Guyana Times -- Thursday December 17, 2020

P14

US Special Forces, GDF ranks complete joint training

…as 122 soldiers complete Junior Leaders' course Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4502

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020

President Ali announces 2 weeks' tax-free bonus, special housing for Police Page 3

…tells senior cops to find ways to win public trust

Govt distributes 91 land titles in 1 week to Region 2 residents GRA should aim to be world-class tax administration – Finance Minister

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Road fatalities spike as serious crimes tumble – Top Cop P16

Damaged GPL submarine cable

Company eyes reconnection of severed cable within days P14

Page 15

Page 15

…43 new cases recorded

Pensioner to serve 11.5 years for P8 killing stepdaughter

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh inspecting GRA’s Container Scanner Unit on Wednesday

…reiterates Govt’s zero tolerance for corruption

Killer begs for forgiveness before serving 15-year jail sentence P12

ERC probing DPP orders “dangerous” psychiatric social media post evaluation attributed to Cathy Hughes of mother See story on page 5

2 Region 4 P9 pensioners die from COVID-19

Battered girl in swamp

Page 2

…Hughes says post “doctored” …“my daughter is a fighter” – emotional father

Woman dies after GDF rank “falls asleep”, crashes into median

Haitians breached Immigration Act, deemed P17 “prohibited” by giving false information – AG

Pages 10&12

…as cop among several injured in 5-vehicle smash-up

Police commander busted with P15 smuggled liquor offers to pay taxes

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Battered girl in swamp

DPP orders psychiatric evaluation of mother ...“my daughter is a fighter” – emotional father woman to undergo psychiatric evaluation.

By Andrew Carmichael

S

ix-year-old Shania Ramsarran, who was found in an unconscious state on Sunday after she was severely beaten by her mother, continues to recover well at the Georgetown Public Hospital. The child was hospitalised after being picked up in an unconscious state by her grandfather in a swamp near to her Goed Bananen Land, East Canje, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) home.

Her mother later confessed to law enforcement officers that she had beaten the child with a 2x2 piece of wood.

On Wednesday, the child’s mother was released on station bail as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advised the Police to facilitate the process for the 25-year-

“My daughter is a fighter”

Steve Ramsarran

old mother of two to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

Regional Commander Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan has said arrangements are being made to have the mother face the law for her actions.

Arrangements have also already been made for the

Meanwhile, the girl’s father, Steve Ramsarran, 33, who has spent most of the time since Sunday evening at his daughter’s bedside at the Georgetown Public Hospital, said Shania has a special purpose in life. He referred to his six-year-old daughter as being a fighter.

“She is a lily warrior,” he added. “She is speaking and she is in her right senses for now. We are not pressuring her. She knows her name, she knows her age, she can walk,” Ramsarran said.

Shania is nursing lacerations to her head, and both of her eyes are swollen and black and blue.

Ramsaran said his daughter is very scared of her mother.

However, Ramsarran related that on some occasions when he went to visit his daughter, he could tell that something was wrong.

However, he would only get the truth after probing. He said on two occasions he was told by his daughter that she was beaten by her mother.

"I confronted her there and then and asked her why she beat the girl. She telling me that the girl is bad and don't listen to her.”

He said he thought it might just be seen as harsh scolding, but now it is being revealed to him the extent of the ill-treatment the six-year-old girl had to endure almost daily. He said that neighbours should have spoken out.

"They could have met me on the road or try to get my number and call me… I could have prevented this;

The swampy area where the battered child was found

if they had just made one phone call, this would not have happened," an emotional Ramsarran said.

The taxi driver said he is now fearful for his daughter’s life if she is allowed to continue to reside with her mother.

The couple have been separated for more than three years.

Ramsarean said that they had mutually agreed that the five-year-old daughter would live with

him and the six-year-old with her mother.

"I have to take this opportunity to get my daughter out of this mess," he said.

Recounting the moment, he took his daughter from her grandfather who pulled her out of a swamp, Ramsarran said she was covered in mud, which was also in her eyes and nose.

He described his feelings at that moment as being “angry.” TURN TO PAGE 5

NEWS

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, December 17 – 04:30h-06:00h and Friday, December 18 – 04:30h-06:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, December 17 – 06:10h-07:40h and Friday, December 18 – 06:45h-08:15h.

President Ali announces 2 weeks’ taxfree bonus, special housing for Police …tells senior cops to find ways to win public trust intangible way, it would be more satisfying.

Professionalism

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President Irfaan Ali delivering remarks at the Police Force’s Annual Christmas Breakfast. Also in photo are Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday announced the payment of two weeks’ tax-free bonus for ranks of the Guyana Police Force – something which he says is part of a menu of measures that his Government is looking at to enhance and improve the welfare of the men and women in uniform.

The Head of State was at the time addressing senior officers at the Police Force’s Annual Christmas Breakfast at the Officers Mess at Eve Leary, Kingston.

“Of course you will benefit from this [bonus] before the end of the year. We have also announced many initiatives that you are benefiting from in the COVID relief aspect of things. But we're also looking at additional support that can enhance your welfare and improve your living conditions…I assure you, your life will be better off year after year over the next five years,” President Ali posited.

According to the Head of State, the welfare of the men and women in uniform and that of their families is paramount to his Government.

However, he noted that while there will be “noticeable improvements” in their lives over the coming years, this should not be driven only by incentives.

“A lot of professionals believe that we should go on a case outcome basis for incentives in the Police Force similar to a production incentive in other industries.

I don't believe this to be the only way forward, because we must never give the im-

pression that our only driving force to resolve a case is incentives and reward; that can never be it. It is our oath and commitment to office, it is our love for country and people,” he asserted.

