Guyana Times -- Saturday, May 28, 2022

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 5022

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

“We must stop thinking we are too small to advance in int’l markets” – Pres Ali – as he delivers feature address at opening of Agro Fest in Barbados See story on page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Decomposed body of female teacher found at Crane P15 – Police looking for husband

NY Independence celebrations

P12 Minister Rodrigues urges Guyanese in diaspora to return home and invest President Dr Irfaan Ali inspecting the Guard of Honour upon his arrival in Barbados on Friday to attend the ‘Agro Fest’ - The National Agricultural Exhibition, to be held at Queen’s Park in Bridgetown from May 28-29

Omai’s Wenot diamond drilling in Region 7 yields success GO-Invest, Water taxi Export service Barbados to reintroduced set up trade from NA to offices Rosignol Sophia father of 4 gunned down execution-style Page 7

– extends resources to west with 1st step out drilling

See story on page 15

Guyanese P14 authorities, surveillance units on alert for monkeypox – Health Minister Traffic law P16 must be “rigid and stiff” for offenders – Traffic Chief …says applicants must be computer literate to take driver’s test

Page 9

See story on page 2

– family remains baffled about shooting incident

WPO urges women to participate in Guyana’s P14 developmental agenda – as NGO celebrates 69th anniversary

2 NEWS Sophia father of 4 gunned down execution-style SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– family remains baffled about shooting incident

A

43-year-old father of four was shot dead by a lone gunman on Thursday in front of his D Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown house.

The dead man has been identified as 43-year-old Collin McPherson, a driver attached to the Ministry of Health. The shooting reportedly occurred at about 21:40h.

At the time of the shooting, the man was sitting on a bench in the company of others.

One eyewitness recalled that he was in the house when he heard a loud explosion, after which he saw the

Dead: Collin McPherson

victim running into his home screaming “close the door”.

According to the eyewitness, the gunman was dressed in a blue shirt, a pair of dark-coloured pants and is slim-built, fair in complexion, and was wearing a blue facemask.

On seeing the gunman, the eyewitness reportedly ran to safety, leaving McPherson in the living room. At that point, two more loud explosions were heard, and then there was complete silence.

The eyewitness said he emerged from the bedroom and saw McPherson lying motionlessly.

McPherson’s

18-year-old son and 13-yearold daughter were home at the time.

An alarm was raised and the Police were contacted.

They visited the scene only to find a bullet-riddled man lying on the ground. He was later pronounced dead by a doctor from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

When Guyana Times visited the man’s home on Friday, his family was still in shock by his sudden death. His daughter, Meleka McPherson, said she was in Georgetown when she was informed that her father was executed.

She said when she re-

The house where the shooting incident took place

turned home, she was greeted with the devastating reality of her father’s death.

The dead man’s daughter said that based on the information she received, the man

who killed her father did so intentionally. She explained that no one could have recognised her father’s killer and the family is now baffled about who might have wanted her father dead.

“We heard that the man had on a hat, face mask, and he had on gloves so nobody saw his face… He come well prepared because he had on gloves… It is his face I can’t recognise. I don’t know of my father having problems with anyone.”

“We are just hoping that we can identify the person,” she said.

Meanwhile, the man’s niece, Shenisha Nicholson, said after her uncle received the first shot, he managed to make his way into the yard and called for his son who was in the house at the time.

The young man, she related, managed to pull his father over the veranda and into the house but the gunman was not satisfied. “…he crawled and come inside… his son pulled him over the landing… when he coming over the landing he told his son, ‘Shemron I get shoot, help meh’. When his son was taking him inside, the gunman turned back and was trying to open the front door which my cousin had locked.”

“He [the gunman], saw that the backdoor was open but before my cousin could reach to the back door to lock it, the person was already in and he released more shots,” she explained.

The woman said her uncle was a good man who worked and was trying to maintain his family. She said he had only started working at the Ministry two years ago and had plans to travel soon.

Unfortunately, that will not be possible.

Nicholson added that her uncle will be missed because he was always the life of the party.

“He is one individual that we can demand on to make any event in our family memorable… he does not cause trouble with anyone...The family will like to see the perpetrator behind bars, and to face exactly what he should be faced,” she said.

Following the shooting, two 9mm spent shells were recovered while CCTV footage from the area will be reviewed.

The family, however, is calling on the Police to investigate the matter thoroughly which can lead to the apprehension of the perpetrator.

Police said several persons were also questioned.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Saturday, May 28 – 02:30h – 04:00h and Sunday, May 29 – 03:00h – 04:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

“We must stop thinking we are too small to advance in int’l markets” – Pres Ali

– as he delivers feature address at opening of Agro Fest in Barbados

Saturday, May 28 – 15:30h – 17:00h and Sunday, May 29 – 16:10h – 17:40h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be light rain showers and sunshine during the day. Expect partly cloudy conditions and clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 15:22h reaching a maximum height of 2.2 metres.

Low Tide: 08:56h and 21:07h reaching minimum heights of 0.3 metre and 0.4 metre.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022

LOTTERY NUMBERS L

06 08 14

20 24 28

FREE TICKET

25 Bonus Ball

FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2022

DAILY MILLIONS

01 05 08 11 16 LUCKY 3

4

4

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8

Afternoon Draw

9

9

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

01 02 03 09 14 15 18 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022

03 07 08 11 17 13

06 07 13 15 19

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9 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

$119.43/barrel

+1.70

Rough Rice

$314.33/ton

+1.09

London Sugar

$568.20/ton

+0.50

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1854.10

$1855.10

Low/High Change

$1850.40 0.00

$1863.00 0.00%

Guyanese exhibitors stepping up for the Agro Fest that commences today President Dr Irfaan Ali

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s the Caribbean works on enhancing its productivity to reduce its high food import bill and ensure food security, President Dr Irfaan Ali contended that the Region has a unique opportunity also to tap into world markets as a supplier.

He was at the time delivering the feature address at the opening of ‘Agro Fest’ on Friday evening in Bridgetown, Barbados, which is being held from May 28-29 under theme: “Greening Together Ah Caribbean Thing”.

President Ali pointed out that the Guyana-Barbados Food Terminal initiative, which the two countries are developing as a means to address the hurdles of transportation and logistics in the Region, is not only aimed at helping the movement of products and reducing the cost of local produce but also provides the opportunity to access new markets.

“It is aimed at developing an important transhipment hub for food here in Barbados to move on to different hotel chains in other Caribbean islands, and to move on to Miami. We must believe that we can do it. We must stop thinking narrowly that we cannot achieve these things… We’re setting bold targets. We are working on bold and innovative ideas. At the end of it, it is only bold thinking, bold initiatives, and pursuing those initiatives and ideas that would ensure we are successful,” he asserted.

According to the Head of State, the aim is to create a value chain for development in the region. He further dismissed naysayers who are claiming that the region’s plan is too ambitious, noting that there needs to be proactive action by all stakeholders.

“Our market is not only the people in the region.

Our market is the tourists who come here, our market is all those who we have trade agreements with and we must stop thinking that

we are too small to advance our products in those markets. We can differentiate our products. We can have the best of organic pineapples that carry twice the market value but we have to be thinking people.”

“The Caribbean and this Region, we are blessed with thinking people. But sometimes we spend too much time talking and pondering.

Great ideas died because we spend too much time pondering and talking. We have taken the bold step of setting ourselves target as regional leaders so you can hold us accountable to those targets,” the Guyanese leader stated.

However, President Ali posited that in order to accomplish these targets, all stakeholders have a responsibility to come on board.

The Head of State reiterated that Caricom (Caribbean Community) and its leaders are all confi-

dent in achieving the “25 by 2025” target, that is, reducing the Region’s high food import bill by 25 per cent by the year 2025 in order to enhance its food security in the face of an impending global food crisis.

According to Ali, the Caribbean is not a priority when it comes to shortages in the global market hence the current push by leaders to place agriculture at the centre of the Region’s development. He noted that this starts with increasing food production within Member States.

However, he noted that while the Region is currently working on a master plan to enhance its food production capacity, build a support system for farmers and address its transportation and logistics system, it must also be conscious of the immediate need to secure food supply in the near future.

“We have to look at markets that can sustain our supply in the immediate fu-

ture because a major food catastrophe is coming,” he stated.

It is for this reason, that President Ali said Guyana and Barbados have sought to strengthen bilateral relations on a number of fronts that will create a win-win model for both nations and bring prosperity among its peoples.

Currently, there is a group of young Barbadians in Guyana being trained on shade house development.

Simultaneously, Guyana is preparing prefab shade-houses to ship to Barbados that will be developed by those trained young people to accelerate agriculture in the island state.

Already, Guyana has benefited from one thousand black belly sheep from Barbados that was launched in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) with special emphasis being placed on women and young people to take the lead in this project.

TURN TO PAGE 7

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 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

A lifelong earning potential and economic security

E

ducation provides one of the main planks for the pursuit of an enhanced life and lifestyle. The ability to read is critical to a student’s success, as well as to lifelong earning potential and economic security.

In spite of the many and various challenges facing Guyana in the delivery of services in the various sectors, when one focuses on the education sector, one can see marked success in the programmes initiated by past and present Governments to deliver quality education to all of Guyana’s children, and provide equitable opportunities for all in the pursuit of upward mobility.

A primary initiative in the education system, which has created success in the education sector, is the establishment of the Multimedia Centre at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), with one of the centre’s main activities being the production and broadcast on television of educational programmes. The Learning television Channel is dedicated to broadcasting programmes throughout the country via the use of satellite communications technology. Broadcasting commenced in 2011, and has proven a great success story.

Additionally, organisational capacity and managerial capability have been enhanced, strengthening the management of the education sector and central ministry.

Focus has been placed on achieving improved educational outcomes through a continuum of policy reviews, initiation of new programmes and initiatives, promoting improved performance management, and monitoring mechanisms geared to ensure that the goals of the Education Strategic Plan are achieved.

Teacher training has also been enhanced with the introduction of the Associate Degree in Education (ADE), for which thousands have enrolled and concluded training at the Cyril Potter College of Education, along with other teachers in training.

Teachers have been benefiting from continuous development programmes, especially in special training for Maths and English teachers who participate in the nongraduate programmes.

Efforts to support the advances made in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) at the school and post-secondary levels have also borne fruit, as well as in the field of Information Communication Technology (ICT), where teachers receive basic training in the use of computers with a project of equipping computer labs completed. As such, there have been great strides made in ensuring professionalisation of the teaching force.

In the student community, remediation programmes to facilitate improved Math and English scores are an ongoing facet of quality education.

There have been stringent efforts to promote childfriendly schools, including enhancements to the school buildings; sanitation blocks; health, nutrition and counselling services; revitalising the PTAs; community outreaches; student councils, and inclusive education.

These elements facilitate the realisation of child-friendly schools.

However, irrespective of the efforts of Government, the development of Guyana’s children needs cooperative partnership between parents and educational mentors, so parents need to recognise that their support and participation are integral to the holistic development of their children, so that they can emerge as rounded adults primed to engage and overcome the challenges of adulthood.

An aerial view of Aruwai Resort in the Essequibo River. This photo was submitted by Caleb Benjamin as his entry in the 56th Anniversary of Independence Photography Competition hosted by the Ministry of Tourism

UN salutes dedicated peacekeepers

UN Secretary-General António Guterres (left) attending a wreath-laying ceremony on the occasion of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers 2022 (Mark Garten photo)

U

nited Nations (UN) has saluted the more-than-one- million women and men who have served as UN peacekeepers since 1948.

In a message to mark the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, which will be observed on Sunday, May 29, UN Secretary-General António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres has said, “We pay tribute to the nearly 4,200 heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives in the cause of peace”.

He added, “And we are reminded of an age-old truth: peace can never be taken for granted. Peace is the prize.”

He said the UN is deeply grateful to the 87,000 civilian, Police, and military personnel now serving under the UN flag, who are helping to realise the prize of peace worldwide.

According to him, these peacekeepers face enormous challenges, and he has noted that the rising violence against them has made their work even more dangerous.

He noted, too, that restrictions due to the pandemic have made their work even more difficult. Nevertheless,

he said, UN peacekeepers continue to serve with distinction as partners for peace.

This year, he added, the focus will be on the power of partnerships. “We know that peace is won when Governments and societies join forces to resolve differences through dialogue, build a culture of nonviolence, and protect the most vulnerable,” Guterres explained.

“Around the globe, UN peacekeepers work with the member states, civil society, humanitarians, the media, the communities they serve, and many others to foster peace, protect civilians, promote human rights and the rule of law, and improve the lives of millions of people,” he added.

The UN SecretaryGeneral has said, “Today, and every day, we salute their dedication in helping societies turn away from conflict towards a more peaceful and prosperous future for all. We are forever in their debt.”

Power of partnerships

Meanwhile, in an ar-

ticle titled “The power of partnerships: Why supporting our peacekeepers matters more now than ever”, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, JeanPierre Lacroix, said that, every day, UN peacekeepers work to protect hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in the world’s most fragile political and security situations.

“Our civilian and uniformed personnel support ceasefires; prevent and respond to violence; investigate human rights’ violations and abuses; and help build peace, recovery, and development in conflict-affected countries. There is no doubt that lives are saved and changed by their presence.”

In some peace operations, he added, a primary task is to provide robust protection of civilians, due to the nature of the threat on the ground.

“Our military and Police personnel make every effort to carry out this mandate in challenging and often dangerous conditions. However, the ultimate objective is to create the conditions for po-

Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix

litical solutions and sustainable peace. That is the true measure of our success,” he continued.

But achieving this outcome, Lacroix highlighted, is becoming more difficult in an increasingly tense global political and security climate. He said conflicts are more complex and multi-layered, with local tensions being fuelled by national, regional and international forces acting in their own interests. An increasing number of actors are involved in violence, including criminal, terrorist, and other armed elements, he noted.

According to Lacroix, it is difficult to engage with these individuals and groups with diverse motives and objectives, and often links to transnational organised crime, because they have no real interest in reaching political settlements that foster lasting peace.

He pointed out that the world is witnessing a less united approach to conflict resolution among global powers because of widening political divisions, which in turn takes the pressure off warring parties to end violence and make concessions.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 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

Whatever happened to undercover journalism?

