received serious injuries as a result of that accident.

Passing…

I

…of iconic Lata t was said that while there are seven notes in Indian music - sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni – there should be two more added - la and ta!! It is a compliment, of course, to Lata Mangeshkar - the “nightingale” of India - who’s universally known as just “Lata”. She passed away yesterday, but in doing so, she brought together the entire subcontinent - where relations are always testy - as never before.

For the 1.3 billion Indians, PM Modi, who shared his birthday with Lata, tweeted, “The kind and caring Lata Didi has left us. She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled. The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerise people."

For the 200 million of Pakistan, came PM Imran Khan - “With the death of Lata Mangeshkar, the subcontinent has lost one of the truly great singers the world has known. Listening to her songs has given so much pleasure to so many people all over the world.”

For Bangladesh’s 165 million citizens, PM Sheikh Hasina said, “Mangeshkar will remain alive forever in the hearts of the people in the region, through her work.

A great void has been created in the subcontinent’s musical arena with the demise of the ‘Sur Samraggi (empress of music)’.”

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in a tweet, said for his 22 millions, “Rest In Peace Nightingale of #India, #LataMangeshkar. Thank you for the decades of entertainment that transcended.”

Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari said it for her 29 million, “I am saddened by the news of the demise of famous Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar, who has also lent her melodious voice to many Nepalese songs.”

And that’s the point - while Lata was from Maharashtra and her native language was Marathi - for the 30,000 songs she crooned, she did so in dozens of languages!! While there was no institution to summarise the sentiments of the 30-million strong Indians of their diasporas, their flags were also figuratively at half-mast.

But your Eyewitness wasn’t just a lover of Lata’s songs; like him, she was a cricket “tragic” who doted on the game. She was particularly fond of fellow Maharastrian and Mumbaian Sachin Tendulkar, who called her “Mom” - in Marathi, of course!! Now, Lata was 92, and while everyone knew she had to go sometime, it’s a reminder of the virulence of COVID 19 that she was one of its 5.73 million victims worldwide.

But Lata has played her innings, and what an innings it has been. She leaves a legacy in music that will continue forever.

Her songs from the 1940s are still sung by children 73 years later. …and changing racism Without comment, your Eyewitness publishes the changing definitions of “racism” by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), what has fought against the scourge for decades. Originally, they said, racism is “the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another”, or that “a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics.”

In 2020, following months of Black Lives Matter demonstrations, it quietly redefined the term in what appeared to be a response to the movement to mean “the marginalisation and/or oppression of people of colour based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges white people.” But last Wednesday, following Whoopi Goldbergs claim that the Holocaust wasn’t due to racism, (for which she later apologised) the ADL came out with a new “interim” definition: “racism is when individuals or institutions show more favourable evaluation or treatment of an individual or group based on race or ethnicity.”

So what about Guyana, where the PNC unilaterally fired 7,000 mostly Indian Guyanese sugar workers? …appointments So, the AFC complained when a contract of one of its supporters for managing the EITI wasn’t renewed.

Did they think this position was a tenured one - like with university professors?

Well, he’s being replaced by a former university professor.

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

9 Uncertainty reigns over new Opposition Leader’s appointment NEWS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– as Nicolette Henry yet to officially resign as MP

APNU/AFC Opposition MP, Dr Nicolette Henry

N

early two weeks after Joseph Harmon stepped down as Leader of the Opposition, there is still uncertainty over his replacement despite reports that A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change member, Dr Nicolette Henry, resigned from the National Assembly to allow People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Leader, Aubrey Norton to become a Member of Parliament (MP) and ultimately Opposition Leader.

After making her contribution to last week debates on Budget 2022, Henry, who had served as Education Minister under the previous APNU/AFC Coalition government, announced it was her final presentation in the National Assembly.

“In light that this is my final Budget Presentation in this Honorable House, of course, I begin by thanking none other than His Excellency, former President [David] Granger, who re-

posed in me the confidence to serve in this Honourable House. I am forever grateful to the people of this country who afforded me the opportunity to serve them with professionalism, dignity and accountability… So, today, it was with those words I part company,” Henry stated.

It was anticipated that with a vacant seat now on the Opposition’s side of the National Assembly, Norton would be sworn in as a Member of Parliament and take up the role of Opposition Leader that was left vacant

by Harmon, who is still a parliamentarian.

However, the Guyana Times understands that Henry is yet to submit a formal letter of resignation to the relevant authorities at the Parliament of Guyana.

Moreover, Norton himself is reportedly uncertain about Henry’s MP status.

When contracted on Sunday for an update on the appointment of a new Opposition Leader, the

PNC Leader told this newspaper that he is yet to receive formal indications that Henry has resigned from the National Assembly.

“As far as I know, she hasn’t resigned as yet… I have not been told that she has resigned although she has announced it formally,” he related.

Consequently, Norton posited, “There is not sense talking about [the new Opposition Leader] when there is no vacancy. When there is a vacancy then we can talk about Leader of the Opposition but for now there is none, until the resignation occurs.”

Norton had revealed last month that the Central Executive of the PNC, which the leading party in the Coalition Opposition, wants him to take up the role of Opposition Leader.

Despite refusing to step down initially, Harmon resigned from the post on January 26 but still remains an Opposition Member of Parliament.

In light of this, Norton had been meeting with various PNC parliamentarians to convince one of them to resign so that he can enter the National Assembly.

According to reports, Dr Henry had agreed to step down.

Meanwhile, it was also reported that the party is also talking to other MPs to resign in order to make way for members of the current PNC Central Executive to similarly join the National Assembly.

In coming to this de-

cision, the PNC Leader had held a series of meetings with the various parties in the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) fraction as well as its Alliance For Change (AFC) Coalition partner.

However, AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan has informed this publication that while his party will continue to meet with its Coalition partner, the appointment of the new Opposition Leader is “exclusively” an APNU issue.

Meanwhile, Opposition MP, Deputy Speaker Lenox Shuman, who is the representative of the joinder list which comprises of his party the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) as well as A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and The New Movement (TNM), had also indicated previously that he would not be participating in that process to elect the new Leader of the Opposition.

Shuman currently occupies one seat in the 32-seat Parliamentary Opposition, while the remaining are taken up by the APNU+AFC Coalition.

Nevertheless, Harmon’s resignation as Opposition Leader last month came one day after he had also stepped down as General Secretary of the APNU, while former PNC Leader David Granger has resigned as the party’s Chairman. The APNU Chairmanship has since been taken up by Norton.

The PNC Leader is also looking to take over as Head of the APNU+AFC List of Candidate – a position that is currently being by Granger.

PNC Leader Aubrey Norton

For Norton to become the new Leader of the Opposition, Granger will have to give the greenlight. In an event that Granger steps down as head of the list of candidates, AFC’s Khemraj Ramjattan will take his place.

In fact, PNC General Secretary Geeta ChandanEdmond told reporters during a press conference on Friday that consultations are ongoing to determine the procedure in moving forward with this issue.

However, Ramjattan, who

is the current Deputy Head of the List, had previously made it clear that the established procedures must be followed before the Representative of the List can be changed.

Meanwhile, both Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips last week have disclosed that President Dr Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government by extension is willing to work with the new Opposition Leader.

10 NEWS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CJIA, Soesdyke NDC host clean-up exercise T

he Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Sunday teamed up with the Soesdyke Neighborhood Democratic Council (NDC) the Prime Minister's Community Liaison Office, Guyana Defense Force, Guyana Police Force and residents of the community to conduct a cleanup exercise, commencing from Timehri North to the Soesdyke junction.

This exercise is in keeping with President Irfaan Ali’s vision to improve and maintain the cleanliness of our communities.

Also, participating in the exercise were Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, Minister within the Office

of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy, Chairman of CJIAC’s Board of Directors, Sanjeev Datadin and Director Daun Ellis.

Chairman of CJIAC’s Board, Sanjeev Datadin, noted that the objective is to raise awareness while promoting a safe and healthy environment.

He said, “I believe our objective for the activity has been met. I am pleased to see the number of persons, who turned out to support this cause. It shows that persons in the community are willing to make that first step towards enhancing their environment.”

Chairman of the Soesdyke Neighborhood Democratic Council, Bhupendra Deokie, said, “It was a major

success…. I am looking forward to collaborating with the airport on more projects such as this.”

Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill commended the initiative and encouraged the continued care of the environment.

“This is a commendable effort by CJIA and team and I am hoping that this will encourage a change in mindset and persons will become cognizant of the important role they play in maintaining their communities.”

Minister Edghill emphasized that the Government takes a zero-tolerance approach to littering and will continue to put strong measures in place to deter

such “unwholesome” practices.

The exercise also saw support from the business community in the Timehri/ Soesdyke area, including AGM Mining.

Deals Unlimited, Nook’s Restaurant, Camille’s Academy, Mahase Sawmill, SD Investments, Bounty Farm and Rubis Gas Station.

The cleanup campaign is part of ongoing efforts to enhance and beautify the Timehri/Soesdyke area.

Among other projects to be launched, shortly, is the yard-front enhancement initiative. Persons, residing along the access road from the airport will be encouraged to spruce up the front of their homes (yard).