The President pointed out that when this is the driving force behind any performance, the reward will not only be immense in a tangible way, but, in an

To this end, the Head of State charged the Police Force’s hierarchy to ensure that professionalism is maintained within the organization, so as to enhance its public image and improve on public trust.

“For you who serve in the Police Force, professionalism is the embodiment of everything you do. And I'm not asking for anything beyond that, beyond that professionalism. That would see a remarkable improvement in the way the population views

you, views your uniform, and views the Government; because, by extension, your performance and executive performance goes hand in hand,” he stated.

President Ali went on to tell the senior Police officers that they should lead the way in building a legacy of team work and public trust for the public to see.

“I ask you, the senior and commanding officers, for us to introspect and for us to strategically come up with possible new ways or modified ways in winning that trust, in winning that confidence,” he noted.

TURN TO PAGE 5

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020

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

Putting country first

I

t is quite unfortunate that former President David Granger declined President Dr Irfaan Ali’s invitation to meet with former presidents to engage in “frank discussions” on national issues. Many were hoping that Mr Granger would have used the opportunity to put national interest in front of party politics, especially considering the events post March 2 General and Regional Elections, which saw his party attempting to alter the results of the polls in his favour.

However, in his usual style, Mr Granger sought to play with words, in what was considered a straightforward matter which could have been worked out easily if he had attended the meeting in the first place. Granger, in a statement days before the meeting was scheduled to begin, said the invitation he received neither explained the purpose of the intended meeting nor recommended an agenda for examination.

The statement explained: “There was no indication of the preparation that would be needed, the relevance of the engagement to government policies, and the outcome that would be expected from deliberations. The President’s intention, on the other hand, according to newspaper reports, was to generate ideas on ‘Guyana’s development’”.

Mr Granger also alluded to certain governmental actions in relation to the rate of deaths as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; unwarranted dismissals of public servants; harassment of Elections Commission officials, and human rights violations. For many, this is seen as unnecessary political banter, which Mr Granger is known for since he took office as President in May 2015 up until his defeat at the March 2020 polls.

In what was seen as a magnanimous political gesture, President Ali had made it clear that the meeting was intended to bring all the former presidents together in a free-flowing discussion, one in which they could have all placed issues they have a passion about on the agenda. And following the initial discussions, steps would be taken to have the issues characterised into various categories in an effort to move forward.

Notwithstanding, the engagement went ahead on Tuesday with President Ali and former PPP/C presidents Donald Ramotar, Samuel Hinds and Dr Bharrat Jagdeo. From all indications, a number of important issues were discussed, among them border security, Guyana’s sovereignty, Electoral and Constitutional Reform and environmental concerns etc.

We believe that Mr Granger missed a golden opportunity to commence a process which could have laid the groundwork for a more meaningful political dialogue between the Government and the Opposition. Mr Granger could have attended the meeting armed with his own set of issues he wished to see placed on the national agenda for discussion.

He is a former president and his ideas would not have been easily dismissed by the present leader. As one letter writer pointed out, the office of the Presidency in any part of the world transcends any one individual, and one must respect the office and be willing to go to extraordinary measures to make the office and country better.

Many have expressed that this consultation at the level of the incumbent and former presidents would have eased the level of political tension, and bridged the gap between the two opposing sides. It would have been a good image for the country, and informed not only citizens here, but investors and other international development partners that Guyanese leaders are willing to put partisan politics aside and work together for the national good.

Further, it was a good opportunity for Mr Granger to begin the process of transforming his image after blatant attempts by some party officials to alter the results of the March polls in his favour. In addition to being a weak and aloof leader, he has to date not condemned the actions of top party officials to derail the polls.

The President has promised that he would continue to extend an open door to Mr Granger in his capacity as a former president. It was announced that the engagement with former presidents will now be quarterly; it is still not too late for Mr Granger to reconsider his position. We hope that he would see the need to put country first, above his own political interests. One may want to believe that the majority of his supporters want him to act in a mature and responsible manner.

That said, this level of goodwill by President Ali should also be extended to the Opposition Leader and/or his representatives, to be engaged in political dialogue in a more structured and results-oriented manner.

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guards display their version of a snowman at the Coast Guard Ship Hinds (CGSH) on Soldiers’ Day, observed on Tuesday (GDF photo)

How does one measure the effectiveness of the GPF?

Dear Editor, If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there. This is a quote from Alice in Wonderland, a novel written

by Lewis Carroll and published in 1865. The quote was relevant then, and it is appropriate today.

According to a report in the print media, the Ministry of Home Affairs will be conducting a survey for citizens, since their views are vital for the Force to understand the public and work towards getting citizens involved in developing policies and improving the practice of policing.

The release stated that the purpose of the survey is to determine how effective the GPF is when dealing with the public; and the stage of trust, confidence and satisfaction of citizens.

I am not certain what methodology would be employed, who will be targeted, who will be conducting the survey, whether or not it will be countrywide, and how long it will last. Perhaps the ideal thing to do is to conduct a Job Task Analysis throughout the country. Such an analysis is painstaking, expensive, scientific, and calls for a lot of time: months, but the benefits of conducting such an analysis would be colossal.

However, the planned survey by the Ministry is a small step in the right direction. Half a loaf is better than no loaf. Green shoots will emerge; they will be fruitful.

The vexed question is:

How does one measure the effectiveness of the GPF and the quality of service its members deliver to the citizens they swore to serve and protect? Ask any regional commander how his/her division is performing. The classical answer one will get is that there is minus or plus reports in reported crimes, arrests made, crimes solved, and traffic accidents recorded. This appears to be the main measuring tool for effectiveness.