Indians and land in Guyana

By Guyanese of Indian Ancestry Association

T

here is a myth being perpetuated in Guyana that Indian Indentureds (Girmitiyas) “got free land”. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The indentured contract (Girmit) signed by the immigrants entitled them to a return passage to India worth $60 per person. In 1850, attempting to evade that cost and retain the immigrants, the Govt passed an ordinance that said: “Where any Cooly immigrant shall be desirous to commute his right to a free passage for the value in land to the amount of the cost of such passage.” Any land subsequently acquired was “exchanged”, not “given”.

However, as Mohamed Shahabuddeen wrote, “Its implementation started only in the 1860s, and then with the almost absurd suggestion that a portion of the somewhat “gelatinous territory” at Plantation Best, West Coast Demerara, be allocated in one-acre grants.” Shahabuddeen concluded, “…the provisions were not acted upon, and were omitted from subsequent ordinances.”

Ordinance 22 of 1856 tried another tack: it allowed the planters to reindenture the immigrant for a bounty payment of $50, leaving the right to return intact. In 1873, the colonial administration abolished this option to re-indenture, and introduced “settlements”, to encourage exchange of the return passage. In 1871, Plantation Nooten Zuil, ECD had been identified, but as with Plantation Best, the condition of the land was deemed unsuitable, and there were no takers.

“Immigrant Home off Logies”

In 1880, the Government purchased Huis’t Dieren, an abandoned estate in Essequibo, and divided it into plots which were offered to Indian families in exchange for their return passages. There were only 69 takers: the remainder were sold. In 1882, the Government took another tack by dividing up land it owned (Crown Land) at Cotton Tree (West Berbice), Brighton (Corentyne) and Maria’s Lodge (Essequibo), among other areas, and selling it to immigrants at reasonable rates, while leaving their “right to return” passages.

Immigrant Homes in settlement

In 1894, still trying to encourage immigrants to remain, the Government reintroduced the programme of exchanging return passages for land in settlements. In 1897-98, Helena (Mahaica) attracted 1206 persons, Bush Lot (West Berbice) 1109 persons, and Whim (Corentyne) 574 persons. Finally, there was Maria’s Pleasure in Wakenaam, with 176 persons exchanging passages for lots in 1903. There were no further “land settlement schemes”, and all lands acquired by Indians subsequently were acquired by purchasing them in open market transactions.

DID YOU KNOW? •

•

Between 1880 and 1903, according to Dwarika Nauth (above), return passages were exchanged for land by 3134 Indian indentureds. In 1904, all settlements were deemed failures, as most awardees did not occupy their plots.

In her 1975 Ph.D. dissertation, McGill Prof. Leslie Potter independently examined records in the Deeds Registry between 1870-1920 and found that, of the 163,964 Indian immigrants who remained in Guyana, a mere 2,653 (1.6%) exchanged their return passage, worth $60/ each, for land worth an average of $30.45.

Dear Editor, Where are the real stories that we, the readers, are looking for, and the secrets of what's happening in our paradise - Guyana. A little more excitement would be great to sparkle the news industry.

I'm talking about the movie "Never been kissed",

starring actress Drew Barrymore, wherein the journalist goes uncover and back to high school, posing as a student to get the greatest scoop of the century.

Undercover journalism is needed, since it gives quality stories and can be eye-opening to the public. Undercover journalism is a form of jour-

nalism in which a reporter tries to infiltrate a community by posing as somebody friendly to that community.

"Journalism is what maintains democracy. It's the force for progressive social change."

Andrew Vachss.

"Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest vir-

UN salutes dedicated...

He said, “These divides are exposed in Security Council resolutions relating to peacekeeping mandates with less unanimity in the decisions made by Member States, notably on mandate renewals, but also less support to our missions when they face challenges on the ground.”

According to Lacroix, a surge in mis- and disinformation is also creating new and growing threats to the safety of UN personnel and the communities they serve. For instance, he said, in places like Mali, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), fake news fuels fighting as well as hostility towards peacekeeping missions.

“We are experiencing an increase in attacks on our bases, ambushes of convoys, and the increased use of improvised explosive devices. In this environment, the iconic blue flag that should provide safety for peacekeepers now risks making them a target.”

Malicious attacks

Despite the UN’s best efforts to keep personnel safe, he highlighted, more peacekeepers are being injured or killed in these volatile conditions. He said the frequency of malicious attacks against peacekeepers increased from 280 in 2020 to 463 last year.

In 2021, there were 24 fatalities due to these violent acts.

“Among those we have lost,” he added, “are eight peacekeepers who died when their helicopter went down in the eastern DRC in March during a reconnaissance mis-

sion to help protect civilians.

I attended a very moving memorial service alongside colleagues in Goma.

We all understand that risk and loss are inevitable, given the nature of our work, but coming together in these tragic circumstances reminds us of the immense price paid by fallen peacekeepers and their families. I want to pay tribute to them.

Their sacrifice inspires us to redouble our efforts to build peace and stability.

“UN peacekeeping is not alone in this endeavour.

Many partners work alongside us in the cause of peace.

Among them are humanitarians who provide life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable. Strong partnerships with communities are also critical. They inspire us with their resilience and persistence in helping to resolve tensions, supporting reconciliation, and building peace.

Lacroix added, “Women and youths are also vital partners as powerful champions for peace, as are civil society and the media, who shine light on the challenges and help promote solutions.

We continue to strengthen our partnerships with the 122 member states that contribute more than 75,000 military and Police personnel to our 12 peacekeeping operations.”

Global peace, security

The Under-SecretaryGeneral explained that the UN relies on the consent and active participation of host Governments, as well as the strong, united support of regional and international partners, to persuade parties

tue, and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph, and the signs of horror are still in the air."

Henry Grunwald.

Yours sincerely, Classic Roxy

FROM PAGE 4

to put aside their differences and make the necessary concessions to reach political settlements.

For this reason, he said, International Day of UN Peacekeepers is being observed under the theme “People. Peace. Progress. The Power of Partnerships”. He said, too, that it is a chance to thank partners for their contributions, and to issue a fresh call to action in the pursuit of global peace and security.

“Peacekeeping is an imperfect tool that can never meet all needs or expectations. There are times when we are prevented from, or fail to carry out, our mandates, and let ourselves and those we serve down, including in cases of misconduct by our personnel.

He added, “When this happens, we will continue to be held accountable, to constantly interrogate our performance, and find ways to be more innovative and effective, particularly through the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, which establishes priority areas where progress is needed.”

According to Lacroix, this includes strengthening our capacity to advance political solutions and support sustainable peace; improving protection of civilians as well as the safety of peacekeepers; implementing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda; and rigorously evaluating our own performance.

He said that even though the UN Peacekeeping goals are ambitious, and not all will be achieved, questions may sometimes be asked about the value and impact of peacekeeping.

“But if not peacekeeping, what else? Does a better solution exist today to maintain ceasefires, protect civilians, prevent chaos, and support peace efforts in the complex, conflict-affected environments where our operations are deployed?” Lacroix asked.

Despite these questions, and in the face of many challenges, UN Peacekeeping will persevere alongside our partners to be a strong force for change in a collective effort to achieve peace and progress for all peoples, he declared.

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

06:00 (Sign on) Inspirational Time 06:30 Cartoons 07:00 Evening News (RB) 08:00 Stop Suffering 09:00 Movie - Felix And The Hidden Treasure (2021) 10:30 Indian Movie - Saawariya (2007) 13:00 Movie - Sing 2 (2021) 15:00 UEFA Champions League Finals 17:00 National Geographic 18:00 Evangelistic Hour 18:30 Hepzibah 19:00 The Evening News 20:00 Islam for Guyana 20:30 Movie - The Perfect Pairing (2022) 22:00 Movie - The Outfit (2022) 00:00 Sign off

6

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

Page

Foundation ◄

I

n this fun and easy density science experiment, we’re going to use sugar water to test density.

Materials: Six clear plastic cups or glasses Measuring cups Measuring spoons Sugar Water 6 different shades of food colouring Spoon Graduated cylinder or some other long and thin clear container Instructions:

CONTINUED FROM FRIDAY

Act 5. Scene I. Before PROSPERO'S cell.

Re-enter ARIEL, with the Master and Boatswain amazedly following

“The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” – Denis Waitley

GONZALO O, look, sir, look, sir! here is more of us: I prophesied, if a gallows were on land, This fellow could not drown.

Now, blasphemy, That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore?

Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news?

Boatswain The best news is, that we have safely found Our king and company; the next, our ship-Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split-Is tight and yare and bravely rigg'd as when We first put out to sea.

ARIEL [Aside to PROSPERO] Sir, all this service Have I done since I went.

PROSPERO [Aside to ARIEL] My tricksy spirit!

ALONSO These are not natural events; they strengthen From strange to stranger.

Say, how came you hither?

Boatswain If I did think, sir, I were well awake, I'ld strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep, And--how we know not--all clapp'd under hatches; Where but even now with strange and several noises Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains, And more diversity of sounds, all horrible,

Set out the six cups.

Pour one cup of warm water into each cup.

Add one drop of a different food colouring to each cup.

Do not add any sugar to the first cup.

Add two teaspoons of sugar to the second cup.

Add four teaspoons of sugar to the third cup.

Add six teaspoons of sugar to the fourth cup.

Add eight teaspoons of sugar to the fifth cup.

Add ten teaspoons of sugar to the sixth cup.

Mix until the sugar is

We were awaked; straightway, at liberty; Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld Our royal, good and gallant ship, our master Capering to eye her: on a trice, so please you, Even in a dream, were we divided from them And were brought moping hither.

ARIEL [Aside to PROSPERO] Was't well done?

PROSPERO [Aside to ARIEL] Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt be free.

ALONSO This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod And there is in this business more than nature Was ever conduct of: some oracle Must rectify our knowledge.

PROSPERO Sir, my liege, Do not infest your mind with beating on The strangeness of this business; at pick'd leisure Which shall be shortly, single I'll resolve you, Which to you shall seem probable, of every These happen'd accidents; till when, be cheerful And think of each thing well.

Aside to ARIEL Come hither, spirit: Set Caliban and his companions free; Untie the spell.

Exit ARIEL How fares my gracious sir?

There are yet missing of your company Some few odd lads that you remember not.

Re-enter ARIEL, driving in CALIBAN, STEPHANO and

dissolved.

Now pour an amount of your most sugary solution into the graduated cylinder. Make sure you judge well the amount so you can get an equal portion of all your solutions into the cylinder.

Continue adding sugar solutions, from most to least sugary into the cylinder. Do so gently to avoid disturbing the lower levels.

If everything works as planned, you should have a sugary rainbow density demonstration.

How it works: As the sugar dissolves into TRINCULO, in their stolen apparel STEPHANO Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man take care for himself; for all is but fortune. Coragio, bullymonster, coragio!

TRINCULO If these be true spies which I wear in my head, here's a goodly sight.

CALIBAN O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed!

How fine my master is! I am afraid He will chastise me.

SEBASTIAN Ha, ha!

What things are these, my lord Antonio?

Will money buy 'em?

ANTONIO Very like; one of them Is a plain fish, and, no doubt, marketable.

PROSPERO Mark but the badges of these men, my lords, Then say if they be true. This mis-shapen knave, His mother was a witch, and one so strong That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs, And deal in her command without her power.

These three have robb'd me; and this demi-devil-For he's a bastard one--had plotted with them To take my life. Two of these fellows you Must know and own; this thing of darkness!

Acknowledge mine.

CALIBAN I shall be pinch'd to death.

ALONSO Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?

SEBASTIAN He is drunk now: where had he wine?

the water, the water becomes more dense. The solution with the most sugar will be the most dense.

You are able to layer the different solutions by their amount of sugar as the less dense solutions will float on top of the more dense solutions.

The food colouring allows you to easily distinguish the different layers and observe density.

Make this a science project: Try making solutions with different items like salt. Try making solutions by dissolving different numbers of candies like Skittles in each cup of water. (sciencefun.org) ALONSO And Trinculo is reeling ripe: where should they Find this grand liquor that hath gilded 'em?

How camest thou in this pickle?

TRINCULO I have been in such a pickle since I saw you last that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I shall not fear flyblowing.

SEBASTIAN Why, how now, Stephano!

STEPHANO O, touch me not; I am not Stephano, but a cramp.

PROSPERO You'ld be king o' the isle, sirrah?

STEPHANO I should have been a sore one then.

ALONSO This is a strange thing as e'er I look'd on.

Pointing to Caliban PROSPERO He is as disproportion'd in his manners As in his shape. Go, sirrah, to my cell; Take with you your companions; as you look To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.

CALIBAN Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter And seek for grace. What a thrice-double ass Was I, to take this drunkard for a god And worship this dull fool!

PROSPERO Go to; away!

ALONSO Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.

SEBASTIAN Or stole it, rather.

Exeunt CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Omai’s Wenot diamond drilling in Region 7 yields success – extends resources to west with 1st step out drilling

C

anada-based Omai Gold Mines has announced that the first diamond drilling at its operations in Guyana has extended the deposit of the Wenot Pit in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) to the west.

In a statement on Friday, Omai said that the drilling was successful at extending the Wenot deposit to the west and further step out drilling has continued.

Two holes were stepped out to the west. The first hole hit 5.01 grams per tonne gold over 8.5 metres from 215m depth, while the other hole intersected 2.32 grams per tonne of the yellow metal over 17.1m starting from 246.9m depth.

The mining company noted that these results open a significant new region for exploration and in un-mined areas in proximity to the Wenot resource area.

Omai’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Elaine Ellingham, noted “We are very pleased that our drilling has established that the Wenot shear zone extends to the west and continues to host significant gold miner-

alization. The gold mineralization in these new holes is similar to the main zones at Wenot. We recently deployed the second drill to commence step out drilling on the eastern extension of the Wenot deposit, roughly two kilometers to the east.”

“Our objective is to work towards a revised NI 43-101 Wenot resource, assuming favourable results continue as we explore both the east and west extensions of the Wenot shear. Expanding the Wenot resource into these un-mined areas is significant for an ultimate mine plan as these could contribute to lower-strip-ratio starter pits for the larger Wenot deposit,” Ellingham stated.

Drilling commenced along the western extension of the Wenot gold zones at the end of March with five holes completed to date and one additional hole underway. Results are available for the first two holes, and additional results are pending.