11 Rodrigues raps APNU/AFC for its incompetence in housing sector during term in office NEWS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues

M

inister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, has highlighted the incompetence of the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) party in the housing and water sector during its term in office.

On Thursday, during

er Housing Ministers that were there under their Government, had been productive, we would not have found a backlog of 70,000 applicants as of the 2nd of August 2020, when we came into Government,” the Minister related.

According to Rodrigues, the APNU/AFC did not, in its 2016, 2017 and 2018

in the budget for housing; that is when they made the first set of money available for housing,” she charged. “(Besides) not providing house lots, they neglected infrastructure works in the housing areas, and this led to several consequences. Apart from people not being able to access their house lots, it also led for them and for us to be unable to hand over housing schemes to the NDCs, because the infrastructure was not done in those areas,” she explained.

The Minister also mentioned what is considered the “failed duplex initiative” under the former administration.

“The failed duplexes…under the honorable Valerie Patterson. They came up with a bright idea to deliver duplex units, which has two occupancies,

The Young Professionals Housing Scheme being developed

her budget presentation, the Minister stated that during the coalition’s term in office, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) had no clear leadership and policy directions, as it had issued only a meagre 7,534 house lots in four years.

“The sector (was) lethargic and non-pro-

budgets, allocate funds for any housing project.

“It’s simple. In order to produce house lots, in order to have the infrastructure in the housing schemes, you need money.

(With) no monies produced for housing, how else can you produce house lots?

How else can infrastructural work be done in your

has two houses in one, on one portion of land. When they introduced this housing solution, they failed to amend the legislation to ensure that the allottees who would get one of these duplexes would be able to get their title.

“Our law does not provide for that, and they did not amend the law to ensure that these people can

Homes being constructed at Prospect under the PPP/C Govt

ductive, a meagre 7,534 house lots were distributed in 5 years; a figure which we have long surpassed in only one year of Government,” she said.

“If the honorable member Ferguson, or the oth-

housing schemes so that allottees can access their lands?” she asked rhetorically.

“In 2019, when they faced a vote of no confidence, that is when they found the first allocation

have title or transport to their land…

“They charged 6.8 million dollars per duplex; this is more than our allottees are paying for a low-income house now, where they are on a plot

of land by themselves and they can have a title to their land,” the Minister related.

In relation to the water sector, Minister Rodrigues said that upon taking office, this Government had many issues and challenges to deal with.

Those included major financial challenges, such as the Guyana Water Incorporated owing the Guyana Power and Light $7 million.

“The company’s (GWI’s) financial position was in a dire state, as it could not meet its financial obligations to suppliers, and restocking of basic materials was unavailable. The company’s ineffective leadership and lavish spending led to an increase in operating costs by 1.1 billion dollars in the 5 years that they (APNU/AFC) were in office. The bank balances decreased during those 5 years by 1.8 billion dollars. There were 2 water tariff increases under the APNU/AFC, one in 2018 and one in 2019, which totalled 87 per cent increase in water tariffs.

“And among (this) totalling, $800 million was owed to suppliers; 4 years’ financial statements were not audited; we are completing those. The Public Procurement rules were being breached by the director then, Richard Van West-Charles, to facilitate the purchase of a questionable water treatment chemical, SeaQuest, for

Former Housing and Water Minister Annette Ferguson

iron content; 1.8 billion dollars was spent to procure this product, and the product was found to be ineffective in treating water in most of the wells,” she explained.

The Minister also stated that over 5,000 customers were denied service connections because the basic inventory levels were not available.

“The most ridiculous one yet was that the Guyana Water Inc had a container on John Fernandes Wharf with well maintenance parts since 2017. It was cleared when we came into Government in September of 2020,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Minister noted that this administration has rejuvenated and revitalised the sectors that the former administration had corrupted.

She said this administration’s goal is to provide a better quality of life for all, and she highlighted that Government would follow through to

implement the promise made to the people in the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) manifesto.

Among those promises is a commitment to creating 10,000 house lots annually; investing in support infrastructure in existing and new housing schemes; reversing VAT on building materials; facilitating affordable financing for home ownership; promoting home ownership, particularly among youths and professionals; promoting partnership with, and incentivising, Private Sector involvement.

“I am pleased to report to this house that, to date, we have already accomplished all of the commitments I just listed from our manifesto, including the allocation of 10,000 house lots. And out of that, 3,926 house lots went to women in their own right; women as the sole applicant, with no other applicant on their application,” Minister Rodrigues explained.

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14 NEWS Bollywood singer Lata Mangeshkar, “the Nightingale”, given State Funeral MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

The casket of the late legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar being draped with the Indian flag

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays respect to immediate relatives of the late singer

Maharashtra, Mangeshkar's home state, declared a public holiday on Monday. India's Central Bank rescheduled its Monetary Policy Committee meeting by a day, to Feb. 8-10, due to the holiday. The policy decision is now expected on Thursday.

The state of West Bengal declared a half-day holiday, and urged the administration to play Mangeshkar's songs at important crossings all over the state for 15 days.

The Indian Cricket Team wore black armbands as they kicked off the first of three one-dayers against the West Indies. Former Indian captain Virat Kohli said her songs had touched people around the world. Another former captain, Sachin Tendulkar, was among those at the funeral.

'A gift from God'

Lata Mangeshkar

L

ata Mangeshkar, one of India's best known cultural icons and a singer who defined music for generations of her countrymen, died on Sunday, and was given a State Funeral as politicians and personalities united in mourning.

Mangeshkar, 92, made her name in the world of Bollywood, and her voice had rung out on television sets, on crackly airwaves, and from movie theatres for most of India's three quarters of a century being independent, earning her the name "The On 16 December 1941, she sang 3 songs for the Nightingale". first time in the studio "I am anguished beyond words," Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter. "She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled."

Modi joined mourners at a packed open-air State Funeral late on Sunday after Mangeshkar’s body, wrapped in the Indian flag, had been paraded through the streets of her home city Mumbai on a truck decorated with flowers.

Thousands of people gathered round Shivaji Park, where she was cremated, climbing walls and trees to get a glimpse of the proceedings, and paying their own respects however they could, despite Police erecting barricades and restricting public entry.

The Government will observe State Mourning, with the flag being flown at half-mast through Monday, the Home Ministry has said.

Mangeshkar died of "multi-organ failure after more than 28 days of hospitalisation post COVID-19", said Pratit Samdani, who was treating her at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital, according to Reuters’ TV partner ANI. "The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerise people," Modi wrote.

Other Bollywood personalities and politicians also paid their tributes. "The voice of a million centuries has left us," veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeting Asha Bhosle, sister of the late singer

Born in 1929 in pre-independence India, Mangeshkar began singing in her teens; and, in a career spanning 73 years, sang more than an estimated 15,000 songs in 36 languages.

She enthralled music-mad Indians with her lilting voice and sheer range, singing everything from patriotic songs to romantic numbers, both in films and albums.

The world of Bollywood - where movies were unthinkable without at least six songs, and where everything from romance to grief was narrated with the help of a ballad - was where Mangeshkar cut her teeth.

Classically trained, Mangeshkar moulded her voice to the demands of singing for Bollywood movies, even voicing songs in her 60s for an actress who was in her 20s.

Her songs motivated millions of Indians, during wars with China and Pakistan, to pay homage to the defence forces. Some of her songs are used as prayers in temples, shrines and schools.

"My voice is a gift from God," she once told an interviewer. "I

Amitabh Bachchan and daughter Shweta Bachchan visiting the legendary singer’s home ahead of the funeral

Shah Rukh Khan went to Shivaji Park to pay his last respects to Lata Mangeshkar

People attending the funeral procession of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar in Mumbai on Sunday

During her visit to Guyana in the 1980s, Lata Mangeshkar met several prominent Guyanese, including the then President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud

learned to emote through my voice. When I sang a lullaby, I became a mother; when it was a romantic song, I was a lover."

The only songs she refused to sing were cabaret numbers and songs that had bawdy or racy lyrics, saying those did not fit with her personal values. Mangeshkar, nevertheless, dominated the Hindi film industry for almost five decades until the 2000s, along with her younger sister Asha Bhosle.

Detractors accused her of using her Bollywood clout to limit the entry of newcomers. Her influence was such that Mumbai authorities in 2006 scrapped a planned highway flyover after she objected that it would disturb her privacy.

Known for soft-spoken nature and wearing a saree, her hair in two schoolgirl-like braids, Mangeshkar received India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 2001. She was awarded France's highest civilian honour, the Legion of Honour, in 2009.

"Music is incomplete without your voice," actor Amitabh Bachchan said of Mangeshkar in 2019, when she was commemorating her 90th birthday. "It has done the work of saints."

(Reuters)

NEWS

15

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

"UG has emboldened you to go into the world and to speak your truth" – Vice Chancellor Mohamed tells largest-ever graduating class

UG’sVice Chancellor Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin

“T

he University of Guyana [UG] has emboldened you to go into the world and to speak your truth, act your integrity, move your world, lift others and live and create the lives you want to have.” So said, UG’s ViceChancellor Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin in her congratulatory message to the Class of 2021.

