Guyana Times -- Thursday, April 14, 2022

Agriculture is a major sector for cooperation between Guyana, Cyprus – Ali P11 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4979

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022

$2.3B Eccles-toMandela 4-lane Highway opens today See story on page 3

PRICE

$100 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

1.5MW solar farm in Bartica will reduce P12 fuel cost – PM

Linden teen P14 dies in accident …driver charged for causing death by dangerous driving Timehri stabbing

Toddler stabbed as mother P10 attempted to leave lover – Police

After nearly 3 months

Aubrey Norton becomes Opposition Leader

Welder arrested for shooting at ‘sex worker’ P9

See story on page 5

..."will honour all my responsibilities” …Volda Lawrence returns to parliamentary Opposition

Boyfriend stabs 19-year-old teacher to death Page 12

…locks body in house for over 16 hours before confessing

Mental Health, Juvenile Justice (Amendment) Bills among legislation tabled in National Assembly Page 7

…Evidence, Condominium Bills also presented

Continuing Easter traditions

Kite vendors hoping for recovery in sales after 2-year COVID-19 shutdown Page 13

GECOM appoints Voter Registration P11 Manager

Row over woman ends in murder at mining camp

P10

“We don’t have money to start” – Baracara farmer

…as community calls on Govt for assistance to restart farming P16

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Thursday, April 14 – 02:00h-03:30h and Friday, April 15 – 02:30h-04:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, April 14 – 14:45h-16:15h and Friday, April 15 – 15:30h-17:00h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Cloudy skies are expected in the day with sunny intervals in the late afternoon hours, with partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North North-Easterly to East NorthEasterly between 1.78 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 15:22h reaching a maximum height of 2.59 metres.

Low Tide: 08:56h and 21:15h reaching minimum heights of 0.68 metre and 0.59 metre.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2022

LOTTERY NUMBERS I

06 09 15

22 25 26

12

FREE TICKET

Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

02 08 12 22 23 LUCKY 3

8

0

0

4

Afternoon Draw

0

2

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

02 06 08 10 16 18 20 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2022

02 04 05 13 14 13

01 06 09 20 21

8

7 Afternoon Draw

2X Afternoon Draw

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3 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

$108.00/barrel

-0.68

Rough Rice

$283.68/ton

+0.11

London Sugar

$576.20/ton

-0.16

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1979.70

$1980.70

Low/High Change

$1965.80 +2.40

$1982.40 +0.12%

$2.3B Eccles-to-Mandela 4-lane Highway opens today A

fter 12 months of work being done on it, the much anticipated $2.3 billion four-lane Eccles-to-Mandela Highway will be opened today. Its opening will be timely, providing an alternate route for cars looking to avoid the East Bank Demerara (EBD) rush hour traffic.

According to the Housing and Water Ministry - which is executing the project, as well as phase two, which extends from Eccles to Great Diamond - the ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held today at the roundabout end of the four-lane highway at 19:00h.

The project, being carried out by the Ministry’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), has seen the construction of the country’s first fully concreted fourlane highway, with dual carriageways of two lanes each and jointed reinforced concrete pavement.

It was envisioned that this four-lane highway would connect to another road, the Diamond-to-Eccles Road, which was opened in December of last year. Thus, it would provide an alternative access in key communities such as Prospect, Herstelling and Mocha.

The Mandela-to-Eccles Road, on which construction had started in April 2021, was initially supposed to be completed by 2021 yearend. This did not happen, however, as there were delays caused by inclement weather.

Last month, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal had told this publication that there was a delay with the completion of a concrete bridge along the road.

At the time, he had said the entire project was about 95 per cent completed.

Prior to works starting on the road, contracts were signed with six contractors, each given a lot. While the new four-lane highway was designed in-house, the contractors to execute the project were drawn from Guyana, Brazil and Trinidad.

Among the contractors who received contracts were Guyamerica Construction Incorporated to the tune of $555 million; MTSUL Construcoes Limited, M and P Investment Incorporated and Cobra Eireli for $364.4 million; Puran Bros Disposal Incorporated for $360.2 million; Collin Talbot Contracting Services and Eron Lall Civil Engineering Works for $256.7 million; Aronco Services Incorporated for $471 million, and JS Guyana

The 4-lane Eccles-to-Mandela Highway

Incorporated for $352.4 million.

Second phase

As it relates to the second phase of the project, which will see the four-lane road continuing beyond Eccles all the way to Great Diamond, EBD, works are ongoing. Contracts to the tune of $13.3 billion were awarded to 12 contractors last December, and all contractors have already commenced works.

Croal had previously disclosed that land clearance has been completed, and the contractors were currently conducting sand-filling

along that stretch.

Previously, it was reported that the contractors had encountered a challenge at the lot covering the boundary at the MochaHerstelling portion of the road. At that area, there were about 35 buildings.

However, the Ministry has already engaged the property owners for them to be relocated. Last month, the Housing Minister indicated that while most of them had already started to move, there were a few more to be sorted out.

This four-lane road project is a result of efforts by President Dr Irfaan Ali-led

Government to ease traffic congestion on the East Bank, which not only leads to the country’s main port of entry – the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) – but also fields traffic coming from West Demerara.

Already, the Housing Ministry has constructed an alternative road from Diamond Housing Scheme to Mocha on the East Bank to divert traffic from the public road. That project was completed to the tune of $5 billion, and was opened last December in time for the Christmas holidays.

TURN TO PAGE 5

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 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

Effectively, efficiently managing our wildlife

A

ll over the world, especially in countries with a huge wildlife population, the call is being made for the authorities to take more proactive steps to halt the illegal trade in wildlife and to manage wildlife in a more sustainable manner.

Some time ago, the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) had called for a ban on wildlife trade and commercial hunting in Guyana, in order to preserve the country’s biodiversity.

The experts have said, time and again, that the animals and plants that live in the wild have an intrinsic value, and contribute to the ecological, genetic, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational and aesthetic aspects of human well-being and sustainable development. It is therefore to our benefit when systems are put in place to protect our wildlife population.

Some countries are way advanced in terms of legislative mechanisms to protect all forms of wildlife, while other countries are now in the developmental stages of such legislation. In Guyana’s case, in an effort to strengthen the regulation and management of the international wildlife trade, regulations were put in place to make provisions for, among other things, penalising the harvesting of prohibited species of wildlife, exporting, reexporting, or importing wildlife without permits, and the use of prohibited devices and methods to hunt wildlife.

Over the years, several persons have been charged and successfully prosecuted before the courts for attempting to smuggle birds and other small animals out of Guyana through our airports, to be sold abroad. However, there are still some challenges relative to the implementation of the legislation, as the practice still continues, with some of the culprits even passing through our ports here undetected, only to be caught at their final destination.

It could also be recalled that, some time ago, there were reports in the media of the killing of a jaguar. A photo of the dead jaguar began circulating on social media, and sparked debate about the need to protect this endangered species of animal. From all indications, based on the social media posts, the animal was killed during a hunting trip. This is illegal, as the jaguar is known as Guyana’s national animal, and is protected by the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act of 2016. According to the legislation, collecting, holding in captivity, hunting, killing, or otherwise molesting ‘protected’ species is prohibited.

The jaguar is the third-largest feline in the world, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Globally, jaguar populations are on the decline, mainly due to the loss of habitat and to conflict with people. As a result, these animals are listed as a ‘near threatened’ species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

At the moment, there seems to be a lack of awareness, by citizens here, of the need to protect our wildlife population. Hence, there is need for more sensitisation sessions for miners and for residents of communities, especially where persons are more likely to come into contact with wild animals. The public must also be sensitised about the legislation governing the protection of wildlife in Guyana; for example, the hefty fines and possible jail time that one could face if one were found guilty of breaking the law.

The Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) had begun working on developing a 10-year strategic plan as it relates to hunting, trapping, trade, protection, conservation, management, and sustainable use of wildlife. This is indeed a step in the right direction, but in addition to this, as alluded to earlier, there is need for more stringent efforts by the authorities to ensure that such policies are effectively and efficiently implemented.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand, along with Chief Education Officer, Dr Marcel Hutson and Permanent Secretary Alfred King, joined children along Leopold and Breda Streets, Georgetown in a bag race as part of an Easter Bonanza event in the area (Education Ministry photo)

Health care reaching unprecedented heights, places Dear Editor, How easily people tend to miss the ‘taken-for-granted’ things of any society, and more so Guyana. The positives, necessary and many, are all over Guyana, but I will focus in this letter on the medical burgeoning across the land.

First, I see that Region Nine is set to get its first nursing programme. This is a really big move. The logistics of this is something to behold, as Guyana is not densely populated, and the authorities cannot just think ‘per capita.’

Number to places and personnel is not for Guyana, as the remote and sparsely populated areas have to be catered for. So, commendations are in order.

Let me remind all that nurses play an essential role in society in so many areas of health care delivery. Overall, they are advocating for health promotion, educating the public and patients on preventing injury and illnesses, participating in rehabilitation, and providing care and support.

At the global level, health challenges are changing and becoming increasingly complex because of ageing popula-

tions with chronic diseases (such as cardiovascular, hypertension, diabetes and mental health conditions) that place difficult demands upon healthcare systems around the world.

Thus, it is necessary to have effective workforce strategies that promote recruitment, retention, and sustainability of qualified nurses. The world urgently needs to properly meet these increasing demands, and this Region Nine project is a good example, where Guyana is contributing to the universal health coverage, and specifically Guyana.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, must be lauded for being in the forefront, launching Nursing Assistant Programme at the Lethem Training Annex in Region Nine. This is ‘a first’ in the region, and, according to Director of Health Sciences, Dr. Seraiah Validum, 28 students from Region Nine, along with five from Region Eight, are being trained to be qualified Nursing Assistants.

As pointed out by Dr. Anthony, “Guyana’s massive economic development will require a significant upgrade in the health sector…” and that

is why enormous resources were allocated in the 2022 National Budget for this purpose. This is called ‘planning ahead.’ It leads me to another area in health care locally, and I will close on that.

I speak here of the input regarding the patients suffering from kidney failure. As we all know, globally, many patients are suffering from kidney failure, and they need plenty of money to be treated.

In Guyana, some patients need between two to three dialysis sessions per week.

The issue here is that dialysis costing is like between $12,000 and $15,000 per session, making the overall bill for patients a whopping $1.248 million to $2.34 million per year.

This is absolutely prohibitive, but we are now witnessing the beginning of the “Dialysis Support Programme, the financing of which is $600,000 per annum worth of dialysis treatment for “each and every dialysis patient” in Guyana.”

This programme would provide much needed assistance to almost 300 persons at a cost of $180 million. This, as reported in the dailies, “…will be a significant reduction in

the economic burden these patients face, as it will help to keep them healthier until they can achieve a transplant.”

On this ‘transplant’ note, Dr Kishore Persaud, Head of Department, Multi-Organ Transplant and Vascular Access Surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, must be admired for his tenacity and intuition. He was really behind that much-needed human tissue transplant legislation, which is really a revolutionary piece of legislation, completely overhauling and improving the health sector while providing a gamut of benefits for persons requiring organ transplant. In a nutshell, Guyana can now perform cadaveric transplantation; this is, “…the transplant of tissue from ‘brain dead’ individuals, or cadavers as they are referred to, to living persons.”

So, I urge the negative-minded to be fair and observant. Guyana is really on an upward march as regards its delivery of health care. Let the politics not ruin us.

Yours truly, H Singh

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022

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News

After nearly 3 months

Aubrey Norton becomes Opposition Leader ..."will honour all my responsibilities” …Volda Lawrence returns to parliamentary Opposition

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton taking the oath of office as an MP

P

eople’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Leader Aubrey Norton has officially been appointed as the country’s newest Opposition Leader, replacing Joseph Harmon who only served in that capacity for less than two years.

Norton was elected as Opposition Leader on Wednesday, following his swearing-in as a Member of Parliament (MP) by Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, under the watchful eyes of Speaker of the House, Manzoor Nadir.

Both he and long-time PNCR member Volda Lawrence were sworn in as new parliamentarians following the controversial resignations of former Opposition Leader Harmon and former Education Minister Nicolette Henry.

In his first interview

with the media as the newly-minted Opposition Leader, Norton made it clear to reporters that his party would continue to represent the people and scrutinise the Government in Parliament.

“I feel good to be chosen, not only to represent our people but to be Leader of the Opposition at this stage… we are elected to represent the people, scrutinise the Government, push for transparency, ensure accountability, we are going to do just that,” Norton said following his appointment.

“There are a number of priorities: the first priority has to be to ensure we hold the Government accountable, to ensure we scrutinise what the Government is doing, and to ensure we go out into the villages and communities and understand the concerns of the peo-

ple and to represent them,” Norton said when asked about his top priorities in the new position.

Asked if he would push for an engagement with President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Government, Norton expressed, “in keeping with the Constitution, I will honour all the responsibilities of the Leader of the Opposition”.

In terms of changes to the Opposition benches, Norton said that there was likely to be a shifting around of shadow ministerial functions. For instance, a new shadow education minister will be announced.

Meanwhile, Lawrence emphasised that her wish to serve her party guided her decision to re-enter the parliamentary fray. According to her, her party called on her to serve and she answered that call.

“It feels good to be back, to be once again given the opportunity to represent people, especially people who don’t have a voice.

And also to be able to be involved in the development of our country, even though it’s at the legislative level,” Lawrence said.

Norton said that Lawrence was recalled because of the contributions and experience she could bring in the arena of finance, economics and accounts.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips has already made it clear that the Government was ready to work with the new Opposition Leader, expressing during his contribution to the 2022 Budget debates that, “we are ready to work with whoever is appointed or elected Leader of the Opposition in the interest of Guyana…what we ask in return is for the new Leader of the Opposition to accept the legitimacy of our Government. This is a government that was elected by the people of Guyana”.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had also revealed that the Head of State was hoping to meet soon with the new Opposition Leader on the reinstation of a number of constitutional service commissions.

Harmon, who had stepped down as Opposition Leader on January 26 this year following mounting pressure from the new PNC Executive, had initially planned to remain an MP, but last month announced

$2.3B Eccles-to-Mandela...