While the Omai Gold mine was operating, much of this area to the west of the Wenot pit was covered by

the mill, other service buildings, access roads and other mine infrastructure, almost all of which has since been removed, now allowing for exploration.

Meanwhile, trenching and drilling exploration continues on targets west of the Fennell pit and to the southwest of the Wenot pit, with follow up trenching and sampling, and subsequent drilling of eight holes in four target areas in February and into early April.

Assays for the initial five diamond drill holes, which totalled 1213m in four target areas, showed results from three drill holes in the Blueberry Hill area of 0.9m at 41.74 g/t gold from 150.6m depth.

Another trench, following six large trenches reported in February, which showed high grade gold, was also completed on the eastern side of Blueberry Hill with one channel sample showing 5.13 g/t gold over 1m.

Back in January, Omai had disclosed an initial resource estimate for the Wenot deposit, which showed 703,300 ounces of

“We must stop thinking...

The aim is to make Guyana, and eventually the Caribbean, a livestock capital.

According to President Ali, Barbados will soon benefit from the advanced technology and innovation of operators from northern Brazil in the State of Roraima in livestock rearing. He explained that the embryo project of the Brazilian state –artificial insemination – can double the livestock in all of Caricom in just nine months with the best possible bread of animals.

“The technology is there; the science is supporting it.

We now have to embrace that science and that technology,” he asserted.

Moreover, Dr Ali revealed that Guyana and Barbados are also working to bring together their Private Sectors to look at opportunities in both countries in order to help with capital formation. In fact, a delegation of over 150 Guyanese is currently in Barbados to participate in the Agro Fest.

Some 56 Guyanese businesses and State entities,

FROM PAGE 3

ranging from agro-processors to furniture manufacturers and jewellers, are participating in the expo through a collaboration between the Guyana Government and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) and the Private Sector Commission (PSC).

President Ali is accompanied by several Government representatives including Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond.

Omai’s Wenot pit in Region 7

gold in the indicated category and 940,000 ounces in inferred.

Omai Gold Mines, which returned to the Wenot and Fennell pits in 2020 after leaving Guyana in 2015, had announced in December 2020 that it would be pressing forward with a 5000-metre drilling programme.

Only last month, Omai announced the acceleration of exploration in its Wenot pit, where a second drill has been added and has already started working. That drilling was intended to supplement the work being done by the first one on nearby targets.

The CEO had said that the company is focused on

advancing exploration in Guyana to create tangible value and real growth for its shareholders. She had noted that the second drill at the Omai Gold Project in Guyana will allow them to accelerate work to expand the Wenot resource.

This was after Omai announced in February that it would continue drilling at its Region Seven location since it believes that even more deposits of gold are available at the Wenot deposit.

Omai Gold Mines Corp, through its wholly owned subsidiary Avalon Gold Exploration Inc, holds a 100 per cent interest in the Omai Prospecting Licence

that includes the past producing Omai Gold Mine, and a 100 per cent interest in the adjoining Eastern Flats Mining Permits.

Once South America’s largest producing gold mine, Omai produced over 3.7 million ounces of gold between 1993 and 2005.

In 2022, the company announced an initial mineral resource estimate on the new Wenot gold deposit.

Omai’s short-term priorities are to build on the known mineral resources, while advancing exploration on key targets, providing a solid opportunity to create significant value for all stakeholders.

8

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Musings...

W

…on Independence date ell, the hoopla’s died down on the Independence celebrations in the Cinderella County! And your Eyewitness hopes the President - having found the (development) slipper - will now ensure that the Essequibo Coast would now become the Royalty they are!!

In the meantime, some in the Opposition are kvetching that, once again, they didn’t receive their invitations to the big bash till the afternoon before. And since Georgetown isn’t just a hop, skip and jump away from Damon Square, it was just as if they hadn’t been invited!!

One wonders if their Essequibo MPs - including the new Chairman of the Party - showed up at the party!!

But now might be the time to raise a topic that refuses to go away around this time of the year, no matter how much those in office try to sweep it under the rug: that Independence date, May 26, 1966. As Jagan and his PPP pointed out at the time, picking that date had to be the height of insensitivity to the feelings of the Indian Community that had experienced the massive ethnic cleansing of what was then called Mackenzie-WismarChristianburg.

One may debate to one’s heart’s content whether the three persons murdered on the day constituted a “massacre” - as the day has since been labelled - or a “genocide,” as has also been claimed. But for sure, when the entire Indian ethnic population of 2399 persons had to be evacuated after the murders, rapes, beatings and razing of 220 homes and businesses, there’s no doubt that’s an “ethnic cleansing”.

Because the PPP had boycotted the 1965 Independence Conference in London - not unreasonably, since they’d been ousted in a legalised coup - they don’t know who suggested that date for independence. But surely, the PNC or the UF, who were present, shouldn’t have accepted.

After all, it was less than 2 years since the atrocity had been committed - along with the bombing of the Sun Chapman launch on July 6, killing 43 of its passengers - all Africans.

Surely, they couldn’t have forgotten all of this?

So, when Jagan protested that the PNC were rubbing the PPP’s face in the dirt of their supporters’ greatest humiliation, they weren’t being paranoid. But Jagan did show up at the Independence Celebrations at the National Park in 1966, and afterward - and even hugged Burnham at the first one. So, one could say that he was letting “bygones be bygones”. But the matter just won’t go away.

And that’s the point, isn’t it? How does one forget such a trauma - especially when those 3000 persons were dispersed all across the country to be resettled?

Like Langston Hughes wrote, it explodes like a sore every May 26. And the pus stinks. …on the CCJ One of the ironies in the region has been that the headquarters of the CCJ is located in Trinidad, but that Court isn’t Trinidad’s final court of appeal!! Even though Trinidad’s a republic – meaning, they’re supposed to’ve cut ALL links with the imperial power Britain - they still use the Privy Council as their final Appellate Court!! Imagine that!! Their first Prime Minister, Eric Williams, was the man who showed the connection between British Capitalism and slavery, yet this former slave society is still depending on some former slave owners to decide on “justice” for its citizens!!

Anyhow, your Eyewitness just read TT’s Attorney General saying that they’ll be cutting those links and using the CCJ for final appeals. Now the big hold-out is Jamaica, and if they take the plunge, so will all the small islands.

Many of the justices in the CCJ - including its present President, Justice Saunders - are small islanders. Even when Barbados wasn’t a Republic, she’d gone for the CCJ. Looks like TT’s getting with the programme. …on Norton Norton’s been grounding with PNC supporters to connect with their challenges. That’s the way to go; since, when he speaks, he’ll be doing it with the authority coming out of the experience.

Not like those keyboard warriors!!

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

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

NEWS

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SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GO-Invest, Export Barbados to set up trade offices

T

he Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) has engaged with Export Barbados as part of a series of business-to-business collaborations set out by the respective Government agencies to enhance trade relations.

The Guyanese delegation arrived in Barbados on Monday to showcase their businesses at Agrofest 2022 which will be held in Barbados between May 28 and 29.

Of the 56 entities that are present, 11 were involved in several strategic business-to-business level meetings with members of Barbados’ Private Sector, where they gathered information and forged partnerships.

These delegates represent a cross-section of sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture and agro-processing, jewellers, craft and industrial supplies.

According to GO-Invest, this initiative is timely and much-needed as the two countries seek to further develop strategic partnerships

Representatives of Guyana and Barbados engaged in discussions to drive trade

between their private sectors.

Chairman of Guyana’s Private Sector Commission, Paul Cheong suggested that the St Barnabas Accord which was signed between Barbados and Guyana is a signal for the Private Sector to become more active in driving economic growth.

The question of the removal of trade restrictions to ensure

easy and affordable access to products and services was raised. The Private Sector is willing to invest in growing its capacity to supply the region’s food needs, however, trade restrictions and limited access to affordable and appropriate logistics services must be addressed.

CEO of GO-Invest, Dr Peter Ramsaroop stated that “Both

President Ali and Prime Minister Motley prioritised the implementation of the St Barnabas Accord and are wasting no time in putting the necessary resources in place to ensure that this elusive dream of a single economic space is realised.”

In the midst of the global challenges facing the region, driven in large part by COVID-19, resulting in increasing supply chain disruptions, the CEO indicated that they are in collaboration with Export Barbados to set up Trade and Investment Facilitation offices in Guyana and Barbados.

This will see Barbados having a constant presence in Guyana and vice versa. This move by GOInvest and Export Barbados is intended to ensure that commercial initiatives can be easily and expeditiously operationalised. The representative of GO-Invest will be housed within the Secretariat which has been set up by Export Barbados in Pelican Village, while the representative of Export Barbados will be housed within

the Guyana Office for Investment in Guyana.

This collaboration will also seek to address some of the financing challenges which have been identified by key stakeholders. The initiative of Export Barbados will establish the Export Bank of Barbados.

This will see businesses in both countries benefiting from development financing opportunities.

The Executive Director of the Barbados Manufacturing Association (BMA), Shardae Boyce cited pineapples and other non-traditional agricultural imports as immediate needs which can be supplied from Guyana for the production of rationing packages as part of their Rationing Pack Initiative.

Additionally, Executive Director of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), Nizam Hassan suggested that his membership is keen on developing such partnerships with their Barbadian counterparts.

TURN TO PAGE 13

10 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

COVID numbers might be understated with self-testing kits – Health Minister …638 active cases being monitored

O

ver 600 coronavirus cases that are being monitored across Guyana might be an underestimation of the country’s actual numbers with the rise of self-testing kits and the virus now mimicking the common flu, according to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony.

Active cases in Guyana have increased dramatically to 638 but health officials have pointed out that this can be an underestimate.

Many persons are now using self-testing kids and these results are not disclosed to the Ministry. On the other hand, others are treating the virus as the common flu.

“There are people who are testing and they are not reporting to us because there is a lot of self-testing kit that is available for people. So, people are using them, checking their status and if they’re positive, they’re staying home. We wouldn’t have that information unless it’s reported to us. Additionally, the symptoms now of COVID-19 mimic now a flu. Maybe there are

persons getting such symptoms and are not making the differentiation…They treat it like a flu and stay home.”

The active infections are dispersed across the country, with three in Region One; 39 in Region Two; 67 in Region Three; 357 in Region Four; 21 in Region Five; 111 in Region Six, four each in Regions Seven and Nine and 32 in Region 10.

Zeroing in on hotspots in the country, the Health Minister pointed out that keeping track will become difficult if people do not report their positive status.

“It’s difficult now to use cases to tell you what those hotspots are because I think a lot of people are not reporting so it is hard to keep track of the incidents of this disease if people don’t report.”

From the clinical picture seen thus far, Dr Anthony explained that the BA.2 and BA.2.12 .1 subvariants of Omicron are circulating in Guyana. Despite a high transmission rate, the infection is milder.

“It can cause hospitalisation, especially for persons

who are older and unvaccinated. We are seeing cases of a few persons getting sick and requiring hospitalisation but it is not causing much hospitalisation as previous variants. We’ll have to be on the lookout for this,” the Minister divulged.

Nevertheless, amid the new urge, he underscored that following the guidelines and measures will prevent a rise in infections.

“We want people to take precautions when they are in an indoor environment especially and those precautions require people to wear masks. A lot of people still don’t want to wear masks so if you don’t and you go into an environment where people have the disease and they’re not wearing a mask too, then you can get infected,” he cautioned.

New infections

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Health Ministry reported 29 new cases. There are 64,521 confirmed cases – 29,667 males and 34,856 females.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD MAY 27, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

29

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

16

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

603

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

3

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

1

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

34,856

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

29,667

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

64,521

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

62,667

REGION 1

2522

REGION 2

2549

REGION 3

8163

REGION 4

32,013

REGION 5

2411

REGION 6

5992

REGION 7

2430

REGION 8

886

REGION 9

4045

REGION 10

3510

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

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

438,399

FULLY IMMUNISED

337,197

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020

1232

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.

NEWS

11

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Security across all sectors critical to Guyana’s development – President Ali

K

eeping Guyana secured is not only about addressing crime but rather it requires diversification across all sectors, including building a Guyana that can withstand the vulnerability to climate change.

This was the view expressed by President Dr Irfaan Ali as he addressed hundreds of Guyanese at the 56th Independence Anniversary celebration in Anna Regina, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) on Wednesday.

He told the gathering that his Government is working on an elaborate security plan which will see investment in infrastructure, equipment, diversification, training, and improving the working conditions of members of the Joint Services.

“But it is much more than that, keeping Guyana safe requires us to build a Guyana that can withstand the vulnerability of climate change. We are a low-lying coastal country, we have to invest in infrastructure, we have to safeguard the environment,” President Ali explained.

Noting that Guyana intends to play a leadership role in climate change, he reminded that the country’s development path is crafted in the Low Carbon Development Strategy

President Dr Irfaan Ali

(LCDS) “because we want to find a balanced pathway to economic development and expansion”.

He said that keeping Guyana safe also requires investment in food security, agriculture, sports, women, the elderly, mental health, education, supporting the vulnerable, and ensuring animals are safe.

“It is in these collective investments that we will secure our future on all the diversified fronts, investment will build our economy on a multifaceted platform, on different legs that will ensure our country is sustainable and create new opportunities…”

Last October, President Ali launched the renewed and expanded LCDS 2030.

The LCDS addresses four main objectives, namely forest climate, and other ecosystem services; how to stimulate future growth through clean energy and sustainable economic activities; protecting humanity and biodiversity against climate change and, how to align Guyana with global climate goals.

Through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), the Government has provided thousands of scholarships to Guyanese to pursue online tertiary level programmes via partnerships with reputable international universities. Since taking office, the Government has invested heavily in upgrading Police and fire stations across the country.

In fact, construc-

tion is moving apace on the $614 million Fire Station Headquarters at Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.

A modern 11-storey structure will be constructed as the new Brickdam Police Station following the fire which destroyed the century-old building last year. In December 2021, the Government launched the country’s first-ever Sports Academy.

Only recently, over $280 million was invested to improve GPF infrastructure in Regions Two and Three as the Government of Guyana continues to fulfil its mandate to modernise the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

These include two new Police stations and two Police outposts. The Police stations commissioned were at Parika, East Bank Essequibo

(EBE), and Anna Regina in Region Two while the outposts were at Lima Sands and Onderneeming Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast.

