Guyana Times -- Saturday, January 8, 2022

Onderneeming, P Somerset to Charity residents get street lights 13

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

Issue No. 4883

THE BEACON OF TRUTH SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022

PRICE

Power struggle in PNCR

Replace Harmon as Opposition Leader, Granger as APNU/AFC List Rep with Norton – PNCR

$100 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

50% of suicides, 40 % of murders in Region 1 recorded at Baramita P12

Page 7

…PNC must follow APNU protocols – Harmon

President Ali to hand over US$7M solar energy plant to Caricom HQ Page 3

Husband pulled trigger in P10 Sarah Johanna murder-suicide – Police source …autopsy shows couple shot at close range

GNBS inspectors assaulted during seizure of substandard electrical products P12

Not Guyanese P10 alone experiencing rise in food prices – FAO …its a worldwide trend Dr Gillian Smith Visually impaired Wendy Assaye received the keys to her new home from Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud and Dione Foo of Gafoors.

The brand-new single-storey home was constructed on land owned by Assaye through a generous contribution from Gafsons Industries Limited (Gafoors) (Human Services and Social Security Ministry photo)

847 COVID-19 cases, 13 men, 2 more unvaccinated 3 women sit persons die in 24 hours on death row …new infections mostly among younger age groups 3 school girls hospitalised after consuming alcohol, ‘tablet’ during minibus joyride See story on page 8

Page 15

Page 2

Fisherman attacked, P9 stabbed by drinking buddy COVID vaccination

P14

80.6% of Guyanese adult population received 1st dose – Health Minister … 58.3% fully vaccinated

Cemetery Road man wanted for bigamy P9

2 NEWS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

3 schoolgirls hospitalised after Loud music lands man in consuming alcohol, ‘tablet’ court, fined $20,000 during minibus joyride A

T

hree highly intoxicated teenage girls of Anna Regina Multilateral School, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are being monitored by medical officials at the Suddie Public Hospital.

The girls reportedly boarded a minibus at Charity, Essequibo Coast, and were later seen consuming alcohol at the Anna Regina bus park.

They were reportedly picked up by officials of the Welfare Department and taken to the hospital where two of them remain in an unconscious state. When contacted, Divisional Commander Demise Griffith explained that she deployed a rank to the medical facility to gather information. Up to late Friday evening, the Police were hunting the minibus

driver and another male, purportedly the conductor.

Griffith explained that the three young girls were consuming the liquor in the minibus.

“From the information that we received, the three girls were given red and white rum… in addition, one of the men we are looking for, reportedly took out tablets from a small plastic and apparently mixed it with the drinks that were given to the young girls,” the Commander added.

The official further stated that the parents were already contacted by the Welfare Department. They were also questioned by the Police. She is hoping that after the girls regain consciousness, the Police can get more information.

The use of alcohol among

school-aged children has always been of concern to and on the Police radar in Region Two. As a matter of fact, a former Commander, while stationed in the region, Khali Pareshram had expressed that too many youths are involved in alcohol consumption and it seems to be an issue which continues to go undeterred in Region Two. Pareshram had told this publication that there was a high use of alcohol among teenagers, specifically those still attending secondary schools, in the division.

Although they may not be consuming alcohol on the schools’ premises or during instruction periods, a number of youths appear to be resorting to drinking as part of their recreational fun, outside of the classrooms.

man who played loud music to the annoyance of his neighbour was fined $20,000 with an alternative of spending one week in prison for the offence.

On Friday, Adam Blair was taken before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

He pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on October 28, 2021, at James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, he made loud and continuous noise to the annoyance of Karen Steven.

On the day in question, Blair was playing loud music. As such, Steven requested that he lower the volume.

He, however, refused and the woman made a report to the Police.

A party of policemen visited the scene and arrested Blair. The court heard

Adam Blair

that the Police also seized the man’s stereo set which

was lodged at the Ruimveldt Police Station. (G1)

NEWS

3

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Saturday, Jan 8 – 09:30h – 11:00h and Sunday, Jan 9 – 10:00h – 11:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Saturday, Jan 8 – 08:20h – 09:50h and Sunday, Jan 9 – 09:15h – 10:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY There will be sunshine during the day. Expect partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North North-Easterly to North NorthWesterly between 1.78 metres and 6.25 metres.

High Tide: 08:42h and 21:04h reaching a maximum height of 2.36 metres and 2.35 metres.

Low Tide: 14:35h reaching a minimum height of 0.88 metre.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS K

04 07 16

17 19 20

FREE TICKET

24 Bonus Ball

FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022

DAILY MILLIONS

01 15 17 22 25 LUCKY 3

8

7

1

2

Afternoon Draw

3

4

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

04 08 09 15 16 17 21 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2022

01 02 04 07 17 13

02 09 11 18 19

6

3 Afternoon Draw

FP Afternoon Draw

6

0 Evening Draw

2X Evening Draw

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$81.99/barrel

+1.47

Rough Rice

$264.474/ton

+0.16

London Sugar

$488.20/ton

-1.43

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1792.10

$1793.10

Low/High Change

$1785.80 +1.20

$1808.20 +0.02%

President Ali to hand over US$7M solar energy plant to Caricom HQ

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali will, next week, be handing over a US$7 million solar energy plant, which was funded by the Government of Japan, to the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretariat in Guyana.

The handing-over ceremony for the solar photovoltaic power generation plant with battery and building energy management systems is slated for next Tuesday at the Secretariat’s Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown headquarters.

According to Caricom Secretariat, the Guyanese Head of State will deliver the keynote address at the ceremony which will also be livestreamed on social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.

Meanwhile, the lineup of other speakers for the event includes Caricom General Secretary, Dr Carla N Barnett; Chief Representative to the Caribbean from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Mr Hiroyasu Tonokawa; Ambassador of Japan to Guyana and Caricom, His Excellency Mr Tatsuo Hirayama; Prime Minister of Guyana, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark A Phillips, who has responsibility for the country’s energy sector; and Caricom Deputy Secretary General, Dr Armstrong Alexis.

The 400-kilowatt solar generation project on the foregrounds of the Secretariat was undertaken through a US$17.8 million grant agreement between the governments of Guyana and Japan, US$7 million of which was earmarked for this project.

The transformation of the foreground of the Secretariat included mounting more than 1500 solar panels, setting up servers and batteries, building a car port and allotting space for educational/recreational activities. Panels and other equipment were installed in the building, and staff were trained to man the operations.

The building is expected to get all of its energy from solar-based sources on a majority of its operating days.

Overall, the Secretariat is expected to have a net-zero energy balance on the basis of the fact that there will be available excess energy. That excess can provide power to the national grid during its off-peak operations.

It is anticipated that the benefits the Secretariat will derive from the project will serve as an example of the transformation that can occur in public buildings across the region and, by extension, an example of how the region can utilise the renewable energy resources at its disposal to move towards greater energy efficiency and resilience.

The US$17.8 million

President Dr Irfaan Ali

grant was signed in June 2018 between the Guyana Government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to fund “The Project for the Introduction of Renewable Energy and the Improvement of Power System”, which is aimed at contributing to climate change mitigation efforts through the achievement of an efficient, sustainable power supply.

“These measures are intended to improve both the efficiency and sustainability of the power supply with the aim of thereby contributing to climate change mitigation. By showcasing such renewable energy and energy conservation technologies in the main office of Caricom,

which has 14 member countries and one member territory, it is hoped that the project will have a ripple effect on neighbouring countries,” a statement from the JICA in 2018 detailed.

The 36-month project, which included detailed design work and the bidding period, is being executed by the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA).

In addition to the installation of the renewable energy and energy conservation equipment, this project also caters for power transmission and distribution equipment to be augmented in and around Georgetown.

This includes reactive compensators (5 MVar each), 293 kilometres of power distribution cables, two sets of power factor correction devices and 48 pole bolts for the Guyana Power & Light (GPL).

The project also entails consulting services in the execution of the two initiatives as well as guidance in the management and maintenance of the equipment at both the Caricom Secretariat and GPL. This Japanese-funded project falls in line with the President Ali-led People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government’s renewable energy agenda.

The Government is looking to have the country’s ener-

gy mix to be 67 per cent renewable by 2035, according to its revised Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

The Government has many off-grid solar projects which are already in the implementation stage, and are designated for areas across the coast. The PPP/C Administration will also be supplying 30,000 solar photovoltaic units to hinterland homes under this initiative.

M e a n w h i l e , Government’s plans to transition to renewable sources will be done incrementally as the country moves from fossil fuel.

In addition to solar, hydro and wind will also play a significant role in the country’s transition process.

However, with Guyana now an oil-producing nation, plans are also afoot to use pipelines to bring natural gas onshore to enhance the country’s energy capacity.

The 250-megawatt (MW) gas-to-energy project will act as a transition fuel while Guyana gathers renewable energy projects.

The draft document projects that gas and renewable sources will make up 24 per cent and 74 per cent of the energy mixes, respectively, by 2040, while heavy fuel oil remains negligible. (G8)

4

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 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

Education vs Educare W

e tend to advance ourselves aggressively on a secular path, and we have many militating factors that push us to do so. As the world shrinks with globalisation, and borders to free trade and movement of skills proliferate exponentially, in order to maintain an edge, or even be viably relevant within the workforce equation, we are forced to purse the route of perpetual knowledge acquisition.

Not to be misconstrued, knowledge acquisition is integral towards our economic and social advancement as a people, and it is the only vehicle through which the abyss of poverty can be surmounted.

However, we have reached a point in our secular learning where emphasis is placed solely on the knowledge acquisition to gain a competitive edge at the expense of everything else.

This one-sided affair is one of the reasons why there is so much turmoil in the world presently. In the final analysis, we emerge as educated, qualified people who are severely lacking in the moral quotient necessary for us to be wholesome individuals.

With little or no moral, social or spiritual upbringing, in some cases centred on the promulgation of human values, some of our children have become ruthless and shrewd adults whose only motivation is the advancement of self. They also go through life disadvantaged because they don’t have the necessary support group or faith mechanisms to guide and lift them when they fall. That is why we are seeing so many reported cases of suicide, so many reported cases of alcohol use in school, so many reported cases of drug abuse, bullying and intolerance towards others.

Researchers from the University of Michigan analysed data from an annual survey of high school seniors from 135 schools in 48 states in a study called Monitoring the Future (Wallace and Forman, 1998).

Their research findings show that “religious involvement has a large impact on the lifestyles of these students, especially in late adolescence: Students who say that religion is important in their lives, and attend religious services frequently, have lower rates of cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and marijuana use; higher rates of seat belt use, eating fruits, vegetables, and breakfast; and lower rates of carrying weapons, getting into fights, and driving while drinking. This is one of the few studies that have examined religiousness, spirituality, and healthrelated practices in adolescence.”

The contention is not that we must drag our children to the Church, the Mandir or Mosque, or any other religious centre for them to be instilled with virtuous knowledge. The point is that our education system has to start implementing in its curriculum religious teachings (from all faiths) that promote not just secular education, but “educare.” Teachings that instil in the moldable minds of our young ones human values such as love, truth, non-violence, peace and right conduct.

There is an adage that says that “you can’t teach old dogs new tricks”, and it rings true in that we cannot wait until children become adults to impart in them human values or ethics, probability of failure is imminent in such cases.

However, if we start instilling human values in them at a tender age, children would grow up to be educated and balanced individuals exuding character.

This translates to more righteous people in the workforce, who are not just looking out for themselves but for the betterment of others also. In so doing, a lot of the societal ills, such as corporate scheming, embezzlement and intolerance, would be minimised, if not mitigated.

For this to be realised though, more work has to done not only on the part of the educators and policy makers, but also on the part of the parents. The parents have to play an integral role in consciously molding their children by also imparting in them the necessary teachings in human values, thereby supplementing and reinforcing the values that the child would learn in the school systems equipped with “educare.”

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Thursday donated six laptops to a group of visually impaired persons who are currently participating in a Radio Broadcasting Training Programme offered by the Labour Ministry through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).

The laptops were presented to the Manager of the programme, Leroy Phillips, and two of the participants, Levi Kattow and Selina Fullington, for further distribution by Permanent Secretary at the Office of the President, Abena Moore; Director of Projects, Marcia Nadir-Sharma and Director of the Press and Publicity Unit, Suelle Findlay-Williams (Office of the President photo)

Outlandish political assumptions

Dear Editor, Please allow me to respond to Mr. Tacuma Ogunseye's outlandish assumptions in his response to a letter I wrote to the media. In his response to the media on December 28 in KN, “Norton is Smart Enough,” and in the SN, “Norton is well aware of what supporters expect/ want,” Ogunseye asserted, “Reading his missive, there is obvious evidence of the pattern of thinking on political, social and economic issues that reflects the general views of the PPP/C and Indian rights activists.” Again, he failed to address the core issue of my letter, rigging and violence, but, not surprisingly, resorted to the race card as a clutch.

As well, Afro-Guyanese who condemn their racism and violence, and those who cooperate with other ethnic groups in Guyana are labelled “House N”. Just recently, “UmbrellaGate,” a Black lawyer and politician holding an umbrella for an Indo-Guyanese was abused on social media by PNC politicians and media operatives. More repugnant was the PNC Opposition’s violent assault on the Speaker of the House, and the violent attempt to remove the Mace from Parliament.

When a citizen of Guyana defended the Mace, he was

ridiculed as a “House N.” This is how when many of us call out the PNC, we are branded as “PPP, Indian, Uncle Toms or House N.” The issue was eloquently summarised by a Guyanese award-winning author Mr. Ruel Johnson.

“The UmbrellaGate issue is a direct result of the sort of manic, race-baiting…that was cultivated last year and continues to be cultivated for the sole purpose of distracting from and at the same time justifying the attempt to rig the elections. It is another case of the bull… Big Lie 'revolution' eating its own children.”

Mr Tacuma is yet to condemn these vile actions.

May I remind him that the international community is witnessing it all, and with social media today, it's all out there. The world is witnessing the PNC vile racism and violence to destabilise Guyana.

I am no activist like Mr. Tacuma. He has been an activist for one race all his life. I have served and assimilated with many races.

I belong to no tribe, no clan, no organisation or ethnic group. Africa and India are not my homes. But sadly, these dinosaurs of the PNC believe that they hold a monopoly to speak for AfroGuyanese.

May I remind Mr.

Ogunseye that I am not a PPP utensil. I don't get paid to blog, nor am I looking for a job. I have a mind of my own, and speak for myself.