These projects run alongside the India-funded bypass road project which would link the East Bank Demerara corridor to the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), creating a new highway in the backlands.

The Indian Government had provided a US$50 mil-

lion Line of Credit (LoC) for the road link that was initially slated for Ogle, ECD to Diamond. Under the previous Government, however, the project was at a standstill for several years.

Having taken office in 2020, the People’s Progressive Party

Administration has since redesigned the project into three phases to fit the LoC. It will now run from Ogle to Haags Bosch at Eccles in the first phase, then from Eccles to Diamond, and finally from

FROM PAGE 3

Diamond to Timehri to connect to the CJIA. However, the Indian LoC will only cover the first section of the road, that is, from Ogle to Eccles. (G3)

APNU’s Volda Lawrence taking her oath as an MP

his resignation from the House.

Harmon had contested for leadership of the PNCR, but lost to Norton who won by a landslide victory. David Granger, who was the immediate past Leader of the PNCR, did not contest for re-election. In fact, neither Harmon nor Granger was elected to the Central Executive Committee of the PNC – the highest decision-making body of the party.

Lawrence has been accused of electoral fraud, and has since been charged following the March 2020 elections. It is alleged that on March 5, 2020, with intent to defraud, Lawrence uttered a report purporting to be a

true declaration of all votes cast in District Four for the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, knowing same to be forged.

The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Opposition accounts for 31 of the 32-seat parliamentary Opposition, while the joinder list, comprising A New and United Guyana (ANUG); the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM), occupies the remaining seat.

The governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) holds a one-seat majority in the 65-seat House, having won 33 seats.

(G3)

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022

Page

Foundation ◄

add several ice cubes.

Carefully put several bolts or marbles into the glass bottle to act as weights.

Fill the bottle with hot water.

Add a drop or two of red food colouring.

Set the bottle in the sink and enjoy your underwater volcano.

In this fun and easy ocean science experiment, we’re going to make an underwater volcano to explore and investigate.

Materials: Sink – An aquarium works great for this experiment if you have one available Ice cubes Glass bottle Several bolts Red food colouring Instructions: Put a plug in the sink and fill it with cold water. You can also

How it works: Heat rises so the hot water will flow up and out of the bottle creating an underwater volcano effect. You will be able to see the eruption because you added red food colouring to the hot water. Volcanos beneath the surface of the ocean can create volcanic islands. The lava flows on the seafloor can harden and build up over millions of years. These underwater mountains can grow and eventually breach the surface of the ocean thus becoming volcanic islands.

Make this a science project: Try adding salt to the water in the bottle and observe any differences in behaviour. Try adding cold water to the bottle and hot water to the sink. (sciencefun.org)

“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows” – Sydney J Harris

By Elma Mitchell We shouted out 'We've got her! Here she is!

It's her all right '.

We caught her.

There she was A decent-looking woman, you'd have said, (They often are) Beautiful, but dead scared, And not the first time By any means She'd felt men's hands Greedy over her body But ours were virtuous, Of course.

And if our fingers bruised Her shuddering skin, These were lovebites, compared To the hail of kisses of stone, The last assault And battery, frigid rape, To come Of right.

For justice must be done Specially when It tastes so good.

And then - this guru, Preacher, God-merchant, God-knows-what Spoilt the whole thing, Speaking to her (Should never speak to them) Squatting on the ground - her level, Writing in the dust

Something we couldn't read.

And saw in her Something we couldn't see At least until He turned his eyes on us, Her eyes on us, Our eyes upon ourselves.

We walked away Still holding stones That we may throw Another day Given the urge.

Summary The poem alludes to the story of Mary Magdalene in the Bible (John 8:3-11), highlighting themes of religion, violence, sexism and hypocrisy. The persona is addressing some sort of unknown audience who he either wants to convince or shares his point of view. He appears to be a misogynist, objectifying the woman who is the subject of the poem and the victim of the abuse of the persona. The persona stereotypes the woman as a harlot, and considers his assault of the woman to be righteous as a result. The recounting of this tale of violence by the persona is laced with glee, self-righteousness

and sexual overtones.

As the members of the village 'rough her up,' the persona notes callously that she had felt men's hands greedy over her body before. There is a sense of irony throughout the poem due to the assertion of the persona that they, assaulting this woman are more virtuous than the woman herself or any man with whom she had been with. However, as the persona and presumably a group of others in the village (as suggested by the use of 'we') prepare to exact 'justice' upon this woman through stoning her to death, a guru/ preacher (Jesus) 'spoils their fun' by speaking to the woman. He sees a sort of humanity within the woman which the persona cannot and judges them, letting the woman judge them, and therefore triggering introspection in the surrounding crowd.

They now leave, still holding stones- and their judgements against herwhich they hope to throw another day given the urge.

The tone of the poem

is nonchalant, callous, and condescending.

The mood is violent.

Analyse the following lines: "We shouted out, 'We've got her! Here she is! It's her all right '. We caught her."

"A decent-looking woman, you'd have said, (They often are)" "Beautiful, but dead scared," "Tousled - we roughed her up A little, nothing much" "For justice must be done specially when it tastes so good."

"And then - this guru, Preacher, God-merchant, God-knows-what -Spoilt the whole thing," "Speaking to her (Should never speak to them) Squatting on the ground - her level," "Writing in the dust Something we couldn't read."

"And saw in her something we couldn't see at least until he turned his eyes on us, her eyes on us, our eyes upon ourselves."

"We walked away still holding stones that we may throw another day given the urge."

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mental Health, Juvenile Justice (Amendment) Bills among legislation tabled in National Assembly …Evidence, Condominium Bills also presented

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

T

he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government, in keeping with its commitments to a “robust” legislative agenda, on Wednesday laid a number of bills in the National Assembly during the opening session of the 46th sitting.

Among the bills laid was the Mental Health Protection and Promotion Bill 2022, which was presented by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony. The bill aims to set up laws for providing mental health care and treatment for those suffering from mental health ailments.

According to Minister Anthony, the bill will “provide mental health care and treatment for persons with mental illness, and protect, promote and fulfil the human rights of those persons during the delivery of mental health care”.

The Minister further revealed that the bill would

provide for the setting-up of a Mental Health Board, while repealing the mental hospital ordinance. A perusal of the bill shows that this Board, whose non-ex-officio members will hold office for three years and a maximum of three terms, will have a plethora of responsibilities.

These responsibilities include advising and assisting the Minister in the areas of mental health and promoting best practices when it comes to mental health care.

They will also be tasked with inspecting all mental health-related facilities, with a view to making sure these facilities comply with the Act. Clause 52 of the bill states that the board also has to “receive and investigate complaints on any matter connected with mental health care and treatment (and) undergo a periodic review at least once every six months of all persons receiving mental health care in a mental health facility”.

Other health bills

The Health Minister went go on to present two more bills, namely the Nurses and Midwives Bill 2022, which he described as a bill to make provisions for the registration and regulation of nurses, midwives, nursing assistants, and specialist nurses.

There had been talk of this bill since 2019, when General Nursing Council (GNC) Chairperson Linda Johnson had said that clauses in the then bill had been reviewed by the council itself to make sure they were consistent with laws in Latin

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

America and the Caribbean (LAC).

The other bill presented by Minister Anthony was the Radiation Safety and Security Bill 2022. It was described as a bill “to provide for the safe, secure and peaceful uses of ionising radiation, protect persons and the environment against the harmful effects of radioactive waste, establish the Radiation Safety and Security Board and for connected matters.

Juvenile Justice

Meanwhile, the Juvenile Justice (Amendment) Bill, laid by Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, seeks to amend Section 36 of the principal Act. According to the bill’s explanatory memorandum, the Government is now seeking for juveniles who commit crimes with adults that cannot be treated summarily to be charged jointly.

“Presently, Section 3(bi) of the principal Act pro-

vides for the juvenile justice system to be separate from the system used for adults.

Based on this provision, a juvenile would not appear before the court with an adult.

“This amendment seeks to remedy the issue of two separate charges being instituted where the juvenile commits an indictable offence which cannot be disposed of summarily with an adult. The current criminal justice system often results in witnesses testifying twice, leading to a significant increase in judicial time and expense,” the memorandum further states.

According to the bill, the Magistrate or Judge will still be allowed to employ any measure deemed appropriate by the court, to ensure that the best interest of the juvenile takes precedence. It was also noted that the rights of the juvenile, as stated in the Juvenile Justice Act, No 8 of 2018, will still be applicable.

Evidence

The Evidence (Amendment) Bill of 2022

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

presented by Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, meanwhile, seeks to amend the Evidence Act, Chap.

5:03, by inserting a new section, 63A into the principal Act. The amendments will now allow for a confession made by an accused in any proceedings to be used as evidence by the person’s co-accused – provided it is relevant to the matter at hand

and has not been excluded by the court.

“In accordance with this proposed new section, the confession may be excluded by the court if that confession is obtained by oppression or is rendered unreliable… moreover, this amendment provided that the exclusion of a confession does not affect the admissibility of facts discovered as a result of that confession,” the bill’s explanatory memorandum says.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh presented the Tax (Amendment) Bill 2022, which seeks to amend the Tax Act. Additionally, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal presented the Condominium Bill 2022.

The bill seeks to “make provision for the horizontal and vertical subdivision of land and buildings into units for individual ownership and to make provision for the use and management of condominiums and matters connected thereto”, it states. (G3)

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Woman to face jury next Monday over murder of partner

A

lexis Turpin, a woman accused of fatally beating her reputed husband Sherwin Johnson on July 2, 2016 at their home in Chapel Street, Lodge, is set to go on trial for murder from Monday in the Demerara High Court.

This trial is expected to be held over several days, and would be presided over

by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow and a 12-member mixed jury.

At her arraignment, Turpin pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder.

According to reports, Turpin and Johnson shared a child and lived together at Chapel Street, Lodge, Georgetown.

On the day in question, Johnson reportedly arrived home and caught Turpin in bed with another man. A heated argument ensued between the parties, and it escalated into a fight, during which Turpin and her lover reportedly dealt Johnson several stabs with a knife and crowbar.

Facing reality...

V

Murder accused Alexis Turpin

Following the incident, Johnson was hospitalised in a critical condition, and Turpin and her lover were charged with attempted murder. However, after the man succumbed to his injuries, the charge against them was upgraded to murder. (G1)

…in sugar P Jagdeo dropped a hint that the Government may not reopen Skeldon Estate for producing sugar, after all.

The Opposition, of course, are chortling in merriment that the PPP’s commitment to reopening the four estates – closed by the PNC – was only campaign “bait and switch”!!

Of course, the PNC are only projecting their own state of mind when they made their promise to keep all the then 7 estates going during their 2015 elections campaign.

They actually set up a COI – with Clive Thomas, Chairman of GuySuCo – that recommended the estates be rehabilitated and brought to a point of sale to private investors. The PPP – and most objective observers – didn’t object to that; they knew the industry was challenged. It was Granger’s unilateral decision to disregard his own COI recommendations and unilaterally shutter the four estates that irked!! This was generated because 7000 sacked sugar workers weren’t given any alternative employment!!

And it’s this reality of social upheaval generated by that decision that made the PPP promise in all good faith in 2020 that they’d reopen the estates. On entering office, they realised that, strategically, sugar mightn’t strategically be in our national employment’s best interest. Quite maturely, the PPP didn’t stand on false pride, and accepted change for the greater good. Sugar would always be a low-paying employer when we’re competing with almost slave-like conditions in places like Brazil. The question remained, however: how to deal with the social dislocation of unemployed sugar workers?

The PPP’s answer was to provide better-paying alternative employment, as has occurred for centuries as some industries became obsolete. Right here in Guyana, around the time of emancipation, most of our cotton and coffee plantations were transitioned into sugar!! For Wales, the PPP felt the answer was to transition the location to handle the upcoming gas-to-shore power generation and manufacturing hub. In the meantime, however, the PPP offered several interventionary packages of money and goods industry-wide to tide the workers over. That’s what the PNC ignored.

The Government’s been pumping money into bringing back Rose Hall estate, but it is clear that the workers themselves would decide whether there’s a long-term future there. With the Skeldon factory still a challenge, (no one seems to remember this decision was that of the expert managers brought in by Hoyte – Booker Tate!!) the Government pragmatically accepting that they should bow to reality and diversify the lands into higher-profit cash crops.

The key point is that they haven’t deserted the workers, and are offering part-time jobs in the interregnum.

As your Eyewitness has said, the PPP’s development trajectory looks so steep it’ll make the ultimate decision on the sugar industry’s fate!! …on misogynistic violence Your Eyewitness has written so many times on this subject that he’s now filled with rage at men’s inhumanity to women whenever he reads the dailies – which is daily. He doesn’t have to even open the newspapers, since there – on the front page daily – is the graphic evidence of violence inflicted on women in whatever means possible. And some you didn’t think possible.

Stabbings with knives, broken bottles, or whatever sharp objects are at land; immolations with gasoline; beatings, breaking of limbs, running over with vehicles, hired killers, burning down houses, drownings etc. As your Eyewitness has opined, this gotta come from a deep reservoir of anger within our men for our better halves. And what’s the reason?

That most men know they can’t measure up to their women?

And yet they want to control them? And THAT’s the real reason, isn’t it? Our millennia-induced patriarchal values just can’t accept that women aren’t men’s toys!!

The law has to deal more condignly with this attitude!! Or men may be Bobbited!! …on racism Racism MUST be protested whenever it rears its ugly head.

And that’s almost constantly, because of the pervasiveness of the phenomenon. But we should ensure the facts are clear, since lives can be destroyed on sometimes false allegations.

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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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Gun found in abandoned haversack Welder arrested for shooting at ‘sex worker’ at Bachelor’s Adventure, ECD

P

The firearm that was recovered by Police

R

anks of Regional Division 4 on Tuesday evening conducted an intelligence-led operation at

Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara (ECD), and this led to the recovery of an unlicensed 38 revolver.

According to reports, Police, acting on information received, went to an abandoned house at Bachelor’s Adventure Main Access Road, and saw a man with a dark-coloured haversack in his hand. Upon noticing the Police, the man dropped the haversack and escaped into nearby bushes.

A Police Corporal then picked up and checked the haversack, and discovered the .38 revolver, bearing serial number RD64425, inside.