Parika Police Station was remodelled at a sum of $60 million. It was designed to be public-friendly and will house a domestic violence room, juvenile-friendly holding area, child-friendly area, witness protection room, a case management room, a case management system, an integrated crime information system, and offices.

The second spanking new multipurpose building was commissioned at the Anna Region Police Station.

This facility was constructed to the tune of $215.1 million and will serve as the Regional Division Number Two Headquarters.

Last weekend, four multimillion-dollar Police

Stations were commissioned in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne). This saw another $299 million being pumped into the security sector.

These projects are part of a $3 billion Citizen Security Strengthening Programme which is funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB). To date, 14 Police stations were completed and seven are under construction.

The completed Police stations include Port Kaituma and Mabaruma in Region One; Aurora and Suddie in Region Two; La Grange and Parika in Region Three; Cane Grove in Region Four; Mibicuri in Region Six; Issano in Region Seven; Annai and Aishalton in Region Nine and McKenzie, Wismar and Kwakwani in Region 10.

COVID numbers might be...

FROM PAGE 10

There are three persons in the Intensive Care Unit, 16 in institutional isolation, 603 in home isolation and one in institutional quarantine. Deaths remain at 1232 while 62,667 persons have recovered. To date, Guyana has processed 625,978 tests.

Adult vaccination numbers show 441,911 first doses and 341,493 second doses being administered, trans-

lating to 86.1 per cent and 66.6 per cent, respectively.

For children, 34,689 first doses and 25,414 second doses have been administered.

Only 64,989 booster shots have been administered.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19

Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy.

Global figures show that almost 525.4 million people have tested positive for the virus and 6.2 million have died. In the Americas, more than 156.5 million confirmed cases have been reported with over 2.7 million deaths.

12 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 28,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NY Independence celebrations

Minister Rodrigues urges Guyanese in diaspora to return home and invest

A section of the audience

G

uyana is currently undergoing major transformational changes, all geared at ensuring a better quality of life for Guyanese, Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry Susan Rodrigues told Guyanese living in New York on Thursday

at an event to mark Guyana’s 56th anniversary as an independent nation.

She said the transformation underway is part of the PPP/C Government’s “One Guyana” vision, which seeks to unite citizens for a brighter future.

Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, addressing the gathering

Ambassador of Guyana to the United States of America, HE Samuel Hinds, in NY on Thursday

She told attendees, which included Guyana’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Samuel Hinds and Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, that the Administration, since assuming office in August 2020, has

icant investments have been made to improve the country’s infrastructure to ensure a modernised society. The Minister spoke of the largest contract signing so far of US$260 million for the construction of a new Demerara River bridge, the first-ever concrete highway from Mandela to Eccles and the commencement of the second phase of the road project from Eccles to Diamond.

Additionally, the country has a most ‘envied’ 50,000 house lot housing programme as well as a water programme which seeks to attain 100 per cent treated water countrywide by 2025.

She also spoke about the progress of the agriculture sector to ensure food security to allow Guyana to once more play an integral role in Caricom, and the international community.

The programme has seen the implementation of several

faced the indomitable challenge of ensuring citizens enjoy all that Guyana has to offer.

She said despite the many challenges, the Administration has been fulfilling its manifesto promises.

“We had the challenges of dealing with the COVID-19, the rise in cost of living and the war in Ukraine, rising fuel prices. The challenge is with the supply chain and amidst all of this, we had to deliver on our manifesto commitments.

And so, we did not use COVID, we did not use inflation, we did not use the escalating cost of living to make excuses for why we should not or could not deliver on our commitments. We take the commitments in our manifesto very seriously,” the Minister said.

Under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr Mohammed Irfaan Ali, signif-

incentives which will enhance the lives of Guyanese through educational opportunities provided through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), reducing taxes, electricity and water costs, and increasing old age pension, among other services.

“We have a Government in Guyana that will use its oil and gas resources and wealth to transform our country, to transform our infrastructure in order to transform lives.

That is what we have to do, and it is a balancing act,” she stated.

Notwithstanding this, meeting with citizens on a community level remains a priority for Government to achieve its overall goal. This approach, she noted will renew trust in the Government.

The Minister made a call to the diaspora to return home and benefit from the transformation that is ongoing.

NEWS

13

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Pesticides Lab extends scope of GNBA certification

A GNBS official presenting the updated certification to the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Laboratory

T

he Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) on Friday provided a crucial update to the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Laboratory’s scope of certification. The updated scope now includes the analysis of pesticide residue in rice, a key staple and export commodity for Guyana.

Speaking at the certificate’s handing-over ceremony at the laboratory’s, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD) location, Analytical Specialist Reshmi Bissessar said the laboratory can now reliably meet the testing

needs of rice exporters and farmers for pesticide residue in rice locally. This can now be done in seven days, as compared to 45 days being taken by overseas laboratories.

Bissessar explained that

the now certified residue-testing being offered by the Pesticide Lab is far more affordable, and includes testing for the residue of common chemicals such as imidacloprid, fipronil, and thiamethoxam.

The overall scope of the certification being held by the Pesticides Laboratory now covers pesticide quality analysis, physical-chemical testing for pesticides’ formulation, determination of nu-

trient content in fertilizers, and pesticide residue analysis.

In handing over the updated certificate, GNBS’

GO-Invest, Export Barbados...

“We are looking forward to working with BMA and their members to understand the needs of the Barbados market in order to ensure that products which are supplied from Guyana meet the expectations of the Barbados consumer both from a pricing per-

spective as well as in terms of quality.”

The CEO of Export Barbados has also indicated that his team will be working with their Guyanese counterparts to develop the Guyanese export market for Barbadian products, citing that current-

FROM PAGE 9

ly, Barbados exports approximately $25 million worth of products and services to Guyana. Over the next three years, Export Barbados through its collaboration with GO-Invest and the Guyanese Private Sector seeks to move this total to $50 million.

Technical Officer Latchman Mootoosammi congratulated the laboratory for the addition to its scope of testing, and urged the laboratory’s staff to continue to maintain the requirements stipulated under the certification programme.

Mootoosammi also encouraged the lab to utilise the other relevant services of the GNBS, and to continue to strive for continual improvement.

The GNBS certifies testing and medical laboratories to the GYS 170:2009 Standard. The Pesticides Laboratory was first certified in 2019 by the GNBS, and was re-certified in 2021 for its commitment to maintaining the requirements of the standard.

GNBS is urging other uncertified laboratories to begin to pursue certification, in order to provide those utilising their services with the assurance that they are receiving accurate and reliable results.

To initiate the process of certification, lab-

oratories can contact the GNBS’ Certification Services Department at 219-0064-

66, or e-mail certification@ gnbsgy.org to learn more.

14 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 28,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

WPO urges women to participate in Guyana’s developmental agenda – as NGO celebrates 69th anniversary

T

he Women’s P r o g r e s s i v e Organisation (WPO) observed its 69th anniversary on Friday as the nation concluded its 56th Independence Anniversary celebrations. In a statement to mark the occasion, WPO extended gratitude to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for having the vision to form the organisation.

It noted that the organisation was created to support and advocate for the advancement of women’s rights and equality.

“We wish to pay special tribute to all the women who were the forerunners and, on whose shoulders, we stood on to achieve significant strides for women. We wish to recognise our late leader and founder Mrs Janet Jagan who worked tirelessly for the advancement of women in all spheres of life,”

President of the organisation, Indra Chandarpal

the statement added.

The WPO said it is opportune to remind the citizens of this country that as early as 1953, she was already calling for Guyanese to have the right to self-determina-

tion and adult suffrage.

“We salute the heroic leaders who took up the cudgel of struggle and who provided dynamic leadership to an oppressed people.

Guyana has come a long way and the WPO has been part of the struggle to free our country from our colonial masters and from the PNC dictatorship.”

The WPO said, too, that it is indeed proud of the role women have played in the country’s development, adding that it is calling on women to take part in all aspects of the unprecedented development unfolding.

According to the WPO, the struggle for women to have the right to vote and to have education are two important principles that Guyana has fought for and won.

“Thus, women need to ensure that they are part of the developmental agenda. The

PPP has worked tirelessly to support and create opportunities for all Guyanese, including women. The women of Guyana are indeed fortunate to live in a country where their rights are protected and where strong efforts have been made to remove barriers to their up-

ward mobility.”

“We take this opportunity to reiterate President Ali’s message on International Women’s Day 2022, where he stated, “We owe it to women everywhere to celebrate, not only their contribution; the contribution is a minimal approach to looking

at this but celebrating their integral role in the development and integration of societies,” the WPO added.

In closing, it extended thanks to all its members who have worked beyond the call of duty to assist the political party in every facet of its work.

Guyanese authorities, surveillance units on alert for monkeypox – Health Minister

A

worldwide outbreak of monkeypox, including in non-endemic countries, has put local authorities on alert.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Friday disclosed that while cases of monkeypox are not new, Guyana has activated its surveillance unit.

“Monkeypox is not any-

thing new. There have been cases. Last year, there were countries reporting monkeypox…Because we have more vigilant surveillance systems, we’re able to detect these things much earlier. Similarly, here, when we saw that countries were reporting, we have also put our surveillance team on alert,” Dr Anthony disclosed.

Doctors have been briefed via a memo on the clinical symptoms associated with monkeypox, should they detect any cases.

“Monkeypox has a lot of similarities to chickenpox and therefore, one would have to make sure that we do proper differentiation.

We are checking. Generally, these viruses are more endemic to the African region and you would, from time to time, see cases popping up in other parts of the world.

They’re generally transmitted by primates or monkeys but they can also be transmitted by rodents.”

The acute skin rash may be present with maculopapular (flat-based lesions) to vesicles (fluid-filled blisters), pustules, and subsequent crusting affecting the face, palms of the hand, soles of the feet and the rest of the body.

According to the notice, same may be accompanied with headache, acute onset of fever, myalgia, back pain, asthenia and lymphadenopathy.

Within one to three days, rashes would appear on the face, hands, soles and throughout the body. The disease would resolve itself between 14 to 21 days.

“There are vaccines that some countries have, that can work to limit the spread of monkeypox and because it has been so similar to smallpox, countries who have smallpox vaccines in reserve can use these to

immunise their population.

We don’t have those but we’re on the lookout,” the Minister shared.

The World Health Organisation has said it is working with its partners to better understand the extent and cause of an outbreak of monkeypox. The virus is endemic in some animal populations in a number of countries, leading to occasional outbreaks among local people and travellers.

“WHO is working with the affected countries and others to expand disease surveillance to find and support people who may be affected, and to provide guidance on how to manage the disease. We continue to convene meetings of experts and technical advisory groups (such as the meeting today of the Strategic & Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Hazards with Pandemic and Epidemic Potential [STAG-IH]) to share information on the disease and response strategies,” said the WHO. Monkeypox spreads differently from COVID-19.

WHO encourages people to stay informed from reliable sources, such as national health authorities, on the extent of the outbreak in their community (if any), symptoms, and prevention.

As it spreads through close contact, the response should focus on the people affected and their close contacts. People who closely interact with someone who is infectious are at greater risk for infection: this includes health workers, household members and sexual partners.

Cases have been reported in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Canada, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Sweden, and Australia among others.

NEWS

15

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Water taxi service reintroduced from NA to Rosignol

The interior of one of the boats

The two 60-seat boats that were commissioned on Friday

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ublic Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill on Friday announced that pensioners and school children in uniform will not have to pay to cross the Berbice River with the reintroduction of the water taxi service between New Amsterdam and Rosignol.

The water taxi service was taken out of operation during the COVID-19 pandemic in keeping with the regulations at the time. However, now that there is a full reopening of schools, efforts are being made to ensure that all school children attend school on a daily basis.

Earlier this month, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo visited Region Five where he met with several groups including the business community during which a request was made to have the service reintroduced.

He had committed to having the service back in operation. On Friday, Minister Edghill related that the reintroduction of the service is mainly to facilitate school children and pensioners.

“Children in uniform at-

tending school will travel for free. Our Government pensioners (old age pensioners) who are our respected elders and senior citizens are also eligible to use the service for free. It will also be open to members of the public who would like to use the service which will mean our nurses and our teachers; they will pay a fee of $140,” Minister Edghill explained.

In addition, he inspected the two sixty-seat boats which will be plying the route. The service will be operated under the Transport and Harbours Department and will be subsidised by the Government.

In 2020, the water taxi service was closed but on Monday it will resume and operate between the hours of 7:00h and 9:00h and restart at 15:00h and work until 17:00h.

This schedule, Edghill pointed out, will be able to facilitate school children. It will also be able to facilitate some who live in either of the Regions but work in the other.

Meanwhile, Region Six Chairman David Armogan, who also attended the simple ceremony which was held at

the New Amsterdam Stelling, said a large number of children who live in Region Five attend secondary schools in Region Six. The New Amsterdam Multilateral, Berbice High and Berbice Educational Institute were singled out.

Many children from that region also attend the New Amsterdam Technical Institute. They too once in school uniform will be allowed free travel.

When the Berbice River Bridge was opened on December 23, 2008, the New Amsterdam-Rosignol ferry service was pulled out of operation but the bridge does not allow pedestrians or bicycles to use it.

Many had expressed concern over the difficulty to cross after the ferry service - as unreliable as it was - was taken away. In August 2010, a new bus service - New AmsterdamRosignol - was introduced but soon after there were calls for the fare to be reduced.

It was under the previous Administration, on September 21, 2015, that the water taxi service was introduced.

According to the Public Works Minister, his Government has no intention of not supporting anything

250 residents benefit from CIOG's medical outreach in Canal #1

The team at the medical outreach in Canal No 1

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he Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) in collaboration with the Two Brothers Primary and Geneva Nursery School on Sunday, held a medical outreach for the general public at Canal No 1, West Bank Demerara.

The primary purpose of the outreach was to provide medical assistance to the community and surrounding area in general.

The residents who attended the outreach were able to have their blood pressure and glucose levels tested, and access to mental health and eye care, with medical advice from general and specialty doctors.

Despite the gloomy weather, the medical team was able

provision of over the counter and prescription medication.