Did Mr. Tacuma Ogunseye not see my letters to the media of my criticism of the PPP Government on many occasions? Did he realize that Indians also voted for the APNU Coalition, which was a disaster, and many left in 2015 to vote for the PPP? Again, he uses the card in an attempt to character assassinate those who criticise the PNC’s use of violence, racism, rigging elections and failure to elevate its base. Again, he refused to look in the mirror, but instead he wants to scapegoat Indians.

I agree with Freddie Kissoon when he asserted that Afro-Guyanese, “do not think that Mark Benschop, David Hinds, Sherod Duncan, Simona Broomes, etc. are their leaders.” They are not “guiding agents for the African population.

“Did you see David Hinds with a bullhorn exhorting Black villages up the East Coast to undermine the Government? The villagers just passed and watched him as if he was a lunatic.”

These radical and violent anti-Indi-

an Parliamentarians and PNC ranks frequent the anti-Indian diatribe hosted by Sherod Duncan, Rickford Burke, Kakadie Amsterdam, Mark Benschop, Gavin Matthews, etc.

These Parliamentarians took a beating in the election drama in 2020.” Freddie Kissoon called them out.

Minister Dharamlall’s criticism of two judges received condemnation from the WPA, PNC, AFC and their social media anti-Indian surrogates, most based outside of Guyana. Yet, like Freddie said, “To this day, Granger and Harmon have not apologiSed for their rhetoric that led to mayhem in September 2020 in Region Five, in which buildings were burned, cars were damaged, people were attacked.” I am yet to see any condemnation of the violent attack in Parliament. Yet there is no apology from Amanza Walton Desir for calling Indians lazy and the verbal assault in Parliament calling the defender of the Mace a “House N.” Mr. Takuma condemned Minister Dharamlall but remained silent on ADW, UmbrellaGate and MaceGate. These people should look in the mirror and stop calling God’s name in vain.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022

5

You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Recommended solutions to avoid contracting aberrations Dear Editor, It was reported in December 2021 that President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, in response to the Auditor General's Reports of 2019 and 2020, had issued a call to all contractors to "ensure that works assigned to them are not only done in a timely manner but that they are done in keeping with the required standards and within the parameters of cost.”

President Ali’s appeal to contractors is a moral one. It would not necessarily lead to a solution to the contracting nonfeasance plaguing Guyana for several decades. Contracting is a business. The main goal is to make as much money as possible. Variations such as loopholes in contracts, design and specification flaws, design changes and unforeseen construction issues provide contractors with opportunities to increase profitability. An experienced contractor who recognises one or more potential variations may submit a low bid to win a contract, and then use these variations to gain profitability. There is nothing illegal, or even unethical, about those variations.

The Guyana Government’s implementation of the PPP/C's manifesto “Infrastructure Boom: Building for the Future”, is an ambitious undertaking that has to over-

come many barriers to succeed. Infrastructural works such as bridges, roads, sea defences, gas-to-shore facilities, hydropower dams, etc. are intensive, extensive and expensive projects. Where large sums of public money are at stake, especially in such infrastructural works, human beings find creative ways to engage in corruption.

The Auditor General’s (AG’s) 2019 and 2020 reports contain a plethora of infrastructural project transgressions across Government Ministries that erode public trust and roll back progress. Current high-ranking Government officials have to spend enormous time and make additional funding requests to correct faulty and non-performing public infrastructure projects.

These high-ranking officials have pressing time constraints to develop and implement policies, only to be diverted to rectify technical problems. It is an inefficient and costly way to transform a country.

As President Ali pleaded, “You are part of the mechanism that would allow or disallow this Government from achieving its commitment to the people of this country…We are one team, all of us in here, we are one team with an objective to achieve one vision.”

Most of the contracting

problems cited in the AG's reports were observed late in the project cycle, when value-engineering solutions became unachievable. In fact, some of the contracting problems probably originated at project conceptualisation and scope of work definition stages. To provide for the safety, health and welfare of Guyanese, and to obtain value for public infrastructural works, the Guyana Government must institute the necessary statutory and regulatory systems to combat malpractices in construction.

At a minimum, two statutory/regulatory agencies, departments or units need to be in place.

Firstly, if not yet created, a Registrar of Contractors agency to issue contractors’ licences, investigate and resolve complaints against licensed and unlicensed contractors, and to require a surety bond from contractors to serve as recovery funds to reimburse owners for poor workmanship or non-performance. Similar agencies can be created for professional engineers and engineering trade (eg plumbing) licences.

Secondly, a Building Safety Department to enact building codes and regulations, approve plans and specifications, inspect construction projects, and enforce the provisions of the

building codes is needed.

A key reason for the contracting debauchery noted in the AG’s 2019 and 2020 reports is the poor or absence of construction management (CM). CM is a professional engineering service to monitor construction works to ensure quality, safety, compliance with plans and specifications, in-service performance, timely completion, and cost control. Unless the Government of Guyana hires qualified, experienced and incorruptible construction management personnel, the construction problems reported in the AG’s reports are likely to persist.

The AG’s reports show public infrastructural works across various ministries and agencies. To oversee these works for timely completion, quality construction according to design specifications and codes, consistency, minimisation of cost variations, and to stymie corruption, an umbrella Infrastructure Programme Management Unit is required.

Of course, the Government has to provide opportunities for education and training of the required technical staff and contractors’ licensure, enact and enforce tight enforcement policies.

Sincerely, Dr Muniram Budhu

Outlandish political...

My I remind Mr. Tacuma that my letter was about the PNC. I am not addressing the PPP. My letter was addressed to Mr Norton to answer if he plans to represent all Guyanese and including Indo-Guyanese, and will he denounce violence?

How is Mr Tacuma and Norton going to canvas Indian, Amerindian and Dougla votes to win any future elections?

The PNC should wait their turn. Why use race and the COVID-19 pandemic to mobilise violence to destabilise Guyana? The Government has a mandate to use the money to build massive and transformative infrastructure.

The Government also has a mandate to pass legislation, and if the PNC were in power, they would have done the same. Why can't the PNC wait their turn?

They should serve the nation instead of their selfish glut.

Are these leaders? They took a “beating” at the last PNC election, and they did so for one particular

FROM PAGE 4

reason. “People thought they were the faces of five months of lying to the nation. So did Mr. Norton.”

Close to one thousand PNC delegates did not vote.

And like Freddie said, “Was seen by delegates as an extremist who is not good for multi-racial politics. This is where the decency of African Guyanese came in. If she had apologised for her wild vocabulary, maybe she would have received more votes.

“In a democracy, people vote, argue, and debate — often vociferously — in order to achieve the policy outcomes they desire.

But in a democracy, people must not employ violence or unlawful threats of violence to affect that outcome. Citizens must not be intimidated from exercising their constitutional rights to free expression and association by such unlawful conduct.” (US Attorney General, Merrick Garland).

Sincerely, Ray Chickrie

6

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022

Page

Foundation ◄

Understanding Variable Expressions Sometimes you want to solve a problem to find an unknown number. The unknown number is called a variable. Variables are usually expressed as letters.

Variables are used with numbers and symbols in algebra, a kind of Maths used to find the value of unknowns. An algebraic expression is a group of letters, numbers and operations.

Examples:

x + 17

(p- 63) x 3

b (36 ÷ a) + 9 3 =

12 x y

When you have a variable in a multiplication expression, you do not need to use the x symbol. So 12 x y is usually written 12y. The 12 is called a coefficient, which is a number that multiplies a variable.

Exercises: Express by writing each expression in word form 1)

2)

b 6

4) b + 10

(y–4) 32

7) 6p – 9

5) 18n – 18

3) 2x + 8

8) (42 – 6) n + 4

6) 20m + 1 (3)

Friday’s answers 1) Equality Property of Multiplication

4) Zero Property Multiplication

2)Equality Property of Division not by zero

5) Equality Property of Addition

3) Zero Property Multiplication

6) Zero Property Multiplication

of

of

of

7) Yes 8) Yes

I

n this fun and easy science experiment for kids we are going to explore static electricity and use it to make water move and appear to bend.

Materials: Plastic hair comb Faucet with running water Instructions: Run the plastic comb through your hair several times.

Next, hold the comb near a small running stream of water from a sink faucet.

Observe what happens to the stream of water.

Note: The lower the humidity, the better this experiment will work.

How it works: As the plastic comb moves through hair, it builds up a negative charge. Things that have a negative charge attract things that have a positive charge. The two hydrogen atoms of water have a positive charge. Due the liquid nature of water, the hydrogen atoms are able to move freely and are able to attract or “bend” and move toward the negatively charged plastic hair comb.

Make this a science project: Try different liquids. Are you able to negatively charge other items like a balloon, piece of PVC pipe, piece of Styrofoam, etc. Test to see if different temperatures of water behave differently. (scienceisfun.org)

Your mouth contorting in brief spite and hurt, your laughter metamorphosed into howls, your frame so recently relaxed now tight with three-year-old frustration, your bright eyes swimming tears, splashing your bare feet, you stand there angling for a moment's hint of guilt or sorrow for the quick slap struck.

The ogre towers above you, that grim giant, empty of feeling, a colossal cruel, soon victim of the tale's conclusion, dead at last. You hate him, you imagine chopping clean the tree he's scrambling down or plotting deeper pits to trap him in.

You cannot understand, not yet, the hurt your easy tears can scald him with, nor guess the wavering hidden behind that mask.

This fierce man longs to lift you, curb your sadness with piggy-back or bull-fight, anything, but dare not ruin the lessons you should learn.

You must not make a plaything of the rain.

Teacher’s tip

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love – Marcus Aurelius

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Power struggle in PNCR

Replace Harmon as Opposition Leader, Granger as APNU/AFC List Rep with Norton – PNCR …PNC must follow APNU protocols – Harmon

T

he Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the People’s National Congress Reform has decided that the newly-elected Leader of the Party, Aubrey Norton, should sit in the National Assembly and hold the post of the country’s Opposition Leader.

This was revealed by Norton during a press conference at Congress Place on Friday.

“As I understand it… the party’s Central Executive has decided that the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the party should be one person,” he told reporters, adding that he has the competence to serve in the National Assembly.

This now means that Norton would replace Joseph Harmon as Leader of the Opposition.

The PNCR Leader said he will be discussing this development with Harmon sometime before Wednesday.

However, on Friday it was reported that Harmon has indicated that PNC must now follow the protocols of A Partnership of National Unity (APNU) in which it is a coalition member and take its concerns to the executive body.

As it stands, former President and former leader of PNC, David Granger is the Representative of the List of Candidates for APNU/ AFC. Granger is also the Chairman of APNU while Harmon on the other hand is the General Secretary.

But just last week, Harmon, who lost his bid for the PNCR leadership to Norton, had insisted that he should remain Opposition Leader.

However, the Opposition Leader noted that he would only step down if his presence in the National Assembly hampers

PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton

the APNU/AFC’s parliamentary performance. The PNCR is the leading party in the A Partnership for National Unity faction of the Opposition and holds the majority stake in the coalition arrangement with the Alliance For Change.

In addition to losing his contest for the party’s leadership, Harmon was also not elected to any of the Central Executive Committee seats of the PNCR. In fact, he was hoping to be co-opted unto the party’s executive as was done in the past.

Ad hoc changes to agreements

Meanwhile, in a statement on Friday evening, APNU said that in 2011 at the birth of the APNU a collective decision was made as to who would be Head of the List, adding that in 2015 a collective decision was made as to who would be head of the list when the Alliance for Change coalesced with APNU. “In 2020 the APNU/AFC agreed that the Head and the Deputy Head of the List would be David Granger and Khemraj Ramjattan, respectively. Those decisions were made and agreed upon as a

collective. The members of A Partnership for National Unity are thus confused by statements which suggest any one party through its internal meeting can make ad hoc changes to agreements which were reached and expected to last for the tenure of the 12th Parliament,” APNU said.

According to APNU, if there are issues or concerns that need to be addressed, any member of the Partnership or coalition knows the method that should be used in addressing those issues or concerns.

The members of the APNU, the statement noted, would therefore expect that all members, in keeping with the proper and ethical norms, would bring their positions on matters before the APNU Executive for consensus and agreement rather than making public pronouncements on matters that cannot be decided upon by any one party.

“The members of A Partnership for National Unity have had no reason to question the abilities of David Granger and Khemraj Ramjattan as Head and Deputy Head of the list of the APNU/AFC, we have had no reason to question the leadership of Joseph Harmon as Leader of the Opposition and we have had no reasons to question the abilities of any Member of Parliament. While we are yet to meet with the new PNCR Leader Mr Aubrey Norton, we are expecting to have a good working relationship with him as we’ve had with former President David Granger,” the APNU statement read.

Co-Chairs

At Friday’s press conference, the PNCR Leader

disclosed that Member of Parliament Roysdale Forde, Region Four Chairman Daniel Seeram, Joan-Ann Ramacindo and Sherwood Lowe have been co-opted to the CEC. The PNCR’s constitution allows for the party leader to co-opt non-elected members to the Central Executive Committee. Norton said that there are about 10 spots to fill in total.

While he did not indicate whether he intends to also nominate Harmon to be co-opted to the Executive, Norton, nevertheless, contended that he is committed to working along with Harmon and other party members.

“You would recall that throughout the campaign, I stressed regularly that I do not intend to be a maximum leader. I want to be involved in the servant-type relationship and to involve all of our stakeholders in the process and let our decisions be a reflection of the collective will. I intend to do that,” he stated.

In fact, the party leader informed reporters that he has already started working with many party members who did not support him during the PNCR’s 21st Biennial Congress held in December 2022 including Dr Richard Van West-Charles, who also contested for the leadership post.

“I think it is reasonable to conclude that I believe that there is a place for everyone in the party. I believe, essentially, the party’s work is made lighter when we have all hands-on deck.

Mr Harmon has hands and I’m disposed to them being on deck,” Norton posited.

Efforts by Guyana Times to contact Harmon on Friday for a comment on these developments from the PNCR Leader were futile.

Meanwhile, with the new leadership of the party elected at the December 2021 Congress and Norton now heading to Parliament, a shake-up amongst the current cohort of Opposition Members of Parliament is

Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon

likely – something which Harmon does not believe should happen. He had told reporters last week that the Opposition’s current crop of MPs are doing a good job, hence no need for a recall.

But at Friday’s press conference, Norton explained that the party’s Central Executive will have to discuss this issue of recalling Opposition members in the National Assembly.