Many persons, including police officers, tend to use crime rates, numbers of arrest and case clearance rates to measure how the police are doing. According to Wayne W Bennett and Karen W Hess, such measures have several problems: Low crime rates do not necessarily mean a police agency is efficient and effective. A high arrest rate does not necessarily show that the police are doing a good job. A high ratio of police to citizens does not necessarily mean high quality police service. Responding quickly to calls for service does not necessarily indicate that a police agency is efficient.

There are also the dark figures, crimes not reported, and ‘ghosting’ - falsifying patrol logs to ‘make the numbers come out right.”

While serving as a member of the Force, I frequently heard the following words, “Boy, cock the stats so that we can look good.” It was done. I do not know if it is now happening in the GPF. Kramer and Fielder (2002) opined that arrest

and tickets tabulate only events; they do not measure whether or not the activities were completed efficiently and effectively, and they do not describe what impact the activities had on the community. They suggested that rather than looking at crime rates, number of arrest and response time, evaluation should assess whether or not the agency is effective in fulfilling its responsibility to the community, and might focus on three areas: organisation, technical and personnel.

When evaluating the effectiveness, efficiency and productivity of the entire department, managers must focus on their mission statement. In another article I will address the mission statement of the GPF. They must consider what citizens want and expect from their protectors. Most citizens want to live in safe, orderly neighbourhoods. The police are considered effective when they produce the perception that crime is under control. Reduction of fear is a very important measure. A fear and disorder index allows police to measure citizens’ concerns, and also sends a clear message to citizens that the department is addressing their fear of crime and neighbourhood disorder.

Citizens’ approval or disapproval is generally reflected in letters of criticism or commendation, support for police proposed programmes, cooperation with incidents being investigated, letters to the editor,

public reaction to a single police-citizen incident, or responses to police-citizen-initiated surveys.

One way to assess citizen approval or disapproval is through citizen surveys, which can measure trends and provide positive and negative feedback on public’s impression of law enforcement.

Community surveys are often win-win situations, citizens are better served and officers receive positive feedback.

Community surveys can also be a key in establishing communication. Citizen surveys might also help set organisational goals and priorities, identify department strengths and weaknesses, identify areas of improvement and needed training, and motivate employees.

My gut feeling is that the proposed survey in question is an attempt to make the police effective. However, the trust now is to move from effectiveness to greatness. Steven R Covey’s book, “The 8th Habit from Effectiveness to Greatness”, is very instructive. It is a must read for all police officers. I pray that God would inspire the police to move from effectiveness to greatness. However, one cannot do effective or great policing without God, no wonder the last four words in the police oath of office are, “so help me God.” Yours faithfully, Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner of Police (retired)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ERC probing President Ali announces 2... “dangerous” social media post attributed to Cathy Hughes

FROM PAGE 3

…Hughes says post “doctored”

Former Public Telecommunications Minister and Member of Parliament for the APNU/AFC coalition, Cathy Hughes

T

he Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) on Wednesday said it was investigating a social media post purportedly made by former Public Telecommunications Minister and Member of Parliament for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition, Cathy Hughes.

In a statement, the ERC said that it has “immediately commenced an investigation, having been made aware of a social media post calling for an undesirable and dangerous action which can potentially impact negatively on ethnic relations”.

As part of the process, the ERC said, Hughes was asked to provide an explanation and she disassociated herself from the post in question and indicated that her social media comments on another matter were doctored to derive the post that led to much concern.

The ERC said that the Commission would continue its investigation to first ascertain the authenticity

of the post and then decide on any action that may be deemed necessary.

“Having only yesterday (December 15) concluded the first round of a national conversation on how ethnic relations can be improved, the Commission reiterates that any form of incitement or race hate has no place in our society and encourages all to refrain and be responsible when making public comments,” a statement from the ERC read.

In a social media post, Hughes categorically denied making the comment.

“Some sick people around. Creating a fake screen shot. People be careful. These are crazy times,” the former Minister posted.

She also posted a screenshot of her comment side by side with the “doctored” screenshot.

“This is extremely dangerous that a person or persons would sink to this level to assault my character.

I take this also as an assault on my person. What a Guyana we live in!!” she also posted.

DPP orders psychiatric evaluation of...

FROM PAGE 2

On Tuesday, the 25-year-old woman admitted that after beating the child with the wood, she left her in a swamp near their home.

Initially, the mother of two had professed her innocence, but as Police continued to interrogate her, she broke down and admitted that she was angry that the child had soiled her clothing while playing in the yard.

In her confession on Tuesday morning, the woman told Police that she had asked her daughter to remain in the yard and not to get her clothes messy,

since she was dressed to go out with her father, who has visitation rights on Sundays. She claimed that when she noticed the child playing outside the yard, she picked up the piece of wood and went after the girl.

“She don’t hear, so I just clap two lash pon she,” the woman said in a shocking revelation.

She also revealed that she was scared because she thought her daughter was dead after she fell from the blow to the back of her head. The woman said that she did not tell anyone what had occurred.

Further, the Head of State pointed out that his administration is embarking on a series of programmes that aim to enhance the welfare of not just the senior ranks, but all ranks.

On this note, President Ali announced that his Government is working on a special housing programme to enhance the lives of all Police personnel. This, he explained, “…will not only see ranks having access to house lots, but to ensure that they qualify and we help them to qualify so that they can get loans and get grants to build their homes, and own their own homes. These are important things that add to performance, it adds to job satisfaction.”