The CIOG expressed thanks to the Head Teachers and their staff members of the Two Brothers Primary and Geneva Nursery School for their hard work, dedication, support and cooperation and to all the supporting partners.

“Our esteem gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and personnel who give their time and

Persons receiving assistance at the outreach

to provide care to over two hundred fifty persons inclusive of children, the elderly, and the differently able.

Along with the medical care provided, the residents present were issued with packages that catered for basic daily necessities, inclusive of disinfectant wipes, face masks, clothing, and diapers (both children and adults) and

services voluntarily in making this humanitarian initiative a successful one,” CIOG wrote.

The outreach was supported by the Guyana Cancer Foundation and SEWA International, the GHPC Eye Care Team, Mike’s Pharmacy, the Blood Bank, the Region Three RHO Office, and the COVID-19 vaccination team.

Minister Juan Edghill addressing the media at the launch

which was done by the previous Administration which serves to improve the quality of life of ordinary citizens of this country.

He noted that the water taxi service in Berbice will not undercut or diminish the role

of the Berbice River Bridge.

The two boats will only work on weekdays. The daily operational cost for the boats will be about $125,000 weekly.

General Manager of T&HD, Marclene Merchant said the Department is happy

to be able to provide a service once more in Berbice.

“We are here to serve and we will ensure that we provide a reliable and safe service,” the top T&HD official said.

Decomposed body of female teacher found at Crane – Police looking for husband

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he decomposed body of a 41-year-old female teacher has been found in her Crane, West Coast Demerara (WCD) home on Friday evening.

The dead woman has been identified as Omega Ault, formerly of Aurora, Essequibo Coast, Region Two. Immediately after the discovery, the Police said they were looking for her husband for questioning in relation to her death.

Police have said that on the day in question, 37-yearold Kevin Ault, a mechanic of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD), went to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station on the WCD, and reported that, for the past two weeks, he had been calling his sister’s phone but was not getting through to her.

The man added that after calls to his sister had gone unanswered, he went to her home to check on her. He related that he pushed open the front door to the house, and immediately got an unpleasant scent. He then went into the front room of the house and saw the body of his sister

The deceased Omega Ault and her husband Clarence Farley (wanted) in happier times lying motionless almost in a state of decomposition.

The man said he immediately reported the matter to the Police at Vreed-en-Hoop, after which a party of Police ranks visited the scene.

Reports are that the deceased woman had been living with her husband, Clarence Farley, called “Junior”, and their three-year-old son, and had been encountering ‘problems’ in their marriage.

Police have said that, about four days ago, Farley took the three-year-old son

to Tracy Ault (the sister of the deceased), who resides in Diamond, EBD. He left the boy there, telling her that he was going into the backdam.

He has since not been seen, and the Police have now issued a WANTED BULLETIN for him.

Meanwhile, the scene at Crane has been processed by Police investigators.

The woman’s body has been taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home to await a Post Mortem.

Non-Pareil businessman drops dead after “seizure attack” at gas station

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66-year-old businessman of Lot 113 Block XX Non-Pareil, East Coast Demerara (ECD), shocked his family with the news of his death after he dropped dead on Thursday at the Rubis Gas Station, Rupert Craig Highway.

The victim, Hamid Sharriff lost his life at about 13:40h after he pulled into the gas station to pump gas into his vehicle.

Police said so far, their investigations revealed that on the day in question, the businessman and his wife left their home in their Toyota Tundra vehicle, driven by the now-deceased man.

Upon their arrival at the

Dead: Hamid Sharriff

gas station, the deceased proceeded to one of the gas pumps and began to refuel the said

vehicle during which he had a seizure and became motionless.

It was also revealed that prior to the seizure, the deceased had a history of “high cholesterol and a heart-related condition”.

After he collapsed, the EMT Ambulance Service was immediately summoned to the scene and the deceased was pronounced dead by a doctor at about 14:00h.

The body is presently lying at Jerrick’s Funeral Home awaiting a PME. No marks of violence were seen on the exposed part of the deceased’s body.

Investigations are ongoing.

16 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Traffic law must be “rigid and stiff” for offenders – Traffic Chief …says applicants must be computer literate to take driver’s test

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ith the road fatality numbers already increasing in some regions in Guyana, Traffic Chief, Superintendent Ramesh Ashram says that the traffic laws must be “rigid and stiff” in order to deter roadway users, especially drivers, from committing traffic offences.

Superintendent Ashram pronounced his idealistic solution during a “Police and You” programme on Friday.

“We cannot get an offence and a driver paying $5000 for obstruction, and you drink and drive and you paying seven five. The law has to be so rigid and stiff that persons will feel the effect,” Ashram said.

The Traffic Chief pointed out that if the traffic offence penalties are increased, it would deter persons who commit the offence, particularly, drinking and driving which leads to fatality.

Just two months ago, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill had called for stricter control on roadways following a series of roadway accidents earlier in the year.

“No life should be lost as a result of carelessness or recklessness. As the Minister of Public Works, I will examine with my colleagues, to encourage legislation to ensure stricter controls, be it the training/ re-training of drivers or riders, higher fines or stiffer penalties, and a studied approach for the introduction of a demerit system,” the Public Works Minister had penned in a statement.

To this end, draft amendments to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, as well as the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing (Amendment) Bill, were approved by the Cabinet in March of this year, with a view to toughening up the penalties for

Traffic Chief, Superintendent Ramesh Ashram

drunk drivers – and the bars that serve them – face.

The draft legislation for Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act seeks to amend the Principal Act and put in place a new Section, 35A. This new Section makes causing the death of someone through drunk driving, a case of vehicular manslaughter.

“Any person who causes the death of another per-

son by the driving of a motor vehicle on the road or other public place while under the influence of drink or a drug to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the vehicle shall be guilty of motor manslaughter and shall be liable on conviction on indictment to a term of imprisonment of not less than ten years,” the draft Bill stated.

The Bill also puts a threeyear ban on persons convicted under it, from obtaining or holding a driver’s licence after their release from prison. A second conviction of a similar offence, the Bill states, will lead to the person being permanently disqualified. During the court process, the suspect will also be required to surrender their licence – failure of which will result in a fine of $100,000 or imprisonment for three months.

The draft Bill also amends Section 39A of the Principal Act – the penalty for driving over the alcohol limit – replacing the $7500 fine with $200,000 and the sentence of 12 months with 24 months.

It was also proposed in March that the penalty for driving under the influence and losing control of your vehicle be increased from its current $30,000 to

$60,000 fine/imprisonment for 12 months, to $200,000 for first-time offenders and $300,000 for second-time offenders.

M e a n w h i l e , Superintendent Ashram also said that persons seeking to obtain a driver’s licence must be computer literate to sit the computerised driving examination.

He said that computerised driver’s licence examination is the way forward.

“This is the way forward.

We are going technology.

And I am advising persons who want to be a licenced driver, they should have themselves computer literate because the exam is computer literate. If you know you cannot make it computer literate don’t enrol. Get yourself educated, so when you come to the computer room you would be able to do your exam,” the Traffic Chief said.

IDB to host Regional Trade, Foreign Ministers Forum in Los Angeles

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resident of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Mauricio ClaverCarone, has said the IDB will be hosting a trade and investment forum for the Americas on June 7, 2022, in which would be brought together regional Trade and Foreign Affairs Ministers

and Chief Executives from leading global companies to discuss the following: investment and regional supply chains, sustainable trade and climate change, and trade and the digital economy in the hemisphere.

The event, to be held in Los Angeles, California, aligns with Vision 2025, the

IDB’s roadmap for accelerating inclusive and sustainable growth, including through better leveraging of the Private Sector.

As the only international financial institution that is actively financing nearshoring, the IDB aims to use the Trade and Investment Forum as an opportunity to

further help Latin America and the Caribbean seize today’s once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to increase regional integration and participation in the current global realignment of supply chains.

“We are prioritising action, and look forward to deepening our engagement so we can fully use the expanded nearshoring toolkit we developed to help countries and companies take advantage of the regionalisation of supply chains. This forum can serve as a bedrock for results. Forums like this, which unite the Public and Private Sectors, reflect our vision for a truly 21st-century IDB. Now is the moment to capitalise on sectors that can jumpstart economies and mobilise critical private capital for co-financing and investment,” said IDB President Claver-Carone.

In gathering leading business executives alongside senior Government officials, the IDB seeks to expand the historic PublicPrivate collaboration it has fostered over the past year, and support matchmaking to enable greater investment in key sectors across the region.

The IDB has said this forum demonstrates the potential of its new value proposition to build synergies between the Public and Private Sectors that lead to economic growth and social inclusion.

The IDB has noted that its mission to improve lives and its role as the premier development finance institution for Latin America and the Caribbean have never been more important.

And it is committed to helping its 26 borrowing member countries overcome ongoing pandemic setbacks, historic supply-chain disruptions, and the fallout from Russia’s war against Ukraine.

According to the IDB, its

IDB President, Mauricio Claver-Carone

priority is to deliver measurable results in response to these challenges, and it is fulfilling its commitment to better serve both lower- and higher-income countries.

Against this backdrop, its President added, “We look forward to building on our diverse and ambitious initiatives, especially after what will undoubtedly be productive discussions with regional leaders at the Ninth Summit of the Americas.

While the upcoming Summit is taking place at an inflection point in the region’s history, because of its highstakes political backdrop and our institutional commitment to remain apolitical, we are carefully tailoring our activities in connection to the event.”

The IDB, further, has said it would continue to help the region combat climate change; create jobs; institutionalise equality; forge more transparent, digitalised economies; improve healthcare systems; and invest in the kind of reliable, resilient, regional supply chains needed to make the countries of the Americas stronger and more secure.

This work, it highlighted, builds on a standard-setting

year in 2021, when the IDB achieved a record $23.4B in new financing approvals, commitments, and PrivateSector mobilisations. The bank further said it has increased the share of operations in small and vulnerable countries to a record 40 per cent, while making the largest direct investment in gender equality in its history – more than $780 million.

Importantly, it noted that its Private-Sector arm, IDB Invest, achieved a oneto-one mobilisation ratio for long-term investments; meaning that, for every dollar IDB Invest puts into a deal, a private investor matched it. That was a nearly 50 per cent increase over the previous year.

Additionally, the IDB said it launched some of the most innovative projects and market-friendly financial tools of any international finance institution, reflecting a determination to better leverage PrivateSector capabilities.

Latin America and the Caribbean face both ongoing pandemic challenges and an unprecedented combination of global problems, including rampant inflation, rising interest rates, supply-chain bottlenecks, and the global impacts of war, including a growing food and energy crisis.

Current forecasts indicate the region will grow less than 3 per cent this year. Even so, the IDB said, it is confident that Latin America and the Caribbean can surpass expectations.

“I believe the region can prove the forecasters wrong and do something similar to what it did in 2021, when it grew nearly 7 per cent. We are working for that outcome every day, guided by our mission of improving lives across the Americas,” said President ClaverCarone.

17 Digicel donates computers to Tiger Bay literacy project D NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

igicel Guyana in support of the Tiger Bay project being facilitated by the members of the Community Open Door Alliance recently donated several laptops.

This donation will support the phase one aspect of this project, which is geared towards training in literacy and numeracy skills for children of Tiger Bay. Digicel commended this initiative and the works of the Community Open Door Alliance as they seek to create a safe space for the youth in

the area by encouraging positive lifestyle changes through learning and education.

The communications giant has committed to the members of the group to continue their support towards this project, both phases 1 and 2 as they seek to aid in the development of children and youth.

“We have over the years been committed to fostering the development of youth, and this initiative is one that we give our support to one hundred per cent. We are optimistic that this will

grow into something much bigger and influence more children. This community has always been close to our hearts since is within the direct environs of our offices, we would like to wholeheartedly thank the members of this Alliance for this project and we look forward to continuing our support, as we positively impact the lives of the children and families of Tiger Bay,” Simone Pierre of Digicel stated.

A founding member of the group, Persaud expressed gratitude to the

G/town resident arrested after disposing of cocaine in sand heap

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male resident of Charlotte Street Bourda, Georgetown, was arrested and is in Police custody after a quantity of cocaine was found on his premises.

Acting on information received on Thursday, Police said a team of officers executed an intelligence-led raid in a yard along Charlotte Street, Bourda, between 12:50h and 17:30h.

Upon entry into the yard, it was observed that a male occupant dropped a whitish substance into a small heap of sand on the ground.

As a result, the ranks searched the heap of sand in the suspect’s presence and found two small Ziplock bags. Inside of the transparent bags contained a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine.

Following the discovery, the suspect was cautioned, arrested, and taken to the Alberttown Police Station with the cocaine where it

company for the timely donation while stating that they would have had to use their personal laptops to provide the literacy training for the group of children in

the training project.

“We reach out to many companies with hopes that they would assist us, we were so excited when Digicel returned a call to us af-

ter seeing our request. This means so much to us and the kids here today. Thank you, Digicel and we look forward to making this a success and your continued support.”

Man, 24, slapped with armed robbery charge The cocaine that was found at Charlotte Street

was weighed and amounted to 19 grams. The trafficker is expected to make his court appearance in the new week.

Only two days ago, Police in Linden cracked down on a known “drug block” located at Rainbow City, Mackenzie, Linden.

Several persons of interest were searched during the drug and gun eradication exercise.

A 54-year-old mechanic of Amelia’s Ward, Linden, was among those searched

and one transparent plastic bag that contained a whitish/creamish substance suspected to be cocaine was found on his person. After being informed of the offence and cautioned, the suspect admitted that he sells the illegal drug.

He was subsequently arrested and escorted to the Mackenzie Police Station, with the cocaine which was weighed in his presence and amounted to four grams.

The man is in custody pending charges.

Charged: Anthony Persaud

Charged: Narindra Rooplall

(GPF) has launched countrywide campaigns aimed at encouraging drivers to practise safe road use. At such campaigns, drivers are lectured on the road safety theme “Arrive Alive, Stop Speeding, Don’t Drink & Drive”; obeying traffic officials, signs and functions of the traffic light; adherence to the speed limits, and maintenance of motor vehicles. They are also advised

against using handheld devices while driving, and driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Drivers are also advised to ensure that their driver’s licence and other documents are up to date before using a motor vehicle. Police statistics show that driving under the influence of alcohol and excessive speeding are the leading causes of accidents in Guyana.