TURN TO PAGE 15

8 NEWS 13 men, 3 women sit on death row SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Changes...

B Aaron Hing

Abishai Caesar

Bibi Nazeela Habiboodean

Burt Lancaster

Cyon Collier

Dennis Williams

Mark Williams

Imran Ramsaywack

Linden Lewis

Hemwattie Abdulla

Seerojini Permaul

Kenryck Lyte

Sherwin Hart

A

t the end of December 2021, there were sixteen persons - 13 men and three women sitting on death row in Guyana. The majority of them have filed appeals against the capital punishment which has not been carried out since 1997.

Those on death row have all been convicted of murder.

They are Dennis Williams, Mark Williams, Burt Lancaster, Aaron Hing, Sherwin Hart, Devon Gordan, Deon Greenidge, Cyon Collier, Davanand Tilacknauth, Kenrick Lyte, Imran Ramsaywack, Bibi Nazeela Habiboodean, Linden Lewis, Hemwattie Abdulla, Seerojini Permaul, and Abishai Caesar.

In

Aaron Hing

November

2021,

Devon Gordan

Deon Greenidge

30-year-old Aaron Hing was sentenced to death for the murder of his godbrother British teenager, Dominic Bernard. Bernard, called “Dom”, 18, had travelled to Guyana from Epsom, England, on October 14, 2015, for a three-week vacation, and to pursue his film-making career.

He was picked up from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) by his godbrother and his godbrother’s friend in a rented car. After Bernard failed to return home on November 5, 2015, his father travelled to Guyana where he sought assistance from the Police with probing his son’s disappearance.

Bernard was bludgeoned to death hours after he landed in Guyana, and was later buried in a shallow grave that was dug days prior to his arrival. His de-

composed body, which was badly mutilated, was found on January 8, 2016, in the grave in the backlands at Nurney, Corentyne, Berbice.

An autopsy revealed that the teenager had been struck to the back of the head. He sustained a fractured skull as well as a broken neck. Police recovered a hammer which is believed to be one of the murder weapons. Hing confessed to killing his godbrother to “get back at him” for getting him arrested in London.

Bibi Nazeela Habiboodean and Linden Lewis

Then in October 2021, Bibi Nazeela Habiboodean and Linden Lewis were each sentenced to death in a manner prescribed in law after they were found guilty of murdering her elderly father over a decade ago.

Bibi, who is said to be in her 50s, had only paid Lewis, 34, $5000 and promised him a house, land, and a car to beat her 76-year-old father, Habiboodean (only name given) to compel the elderly man to sign over his property to her.

The businessman of Ruby, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), was badly beaten at his home on February 14, 2008. The pensioner, who owned a gas station, died the following day while receiving treatment at a private city hospital.

Abishai Caesar

And in June 2021, Abishai Caesar, 36, of Tuschen, EBE, was handed the death sentence after a jury found him guilty on three counts of murder over the deaths of businesswoman Jennifer Persaud and her two young sons.

Between September 22 and 24, 2012, at Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara (WCD), he murdered 41-year-old Persaud and her sons Afridi Bacchus, 6; and 18-month-old Jadon Ernest.

It was reported that Persaud, who owned a liquor store and bar, along with her two sons were discovered in their home with their throats slit. The woman’s body was found on a bed with Afridi on top of her.

TURN TO PAGE 12

…and PNC exchanges ack in 1998, then Leader of the PNC, Desmond Hoyte, smarting from his electoral loss and an attempted leadership coup, was asked why he’d expelled Aubrey Norton as General Secretary (GS) of the party. He famously opined that Norton was his “creature”!

While the term is ambiguous and Guyanese have latched on to one of its less flattering meanings, Hoyte meant that the GS is appointed totally at the discretion of the Leader, and, as such, was his “creation”.

But the subtext of the designation has always been that the PNC’s GS is expected to slavishly follow the whims and fancies of the “Comrade Leader”. The term, of course, comes out of the communist party organisational ethos when - starting with Joseph Stalin in the USSR he was the leader of the party, and when in office, was head of the Government. Mao was also the GS of the Chinese Communist Party. Cheddi Jagan was the GS of the PPP for the longest while. In Guyana, the PNC’s first General Secretary was Jai Narine Singh, and after he quit - saying Burnham was “racist” - he was succeeded by Eusi Kwayana, then Sydney King. Hamilton Green then served till 1974, and was removed since, though Burnham’s willing creature, he was considered too ambitious. Burnham then set the criteria for his successors - pliable and obsequious!

When Granger was inserted as PNC Leader, Amna Ally was chosen as his General Secretary, succeeding Oscar Clarke, who was a holdover from the days of Hoyte, and was the epitome of the faceless GS, who shape shifted at the direction of the Leader. And we know how loyal Amna Ally was to Granger! So we come to new PNC Leader Aubrey Norton’s choice for General Secretary Geeta Chandan-Edmond. And the first thing we must disabuse ourselves of is the notion that Norton wouldn’t pick a creature like his predecessors. Apart from the fact that abused GSs become abusive leaders, contrary to his fervent protestations, he’ll be out to create a PNC in his image. That’s the PNC’s oligarchic compulsions and imperative of power!!

From that standpoint, Chandan’s a good choice. Firstly, she has no base in the PNC she can count on to challenge the leader - she was AFC!! And she and her husband has resigned from that party because the AFC HAD FOLLOWED THE PNC’s LINE TOO SLAVISHLY!! Ironic, ain’t it? But that’s the way the (political) cookie crumbles!! Then again, she’s Indian- Guyanese - which was probably her greatest qualification in an elected PNC executive that’s lopsidedly African- Guyanese. But with the PNC’s reaction of “JUDAS” to Charrandass Persaud’s principled stand, Chandan won’t be trusted further than she can be thrown.

Which ain’t very far!! …in Private Sector wages The Ministry of Labour just established a minimum wage for the Private Sector - after extensive discussions with stakeholders from that sector. And the magic number is $60,000 monthly!! Now one thing that’s a constant across the world is that Private Sector workers earn more than Public Service workers. And that’s mainly because the Private Sector is geared to producing results for their owners and shareholders - which then translate into greater profits that can be used to pay higher salaries to attract the best workers.

But that’s the REST of the world. This is Guyana which is in a whole parallel Bizzaro universe!! Here, the situation’s reversed, and the Public Service’s minimum wage - for example those needing no qualifications, like cleaners etc. - is $70,000 monthly!! And, dear readers, we all know to our cost - and is evident from letters to the press all the time - that most Public Service workers are the least efficient in all our land!!

But there’s still gonna be criticism that Public Sector workers are victimised!! …in the old guard One of the stalwarts of the Pan African Movement, Dr Joycelynne Loncke, passed to the land of the ancestors.

Committed to the cause of rectifying the historical wrongs done to Africans, she never lost her dignity.

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

NEWS

9

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cemetery Road man Fisherman attacked, stabbed by drinking buddy wanted for bigamy A

fisherman is now hospitalised after he was stabbed by his drinking buddy in the wee hours of Wednesday at No 64 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

The injured man is 52-yearold Petamber Hack of the said village.

Based on reports received, the victim was imbibing and left for his home at about 01:30h. However, he was reportedly followed by the suspect, who started stabbing him in his back and right hand with two knives.

After committing the act, the suspect ran away.

However, the injured man went to the Skeldon Hospital

T

he Guyana Police Force on Friday issued a wanted bulletin for 55-yearold Andrew Simon for questioning in relation to the offence of bigamy.

The offence was reportedly committed on December 20, 2021. Based on information received, the man, who is legally married, reportedly got married to another woman in time for the holidays.

Guyana Times understands that after his legally married wife wound out that he had remarried, she made an official complaint to the Police. His last known address was given as Lot 1010 Cemetery Road, Wortmanville, Georgetown.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Andrew Simon is asked to contact the Police on telephone numbers 227-2603, 226-6978, 226-6221, 227-1149, 911 or the nearest Police station.

Wanted: Andrew Simon

to seek medical attention.

The Police were summoned and the incident was reported.

The victim reportedly sustained five stab wounds to his right hand and back.

His condition is regarded as stable. Meanwhile, the suspect was later arrested and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.

He remains in custody as investigations continue.

Network technicians robbed Decomposed body of by motorcycle bandits pensioner found in house

T

he partially decomposed body of a 72-year-old man was found on Wednesday at his No 67 Village, Corentyne, Berbice home. Dead is

Phowder Gangadat.

Police stated that the man lived alone in a oneflat wooden structure, and according to a family friend, he was of unsound mind and

would usually walk around aimlessly in the community.

He was reportedly last seen on Sunday at about 16:30h. However, on Wednesday at about 06:30h, a resident went to check on him and found the house open. Upon checking, the man’s motionless body was found on the floor. He was naked at the time.

Police were summoned to the scene and it was observed that the body was partially decomposed.

It was taken to Anthony’s Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem.

T

wo network technicians, aged 39 and 46, were reportedly robbed by three men on a motorcycle at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Thursday.

They were relieved of

one iPhone 11 Pro Max, one Apple Watch SE series, one ear pod, and $20,000 in cash belonging to the 39-yearold technician. The other technician was robbed of one Samsung S7 phone, one Samsung tablet, and

$50,000 cash.

Police stated that on the day in question at about 05:20h, the 39-year-old victim went to pick up the 46-year-old as he usually does to go to work.

As they were awaiting public transportation, a motorcycle pulled up behind the bus with the three masked men, two of whom proceeded to rob them of their valuables while the third stood as a lookout.

After committing the robbery, they jumped on the motorcycle and made good their escape. The matter was reported and an investigation is underway.

10 NEWS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Not Guyanese alone experiencing rise in food prices – FAO …it’s a worldwide trend – Dr Gillian Smith

F

ood and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations representative to Guyana, Dr Gillian Smith disclosed on Friday that not Guyanese alone are experiencing the rise of food prices, but the rest of the world as well.

In a report published on January 6 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on the FAO Food Price Index, it was confirmed that food prices are continuing to rise, and not just in Guyana.

In 2021, the FAO Food Price Index continued to trend upwards, reaching a 10-year high, despite a few months which registered small reductions, including December. In fact, the 2021

FAO Food Price Index was just over 28 per cent higher than 2020.

The FAO Food Price Index is a well-recognised tool that tracks monthly changes in commonly traded international food commodities – cereals (including rice), vegetable oils, sugar, meat and dairy. Roughly, it indicates how much countries may expect to pay for these types of commodities in global markets (import), but also what prices countries might expect to receive for their food exports.

The factors contributing to the rise in individual commodity prices are numerous and interact in complex ways. According to the report, food production levels (supply), particular-

ly among leading producers are important. In December 2021, global poultry prices declined somewhat, primarily due to increased global exportable supplies.

However, also important to price changes are the levels of stocks on hand that are available to the market. This is often seen with cereals such as wheat and maize.

Demand also plays a role in food prices, the report stated, adding that seasonal demand for Christmas temporarily drove the price of some types of meat on global markets.

Speculation also plays a part in food price fluctuations, the report added. It stated that market speculation on expected demand

and on the potential impact of weather and environmental conditions on projected production can drive up or depress prices. The COVID-19 pandemic has further introduced significant cost increases in freight and logistics. For example, “maize and wheat prices were 44.1 and 31.3 per cent higher than their respective 2020 averages, mostly on strong demand and tighter supplies, especially among major wheat exporters.”

Mixed impact

For a country such as Guyana, the situation of the global food commodities will have mixed impact. As an exporter, Guyana is affected by global prices it will receive for exports of rice and sugar. It is welcomed news that rice production is progressing well. In the cereal price index, rice registered a slight decline (4 per cent) in price in 2021, compared to 2020 levels but importantly, it continues to be higher than pre-COVID-19 levels.

In this case, the small price decline is reported to be a result of ample global supplies and increased competition among suppliers. For its part, Guyana continues to have stable markets for its rice and remains the number one rice producing country in the Caricom.

As with other countries, Guyana is also feeling the impact of higher prices for imported food (processed and raw materials), feedstock and farming input supplies.

“For 2021 as a whole, the FAO Cereal Price Index increased by just over 27 per cent from 2020 and the

Food and Agriculture Organisation Food Price Index

Index stands at the highest annual average registered since 2012. Both wheat and corn, significant components imported for food manufacture in Guyana, are included here. For 2022, we can likely expect that global and national food systems will continue to grapple with conditions that will impact food prices,” the report stated.

Other impact

In addition to seasonal fluctuations in production and demand, it is expected that backlog and interruptions in global shipping and logistics, uncertain labour availability, the pandemic and impacts of climate and weather events will all continue to have their effect on food prices.

According to the report, Guyana’s food system will have to continue providing

safe, healthy affordable food for all, as well as to provide livelihood opportunities for our farming communities.

It is more critical than ever to follow the comprehensive path to national food systems transformation that Guyana outlined at the UN Food Systems Summit – social protection for the most vulnerable; continuous improvement in production and food distribution efficiency, to keep prices competitive; embracing diversification of agriculture with technology and digital innovation; streamlining the current and emerging value chains; pursuing trade with shorter supply chains and reducing the risk in agriculture. There are few shortterm solutions that will be sustainable. The answers lie in the longer haul, the report noted.

Husband pulled trigger in Sarah Johanna murder-suicide – Police source …autopsy shows couple shot at close range

T

he post-mortem performed on the bodies of 25-year-old Nicholas Low-A-Chee and his wife, Elizabeth Low-AChee, confirmed that they both died from gunshot injuries and more so, they were shot at close range.

The autopsies were performed by Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh, who indicated that the husband sustained one gunshot injury to the head while the wife was shot once to the head and once to the abdomen.

However, a source close to investigations stated that from all indications, the husband was the one who pulled the trigger. “It is impossible for the woman to pull the trigger… she was the one who was shot twice… it is clear that she was shot to the abdomen first then to the head, above her right eye,” the source related.

Dead: Nicholas and Sasha Low-A-Chee

Homicide detectives are working with the theory that after shooting his wife,

the man turned to the gun to himself and pulled the trigger. TURN TO PAGE 14

11

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

12 NEWS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

50% of suicides, 40% GNBS inspectors assaulted of murders in Region 1 during seizure of substandard electrical products recorded at Baramita

R

egional Commander of Region One (Barima-Waini), Superintendent Boodnarine Persaud has said that he has his eyes on the Baramita area this year, since it was the hotspot for murders and suicides in 2021.

For last year, more than 50 per cent of the suicide cases, which is nine out of 16 cases in the region, came from the area.

Also, 40 per cent of the murder cases in Region One and a number of statutory rapes were reported at the Baramita Police Station during the year 2021.

According to Commander Persaud, he believes that it is necessary to extend partnership among schools and their staff, councillors, businesses, and the community of Baramita so that they can work together in an effort to reduce crime in the community.

Only a month ago the Commander had called on

Region One Commander Boodnarine Persaud

Police officers to be more proactive and work with residents of the region to combat crime.