At almost 2,700 strong, this is the 59-year-old university’s largest class to date. This milestone is being celebrated through the second hosting of a series of virtual graduation ceremonies which commenced on Friday and will run until Saturday.

This is the 55th convocation for UG’s Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown Campus, and 20th for its other campus at Tain, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

In a year when many students struggled to reach the finish line and were forced to adapt to virtual learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the university’s principal told the graduates that their success story is an inspiration to others.

“Somewhere out there, there is someone who is watching you, someone who is thinking, if he or she could do this, maybe, I can too.”

She reminded them of the university's fourth aspiration goal, that is, it should be a model for the nation, not only in terms of technical proficiency but also when it comes to the way they behave, their deportment, relations, the way they handle problems, manage themselves and of course, integrity and morality.

Emphasing that UG is a “people university”, the Vice-Chancellor noted that it is funded by taxpayers and has allowed many persons whose parents never acquired a tertiary education, to have one. According to her, some of the graduates came from far-flung places and had a difficult time adjusting to Guyana/Georgetown.

Notwithstanding, she applauded them for persevering, showing resilience, grit, determination, and proving others wrong.

She told them that UG has prepared them for advancing and doing brighter, greater, bigger, and more important things.

“And don’t believe that important things are the things that get highlighted across big screens and in the newspaper,” she added while pointing out that oftentimes, important things never get noticed by anyone except a few important people.

“Those are likely the things that change people's lives for the better, and in fact, change entire countries. And when entire countries change, the planet that we live on changes. We hope that the University of Guyana has emboldened you to go into the world and to speak your truth, act your integrity, move your world, lift others and to live and create the lives you want to have,” said Professor Mohamed Martin.

She expressed the hope that the Class of 2021 will impact the people they meet positively. “May you succeed in every single thing that you do. May you live a life

Almost 2700 students from across various disciplines have been conferred with associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees and diplomas from the University of Guyana

of grace, of beauty, and of positivity, and may everyone who comes across your path leaves you feeling better, bigger, greater, hopeful. God bless you!”

The University of Guyana offers 136 programmes in over 60 disciplines online and face-to-face in 8 campuses across Guyana. With a student population of now 10,000, UG has provided education, learning, and research for over 50,000 alumni.

Its mission is to discover, generate, disseminate and apply knowledge of the highest standard for the service of the community, the nation, and of all mankind within an atmosphere of academic freedom that allows for free and critical inquiry.

16 NEWS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Over 800 squatters regularised, 2016 Black Bush Polder triple murder relocated in 2021 — Min Croal Confessed killer to be ...says Govt has a strategy for upgrading, preventing squatter settlements

O

Housing Minister Collin Croal

ver 800 squatters have either been regularised or relocated in the last year alone, with more than 750 squatters in Regions Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Five (Mahaica-Berbice) benefiting from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government’s push to regularise squatter settlements.

This information was recently provided by Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal, who also lambasted the parliamentary Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), for its uninformed comments on Government’s squatting policy.

“Sometimes I think some of the members spend too much time in the ring, and not enough time familiarising themselves with the policies of our Government.

Why else would the honourable member ask about the plan for squatting? It

is public information that we have more than a plan, since, through parliamentary questions, it’s not enough for them.

“We have a plan; it is called ‘The Guyana Strategy for Informal Settlements’ Upgrading and Prevention.

It is the PPP/C Government that started a comprehensive housing programme after taking office in 1992, and that programme included interventions for squatting,” Croal explained.

According to the Minister, Government has since created a database that compiles information on the various squatter settlements across the country. This is to ensure that Government has enough information to make targeted investments and interventions that can have optimum impact.

“As a result, we have regularised over 750 informal settlers in Regions 4 and 5 over the last year. We have relocated 59 persons squatting on Government reserves, and, in some cases, when it was necessary, we have even compensated. In the five years of the coalition Government, they relocated only 20 families from Broad Street,” Minister Croal related.

Since coming to office, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government has made it clear that it is aiming to fulfil its manifesto promise of distributing 50,000 house lots over the next five years. The Ministry of Housing has also said it would work with other State agencies to make more lands

available for housing development. Those agencies are the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL); the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC), and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). Government intends to pursue land acquisition for housing development.

Last year, the housing sector received a total allocation of $8.9 billion in the budget. Of this sum, $6 billion was earmarked for infrastructure and utility works in new and existing areas. The Government, in 2021, processed close to 2000 titles and transports in its first year in office, while starting construction on 1000 houses and conducting massive infrastructural work… all part of a morethan-$14 billion investment in the housing sector. In this year’s budget, 12.4 billion has been earmarked for infrastructural development in housing schemes across the country.

Minister Croal had previously also said that plans for 2022 include the distribution of 15,000 house lots and the continuation of the Home Improvement and Subsidy programme.

When it comes to core homes, Minister Croal had said last month that there are 50 core homes currently being constructed, with a few of those expected to be handed over in La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD), soon.

Additionally, core homes are being constructed in Sophia, ECD, as well as on the WBD.

Homeless man arrested for dumping garbage in city

A

homeless man was arrested on Friday afternoon after he was caught dumping garbage in Robb Street, Lacytown, Georgetown.

Guyana Times was informed that, although being caught, the man refused to identify the person/s who had given him the garbage to dispose of. As such, he was taken into custody and was ordered to do community work.

A week ago, two males and a female were arrested in separate incidents involving the dumping of garbage, and they have been charged for littering in Georgetown.

It was reported that two of the three persons are vendors, while the other is a homeless man.

The first indecent occurred when the homeless man was caught dumping garbage at Russel Square, Stabroek Market,

Georgetown. Caught and arrested, the man identified a female vendor as the person who had paid him to dispose of the garbage.

The man and woman were both arrested, and each was placed on $20,000 bail. They are expected to be arraigned in court on February 8.

Following those arrests, Police said, another man was arrested on the East Bank of Demerara after he was caught littering.

His identity has not been disclosed, but he will be charged soon.

In a previous report from the Police Force, it was detailed that despite repeated calls for persons not to litter, litterbugs are still being caught dumping garbage around the country.

On Friday, Shania Singh received an award from the Mayor and City Council after she stood up

sentenced on Thursday

Dead: From left: Pawan Chandradeo, his son Jaikarran Chandradeo, and his brother-in-law Naresh Rooplall

J

airam Chaitram, the 23-year-old accused who admitted to committing the murders of 37-year-old

capital offence, his father and Karamchand have pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter. They will be sentenced

that these shooting victims had died from shock and haemorrhage. It was reported that a shotgun was used to shoot the men.

Confessed killers: Carlton Chaitram, Jairam Chaitram and Rakesh Karamchand

Pawan Chandradeo; his son, 15-year-old Jaikarran Chandradeo, and his 33-year-old brother-in-law Naresh Rooplall in July 2016, will on Thursday be sentenced by Justice Sandil Kissoon.

Also charged with the triple murder are Chaitram’s father, Carlton Chaitram, also known as ‘Lyma’, 40; Tameshwar Jagmohan, otherwise known as ‘Guana’, 21; and Rakesh Karamchand, called ‘Go-To-Front’, 30, - all residents of Berbice.

While Jairam Chaitram has pleaded guilty to this

on February 17 by Justice Kissoon at the Berbice High Court.

Meanwhile, the prosecution, led by State Counsel Abigail Gibbs, is continuing with its case against Jagmohan, who has opted for a trial by jury.

The lifeless bodies of the three shooting victims were found days after they had left their homes to go on a fishing trip in Black Bush Polder, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Each body bore one gunshot wound.

Autopsies determined

Murder accused Tameshwar Jagmohan

18-year-old busted with ganja plants in home

A

The homeless man who was arrested for littering

to a litterbug on Longden Street, Stabroek.

In a video that was circulating on social media, the woman was heard ordering a man to pick a beverage container he had deposited on the pavement.

She has been rewarded for her bravery.

n 18-year-old labourer of Mocha, East Bank Demerara has been taken into Police custody after a number of cannabis plants were found at his home.

Guyana Times was informed that a party of Policemen, acting on information received, went to Barnwell North, Mocha EBD and made contact with the 18-year-old labourer. A search was carried out on his home, and several buckets with mould were found.

Three of those buckets had what the Police suspected to be cannabis plants, measuring from seedling to 8 inches in height.

The man was immediately told of the offence, and he admitted thereto under caution. He was arrested and

One of the plants that were found in the labourer’s possession

escorted to the Providence Police Station, where he is presently in custody assisting with the investigation.

Only a day ago, a teenager and three persons were arrested with a quantity of marijuana during raids in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-

Upper Essequibo). A party of Policemen had gone to the teen’s home and conducted a search, during which 2.6 grams of cannabis sativa were unearthed. The teen was arrested, and remains in custody pending charges.

NEWS

17

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Region 4 pensioner is latest COVID-19 death – 196 new infections

T

he Health Ministry on Sunday reported that one more person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has died.

This latest fatality is an 89-year-old female from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), who died on Sunday. According to the Ministry, the woman’s vaccination status was unknown at the time of her death.