2 more ECD men slapped with DUI charges

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wo more East Coast Demerara (ECD) men are among the latest to be slapped with drunk driving charges.

Narindra Rooplall, 33, of Non-Pareil Housing Scheme, and Anthony Persaud of Foulis Housing Scheme, will be arraigned at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court soon.

Police have said that Rooplall and Persaud committed the offences at Vigilance Public Road and at Strathspey Public Road respectively.

Driving while above the prescribed alcohol limit attracts a charge for the offence of driving under the influence (DUI), which carries a fine. Persons can be charged for this traffic violation if, when tested, their blood alcohol content is found to exceed the prescribed limit of 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, and their blood alcohol concentration exceeds 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

The Guyana Police Force

Digicel Chief Commercial Officer Simone Pierre (far right) standing with children and members of the Community Open Door Alliance as they accept the donation

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wenty-four-year-old Stefan Vaughn was on Friday arraigned in Senior Magistrate Leron Daly’s Georgetown court on a robbery charge, and has been placed on $70,000 bail after pleading not guilty to the charge.

It is alleged that on March 24, at South Road Georgetown, while armed

with a knife, he robbed Chandat Singh of $100,000 in cash.

During his address to the court, Vaughn said he has an alibi. He claimed he was at the St George’s Cathedral at the time of the alleged robbery. He was thus released on bail, and his next court date is June 24.

Robbery accused Stefan Vaughn

18

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

Regional

Archaeologists discover ancient Brazil invites election observers on Mayan city on construction site record scale as Bolsonaro stirs doubts

The ruins of a Mayan site, called Xiol, are pictured after archaeologists uncovered an ancient Mayan city filled with palaces, pyramids and plazas on a construction site of what will become an industrial park in Kanasin, near Merida, Mexico May 26, 2022. Picture taken May 26, 2022

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rchaeologists have uncovered the ruins of an ancient Mayan city filled with palaces, pyramids and plazas on a construction site of what will become an industrial park near Merida, on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

The site, called Xiol, has features of the Mayan Puuc style of architecture, archaeologists said, which is common in the southern Yucatan

Peninsula but rare near Merida.

“We think more than 4000 people lived around here,” said Carlos Peraza, one of the archaeologists who led the excavation of the city, estimated to have been occupied from 600-900 A.D. “There were people from different social classes... priests, scribes, who lived in these great palaces, and there

were also the common people who lived in small buildings,” Peraza said.

Researchers also located nearby burial grounds of adults and children, who were interred with obsidian and flint tools, offerings and other belongings.

Remains of marine life were also discovered in the area, suggesting the city’s inhabitants complemented their agricultural-based diets by fishing along the nearby coast.

Xiol was discovered after construction began on an industrial park. That will still be built, though the archaeological remains will be preserved, according to the owners of the land.

“With time, urban sprawl (in the area) has grown and many of the archaeological remains have been destroyed... but even we as archaeologists are surprised, because we did not expect to find a site so well preserved,” Peraza said.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

UNHCR urges Caribbean Governments to protect refugees amid surge in risky sea crossings

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he UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said it is increasingly concerned by the sharp increase in individuals, including a growing number of Haitians, resorting to dangerous journeys in the Caribbean Sea. It said that many of those voyages are taking place in overloaded and unseaworthy boats.

“UNHCR is urging governments in the region to fulfil their maritime rescue obligations and ensure all those in need of international protection are iden-

tified and offered unobstructed and prompt access to fair asylum procedures,” said UNHCR spokesperson, Shabia Mantoo.

Mantoo said the worrying trend in perilous crossings was recently highlighted when a vessel carrying over 800 Haitians, attempting to reach the United States, arrived in Cuba after being abandoned by its captain and set adrift at sea.

“Search and rescue at sea is a legal and humanitarian imperative, and those rescued include refugees and

others in need of protection.

Coordination, solidarity, and responsibility-sharing are crucial in responding effectively and ensuring that people in need of international protection are not returned to their country of origin, and the dangers they have fled.”

The UNHCR said while refugees and migrants of various nationalities have been making voyages by sea throughout the Caribbean region, an increasing number are of Haitian origin.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

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razil is preparing to receive a record number of international observers for its October election, according to electoral authorities and participating organisations, amid a polarised presidential race in which President Jair Bolsonaro has questioned the reliability of electronic voting machines.

Bolsonaro’s Government objected to an invitation last month extended by Brazilian electoral authorities to the European Union to send observers for the first time, sinking that proposal.

But the Parliament of South American trade bloc Mercosur, known as Parlasur, will send a formal observer mission for the first time, as will the US-based Carter Center and the International

Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).

The 34-nation Organisation of American States also will send more observers than it did in 2018, when Bolsonaro was elected.

“We don’t know the size of the mission yet, that will depend on the money available, but we intend to make it bigger,” said a source at the hemispheric forum in Washington, requesting anonymity to comment on preliminary discussions.

“In 2018, there were 40 observers and we want to exceed that number.”

Bolsonaro, a far-right populist, gave vocal support to former US President Donald Trump’s baseless allegations of fraud in the 2020 election. He has raised similar doubts about Brazil’s electronic voting system, calling it liable to

fraud, without providing evidence.

Those allegations, along with Bolsonaro’s criticism of the electoral authorities who defend Brazil’s voting systems, have raised concerns he might not accept defeat by his leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is leading in opinion polls.

“For this reason we are inviting, in an unprecedented way, all international organizations and specialized centers to act as observers of our election,” Edson Fachin, head of Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE) said last week.

“We are aiming for more than 100 international observers during the electoral process,” said Fachin, one of a rotating set of Supreme Court justices running the TSE this year. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Pressure to make arrests as El Salvador extends gang crackdown

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ilfredo Gutierrez had planned a quick run to a store near his home in Soyapango, on the outskirts of San Salvador, when he encountered a soldier. “Shut up and turn towards the wall,” the 38-year-old call centre worker says the soldier instructed him that night on April 8.

It was around 9pm, Gutierrez recalls, and many of his neighbours were soon standing next to him, their hands cinched with the same plastic ties.

“Why are they saying that they want more?”

Gutierrez remembers asking himself about the conversations he overheard between the heavily armed

members of the Salvadoran military. In total, 21 men including Gutierrez were handed off to the Police, the only institution with the power to carry out arrests in El Salvador.

“Just because the State has given them the authority, they think that they can supposedly do whatever they want and no one can say anything,” Gutierrez told Al Jazeera in an interview.

The arrests came amid a sweeping anti-gang crackdown that began in late March in response to a spike in homicides.

President Nayib Bukele and his party have defended their response – including

the use of a “state of exception” that suspends certain civil liberties – as necessary and successful in the fight against gang violence, which the Central American country has long grappled with.

But the Police, military and judicial system have faced explicit and implicit pressure to implement the Government’s mass arrest and incarceration policy, experts say. Sources also told Al Jazeera that Police have been tasked with filling an arrests quota, something rights groups say has led to arbitrary detentions and threatens to overwhelm an already overburdened penitentiary system. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Caribbean countries boost weather and climate monitoring with EU technical support

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ARIFORUM member states are becoming better equipped to collect, store, and analyse hydro-meteorological data that will form much of the evidence base to support building resilience to weather and climate hazards in the region, as well as global monitoring of climate change.

According to a release from CIMH—the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology Regional Climate Centre for the Caribbean—the strengthened capacity is a result of a recent five-day workshop for representatives of national hydro-meteorological services (NHMSs) from 16 Caribbean countries.

The training and equip-

ment were provided to NHMS staff across CARIFORUM under the European Union Intra African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP) Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (EU Intra-ACP GCCA+) Project, which is being managed by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC).

The Project addresses meteorological and hydrological needs across the region through technical assistance that will further enhance climate observation in CARIFORUM States to support the development and use of climate products and services that lead to improved sectoral planning and decision-making planning.

The virtual course took

place from 25 to 29 April 2022 and drew 60 registrations. The training was led by the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), in its role as one of the Project’s implementing agencies that provides technical and instructional support.

During the training, participants learned how to use and maintain the new automatic weather stations (AWS) that continuously record weather and climate-related variables including temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction with some stations having additional sensors to collect soil moisture and soil temperature. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil settles up ahead of US driving season, EU embargo decision

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il prices rose on Friday, closing out the week with gains ahead of the US Memorial Day holiday weekend, the start of peak US demand season, and as European nations negotiate over whether to impose an outright ban on Russian crude oil.

Brent crude rose US$2.03, or 1.7 per cent, to settle at US$119.43. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 98 cents, or 0.9 per cent, to settle at US$115.07 a barrel. For the week, Brent rose 6 per cent while WTI gained 1.5 per cent.

Prices drew support from strong worldwide demand for fuel, with both gasoline and heating oil futures outpacing crude this year.

"Demand is strong with products leading the way, especially gasoline which dragged crude oil up with it,” said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital LLC. "The US driving season and strong travel demand should help (prices). With supply growth lagging demand growth, the oil market is likely to stay undersupplied. Hence, we remain positive in our outlook for crude prices," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

European Union countries are negotiating a deal on Russian oil sanctions that would embargo shipment deliveries but delay sanctions on oil delivered by pipeline to win over Hungary and other landlocked member states, officials said.

Hungary's resistance to oil sanctions and reluctance of other countries have held up implementation of a sixth package of sanctions by the 27-member EU against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

EU Government envoys could reach an agreement in Brussels on Sunday in time for leaders to endorse it at their May 30-31 summit, officials said.

Iranian forces seized two Greek oil tankers on Friday in the Persian Gulf, which has also made investors wary of being short going into the weekend, said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group.

"We are seeing assumptions that the demand for oil and gas may be stronger as the stock market suggests that fears of a recession may be being overplayed," Flynn said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer that Moscow would meet its natural gas delivery commitments. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Ukrainians question the ease of Russian capture of Kherson

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he Syvash, or the Rotten Sea, is what really divides Crimea from mainland Ukraine.

It is a labyrinth of lagoons, salt marshes, wetlands and quagmires with only three strips of land wide and firm enough for the roads that link the peninsula with the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson.

Greeks, Mongols, Turks, Russians and Nazi Germans focused on Syvash crossings while invading or defending Crimea, a trade hub that connected Eurasian steppes with the Mediterranean.

After Russia’s annexation of the peninsula in 2014, Ukraine shut down the railway, making a bridge and a dam near the town of Chonhar the point of entry for thousands of people and cars.

The bridge, dubbed “Crimea’s back door”, along with two other crossings on the Perekop isthmus, was

Russian servicemen patrolling at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, Kherson Oblast [Olga Maltseva/AFP]

studded with explosives Ukrainian servicemen were instructed to blow up in case of a Russian invasion of the mainland.

Except they did not.

Early on February 24, Russian troops shot at a handful of border guards and servicemen, seized the crossings and poured into Kherson.

Tens of thousands of soldiers, hundreds of tanks and

armoured vehicles trudged northward spreading across the Belgium-sized province.

“Had they blown up the bridge on Chonhar, nothing would have happened,” Olena, a resident of Henichesk, a resort town on Kherson’s Azov Sea coast, told Al Jazeera.

Bottom of Form After days of fighting that killed hundreds of Ukrainian servicemen, bare-

ly trained militias and civilians, Russians seized the Antonovskiy bridge and rolled into the city of Kherson.

With a population of about 300,000, it became the largest urban centre Moscow seized in Ukraine at the time when the fall of Kyiv and the toppling of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Government seemed imminent to many.

Only Mariupol, which lies about 400km (250 miles) to the east and had a population of 430,000, would be a bigger war prize.

But its capture would take Russians 82 days of pummelling that turned most of the Azov Sea port into rubble and ruin, killing an estimated 22,000 civilians.

It took Moscow only a week to seize Kherson, which became its biggest, most strategic and economically valuable war trophy.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Monkeypox can be contained if we act now, WHO says

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ountries should take quick steps to contain the spread of monkeypox and share data about their vaccine stockpiles, a senior World Health Organisation official said on Friday.

"We think that if we put in place the right measures now we probably can contain this easily," Sylvie Briand, WHO director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness, told the UN agency's annual assembly.

Monkeypox is a usually mild viral infection that is endemic in parts of west and central Africa.

It spreads chiefly through close contact and until the recent outbreak, was rarely seen in other parts of the world, which is why the recent emergence of cases in Europe, the United States and other areas has raised alarms.

So far, there are about 300 confirmed or suspected cases in around 20 countries

where the virus was not previously circulating.

"For us, we think that the key priority currently is trying to contain this transmission in non-endemic countries," Briand told a technical briefing for member states.

Needed measures included the early detection and isolation of cases and contact tracing, she added.

Member states should also share information about first generation stockpiles of smallpox vaccines which

can also be effective against monkeypox, Briand said.

Currently, WHO officials are advising against mass vaccination, instead suggesting targeted vaccination where available for close contacts of people infected.

"Case investigation, contact tracing, isolation at home will be your best bets," said Rosamund Lewis, WHO head of the smallpox secretariat which is part of the WHO Emergencies Programme. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Shanghai takes baby Prince William holds “We don’t have food”: Africa’s steps towards ending future of British growing humanitarian crisis COVID lockdown monarchy in his hands

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frican leaders gathered for a summit Friday in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to address growing humanitarian needs on the continent, which is also facing increased violent activity, climate change challenges and a run of military coups.

Leaders called for increased mobilisation to resolve a humanitarian crisis that has left millions displaced and more than 280 million suffering from malnourishment.

For people in Djibo, a town in northern Burkina Faso near the border with Mali, any help cannot come soon enough.

The city in the Sahel region – the large expanse below the Sahara Desert – has been besieged since February by fighters who prevent people and goods from moving in or out and cut water supplies. Few truckers want to run the gauntlet of armed groups.

Residents are suffering with

no food or water, animals are dying and the price of grain has spiked.

“The goods are not arriving anymore here. Animal and agricultural production is not possible because the people cannot go back to their villages,” UN resident and humanitarian coordinator Barbara Manzi told The Associated Press from Djibo this week. “Unless (a solution) is found, it’s going to be really a tragedy for the entire group of people that are here.”

Djibo has been at the epicentre of the violence linked to al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS) group that has killed thousands and displaced nearly two million people.