He had reported that overall, the region had seen a 21 per cent increase in crime when compared to 2020’s report.

Speaking on the rise in

the number of cases of statutory rape, the Commander had said that they were experiencing major challenges dealing with these issues since most times the cases are reported during pregnancy.

This came on the heels of a recent murder that occurred in the area.

Two weeks ago, residents of Return Baramita, North West District, placed a call to the Police in that area, informing them that they heard several loud explosions, resembling that of gunshots.

It was also reported that a man was heard screaming.

Ranks visited the area and discovered the motionless body of a Venezuelan national called “Dorian”, (only name given), with gunshot wounds to his face, chest, and back.

He was rushed to the Baramita Health Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. (G9)

13 men, 3 women sit...

Jadon, on the other hand, was found on the floor next to the bed. Caesar was only apprehended for the murders in 2016 after his reputed wife, Zoey Phillips, told detectives that he had confided in her about killing the family.

Hemwattie Abdulla and Seerojini Permaul

Hemwattie Abdulla, also known as “Annie”, and her friend, Seerojini Permaul, known as “Usha”, were in 2018, sentenced to death

for murdering her husband, Abdool Shakeel Majid back in 2012.

The prosecution’s case was that Abdulla arranged the murder of her husband for the money which he had received from an accident in the US and got Permaul to assist her in executing the plot.

Majid and his wife had arrived in Guyana back in April 2012 from the USA for a vacation. However, five days after, Majid’s battered body with the scalp missing

was found on the Number 63 Beach in Corentyne, Berbice.

By then, Abdulla had returned to the US where she is a resident and had informed her dead husband’s relatives that he had gone to Suriname. It was a relative of the now dead man who found his suitcase and other personal belongings including his passport at a house and called in the Police.

Dennis Williams and Mark Williams

Mark “Smallie” Williams

T

wo Inspectors of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) were on Friday assaulted by the proprietor of Carrefour Hardware Store on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD), when they attempted to remove a quantity of substandard electrical fittings and equipment from the business premises.

Reports are that the inspectors visited the hardware store for routine inspection activities where it was observed that the items did not meet the labelling requirements of the national standards. A statement from the GNBS said that the owner of the business was informed that the items had to be seized and removed, pending corrective actions.

However, during efforts to seize the substandard items, the female proprietor of the establishment proceeded to obstruct the inspectors from carrying out their function. The proprietor, GNBS said, began to physically assault one of

FROM PAGE 8

and Dennis “Anaconda” Williams have been sentenced to death for eight and seven counts of murder, respectively, over the 2008 Bartica massacre. Also, they were each sentenced to life imprisonment for four and five counts of manslaughter, respectively, in relation to the mass killing.

On February 17, 2008, several gunmen attacked the mining community of Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) killing 12 residents and injuring several others. The group of about 20 gunmen arrived at Bartica by speedboat.

They landed at the Transport and Harbour wharf around 10 pm.

Upon arrival, they attacked the Bartica Police Station, killing Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir, Constable Shane Fredericks, and Constable Ron Osbornes.

The gang then stole cash, arms, ammunition, and a vehicle from the Police station. Using the stolen Police vehicle, they drove through the streets of Bartica, shooting at civilians. They fatally wounded Irwin Gilkes. They then proceeded to CBR Mining, where they killed Irving Ferreira.

Next, they shot and killed Dexter Adrian before returning to the wharf. While at the wharf, they executed Abdool Yassin Jr, Deonarine Singh, Errol Thomas, Ronald Gomes, Baldeo Singh, and Ashraf Khan.

Burt Lancaster

In 2012, Burt Lancaster was found guilty of the murder of taxi driver Deonarine Sookdeo. According to re-

The items that were seized during the West Coast Demerara operation

the male inspectors and the Police were called. The proprietor was subsequently arrested, taken to the Den Amstel Police Station and charged.

During the operation, inspectors seized 143 pieces of power supply cords, five pieces of knife switches, 694 receptacles, 188 plugs and 248 lamp holders, from the hardware store.

On Friday GNBS stat-

ed that inspectors are empowered under Section 28 of the Standards Act of 1984 and its Amendment of 1997 to, without previous notice, enter any premises, inspect commodities monitored by the GNBS, and request relevant documentation.

Additionally, inspectors have the power to seize and detain products which are in contravention of the Act.

ports, Sookdeo died between April 19 and 26, 2006.

Lancaster called “Moses”, and his co-worker Daywan Kawal called “Avinash”, left work around midday on April 19, 2006, and went to Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), where they hired a taxi to go to Soesdyke, EBD. While on their way, the driver of the vehicle, Sookdeo, stopped at a gas station. It was then that the workmates allegedly decided to rob the taxi driver. They reportedly asked the driver to take them up a trail in Kuru Kuru, LindenSoesdyke, Highway. Once on the trail, they reportedly used a weapon to inflict injuries on Sookdeo whose badly decomposed body was later found in the area.

tween July 9 and 13, 2014, at Groete Creek, Essequibo River.

According to the prosecution’s case, Lyte and the pensioner were alone in a boat when an argument ensued over monies owed to the pensioner by Lyte. It was contended that Lyte took a shotgun that was inside the boat and shot the pensioner to his chest then threw away the gun and sunk the boat.

Sherwin Hart, Deon Greenidge, and Devon Gordon

In 2013, former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guards, Sherwin Hart, Devon Gordon, and Deon Greenidge were sentenced to death for the August 2009 murder of Bartica gold miner Dwieve Kant Ramdass.

The prosecution’s case is that on August 20, 2009, at Caiman Hole in the Essequibo River, they forced Ramdass into their boat and took him to the aforementioned location where they relieved him of $17 million in cash he was carrying in a box to Bartica for his employer, before dumping him overboard.

Kenrick Lyte

Kenrick Lyte of Good Intent, Lower Pomeroon River, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) is on death row for the murder of Osmond Fiedtkou, 72. The murder took place be-

Imran Ramsaywack

Imran Ramsaywack of Berbice was sentenced to death for the murder of US-based Guyanese businesswoman, Samantha Benjamin, which occurred between March 25 and 26, 2015.

Ramsaywack was found guilty by a jury of murdering Benjamin at her Middle Walk, Buxton home. The woman’s dismembered body was discovered in the Atlantic Ocean along the Annandale foreshore, East Coast Demerara.

Her head, arms, and legs were missing. The woman’s body parts were later pulled from the ocean after a search was conducted by the Police.

Cyon Collier

Meanwhile, Cyon Collier called “Picture Boy”, who was indicted for the 2006 double murder of the two brothers, Ray Walcott, called “Sugar” and Carl Andrews, called “Alo”, was also sentenced to death.

On the dreadful day at Victoria, East Coast Demerara (ECD), he rode up on a motorcycle, stopping where the siblings and a group were playing dominoes. He then pulled out a gun and started shooting at them. (Feona Morrison)

NEWS

13

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

LOTUS to lead Guyana’s tourism global digital marketing services W

ith the production of oil and gas in Guyana expected to boost Guyana’s economy in the coming years, which in turn will create an influx of tourists in Guyana, it was revealed in a press release on Friday that the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has appointed LOTUS, a multi-award-winning, PR, digital communications and representation agency specialising in travel, to lead its global digital marketing services following a competitive pitch process.

The scope of work will see the LOTUS team create and implement a digital marketing strategy targeted at Guyana’s core international markets: the United States and Canada; the United Kingdom, Benelux; and the German-speaking markets

(Germany, Switzerland and Austria) as well as domestic travellers in Guyana.

The strategy will help put Guyana on the map for core audience groups focusing on key tourism pillars

which include nature and wildlife, active exploration, culture and heritage, birding, conservation and SAVE travel (Student, Academic, Volunteer, Educational).

The LOTUS team has

Onderneeming, Somerset to Charity residents get street lights

Newly installed street lights along New Road, Essequibo Coast

R

esidents in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) living in the southern part of the coast in villages such as Onderneeming Sand Pit, Charity Market area and Summerset to New Road, now have street lights.

The installation was done by the Public Works Ministry following a commitment made during a

Cabinet outreach in the region last year.

At the same time a feasibility study for massive rehabilitation along the Essequibo Coast has commenced and the installation was made in order to make the roadways much safer for both drivers and pedestrians.

One driver who plies the Charity-Supenaam route,

Dala Seecharran related that the street light project would put drivers and other road users at ease, but more importantly, it would enable drivers to ply their trade into the night.

“Many drivers are reluctant to work at night because of the incomplete installation of street lights along the coast … now that their work is completed it will motivate many hire car drivers to carry passengers home safer with less accidents due to poor visibility,” Seecharran explained.

Meanwhile, a resident of Charity, Shabeena Sookram said, “We are very happy, we can now feel safe in our environment, with the robberies happening, especially in this village, the street lights will offer better security at nights”.

The call for adequate lighting in Region Two has been continuous, particularly from villagers, drivers and passengers who traverse the route on a daily basis.

The lack of street lights along the roadways had been a major factor in many fatal accidents and crimes at night. (G14)

extensive first-hand knowledge of Guyana having been the in-market UK & Benelux tourism representatives of the GTA since late 2018. In this time, the LOTUS team has established a large network of key stakeholders in Guyana and around the world and understands the vision of the GTA to create a leading, sustainably managed destination.

“We are happy to see the appointment of LOTUS following an extensive and robust procurement and review process.

LOTUS’ proposal met the ambitions of the GTA to con-

tinue cementing Guyana’s place as a leading green and sustainable destination.

Having worked with LOTUS through the UK market representation brief, we know that the team is diligent, dedicated and has Guyana’s best intentions as its priority,” Director (ag) of GTA, Kamrul Baksh said.

The account bolsters the LOTUS LatAm division at LOTUS set up in 2017 to cater specifically for clients to, from and focused on Latin America and Spanish speaking markets.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of LOTUS LatAm,

Kate McWilliams said, “since we began working with the GTA in late 2018, our team has become extremely passionate about Guyana’s authentic tourism offering and our own brand of sustainable destination management. We are delighted to be appointed as the lead agency for the Guyana Tourism Authority’s international digital marketing services, especially at such a crucial time for the travel sector. We look forward to rolling out this digital strategy to help raise the profile of the wonderfully unexplored ‘land of the giants’”.

14 NEWS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

COVID vaccination

80.6% of Guyanese adult population received 1st dose – Health Minister …58.3% fully vaccinated

A

t least 20 per cent of the adult population in Guyana are still unvaccinated, while immunisation of the 12 to 17 age cohort is lagging.

This is according to Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony during Friday’s COVID-19 update.

He said that while vaccination figures have gone up slightly due to more persons returning for either their second dose or booster shots, there is still a large portion of adults who are yet to take a COVID vaccine.

“So, we’re seeing more people coming for the booster [shots], which is a good thing. But there is still a lot of people who are unvacci-

nated, meaning, that they have not gotten a single dose as yet. That’s approximately 20 per cent of our adult population since remains unvaccinated,” the Health Minister said.

Recent vaccination figures show that some 413,376 persons or 80.6 per cent of the adult population have received a first dose, while 298,954 or 58.3 per cent of them are fully vaccinated with both doses.

“So, with adults we still have a lot of people who need to come in for their first dose, and for those who received their first dose, there are still a lot of people who need to come back to get a second dose,” Dr Anthony added.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony

Meanwhile, the slight increase in the administration of booster doses has resulted in the figures climbing to 15,396.

With regards to the ado-

Cause of death of headless baby found at Land of Canaan inconclusive

T

he autopsy conducted on the partially decomposed body of a headless baby found at Land of Canaan on the East Bank of Demerara is inconclusive.

The body was found floating in the Five-Door Koker on Old Year’s Day. Police stated that as a result of the missing head, the baby cannot be identified and more so, Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul

Singh cannot determine the cause of death.

The age of the baby is suspected to be between two to three weeks old. It was reported that on the day in question at about 14:00h, persons were walking along a trail beside the koker when they observed the body floating on the opposite side of the canal.

The Police were contacted but by the time they arrived, the body had al-

ready moved from the spot where it was initially seen.

However, the ranks established a search party with the assistance of the residents to look for the body.

The body was later spotted in a clump of bushes in the canal, some 15 feet from the Demerara River, and was pulled from the canal.

Police confirmed that the body was in a state of decomposition.

lescent age group, that is, 12 to 17, the Health Minister disclosed that some 30,829 or 42.3 per cent have received a first dose and of that amount, 21,957 or 30.1 per cent are fully immunised.

Guyana started vaccinating this age cohort in September last year and with schools reopening this week for full classroom learning for most levels, Dr Anthony is encouraging that more students get their vaccines in order to protect

themselves and others, especially during this rapid rise of cases.

“There are lots of students who are going back to school who remain unvaccinated and if you want to stay safe in school, one of the best ways of doing so is to ensure that you get your vaccination. So there is a lot of room here for improvement; and we really need parents, and teachers, and the students themselves to go out and get vaccinated,” the Minister noted.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Government is working on sourcing vaccines for the 5 to 11 age group.

The reopening of schools on Monday has sparked concerns with the A Partnership for National Unit/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Opposition also criticising the move especially with the surge of COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant.

But President Dr Irfaan Ali has defended the decision, saying on Wednesday that data emanating from countries around the world

shows that they have kept their education system open despite this new surge of infections caused by the Omicron variant.

“We have seen all the data so far, and most countries – almost all the countries – are saying we cannot close the schools. We cannot close the education system.

They are keeping the schools open. They are doing the testing and taking the precautions, they are encouraging the wearing of masks,” he said, noting that the same being done in Guyana.

But Opposition Member of Parliament, Dr Nicolette Henry on Thursday expressed disappointment over what she described as the “unorganised” reopening of schools in Guyana.

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand has refuted this, saying that systems are in place at public schools to ensure students as well as teachers adhere to the necessary COVID protocols including wearing masks, sanitising and social distancing. (G8)

MoU signed to support innovative agripreneurs in Guyana

T

he Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Guyana Economic Development Trust (GEDT) to support innovative and dynamic Arbitrageurs in Guyana.

The IICA is a specialised agency for agriculture in the Inter-American system, with the mission to encourage, promote and support the efforts of the Member States to achieve their agricultural development and rural welfare goals by means of international technical cooperation, while the Guyana Economic Development Trust (GEDT) is an independent, US and Guyana-based initiative that accelerates standout scientific, technological, and generally innovative ideas from the people of Guyana. According to a released from IICA-GEDT, through this collaboration, GEDT will provide access to resources, including grant capital for breakthrough start-ups and growing busi-

nesses with unique products, while the IICA, through its Agribusiness Incubator Programme (ABI), will provide a set of non-financial services to these high-potential entrepreneurs. The aim of the collaboration is to accelerate the growth of these start-ups and growing businesses, built on product, process, and business model innovations in the farming and agro-processing sectors.