The firearm was dusted for fingerprints, and has been lodged at the station.

An investigation has been launched.

olice ranks on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) are currently investigating the shooting of a 25-year-old male of Herstelling EBD by a 34-year-old welder.

Reports are that the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 18:00h.

It has been reported that the complainant – who identified himself as a sex worker – was heading to a nearby shop when he was taunted by the shooter, who hurled a derogatory remark at him and told him to get out of the street.

The complainant claims that he gesticulated with his arm to show the suspect “to get”.

This apparently angered the suspect, who ran out of his yard with a silver-coloured object, suspected to be a firearm, and the complainant took out his cell-

phone and started to video the suspect as he threatened and assaulted him.

During that incident, a loud explosion suspected to be a gunshot was heard.

However, the complainant escaped unharmed, and reported the matter at the Providence Police Station.

Police contacted and arrested the suspect. A search was carried out on his person and home, but no firearm was found.

According to Police, it was observed that the suspect had two scratches on his neck and left side jaw, which he claimed were inflicted by the complainant.

He was taken for medical treatment at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he was examined by a doctor and sent away in the custody of the Police ranks who are assisting with the investigation.

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Row over woman ends in Timehri stabbing murder at mining camp Toddler stabbed as

mother attempts to leave lover – Police

A

29-year-old miner of Wauna, Mabaruma, North West District (NWD) was fatally stabbed, allegedly by a co-worker, at some time between 03:00h and 04:00h on Wednesday.

Regional Commander Himnauth Sawh has said a report was made via telephone to the Police at 05:50h on Wednesday about a “stabbing incident” that occurred at Reserve, Baramita, Region One (Barima-Waini). According to Commander Sawh, Police were also informed that the victim was seriously injured by the 21-year-old suspect, who is a co-worker from Moruca, NWD. Police have said the men were reportedly imbibing alcohol at New Star

A The body of the miner in the area where he was stabbed to death

Backdam in Baramita, and subsequently had a misunderstanding over a female acquaintance.

However, they left together for their mining camp, but an argument again ensued, resulting in the suspect allegedly assaulting the victim and stabbing him with a knife.

According to Police, the suspect then related the situation to another mining camp worker, and left the area, claiming that he was going to the Police Station to report the matter.

On hearing of the tragedy, the camp worker rushed over to the camp, and in the checks that he made, he observed the victim lying mo-

tionless on the ground with what appeared to be a stab wound to his chest. He then reported the matter to the Police via telephone.

Ranks in the region were immediately deployed to the location, and began monitoring all likely escape routes in an effort to capture the suspect. At around 08:00h, the suspect was seen walking along a trail at Reserve, Baramita. That trail was not leading to the Police station.

Commander Sawh has said the suspect is presently in custody at Baramita Police Station, and is cooperating with the investigators. (G9)

day after it was reported that a fouryear-old toddler was stabbed by her mother’s lover, the Guyana Police Force has said it was as a result of the mother threatening to leave the relationship.

The unlawful wounding was committed on the child at Timehri Cemetery Road, East Bank Demerara on Sunday at about 20:10h.

Police have said the child was stabbed by a 28-yearold female.

The child’s mother, an aviation officer, reportedly told Police that she and the suspect are in an intimate relationship and are living together at Timehri.

She told Police that the suspect returned home from work, and they became embroiled in an argument that became confrontational.

At that point, she said, she picked up her child and held her in her hands while notifying the suspect that

she was leaving because she was frustrated with the repetitive arguments between them.

She said the suspect then armed herself with a knife, approached her and dealt a stab to her body. It was during that time that the child was stabbed in her left side abdomen.

The suspect then made good her escape, and according to Police, the child was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where she was treated and immediately transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for advanced medical treatment.

The child is still a patient at the GPHC in a critical condition.

On Tuesday, accompanied by her lawyer, the suspect turned herself in to the custody of Police at Timehri Police Station. She has been arrested, and is assisting with the investigations. (G9)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Agriculture is a major sector for cooperation between Guyana, Cyprus – Ali

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resident Dr Irfaan Ali has said that Guyana and Cyprus can cooperate to enhance their agriculture sectors as they look to improve bilateral relations.

The President made this statement after accepting the Letters of Commission from Evagoras Vryonides, the Non-Resident High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to Guyana.

“I would like to highlight agriculture, that is a significant sector for both Guyana and Cyprus. Your country is working to produce quality, healthy foods.

Our agenda is similar, as we are working with the countries in this region to enhance food security. We can both, therefore, seize the opportunity to improve our cooperation in this area,” the Head of State is quoted as saying in a re-

lease from the Press and Publicity Unit of the Office of the President.

Ali also noted that the global threat of climate change could be addressed through global collaboration. He said that, like Cyprus, Guyana is committed to tackling the adverse effects of climate change.

“Our Low Carbon Development Strategy is geared towards sustained economic prosperity, resilience, and social well-being by following a low carbon development trajectory.”

The President emphasised that Guyana remains committed to playing its part in preserving the planet for the benefit of the present and future generations.

Shared values

President Dr Irfaan Ali accepting the Letters of Commission from Non-Resident High Commissioner of Cyprus to Guyana, Evagoras Vryonides, at the Office of the President on Wednesday (OP photo)

GECOM appoints Voter Registration Manager

New Voter Registration Manager Melanie Marshall

T

he Guyana Elections Commission at its Statutory meeting held on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, confirmed Melanie Marshall as the Voter Registration Manager.

GECOM on Wednesday said Marshall’s confirmation is premised on the fact that she is the only applicant who has met all of the required criteria for the position.

She has been acting in the said capacity for approximately six years.

According to GECOM, Marshall has been employed with the Guyana Elections Commission for 16 years. She holds a Commonwealth Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Public Management from the University of Guyana.

Although the two countries are distant geographically (Cyprus is in the east-

ern Mediterranean Sea), President Ali said they are very close with respect to “shared values and desire for friendly relations”.

He added that Guyana attaches great importance to the principles of international law, and to the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

“Our countries have enjoyed cordial relations over the years. We continue to collaborate at the multilateral level on several issues that lie at the heart of our mutual quest to achieve sustained economic and social development,” he said.

President Ali also conveyed his best wishes for the continued personal well-being of the President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, and for the prosperity and happiness of the people of Cyprus.

12 NEWS 1.5MW solar farm in Bartica will reduce fuel cost – PM THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

tions for the hinterland, which is one of the components under the Energy Prime Minister Mark Phillips touring the 1.5MW solar farm at Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni– Mazaruni)

T

he new solar farm in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni – Mazaruni), will reduce fuel costs when operational, Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips has said.

He made this comment during a visit to the solar farm, and also said the farm would aid in the transition from fossil fuel to greater use of renewable energy, thus reducing Guyana’s carbon footprint.

The Prime Minister is confident that the solar farm, which is in keeping with the Government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, would aid in the overall development of the town.

“It will also help with the expansion of business

in this community, because you’ll have additional energy. It now becomes more attractive for investors to set up micro and large industries and commercial activities in Bartica,” Phillips is quoted as saying in a release from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

The Prime Minister has said he is pleased with the progress of the 1.5MW solar farm, after an inspection on Tuesday. It is currently 90 per cent completed, and he expects it to be handed over to the Government within two months.

“We are satisfied, based on the briefing we received.

This project is on schedule, and it is expected to be handed over to the Government of Guyana by June 1 this

year,” he informed.

The solar farm, which will be connected to the Guyana Power and Light grid in Bartica, would reduce the cost of producing energy.

At present, the cost per barrel of light fuel oil (LFO) is about US$159. To produce one megawatt of electricity per hour takes about 60 gallons of LFO, or approximately 1 ¼ barrels of LFO.

Right direction

Phillips also applauded the fact that 95 per cent of the workers are Guyanese.

The solar farm, which costs about $600M, is being constructed by Farfan & Mendes Limited and SOVENTIX Caribbean S.R.L. It comes under the renewable energy solu-

Matrix Diversification and Strengthening of the Department of Energy pro-

gramme, funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB).

Boyfriend stabs 19-year-old teacher to death …locks body in house for over 16 hours before confessing

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19-year-old teacher of Craig Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was stabbed to death by her 21-year-old boyfriend, and her body was left with the knife stuck in her neck.

Dead is Shenese Walks of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Reports are that the couple, who had lived together, had had a misunderstanding at around 15:30h on Tuesday. The suspect claimed that, during the argument, the teacher armed herself with a knife, and as he attempted to snatch it from her, he stabbed her in the neck.

Dead: Shenese Walks

Police have said that the suspect claimed that he be-

came afraid, so he secured the house and went away.

However, at around 08:00h on Wednesday, the suspect contacted his brother and told him what had transpired. The suspect’s brother and an aunt then escorted the 21-year-old to the Grove Police Station, where he was handed over to the Police.

Police ranks and the suspect visited the scene, where the teacher was observed lying on her back, beside a bed, with a knife stuck to her left side neck.

The 21-year-old suspect remains in custody as investigations continue. (G9)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Continuing Easter traditions

Kite vendors hoping for recovery in sales after 2-year COVID-19 shutdown

band, has been crafting and selling kites at Camp and Robb Streets in Georgetown, among other vendors, for the last 30 years.

The woman, who was out selling her kites just mere days before the holiday weekend, said she did not make

“No more [kites will be made this year]. This is it; this is the trial period,” she said.

“But I’m hopeful that everything sells out and we have a productive Easter, a nice and happy time; the children come out, buy the kites and be happy,” she stated.

Also continuing his tradition of making and selling kites for the past 35 years is 63-year-old Morris Prince.

He too related that he has resumed selling kites, within the last three weeks, near the Camp and Robb Streets area after a two-year hiatus as well, and has been seeing promising results.

“Within the past couple days things step up…it really looks we gone get a good Easter and we thankful to all we customers who support our business and we give thanks to all those people,” he said.

Prince, prior to the pandemic, would usually make and sell about 400 kites – and he is aiming to do the same this year.

This pioneer in the trade explained that his kite-making was derived from his love of making handmade crafts and art.

“I don’t only make kites, I also do paintings and do sculptures. I make earrings; I make chains; I make bands; I enjoy every bit of it… Sometimes, I don’t even sell kites, I give way a lot to

any kites during the past two years of the pandemic and almost lost her passion for making them.

“We didn’t produce as much as normal [this year].

We didn’t expect that we would have been out here selling,” she explained.

Coates learnt the skill of kite-making after meeting her husband, who was already a seasoned kite vendor. In their years together, the woman said she developed a passion and love for kite-making and sometimes, would even lose track of time while doing so.

Before the pandemic, Coates would normally prepare and sell about 500 kites a year, but now she has reduced that number to 200, fearful of incurring a loss this year.

children.”

Prince highlighted that his kites have a unique touch which is shown in the designs and colours.

“These papers that we have here, we produce these colours…they get to sell in Guyana, so we does buy the white paper and spray all the different colours with compressor and spray gun.”

“Star points [are my favourite to make] and does put a teardrop design,” he added.

Prince related that he was hoping for his six children to soon take over his business and this tradition after they master the skill of kite-making, among the other artistic talents he has.

Meanwhile, still new in the kite-making and vending business, 19-year-old Alex

Alex Charles

By Amar Persaud

I

t is common knowledge the devastating effects the COVID-19 pandemic has caused, which rippled around the world, affecting from the largest to the smallest of businesses and the people who depend on them, leading to many becoming financially unstable.

Guyana joined the rest of the world on the road to recovery with efforts in late 2021 to reopen the country, with the official removal, last month of the majority of the country’s COVID-19 restrictions, thus allowing for more public gatherings.

With the Easter holiday around the corner, this ‘opening-up’ of the country has now driven hope into the local kite vendors of Georgetown who are resuming their trade of kite making and are now expecting

good sales of their traditional hand-crafted kites.

Some Guyanese take great pride in their kites, the star of the show when they go out in open areas to fly them for Easter and even before. From their uniqueness or traditional look to even the sound and performance of a kite when in the sky, not forgetting the different sizes, it is not a Guyanese Easter without kites.

The last two years saw most vendors being forced to discontinue with the tradition of making and selling of kites owing to the reduction in sales and closing of public spaces where people would usually gather to spend the Easter holiday, all effects of the pandemic.

Joy Coates, a 63-year-old vendor, along with her hus-

Joy Coates

Morris Prince

Charles is now following in his uncle’s footsteps.

“It’s like a family tradition. My uncle has been selling kites for a number of years” “I’ve been selling kites for

last two years [during the pandemic],” the teen stated.

But according to Charles, the feedback has been good since they have already received orders from some Government Ministries.

This, he noted, along with other customers, is already boosting sales for this year.

“Things working out pretty good this year. It has some rough times, but as we get closer to Easter the more kites we’ll sell.”

“Last year, we sell about 300 and I’m pretty sure we selling more this year.”

The young man described his experience in the kite-making business as great, knowledgeable, and fun.

“We try to do our own different thing. We try to not go as exact as how other people got it and I think that’s what make we shine this year,” Charles said.

14 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Greater exposure for local products as Stabroek Marketplace goes online

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uyanese now have a wider platform to market and sell local products to the world with the launch of the Stabroek Online Marketplace – an online shopping website akin to Amazon.com but strictly for Guyana-branded goods.

Stabroek Online Marketplace is an E-commerce platform which would facilitate the buying and selling of Guyana’s local products globally.

The official launch of this website took place on Tuesday at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

According to Chief Executive Officer of this platform, Altiya Turner, this online platform would cater for both small and large businesses.

“Stabroek Online Marketplace is an E-commerce platform that was created with Guyanese businesses in mind, to facilitate buying and selling across international borders,” she said.

“The platform also includes other divisions, such

as Stabroek Travel, which is a differentiated E-booking platform for local tour experiences and accommodation,” she stated.

Turner explained that Stabroek Online Marketplace aims to enable local companies to optimise business transactions locally, increase their visibility both locally and internationally, capture new market share, and increase revenue opportunities.

“The cornerstones of our business are efficiency, transparency, and seamless customer experience. To fulfill our promise in this regard, we have invested heavily to ensure that we have the most-cutting-edge technology in terms of bill applications, payment options, and diversified logistics options,” she added.