With this, the total number of deaths in Guyana from the pandemic has gone up to 1,181. Consequently, the COVID-19 death toll for the month of February is 11.

However, new statistics showed that 196 new infections were detected within a 24-hour period thus taking the total confirmed cases to 61,600 of which only 5,674 are currently active cases.

This includes 15 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining 5,659 persons are in isolation, that is, 119 in institutional isolation and the remaining 5,540 in home isolation.

There are an additional 17 persons currently in institutional quarantine, according to the Dashboard.

Moreover, some 54,745 persons have recovered from the life-threatening disease to date – five more recover-

ies than the figure reported the previous day.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, approximately 517,421 persons have been tested so far and of this, some 28,421 males and 33,179 females were found to be positive.

Of the 196 new cases reported on Sunday, three were from Region One (Barima-Waini); 10 cases from Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam); 25 from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); a whopping 109 cases from the Demerara-Mahaica region; eight from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); another 14 cases from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and the remaining 27 cases from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

There were no new cases recorded in Regions Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Region 10 (Upper DemeraraUpper Berbice) within the 24-hour period.

While it is on the decline now, the surge in COVID-19 cases over the past several weeks has been attributed to the Omicron variant, which though not deadly is highly transmissible.

As such, health authorities are urging persons to get vaccinated, and for those

who are qualified to get their booster shots, in order to add a layer of protection against the virus.

Latest figures show that so far, over 425,702 or 82.9 per cent adults have taken a first dose while more than 315,960 or 61.6 per cent of persons 18 years and over are fully immunised.

For adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, some 23,000 or 31.8 per cent of them are fully vaccinated, while over 41,000 persons have returned for their booster shots.

But as more people continue to get vaccinated, authorities are urging the public to continue observing all COVID-19 preventative measures, particularly masking in public, social distancing and frequent hand washing and sanitizing – which are more significant now with the rapidly-spreading Omicron variant.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) recent figures, some 386,548,962 confirmed cases were reported globally along with 5,705,754 deaths.

In the Region of the Americas, that is, Latin America and the Caribbean, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has in-

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD FEBRUARY 6, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

196

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

119

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

5,540

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

15

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

17

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

33,179

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

28,421

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

61,600

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

54,745

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED

REGION 1

2370

REGION 2

2368

REGION 3

7913

REGION 4

30,637

REGION 5

2295

REGION 6

5581

REGION 7

2391

REGION 8

860

REGION 9

3752

REGION 10

3433

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

425,333 315,909

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020

1181

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.

creased to 138,060,024 while the death toll in the region has gone up to 1,782,777.

As it relates to vaccination against COVID-19, WHO also reported that a

total of 10,040,768,270 doses have been administered worldwide.

Patron arrested at ECD bar Unidentified man collapses, dies in pasture with unlicensed firearm

T

he Police have arrested a 34-yearold Dazzel Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara (ECD) resident after he was found with an illegal .32 pistol at a popular bar at Melanie, ECD. In a report on Sunday, Police stated that about 00:30h, ranks in Division 4C conducted an intelligence-led operation at the bar during which the man was arrested with the firearm. There was no ammunition in the gun when it was found.

The suspect was taken to the Vigilance Police Station, ECD, where he was profiled and placed in custody and the firearm lodged.

In 2021, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) managed to recover 71 illegal firearms, successfully taking them off the streets of Guyana and out of the hands of criminal elements.

So far this year, eight firearms, including an improvised shotgun, have been discovered in January.

More than a week ago, a 22-year-old man was arrested at Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD), with an unlicensed firearm along with matching ammunition.

Police said that the gun was found between 11:15h and 12:00h during an intelligence-led operation that

T

he lifeless body of an unidentified man was found in a pasture at Houston, East Bank Demerara, on Sunday morning. According to reports, the man collapsed and died while walking in the pasture.

A man who had witnessed the incident told the media that the now dead man had been seen walking in the Houston area before later walking straight into the pasture.

As he was attempting to cross a small bridge to head to the road, he fell into a trench.

According to the eyewitness, the man was seen trying to pull himself from the trench, and everyone thought he was intoxicated. As such, they paid him no mind.

The firearm that was found by Police

was carried out at a house in Hammer Head Street, Kaneville.

Reports are the suspect was arrested with an unlicensed .32 pistol, one magazine, and two live rounds of ammunition in his possession during the exercise.

It was also revealed by investigators that the sus-

pect was wanted for a series of armed robberies in Georgetown. As a result, the young man was taken into custody pending investigations.

The operation was conducted as the GPF undertakes efforts to remove unlicensed guns from the streets.

The body of the man who collapsed and died suddenly

The man kept trying for some time to pull himself out of the trench, and eventually managed to get his body onto the edge of the field. Soon after, persons who were working in the area at the time, realised that something was amiss, and rushed to the man’s aid.

Asked if he was okay,

the unidentified man had responded that he was experiencing pain in his chest. He was given some water to drink, but soon after, he collapsed and became motionless.

As such, Police were summoned to the scene, and the man was pronounced dead. An investigation has been launched.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022

Regional

Costa Ricans cast votes Antigua DPP found guilty in Jamaica of professional misconduct for record number of presidential candidates J amaican Attorneyat-Law Anthony Armstrong, who is currently Antigua and Barbuda’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), has been found guilty of professional misconduct by Jamaica’s General Legal Council (GLC).

Reports from the Eastern Caribbean island indicate that Armstrong has now gone on special leave, pending an appeal of the GLC’s decision, which was handed down on

C

osta Ricans on Sunday began casting ballots in an election with a record 25 candidates vying to succeed outgoing President Carlos Alvarado, but the voting is unlikely to produce an outright winner and a second round is scheduled for April.

No candidate, including former President Jose Maria Figueres, is expected to win more than 40 per cent of votes, the threshold to avoid a runoff between the two top vote-getters, according to a poll published on Tuesday by the University of Costa Rica’s Center for Research and Political Studies. All 57 seats of the unicameral legislative assembly are also up for grabs.

Costa Ricans have said they want their next leader to tackle corruption and high unemployment rates during the four-year term.

Costa Rica’s electoral tribunal reported that voting was going smoothly across the country.

In the capital San Jose, lines were short on Sunday

A woman, accompanied by children, prepares to cast her ballot during the first round of Costa Rica’s presidential election at a polling station, in Goicoechea neighbourhood, in San Jose, Costa Rica, February 6, 2022

morning.

Enrique Romero, a 52-year-old construction worker, said he would vote for Figueres.

“I want things to improve, that the Government functions better,” Romero said. “The situation is critical. It is not about going back to the past, but about moving forward and learning from experience.”

Figueres, who governed from 1994 to 1998 under the centrist National Liberation

Party, held a tentative lead in the opinion polls with about 17 per cent of the vote.

The race to replace the centre-left Alvarado after his four-year term is wide open. Alvarado cannot seek a second consecutive term.

About a third of the voters in the Central American nation of about five million people had not made up their minds about who to back ahead of the election, according to opinion polls.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Thousands protest killing of Congolese refugee in Brazil

T

housands have protested across Brazilian cities, from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo, after the murder of a 24-year-old Congolese refugee who was beaten to death last month.

Moise Mugenyi Kabagambe was killed on January 24, assaulted by three men at a beach kiosk where he used to work. The attack was caught on security camera footage that Police released to the public.

His death sparked outrage and revulsion across the nation. The protest on Sunday, organised by the family, was much larger than expected.

The video shows assail-

ants attacking the young man over the course of 13 minutes, holding him down and beating him with a rod, and continuing to do so even after he loses consciousness.

They are later seen attempting chest compressions, then rolling his body over.

The young man’s death also mobilised anti-racism movements, with many denouncing an all-too-common scenario of the killing.

The murder happened during an electoral year, in which President Jair Bolsonaro will aim for a second term. But protesters say his silence on this case shows how little he has done.

In Rio, demonstrators gathered outside the beach kiosk where Kabagambe died.

“He was treated like an animal, like a thing, just because he was claiming two days of overdue wages, some US$20,” said Carla Lima, a lawyer who participated in the protests.

Protests were also held in Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Salvador, the capital Brasilia, and at least seven other Brazilian cities.

Kabagambe moved to Brazil in 2011 from his native Bunia, capital of Congo’s northeastern Ituri province, in 2011. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

T&T: PM, Chief Secretary to meet today

T

rinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley will be meeting Tobago Chief Secretary Farley Augustine today at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Blenheim, Tobago.

Dr Rowley will be joined by a team of Cabinet Ministers while Augustine will be accompanied by Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretaries.

Today’s meeting will be the second official interaction between Rowley and Augustine, after they held a “cordial” discussion “full of laughs” on January 23.

Augustine told the media that the breakfast meeting last

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley and Tobago Chief Secretary Farley Augustine

month was meant to break the ice between the pair.

On Tuesday, Rowley will meet with Minority Leader

Kelvon Morris and Minority Councillor Petal Daniel Benoit at the same venue.

(Trinidad Newsday)

January 28.

The Council ruled that Armstrong acted “contrary to the laws of Jamaica when he signed as a witness to a document for someone who was not physically present”, Antigua News Room reported Sunday.