While Djibo — and Soum province where the town is located — experienced periods of calm, such as during a makeshift ceasefire between fighters and the government surrounding the 2020 presidential election, the truce did not last. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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hanghai took more gradual steps on Friday towards lifting its COVID-19 lockdown while Beijing was investigating cases where its strict curbs were affecting other medical treatments as China soldiered on with its uneven exit from restrictions.

The financial hub and the capital have been hot spots, with a harsh two-month lockdown to arrest a coronavirus spike in Shanghai and tight movement restrictions to stamp out a small but stubborn outbreak in Beijing.

Elsewhere, some border areas in the northeastern province of Jilin reported transmissions of the virus with an unclear source. Jilin borders Russia and North Korea, which has imposed a nationwide COVID lockdown.

The curbs have battered the world's second-biggest economy even as most countries have been seeking to return to something like normal. Many Chinese, from the urban youth to low-skilled

rural migrant workers, have complained about lost income, difficulty sourcing food and mental stress.

China's economy is staggering back to its feet but data shows only a grinding and partial recovery, with businesses from retailers to chipmakers warning of slow sales as domestic consumers slam the brakes on spending.

As Shanghai, China's most populous city, aims to essentially end its lockdown from Wednesday, the authorities have been allowing more people out of their homes and more businesses to reopen over the past week. But most residents remain confined to their compounds and most shops can only do deliveries.

China hopes that a new approach of relentless, blanket testing might help other cities avoid more damaging, Shanghai-like measures by detecting outbreaks early.

Some 28 cities were conducting mass testing on May 26, up from 23 on May 17, Huatai Securities estimated.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

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hile nearly all attention will be focused next week on Queen Elizabeth as she celebrates her 70th anniversary on the throne this year, for those with eyes on the future of the British monarchy, attention is switching to her grandson Prince William.

The British royals have suffered a bruising couple of years with the US sex abuse lawsuit against Elizabeth's son Andrew, Prince Harry, William's younger brother, quitting duties to move to the United States in 2020, and Police investigating alleged wrongdoing at the main charity of son and heir Prince Charles.

With the health of the popular 96-year-old queen an increasing source of concern, forcing her to pull out of public engagements, her Platinum Jubilee will mark not just a time to reflect on her past, but to look ahead.

But surveys also suggest those aged under 50 are far

more ambivalent about the institution.

"The future does rest on Prince William," Matthew Dennison, a biographer of the queen, said. "And we all know that public opinion can be unkind."

A decade ago, amid celebrations for Elizabeth's then Diamond Jubilee, there was a notable moment when she greeted crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace accompanied by Charles, his wife Camilla, William and his wife Kate, and Harry.

It reflected the long-understood plan of Charles to slim down the monarchy effectively to his immediate family when he became king.

But the shock exit of Harry and his wife Meghan to the United States has put paid to that, placing even more pressure on William, 39, and his young family to maintain the institution's long-term viability and popularity while navigating a rapidly changing society. (Excerpt from Reuters)

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SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

Put your best foot forward and take control. Set high standards, offer precise instructions and oversee every detail. Put your reputation on the line, and you'll come out a winner.

(March 21-April 19) You'll find it difficult to hide your emotions. Proceed alone if it will help you get things done on time to your specifications. Don't fret about what others do; focus on your efforts.

DILBERT (April 20-May 20)

(May 21-June 20)

Doors will open if you get involved in projects or causes that you feel you can help. An energetic approach will make others want to pitch in and help you achieve your goal. A personal gain is near at hand.

Take pride in what you do, but don't go overboard. Plan your actions and follow through with precision. Kind words and gestures will set a precedent for others to follow. You can make a difference.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Take care of your responsibilities.

Acting, instead of talking about what you will do, will help you gain the respect you deserve. Be open to suggestions and prepared to try new things.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Change what makes you unhappy.

Don't wait for someone to do the work for you. A change will lift your spirits and point you in a positive direction. Make do with what you have.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Bide your time. Initiate a strategy that is safe, cost-efficient and stressfree. Take a minimalist approach to how you live and what you do; you'll realize what makes you happy. Invest in yourself.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) What you should do and what you want to do will be in conflict if you neglect your responsibilities. Unfinished business will weigh heavily upon you.

Tie up loose ends.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

State what you are willing to do or spend before you agree to participate in a joint venture. Spend more time tending to domestic and personal matters before starting something new.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Sign up for something mentally stimulating. Your participation and contribution will make an impression. Enjoy celebrating or spending downtime with a loved one.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Evaluate your lifestyle. Consider what isn't working for you while also taking a look at the changes that will make your life better. Don't let someone make decisions for you.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) You are in a better position than you realize. Don't put up with someone's negativity or manipulation. Consider what you enjoy doing and incorporate it into your daily routine.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

21

IPL 2022, Qualifier 2: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore…

Buttler ton, Prasidh-McCoy Show put Royals in IPL final off, launching Yuzvendra Chahal over long-on for a six.

In the 11th over, he had another slice of luck, as his slash off McCoy just beat Ashwin at short third man.

McCoy did put an end to du Plessis's struggles, sending him back for a 27-ball 25, but Glenn Maxwell came in

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Obed McCoy bagged 3-23

ajasthan Royals have stormed to their first IPL final since winning the title in the inaugural season in 2008 by beating Royal Challengers Bangalore by seven wickets in Ahmedabad.

The win was set up by their bowlers: Prasidh Krishna and Obed McCoy each picked up three wickets, to restrict Royal Challengers to 157 for 8.

Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal then added 61 in just 5.1 overs for the first wicket, breaking the back of the chase. Jaiswal fell for 21 off 13, but Buttler, being unstoppable, brought up his fourth hundred of the season, thereby equalling Virat Kohli's record for most centuries in an IPL season.

Such was Royals' dominance that the spectators had started leaving the stadium even before the game was over.

When Buttler hit the winning hit, a six over wide long-on off Harshal Patel, there were still 11 balls remaining.

No miracle for Royal Challengers

Prasidh Krishna bagged 3-22

evaded Samson. From the other end, Patidar cut Prasidh past point, before punching him through covers for backto-back fours. He tried another back-foot punch on the next ball, but failed to keep it down.

Riyan Parag, however, spilled the chance at backward point.

That allowed Royal Challengers to finish the powerplay in a much better state, at 46 for 1, despite a slow start.

Patidar rides his luck

At one point, du Plessis was batting on 22 off 21 and Patidar on 20 off 19. Then Patidar teed

A streaky start

At the toss, Sanju Samson had said the pitch looked a bit sticky.

While not many balls stopped on the batters, there was extra bounce and movement - both in the air and off the surface - on offer for seamers.

Kohli flicked Trent Boult for six over deep square leg in the first over, but fell to Prasidh in the next, in trying to steer a back-oflength delivery behind point, only to edge to the keeper.

At the end of four overs, Royal Challengers were 25 for 1. Then Faf du Plessis got two fours off Boult, one of them via a gloved pull that just

took apart Shahbaz Ahmed, smashing him for two sixes and a four. Hazlewood got rid of Jaiswal in the last over of the powerplay, but there was no stopping Buttler, who brought up his fifty off just 23 balls.

Samson had a slow start, and was on 4 off 7 balls before skipping down to Shahbaz and hitting him over long-on. Buttler hit two successive fours in the same over. By the halfway stage in the chase, Royals had raced away to 103 for 1, requiring only 55 from the last ten overs.

and hit two sixes off the first balls he faced. Then he mistimed a pull off Boult in the 14th over, and was caught at fine leg.

Patidar, though, kept attacking, and brought up his fifty, off 40 balls, with a six off Chahal. In the 16th over, he launched Ashwin over deep midwicket for his third six of the innings. On the next ball, he tried to clear long-off, but was taken right on the boundary line.

It wasn't a big target. On top of that, Buttler and Jaiswal gave Royals a flying start.

Jaiswal started by hitting Mohammed Siraj for two sixes and a four in the first over. In the seamer's next over, Buttler took him for two fours and a six.

M a x w e l l slipped in a quiet over before Buttler

for two sixes in an over, crossing 800 runs for the season in the process. He reached his hundred off 59 balls, and then wrapped up the game with his sixth six of the night. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE INNINGS (20 overs maximum) Virat Kohli c †Samson b Prasidh Krishna 7 Faf du Plessis (c)c Ashwin b McCoy 25 Rajat Patidar c Buttler b Ashwin 58 Glenn Maxwell c McCoy b Boult 24 Mahipal Lomror c Ashwin b McCoy 8 Dinesh Karthik †c Parag b Prasidh Krishna 6 Shahbaz Ahmed not out 12 Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva b Prasidh Krishna 0 Harshal Patel b McCoy 1 Josh Hazlewood not out 1 Extras (b 4, lb 4, w 7) 15 TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.85) 157/8 Did not bat: Mohammed Siraj Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Virat Kohli, 1.5 ov), 2-79 (Faf du Plessis, 10.4 ov), 3-111 (Glenn Maxwell, 13.6 ov), 4-130 (Rajat Patidar, 15.3 ov), 5-141 (Mahipal Lomror, 17.4 ov), 6-146 (Dinesh Karthik, 18.1 ov), 7-146 (Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva, 18.2 ov), 8-154 (Harshal Patel, 19.1 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Trent Boult 4-0-28-1 Prasidh Krishna 4-0-22-3

Obed McCoy 4-0-23-3 Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-31-1 Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-45-0 RAJASTHAN ROYALS INNINGS (Target: 158 runs from 20 overs) Yashasvi Jaiswal c Kohli b Hazlewood 21 Jos Buttler not out 106 Sanju Samson (c)†st †Karthik b de Silva 23 Devdutt Padikkal c †Karthik b Hazlewood 9 Shimron Hetmyer not out 2 Extras 0 TOTAL 18.1 Ov (RR: 8.86) 161/3 Did not bat: Riyan Parag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna, Obed McCoy Fall of wickets: 1-61 (Yashasvi Jaiswal, 5.1 ov), 2-113 (Sanju Samson, 11.4 ov), 3-148 (Devdutt Padikkal, 16.5 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Mohammed Siraj 2-0-31-0 Josh Hazlewood 4-0-23-2 Glenn Maxwell 3-0-17-0 Shahbaz Ahmed 2-0-35-0 Harshal Patel 3.1-0-29-0 Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva 4-0-26-1

“STEPH'S INCREDIBLE!” – Kerr full of praise after Warriors win Western Conference Finals -Curry claims MVP

The slow death

Royal Challengers were 132 for 4 after 16 overs, and looked set to reach at least 170. But Chahal, McCoy and Prasidh conceded only 25 off the last four overs.

The 19th over from Prasidh was the one that really pegged Royal Challengers back. Off the first ball, he removed Karthik when the batter toe-ended one to long-on.

Next, he flattened Wanindu Hasaranga's middle and leg stumps with a searing yorker. Harshal survived the hat-trick ball, but the damage had been done.

Buttler and Jaiswal blaze away

Jos Buttler scored a match-winning century

Having reached 66 off 33 balls, Buttler edged Harshal behind the stumps, but Karthik dropped the catch. Hasaranga, though, nailed his match-up when he had Samson stumped off a googly for 23 off 21 balls. He has now dismissed Samson six times in

34 balls, while giving away only 25 runs.

Despite only 14 runs coming from overs 12 to 15, Royals still needed just 32 from the last five overs.

Buttler then hit Hasaranga

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olden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has lauded an "incredible" Stephen Curry after his side progressed to a sixth NBA Finals appearance since 2015 on Thursday.

Curry claimed the first Western Conference Finals MVP award as the Dubs defeated the Dallas Mavericks 120-110 in Game 5, claiming a 4-1 series win.

The former unanimous MVP suffered an early injury scare, tweaking his right ankle in an attempt to trap Dorian Finney-Smith in the first quarter. After sitting out the early exchanges of the second quarter, Curry finished with 15 points on a relatively poor five-of-17 shooting for his standards, along with nine assists and two steals.

According to Kerr, however, the 34-year-old's stami-

na and mere presence get the Warriors going, while his effort on the defensive side of the ball deserves respect.

"He's our engine, offensively. Everything revolves around him," Kerr said after the win. "We've got a lot of great players around him and guys who fit well together, but it all starts with Steph.

He just creates so much havoc for the defence that even on a night like tonight, where he doesn't shoot the ball that well, he forces rotations and he frees up other players.

“His defence all year has been totally underrated.

He's as strong as he's ever been.

Conditioning-wise, just to play 35 minutes tonight, fighting over screen after screen after screen, and then at the other end, be on the ball and get people open.

Steph's incredible!"

The Warriors have moved

to a 21-2 playoff series record under Kerr's tenure with the win over the Mavericks, after missing the playoffs in the previous two seasons. After seeing through the long-term injuries to Curry and Klay Thompson over that twoyear hiatus, Kerr believes his team started to find rhythm at the end of last term, ending with a 15-5 record over the final 20 games of the regular season.

"These last couple of years have been difficult with the injuries; worst record in the league, two years ago," Kerr said post-game. "Last year it felt like we spent the year trying to get back on track, and I think we did at the end of the season. It's pretty amazing. It's so difficult to get to the finals.

“An NBA season is such a marathon. To get through the 82 [regular-season games], then three rounds of the playoffs, beating the best teams in the league to get there, frankly, it's exhausting. For our team, our guys, especially the core group…to be part of that six times in eight years, I don't even know what to say. It just takes an enormous amount of skill and determination and work, and I couldn't be prouder of our guys," he said (NBA)

22 CM Meusa maintains lead in Open National Chess Championships SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

-despite upset defeat by Roberto Neto …Johnson, Shariff, Lam tied for top points in Women’s Nationals

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oberto Neto defeated Candidate Master Wendell Meusa during the sixth round of the nineround competition that constitutes the Open National Chess Championships.

However, Meusa maintains his lead with 5 points in the Gaico-sponsored National Open Chess Tournament, wherein a new National Champion for 2022 will be declared.

‘Tiny’ inaccuracies by Neto gave Meusa an early advantage, and the middle game progressed evenly, with Meusa making a material sacrifice as well as a mistake,

which turned the game from a win to a draw.

Neto was able to convert to a win after Meusa again blundered, and was able to capitalise on this good fortune to have Meusa resign shortly after.