The Stabroek Online Marketplace is currently open for early registration to sellers, who would benefit from a 30-day free subscription after the online platform goes live on May 19.

Through this platform, delivery is also an option

that will vary from premium to affordability.

The minimum requirements for sellers to register include business registration and tax compliance.

Each seller would pay a subscription fee of US$40.

The CEO of the platform explained that each transaction would be followed by a transaction fee, which will vary depending on the category of seller and the type of product.

She noted that the platform is different from other online shopping platforms such as Facebook Market Place.

“So, what differentiates Stabroek Marketplace from Facebook Marketplace is that you have a consolidated or you have business solution in one platform. So, we offer the payment component; we offer the logistics options, or alternatives that are required; and we also offer the after-sale customer service, that would not necessarily be offered on Facebook marketplace,” she explained.

“With regard to transaction, the accountability that is required to respect customer rights and to ensure that there are no violations in that regard is something that you’re guaranteed of on Stabroek Online Marketplace, but not so much on Facebook Marketplace,” she explained.

Meanwhile, President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Timothy Tucker, has said his organisation supports the initiative, which would particularly benefit small businesses.

“So, this initiative is completely supported by the Chamber, and it coin-

cides at the precise time, of course, with the National Small Business Week, which is launched by the GCCI and GTT,” he explained.

“The purpose of the Small Business Week was to advertise and promote small businesses that are taking part in the event, and of course this now will continue that journey of small businesses, because it gives them the opportunity to have what is intended by the Small Business Week to be done in one, that this can be done all year round,” Tucker noted.

Also supporting the initiative is John Edghill, a representative from the Ministry of Tourism, Industry & Commerce, who challenged members of Stabroek Online Marketplace to not only promote and support the Coastal regions of Guyana, but also its interior and hinterland regions. (Amar Persaud)

Car speeds away after hitting woman on pedestrian crossing

A

22-year-old female of Seaforth Street, Campbellville Georgetown is now hospitalised after being hit on Tuesday by a motorcar that sped away from the scene immediately after.

The woman alleged that at around 22:00h on the day of the incident, she was walking from the western end of Sheriff Street heading east on the pedestrian crossing when she was hit by a black motorcar that was proceeding north on Sheriff Street. As a result of that collision, the pedestrian fell and received injuries about her body.

However, instead of rendering assistance, the motor-

car fled the scene.

She was picked up in a conscious state by a public-spirited citizen, and transported to the Woodlands Hospital,

where she was treated for lacerations about her body.

She was later admitted as a patient. Investigations are ongoing.

Linden teen dies in accident …driver charged for causing death by dangerous driving

A

n 18-year-old male is now dead following a motorcycle accident on the One Mile Public Road in Wismar, Linden on Sunday.

Dead is Odel Taylor of Wismar, Linden. The accident occurred at around 07:45h.

Charged is 22-year-old David Narine, a motorcyclist of Lot 7 Half Mile Wismar, Linden, who was riding motorcycle CF 6477.

Police reported that Taylor was speeding on motorcycle CL 731, and was without a helmet when Narine crashed into him.

The Police say Narine was proceeding east out of Pinette Street, heading to One Mile Public Road, and failed to stop at the junction.

As result of the accident,

Taylor fell off the motorcycle he was riding, and his head collided with a concrete culvert. He was picked up by public-spirited citizens and taken to the Linden Hospital Complex, where he was pronounced dead.

After the accident occurred, Narine reportedly fled the scene, but was later arrested and charged. He appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday.

Along with being charged for causing death by dangerous driving, Narine has also been charged for being an unlicensed driver and for having an uninsured motor vehicle.

He pleaded guilty to those two charges and was fined $30,000 on each count.

Dead: Odel Taylor

He pleaded not guilty to the charge of causing death by dangerous driving and was released on $500,000. bail.

The case will continue on May 4. (G9)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

UG law students apprised of paths in legal profession

Law students listened attentively as they were enlightened on the numerous paths they could pursue in the legal profession

S

tudents pursuing their Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at the University of Guyana (UG) were educated on the various paths in the legal profession during the Guyana Bar Association’s inaugural Law Week, which was observed

from April 3-9.

President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Adrian Saunders, and Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, were among the legal minds who provided the students with guidance at a sympo-

sium titled ‘Paths in the Legal Profession’, which was held at UG’s Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown campus.

Nandlall delivered the feature presentation on ‘Pursuing New Pathways in light of Guyana’s Oil & Gas

8 matters completed at Berbice, Essequibo Assizes A total of eight matters were completed at the October 2021 Berbice and Essequibo Criminal Assizes, a statement from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has said.

Over at the Berbice Criminal Assizes, three matters for the capital offence of murder were presented before Justice Sandil Kissoon.

In one of those matters, there were four accused indicted together, and each was charged with three counts of murder. While one of them pleaded guilty as charged and was sentenced to life in prison, his two co-accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter and were each sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The other accused was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to death.

In a separate matter, the accused person pleaded guilty to a murder charge and was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving 30 years.

One matter remains in progress, in which five ac-

The High Court in Berbice

cused are on trial for the offence of murder in the furtherance of a robbery. The Berbice February 2022 Criminal Assizes will continue until June 20.

Meanwhile, the Essequibo October 2021 Criminal Assizes had continued before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow. Five matters —two for sexual offences and one each for attempt to commit murder, murder, and manslaughter — were completed.

In the two separate sexual offences matters, the juries returned unanimous verdicts of not guilty for the accused persons. In the matter of attempt to commit murder

with an alternate count of wounding with intent, the virtual complainant told the Court he did not wish to proceed with the matter. As such, the trial Judge directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.

The trial Judge also directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty for the accused in the murder trial, after she ruled there was insufficient evidence. The accused indicted for manslaughter was acquitted by a jury verdict of not guilty.

The Essequibo Assizes remains in progress until May 16. (G1)

CCJ President, Justice Adrian Saunders; Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC; and UG Vice Chancellor, Dr Paloma Mohamed were among those who made presentations at the Law Week symposium

and Satellite Sectors’.

The students were also given guidance on summary court prosecution, criminal defence, civil litigation, State civil litigation, State legal drafting, judicial research, legal aid representation, law reform, and corporate/company law. Lectures in these areas were delivered by retired Judge B.S Roy; Queen’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani; Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Teshana James-Lake; Solicitor

General Nigel Hawke; Deputy Chief Parliamentary Counsel Joann Bond; Director of the Legal Aid Clinic, Attorney-at-Law Shellon Boyce; and Attorneys-at-Law Latchmie Rahamat, Dexter Todd, Joshua Abdool, Tiffany Hohenkirk, Delonté D. De Clou, Mandisa Breedy and Patricia Bacchus.

UG Vice-Chancellor Paloma Mohamed; Head of UG’s Law Department, Dr. Kim Kyte-Thomas; President of the Bar Association,

Pauline Chase; and the Bar Association’s Secretary, Keoma Griffith, also delivered remarks at the symposium.

Law Week was held under the theme: ‘Advancing the Rule of Law in the New Normal’. The Bar Association is, among other things, mandated to uphold the rule of law, and sponsor lectures and discussions, and print and publish periodicals and other documents on any aspect of the law.

16 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“We don’t have money to start” – Baracara farmer …as community calls on Govt for assistance to restart farming each fortnight in addition to lemons, but now there was none to sell. This has been the situation since the flood.

The community of fewer than 500 residents is also plagued with a lack of job opportunities, especially for the youth population.

Access to those communities is only possible by boat.

They are calling on the Government to intervene and provide needed assistance in the agricultural sector.

LaFleur, who also rears

Conroy LaFleur looks in dismay at his watermelons that remain stunted

R

esidents of the riverine community of Baracara, Berbice are calling on the Government to step in and assist them so that they can return to the land to earn a living.

Since last year’s floods, some residents have not been able to farm.

Baracara is a farming community situated 52 miles from the Canje River.

With little economic activity taking place, the villagers earn a living by having their products sold at the New Amsterdam Market.

As costly as it is to transport their produce to New Amsterdam, they also face difficulty to get payment from the vendors on time.

But even that is not possible now because they are not farming on the scale they need to.

Some residents are engaged in farming while others are engaged in logging.

Both activities are almost at standstill as a result of the 2021 floods which se-

verely affected that community.

Conroy LaFleur is one person who farms in that community to make a living. He says governmental intervention is needed urgently.

“Right now, I have the place there that I started to cut, but I cannot burn it because of the constant rain.

We are not getting the sun.

We have some old farmland that the water kill, so we want to spray it to kill the bush and start back farming, but I don’t have money to buy drugs and fertiliser. I am calling on the Government to step in on us, because we did not get any flood relief,” LaFleur told Guyana Times.

Meanwhile, Pearl Tindall, a retired headteacher who lives at Tacuba Village, which is situated 28 miles up the Canje River, told this publication that she lost her citrus farm as a result of the floods.

“I had quite a few trees

that died. The people came up and they checked the place and the same time I was in the water; that was in the month of May. I was in the water trying to gather up some fruits, because the fruits were falling from the trees. They promised to come back, but they have not come back up to now.”

According to Tindall, she too is still waiting on her flood relief cash grant.

She said she would usually sell about 1000 oranges

sheep, but lost all of his flock, explained that about 7000 plantain suckers also died in the flood, and many of them were bearing.

“I had to turn to a little joining work, but I want to do back the farming, but it

is very expensive to start back. We don’t have money to start.”

He further revealed that he and another resident had partnered to cultivate watermelons.

“At the end of December, we spray down a place and plant these watermelons,

but because of the constant rain, the watermelons just stunted and stay one way all the time. So, all this here is just waste. We wouldn’t inherit anything from this watermelon. If we have money, we can spray the whole place and chance some corn,” LaFleur said.

Similar stories were told by other residents of the community.

Meanwhile, as it relates to the flood relief grants, this newspaper was told that arrangements were being made to take cash into those residents who qualified for the grants. Cheques are not likely to be issued to residents, because of the community’s inaccessibility.

However, the Agriculture Ministry will take the cash grants to the community only when all of the payments are available.

90-year-old unvaccinated woman latest COVID-19 death

A

fter days of not recording a COVID-19 fatality, local authorities on Wednesday announced the death of a 90-year-old woman who was infected with the novel coronavirus.

The Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) resident died on April 13. She was unvaccinated.

Meanwhile, the country has recorded nine new cases of the virus, with one currently in the Intensive Care Unit. Seven persons are currently in institutional isolation, 90 are isolating at home, and 20 are in institutional quarantine.

The Health Ministry also reported that the nine new cases were recorded from 1280 tests. According to the region-by-region breakdown, one new case was recorded in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); four in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); one in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) and three in Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo). The total positive cases detected in Guyana since March 2020 stands at 63,349 while recoveries stand at 62,024. The death toll has now climbed to 1227.

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD APRIL 13, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

9

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

7

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

90

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

1

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

20

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

34,187

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

29,162

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

63,349

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

62,024

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

2518

REGION 2

2491

REGION 3

8053

REGION 4

31,331

REGION 5

2380

REGION 6

5776

REGION 7

2423

REGION 8

887

REGION 9

4019

REGION 10

3471

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

439,027 338,089 1227

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

17

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Put your house in order” – Vickram Bharrat to Kwakwani logging associations N

atural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat on Tuesday urged logging associations of Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), during a ministerial outreach, to fix their internal issues and work in unity.

“I want to urge the associations: put your house in order, we don’t want complaints of favouritism with one person getting more tags than the other one; a lot of the associations have fighting and we have some back-biting; we have to start cooperating and we have to start working together,” Minister Bharrat implored.

Bharrat said the Government was cognisant that besides agriculture, log-

value-added products and “stop selling raw materials”. The Natural Resources Minister encouraged loggers to construct portable sawmills, explaining that while employment would be created for residents of the community, they the loggers would earn more from selling lumber or dressed mate-

A section of the gathering at the meeting

ging was the community’s major economic activity and he was, therefore, committed to working in partnership with the associations to better the sector, but the

associations must first work with themselves. “We are committed to working with the associations, but the associations have to be committed to fixing their inter-

nal issues,” he noted.

In an effort to cushion the high cost of living and as a means of creating employment, loggers were implored to divert their attention to

rials than selling plain logs.

Also present at the ministerial outreach were Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharmlall; Chief Education Officer, Dr Marcel Hudson; Regional Executive Officer Dwight John and technical staff of the various Ministries.

USA-based Indo-Caribbean Federation re-elects Ralph Tamesh as President

Starbucks to open in Guyana

A

fter starting its Caribbean expansion nearly a decade ago, Starbucks Corporation will see the addition of four new licensed stores in Trinidad and Tobago during 2022, and Guyana’s first store to be opened between September and November

by Trinidad-based Prestige Holdings Limited (PHL), which won the development rights for the country.

Starbucks currently has a presence of more than 70 stores across 10 markets in the Caribbean.

In the English-speaking Caribbean, Caribbean Coffee Traders Limited (CCTL) — a joint venture between Ian Dear and Adam Stewart — has the rights to develop stores in Jamaica, Barbados, Turks and Caicos, the Cayman Islands and Panama. CCTL opened its 12th location in January at Drax Hall, St Ann, Jamaica and expects to achieve its 15th location by the end of 2023. Half-WayTree is the next location set to be opened in Jamaica.

Guyana continues to see an unprecedented level of interest by various compa-

nies across the Region as its oil income begins to flow through the economy. NCB Financial Group Limited, Supreme Ventures Limited, Dolla Financial Services Limited, and Massy Holdings Limited have all opened subsidiaries or began operations in the South American country.

First Citizens Financial Group Holdings Limited is attempting to complete the acquisition of Scotiabank’s Guyana operation.

PHL is a restaurant management company which has the development rights for the TGI Fridays brand in the Caribbean, along with the rights to Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Pizza Hut, Subway and Starbucks in Trinidad and Tobago. There are eight Starbucks locations in Trinidad and Tobago, with the additional locations set to take it to 12 by the end of its 2022 financial year (November 30). There are more than 34,300 company-operated and -licensed Starbucks locations across 84 markets as of January 2.

PHL’s two newest Starbucks locations in T&T

feature mobile order pickup and an e-commerce portal to facilitate their orders. The locations are also equipped with the Masterna 2.0 Expresso machines.