The matter relates to the sale of three properties for a male complainant.

Hearings into the matter first commenced on December 14, 2019.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister, Gaston

Browne, in confirming that Armstrong has gone on administrative leave, explained that the holder of the office of the DPP has to be above “reproach”.

“Unfortunately, with this judgment, the DPP has to sort himself out.

My understanding is that he is going to appeal the judgment, but until such time, I don’t know that it is prudent for him to serve,” Browne told Antigua News Room Sunday. (Jamaica Observer)

Ecuador sees trade deal with China at end of year, debt talks to begin

E

cuador expects to pull together a trade deal with China at the end of this year and will begin formal debt re-negotiations with the Asian country, Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso said on Saturday, after a Beijing visit with his counterpart Xi Jinping.

China became Ecuador’s top lender over the last decade, with millions of dollars in long-term credit tied to the handover of crude oil, large investments in hydro-electric and mining projects, and other loans.

“In China, we had a productive meeting with President Xi Jinping,” Lasso posted on Twitter.

“We achieved great results in commercial openings, cooperation in health and debt re-negotiation.”

At the meeting the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding meant to pave the way for a trade deal at the end of the

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso

year, which would benefit Ecuadorian exports of shrimp, bananas, cacao, other fruit and minerals.

China said on Sunday the two countries have agreed to open negotiations for a free-trade pact.

The Commerce Ministry, in a statement on its website, offered no details on the planned talks.

At the meeting on the sidelines of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Xi said China and Ecuador should use negotiations on

the free trade agreement as an opportunity to deepen practical cooperation between the two countries, China’s Xinhua news agency said.

Xi was quoted as expressing hope that Ecuador would continue to provide a fair business environment for Chinese companies to invest and operate in Ecuador, while saying China would continue to help Ecuador fight COVID-19. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Mexican authorities clear makeshift migrant camp near US border

M

exican authorities on Sunday cleared a makeshift camp in the north of the country where hundreds of migrants heading towards the US border had been holding out for more than a year in what rights organisations criticised as deplorable conditions.

Nearly 400 migrants have been transferred by bus to three different shelters near the border city of Tijuana, where they can remain “indefinitely”, said the city’s Mayor Montserrat Caballero.

Caballero promised help for those migrants regardless of whether they want to stay in Tijuana or return to their countries of

origin.

“We’re going to pay for the transfers and, if they want to wait for their ‘American dream’, we’re also going to support them while they wait,” said Caballero.

Dozens of security personnel, including soldiers from the national guard, were seen dissolving the makeshift camp, fenced by metal mesh, in videos shared on social media.

Families, including parents with small children, were seen packing up their belongings. There were no reports of violence.

Caballero said the troops were not armed and that migrants collected their belongings and

boarded buses voluntarily, because they had previously been notified they would be transferred.

But one Guatemalan mother, who had arrived in Tijuana a year ago, and requested anonymity, said she felt migrants had little choice but to follow orders.

On Saturday, Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) urged immigration authorities to speed up the processes that would help nearly 2000 migrants at the southern border get documents to regularise their stay in Mexico or let them travel through the country without being detained.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Saudi Arabia’s Aramco raises oil prices as crude surges

S

audi Arabia raised oil prices for customers in Asia, the United States and Europe after crude’s surge to almost US$95 a barrel.

State firm Saudi Aramco increased all grades for its main market of Asia in March. The company raised its key Arab Light oil for the region by 60 cents from February to US$2.80 per barrel above the benchmark it uses. That was largely in line with traders’ expectations.

Other Asian grades jumped by between 40 and 70 cents a barrel. US prices were increased by 30 cents.

Brent crude has climbed around 20 per cent in 2022 to more than US$93 a barrel. Its rise has come as global consumption remains strong despite the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. In addition, oil stockpiles have plummeted in the past year and many major producers are struggling to pump more.

Aramco’s decision came days after the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) opted to increase its daily crude production by 400,000 barrels a day next month. Many energy analysts doubt the group, led

by Saudi Arabia and Russia, will add that much to the market because of the supply problems among some of its members.

Saudi Aramco is the world’s biggest oil exporter. More than 60 per cent of its shipments go to Asia, with China, Japan, South Korea and India being the biggest buyers. Aramco’s pricing moves often set the tone for other producers in the Middle East. (Bloomberg)

Cyclone Batsirai: Whole villages swept away in Madagascar

Evacuation shelters are now providing for those displaced by Cyclone Batsirai and Storm Ana

A

t least 10 people have been killed and nearly 50,000 displaced after Cyclone Batsirai brought strong winds and rain to Madagascar on Saturday evening.

Batsirai – the second major storm in two weeks – made landfall on the east coast, with gusts of 235 kilometres per hour (146 miles per hour) and high waves hitting coastal areas.

Whole villages are reported to be almost completely destroyed.

The cyclone has now weakened, according to the national weather service.

Madagascar was already reeling from Tropical Storm Ana, which killed 55 people when it hit the Indian Ocean island nation last month.

Cyclone Batsirai has compounded the destruction, making landfall near the south-eastern city of Mananjary, 530km from the capital Antananarivo,

around 20:00h (17:00 GMT) on Saturday.

Electricity had not been available in Mananjary for two days and the water supply had been disrupted, according to local media. One resident told Reuters that even schools and churches due to be used as evacuation centres had had their roofs torn off.

In other places, the destruction was nearly total.

"It's as if we had just been bombed. The city of Nosy Varika is almost 95 per cent destroyed. The solid houses saw their roofs torn off by the wind. The wooden huts have, for the most part, been destroyed," Willy Raharijaona, an adviser to the Vice President of Madagascar's Senate, told Reuters news agency.

Environment Minister Vahinala Raharinirina told the BBC that many villages were nearly completely gone, with some being swept away by the storm.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Ottawa Mayor declares state of emergency to deal with trucking blockade

O

ttawa Mayor Jim Watson on Sunday declared a state of emergency to help deal with an unprecedented 10-day occupation by protesting truckers that has shut down much of the core of the Canadian capital. "(This) reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations and highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government," he said in a statement.

Watson, who complained earlier in the day that the demonstrators outnumbered Police and controlled the situation, did not give details of what measures he might impose.

A section of Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill is seen clear of trucks, as truckers and supporters continue to protest coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine mandates, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

The "Freedom Convoy" began as a movement against a Canadian vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers, but has turned into a rallying point against public health measures and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's

Government.

Amid residents' fury at the lack of official response, Ottawa Police relocated some protesters and put up fresh barricades on Sunday, saying they were "collecting financial, digital, vehicle registra-

tion ... and other evidence that will be used in criminal prosecutions".

They also announced they would clamp down on people attempting to bring in canisters to refuel the hundreds of large trucks blocking most roads in the city centre.

Protesters have paralysed downtown Ottawa for the past nine days, with some participants waving Confederate or Nazi flags and some saying they want to dissolve Canada's Government. Convoy organisers say they will not leave until the vaccine mandates are ended.

Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said on Sunday that the Government would not back down on the issue. (Excerpt from Reuters)

France's Macron flies to Moscow in high-risk diplomatic mission

F

rench President Emmanuel Macron flies to Moscow today in a risky diplomatic move, seeking commitments from Russian President Vladimir Putin to dial down tensions with Ukraine, where Western leaders fear the Kremlin plans an invasion.

Macron has made a frenetic series of phone calls with Western allies, Putin and the Ukrainian leader over the past week. He will follow up on Tuesday with a visit to Kyiv, staking a lot of political capital on a mission that could prove embarrassing if

French President Emmanuel Macron

he returns empty-handed.

"We're heading to Putin's

lair, in many ways it's a throw of the dice," one source close to Macron told Reuters.

Russia has massed some 100,000 troops near Ukraine and demanded NATO and US security guarantees, including that NATO never admit Ukraine as a member.

Two sources close to Macron said one aim of his visit was to buy time and freeze the situation for several months, at least until a "Super April" of elections in Europe – in Hungary, Slovenia and, crucially for Macron, in France.

The French leader, who

has earned a reputation for highly publicised diplomatic forays since he took power in 2017, has both tried to cajole and confront Putin over the past five years. His efforts have brought close dialogue with the Russian leader as well as painful setbacks.

To counter critics ahead of the trip and take on the mantle of European leadership in this crisis, Macron has been at pains to consult with other Western leaders this time, including Britain's Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Fearing junta, hundreds Moroccan boy trapped in well for 4 days dies of Myanmar parents disown dissident children A

E

very day for the last three months, an average of six or seven families in Myanmar have posted notices in the country's State-owned newspapers cutting ties with sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren who have publicly opposed the ruling military junta.

The notices started to appear in such numbers in November after the army, which seized power from Myanmar's democratically-elected Government a year ago, announced it would take over properties of its opponents and arrest people giving shelter to protesters. Scores of raids on homes followed.

Lin Bo Bo, a former car salesman who joined an armed group resisting military rule, was one of those disowned by his parents in about 570 notices reviewed

by Reuters.

"We declare we have disowned Lin Lin Bo Bo because he never listened to his parents' will," said the notice posted by his parents, San Win and Tin Tin Soe, in State-owned newspaper The Mirror in November.