The IICA ABI Programme, IICA-GEDT release stated, compliments existing efforts of national stakeholders focused on farm-level, to agro-industry improvements for an enabling foreign investment climate. The collaboration between the ABI Programme and GEDT is designed to help young and growing companies to better navigate the hurdles of running businesses by providing access to an array of services, including experts and specialist advisors, on-going mentors, and investors.

IICA, through its various regional programmes, will support the GEDT in their

efforts to: facilitate linkages with local and international partners that will support the commercialization of agriculturally-based research and ideas; assist in the formulation of data-driven business plans; provide training in financial literacy and prudent financial planning/practices; develop efficient production processes; facilitate the research on and development of potential markets; provide guidance on market standards, such as quality assurance, packaging, and environmental requirements.

The collaboration with GEDT is an economic and social development initiative designed to help guide the launch and acceleration of start-up and growing companies, respectively, in the agribusiness sector through a comprehensive and combined business assistance programme that is expected to play an important role in job creation, revitalisation of communities, commercialisation of new technologies and, ultimately, the creation of wealth.

Husband pulled trigger...

While there are speculations that he might have been under the influence of alcohol when he committed the act, they cannot confirm.

The relatives are still looking for answers since they claimed that the couple who tied the knot in August last lived a happy life.

In addition, the relatives are furious about a report in a section of the media that claimed that the young man was involved in the illicit drug trade and as such, the

couple was murdered after a drug deal went wrong.

The couple was found by a relative on Tuesday morning with gunshot wounds to their bodies.

They were last seen alive on Sunday, but based on the state of the bodies, detectives believe that they might have been dead for more than 24 hours. They were found in a blood-soaked bed with a gun suspected to be the weapon used to commit the acts.

Three .32 spent shells

FROM PAGE 10

were found in the bedroom - one on the bed, one on the floor and the other about six feet from the man’s body.

A .32 pistol was also found two feet east of his left hand.

The gun was reportedly registered to his father who died a few years ago.

Further, a quantity of suspected cannabis - which when weighed amounted to 370 grams - was found in the couple’s room. The young man is expected to be buried on Sunday.

NEWS

15

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

847 COVID-19 cases, 2 more unvaccinated persons die in 24 hours …new infections mostly among younger age groups

T

he surge in COVID-19 cases continues in Guyana as some 847 more infections were detected within a 24-hour period and according to Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, a majority of these new cases is mostly from the younger age groups.

During his COVID-19 update on Friday, Dr Anthony pointed out that of the new cases recorded, some 489 are between the ages of 25 to 39.

This figure climbed to 589 for the 25 to 44 age cohort.

“I would say that the most active grouping where we are seeing these cases is this younger grouping that is really mobile, moving

around from place to place, probably going to bars and restaurants and things like that. They are the ones who we are seeing that are getting infected,” the Health Minister stated.

Additionally, some 26 new infections were detected in the 15 to 19 age group, 22 in the 10 to 14 cohort, and 21 new cases in the 5 to 9 grouping.

Meanwhile, the 847 new infections have resulted in a significant spike in the active cases across Guyana, which has now gone up to 4295.

These include 29 active cases in Region One (Barima-Waini), 74 in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), 351 in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), a stagger-

ing 2789 cases in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 89 in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), 639 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 113 cases in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), one case in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) – which the Minister explained is due to less testing – 208 more cases in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), and 203 active cases in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

There are also 80 persons who are hospitalised across the country with 14 of them on oxygen. Some 52 of these hospitalisations are at the Ocean View Hospital, where

five patients are currently in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

In addition, there are 91 persons in institutional isolation and another 4178 persons in home isolation.

There are also 12 other persons in institutional quarantine.

Deaths

Meanwhile, two more persons who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have died within that 24-hour period.

These latest fatalities are a 60-year-old female from the Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara region and a 66-yearold male from the Cuyuni-Mazaruni region.

They were both unvaccinated and died on Thursday.

With these, the total

number of deaths from the pandemic in Guyana has gone up to 1066; while the COVID-19 death toll for the year thus far is now 12.

Meanwhile, some 37,895 persons have recovered from the life-threatening disease to date – 29 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, approximately 441,438 persons have been tested so far and of this, some 20,214 males and 23,015 females were found to be positive.

Health authorities have attributed this surge in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks to the

Omicron variant, which is highly transmissible.

Against this backdrop, Dr Anthony has urged persons who have tested positive for the virus to isolate themselves in order to curb the rapid spread of the disease, which is likely to persist throughout the country.

“Most of these persons who have tested positive, they are mildly symptomatic because you see from hospitalisation numbers, not a lot of these persons are in hospitals but rather, they should be in isolation… [Infected] people must stay home and don’t be in contact with others because if they are and they are not wearing masks and taking precautions then they would be able to spread the virus to other people.”

Nevertheless, as more

Replace Harmon as...

“I do not want to go out there and say to the world that we are recalling anybody… The central executive in due time will address all of these issues,” he asserted.

However, changes to the line-up of Opposition parliamentarians would have to be done by the Representative of the party’s List.

David Granger, who Norton replaced as party leader, currently holds that post.

Norton said he has also reached out the Granger for dialogue in this regard. He pointed out that the PNCR Central Executive also believes that the Leader of the party should be the Representative of the List.

“Historically, the Leader of the Party and the Representative of the List have been one in the same person… With the advent of the coalition, there were some compromises that occurred… But you are also aware that at the last election it was again placed back together, and we have therefore returned to the tradition which we believe is in the best interest of the party,” the party leader related.

According to Norton, the PNCR’s Central Executives believe that the amalgamation of these positions under the Leader posts will allow for better functioning of the party.

“One of the arguments they made is that it has

FROM PAGE 7

been the convention in the party, and the second argument is that it provides for better coordination and control of the activities of the party, and to better strategise to ensure efficacy,” he stated.

Norton had secured a landslide victory after obtaining more than half of the 1280 votes cast at last month’s Congress. He got 967 votes; while Harmon obtained 245 votes and Van West-Charles received 64 votes.

Only Thursday, the PNCR announced that Norton has appointed Opposition MP Geeta Chandan-Edmond as the party’s General Secretary, replacing PNCR stalwart Amna Ally. (G8)

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD JANUARY 7, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

844

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

91 4178 5

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

12

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

23,015

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

20,214

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

43,229

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

37,895

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED

REGION 1

1728

REGION 2

1658

REGION 3

5546

REGION 4

20,846

REGION 5

1577

REGION 6

4164

REGION 7

1916

REGION 8

624

REGION 9

2694

REGION 10

2476

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

412,288 297,286

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020

1066

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.

people continue to get vaccinated, authorities are urging the public to continue observing all COVID-19 preventative measures, particularly masking in public, so-

cial distancing and frequent hand washing and sanitising.

The measures also include vaccination requirements to access any public

building such as restaurants, places of worship, schools as well as Government buildings. There is also a midnight to 04:00h curfew in place. (G8)

16 NEWS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

No money will be withdrawn from NRF without parliamentary approval – Finance Minister F

inance Minister Dr Ashni Singh confirmed on Friday that no money will be withdrawn from the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) without parliamentary approval.

Dr Singh made this clarification on the sidelines of Budget 2022 meetings and preparation, a Budget that will soon be presented to the National Assembly. The date for the Budget is yet to be announced.

According to a release from the Finance Ministry, Singh explained that though he signed the Commencement Order for the NRF on December 31

last which states: “I appoint the 1st Day of January, 2022 as the date on which he Natural Resource Fund Act shall come into operation”; he wished to make it clear that no monies can be withdrawn from the NRF unless there is parliamentary approval.

“Not a cent can be withdrawn without prior parliamentary approval, not a cent has been withdrawn and not a cent will be withdrawn until approved by Parliament,” Dr Singh said.

The new Natural Resource Fund Act was assented to on December 30, a day after its passage in the

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh

National Assembly. The law brings legitimacy to the legal framework governing the Natural Resource Fund having replaced the illegitimate and cumbersome Act passed by the previous caretaker Administration. This law now allows for substantial improvement in the management of the natural resource wealth of Guyana for the present and future benefit of all citizens. It contains enhanced clauses (replacing defective clauses in the old NRF 2019 Act) including a significant one which provides for the establishment of a Board of Directors that will be responsible for

reviewing and approving the policies of the Fund and monitoring its performance, thereby separating the management of the Fund from the Minister responsible for Finance. Another key amendment in the new legislation is that the Minister of Finance could face up to ten years’ imprisonment if he fails to disclose the receipt of any petroleum revenue received by Government in the Official Gazette within three months of receipt of such monies, which highlights the seriousness of Government’s commitment to accountability and transparency.

Ahmaud Arbery: Jogger's murderers sentenced to life in prison

A

white father and son convicted of killing a black jogger have been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

A jury found Travis and Gregory McMichael and their neighbour, William Bryan, guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery in February 2020.

Bryan also received the maximum penalty of life, but was offered the possibility of parole in 30 years.

The judge said the McMichaels had not shown remorse or empathy for Arbery.

Judge Timothy Walmsley said he gave them severe sentences in part because of their "callous" words and actions captured on video.

Ahead of his verdict, the Arbery family called for the harshest possible punishments for the three men as a means of bringing "closure to a difficult chapter" in their lives.

The case has raised questions about racial justice in the US South. Arbery, 25, a resident of Brunswick, Georgia, was out jogging in an adjacent, predominantly white neighbourhood when the trio chased and cornered him in pick-up trucks before the younger McMichael shot him during a struggle.

The defendants argued they acted in self-defence

Dead: Ahmaud Arbery

while attempting to make a citizen's arrest of a suspected burglar, but prosecutors argued race was a factor.

Gregory McMichael, 66, his son Travis, 35, and Bryan, 52, were found guilty in November of murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal intent to commit a felony.

"Taking the law into your own hands is a dangerous endeavour," Judge Timothy Walmsley said on Friday.

"A neighbour is more than the people who just own property around your house," continued the judge.

"In assuming the worst in others, we show our worst character."

Holding a minute of si-

lence to put in context "a fraction of the time Ahmaud Arbery was running in Satilla Shores", Walmsley said he "kept coming back to the terror that must have been in [Arbery's] mind".

"Remorse isn't simply a statement of regret.

Remorse is something that's felt and demonstrated," he said. "After Ahmaud Arbery fell, the McMichaels turned their backs."

But he ruled that while Bryan - who filmed the incident - had participated in the ambush, he should have an opportunity for parole because he "demonstrated grave concerns that what had occurred should not have occurred" soon after.

Members of the Arbery family delivered powerful victim impact statements as they called for the three men to be "fully committed for the consequences" of their actions.

Through tears, Wanda Cooper Jones - who sat in the courtroom throughout the trial - spoke directly to her late son.

"This verdict doesn't bring you back, but it does help bring closure to this very difficult chapter of my life," she said.

"I made a promise to you the day I laid you to rest: I told you I love you and someday, somehow, I would get you justice."

Convicted: Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan

Jasmine Arbery recalled her younger brother's love of the outdoors, his athletic build and "dark skin that glistened in the sunlight like gold".

"These are the qualities that made these men assume Ahmaud was a dangerous criminal and chase him with guns drawn," she said.

"To me those qualities reflected a young man with life and energy who looked like me and the people I love."

Arbery's father Marcus lamented how he would never spend another day with a child who changed his life.

Defence attorneys had argued for some leniency, with attorney Kevin Gough

arguing Bryan should have an opportunity for parole because he "did not kill, did not attempt to kill and did not intend to kill" Arbery.

Bob Rubin and Laura Hogue, counsel to the McMichaels, said their clients were good men devoted to family, community and country who committed "one bad act".

"As thoughtless or reckless as these actions may have been, they are not evidence of a soul so blackened as to deserve life with no parole," said Mr Rubin.

But lead prosecutor Linda Dunikoski fiercely rebutted the claim: "Travis McMichael said this was the worst day of his life. Well

how did that work out for Ahmaud Arbery?"

All three defence lawyers had earlier indicated they will appeal the verdicts.

The defendants also face a federal hate crimes trial next month, alleging that they targeted Arbery because he was black.

Arbery's mother told US media on Friday she had rejected the offer of a plea deal that would see them spend 30 years in federal prison on top of the prison time handed down in state court.

Ms Jones has also filed her own civil lawsuit against the men and against law enforcement officials who declined to arrest them. (BBC)

NEWS

17

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Jamaican-born child welfare worker fatally stabbed during home visit in US A

n Illinois child welfare worker was stabbed to death during a home visit in a town south of Springfield, authorities said.

Diedre Silas, 36, an investigator for the state Department of Children and Family Services, was conducting a welfare check Tuesday on children living in the home in Thayer when she was stabbed, according to Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell.

Thayer is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) south of the capital city.

Benjamin Reed, 32, who authorities say lived in the home, faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery and unlawful restraint. Sangamon County State's Attorney Dan Wright said conviction could put Reed in prison for life if a court finds the conduct in Silas' death “exceptionally brutal, heinous and indicative of wanton cruelty.”

Authorities arrived at the scene just before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and found what appeared to be blood

near the door. They forced their way into the house and found the victim dead inside. Police obtained a search warrant and collected evidence that helped them find Reed at a Decatur hospital around 6:30 p.m., authorities said.

Reed was treated for a cut on the hand and taken to the Sangamon County Jail, where bond for his release was set at $5 million on Wednesday morning.

But at a late Wednesday news conference, Wright parried questions about why Silas was visiting the home, why she went alone and whether there was a suspected threat there, saying that responses “are relevant enough to this investigation that it’s not appropriate to answer those questions.”

That frustrated members of Silas' family, including her 61-year-old father Roy Graham, who brought Diedre from Jamaica when she was 10. He saw the married mother of two develop her love for helping children as early as high school, mentoring grade

Diedre Silas and the suspect in her slaying, Benjamin Reed

school children and volunteering for Sparc, a nonprofit devoted to supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“Why do you really attack my daughter? I can’t understand why you'd do that,” Graham said after then news conference. “I know she’d be begging for her life. Why? She didn’t come to talk to you....

That’s brutal, mischievous, hardcore stuff.”

Six children of undisclosed ages were present at the time of the incident, Campbell said, but he was unaware if they witnessed anything. They were in protective custody on Wednesday. Campbell said he believes Reed is related to one or more of the children and that several adults were living in the

home, but he did not elaborate.