Although PHL’s revenue for the first quarter improved by five per cent to TT$246.38 million, its gross margins were further eroded from 32.88 per cent to 31.61 per cent as global supply chain disruption put more pressure on the company’s operational costs through food inflation and additional logistics disruptions. Gross profit was flat for the period at TT$77.87 million.

PHL earned TT$256.57 million in revenue and TT$84.97 million in gross profit during Q1 2019. PHL closed a Subway location during the quarter, which reduced its store count to 128 locations, inclusive of the TGI Fridays location in Jamaica.

“The removal of the COVID-19 restrictions is cause for optimism, though much work must now be done to return our business to pre-pandemic levels and beyond. As we look forward, we remain positive about

the ability of our people and brands to deliver improved results in 2022 and beyond,” stated PHL Chairman Christian E Mouttet in the shareholder report.

As a result of those cost pressures, PHL reduced its other operating and administrative expenses to TT$50.92 million and TT$16.77 million, respectively. These cost-cutting measures, along with the growth in digital, delivery and drive-through sales, resulted in PHL generating a net profit of TT$2.01 million. This is far from the Q1 2020 and Q1 2019 net profit figures of TT$8.23 million and TT$5.65 million, respectively.

Total assets for PHL declined by five per cent to TT$733.69 million ($17.11 billion) as property, plant and equipment, along with its right of use assets, declined. Cash and cash equivalents improved to TT$58.91 million ($1.37 billion) at the end of the quarter. Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity ended the period at TT$474.13 million and TT$259.56 million, respectively.

Starbucks exceeded market expectations with revenue of US$8.05 billion in its first quarter (January 2), but missed on earnings per share (EPS) targets which came in at US$0.72 versus the US$0.80 consensus. The company attributed this fall to higher costs in its supply chain and more employees using their sick leave allotment. The company revised its guidance for 2022 to see global revenue fall between US$32.5 billion to US$33 billion, global operating margin of 16.5 per cent, and a four to six decline in generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) EPS. The stock price remains down 30 per cent year to date at US$81.48, with market capitalisation of US$93.70 billion. (Jamaica Observer)

T

he Indo-Caribbean Federation (ICF) of America held its biennial executive elections last Sunday at the Villa Russo Catering Hall in Richmond Hill, Queens.

Sunday’s elections were supervised by Dr Dhanpaul Narine.

Before the elections, outgoing President Ralph Tamesh gave a summary of activities from sports to charities to entertainment, and the financial state of the organisation.

Incumbent Ralph Tamesh, formerly of the Essequibo island of Wakenaam, was re-elected President for an unprecedented sixth term.

Tamesh has been with the Federation for over 33 years, serving in various capacities. The organisation has grown during his tenure, and has been involved in various programmes.

In his re-election speech, President Tamesh thanked the members for displaying such strong confidence in his leadership as to elect him for another term. “I wish to thank everyone for the tremendous support given me. I also wish to salute you for your commitment, dedication, and the tireless service to the Federation,” he said.

He appealed to the executives to go on a membership drive, and said he looks forward for their continued support.

Tamesh also congratulated those who were elected in various positions in the executive leadership of the organization, and wished them well.

Stanley Raj, CEO of

Main Street Insurance, who has been with the Federation for over 33 years, remains on the board. The committee members elected are Anoop Dhanpat, Son Son Sonipersaud, Lilly Lilliah, Radika Olarte, Jasodra Thakoordeen, Shanta Sookram, Shabier Yamin, Yvonne Singh, Sabrina Dyal, Imran Ahmad and Sunita Sookram.

Elected officers pledged to work harder to organise programmes for the community.

The Federation was founded in 1984 by Bhanu Dwarika, Vishnu Bandhu, Baytoram Ramharack, Rudra Nath, Ramesh Kalicharran, Gora Singh, Isherdat Ramdehal, Ravi Dev, Mahadai Das and this writer, among others. It organises the annual Indian Arrival Day celebrations in June in Queens. The outdoor celebrations were suspended over the last two years because of COVID restrictions.

Among other activities, the ICF plans and organizes the Annual Indian Arrival Day celebration going back to 1984, the Annual Cricket Match between Guyana and the Rest of the Caribbean, featuring current former national players from the various Caribbean countries.

Thanksgiving party for the Seniors in Richmond Hill, bus trips, a community publication, fundraising to rehabilitate health centres and schools in Guyana, receptions to honour prominent community stalwarts, holiday breakfast and luncheon have all been part of the activities of the organisation.

18

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022

Regional

Ex-Honduran President T&T: Senator Deyalsingh concerned to be extradited to US about paedophile teacher applicants next week – official

F

ormer Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez will be extradited to the United States next week, the country’s Security Minister has said, after Honduras’s highest court last month cleared the way for Hernandez to face drug trafficking and weapons charges in the US. “The extradition will happen next week,” Security Minister Ruben Sabillon told news channel HCH on Wednesday, as reported by the Reuters news agency.

The Honduran Supreme Court on March 28 rejected an appeal from Hernandez to stop the extradition. He served as President from 2014 until earlier this year and was arrested in the capital Tegucigalpa in mid-February.

US authorities have accused Hernandez of participating in a drug-trafficking

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was arrested in mid-February on a US extradition request [File: Andy Buchanan/Pool via Reuters]

scheme.

They say Hernandez facilitated the smuggling of some 500 tonnes of drugs – mainly from Colombia and Venezuela – to the US via Honduras since 2004, in ex-

change for millions of dollars in bribes.

Once viewed as a key ally in Washington’s fight against drug trafficking, Hernandez lost his immunity after handing power over to Xiomara Castro, the country’s first female President, in late January.

He faces three charges in a New York court: conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the US; using or carrying firearms including machine guns; and conspiracy to use or carry firearms.

Hernandez has denied all the allegations, saying his enemies are trying to get back at him.

In a letter published when the Supreme Court issued its decision late last month, Hernandez maintained that he is innocent and said he is the “victim of revenge and conspiracy”. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

S

Independent Senator Dr Varma Deyalsingh

ome people may want to become teachers because they are sexually attracted to children. The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) has had to deal with 71 disciplinary matters involving teachers between 2018 and this year.

These were some of the matters raised

during a virtual meeting of the Local Authorities, Service Commissions and Statutory Authorities Committee on Wednesday.

Committee Chairman, Independent Senator Dr Varma Deyalsingh, a psychiatrist, observed that some people apply for jobs in certain professions “to feed on their perversions”.

He asked representatives of the Service Commission Department if there were instances where people applying to the Commission may have been doing that “to feed on paedophilic tendencies.”

A paedophile is a person who is sexually attracted to children.

Acting Deputy Director of personnel administration at the Service Commissions Department, Martel Waldron replied, “Yes. Unfortunately, it is a reality that we are facing.”

Waldron was unable to give statistics of such instances to the committee. He also could not say whether this was something which was increasing or decreasing.

But he said, “Yes. We have far too many of them, and those matters are being treated by the commission.” (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

CDB supports procurement reform in the Eastern Caribbean Argentina inflation surges to decades-

T

he Barbadosbased Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Wednesday said it has started a new phase of its public procurement reform programme which is helping Eastern Caribbean countries to increase efficiency and effectiveness in government procurement.

It said the second stage of the programme, which will include finalising legal reforms and establishing electronic systems, started off with a 47-participant workshop, held recently in the

Virgin Islands.

“Better expenditure management provides a foundation for building stronger and more inclusive economies.

This can be achieved through robust public procurement that provides transparency and accountability by promoting civil society participation, stimulating Private Sector growth and investment, and encouraging wider improvements in governance,” said CDB Head of Procurement, Douglas Fraser.

The bank said before the procurement reform start-

ed in 2018, CDB-financed assessments showed that few countries had dedicated procurement legal or regulatory frameworks. In addition, existing systems relied on outdated financial and administration Acts.

“Often appropriate institutional structures were not in place to undertake and oversee procurement and almost none of the public servants were dedicated to procurement whilst those involved in procurement lacked suitable qualifications.

(Excerpt from CMC)

Brazil Workers Party okays Alckmin as Lula’s running mate

T

he leadership of former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s Workers Party (PT) on Wednesday approved former São Paulo Governor Geraldo Alckmin as his running mate for Brazil’s presidential election in October.

Lula, front-runner in the race against far-right incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro, has worked for months to round out his ticket with Alckmin, a centre-right political veteran who ran unsuccessfully against Lula in 2006.

He is expected to allay concerns from business interests about a return of a left-wing government.

The PT’s national directorate voted 68 to 16 to approve Alckmin on the Lula ticket, a once-unimaginable union that aims to stop Bolsonaro getting re-elected.

Alckmin joined the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) last week so he could

high in March, sapping spending power

A

rgentina’s monthly inflation rate soared to 6.7 per cent in March, the Government said on Wednesday, far above forecasts and the highest level in two decades as spiralling food and fuel prices dent the value of salaries and savings.

The INDEC statistics agency said the annual inflation rate hit 55.1 per cent in the month, above a Reuters analyst poll of 53.8 per cent. Analysts had also predicted a monthly rise of 5.8 per cent, though

stand as Lula’s vice-presidential candidate in an alliance with the PT. The directorate’s approval is expected to be confirmed by the party at a national meeting in early June.

In a statement, the PT made it clear that the alliance with the PSB and the LulaAlckmin ticket was essential

for a successful campaign to defeat Bolsonaro. Analysts say it will help draw the middle-class moderate voters uneasy about Lula’s past corruption convictions.

The latest polls show Lula still ahead but Bolsonaro gradually eroding his leads lead in the race. (Excerpt from Reuters)

family.”

Argentina has been battling with high inflation for years with little success.

That has been worsened as global commodities prices have climbed over the last year, exacerbated recently by the war in Ukraine.

People across South America have been hit hard, sparking protests against rising prices in Peru and long lines for food and fuel in Cuba. Central banks have been forced to sharply hike interest rates, a trend expected to continue. (Excerpt from Reuters)

UN rights office urges Colombia to prosecute over deadly raid

T Brazil’s former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva greets Sao Paulo’s former Governor Geraldo Alckmin during an event to announce Alckmin’s nomination as his Vice President for national elections in São Paulo, Brazil, April 8, 2022

Economy Minister Martin Guzman had warned it would top six per cent.

The monthly rate was the highest since 2002, INDEC said.

“Money doesn’t get you by nowadays,” José Luis Rodríguez, an Argentine bricklayer, told Reuters while building a wall at a construction site in Buenos Aires, the capital. He said he now struggles to get by on his paycheque.

“The reality is that it doesn’t buy you anything.

If I get sick, I don’t know who is going to feed my

he United Nations human rights body has urged Colombia to prosecute those responsible for a military raid that resulted in the deaths of 11 people, including four civilians that community members say were passed off as fighters.

The Colombian military said last month that it had carried out an operation against Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) dissidents involved in drug trafficking.

But human rights groups have reported that there were four civilians among the dead.

“We recommend that all disciplinary and legal mea-

sures be taken to prosecute and punish those responsible for what happened in Alto Remanso,” Juliette De Rivero, the Colombian representative for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said on Twitter on Wednesday.

The incident, which took place on March 28 during festivities in Puerto Leguizamo, an Indigenous town near Colombia’s southern border with Peru, has spurred widespread public anger across the country.

“As a result of the military operation and the use of lethal force in Alto Remanso, 11 people died and five more were wounded,” said De Rivero, who

added that the army “used firearms while they were inside the bazaar of 30 to 50 people, including girls, boys and women”.

According to the local ombudsman’s office, Human Rights Watch and local Indigenous leaders, a 16-year-old, an Indigenous Governor and a community leader as well as his pregnant wife were among the dead.

Oscar Daza, a human rights coordinator with the Organisation of Indigenous Peoples of Colombian Amazonia (OPIAC), described the operation as “a massacre executed by the Colombian military”.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil prices settle up 4% despite big US crude inventory build

O

il prices jumped on Wednesday, as a large increase in US crude inventories failed to soothe worries about tight global supply, with major oil traders expected to shun Russian barrels.

Brent crude settled up US$4.14, or four per cent , to US$108.78. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures ended up US$3.65, or 3.7 per cent, to US$104.25.

The gains came a day after both benchmarks climbed more than six per cent. The oil market has swung wildly as end-users and traders have tried to quantify the disruption in Russia's daily exports following its invasion of Ukraine. Most estimates range from one million to three million barrels per day.

"At the end of the day the market is running on some of these headlines out of Russia, which is becoming more threatening, and that continues to be more of a risk," said Phil Flynn, analyst at Price Futures Group. "There's still a debate of what impact this is going to have."

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden accused Russia of genocide, and the United States, France and Germany all pledged to send more weapons. Biden listed artillery systems, armoured personnel carriers, and helicopters.

Major global trading houses plan to reduce crude and fuel purchases from Russia's State-controlled oil companies as early as May 15, sources said, to avoid falling foul of European Union sanctions on Russia, the world's second largest crude exporter.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow can easily redirect exports of its vast energy resources away from the West. Some countries, including India, have kept buying Russian oil at steep discounts.

On Tuesday, the International Energy Agency (IEA) lowered expectations for worldwide demand and said rising global production could offset Russian oil output losses. The IEA said it expected Russian output to drop 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) in April, growing to close to three million bpd from May. The White House is releasing 180 million barrels from US reserves over six months, part of a release of 240 million barrels from members of the IEA. US production is expected to keep rising from 11.8 million bpd now to about 12 million in 2022. Exports of refined products reached an all-time record, as heavy overseas demand caused US stockpiles to fall.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has said it would be impossible to replace expected supply losses from Russia and it would not pump more crude.

(Reuters)

Macron says Le Pen showing authoritarian streak after Journalist ban

F

rench President Emmanuel Macron launched a scathing attack on far-right rival Marine Le Pen on Wednesday, saying her true "authoritarian" intentions were showing after she banned a team of reporters and did not rule out a return to the death penalty.

Macron, a pro-European centrist, became President in 2017 after easily beating Le Pen when voters rallied behind him to keep the far-right out of power. This time, he faces a tougher challenge.