Moreover, the Head of State noted that capacity building in the Force is integral to ensuring that members are equipped to not only carry out their functions, but also benefit from all of the opportunities to come.

As such, he revealed that his Government would ensure that the men and women in uniform have access to, and benefit from, the 20,000 scholarships initiative which rolls out

Senior ranks at Wednesday’s breakfast held at the Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary

next year.

“We want a highly trained and educated workforce, especially here in the Police Force and in the army… You retire relatively young at 55, with tremendous experience, and as the economy grows and the economy opens up, there will be many, many more opportunities. As it is now, most of the retired officers will go on to – some in administrative jobs but most in private security companies. But the op-

portunities will be much greater than this [in the future] but we have to ensure that you’re equipped to benefit from those opportunities,” President Ali stressed.

More importantly, the Head of State said the institutional mechanism would be strengthened to ensure that, given the high-risk nature of their jobs, ranks would have the confidence in executing their duties, knowing that their families would be taken care of and looked after.

“This is critical to job satisfaction… And we have to fix this institutionally…

You will have confidence in yourself in going out there knowing that there is a system that backs you up,” the President asserted.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, Police Commissioner (ag) Nigel Hoppie and the Deputy Commissioners of Police as well as Heads of Departments, Branches and Regional Commanders attended Wednesday’s breakfast.

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veryone must strive to fill the heart with true devotion.

C o n s t a n t contemplation on the form of the Lord and frequent repetition of the Lord’s name are the means by which the heart is filled with the love of God. When there is this love, the devotee is filled with inexpressible ecstasy. It was out of such ecstasy that Kulasekhara Alwar, the royal saint, exclaimed: “Oh Lord! People talk of Moksha (liberation) as the means of redeeming life and getting rid of birth and death. I do not ask for such redemption. I shall be content with loving You and serving You in countless lives. Allow me to love You and serve You - that is the only blessing I seek from You, and not Moksha.” The universe is permeated with love. It is the embodiment of Vishnu. There is nothing in the cosmos, no place in it, where He is not present. To regard the Universe as a manifestation of God and to experience it as such is real devotion.

(Divine Discourse, Jan 19, 1986)

Shri Sathya Sai Baba Organisation

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020

Page

Foundation ◄

Æsop’s Fables

A

FOR CHILDREN

Circles

circle is a 2-dimensional figure with every point on its circumference an equal distance from its centre point, or origin. A circle’s circumference is its perimeter, the distance around it.

A line segment that starts at the circle’s origin and extends to its circumference is called a radius. The plural of radius is radii. In a circle, all radii are equal in length.

A chord is a line segment that has both endpoints on the circumference. A diameter is a special kind of chord that passes through the origin. It is always equal in length to 2 radii.

Exercises: Identify

1) What is the radius of a circle if the diameter is 12cm?

2) Identify the chord in the figure below.

3) Identify the 2 radii below.

4) What are the six chords formed by inscribing a hexagon inside the circle below?

a) d) g) j)

Wednesday’s answers Congruent trapeziums b) Non-congruent circles c) Congruent hexagons Non-congruent triangles e) Congruent squares f) Non-congruent stars Congruent octagons (first pair) h) Congruent triangles i) Congruent parallelograms Non-congruent pentagons (both pairs) (second pair)

Daily Water Log

A

lion had grown very old. His teeth were worn away. His limbs could no longer bear him, and the King of Beasts was very pitiful indeed as he lay gasping on the ground, about to die.

Where now his strength and his former graceful beauty?

Now a boar spied him, and rushing at him, gored him with his yellow tusk. A bull trampled him with his heavy hoofs. Even a contemptible ass let fly his heels and brayed his insults in the face of the lion.

WORD SEARCH

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Pensioner to serve 11.5 years for killing stepdaughter

A

70-year-old man was on Wednesday sentenced to 11-anda-half years in prison for the April 24, 2013 killing

of his stepdaughter, who he stabbed 21 times with a knife at their Vreed-enHoop, West Bank Demerara (WBD) home.

Cockeyed priorities...

Initially indicted for murder, Fitzroy Josiah pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter, thereby admitting that he

Y

Jailed: Fitzroy Josiah

unlawfully killed 14-yearold Fenella Samuels.

The custodial sentence was handed down

by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Demerara. State Counsel Teriq Mohammed and State Counsel Natasha Bakker appeared for the prosecution, while Attorney-atLaw Mark Conway represented the confessed killer.

According to the facts of the case, Josiah resid-

Killed: Fenella Williams

ed with his stepdaughter and her mother at Best Foreshore at a location called Plastic City. On the day in question, Josiah and his stepdaughter were involved in a heated argument over her refusal to obey the house rules he had set. During the ordeal, Josiah threw a kerosene stove at the young girl and then stabbed her about the body.

An autopsy gave her cause of death as multiple stab wounds. Following the killing, Josiah went into hiding. He was, however, apprehended by Police after he was spotted in the Vreed-en-Hoop area.

The Prosecutors urged the court to impose a sentence that would reflect the nature and gravity of the crime. They described the teenager’s killing as “senseless”.

In the end, Justice Singh imposed the 11-anda-half-year prison term.

The Judge ordered that the time Josiah spent on remand pending trial be deducted from the sentence by the prison authorities.

…at GECOM our Eyewitness just saw a press statement that really made his blood boil. GECOM has just decided to build a new FIVE-STOREY headquarters!! Yes, your Eyewitness also did a double-take when he saw that. Out of all the things we expect GECOM to do, is this what the Commission think is the highest priority? What is it about their CENTRAL functions they think demands such a building RIGHT NOW??