Speaking to Reuters from a Thai border town where he is living after fleeing Myanmar, the 26-year-old said his mother had told him she was disowning him after soldiers came to their family home searching for him.

A few days later, he said he cried as he read the notice in the paper.

"My comrades tried to reassure me that it was inevitable for families to do that under pressure," he told Reuters. "But I was so heartbroken."

Contacted by Reuters, his parents declined to comment. (Excerpt from Reuters)

five-year-old Moroccan boy who was trapped in a well for four days has died, despite painstaking efforts to rescue him.

A royal statement announced his death soon after his removal from the well.

The bid to free the boy, Rayan Oram, had gripped the country, with hundreds of people gathered at the well and thousands more following online.

The boy plunged 32 metres (104ft) through the well's narrow opening. The rescue had been hampered by fears of a landslide.

Rescuers finally brought the boy out of the well on Saturday evening.

No word had been given at the time about his condition, and the apparent rescue was initially met with cheers from the crowds.

On social media, people using the hashtag #SaveRayan, which had been trending across the

country and around the world, expressed their jubilation.

But this turned to heartbreak minutes later when the statement came announcing that Rayan had died.

Twitter users then began paying tribute and expressing sadness using the same hashtag.

"Rayan's courage will stay in our memories and continue to inspire us," AC Milan's Algerian midfielder Ismael Bennacer tweeted.

In a Facebook post, French President Emmanuel Macron wrote: "Tonight, I want to tell the family of little Rayan and the Moroccan people that we share their pain."

The statement from Morocco's royal palace described Rayan's death as a "tragic accident", adding: "His Majesty King Mohammed VI called the parents of the boy who died after falling down the well".

(Excerpt from BBC News)

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022

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DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

Don't wait for someone else to initiate things. Be competitive, and work to get a head start. Leave nothing to chance and adjust your skills to fit trends. You can do it!

(March 21-April 19) Put your heart and soul into whatever you want to pursue. Learn all you can and take physical action. Explore your options and possibilities. You can gain much if you stick to your guns.

DILBERT (April 20-May 20)

Don't be too quick to share what you are doing. Take precautions when dealing with someone eager to pick your brain. Someone will mislead you if given a chance. Ask pertinent questions.

(May 21-June 20) Line up a good team to help you reach your goals. Choose people who share your concerns and have skills that you don't. An unusual partnership will develop with someone not at all like you.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

An emotional incident can hurt your reputation. Don't mix business with pleasure or give someone the ammunition to make you look bad in front of your peers or superiors. Take the high road.

(July 23-Aug. 22) You are overdue for a change.

Consider what you want to incorporate into your life and put a plan in place that will help you reach your target. Share your ambitions with a loved one.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Focus on staying within budget while improving your home. Maintaining a healthy balance will ease stress and encourage you to be more disciplined in your spending habits.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Talk to someone you trust, and you'll gain insight into the possibilities surrounding an idea you want to pursue.

Positive feedback and support will encourage you to make a move.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Avoid being too open about your ideas or life. Someone will use the information you share against you. Do what's in your best interest, and you'll sidestep delicate situations.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SATURDAY'S WORD -- FLUCTUATE

Tidy up and put things in order.

Preparation will help you accomplish what you set out to do so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor. Express your feelings through actions.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Be aware of what others choose to do, but take the path that suits you best.

Living in someone's shadow will lead to regret. Set your sights on what excites you most and follow through with your plans.

Be open about what you want, and what you receive will surprise you. Mix business with pleasure to connect with someone influential. Use your charm, intelligence and insight to win favors.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022

21

Coming in hot, Van Lange storms to U21 and B Class titles

By Timothy Jaikarran

…Edghill is singles champ, Billingy and Rahim win respective categories the women's U21 champion.

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he electrifying atmosphere at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall had every member of the large crowd on the edge of their seat while Jasmine Billingy emerged as women's U21 champion; Jonathan Van Lange as men's U21 and B class winner; Saalih Rahim as C class winner, and Chelsea Edghill as women's singles winner.

Women's U21 Jasmine Billingy reigned supreme in her match against Thuria Thomas. With the game continuing from last week’s

round robin format, and both Billingy and Thomas tied on 4 points each, when the battle ensued, it was only the best of the best who would emerge as victor.

The talented Billingy excelled

at all levels, as she defeated Thomas 3-1 in a best-of-five matchup. Round one went to Thomas 15-13, but Billingy shook off the rust and battled her way to the next three rounds 11-3, 18-16 and 11-5 to be crowned

Liverpool ease past Cardiff in FA Cup

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iverpool have reached the fifth round of the FA Cup for only the second time in seven seasons, after they saw off a weakened but spirited Cardiff City.

The much-changed visitors, 20th in the Championship, dug in to frustrate Jurgen Klopp's men during a goalless first half in which they had an appeal for a penalty rejected after Mark Harris fell under a challenge from Ibrahima Konate.

Liverpool eventually made their domination count in the second half, as Diogo Jota headed in from Trent Alexander-Arnold's free-kick.

New signing Luis Diaz came on to set up Takumi Minamino for the Reds' second goal, before Harvey Elliott marked his return after five months out injured with an elegant swivel and finish.

Substitute Rubin Colwill's powerful low drive gave Cardiff's large and noisy travelling supporters late reason to cheer, but it is Liverpool who will host Norwich City in the last 16.

Having not played for a fortnight, Liverpool fielded a strong side which would have struck fear into most Premier League teams, never mind those in the Championship. By contrast, Cardiff manager Steve Morison seemed to be prioritising his team's fight for survival in the second tier, as he picked an inexperienced team, with first senior starts for teenagers Oliver Denham and Eli King.

It did not take long for Liverpool to assert their dominance, forcing their opponents to defend deep and creating the game's first

Harvey Elliot volleying home to mark in spectacular fashion his first appearance since September

chance after four minutes, as Jota turned and shot powerfully in the box, only for Dillon Phillips to react with a superb save.

Cardiff had to absorb periods of pressure as expected, but they carried a threat on the break, with Harris leading their attack energetically. The Wales forward cut inside from the left and fell under a somewhat clumsy challenge from Konate, but referee Andy Madley dismissed appeals for a penalty.

That was a warning for Liverpool, who had 82% of possession in the first half but were let down by their wayward finishing, such as Curtis Jones's shot from a Minamino pull-back, which sailed well over.

Less than a minute into the second half, there was another contentious moment involving Harris and the officials. Harris was the first to reach a long ball from Will Vaulks, but as soon as he touched the ball, he was taken out by a rash sliding tackle from Caoimhin Kelleher midway through the Liverpool half.

Seemingly of the opinion that Konate would have covered for Kelleher, Madley showed the Liverpool keeper a yellow card instead of

red, and his decision was backed by video assistant referee Darren England, who also ruled out serious foul play.

Liverpool then finally got the breakthrough, as Jota glanced in a fine header from Alexander-Arnold's outswinging free-kick, releasing the pressure valve for the home side.

Jota missed a chance to score another goal moments later, as he hooked a volley wide from Kostas Tsimikas's corner, before Diaz seized on hesitant defending from Perry Ng to feed Minamino for a closerange finish.

Perhaps the biggest cheer of the day from Liverpool's fans was reserved for Elliott, who came on as a substitute for his first appearance since suffering a serious ankle injury last September, and capped his return with a wonderful goal in front of the Klopp.

Another substitute, Cardiff's Colwill, responded with an excellent finish, which earned him a hug and some encouraging words from Klopp at the final whistle, but this was Liverpool's day, as they took another step forward in a competition they have not won since 2006. (BBC Sport)

Men's U21 The men's U21 final saw Jonathan Van Lange taking on Colin Wong in a high-intensity match. While the crowd favourite was Van Lange, a possible upset

by Wong was not impossible.

However, Van Lange took round one 11-8, and then returned to bag round two 11-3. While Wong did put up an excellent fight, Van Lange was too hot to handle, and he stormed to the rest of the rounds 11-7 and 11-9 to win the best-ofseven matchup 4-0.

C Class Ishaka Jackman and Saalih Rahim fought tooth and nail to make it to where they were. At that point in time, it was “may the better man win”, and Rahim was the better man, as he won his best-of-five matchup 3-2.

Chelsea Edghill celebrating her victory over Natalie Cummings

lead from Jackman, Rahim took game three 11-7 to give himself a fighting chance. With the game at 2-1, he indeed made it count, as he took game four to lock the matchup at 2-2, bringing the results down to the penultimate game.

In the final game, Rahim accelerated to walk away with a well-deserved win and take the title 11-2.

Jasmine Billingy is the women's U21 winner

In round one, both athletes were seemingly going for the juggler, but Jackman managed to bag it 11-6. Jackman exerted further dominance over the much younger Rahim by taking round two 11-7. With a 2-0

B Class The B Class contest was a matchup like no other. Jonathan Van Lange, who had just won the U21 title, was now set to go up against Miguel Wong. While both

athletes are among the cream of the crop, there was no denying that Wong was there to win. He claimed round one 11-7, but Van Lange managed to blindside Wong 13-11 in round two to keep things in contention with wins being level at 1-1.