Slightly behind in opinion polls, Le Pen has successfully softened her image and tapped into anger over the cost of living and a perception Macron is disconnected from everyday hardships.

Some polls show her victory in the April 24 runoff is within the margin of error.

"Despite all the efforts, the true face of the far-right is coming back. It is a face that doesn't respect freedoms, the constitutional framework, press independence and fundamental freedoms, rights," Macron told France 2 television.

Such comments are the start of an "authoritarian drift", said Macron, who has of late categorised Le Pen's manifesto as full of lies and false promises that conceal a far-right agenda ultimately leading to France leaving the European Union.

Le Pen said the show whose Journalists were refused accreditation was entertainment rather than journalism and that she reserved the right – now as a candidate, and later as President if elected – to choose who may attend her news conferences. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Some 1000 Ukraine marines surrender in Mariupol, says Russia U kraine warned on Wednesday that Russia was ramping up efforts in the South and East as it seeks full control of Mariupol, in what would be the first major city to fall, while Western Governments committed more military help to bolster Kyiv.

The Kremlin's nearly seven-week-long incursion, the biggest attack on a European state since 1945, has not gone to plan.

Russia has been forced to pull back from some northern areas even as attacks across the country have turned Ukrainian cities to rubble and caused more than 4.6 million people to flee abroad.

Russia's Defence Ministry on Wednesday said 1026 soldiers from Ukraine's 36th Marine Brigade, including 162 officers, had surrendered in Mariupol, which has been besieged for weeks, and that the port was fully under its control.

Capturing its Azovstal industrial district, where the marines have been holed up, would give the Russians full control of Ukraine's main Sea of Azov port, rein-

Service members of pro-Russian troops ride an armoured vehicle during fighting in Ukraine-Russia conflict near a plant of Azovstal Iron and Steel Works company in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 12, 2022

force a southern land corridor, and expand its occupation of the country's East.

Ukraine's general staff said Russian forces were attacking Azovstal and the port, but a Defence Ministry spokesman said he had no information about any surrender.

"Russian forces are increasing their activities on the southern and eastern fronts, attempting to avenge their defeats," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a Wednesday night video

address.

Reuters journalists accompanying Russianbacked separatists saw flames billowing from the Azovstal area on Tuesday, a day after Ukraine's 36th Marine Brigade said its troops had run out of ammunition.

The United States announced on Wednesday an extra US$800 million in military assistance including artillery systems, armoured personnel carriers and helicopters. This took total US military aid to

more than US$2.5 billion.

France and Germany also pledged more.

Russia will view US and NATO vehicles transporting weapons on Ukrainian territory as legitimate military targets, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the TASS news agency.

It will impose tit-fortat sanctions on 398 members of the US House of Representatives and 87 Canadian senators, Interfax cited the Foreign Ministry as saying, after Washington targeted 328 members of Russia's lower House of Parliament.

Ukraine says tens of thousands of people are believed to have been killed in Mariupol and accuses Russia of blocking aid convoys to civilians marooned there.

Its mayor, Vadym Boichenko, said Russia had brought in mobile crematoria "to get rid of evidence of war crimes" – a statement that was not possible to verify.

Moscow has blamed Ukraine for civilian deaths and accused Kyiv of denigrating Russian armed forces. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Ukraine war: Finland to decide on NATO membership in weeks, says PM Marin tee of Article Five, whereby an attack on one member is viewed as an attack on all.

While the two leaders met in Stockholm, Finland's security review was being launched in Helsinki.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin (right) met Swedish leader Magdalena Andersson in Stockholm to discuss NATO

F

innish Prime Minister Sanna Marin says her country will decide whether to apply to join NATO "within weeks".

She said she saw no reason to delay the decision, at a joint news conference alongside Sweden's Prime Minister.

Her comments coincided with a report to the Finnish Parliament that said membership of the bloc could result in "increased tensions on the border between Finland and Russia".

Moscow has warned Finland and Sweden against joining NATO in recent weeks.

Finland and Sweden are militarily non-aligned, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted increasing public support to become members of the Western defensive alliance. Swedish

leader Magdalena Andersson told reporters that the same "very serious analysis" was taking place as in Finland and she saw no point in delaying it.

Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reported on Wednesday that Andersson was aiming to apply for membership in time for a NATO summit in late June.

Finland shares a 1340km (830 miles) border with Russia, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stressed that Moscow would have to "rebalance the situation" with its own measures if the NATO bid went ahead.

"I won't give any kind of timetable when we will make our decisions, but I think it will happen quite fast," said Marin. She pointed out that NATO membership offered Finland the security guaran-

Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Russia's war had changed the security environment in Europe and forced the review of Finnish defence policy. (Excerpt from BBC News)

US says advanced hackers have shown ability to hijack critical infrastructure

A

dvanced hackers have shown they can take control of an array of devices that help run power stations and manufacturing plants, the US Government said in an alert on Wednesday, warning of the potential for cyber spies to harm critical infrastructure.

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and other Government agencies issued a joint advisory saying the hackers' malicious software could affect a type of device called programmable logic controllers made

by Schneider Electric and OMRON Corp.

OMRON did not immediately return a message seeking comment. A Schneider spokesperson confirmed it had worked with US officials to defend against the

hackers, calling it "an instance of successful collaboration to deter threats on critical infrastructure before they occur".

The controllers are common across a variety of industries – from gas to food production plants – but Robert Lee, chief executive of cybersecurity firm Dragos, which helped uncover the malware, said researchers believed the hackers' intended targets were liquefied natural gas and electric facilities.

In its alert, the Cybersecurity Agency urged critical infrastructure organisations, "especially energy sector organisations," to implement a series of recommendations aimed at blocking and detecting the cyber weapon, named Pipedream. (Excerpt from Reuters)

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

(March 21-April 19)

Plug away until you reach your destination. Your tenacity will be unbeatable, giving you the edge you need. Don't hold back when you have so much to gain. Seize the moment and put your plans in motion.

Take nothing for granted. Question anyone who makes ambiguous promises.

A hidden agenda is likely. Proceed with caution, be realistic and make a change only if you have control of the outcome.

DILBERT

(April 20-May 20) Ignore what's happening around you and take care of your obligations. What you manage to accomplish is essential to maintaining your position, reputation and status. Live up to your word.

(May 21-June 20) A positive domestic change will lift your spirits. Do your best to promote comfort and tranquility and to surround yourself with the people who put a smile on your face.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Be specific when dealing with friends, relatives and colleagues. Don't underestimate what someone can do. Share only information that you feel is necessary. A disciplined attitude will pay off.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Step outside your comfort zone and expand your mind. New ideas will help you bring about positive change.

Embrace what life has to offer and put your heart and soul into something big.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Recognize your power and put it to the test. Focus on your pursuits.

Rearrange your space to suit your needs and encourage your success. Don't fold under pressure or give in to someone pushy.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) You may have to up your game. Use your imagination, and it will help you outmaneuver someone trying to take charge or hustle you. Personal improvement will turn out better than anticipated.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Show discipline and resolve when dealing with indulgent or manipulative people. Focus on what's important to you. What you accomplish will set the tone for what's to come.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Good fortune is heading your way if you invest wisely. Discuss your plans with someone you respect, and make a change that improves your lifestyle and encourages you to lower debt and ease stress.

LAST PUBLISHED WORD-- ERRONEOUS

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Be careful where you leave your money or possessions. Someone will be eager to talk you into something you don't need. Focus on what you have in place, not on making unnecessary, costly changes.

Juggle things around so you can fit everything you want to do into your day.

When dealing with sensitive issues, a diplomatic approach will help you skirt a debate. A little charm will go a long way.

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022

21

Mumbai run out of hitting power and lose to Punjab Kings – remain winless after five games

their third win in five games.

Mumbai did a lot right in the match, including winning the toss, and two of their young batters - Dewald Brevis and Tilak Varma - gave the match its most dizzying passage of play when they put on 84 off 41 balls; but none of it mattered as far as the result went, and they remain winless after five matches.

H

Punjab Kings players celebrating after pulling off a nervy win

aving strengthened their bowling at the cost of batting depth, Mumbai Indians twice committed the cardinal sin of T20 - losing wickets to run-outs - and ran out

of hitting power in a tense chase of 199.

In a high-scoring match full of sparkling boundaries, Punjab Kings prevailed by the margin of 12 runs - two sixes - to pick up

Essequibo Softball Cricket League over-40 competition roundup…

SEVERAL TEAMS RECORD WINS AS COMPETITION PROGRESSES

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ibernia CCC, Queenstown, Hibernia Strikers, Caribbean Cricket Club (CCC) and Queenstown Tigers registered wins last Sunday at Hibernia ground and Affiance ground in the latest round of the 2022 Essequibo Softball Cricket League (ESCL) over-40, 20-over competition.

Hibernia Strikers defeated Devonshire Castle Sports Club by four wickets, while CCC got the better of Ravens Sports Club by 33 runs, and Queenstown Tigers roared to an exciting three-wicket win against Sunrisers Masters.

Devonshire Castle tallied up a competitive 166-9 from the 20 overs, while Hibernia Strikers surpassed the target in the 18th over. Ramkissoon Seeram led the way for the winners with an unbeaten 79, while Mohammed Sidique played a supportive role with 28.

When Devonshire Castle batted at Affiance facility, Anthony Persaud scored 76, and 28 came from Darshand Lall.

Seeram proved his all-round ability by bagging three wickets for 27 runs from his four overs.

CCC set up a formidable total of 258-8 from their 20 overs, with Richard Patterson getting an impressive 67 and former senior Essequibo InterCounty player Prashad Mahadeo scoring 55 for CCC. Punraj Singh

Ramkissoon Seeram

claimed 3-30 off his four overs bowling for Ravens, while Marvin Pearson took 2-44 from his 4 overs.

When Ravens appeared at the crease, seasoned campaigner Ramesh Narine struck a fine 76, while Lakmikant Narine (unrelated), another ex-Essequibo player, made 51 not out. Yaseer Mohammed grabbed 4-37 in his four overs, while Ekie Baksh assisted with 2-28 off four overs.

Sunrisers Masters’ 212-7 off 20 overs turned out to be insufficient, as Queenstown Tigers achieved the winning run in the 19th over.

Karan Ramanan hit a topscore for Queenstown Tigers with 63, while Paulo Narine made 37. Antonio Thomas and Gopal Deen snatched two wickets each.

Ravi Beharry, a former Essequibo inter-county opening batsman, slammed 69 for Sunrisers Masters while Deen chipped in with 44. Curtis Russell collected 2-24, and De Young, with two scalps as well, delivered for the Tigers.

The action will continue this Sunday with two matches at venues to be named.

Ravens Sports Club will tackle Hibernia Strikers while CCC and Sunrisers Masters will do battle.

Agarwal and Dhawan set things up Mayank Agarwal came into this game having made three successive singledigit scores, each of them the result of early aggression not quite coming off. That run of low scores didn't change his approach, as he provided the early ammunition for Punjab Kings to charge to 65 for 0 after six overs - the fourthhighest powerplay total of the season, and the highest in Pune.

Agarwal's most concentrated burst of hitting came in the fifth over, when he went 4, 4, 6 against the legspinner M Ashwin. The six was particularly impressive both for intent and execution - he stretched out and wasn't quite to the pitch of the ball, which was also turning away from his hitting arc, but he went through with the shot anyway, and cleared the fielder at long-off. He tried a similar shot in the 10th over off the same bowler, but miscued it to bring an opening partnership of 97 to its end.

Shikhar Dhawan wasn't necessarily less attacking during that stand, but Mumbai's bowlers found him a little easier to tie down by denying him room, even though the best shot of his innings - a ramp over the keeper off Jasprit Bumrah - came when he had next to no room.

Mumbai pull things back The ball before Agarwal's dismissal, ESPNcricinfo's forecaster predicted a PBKS total of 195. By the end of the 17th over, when Dhawan fell for 70 off 50 balls, it had dipped to 182. Various components of Mumbai's strengthened bowling attack - they went with five outand-out bowlers on the day contributed to this fightback. For instance, having given away 17 in his first over, Ashwin conceded only 17 in his next three.

Odean Smith bagged 4-30 and bowled an excellent last over

But foremost among them was Bumrah. Mumbai's spearhead targeted the yorker length right through his four overs, no matter what phase he was bowling in, and generally got it right. On one occasion he got it spectacularly right, bursting through Liam Livingstone to bowl him for 2. He ended the match as the most economical bowler on either side, with figures of 4-0-28-1.

Jitesh and Shahrukh apply the finish In the end, PBKS exceeded the total that had been forecast before Agarwal's dismissal.

This was thanks primarily to Jitesh Sharma, who clattered Jaydev Unadkat for two sixes and two fours in a 23-run 18th over, on his way to an unbeaten 30 off 15 balls.

There was impressive range to his shot-making, which included both a bentknee drive for six over extra-cover and a shuffling reverse-scoop over short third.

Shahrukh Khan did his bit too, muscling two straight sixes off Basil Thampi in the final over, and PBKS set a target that Shikhar Dhawan top scored with 70

would severely challenge a truncated Mumbai line-up.

Rohit comes out swinging Mumbai had only six proper batters, and Unadkat slotted at #7. This, however, didn't cause the top order to bat with extra care. Rohit Sharma, facing plenty of questions over his form, set the tone by attempting two lap-sweeps in the first over, off Vaibhav Arora.

He edged one for four, and he middled the other for six.

Having taken him to 28 off 16, though, Rohit's aggression cost him his wicket, when Kagiso Rabada cramped him for room on the pull. Then Arora got the ball to move off the seam and nicked off Ishan Kishan, and Mumbai were 32 for 2 in the fifth over.

Brevis announces himself Brevis exuded an air of anxiety early in his innings when he swung hard at Arora and

Arshdeep Singh, but he struggled to middle, and on a couple of occasions even connected with, the ball, which was still quite new and still moving around.

A back-foot cover drive for four off Arshdeep, and a slightly hurried pull for six off Odean Smith, served everyone a reminder of his precocious talent, but no one could have seen what would come soon after.

When Brevis came on strike for the second ball of the ninth over, Mumbai needed 135 off 71 balls. When that over ended, the equation read 107 off 66.