Their primary job is to conduct elections. Did their two-storey building - which is now etched in the psyches of the Guyanese people after the five months following the March 2 elections - prevent them from doing their jobs? (Who can forget those briefings by Commissioners?)

They’re supposed to be getting ready for Local Government Elections (LGE) next year…is this what’s demanding the new building? It’s clear that these people think an “institution” is a building, and not a SOCIAL structure to perform a particular SOCIAL function. And let GECOM be reminded that their function is to conduct elections in a manner that satisfies our desire not to have elections to choose our government at the national level erupt into a conflagration every five years. The LGEs generate ennui, and not heat!

So GECOM do not have to go back far to see what needs to be fixed in their operations: it’s their PERSONNEL that staff the ORGANISATION that screwed up the March 2nd elections! And the Commission shouldn’t do a darn thing until THAT is fixed. So, let’s start with some positions, shall we? Right up on top are the TEN RETURNING OFFICERS (ROs) who’re the agglomerators of the votes that we, the people, cast. Up to now, the people below them, who take care of business at the 2300+ polling stations, haven’t been accused explicitly of having “cocked” their work. But the claimed “irregularities” by the APNU/AFC for their election petitions certainly imply such a conclusion. So GECOM should be checking on their procedures for monitoring these employees. since APNU/AFC are saying that the method in place to prevent such an occurrence - their parties’ scrutineers - were asleep at the wheels!

But back to the ROs. We know for sure that Mingo, the REG 4 RO, did the dirty to the SOPs that were sent to him.

The man even used a dirty bedsheet for his dirty deed. So, for sure, GECOM should be vetting the system by which these worthies were hired, and come up with one that weeds out rotten (or partisan) eggs.

But at the top of their bucket list should be the position of CEO! For sure, Lowenfield’s not an outlier. Do we need a two-person CEO? About the Commission itself, that’s for the political directorate!

…at the ERC Your Eyewitness is also quite livid about the ERC. Funded to the tune of more than $250 million annually, their slickly designed web page tells us that “ERC is a Constitutional body with a mandate to promote ethnic harmony and good relations among all Guyanese.” So, if we have all this ethnic disharmony and bad relations among us Guyanese, shouldn’t they be the ones we should be pointing fingers at? What exactly have they been doing?

Their website gives us TWENTY-FOUR functions. Among these are to “Provide for equality of opportunity between persons of different ethnic groups, and to promote harmony and good relations between such persons.” When was the last time the ERC provided for equality between our ethnic groups?

Then there is, “Establish mechanisms and procedures for arbitration, conciliation, mediation, and like forms of dispute resolution that would ensure ethnic harmony and peace.” Where are these “mechanisms and procedures”?

Imagine what the other 22 functions demand but are ignored. This Commission must be refigured! …of the PNC You’d think that Granger would’ve been as busy as the proverbial beaver to retool the PNC to confront the new challenges, wouldn’t you? So how come he’s missing in action?

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

NEWS

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 Region 4 pensioners die from COVID-19 …43 new cases recorded

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

T

he Health Ministry on Wednesday reported that two more persons who tested positive for the novel coronavirus died on Tuesday.

This now takes the total number of COVID-19 deaths locally to 158.

The latest fatalities are a 93-year-old man and a 71-year-old woman, both from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). They died while receiving care at a medical facility.

Guyana has recorded three COVID-19 deaths thus far this week. The week began on Sunday with the death toll at 155. The first fatality for the week was a 72-year-old male from Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice).

The Ministry also reported on Wednesday that

43 new COVID-19 cases were recorded.

This now takes the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 6016.

However, only 673 of these cases are currently active, with seven patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining 666 in isolation – 36 in institutional isolation and the other 630 persons in home isolation.

Additionally, there are now 16 persons in institutional quarantine.

Further, some 5185 persons have recovered from the coronavirus thus far in Guyana.

Of the 43 new cases detected on Wednesday, two are from Region One (Barima-Waini); four from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam),

eight from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); seven cases from Demerara-Mahaica; 16 from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); two from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and four cases from Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

The figures remained the same for Regions Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Eight (PotaroSiparuni) with 297, 524, and 183 cases respectively.

Since taking office, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government has embarked on a massive testing drive to ensure that all positive cases, especially asymptomatic cases, are detected. This has resulted in a high number of cases being detected.

In fact, during his daily COVID-19 update on Wednesday, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony gave an overview of the coronavirus situation in some of the regions that have seen a spike in cases recently.

One such region is Barima-Waini, where some 17 cases were detected last weekend.

According to the Minister, special response teams are being set up to go out into areas and specific communities that are showing a trend of

20-year sentence for murder convict upheld

Jailed: Clevon Romeo

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he 20-year jail sentence imposed on Clevon Romeo for the October 24, 2012 murder of a Lima, Essequibo Coast businessman was on Wednesday affirmed by the Guyana Court of Appeal. In 2014, a 12-person jury found Romeo guilty of killing 56-year-old Herman Ramnarine.

Romeo was subsequently sentenced to 20 years in prison by Justice Franklyn Holder at the Suddie High Court. Romeo, through his lawyer, Dexter Todd, later filed an appeal asking the court to set aside and/or reverse his conviction and sentence.

During Wednesday’s court proceedings, Prosecutor Natasha Bakker asked that the appeal be dismissed on the basis that a Notice of Abandonment was filed claiming that Todd had neglected to appear for his client. However, Todd told the court that efforts made to contact Romeo’s lawyers for legal fees have proven futile. The lawyer, nevertheless, offered assistance to the murder convict.

Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards said that Romeo’s sentence would be reduced to reflect the time he spent on remand awaiting trial. In doing so, Justice Cummings-Edwards cited a ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the case of Romeo Da Cost Hall v The Queen.

In that case, the regional court held that full credit should be granted for the time an accused person spent in pre-trial custody.

The Appeal Court further ordered that the sentence would take effect from the date of conviction. In the end, the court dismissed the appeal, affirming the conviction and sentence.

Killed: Herman Ramnarine

According to reports, Ramnarine was found lying motionless in his home by his wife, who had managed to free herself after she was tied up by armed bandits.

The man who had injuries to his head was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

It was reported that the woman was at home when she was confronted by two men, one of whom was armed with a cutlass. Police in a statement had said that the men took away an undisclosed sum of cash and a quantity of jewellery before fleeing.

spiking cases. These teams comprise medical personnel as well as Joint Services ranks from Operation COVI-CURB. They went to Baramita and conducted tests on residents as well as sanitise public spaces and engaged persons on prevention measures against the virus.

Meanwhile, in Region 10, Dr Anthony said they were monitoring a number of communities where the COVID-19 cases have spiked – one community recorded 23 cases and another one, 15 cases.

“We’re going to continue to look at areas of interests and repeat the same exercise because the normal way of how we treat and gather information – sometimes we don’t have enough [medical] people in particular areas, but we might have an interest in those areas because of some of the trends that we’re seeing. So, we’re now developing these teams that we can deployed to those areas and get a better sense of what is happening,” the Health Minister said.

Nonetheless, health authorities are reminding Guyanese to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 11), which are in effect until December 31, 2020.

This order emphasises, among other things, the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home; the importance of maintaining six feet of physical distance from others; and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of

COVID-19.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 2311166, 226-7480 or 6246674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of Wednesday, some 72,196,732 COVID-19 confirmed cases were reported globally along with 1,630,521 deaths.

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Woman dies after GDF rank “falls asleep”, crashes into median “…his eyes closed and he lost control of the vehicle and collided to the concrete median at the centre of the road,” the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said in a statement.

As a result of the accident, the vehicle received

Public Hospital, where they were both examined by doctors on duty.

Edwards was treated and sent away while the driver was admitted to the Hospital and is currently a patient. Investigations are ongoing.

ECD man dies 1 month after being struck by speeding car

Dead: Ameena Sooklall

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A

meena Sooklall, 33, of Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), is now dead after the vehicle in which she was travelling crashed into a concrete median.

Reports are the accident occurred about 22:45h in the vicinity of the New Gafoors access road on the McDoom Public Road, Greater Georgetown.

Sooklall was an occupant

extensive damage, leaving the driver and both occupants injured.

Sooklall was later pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor.

The driver and the other occupant of the vehicle were taken to the Georgetown

of a motor car being driven by a 23-year-old member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), who resides at Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara.

Alston Edwards, 26, of Shopping Plaza, South

Ruimveldt Gardens, Georgetown was another occupant of the vehicle. The driver told investigators that as he was proceeding north along the roadway at a moderate rate of speed, he suddenly felt drowsy.

elatives of an Annandale, East Coast Demerara (ECD) man were plunged into a state of mourning on Monday after he succumbed to his injuries more than a month after being involved in a serious accident.

Dead is 40-year-old Leonard Singh, of Lot 96 Annandale, who was struck down by a speeding car in November.

Although details of the accident still remain sketchy, reports are on November 10, about 19:00h on the Annandale Public

Road, a motor car, driven by a 23-year-old male of Courbane Park, ECD, struck down the now de-

ceased man.

As a result of the accident, the victim sustained serious injuries about his body. He was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition.

Guyana Times was informed that the driver of the motor car is the son of a popular social media personality.

The man’s body is presently at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.

It is still unclear if the driver of the car has been arrested. Calls made to Regional Commander Khali Pareshram for information on this aspect proved futile.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cop among several injured in 5-vehicle smash-up

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everal persons are now injured following a five-vehicle accident which occurred on Wednesday morning along the Rising Sun Public Road, West Coast Berbice (WCB).

One of the vehicles involved in the accident is motor car PLL 5896, which was being driven by 23-year-old Odinga Hercules, a Police Constable attached to the Traffic Department at the Cove and John Police Station. Also in that vehicle was a 15-year-old President’s College student.

The other vehicles are motor car HB 6383, which was being driven by 40-year-old Delroy Fraser of New Amsterdam, Berbice, and motor car HC 7137,

Public-spirited citizens assisting one of the drivers in removing his wrecked car

which was being driven by 32-year-old Kellon James of Georgetown. Motor car HC 7137 had two occupants:

Rebecca Crossman, 52, and Thandie Crossman, 27.

Also involved in the accident were motor car PYY

Jailed: Joshua Meredith

a round in Garraway’s direction, killing him. A post-mortem examination performed on the body revealed that Garraway sustained gunshot wounds to his abdomen and died as a result of septic shock.

Meredith was subsequently pointed out at an identification parade by the now dead man’s brother, who was present at the time of the shooting.

The probation report chronicled that Meredith has lived a delinquent lifestyle since the beginning of his teenage years. His criminal lifestyle, coupled with poor academic performance, led to him dropping out of school in Grade Eight.

Meredith told a probation officer that he began smoking marijuana with friends. He confessed that on many occasions he and his friends, while armed with guns, would ride around Georgetown on bicycles and rob people of their valuables.

In 2009, when he was just 15, Meredith said that he

9093, which was driven by 26-year-old Osricks Reynolds; and minibus BYY 2757, which was driven by 29-year-old Delroy Lawrence.