Wong then took game three 11-8, but with the tally of wins being 2-1, Van Lange bagged the next game 11-7 and tied things up at 2-2. Then, with great determination, Van Lange snatched the last two rounds 11-8 and 11-3 to be crowned champion.

Women's Singles The battle of the giants played out in the women’s singles with Chelsea Edghill opposing Natalie Cummings.

The play from both athletes was fantastic, but Edghill, the unstoppable force that she is, breezed through her sets with elegance and grace, bagging games one and two 11-2 and 114, and asserting her dominance in the other games 11-4, 11-7 to win 4-0 and close out the night of action.

Andy Murray to miss French Open and whole of clay-court season – will be in action at the Rotterdam Open next week

F

or the first time since his second-round exit at the Australian Open, Andy Murray will not play at the French Open, and will instead focus on preparing for Wimbledon in the summer.

It is the second year running that the 34-yearold Briton will miss Roland Garros, which runs from 22 May until 5 June. Murray will also sit out the entire clay-court season, which starts at the Monte Carlo Masters on 9 April.

"I am not planning on playing through the clay.

(For) the past couple of years, the clay has made issues worse, I don't want to take that risk," he said.

Murray – the former world number one who is currently ranked 102 in the world - has been at-

tempting to return to his former levels after major surgery in 2019 on a career-threatening hip problem. He has said he does not rule out playing on clay in the future.

"It's not that I wouldn't potentially play on clay in the future," he said.

"Last year I almost missed Wimbledon, and was close

to not playing the grass season.

I will still try to compete a bit during that period…that's my plan just now. I had a busy end of last year, and the next couple of months, I won't take any risks, and hopefully get a good build-up to the grass season." (BBC Sport)

22

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana Harpy Eagles depart for Regional Four-Day championships T

he Guyana Harpy Eagles departed Guyana on Sunday February 6 for Trinidad, to open their campaign to regain the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Four-Day championship honours.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles will play Windward Volcanoes from February 9-12 at the Queen’s Park Oval. The senior national players are keen to get on the field after a prolonged absence of Regional FourDay Tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

GCB President Bissoondyal Singh has said that, based on reports, the players have been able to

utilise their time away from regional tournaments to improve their capabilities of performing consistently well at the regional and international levels. The GCB has invested immensely in preparation of the players, and would continue to advance meaningful relations in ensuring sustainable funding and players’ professional conduct.

President Singh has also said he trusts all members of the Guyana Harpy Eagles would excel in the 2022 five-round West Indies Championships, and that the GCB looks forward to the national team winning the tournament.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles squad reads: Leon Johnson (captain), Keemo Paul (vice-captain), Chandrapaul Hemraj, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Vishaul Singh, Akshaya Persaud, Anthony Bramble, Tevin Imlach, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, Nial Smith, Clinton Pestano, Shimron Hetmyer, Keon Joseph and Antony Adams.

The management staff is comprised of: Manager Albert Smith, Head Coach Esuan Crandon, Assistant Coach/ Manager Ryan Hercules, and Physiotherapist Angelica Holder.

South Africa Women beat West Indies in final ODI to clinch series 2-1

P

roteas fast bowler Shabnim Ismail claimed four wickets to help dismiss the West Indies for a modest 174, to earn South Africa a comprehensive six-wicket victory in the fourth and final one-day international match, played at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.

The victory earned the home side a 2-1 series’ win following a washout in the first game, a tie and a Super Over victory for the tourists in the second game, and a 96-run win for the SA Women in

LeBron James scores 29 points on return as LA Lakers beat New York Knicks

South Africa Women celebrating (Photos: CSA/Gallo)

bowled, while the bighitting Deandra Dottin was smartly caught at extra cover by captain Luus for 36 after a second-wicket stand of 65 with Kycia Knight.

Dottin finished the series with 235 runs at an average of 78.3, including a career best 150* in the first game.

Left-handed Knight top scored with 48 from 76 deliveries (6x4) before tamely slapping a short, wide delivery from seamer Tumi Sekhukhune to Ismail at point.

Hayley Matthews was dismissed by a stunning, onehanded catch at full stretch by Laura Wolvaardt at backward point off the bowling of left-

arm spinner Tryon, and the rest of the innings was a struggle for the tourists, with the hosts maintaining a tight, single-saving field.

Despite dropping no less than five catches, the Proteas nonetheless dried up the runs with spinners Luus (8-0-24-0 and Tryon (6-2-12-2) being particularly effective.

Ismail returned at the end of the innings and collected another two wickets with her extra pace to finish with 4-44, the seventh fourwicket haul of her career.

Both teams head to New Zealand next week, ahead of the World Cup which begins on 4 March.

SCOREBOARD

the third match on Thursday.

Laura Wolvaardt (23) and Tazmin Brits (20) gave the run chase a solid start, but Steyn, whose classy 52 came from just 73 balls and contained four fours, seized control, while Luus anchored the innings facing 80 balls and hitting three fours and a six.

Both were dismissed by veteran offspinner Anisa Mohammad shortly before the game was won, leaving Chloe Tryon to finish the job in style with four boundaries in a quickfire 20* from just 17 deliveries.

Ismail removed both openers after the West Indies had chosen to bat first, with Rashada Williams (6) being beaten for pace and

The Guyana Harpy Eagles Regional 4-Day squad posing before their departure

WEST INDIES WOMEN INNINGS (50 OVERS MAXIMUM) Deandra Dottin c Luus b Ismail 36 Rashada Williams b Ismail 6 Kycia Knight c Ismail b Tryon 48 Hayley Matthews c Wolvaardt b Sekhukhune 8 Shemaine Campbelle †b Tryon 15 Mandy Mangru b Ismail 15 Aaliyah Alleyne c †Chetty b Khaka 1 Cherry-Ann Fraser c Steyn b Khaka 6 Anisa Mohammed (c)b Ismail 1 Afy Fletcher c sub (S Jafta) b de Klerk 6 Shamilia Connell not out 15 Extras (b 1, lb 3, w 13) 17 TOTAL(49.2 Ov, RR: 3.52) 174 Fall of wickets: 1-19 (Rashada Williams, 4.4 ov), 2-84 (Deandra Dottin, 22.2 ov), 3-104 (Kycia Knight, 27.4 ov), 4-106 (Hayley Matthews, 30.3 ov), 5-122 (Shemaine Campbelle, 35.5 ov), 6-125 (Aaliyah Alleyne, 36.6 ov), 7-150 (Cherry-Ann Fraser, 42.6 ov), 8-152 (Anisa Mohammed, 44.4 ov), 9-154 (Mandy Mangru, 46.3 ov), 10-174 (Afy Fletcher, 49.2 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Shabnim Ismail 10-0-44-4 Ayabonga Khaka 10-1-25-2 Nadine de Klerk 7.2-0-39-1

Tumi Sekhukhune Sune Luus Chloe Tryon

8-1-26-1 8-0-24-0 6-2-12-2

SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN INNINGS (TARGET: 175 RUNS FROM 50 OVERS) Laura Wolvaardt c Matthews b Alleyne 23 Tazmin Brits c Mangru b Fletcher 20 Andrie Steyn b Mohammed 52 Sune Luus (c) lbw b Mohammed 47 Mignon du Preez not out 6 Chloe Tryon not out 20 Extras (lb 1, w 6) 7 TOTAL(39.5 Ov, RR: 4.39) 175/4 Did not bat: Trisha Chetty †, Nadine de Klerk, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune Fall of wickets: 1-38 (Laura Wolvaardt, 9.1 ov), 2-56 (Tazmin Brits, 11.6 ov), 3-144 (Sune Luus, 34.4 ov), 4-150 (Andrie Steyn, 36.3 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Shamilia Connell 5-0-24-0 Aaliyah Alleyne 5-0-20-1 Hayley Matthews 6-1-24-0 Afy Fletcher 9.5-0-45-1 Anisa Mohammed 9-0-31-2 Mandy Mangru 3-0-8-0 Cherry-Ann Fraser 2-0-22-0

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LeBron James

eBron James has returned from injury to score 29 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks 122-115 in overtime in the NBA. The Lakers overturned a 21-point first-half deficit to pull off their biggest comeback win of the season.

James, who missed the previous five games with a knee injury, added 13 rebounds and 10 assists to record his 103rd career triple-double. Monk scored 18 in the third quarter as the Lakers came from 71-56 down at half-time in LA. RJ Barrett scored a career-high 36 points for the Knicks, but could not prevent a fifth loss in six games.

The Lakers sit ninth in the Western Conference, and the Knicks 12th in the Eastern Conference.

The Milwaukee Bucks have recorded a sixth win

in eight games with a resounding 137-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Bobby Portis scored a season-high 30 points, and matched his career best with six three-pointers, while Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 29 points, and made nine rebounds and six assists to condemn the Trail Blazers to a fifth straight defeat.

Western Conference leaders the Phoenix Suns beat the Washington Wizards 95-80 for their 12th win in 13 games, thanks to Deandre Ayton's 20 points and 16 rebounds in only 24 minutes.