DCFS Director Marc Smith said the last investigator to be killed on duty occurred about four years ago. Smith said the agency trains its staff in how to approach various situations, including going into a volatile environment. Staff members decide whether to go alone, in pairs, or summon police protection, he

said.

“In this tragic circumstance, the family we were there to help had a negative response to our presence," Smith said. “We’re not avoiding any responsibility. We take responsibility for all of our staff, as well as the children and families that we serve. We will continue to work, we will continue to improve our policies and procedures as we can.”

Silas had just joined the department in August after working in the behavioral health field for seven years at the Department of Juvenile Justice, according to a statement by Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents DCFS employees.

“This tragedy is a stark reminder that frontline DCFS employees like Deidre do demanding, dangerous and essential jobs every day, often despite inadequate resources and tremendous stress," AFSCME Executive Director Roberta Lynch said. (ABC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022

Regional

T&T: COVID funeral chaos, grave Volcano erupts on Galapagos island, home to endangered iguana mistakenly dug up for burial

A

A

fter waiting a week to bury their loved one who succumbed to COVID-19, a family’s grief was compounded after the burial almost did not take place.

Less than two hours before the burial, grave diggers came upon a partially decomposed corpse while preparing the proposed plot. Although they had not yet reached nine feet as stipulated by the COVID-19 guidelines, the workers could not remove the corpse because certain procedures needed to be followed. Kevin Small, a gravedigger and shop steward, explained that they first came across pieces of a coffin and bones which they removed and continued digging.

“While we excavating the dirt, preparing for a COVID-19 body we encounter a body down there that never fully decomposed... It is not sanitary. This is something that is not good for workers to be encountering with,” said Small.

The grave diggers

stopped and called the supervisor who told them to abandon the plot and dig another spot. However, he said that was not an easy task since they had to dig nine feet and not the normal six feet because it was a COVID burial. Contractors and General Workers Trade Union (CGWTU) president general Ermine De Bique-Meade explained that the supervisor came to the cemetery at 1:50 pm and told the gravediggers that the Ag CEO instructed that they dig another hole.

Meanwhile, when the fu-

neral procession arrived, relatives were shocked and disappointed. Coral King, 82, explained that her son was buried in the spot 12 years ago and she gave permission for her relative to bury her cousin in the same spot. She said, however, the corporation ought to have known that the spot was not ready to be excavated. Some mourners remained in their vehicles while others sought out a shady spot to wait while a new hole was being dug. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

St James businessman fatally shoots son ‘he mistook for intruder’

T

he St James Police Division is investigating the circumstances which led to the shooting death of a man in Rhyne Park early Friday morning.

Based on information gathered by Observer Online, the dead man, Ackeem Taylor, was shot and killed by his father in what lawmen de-

scribed as an unfortunate situation.

It is alleged that at approximately 5:40 am, Taylor’s father, a popular St James businessman, upon seeing a shadow on the roof of his house, opened fire and injured the man.

After further investigations, it was revealed that the

victim, Taylor, was the adult son of the businessman.

The Police were called to the scene and Taylor was transported to the Cornwall Regional Hospital in the parish where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The Barrett Town Police are investigating. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Weak testing, data outage leave Brazil ‘in the dark’ as Omicron advances

I

nsufficient testing for COVID-19 and a data blackout caused by hackers have left Brazil in the dark as it grapples with a wave of infections from the Omicron coronavirus variant, health experts warn.

Brazilians with COVID-19 symptoms are facing long lines to get tested due to the lack of kits in a country without a comprehensive testing strategy since the start of the pandemic.

Substantial testing and genomic sequencing of confirmed infections are crucial to tracking and fighting the pandemic, especially with the onset of the highly contagious Omicron.

To make matters worse, some Health Ministry databases have been offline since an apparent ransomware attack on Dec 10 seriously hampered the Government’s ability to gather data from state health authorities.

“In general, the registration system was bad from the start, and it got worse with the hacker attack, so we’re really under water,” said

volcano has erupted on an island in the Galapagos that is home to a critically endangered iguana, the Galapagos National Park announced on Friday, but it said the species was far from the affected area.

The Wolf volcano’s slopes host the pink iguana, only 211 of which were reported to be left on Isabela, the largest island in the Galapagos archipelago, as of last August.

The volcano, the highest of the Galapagos, is some 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the nearest human settlement.

In a statement shared on Facebook on Friday, the Galapagos National Park said the volcano was emitting plumes of smoke and ash several thousand metres high, which were moving towards the north side of the island where no people are at risk.

The national park said it sent eight park rangers and scientists working with the pink iguanas to check out the situation on Friday morning as a matter of precaution.

“The team confirmed that the habitat of these species is far from the eruption and the impact zone,

so no additional protection measures are currently being considered,” the statement read.

Located in the Pacific approximately 1000km (600 miles) off the coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands are a protected wildlife area and home to unique species of flora and fauna.

The archipelago was made famous by British geologist and naturalist Charles Darwin‘s observations on evolution there.

The area also hosts yellow iguanas and the famous Galapagos giant tortoises. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Two Haitian Journalists killed in gang attack

T

wo Haitian journalists have been shot and then burned alive on the outskirts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, according to one of their employers.

Wilguens Louissaint and Amady John Wesley had travelled to an area where rival gangs are fighting for control.

Wesley’s employer, Écoute FM, said he was “savagely” killed while reporting on the area.

The radio station told the BBC that one of the gangs was behind the deaths.

It added the unnamed group were a rival of the Baz Ti Makak gang, which had been trying to speak with the media.

A security source confirmed to CNN the men had been burned alive, while another unnamed source told Reuters news agency a third journalist managed to escape.

Haiti’s security situation has declined sharply since the assassination

Journalists Amady John Wesley, (left) a reporter for Radio Écoute FM, died alongside Wilguens Louissaint (right) when members of the Ti Makak gang attacked them in suburb of the capital Port-auPrince in Haiti on Thursday

of the President Jovenel Moïse in July.

On Saturday, gunmen tried to kill Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry. He had vowed to crack down the gangs who have been blamed for a wave of kidnappings across the country.

However, Police have been largely ineffective.

They have failed to organise any large-scale operations to tackle gang violence in the country since March 2021, when four Police of-

ficers were killed in an attempted raid in a Port-auPrince neighbourhood.

Thursday’s attack took place in Laboule 12, just to the south of the capital.

Gangs here are fighting for control because of the road which passes through it, which connects Port-auPrince to country’s south.

The main road to the south from Port-au-Prince is already under the control of one of Haiti’s most powerful gangs. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Ten bodies left in car outside Mexican state Governor’s office A woman gets tested by a health worker for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Basic Health Unit in Sao Paulo, Brazil, January 6, 2022

Gonzalo Vecina, former head of Brazilian health regulator Anvisa and professor at the University of Sao Paulo.

“We’re in the dark,” he said.

Despite having the world’s third-deadliest outbreak after the United States and Russia, according to Reuters calculations, Brazil tests for COVID-19 far less than South American peers.

Over the last seven days, Brazil performed an average 0.23 tests per 1000 inhabi-

tants, according to statistics compiled by the Our World in Data website. By contrast, Argentina applied 2.15 tests per 1000 people in the same period and Uruguay performed 3.88 tests per 1000 inhabitants.

Demand for tests in Brazil surged during year-end holidays and many pharmacies and clinics ran out of kits. Inventory had dwindled as vaccination advanced in the country and cases fell.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

M

exican authorities have arrested two suspects after an SUV filled with 10 bodies was left outside the office of a Mexican state Governor in a public square lit up with Christmas tree and holiday decorations, officials said on Thursday.

David Monreal, Governor of the central state of Zacatecas, said in a video filmed at the plaza that the car contained bodies of people with apparent signs of beating and bruising.

“They came to leave

them here in front of the palace,” he said, referring to his offices in a centuries-old building at the Plaza de Armas of the state capital, also called Zacatecas.

The Zacatecas public security agency said in a statement that Government officials found the car, a Mazda SUV, after noting a suspicious vehicle driving in the area. The Federal Security Ministry said there were 10 bodies inside.

Monreal said security has been a major challenge in Zacatecas and that he

would reduce the violence.

“Bit by bit we will recover our peace. What we received was a cursed inheritance,” he said.

In a tweet later in the day, Monreal said two suspects “linked to the events” had been arrested.

Zacatecas has become one of the most violent regions of the country due to turf wars among rival gangs. In 2021, the state registered 1050 murders, about 260 more than in 2020, according to official data. (Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil slips, but set for weekly gain on Kazakh, Libyan concerns

O

il prices settled lower on Friday, as the market weighed supply concerns from the unrest in Kazakhstan and outages in Libya against a US jobs report that missed expectations and its potential impact on Federal Reserve policy.

Brent crude settled down 24 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to US$81.75 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 56 cents, or 0.7 per cent, at US$78.90 a barrel.

Brent and WTI were on track for gains of about 5 per cent in the first week of the year, with prices at their highest since late November, spurred on by the supply concerns.

"Employment data injected a question mark into where we are going from here and Omicron fears have crept back into the market," said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital Management.

In Kazakhstan's main city Almaty, security forces appeared to be in control of the streets and the President said constitutional order had mostly been restored, a day after Russia sent troops to put down an uprising.

Production at Kazakhstan's top oilfield Tengiz was reduced on Thursday, its operator Chevron Corp said, as some contractors disrupted train lines in support of protests taking place across the central Asian country.

Production in Libya has dropped to 729,000 barrels per day from a high of 1.3 million bpd last year, partly due to pipeline maintenance work.

A barrel of oil for delivery in March was selling at a discount of as much as 70 cents to a barrel for delivery in February, the highest since November.

Both benchmarks were up US$1 earlier in the session but oil, along with stock markets and the dollar, came under pressure after US employment figures missed expectations.

Meanwhile, supply additions from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and allies - together called OPEC+ - are not keeping up with demand growth.

OPEC's output in December rose by 70,000 bpd from the previous month, versus the 253,000 bpd increase allowed under the OPEC+ supply deal which restored output slashed in 2020 when demand collapsed under COVID-19 lockdowns.

Government data this week also showed that crude inventories in the United States, the world's top consumer, have fallen for six consecutive weeks by the end of the year to their lowest since September.

Extreme frigid weather in North Dakota and Alberta is also expected to hurt production in the region and led operators to shut the 590,000 bpd Keystone Pipeline for a short period of time earlier in the week.

US oil rigs rose one to 481 this week, their highest since April 2020, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co said in its closely followed report.

While the Omicron coronavirus variant is rapidly taking hold, demand-side concerns are easing amid rising evidence that it is less severe than previous variants. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Around the World

Sidney Poitier: Hollywood trailblazer dies aged 94

S

idney Poitier, the first black man to win a best actor Oscar, has died at 94.

The Hollywood star's death was confirmed to the BBC by the office of Fred Mitchell, the Bahamas' Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Poitier was a trailblazing actor and a respected humanitarian and diplomat. He won the Academy Award for best actor for Lilies of the Field in 1963.

Former US President Barack Obama said Poitier "epitomised dignity and grace" and had "singular talent".

T

holidays.

The United Nations health agency, in its weekly report on the pandemic, said the weekly count amounted to 9,520,488 new cases – with 41,178 deaths recorded last week compared with 44,680 in the week before that.

WHO officials have long cited a lag between case counts and deaths, with changes in the death counts often trailing about two weeks behind the evolution of case counts.

They have also noted that the more infectious Omicron variant appears to produce less severe disease than the globally dominant Delta strain, but should not be cat-

He added that the actor revealed "the power of movies to bring us closer together" and "opened doors for a generation of actors".

US broadcaster and journalist Oprah Winfrey also paid tribute, saying: "For me the greatest of the 'Great Trees' has fallen," adding the actor "had an enormous soul I will forever cherish".

Born in Miami, Poitier grew up on a tomato farm in the Bahamas and moved to New York aged 16.

He signed up for a short stint in the army and did several odd jobs while tak-

Overwhelmed by Omicron surge, US hospitals delay surgeries

Poitier tackled racism in his films

ing acting lessons, en route to becoming a star of the stage and screen in the 1950s and 60s.

Poitier broke racial barriers in Hollywood. His appearance in The Defiant Ones in 1958 earned him his first Oscar nomination in itself a historic achievement for a black man in a lead category at the time.

Five years later he went one better, taking the glo-

ry for Lilies of the Field, in which he played a handyman who helps German nuns to build a chapel in the desert.

Speaking on a live Facebook stream on Friday, The Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Philip Davis said: "Our whole Bahamas grieves. But even as we mourn, we celebrate the life of a great Bahamian."

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Kazakh President gives shoot-to-kill order to quell protests Medical staff treat a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient in their isolation room on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Western Reserve Hospital in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, US, January 4, 2022

H

ospitals across the United States are postponing elective surgeries to free up staff and beds due to a surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Administrators say hospital staff shortages have been compounded in the last month by medical practitioners isolating or quarantining as they themselves are infected or exposed to the virus.

Hospital systems in near-

WHO records weekly jump in COVID-19 cases, fewer deaths he World Health Organisation (WHO) has said a record 9.5 million cases of COVID-19 were tallied around the world last week, marking a 71 per cent weekly surge that amounted to a “tsunami” as the Omicron coronavirus variant sweeps worldwide.

However, the number of recorded deaths declined.

“Last week, the highest number of COVID-19 cases were reported so far in the pandemic,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday. He said the figure was certainly an underestimate because of a backlog in testing around the year-end

19

egorised as “mild”.

“Just like previous variants, Omicron is hospitalising people, and it’s killing people,” Tedros said.

Governments have struggled to tame the virus, which has killed more than 5.8 million people.

WHO said the rises in case counts during the last week varied, doubling in the Americas region, but rising only 7 per cent in Africa.

Michael Ryan, WHO emergencies chief, said speculation that Omicron might be the last variant of the outbreak was “wishful thinking” and cautioned: “There still is a lot of energy in this virus.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

ly half of US states including Maryland, Virginia and Ohio have announced they would postpone elective surgeries, a Reuters review of public statements and local media reports found, and at least three state governments; New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts, have implemented or recommended state-wide delays.

Most of the areas where hospitals are suspending surgeries have seen either a peak or surge in daily COVID-19 hospitalisation rates during December or January, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show.

The Omicron surge has also forced the National Institutes of Health to postpone elective surgeries at the largest hospital in the United States devoted to clinical research, Reuters reported.

Suspending elective surgeries can create a backlog of cases, cause millions of dollars in lost revenue for hospitals, and in some cases lead to serious illness or deaths.