Reports are that motor car PLL 5896 was proceeding east along the northern side of the road at a fast pace, behind the minibus and motor car HC 7137.

In the process of overtaking the vehicles, motor car PLL 5896 collided with HC 7137, causing it to hit the rear of the minibus.

Motor car PLL 5896 then collided with motor car HB 6383 and PYY 9093, and then eventually crashed into a utility pole.

As a result of the collision, the drivers and oc-

One of the damaged cars in the WCB accident

cupants of motor cars PLL 5896 and HC 7137 sustained injuries about their bodies.

They were picked up and taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital and later transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital

for treatment.

Rebecca and Thandie Crossman were admitted for fractured hips, Odinga Hercules for a fractured right foot, Shaina Giddings for a fractured right arm, and Kellon James for observation.

Killer begs for forgiveness before serving 15-year jail sentence

“I

am very sorry for the pain that I have caused the family of the deceased. I know that sorry cannot heal the pain.

Please find a place in your heart to forgive me. Thanks and God bless,” were the words of 26-year-old Joshua Meredith before he was sentenced to 15 years in jail for manslaughter.

The East Ruimveldt, Georgetown resident was initially charged with the October 2, 2016 murder of 21-year-old Gregory Garraway, who was shot dead during a robbery.

Following his arraignment before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the High Court in Demerara, Meredith pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter on December 4, 2020. Then, he was further remanded to prison as his lawyer requested a probation report before the sentence was passed.

The probation report was presented on Wednesday.

According to Prosecutor

Nafeeza Baig, on the day in question, Garraway was at “Wings and Things Bar” at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown. At the time, the now dead man, who had gone into the bar to purchase food, was wearing two gold chains around his neck.

After placing his order, he left the bar. When Garraway returned, as he was crossing the street to pick up the food, Meredith snatched his chains, pulled a gun from his pocket, and discharged

travelled to Suriname where he was involved in criminal activities.

That same year, he was charged and placed before the courts for robbery. He was convicted of the offence.

But owing to his tender age, the Magistrate fined him $20,000 and placed him on a bond to keep the peace for two years. Residents in the East Ruimveldt community where Meredith lived had mixed reactions about him.

While some said he was a very jovial and helpful young man, others described him as a “notorious criminal.”

Reports from the prison stated that Meredith was a very disrespectful and disorderly inmate. As a result of his attitude, prison officers were forced to place him in solitary confinement. He was even transferred to another prison facility. Relatives of the deceased expressed that they were still aggrieved over how their loved one met his demise.

The probation officer noted, “[Meredith] lived a life of crime. Even after he was incarcerated, he had no respect for authority.”

For his part, Meredith’s lawyer, Adrian Thompson, asked the court to be lenient

Killed: Gregory Garraway

with his client, given his home and economic background.

Thompson told the court that the murder convict was unable to have a good childhood due to several circumstances, including abandonment by his father.

According to the defence counsel, his client grew up in a depressed community where he was heavily influenced by persons of unsavoury character. The lawyer nevertheless said that his client has indicated that he was ready to change his life.

Prosecutor Nafeeza Baig urged the court to impose a sentence that reflected the nature and gravity of the crime. Baig said that

the court needed to send a strong message that these types of offences would not be tolerated. The Prosecutor also highlighted the fact that a gun was used during the commission of the crime.

In addition to Garraway’s murder, Meredith and another man, Colvin Johnson, are awaiting trial for the November 21, 2016 murder of 29-year-old Paul Rodney of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

It was reported that Rodney and a group of men were involved in an argument at Avocado Avenue, West Ruimveldt.

The argument escalated into a fight during which Rodney attempted to escape. He was pursued and shot several times about his body. His killer(s) escaped on a CG motorcycle. Police Headquarters, in a statement on the killing, had stated that ranks were on a mobile patrol when they heard several explosions and went to investigate.

They came upon a group of men running during which several more gunshots were fired. Rodney was subsequently found lying motionless on the ground, covered in blood.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

14 NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Damaged GPL submarine cable

Company eyes reconnection of severed cable within days T

he Guyana Power and Light (GPL) has commenced remedial work on its damaged 69-Kilovolt (kV) submarine cable across the Demerara River, with the company’s technical people and Chinese consultants working towards reconnecting the cable in a matter of days.

The cable, which links the Vreed-en-Hoop and Kingston substations, was damaged late last month by a vessel’s anchor. GPL had said on Saturday that technicians carried out preliminary inspections, with the repairs expected to be completed on or before Christmas Day. On Wednesday, the power company’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) Samaroo Ramtahal provided an update to the media on the repairs. He noted that consultants from the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) are working on splicing the cable.

“So far, from Sunday to date, we’re struggling to lift

GPL DCEO Samaroo Ramtahal examines the severed cable lifted out of the Demerara river

the other end at Vreed-enHoop. There are two ends of the cable that burst.

One end from Kingston, we managed last Sunday to raise that on the barge,” Ramtahal explained. “And since Sunday to date, we’re working on raising the Vreed-en-Hoop side of the cable so that we can have the Chinese company splice

the cables together.

“So, we’re hoping that in another five, six days, once we get the Vreed-enHoop side of the cable to raise, then we’ll be able to do the splicing within five, six days.”

In a statement last month, GPL had stated that the risk of short-term outages had increased as the

two systems are operating without the 69 kV interconnection.

Meanwhile, the company has said it would be providing emergency services to customers. This will be done through its Transmission and Distribution emergency crews, contractors and 24hour call centre staff, who are available to effect emergency services where necessary. Additionally, GPLmobilised Rapid Response Teams would address fault reports.