On ESPNcricinfo's forecaster, Mumbai's win probability shot up from 13.3% to 48.5%.

Rahul Chahar was at the receiving end, as Brevis went 4, 6, 6, 6. The legspinner's lengths kept changing over those four balls, and his lines too, but Brevis kept hitting him straight or over long-on. His feet took him where he needed to be, and his still head and unfettered, golfer-like bat-swing did the rest - the very qualities that have led cricket watchers all over the world to liken him to AB de Villiers.

With Tilak Varma finding the boundary frequently as well his two sixes were a scoop-pull over short fine leg and a backfoot slash over backward point - Mumbai were flying to their target, as overs nine, 10 and 11 brought 53 runs. Brevis was even dropped during this phase, but he was caught at deep backward square leg off the very next ball, the last of the 11th, to bring PBKS much-needed relief.

Suryakumar fights, but run-outs sink Mumbai Mumbai needed 78 off the last 48 balls. That's a required

rate below 10, which typically favours the batting side, so long as they don't lose two quick wickets and expose the lower order. As it happened, they gifted PBKS those two wickets, with Tilak Varma run-out in the 13th over following a mixup with Suryakumar Yadav, and Kieron Pollard run-out in the 17th when he couldn't match his partner's fleetness of foot but still responded to his call for a second run.

In between, Suryakumar and Pollard scored only 19 runs off overs 14, 15 and 16, as PBKS tightened up with the ball, and as Mumbai made what seemed a conscious and forced effort to take the match deep, given the paucity of the batting to follow.

When Pollard was run out, Mumbai needed 47 off 23 balls. Still doable in the normal scheme of things, but they had only one recognised batter in the middle.

Suryakumar kept their hopes alive with successive sixes off Arora in the 17th over, but he could only get on strike for two balls of the 18th over, as Arshdeep conceded just five runs with a mix of stump-tostump yorkers and wide yorkers.

By the end of that over, the leftarmer's death-overs economy rate for the season stood at 4.33.

Forced to go after everything now, Suryakumar holed out off Rabada in the 19th over. It left Mumbai needing 22 off the last six, and a pulled six from Unadkat off the first ball gave them their last injection of hope.

But Odean Smith, switching to round the wicket, dismissed Unadkat off the third ball, and eventually ended the game with a nine-run, triple-wicket over.

(Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD PUNJAB KINGS INNINGS (20 overs maximum) Mayank Agarwal (c) c Yadav b Ashwin 52 Shikhar Dhawan c Pollard b Basil Thampi 70 Jonny Bairstow b Unadkat 12 Liam Livingstone b Bumrah 2 Jitesh Sharma † not out 30 M Shahrukh Khan b Basil Thampi 15 Odean Smith not out 1 Extras (lb 8, w 8) 16 TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 9.90) 198/5 Did not bat: Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora, Arshdeep Singh Fall of wickets: 1-97 (Mayank Agarwal, 9.3 ov), 2-127 (Jonny Bairstow, 13.5 ov), 3-130 (Liam Livingstone, 14.3 ov), 4-151 (Shikhar Dhawan, 16.6 ov), 5-197 (M Shahrukh Khan, 19.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Basil Thampi 4-0-47-2 Jaydev Unadkat 4-0-44-1 Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-28-1 Murugan Ashwin 4-0-34-1 Tymal Mills 4-0-37-0 MUMBAI INDIANS INNINGS (Target: 199 runs from 20 overs) Rohit Sharma (c) c Arora b Rabada 28 Ishan Kishan †c †Sharma b Arora 3

Dewald Brevis c Arshdeep Singh b Smith 49 Tilak Varma run out (Agarwal/ Arshdeep Singh) 36 Suryakumar Yadav c Smith b Rabada 43 Kieron Pollard run out (Smith/†Sharma) 10 Jaydev Unadkat c Agarwal b Smith 12 Murugan Ashwin not out 0 Jasprit Bumrah c Dhawan b Smith 0 Tymal Mills c Agarwal b Smith 0 Extras (nb 1, w 4) 5 TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 9.30) 186/9 Did not bat: Basil Thampi Fall of wickets: 1-31 (Rohit Sharma, 3.4 ov), 2-32 (Ishan Kishan, 4.1 ov), 3-116 (Dewald Brevis, 10.6 ov), 4-131 (Tilak Varma, 12.5 ov), 5-152 (Kieron Pollard, 16.1 ov), 6-177 (Suryakumar Yadav, 18.4 ov), 7-185 (Jaydev Unadkat, 19.3 ov), 8-186 (Jasprit Bumrah, 19.4 ov), 9-186 (Tymal Mills, 19.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Vaibhav Arora 4-0-43-1 Kagiso Rabada 4-0-29-2 Arshdeep Singh 4-0-29-0 Odean Smith 3-0-30-4 Liam Livingstone 1-0-11-0 Rahul Chahar 4-0-44-0

22 Youth cricketers benefit from BCB/Cricket Kindness Project THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– clubs and schools to benefit soon

Cricketers, along with BCB officials, posing with the gear they received

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host of young and promising cricketers in the ancient county of Berbice last weekend benefited from donation of cricket gears from the Berbice Cricket Board-organized Cricket Kindness Project.

The youths were drawn from across the county, and were selected by their respective clubs based on their discipline, attitude, and need for cricket gear.

The presentation was done in the compound of the St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in Port Mourant, and was done via a transparent system supervised by BCB President Hilbert Foster, Secretary Angela Haniff, Public

Relations Officer Jonathan Rampersaud, and executive members Gregory Crandon and Narine Deonarine.

Foster has said that the project actually started in late 2020, when former England Test player Roland Butcher contacted him to inform that he was submitting the BCB’s name to a group named Cricket Kindness, for possible assistance in the form of cricket gear.

Foster disclosed that the head of that organisation, Ms. Tamara Lowe, requested a comprehensive proposal, which was submitted by the BCB. Cricket Kindness is an England-based charitable

organisation that assists clubs, youth players and schools with cricket gear. The group works collaboratively with a wide range of former Test players like Butcher, Chris Lewis, Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Gordon Greenidge and Sir Richie Richardson, among others, to gather support and funds to make its operation successful. The group receives gear on an annual basis from supporters across the United Kingdom, especially current players, schools and cricket teams.

Foster hailed Ms. Lowe for her dedication to the effort of making a possible difference in the Caribbean, with countries like Barbados,

St Kitts and Antigua benefiting in the past from millions of dollars’ worth of cricket gear.

Cricketing legends Sir Vivian Richards and Sir Gordon Greenidge were recently involved in Cricket Kindness programmes in Antigua and Barbados respectively.

Special gratitude has been extended to the management and staff of ECU Worldwide, for their assistance in getting the much-needed gear moved from England to Guyana free of cost. Gratitude has also been extended to Minister Charles Ramson and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for their support in getting the gear duty-free into the country.

U-17 Boys Javon Roberts (800m) U-20 Girls Keliza Smith (100m, 200m), Karese Lloyd (100m, 200m), Hannah Reid (400m), Adriel Austin (800m), Anisha Gibbons (javelin) U-20 Boys Shamar Horatio (100m, 200m), Ezekiel Newton (100m, 200m), Wesley Tyndall (long jump), Gabriel Lim (javelin and discus), Trevon Hamer (triple jump), Stafon Roach (triple jump) Sham Johnny and Raymond Daw are the coaches of the team, and Nadine Trotz is the Team Manager.

When the last CARIFTA Games were staged in 2019 in the Cayman Islands, Guyana’s record 21-athlete contingent finished with nine medals: four gold, two silver and three bronze.

Easter Regatta

The BCB has also expressed gratitude to Mr. Carl Griffith and team from Laparkan for their cooperation and support in regard to the gear getting into Guyana.

Among the gear distributed were bats, batting gloves and pads, wicket-keeping gloves, helmets, forearm guards, chest pads and thigh pads.

Six clubs across the county also received white cricket uniforms for junior members.

Eighteen members of Berbice under-15 teams also received coloured t-shirts under the project, and 16 youths also carried home cricket boots.

The distribution would continue on Sunday April

24 during the BCB Annual Awards Ceremony, with several schools and clubs that have youth sections receiving gear to assist in their cricket development programmes.

The players and representatives of the clubs have all expressed thanks to Ms Tamara Lowe, Cricket Kindness, and ECU Worldwide for their assistance, and have pledged to take care of the cricket gear. Players were drawn from Bush Lot United, Achievers, Cotton Tree, Bath, Albion, Guymine, Albion, Port Mourant, RHTY&SC, Skeldon, Radha Krishna, No 73 Young Warriors, Line Path and Scottsburg among others.

GCOS backs CARIFTA team BK Quarries backs Bartica

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Leslie Blacks of the Guyana Committee of Service made presentations of US$100 to each of the CARIFTA Games athletes and Team Manager Nadine Trotz prior to their departure on Wednesday for Jamaica

he Guyana Committee of Service (GCOS) has again stepped up to be a benefactor for local sportsmen and women.

On Tuesday, two of its members, Leslie Blacks and Linden ‘Jumbie’ Jones, made presentations of tokens to each of the CARIFTA Games athletes prior to their departure for Jamaica on Wednesday.

The tokens of appreciation,

according to Blacks, will tie into any personal needs that may arise in the ‘Land of Wood and Water’ during the athletes’ sojourn.

During the April 16-18 Games, Guyana will be represented by 14 track and field standouts.

The athletes selected are as follows: U-17 Girls Narissa McPherson (800m), Attoya Harvey (800m, 1500m, 3000m)

GFSCA mourns the passing of Lakhram ‘Mike’ Singh

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he Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association is saddened at the passing of its founding member and long serving Treasurer Lakhram ‘Mike’ Singh, who recently succumbed whilst representing Wellman Masters in the just concluded Sunshine Cup in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The second game of the tournament, held two weeks ago, was almost concluded when tragedy struck.

Due to his leg-spinning exploits in softball cricket in Guyana and abroad, Lakhram Singh was deservingly nicknamed Shane Warne, after Australia and the world’s greatest legspinner.

Mike’s softball career started in the late eighties, and he was a major player in the success of softball cricket in and out of Guyana. He sponsored many teams and competitions in the softball arena. At the time of his demise, he was a sponsor of youth hard

Mike Singh preparing to bowl in the 2021 edition of the Prime Minister’s Cup

ball cricket in the ancient county of Berbice, and supported many young players and cricket clubs across the length and breadth of Guyana.

Mike played a pivotal role in the success of the annual cricket tournament, Guyana Softball Cup, run by the GFSCA. His achievements in the world of sports are unmatchable, and he will be remembered for his smiling face. He was also a popular and

successful businessman, being the owner of Mike’s Pharmacy.

“The GFSCA family takes this opportunity to extend sincere condolences to his wife and two kids, family, relatives, friends, and everyone from the softball fraternity.

His funeral will be held on Thursday April 14. He will be cremated at Good Hope Crematorium at 2pm.

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Rickford Innis of BK Quarries (left) handing over the contribution to Magiva Gonsalves of the Regatta Committee

K Quarries, located in the Mazaruni River, is the latest business entity to throw its support behind Bartica Easter Regatta 2022, which is being held under the theme ‘Bounce Back’.

Activities in this Regatta have already commenced; an exciting football tourney got underway on Saturday last at the Bartica Community Centre Ground, while Gospel Fest was hosted on Monday night last.

A longtime partner of the Regatta activities, BK Quarries, through its representative Mr. Rickford Innis, made a financial contribution towards this year’s activities on Monday last.

Innis noted that this company is pleased to see the event making a comeback

after being put on hold for two years as a result of COVID-19.

“We are elated to see this event, the main staple of this community, making a comeback, and we know that Barticians and Guyanese on the whole would be capitalising on attending the various activities planned. We wish you the best.”

Receiving the contribution on behalf of the Bartica Regatta Committee, Magiva Gonsalves extended gratitude to BK Quarries.

Meanwhile, the highlyanticipated Regatta Power Boat races, which would only be for one day, are set for Easter Sunday at the Bartica Golden Beach and Racing Circuit from 10:00hrs.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Trinidad & Tobago to host 8 Hero CPL matches in 2022

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ugust 30th marks the start of Hero Caribbean Premier League 2022, and the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago has been confirmed as one of the host locations for this season’s matches.

There will be eight matches played in Trinidad during the period September 12 – 18, with home team Trinbago Knight Riders taking part in four of those games.

The Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe,

Minister of Sport and Community Development, has said: “The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is excited to partner with the Hero Caribbean Premier League, and welcomes back the Biggest Party in Sport to the Home of Carnival as we host the 2022 edition of the Hero CPL. This opportunity serves as an investment into positioning Trinidad & Tobago as a regional leader in sports tourism,

especially in this redefined sphere of sport events in the post-pandemic era. “Live spectators are an essential element of sport, so fans are welcome to return to the stands in support of their teams and favourite players.

In T&T, we continue to champion safe practices while having fun, as all COVID-19 protocols would be adhered to during the games.”

Trinidad & Tobago was the host for the Hero CPL in 2020, and the

matches were played behind closed doors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With restrictions now being relaxed in Trinidad and Tobago, the unique energy and excitement of cricket fans will come alive at all the matches, bringing a return to the fantastic atmosphere the tournament has missed over the previous two seasons. Eager fans can expect a favourable schedule; half of the matches will be at 10am, offering

great family entertainment, with the Hero CPL planning to work with local schools and sports clubs to encourage young cricket fans and their families to attend. There will also be the traditional evening games, where the Trinbago Knight Riders will play all their matches.

The home team will be looking to continue their excellent form when playing in front of their passionate fans.

23 Hero CPL CEO Pete Russell

Pete Russell, Hero CPL CEO, has said: “Trinidad & Tobago has been a huge part of the success of Hero CPL, and we are delighted to be back for 2022. The atmosphere at venues in Trinidad has always been fantastic, and we know that the fans will be hugely excited to be back at the Biggest Party in Sport.” (CPLT20.COM)

ETHAN LEE WINS NATIONAL JUNIOR CHESS QUALIFIERS – National Junior Chess Championships set for this weekend

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9-year-old Ethan Lee has emerged victorious after tense rivalry over the last four days in the Guyana Chess Federation’s Junior Chess Qualifiers.