Care that is deemed elective can still be crucial, said Cynthia Cox, vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation. Tens of thousands more people than is typical died from nonCOVID causes during the pandemic and some of those deaths are believed to be related to delayed care, she said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Kazakh law enforcement officers block a street leading to the official presidential residence Akorda after protests against the Government, following authorities' decision to lift price caps on liquefied petroleum gas, in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, January 6, 2022

S

ecurity forces appeared to have reclaimed the streets of Kazakhstan's main city on Friday after days of violence, and the Russianbacked President said he had ordered his troops to shoot to kill to put down a countrywide uprising.

A day after Moscow sent paratroopers to help crush the insurrection, Police were patrolling the debris-strewn streets of Almaty, although some gunfire could still be heard.

Dozens have died and public buildings across Kazakhstan have been ransacked and torched in the worst violence the ex-Soviet republic has experienced in 30 years of independence.

Moscow said more than 70 planes were ferrying Russian troops into Kazakhstan, and that these were now helping control Almaty's main airport, recaptured on Thursday from protesters.

The uprising has prompted a military intervention by Moscow at a time of high ten-

sion in East-West relations as Russia and the United States gear up for talks next week on the Ukraine crisis.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev blamed foreign-trained terrorists for the unrest, without providing evidence.

"The militants have not laid down their arms, they continue to commit crimes or are preparing for them," Tokayev, 68, said in a televised address.

"Whoever does not surrender will be destroyed. I have given the order to law enforcement agencies and the army to shoot to kill, without warning."

The demonstrations began as a response to a fuel price hike but swelled into a broad movement against Tokayev's government and former President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Nazarbayev, 81, was the longest-serving ruler of any ex-Soviet state until he turned over the presidency to Tokayev in 2019. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS

DILBERT

(April 20May 20)

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

You'll recognize what's good for you and how to get what you want. Put your energy into something that matters to you, and it will lead to bigger and better opportunities.

Go over your finances and budget for something that will help you advance or achieve something new and exciting. You might have to save money to get what you want, so budget carefully.

Keep busy. Idle time will give someone a chance to disrupt your day.

Concentrate on what's important to you and gather information that will help you achieve your goal.

Expand your awareness and gather information to help you make a positive change. Spending time with a loved one will help you make decisions that will further long-term goals.

Learn from experience, and you will avoid an incident that could lead to a falling-out with someone close to you. Channel your energy into something that will help build character.

Get out and explore.

Social events or a change of scenery will spark your imagination and encourage you to make your residence more accommodating.

Setting things up to suit your needs will lead to greater productivity. Romance is on the rise.

A steady pace forward is what's required if you want to get things done on time.

Don't let confusion set in or the changes someone makes stop you from reaching your goal.

Put pressure on yourself and those who make promises to you. Leave nothing to chance, and you'll find your way to the winner's circle.

Don't limit what you can do or let others take command.

SAGITTARIUS Stick close to home. The more you mingle, the high(Nov. 23Dec. 21) er the risk. Use your intelligence and say no to an offer or change of plans that doesn't feel safe or right for you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Trust is sacred, and if it's lacking in your life, rethink what you are doing. A change may not be welcome, but it may be necessary. Clear the air and formulate a plan that will take you where you want to go.

Follow your heart and embrace what makes you feel peaceful. Take charge and refuse to let anyone rain on your parade. Consider what you enjoy doing most and strive to make it a part of your daily routine.

Look before you jump (Feb. 20- into something new. Do your research and challenge anyMarch 20) thing you find questionable.

Protect your money, possessions and important relationships. Romance will bring you closer to someone.

PISCES

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022

21

Defiant Jonny Bairstow century keeps England fighting SCOREBOARD J onny Bairstow saved England's blushes and saved his Test career with a stunning SCG century to help his nation avoid the follow-on, having slumped to 4 for 36 in the face of an Australian barrage on the third day.

Bairstow's century was both brave and chanceless. He copped a vicious blow on the thumb from Pat Cummins in the afternoon that left him doubled over in pain. But he brushed it off to score his second century in Australia and his seventh in Test cricket. It was his first in three years and 38 Test innings.

He roared to the rooms

a f t e r bringing it up with a flashing cut over backward point in the last over of the day in an emotional moment as the England team and fans stood and applauded a rare show of fight on this tour.

He was brilliantly supported by Ben Stokes, who fought through obvious pain

to make a vital 66 in a century stand with Bairstow, while Mark Wood made an excellent 39.

It was an extraordinary day all up. Two hours were lost to rain, and England went 70 balls without scoring, and lost three wickets in the process. Australia dropped three catches, Stokes was bowled without the bails coming off, and Scott Boland took two for zero before hurting his side in a fall. He went for scans, and was later cleared of injury.

Australia produced their most ragged four hours of the series, as

Bairstow picked them apart with excellent footwork and positive intent, to leave England 158 runs behind with three first-innings wickets in hand and two days remaining.

After his top-order had literally ground to a halt in the morning, he never let Australia settle. He moved fluently onto the front and back foot, but didn't try and overhit the ball on a surface that played all sorts of tricks. He picked the gaps consistently, and never missed anything straight.

He was particularly savage on Nathan Lyon, with the offspinner conceding 71 from 12 overs. Bairstow struck eight fours and three sixes in his 103 not out from 140 balls.

Stokes combined brilliantly with Bairstow as the

pair batted through the middle session and put together England's third-highest partnership of the series. It was also the fifth time in Test cricket Johnny Bairstow celebrating his century

Essequibo Cricket Board AGM and Elections set for tomorrow

T

he Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Election of office-bearers of the Essequibo Cricket Board is set for tomorrow at the Imam Bacchus Library at Affiance in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

Former Vice-President Dileep Singh has expressed confidence of taking over the leadership role from the incumbent office holder Alvin Johnson. According to Singh, a businessman, he wants to see the continued development of cricket in the county, and will reveal his plans immediately, once elected.

Top on his agenda is to ensure cricket is being played constantly, which will certainly help with the devel-

Dileep Singh

opmental aspect of the game.

Singh also related that inclusivity is another top priority, and he said he is eager to see female cricket achieve a great level.

As President of the

Essequibo Chambers of Commerce, Singh believes his experience as a leader would be an asset to the development of cricket in the Cinderella County.

Another project Singh is anxious to restore is the rehabilitation of the County Cricket Hostel, which is located at Anna Regina.

Former Essequibo and Guyana youth cricketer Royan Fredricks has also signalled his intention to run the affairs of cricket in Essequibo.

The meeting will be presided over by Guyana’s Cricket Ombudsman Malcolm Peter, and proceedings get cracking at 11:00 am sharp.

that an England fifth-wicket pair had scored a century partnership after coming together with the score at 40 runs or fewer. Stokes has been involved in three of them.

Stokes did have some luck. He offered a life to Cummins early, but Australia's skipper dropped the sharp return chance.

He also survived one of the most bizarre moments of the series. As he shouldered arms to Cameron Green from around the wicket, the ball hit off stump and took a significant deflection but the bails stayed on. Australia appealed, thinking it hit the back pad, and he was given out lbw by umpire Paul Reiffel. Stokes reviewed and his pad was nowhere near the ball. He laughed with the

Australians when replays showed it had rattled off stump without dislodging the bail to deny Green a wicket.

Thereafter he was ultra-aggressive, moving around the crease to disrupt Australia's line and length.

He was in obvious pain, with every stroke causing a jab in his injured side, but he had Australia rattled.

He crushed three consecutive boundaries off Mitchell Starc, and played an outrageous lofted cover drive for six off Lyon after being beaten in flight.

But Lyon got his revenge, having been thrashed by Stokes and Bairstow either side of tea.

Stokes played back to one

ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS Haseeb Hameed b Starc 6 Zak Crawley b Boland 18 Dawid Malan c Khawaja b Green 3 Joe Root (c) c Smith b Boland 0 Ben Stokes lbw b Lyon 66 Jonny Bairstow not out 103 Jos Buttler † c Khawaja b Cummins 0 Mark Wood c Lyon b Cummins 39 Jack Leach not out 4 Extras (b 8, lb 6, nb 2, w 3) 19 TOTAL (70 Ov, RR: 3.68) 258/7 Yet to bat: Stuart Broad, James Anderson

that slid on straight, and was trapped plumb in front.

He walked off without looking at the umpire.

Jos Buttler meekly chipped one to cover shortly after, but Mark Wood picked up the slack. He was peppered with short balls, but cracked 39 off 41, including three towering hooked sixes. The short ball tactic did work eventually for Cummins, as Wood was out hooking, getting a tiny edge onto his helmet, only for it to balloon to Lyon at point. Wood was initially given not out, but it was overturned on review.

Earlier, play was delayed by two hours due to a frustrating drizzle before normal service resumed for England in the shortened morning session, as they lost 4 for 23 despite Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley producing England's second-best opening stand of the series, 22. But even that wasn't without luck.

Following Crawley's reprieve off a no-ball late on the second night, he was dropped at short leg by Marcus Harris, although it was a very difficult chance high to his right.

Hameed was given a life of his own with Alex Carey spilling him off Mitchell Starc, diving late to his right in front of David Warner at slip. Having left two similar chances in the previous two Tests, he made the late decision to go, and spilled the one-handed offering.

Either drop didn't cost anything. Starc cleaned up Hameed, snaking one back

Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Haseeb Hameed, 9.2 ov), 2-36 (Zak Crawley, 16.6 ov), 3-36 (Joe Root, 20.1 ov), 4-36 (Dawid Malan, 21.5 ov), 5-164 (Ben Stokes, 50.6 ov), 6-173 (Jos Buttler, 53.3 ov), 7-245 (Mark Wood, 65.3 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W Pat Cummins 20-6-68-2 Mitchell Starc 14-2-49-1 Scott Boland 12-6-25-2 Cameron Green 9-4-24-1 Nathan Lyon

12-0-71-1 Marnus Labuschagne 3-0-7-0

through a gaping gate to crash into middle and off.

Hameed's promising contributions at the Gabba look a distant memory following five single-figure scores. Crawley played two cracking strokes in his 18, thumping a drive on the up, and smashing Starc forward of square on the back foot.

But he, too, left a gaping hole between bat and pad for Boland to breach with some sharp movement back off the seam.

It was part of a mesmerising passage in which Boland and Green put a stranglehold on England.

They bowled 53 balls in the lead-up to lunch without conceding a run. Crawley fell on the 24th ball of the sequence. Joe Root succumbed on the 43rd, wafting another loose square drive off the back foot with an angled bat, only to be brilliantly caught by Steven Smith at second slip for a duck. It gave Boland figures of 2 for zero from four overs, and his Test bowling average dipped to 6.11, with a career tally of 9 for 55 following his heroics in Melbourne.

Green deserved some reward at the other end, and he struck with the 53rd ball of the sequence and the last before lunch. Dawid Malan was caught at a fine leg slip trying to glance a ball that reared at his ribs. The sequence stretched to 70 balls after lunch, before Stokes and Bairstow finally broke free. (ESPNcricinfo)

22

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CWI names squad for West Indies Women’s Camp in Barbados

Kaysia Schultz

Shemaine Campbelle

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) today announced a squad of 23 players who would participate in a medical and fitness camp in Barbados from January 9 to 14, ahead of departure for the four-match One-Day International (ODI) series against South Africa Women in Johannesburg.

There are five Guyanese in the squad: Mandy Mangru, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Sheneta Grimmond, Shemaine Campbelle and Kaysia Schultz, while Shabika Gajnabi has been ruled out because of medical reasons.

The camp sees the return of veteran leg-spinner Afy Fletcher, following her

Cherry Ann Fraser

year-long maternity leave.

Teenagers Zaida James and Jannellia Glasgow have again been included in a senior West Indies Women’s camp. Britney Cooper and Shawnisha Hector have also been ruled out by the CWI Medical Panel for medical reasons.

CWI’s Lead Selector for Women’s cricket, Ann Browne-John, said: “The players will undergo medical and physical testing before the final squad of 18 (is) selected to travel. It is good to have Afy Fletcher back into the set-up. Unfortunately, three players: Britney

Mandy Mangru

Cooper, Shabika Gajnabi and Shawnisha Hector, have been ruled out of selection consideration for medical reasons.”

She added: “What is very promising for us at CWI is the inclusion of teenagers Jannellia Glasgow and Zaida James. They’ve been a part of the senior team camps before, and also played in the first ever West Indies Women’s A Team home series against Pakistan Women last year.

Their inclusion is a continued step in the developmental pathways we have established to grow women’s

cricket in the region.”

The selection of the final 18 players who will travel to South Africa will be announced at the conclusion of the camp. The series will feature two day matches and two day/night matches under lights. The day matches start at 10am local time (4am Eastern Caribbean/3am Jamaica) and the day/nighters start at 2pm local time (8am Eastern Caribbean/7am Jamaica). (Windies Cricket) MATCH SCHEDULE (all matches at Imperial Wanderers Stadium,

Sheneta Grimmond

Johannesburg) Day matches start 10am local time (4am Eastern Caribbean /3am Jamaica) Day/night matches start 2pm local time (8am Eastern Caribbean/7am Jamaica) * Tuesday, January 25: warm-up match – vs South Africa XI (day) * Friday, January 28: 1st ODI (day/night) * Monday, January 31: 2nd ODI (day) * Thursday, February 3: 3rd ODI (day/night)? * Sunday, February 6: 4th ODI (day) West Indies Women’s Full Squad for Medical and Fitness

Camp * Aaliyah Alleyne * Reniece Boyce * Shemaine Campbelle * Shamilia Connell * Deandra Dottin * Afy Fletcher * Cherry-Ann Fraser * Jannillea Glasgow * Sheneta Grimmond * Chinlle Henry * Zaida James * Qiana Joseph * Kycia Knight * Kyshona Knight * Mandy Mangru * Hayley Matthews * Anisa Mohammed * Chedean Nation * Karishma Ramharack * Kaysia Schultz * Shakera Selman * Stafanie Taylor * Rashada Williams

Cricketer Rutherford ventures Chattergoon backs young West Indies for World Cup championship into business with brother

F

Flashback! The West Indies under-19 team that won the World Cup in 2016

ormer Guyana and West Indies under-19 batsman Hemnarine

Hemnarine Chattergoon

Chattergoon is throwing his support behind West Indies to lift the International Cricket Council Youth World Cup Trophy.

The action is set to bowl off on Friday with two matches being played simultaneously at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence and at Everest in Georgetown.

West Indies will open their campaign against Australia at the Stadium,

while Scotland and Sri Lanka will do battle at the other venue. According to Chattergoon, the team is talented enough, and based on the composition of the squad, they should make a big impression at the 14th edition.