Ja Morant scored 33 points as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Orlando Magic 135-115, while the Sacramento Kings saw off the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-103. The Miami Heat came from behind to defeat the Charlotte Hornets 104-

86, with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo combining for 47 points. (BBC Sport)

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23 Chahal spins India to comfortable victory over West Indies MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– Holder shines with half-century

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ed by the spinners' seven wickets between them, India cruised to a six-wicket win in the series’ opener in Ahmedabad, which lasted just 71.5 overs on a pitch that offered turn and variable pace.

This was the first time since January 2019 that India's spinners took more than five wickets in an ODI, but India will be equally impressed that their fast bowlers had created an impact to help restrict West Indies to 176.

The returning Washington Sundar started the damage, Yuzvendra Chahal broke the back of the batting with four wickets, but on either side were hostile spells from Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.

The 46 dot balls that India bowled in the powerplay were the highest by them since the 2019 World Cup, thanks largely to Siraj's opening spell of 5-213-1. Krishna took a wicket in his later spells.

India celebrating a wicket

picked bowlers who hit the deck hard, something England have done to create a point of difference in limited-overs cricket.

Aside from the spinners

Jason Holder and Fabian Allen showed fight

India went into their 1000th ODI with a new-look attack.

Apart from the Sri Lanka tour, when India fielded a secondstring side, this was the first time since December 2020 that India went into an ODI with neither Bhuvneshwar Kumar nor Deepak Chahar in the XI. Instead, India

cashing in on a helpful surface, Siraj and Krishna delivered just what India would have hoped for.

This wasn't the only change in approach. Albeit chasing a small target, new captain Rohit Sharma scored 46 runs in the first 10 overs, the highest he has done in ODIs. One of India's issues in

SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES INNINGS (50 OVERS MAXIMUM) Shai Hope † b Mohammed Siraj 8 Brandon King c Yadav b Washington Sundar 13 Darren Bravo lbw b Washington Sundar 18 Shamarh Brooks c †Pant b Chahal 12 Nicholas Pooran lbw b Chahal 18 Kieron Pollard (c) b Chahal 0 Jason Holder c †Pant b Prasidh Krishna 57 Akeal Hosein c †Pant b Prasidh Krishna 0 Fabian Allen c & b Washington Sundar 29 Alzarri Joseph c Yadav b Chahal 13 Kemar Roach not out 0 Extras (lb 4, w 4) 8 TOTAL(43.5 Ov, RR: 4.01) 176 Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Shai Hope, 2.4 ov), 2-44 (Brandon King, 11.2 ov), 3-45 (Darren Bravo, 11.6 ov), 4-71 (Nicholas Pooran, 19.3 ov), 5-71 (Kieron Pollard, 19.4 ov), 6-78 (Shamarh Brooks, 21.5 ov), 7-79 (Akeal Hosein, 22.5 ov), 8-157 (Fabian Allen, 37.6 ov), 9-167 (Jason Holder, 40.4 ov), 10-176 (Alzarri Joseph, 43.5 ov)

BOWLING Mohammed Siraj Prasidh Krishna Washington Sundar Shardul Thakur Yuzvendra Chahal

O-M-R-W 8-2-26-1 10-0-29-2 9-1-30-3 7-0-38-0 9.5-0-49-4

INDIA INNINGS (TARGET: 177 RUNS FROM 50 OVERS Rohit Sharma (c)lbw b Joseph 60 Ishan Kishan c Allen b Hosein 28 Virat Kohli c Roach b Joseph 8 Rishabh Pant †run out (Joseph) 11 Suryakumar Yadav not out 34 Deepak Hooda not out 26 Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 8) 11 TOTAL(28 Ov, RR: 6.35) 178/4 Did not bat: Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna Fall of wickets: 1-84 (Rohit Sharma, 13.1 ov), 2-93 (Virat Kohli, 13.5 ov), 3-115 (Ishan Kishan, 16.4 ov), 4-116 (Rishabh Pant, 17.3 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Kemar Roach 5-0-41-0 Jason Holder 5-0-29-0 Alzarri Joseph 7-0-45-2 Akeal Hosein 9-0-46-1 Fabian Allen 2-0-14-0

ODIs of late has been that their top order is too conservative, which makes it imperative they bat for most of the innings, otherwise it leaves too much to do for the middle order.

With a host of their opening batters missing, it was going to be interesting to see how Ishan Kishan would go in this small window, but it was Rohit who took the initiative early on, giving India such a head start that a hiccup in the middle wasn't enough to bother them.

The day began with Siraj bowling hard lengths at good pace. After a tight start, Shai Hope drove him for successive boundaries in the third over, the only times he had pitched up.

The third ball was similar length, but delivered with the wobble seam, nipping in upon pitching and taking the inside edge onto the stumps.

After three overs of Krishna, Rohit went to Washington, who is quite used to bowling with the field up in T20 cricket. The first ball he bowled to Darren Bravo, the initial line suggested angle into the pads. Bravo accordingly closed the face for a single, but was beaten by turn so big that there was no lbw appeal as the ball would have missed the off stump.

Once there was turn in the pitch, Washington's accuracy was going to be difficult to negotiate for West Indies. Bravo faced the first 13 balls from him, somehow surviving, but the right-hand opener Brandon King fell to the first he faced. Closing the face early, he got a leading edge to short midwicket.

In the same over, Bravo fell lbw to one that didn't turn, often the delivery that does the damage on turning pitches.

India didn't turn greedy. They never bowled the spinners in tandem. After Washington's spell of 6-1-21-2, Chahal came on with even more devastating results.

The first ball Nicholas Pooran faced from Chahal he looked to sweep. The ball fell short of his reach, and he was trapped in front. Chahal then teased Pollard with a loopy slow delivery first up, drawing a big drive and going through the gate with the wrong'un.

He got the inside edge from Holder on the hat-trick ball, but it fell short of short leg. Chahal soon bowled the perfect legbreak to take a scratch off the defensive bat of Shamarh Brooks.

At the other end, Krishna kept the pressure on with the variable bounce he drew from the middle of the pitch. In the 23rd over, one short ball stayed low to nearly trap Akeal Hosein lbw, but the

Akeal Hosein and Alzarri Joseph showed promise with the ball

next one stood up with tennisball bounce, taking the edge through to Rishabh Pant.

Jason Holder and Fabian

final bit of satisfaction for India would be that Krishna came back to take Holder out with that hard length he has been kept in the

Rohit Sharma made a half-century

Allen, though, rescued the innings somewhat with a 78-run partnership, but Washington came back to draw a return catch from Allen in the 38th over. A

S

havkat Rakhmonov remained undefeated, with another devastating finish added to his resume with a knockout win over Brazil-based Guyanese Carlston Harris at UFC Vegas 47.

Welterweight prospect Harris was again looking for the kill from the very first exchange, which led to a highlight reel-spinning heel kick that put Harris on the ground in the latter part of the first round.

From there, Rakhmonov started dropping hammers from the top, with the punches eventually leading to the finish after Harris went limp on the canvas.

The knockout came at 4:10 in the first round.

“I think my fans know

side to bowl.

West Indies didn't have much to work with, but it was also clear they didn't bowl with the discipline of Siraj and Krishna.

that I’m always finishing,” Rakhmonov said following the win. “I prepare on the ground, everywhere. Now, thanks to God, 15-0.”

When the fight started, Harris was getting a little wild on his feet, and Rakhmonov was quick to make him pay with a technically sound striking attack that wobbled the Guyanese in an early exchange.

After Harris tried to counter in the clinch, while showing good takedown defense, Rakhmonov separated and started throwing strikes from the outside again. Then out of nowhere, Rakhmonov launched the spinning heel kick that blasted Harris and sent him down to the

Roach strayed into the pads, Holder overpitched, and Rohit got into his work. Soon he began to manhandle Roach, skipping down, chipping, pulling.

It was Alzarri Joseph who stemmed the flow with a nipbacker to trap Rohit lbw for 60 off 51. In the same over, an unusually chancy Virat Kohli topedged to long leg after hitting two boundaries. Kishan found a deep fielder as he was looking to hit a six, and Rishabh Pant was run out by a Suryakumar Yadav straight drive. Yet, despite losing four wickets for 32 runs, India were in control, thanks to that quick start from Rohit.

With no asking-rate pressure, Suryakumar and Deepak Hooda saw India through with 22 overs to spare.

The second match bowls off on Wednesday at the same venue at 4:00am Eastern Caribbean time. (ESPNcricinfo)

canvas.

Rakhmonov was quick to jump on top of Harris and started throwing vicious punches from the top, with the shots eventually finding a home on Harris’s chin.

The damage done left Harris unconscious, and the referee jumped in to prevent any further punishment from being dished out as Rakhmonov celebrated his third consecutive win in the UFC. While Khamzat Chimaev has taken all the attention as the best prospect in the welterweight division, Rakhmonov is doing everything possible to steal that spotlight, especially after another jaw-dropping finish on Saturday night.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022

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

Pg 23

Pg 23

Chahal spins India to comfortable victory over West Indies – Holder shines with half-century

Guyana Harpy Eagles depart for Regional Four-Day championships

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