Lee, former student of Marian Academy, racked up 6 points after playing undefeated for five rounds, and drawing his final two matches against top player Ricardo Narine and his own brother Ronan Lee. Ricardo Narine, former Queen’s College and current University of Guyana student, placed second, with Keron Sandiford of Saint Stanislaus College earning third place. The top three players each finished on 6 points.

These players have earned their spot at the Junior Nationals, alongside Marian Academy’s Ronan Lee with 5.5 points, School of the Nations student Rajiv Lee with 5.5 points, University of Guyana’s Sasha Shariff with 5.5 points, MTV employee Jessica Callender with 5 points, Matthew Singh of Queen’s College with 5 points, Kyle Couchman of Queen’s College with

Ethan Lee

5 points, and Mayas Khan of Marian Academy with 5 points, who all finished 4th to 10th respectively.

Tie-break systems Direct Encounter, Buchholz and Sonneborn-Berger were used to determine the positions of the players. Marian Academy student Micaiah Enoe, who also finished on 5 points, was awarded a trophy for the best U16 player. Pooja Lam from the Saraswati Vidya Niketan School finished on 4.5 points and received the trophy for best U14 player. Nicholas Zhang, from School of the Nations was best U12 player with 4.5 points. Mae’s students Julian Mohabir (4 points) and his brother Landon Mohabir (3 points) were best U10 and U8 players respectively.

Prizes were distributed outside of the top ten players. Regional prizes were awarded to the following players: Anasie Fredericks of Tapakuma, a student of Anna Regina Secondary in Region Two, who finished with 4 points. Oluwadare Oyeyipo of the University of Guyana,

who, with 4 points, was the top player from Region Three. Queen’s College students Ciel Clement from Region 6 and Jasmine Simpson from Region 10, who finished on 3 and 2 points respectively, took home medals.

Queen’s College children comprised the largest contingent at the qualifiers, while Bishops’ High School, Saint Stanislaus College, Marian Academy, Mae’s and School of the Nations were the main schools participating in the tournament.

Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, was present at the awards ceremony.

The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Honourable Charles Ramson Jr, was unable to attend because of prior commitments. Ninvalle praised the progress the Guyana Chess Federation has made in developing the sport across Guyana, and attributed the success to strong leadership by GCF President Frankie Farley and his executive committee.

He was also very impressed with the Federation’s expansive nursery programme after noting that this tournament saw nearly 70 junior players competing at a high level. He has pledged the National Sports Commission’s support in advancing the game even further in the future.

Frankie Farley, President of the Guyana Chess Federation, also remarked on the progress of the GCF over the past years, and attributed its success to the executive committee who has been working diligently to ensure that the game of chess would continue to grow in Guyana and provide opportunities to players of all ages.

Anand Raghunauth, GCF Vice President, in his address, emphasised the need for funding for various aspects in order for the Federation to carry out its mandate.

The Guyana Chess Federation wishes to express its gratitude to its main sponsor of the

Guyanese athletes at CARIFTA Games 2022…

CARIFTA qualification is a dream realised for Javon Roberts

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his Easter weekend, a 2-year dream that Javon Roberts had before the Coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020 will be realised when he steps on to the track in Kingston, Jamaica for the 49th CARIFTA Games.

At the first CARIFTA trials held by the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) back in February, Roberts finished two seconds beyond the flat two-minute qualification mark set for the Under-17 800m race, clocking 2:02.65 on that occasion.

However, the first-time qualifier for the regional games did not allow that shortcoming to deter him from his goal. In fact, the Running Brave Athletics Club (RBAC) member was unfazed, and returned two weeks later to cross the line in 1:59.53, qualifying for his first CARIFTA Games.

Overcome with emotion, Roberts expressed pride in his

achievement. “At first I didn’t know what was the time, then after my coach come and say, ‘You did it!’ and I was just so proud of myself,” the teenager told Guyana Times Sport during a one-on-one interview.

He added, with a broad smile, “I’m very proud! Very happy!

Excited! I trained so hard, so long, and every day I put in the work; just had to trust my coaches, and I finally got there.”

The middle-distance athlete says he has been dreaming of representing Guyana at the CARIFTA Games since 2020, but had to postpone his goal owing to the Games’ cancellation in 2020 and 2021.

“Since 2020! Of course, I was training then, but COVID come, kinda ruined it. I just had to focus; and then 2022, it finally happened,” he related to this publication.

Javon Roberts will compete in his first CARIFTA Games this Easter weekend

Once he gets to ‘The Land of Wood and Water’, the teenager’s plan is pretty simple: focus, execution and medal for Guyana.

“Just go out there and do like what I do every day: execute training, hope everything come together, and I could bring home the gold for my country,” he answered when quizzed about his intentions for this weekend’s regional tournament.

Roberts will be part of a 14-member contingent representing Guyana at the 49th edition of the CARIFTA Games in Kingston, Jamaica, from April 1618.

event, De Sinco Ltd, who provided Beep products in the form of sanitizers and disinfectant sprays for the tournament, as well as medals, trophies and gifts for the prize winners. The GCF looks forward to continued partnership with De Sinco

Ltd. Gratitude is also extended to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for granting use of the National Stadium for the holding of the event; to the GEA for providing water for the players, and to Sunshine Snacks for the snacks provided.

The Nationals will be played in a round-robin format that would last for nine rounds. Games will be played on Saturday April 16th and on Wednesday April 20th, when a winner will emerge as the National Junior Champion 2022.

Bartica Regatta Football…

Finalists to be decided in tonight’s semi-final matches

and too late to save the Rising Stars from crashing out of the promise of gold in this tournament.

The action in tonight’s other semi-final match will get underway at 19:00h, and would feature Potaro Strikers coming up against Lazio, these two teams having defeated Wolves United and Beacons respectively in their opening matches of this knockout competition.

Tonight’s respective winners will

AK Galaxy

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he two teams that would be battling for the top prize of an ounce of gold or its equivalent in cash would be known after the proverbial dust is settled in tonight’s semi-final matches of the Bartica Easter Regatta Football competition.

Organised by the Bartica Football Association (BFA) in conjunction with the Bartica Regatta Committee (BRC), this football competition is being contested at the Bartica Community Centre Ground, where the final two quarter-final matches that were played last Tuesday evening served up another set of surprise results.

AX Galaxy, the proverbial new kids on the block, continued their fairytale run when they turned back the challenge of Mil Ballers by the lone goal of that contest, which came off the boots of Melvin Otero in the 31st minute.

It was AX Galaxy’s second win in as many matches, their having defeated Agatash FC by four goals to nil in an elimination clash in the opening match of the competition last Saturday night.

Rivers View

These ‘new kids’ will now attempt to replicate their winning performance against Rivers View FC tonight, the Rivers View lads having taken care of business against Rising Stars by the margin of two goals to one.

Antonio Jones in the 43rd minute and Andrew Simmons in the 55th minute had laid the early foundation for Rivers View to stave off a late surge from Rising Stars, whose lone strike was recorded by Ian Gomes five minutes to full time.

That strike was, however, too little

play in Saturday night’s final, which would be preceded by the thirdplace matchup among the respective losers. These matches would be punctuated by the final of the female tournament, the semi-finals of which were set for last evening.

On Sunday, powerboat racing will take centre stage, with the likes of Randy Belle and Dave ‘The Jaguar’ Scott in their Formula One boats expected to create a storm in the welcoming waters of the Golden Beach.

Guyana Volleyball Federation to benefit from FIVB developmental assistance

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resident of the Guyana Volleyball Federation, Levi Nedd, has successfully attended and participated in the 76th Congress of the South American Volleyball Confederation, held in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on 13th April 2022.

In a discussion with FIVB President Dr. Ary Garcia and South American Confederation President Dr. Marco Tullio G. Teixeira, on the way forward for volleyball in Guyana, Nedd made representation for a number of developmental projects, which will be requested through the World Volleyball Donations platform FIVB. Nedd’s major requests were for a volleyball floor, technical development in referee and indoor coaching, and provision of other equipment. He also requested renewed ties with Brasil’s the "BIG BROTHER" TWINNING, and

From left: Fabio Acevedo, General Manager of FIVB; Levi Nedd, President of the Guyana Volleyball Federation; Dr. Ary Garcia, President of FIVB; Dr. Tullio, President of the South American Volleyball Confederation

renewed relationships with the three Guianas in tournaments.

Guyana is also looking to attend and participate in the South American Male and Female Indoor Tournaments to be held in Asuncion, Paraguay from October 2nd to 6th, 2022 for males and October 10th to 14th, 2022 for females.

Moreover, Guyana is looking to participate in the male and female Beach Tournaments which would be held from October 11th to 15th in Paraguay, and as such is expected to garner much support from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and other entities to realise this goal.

THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022

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

Guyanese athletes at CARIFTA Games 2022…

GOA boosts CARIFTA athletics, swim teams

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head of the regional flagship event the CARIFTA Games, which will be staged in Kingston, Jamaica during the period April 16-19, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) on Wednesday afternoon dished out a total of $3.2M to the teams representing Guyana in athletics and swimming. The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has received $2M, while the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) has received $1.2M. Both events will be staged this weekend, with track and field slated for April 16 to 18, while swimming is billed for April 16-19 in Barbados.

At a simple ceremony on Wednesday afternoon, GOA President K.A. Juman-Yassin expressed elation at being able to support these Associations which fall under his mandate, while he highlighted the work being done by the Associations.

Yassin shared, “The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) is very

happy and pleased to be able to assist several Associations.”

Looking at the Associations individually, he said, “I know it has been an uphill task for Aubrey (Hutson) to be able to get the compete funding, but I believe with our contribution, it should go a very, very far way. And I want to wish them all the best.

“We are happy also to give a contribution of $1.2M to GASA. They are going also to the CARIFTA Games, and I want to wish them all the best,” he added. “I could say that since President Dwayne (Scott) has taken over, GASA and the team has been going to several games.”

On the receiving end of the GOA’s generosity, AAG President Aubrey Hutson articulated the intention of his team to return with medals, while expressing gratitude to the GOA. “I must say thanks a lot to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) under the stewardship of Mr. Juman-Yassin, for his contribution to track and

field; and we know we continue to represent Guyana every time we go out there,” Hutson shared.

He added, “You know, we’re one of the sports within the Olympic fraternity that continue to do well, and I think it is only fitting that they could continue to support us, so that we can make this nation look better and better.”

The script was almost the same with GASA President Dwayne Scott, who spoke highly of the GOA’s continuous support.

Scott related, “I would like to share sincere appreciation to the Olympic Association. I mean, Mr. Yassin and team have always been supportive of our programme, and whenever we reach out to them, they’ve always been helpful in whatever way they can.”

The GASA President added, “We’re very much appreciative of the continuous support and drive that is shown towards our prospect for development.”

Guyana’s Track and Field CARIFTA team consists of 14

GOA President KA Juman-Yassin is flanked by GASA President Dwayne Scott and AAG President Aubrey Hutson

athletes and three officials, namely: Naris McPherson, Attoya Harvey, Keliza Smith, Karese Lloyd, Hannah Reid, Adriel Austin, Anisha Gibbons, Javon Roberts, Shamar Horatio, Ezekiel Newton, Wesley Tyndall, Gabriel Lim, Trevon Hamer

and Stafon Roach. Coaches are Sham Johnny and Raymond Daw, and Team Manager is Nadine Trotz.

The Swimming team comprises of 10 athletes and three officials, namely: Mario Ramkhalawan, Vishal Babulal,

Daniel Claxton, Ethan Gonsalves, Zara Crane, Nathan Jackson, Elliot Gonsalves, Shareefah Lewis, Marius Ramkhalawan, Amber DeGoeas, Sean Baksh and Shyka Gonsalves. Team Manager is Elkie Rodrigues.

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream and QualiTea Café Kids Golf Funday and Golf Tourney set for this Saturday golf course ahead and come with your parent, and we will reserve someone who will give them some tutoring.

“So, from Saturday going forward, we hope to see more interest from the kids going forward between the ages of 6 and 15. They can come out to the course and practice free of cost.”

will be participating in the fun day. He noted that he is expecting kids from Linden and Berbice to take part in the fun day. He explained that it’s more than just golf, as it’s one of the only sports where you police yourself, hence one of the first things that will be taught to the children will be integrity.

The Bruster’s proprietor

Bruster’s proprietor Paton George handing over the cheque to LGC PRO Anasha Ally

By Timothy Jaikarran

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ome this Saturday, the Lusignan Golf Club will be host to the Bruster’s Real Ice Cream and QualiTea Café Kids Golf Funday and Golf Tournament. The fun day will commence at 14:00 hrs and conclude at 17:00 hrs, while

the golf tournament will tee off from 09:00 hrs to 13:00 hrs.

Speaking on behalf Bruster’s Ice Cream at a simple ceremony was proprietor Paton George, who said, “We spoke, about a year ago, to expand the game of golf to the broader communities and nationwide. The second

part of the tournament is the fun day, which will bring kids into the game. This is sort of an inaugural event for anyone in Guyana to get involved. We’ve reduced the cost to zero for kids to come and practice, so any kid who wants to practice (can) come and practice; just call the

Proprietor of Bruster’s Ice Cream, Paton George, making a donation to COLAACO School’s Administrator, Lincoln Robinson

George also made a timely donation to Colaaco School, some of the students of which

spoke on the importance of integrity, as it is something you can spend a lifetime building,

and yet lose same in a day. He stated that while it is a day for the children, it will focus more on ethics, being honest to yourself, and many other things.

The fun day will be open to children 15 years and under, and will include a drive, chip and putt challenge. The fun day will feature free golf prizes, free ice cream and snacks, and free practice and coaching all day.

The format of the golf tournament will be 18 holes Medal play shotgun start, playing with full handicap.

Those interested can call 2205660. Registration closes at 17:00 hrs on Friday, April 15.

The prizes up for grabs will be Best Gross overall, Longest Drive #12, Nearest to the flag #4, Best net front 9, Best net back 9, Best net overall - First (champion Player of the day), Second-runner up and Thirdrunner up.

Participants must give themselves adequate time to report to the manager, collect their score cards, and proceed to their allotted tee boxes for a 9am start, the blast of the horn is the signal for all players to start teeing off.

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