“I think the side is very talented, and that gives me the confidence of them doing well at this year’s tournament across the Caribbean.

West Indies won the championship before, so that can also inspire this set of new players to make the entire Caribbean proud,” Chattergoon related.

West Indies have been placed in Group D, and will play their two remaining preliminary round matches in St. Kitts and Nevis against Scotland and Sri Lanka respectively. West Indies last won the prestigious World Cup Trophy in 2016 under the captaincy of Guyanese and West Indies flambouyant batsman Shimron Hetmyer.

Quizzed on the strate-

gies West Indies can employ on home soil, Chattergoon revealed it is about clever cricket. “Our boys have a huge advantage playing in familiar conditions, and I am confident they can utilise them well. But they have to be strategic in every game; just play intelligent cricket from ball one,” Chattergoon, whose younger brother Sewnarine Chattergoon represented West Indies at the highest level, commented.

The final is set to take place at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and Barbuda on February 5th. Chattergoon, who also played for Canada internationally, strongly believes that skipper Ackeem Auguste is a formidable cricketer, and needless to say, he is more than hungry to hoist the trophy.

West Indies have played several matches in England and in the Caribbean before this mega event, and that should help the team’s confidence immensely, he said.

“I think preparation is of paramount importance, and I have seen West Indies… do some work in buildup for this massive assignment, and that would certainly make a big difference; but it is just about going out there now and play positive cricket in front of their fans,” the 44-year-old right-handed batsman Chattergoon mentioned. A total of 16 teams will be participating in the competition.

Pakistan Super League and the Caribbean Premier League, said the next move is to build a shed on the outdoor patio.

He added that the shed would facilitate customers during the day, in addition to those who chill in the night.

Rutherford who had a

Sherfane Rutherford during CPL 2021, when he played for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots

G

uyanese and West Indian cricketer Sherfane Rutherford has partnered with his brother Shavis Rutherford to launch the SR 50 Memory Yard Chill Spot at Enmore Estate Road, ECD. This popular hang-out spot is equipped with a barber shop, wash bay and an outdoor patio, with a well-stocked bar.

This business idea became a reality on August 15, 2021, the day that Sherfane tuned 23 years old. In a recent interview, Rutherford spoke about the process of opening this business, and the expansion plans in place.

“First of all, I would like to thank God for the progress. It (this business) came up with me and my brother, and this corner has always been a bright corner,” Rutherford said.

In 2021, the 23-year-old lost his father, who had always played an instrumen-

Shavis Rutherford and Sherfane Rutherford

tal part in his life, and the opening of the SR 50 Memory Yard Chill Spot has kept the community lively.

The left-handed batsman noted that this business aims to maintain that level of liveliness. When asked about what the Chill Spot offers, Rutherford said: “Well, it offers a lot of vibes. We have a television, the barbershop. There is a lot of things to do, not just drinking, you can wash your car, cut your hair, watch sport, and so on.”

With an eye on expanding in the near future, the Guyanese, who had a taste of championship wins in the Indian Premier League with Mumbai Indians, the

good year in 2021, continues to ply his trade in T20 leagues and T10 leagues.

(Brandon Corlette)

CLASSIFIED ADS NOTICE Renewal of Licence. Ruiwen Huang, Lot 194 Parika E.B.E. Applying for renewal of Licence for: Sue Money Lender and Pawn Shop Located at address mentioned above.

VACANCY Vacancy exists for two (2) Nannies.

Please call 619-9317.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana Harpy Eagles Trials:

23

Hetmyer’s 149, Imlach’s 106 and Adams's 5-60 highlight day three

By Brandon Corlette at Albion

Chanderpaul at mid-wicket.

After that, the duo went on their ome impressive merry way to a 233-run third and commanding wicket partnership. performances from Hetmyer’s brilliant 149 came Shimron Hetmyer, Tevin Imlach off 256 balls and after occupying and Anthony Adams highlighted the crease for 300 minutes, an action-packed day three of during which he stroked only the Guyana Harpy Eagles 4-Day seven fours and a solitary six. trials at Albion.

His partner at the crease, In brilliant sunshine across former West Indies Under-19 the ancient county, Hetmyer team-mate Tevin Imlach, and Imlach scored centuries for struck 106 from 305 balls in a Keemo Paul’s XI, while Adams marathon 439 minutes, which claimed 5-60 for Leon Johnson’s included six fours. The highlight XI. of the partnership Resuming the third day on between the 154-2, Paul’s XI posted 357 duo was the all out after 138.5 overs swift running in reply to Johnson’s XI between the 254 all out. At stumps, wickets, Johnson’s XI were 8-0 since the after four overs, trailing heavy by 95 runs.

Albion Hetmyer and outfield Imlach dominated gave little value for the proceedings, the runs. talented left-hander On day three, which was resuming the day witnessed by the most on 69 while Imlach fans, even was on 45. Imlach, more that who looked solid those that throughout, was are usually put down only present at once during Regional his innings, by 4 - D a y Tagenarine games at Providence, Tevin Imlach was classy Hetmyer as usual raised his bat for his century

S

after facing 159 balls in 163 minutes. With the exception of edging one that failed to carry to wicket-keeper Kemol Savory, Hetymer was dominant in his

clean stroke-play. His innings concluded when he edged one behind to Savory, off the bowling of the burly pacer Joshua Jones.

SCOREBOARD Johnson's XI (1st Innings) (117.2 overs) Tagnarine Chanderpaul b Kemo Paul 27 Raymond Perez c Mavin Dindyal b Veerasammy Permaul 9 Kemol Savory+ c Veerasammy Permaul b Junior Sinclair 7 Leon Johnson* c Kemo Paul b Qumar Torrington 25 Vishaul Singh lbw b Sylus Tyndall 13 Akshaya Persaud c Junior Sinclair b Sylus Tyndall 61 Johnathan Rampersaud c Tevin Imlach b Seon Glasgow 7 Zachary Jodah retd, not out 1 Kevin Sinclair c Junior Sinclair b Ashmead Nedd 16 Clinton Pestano c Qumar Torrington b Kemo Paul 69 Anthony Adams not out 9 Kevin Umroa lbw b Veerasammy Permaul 0 Extras 3b 6lb 0w 1nb 0pen 10 Provisional Score For Innings 254 Penalties awarded following Innings 0 Total 254/10 Bowling O-M-R-W Kemo Paul 16.0-8-20-2 Richie Looknauth 7.0-1-17-0 Qumar Torrington 11.0-2-28-1 Veerasammy Permaul 39.2-16-67-2 Sylus Tyndall 11.0-1-27-2 Junior Sinclair 17.0-6-40-1

Quintin Sampson 4.0-2-4-0 Seon Glasgow 3.0-2-6-1 Ashmead Nedd 9.0-0-36-1 Kemo Paul's XI (1st Innings) (138.5 overs) Kevlon Anderson b Keon Joseph 5 Mavin Dindyal lbw b Kevin Umroa 29 Tevin Imlach+ b Anthony Adams 106 Shimron Hetmyer c Vishaul Singh b Joshua Jones 149 Junior Sinclair lbw b Anthony Adams 17 Seon Glasgow b Anthony Adams 1 Rampertab Ramnauth c Vishaul Singh b Anthony Adams 6 Javid Karim c Vishaul Singh b Kevin Sinclair

4 Kemo Paul* lbw b Anthony Adams 14 Quintin Sampsonb Kevin Sinclair 13 Veerasammy Permaul not out 0 Extras 1b 6lb 1w 5nb 0pen 13 Provisional Score For Innings 357 Total 357/10 Bowling O-M-R-W Keon Joseph 11.0-1-22-1 Dimitri Cameron 19.0-2-60-0 Clinton Pestano 11.0-1-27-0 Joshua Jones 11.0-3-16-1 Kevin Umroa 19.0-3-40-1 Anthony Adams 32.5-12-60-5 Kevin Sinclair 25.0-2-91-2 Johnathan Rampersaud 9.0-0-28-0 Raymond Perez 1.0-0-6-0

ICC U19 World Cup…

Guyana members invest free tickets into schools “…this is an opportunity for them to emulate those on the field,” says John Ramsingh

John Ramsingh, Media and Marketing Officer, ICC U19 Men’s World Cup 2022, sharing some time with the media

T

he teams are here, and the ICC Under-19 World Cup is set to kick off with a bang.

Some of the top teams will do battle in the Caribbean to see who would emerge as champion.

The Guyana leg of the tournament, which will commence on 14-15 January 2022, has seen its ICC Guyana

members invest in young talent by sharing free match tickets to the students of Richard Ishmael Secondary and Tutorial High School.

According to John Ramsingh, Media and Marketing Officer for ICC U19 Men’s World Cup 2022 in the West Indies, one of the activations that they are looking at is to give tickets to those that really need it. Ramsingh related that while it is an under-19 tournament, it is also a developmental tournament, hence the investment into the school children.

“School children are not only going to bring excitement to the game in terms of when they get to the venue, but they

also bring a different dimension in terms of the next generation of cricketers. They may just be inspired; they may already be playing cricket, and this is an opportunity for them to emulate those on the field,” he said.

Ramsingh also clarified that while they are playing U19 and the school mostly features

U16, the young talents have some time to work on their game, and improve their skills a little bit more to get on the big stage. He also divulged that at the moment they are currently

looking at the secondary schools along Woolford Avenue in Georgetown, but it is not limited to Georgetown, as very soon they will be having activations in Berbice, along the West Demerara, the Essequibo Coast, and the East Bank of Demerara.

He also said that they want to give many young children the opportunity to go and watch these games, as it is a once-ina-lifetime opportunity, owing to the fact that he has never seen an U19 World Cup unfold before his eyes, and thus he believes that this is an excellent opportunity for everyone to witness something of great meaning.

When asked what it meant investing in the lives of children to witness such games, Ramsingh said, “There is an old saying

which says, ‘What am I living for if it is not to make a change in someone else’s life?’ and that is exactly what we are doing, and we are feeling proud of. And to do this, it gives the opportunity

to the youngsters and they can become the next big star, and if we can make that next big change in someone else’s life, then that’s what we are here for.”

The schedule for the matches is as follows: * Jan 14 – West Indies U19 vs Australia U19, 1st Match, Group D – Providence Stadium, Guyana 10:00 AM * Jan 14 – Sri Lanka U19 vs Scotland U19, 2nd Match, Group D – Everest Cricket Club Ground, Georgetown 10:00 AM * Jan 15 – Ireland U19 vs Uganda U19, 5th Match, Group B – Everest Cricket Club Ground, Georgetown 10:00 AM * Jan 15 – India U19 vs South Africa U19, 4th Match, Group B – Providence Stadium, Guyana 10:00 AM

Anthony Adams is applauded by his teammates after his five-for (Brandon Corlette photos)

The Adams five-star show

Essequibo’s hard-working left-arm spinner Anthony Adams came to the party after a long toil. As the surface deteriorated, Adams came to play, and bowled Imlach at 311-4 after 114.2 overs.

Adams continued to make inroads, as he trapped Junior Sinclair for 17, bowled Seon Glasgow for one, and removed the promising Rampertab

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the appointment of former West Indies captain, Ramnaresh Sarwan, as a Selector to the West Indies Men’s Senior and Youth Selection Panels, which are led by the Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes and Robert Haynes respectively.

Ramnaresh Sarwan is a former West Indies captain who played at the international level for over a decade. His appointment was confirmed during a meeting of the CWI Board of Directors on Thursday January 6, and he will be stepping down from his current role as Chairman of the Guyana Cricket Board’s Senior Selection Panel to focus on this role and avoid any conflict of interest.

CWI President Ricky Skerritt has said: “I am delighted to confirm that Ramnaresh Sarwan has agreed to accept the post of Selector on CWI’s Men’s Senior and Youth Panels. He is a student of the game, and knows what is required of our young cricketers in order to achieve international success. The Board of Directors are confident that Mr. Sarwan will add enormous value to the cricket system.”

Ramnaresh Sarwan has said: “I want to thank CWI and everyone involved for giving me this opportunity to again serve West Indies cricket as a member of the Selection Panels. I’m passionate about the game of cricket, and especially West Indies cricket, and once asked to contribute, I didn’t hesitate. I look forward to working with my colleagues, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes and Mr Robert Haynes, and the two Head Coaches, as well as everyone else involved in the development of this sport we love and respect so much.”

Ramnaresh Sarwan

Ramnauth for six. The left-handed Ramnauth, a West Indies youth player, faced 57 balls for six runs.

Skipper Paul came and played his shots, hitting Kevin Sinclair to the ropes. His downfall came when he attempted to play an adventurous sweep, but was trapped by his fellow Essequibian Adams for a run-a-ball 14.

Javed Karim offered some resistance, but made only four from 45 balls, while the aggressive Quintin Sampson was bowled for 13.

After facing the heat, Johnson’s XI began their second innings trailing by 203 runs. Openers Raymond Perez and Taganarine Chanderpaul negotiated and went to stumps at 8-0, trailing by 95 runs.

The final day of the match is schedule to bowl off at 10:00h at Albion, as Guyana Harpy Eagles intensify their preparations for the Regional 4-Day tournament in February.

Sarwan will be a member of the Men’s Senior and Youth Selection Panels until 30 June 2024, a period that includes four ICC Global Events, two T20 World Cups (2022 & 2024), the Cricket World Cup (2023) and the World Test Championship Final (2023).

Ramnaresh Sarwan played 81 Test matches, 181 OneDay Internationals and 18 T20 Internationals for the West Indies between 2000 and 2013. He scored 5842 runs in Tests, including 15 centuries, and 5804 runs in ODIs, including five centuries.

He was a member of the West Indies team which won the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy in 2004.

(Windies Cricket) Meanwhile, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Guyana, on Friday congratulated Sarwan on his appointment.

“I would like to extend congratulations to Ramnaresh "Ronnie" Sarwan on his appointment as a Selector to the West Indies Men’s Senior and Youth Selection Panels. This is another important achievement for Ronnie, and the position bears the weight of expectation for cricketloving West Indians across the region. While executing the duties of his appointment, Ronnie will have my support and the support of the Ministry of Culture, Youth a n d Sport. All the best, Ronnie,” Ramson said.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022

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

Guyana Harpy Eagles Trials:

Hetmyer’s 149, Imlach’s 106 and Adams’s 5-60 highlight day three

Page 23

ICC U19 World Cup…

Page 23

Page 23

Guyana members invest free tickets into schools

“…this is an opportunity for them to emulate those on the field,” says John Ramsingh GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - marketing@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.