Meusa has already defeated #2 seed, FM Anthony Drayton, who won the Qualifier, and defending National Champion CM Taffin Khan, who has a good chance of making a comeback if Meusa suffers any further defeat, since Khan currently stands just half a point behind Meusa, with 4.5 points.

Frankie Farley and Ethan

Lee are on 4 points each, and Anthony Drayton and Roberto Neto are on 3.5 points each.

Meanwhile, in the KFC Guyana-sponsored Women’s Nationals, Nellisha Johnson, Sasha Shariff and Pooja Lam are currently tied in the top position on 5 points each after 6 matches. Johnson’s only defeat so far has come against defending women’s champion Sasha Shariff.

Johnson convincingly won her game with Jessica Callender after a laborious three-hour match. Minor inaccuracies by Callender had given Johnson the advantage from the beginning. Although

the two players had equal material during the middle game, Callender’s position had weaknesses which Johnson took advantage of. After trading off pieces, Johnson queened and played a principled end game, leading to her victory over Callender.

Shariff and Lam have not yet lost any match, but drew their games against each other and #2 seed Jessica Callender, who won the Qualifying tournament.

Adia Alphonso and Maliha Rajkumar follow closely behind the top three players on 3 points each.

Nellisha Johnson

The Open and Women’s Nationals are being run concurrently at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, and would end on Sunday, May 29th.

The top finisher in each tournament would be named National Champion and Women’s National Champion

respectively.

Additionally, a points-based system, inclusive of results from the Grand Prix Tournaments as well as the Nationals, would determine the ten-member team to represent Guyana in India at the 44th Fide Chess Olympiad in July/August of this year.

Netherlands tour beneficial to West Indies, says coach Phil Simmons

The last time West Indies played Netherlands

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EST Indies coach Phil Simmons has said that team’s tour of the Netherlands is

a beneficial one, despite the Dutch side being considered minnows in international cricket.

West Indies are set to face the Netherlands in a three-match One Day International (ODI) series.

Matches will be played on Tuesday, June 1; Thursday, June 3 and Friday, June 4 at the VRA Cricket Ground in Amstelveen.

This is the first-ever ODI series between West Indies and the Netherlands, and the three matches form part of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) ODI Super League, wherein West Indies and the Netherlands will have the opportunity to secure points to try and secure one of the top sev-

DDL/Michael Parris U16 and Junior Boxing Championships return on June 5

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he sixth edition of the Demerara Distillers Limited-sponsored Michael Parris U16 and Juniors Championships is set to return to the National Gymnasium on Sunday, June 5.

This competition is held annually by the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) in honour of the country’s first and only Olympic medallist. Parris won bronze at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

Last held in March at the Andrew ‘Six Heads’ Lewis Gym in Albouystown, Forgotten Youth Foundation boxer Michael Greenidge

first round.

Berbice Jammers had walked away with the Best Gym title following the performances of Curtis McDonald, Travis Sancho, Aubrey Austin, Javar Jones and Marcus Humphrey.

With the Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors tournament set for August, GBA president, Steve Ninvalle, has promised that, along with the help of DDL under their Pepsi brand, the tournament would be a regular feature, since it plays an important part in identifying Guyana’s representatives for the prestigious championship.

Guyana’s lone Olympic Medallist, Michael Parris

was a cut above his peers in the 47–49kg category, forcing the referee to stop the bout against Jaydon King in the

Restart of boxing in Guyana…

Andrew Lewis National Novices boxing c/ships set for June 24–26

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he Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will host their Andrew Lewis National Novices Championships on June 24–26 at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue, just a few steps south of Princes Street.

This would mark the return of the tournament for the first time since 2019, and according to the GBA, the fistic sport’s newbies from across the country would

be engaged in battle from 18:00hrs nightly as the Association seeks to unearth new talent ahead of several regional tournaments.

Technical Director Terrence Poole has pointed out that medical check-ups and weigh-ins would be held on Thursday, June 23 from 16:00 hours at the National Gymnasium.

Several of the country’s premier amateur boxers had

Late World Boxing Champion Andrew 'Six Heads' Lewis

their origin in the ring via the Andrew Lewis Novices, which is held in honour of the former World Champion, who died on May 4, 2015 in an accident.

en places, excluding hosts India, to gain automatic qualification for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Simmons, speaking in a zoom media briefing on Thursday, said, “The first thing you have to realise is it is cricket. It’s people (Netherlands) who have been playing cricket for a long time now. They have qualified for World Cups.

The other part about it is that it’s for points that will lead to us qualifying for the next World Cup, so it does not matter who you have to

play against. The 30 points are the important things and to do that and to win those points you have to play cricket properly, so you have to prepare properly.”

Each win would earn West Indies ten points.

Keeping the scoreboard ticking has been a problem for West Indies in the middle of their innings, and Simmons is hoping to see an improvement in that area.

“I think my idea of success on this tour is how we play between overs 11 and 40, and how we accumulate the runs, how we score

our boundaries. Everything that goes together to put on big scores will happen between 11 and 40, so, on this tour, that is going to be the highlight for me.”

This will be West Indies first ‘white-ball’ series without former captain Kieron Pollard. Pollard, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, has been replaced as skipper by Nicholas Pooran.

Following the tour of the Netherlands, West Indies will travel to Pakistan for a three-match ODI series.

Caribbean Cricket Club crowned ESCL over-40 champion

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The victorious Caribbean Cricket Club team striking a pose after the final

aribbean Cricket Club have defeated Sunrisers Masters by 101 runs to win the 2022 Essequibo Softball Cricket League’s (ESCL’s) Over-40, 20-Overs competition last Sunday at Number 1 ground, Affiance, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

Caribbean Cricket Club rattled up 238-6 from their allotment of 20 overs, and then kept Sunrisers Masters to 137-7 when their overs ran out.

High-profile batsman Patrick Rooplall led the way for the winners with an impressive 73, while former senior Essequibo Inter-County player Prashad Mahadeo offered fine support with 61.

Gopaul Deen grabbed two wickets for 30 runs from his maximum four overs.

When Sunrisers Masters

batted, Deen proved his allround capability by hitting a top-score of 73. Tameshwar Sanchanrie made 21 as Joel Da Silva snatched 3-17 off four overs and Jamuna Persaud collected 2-9 off four overs.

Deen was named the Most Valuable Player, and he took home a trophy and $10,000. The winning side received $100,000 and a trophy, while the runners-up side pocketed $50,000 and a trophy.

Rooplall scored the most runs in the tournament, and was awarded with a trophy and $20,000, while Ramkissoon Seeram was given a prize of equal value for taking the most wickets in the tournament.

Eon Grovesner got a trophy and $10,000 for the most catches, while Shivsankar Bissoon collect-

ed a trophy and $20,000 for being the man-of-the-series.

The third-placed play-off match between Ravens Sports Club and Queenstown Tigers was cancelled due to rain. The game is now fixed for Sunday at the venue from 09:00hrs, weather permitting.

Chairman of the ESCL, Wakeel Layne, has thanked all the six teams for their participation in this year’s edition, the second after it was inaugurated in 2021.

He has also extended gratitude to the sponsors and all who have contributed in any way to making the tournament a success.

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SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CWI Regional Four-Day tourney…

Tevin Imlach gifted his wicket away, and missed a century

Leon Johnson has scored his first fifty of the season

By Brandon Corlette in Trinidad

G

uyana Harpy Eagles ended the third day on 584-7, equipped with a lead of 191 runs in their fourth-round clash of the West Indies Regional FourDay championships against the Jamaica Scorpions, being played in Diego Martin, Trinidad.

Vishaul Singh has slammed his ninth first-class century, an aggressive one at that, while Tagenarine Chanderpaul has stroked a solid 184, his career-best score.

On a day that started with drizzles, a handful of local fans witnessed Tagenarine Chanderpaul reach his fourth first-class century by driving Jamie Merchant through mid-off for a boundary. It had taken him 287 minutes and 243 balls to compile this century, his second consecutive hundred of the season.

His partner in crime, Tevin Imlach, was filled with confidence after he scored a half-century in the last match against Barbados Pride.

After keeping wicket for more than 100 overs, Imlach started the day on 38. He stroked the ball down the ground, and he played some delightful cut shots off the spinner Merchant.

At the lunch interval, Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 128, while Imlach was on 78. At that stage, the duo had added 173 runs for the

second wicket.

After a delicious lunch, the Jamaicans came out buzzing in the afternoon session.

Eyes on the prize: Vishaul Singh attacked the Jamaican bowling

fours and one six.

Imlach added 180 runs with Chanderpaul for the sec-

Imlach played a n d missed a few balls, while the Jamaicans appealed unsuccessfully after sending down maidens. The build-up was perfect, and after 30 minutes post-lunch, Imlach had added only one to his score before departing.

Eventually, he had a lapse in his concentration and had played a loose shot, to be given out caught

behind for 79 off Alwyn Williams.

He had faced 198 balls, and his innings included nine

val, Johnson played some pleasant shots, sweeping Merchant and finding the gaps with precision as he drove with confidence on the

Vishaul Singh came and reverse-swept the spinner for a boundary off the first ball he faced, and the Harpy Eagles eventually surpassed Jamaica's first innings total of 393 after 127.4 overs.

Jamaica had compiled their first innings total in 109.3 overs. For the first time since the resumption of the season, Chanderpaul was dismissed after accumulating 347 runs across three innings. His 184 ended when he pulled one to the man at short mid-on. The left-hander had by then faced 425 balls in his 567 minutes at the crease.

His innings was decorated with 27 fours.

Chanderpaul and Singh had added 61 runs to the score.

Meanwhile, Singh continued to score quickly, and he reached his half-century from 38 balls. Akshaya Persaud continued his failures at this

23

four and one six over long-on.

With Harpy Eagles motoring on 492-6, Kevin Sinclair joined Singh, and they added 75 runs for the seventh wicket.

Singh continued to get on top of the bowling. He reached his breezy century from 85 balls, and ended the day on an even century. He struck 13 fours in his innings.

Gudakesh Motie came and tonked one over mid-wicket for a six. Guyana ended on 584-7 after 157 overs, and now lead by 191 runs heading into the final day. Nicholson Gordon had 4-122 in 25 overs.

Summary from other matches:

TT v BAR. TT: 133 & 139 (53.2) Cariah 35*; Chase 3/26, Greaves 3/27, Jordan 3/32.

BAR: 294 (91.5) Reifer 79, Greaves 50; Hinds 5/32.

BAR won by an innings and

Jamaica Scorpions celebrating the wicket of Imlach

ond wicket, but his wait for a maiden century at this level continues.

Chanderpaul continued on his merry way, and Johnson partnered him at 292-2 after 104.3 overs. The lefthanders took the Guyanese to tea at 351-2 after 122 overs, with Chanderpaul unbeaten on 159 while Johnson was on 33, with Guyana trailing by 42 runs.

After the tea inter-

flat track. He ran past one from Merchant and was out stumped for a 72-ball 57. His attractive innings included eight fours.

Johnson and Chanderpaul had featured in a 94run third wicket stand.

Chanderpaul cutting in style at Diego Martin

Compliments of

level, scoring only four, as he is yet to surpass 21 in an innings at first-class cricket.

Keemo Paul, the man from Essequibo, came and showed his T20 exploits in a run-a-ball 17. He struck one

22 runs.

LEE vs WIN 333 & 252/8D (60.5) Thomas 51; Dember 3/65, Martin 3/94.

WIN: 173 & 127/3 (47) Melius 51; Cornwall 2/20. WIN need 286 runs to win.

SCOREBOARD GUYANA 1ST INNINGS Tagenarine Chanderpaul c Barns b Gordon 184 Chanderpaul Hemraj c Thomas b Gordon 78 Tevin Imlach c Thomas b Williams 79 Leon Johnson st Thomas b Merchant 57 Vishaul Singh not out 100 Akshaya Persaud c Thomas b Gordon 4 Keemo Paul c Palmer b Gordon 17 Kevin Sinclair lbw b Blackwood 36 Gudakesh Motie not out 12 Total (7 wickets, 157.0) (17 extras) 584

FOW: 112/1 (30.6) Chanderpaul Hemraj 292/2 (104.3) Tevin Imlach 386/3 (126.5) 447/4 (134.2) Tagenarine Chanderpaul 451/5 (136.3) Akshaya Persaud 492/6 (140.5) Keemo Paul 567/7 (153.1) Kevin Sinclair BOWLING Derval Green (22-3-100-0) Nicholson Gordon (25-4-122-4) Jamie Merchant (45-9-165-1) Marquino Mindley (31-11-75-0) Alwyn Williams (23-5-81-1) Jermaine Blackwood (8-0-28-1) Paul Palmer (3-1-12-0)

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

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

CWI Regional Four-Day tourney…

Vishaul Singh made an even century

Tagenarine Chanderpaul celebrating his century while West Indies opener John Campbell acknowledges

Pg 23

Banks DIH on board Independence Track & Field Meet

B

anks DIH, through their Rainforest Water brand, are on board this Sunday’s Independence Track and Field Meet, scheduled for the Leonora Track and Field facility and organised by the Guyana OverseasBased Sports Association Inc. At the press conference on Friday, organiser Gordon Lewis shared that the meet is about giving the athletes a platform on which to perform.

“For us, it is about giving back and giving the athletes a meet to look forward to…It is going to be a good meet on Sunday, and we want to encourage persons to come out and support the athletes,” Lewis noted.

President of the Athletics Association of Guyana, Aubrey Hutson, has noted that events such as this aid in the development of the athletes.

“We need events such as

these to give our athletes more competition to compete at, and I must thank GOBSA and Banks DIH for supporting track and field in Guyana,” Hutson highlighted.

C o r p o r a t e Communications Manager of Banks DIH, Troy Peters, shared that the beverage giant would always support the development of athletics.

“We understand the importance of supporting our athletes, and Banks DIH is always willing to support; and we must thank GOBSA for organising this event for the athletes. Banks DIH will continue to support the development of sport in general,” Peters has said.

Also sponsored by the National Sports Commission and the Ministry of Sport, the event will commence from 9AM on Sunday at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora.

From left, GOBSA representatives William Benjamin, Gordon Lewis; President of the AAG, Aubrey Hutson; Banks DIH CCM, Troy Peters; and Banks DIH Water Beverages Manager, Colin King, at the press conference

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