The 69 kV cable was recently damaged by a ves-

sel in the Demerara River, following which GPL had announced that while the best option would be to rebury the cable at a suitable depth, the necessary dredging equipment would have to be sourced.

GPL had nevertheless explained that a meeting was held with MARAD and a number of “Measures to Prevent Recurrence of Vessels Damaging GPL’s 69kV Submarine Cable”, short-term preventative steps that can be immediately implemented, were agreed upon.

The steps include creating an additional 200m buffer zone on either side of the cable crossing, the details of which will be published to mariners. Additionally, MARAD agreed to reinforce bridge watches, which would see vessels at assigned mooring points having an officer on watch.

In June and August 2019, GPL had to conduct remedial works on the 69 kV submarine cable after the armour and insulation protection of the cable, which extends to the conductors, was damaged at two locations by vessels traversing the Demerara River.

The 69 kV cable, which rests along the upper Demerara River within proximity of Craig, East Bank Demerara, was dislodged by a barge sailing along the Demerara River in June.

Due to the extent of the damages, two repair kits had to be sourced from CMC, the company that first laid the cable in 2012.

(G3)

US Special Forces, GDF ranks complete joint training …as 122 soldiers complete Junior Leaders' course

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ne hundred and twenty-two soldiers have successfully completed the Junior Leaders' Course 202002, and graduated at the Base Camp Stephenson.

The Guyana Defence Force on Wednesday said that awarded winners on this course were: Lance Corporal (LCPL) Marlon Marks (Best Graduating Student; Able Rating (AR) Randy Munroe (Runner-up Student); LCPL Donella Joe (Best Military Knowledge); LCPL Rolex Sam (Best Shot); LCPL

GDF ranks being trained by ranks of the Seventh Battalion of the US Army Special Forces

Some of the soldiers who successfully completed the Junior Leaders' Course at Base Camp Stephenson

Jamal Campbell (Best Drill); and AR Lindon Walcott (Best Fitness).

Meanwhile, 70 personnel have graduated from the Section Commanders'

Course 2020-03.

Award winners on this course were: Corporal (CPL) Donston Richmond (Best Graduating Student); Leading Rating (LR) Stayroy Nieulder (Runner-up

Student and Best Military Knowledge); CPL Quancy Alleyne (Best Shot); LR Ruschell Bradshaw (Best Drill); and CPL Neil Anthon (Best Fitness).

Colonel General Staff, Colonel Julius Skeete, the GDF said, congratulated the graduates of both courses, and said they needed to recognise their achievement means they had made another step in their careers and their development as leaders in the army.

"Your expectation of yourselves should be to strive for excellence; to return to your units and make a difference (by inspiring) those ranks subordinate to you - your peers and even those seniors to you - with your commitment and professionalism," he said.

Colonel Skeete pointed out that Guyana and the GDF is on the move, adding that “your training was just meant to prepare you… you have a responsibility to continue your personal development. You must work

to make yourself better; it is very important.”

The soldiers were encouraged to let professionalism be the hallmark of their continued service.

Joint Training

Meanwhile, the GDF, also on Wednesday, said 17 Special Forces Squadron have benefited from a sixweek stint of combined small unit tactics training, which was conducted by a nine-member team from the Seventh Battalion of the US Army Special Forces.

The training, the GDF said, was intended to provide the ranks with knowledge and practical skills to operate as a small operational team. The six-week stint included one week of jungle training. The ranks were engaged in a field exercise designed to have them

demonstrate what they had learnt.

According to the GDF, the instructors noted that the GDF troops were eager to learn, and displayed a high degree of discipline, maturity, and enthusiasm throughout the training. For their part, the GDF ranks indicated that the training was very informative, with the practical exercises enhancing the learning process.

The graduates of the course, who demonstrated high assimilation of what was taught as well as showcased great leadership, were Second Lieutenant Shevin Sparman, Corporals Wayne Campbell and Orlando Norton, Lance Corporal Royden Hendricks, and Private Mikhail Wills.

Private Wills is the youngest to receive such recognition.

NEWS

15

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt distributes 91 land titles in 1 week to Region 2 residents

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resident Dr Irfaan Ali visited Region Two Regional Democratic Council (RDC) on an outreach last week and promised to have 80 titles distributed to persons who had been waiting for years. The President has not only kept his promise, but has exceeded it.

On Wednesday, Housing Ministers Collin Croal and Susan Rodrigues travelled to the region and distributed 91 titles. Croal told the gathering at the distribution exercise that the current focus of the ministry is to provide efficient, timely and sustainable housing solutions for all Guyanese, in keeping with the manifesto of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/c).

Meanwhile, Rodrigues urged the recipients to make the best of their allocations, and said there is much more to come in the housing sector over the next five years.

The two ministers also facilitated a one-on-one session with residents, as well as a group session to answer queries and questions relating to housing issues.

During his visit to the RDC of-

Housing Minister Collin Croal and Minister within the Housing Ministry, Susan Rodrigues holding discussions with the residents of Region Two

fice in Anna Regina last week, President Ali had empathised with persons from the region who have been in the system for as much as seven years, awaiting titles for their land.

It turned out that Region Two has a myriad of issues, includ-

ing with the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), as Ali had to call on the agency to address the issues residents in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are having with their payments.

During the outreach, the Head of State heard multiple complaints

about NIS at the RDC office. He then instructed NIS Head, Holly Greaves, who was among the high-level team that was at the public event, to “fix it now”.

The Head of State had posited that all Guyanese should be treated fairly, and that all agencies

and Government offices should be working to enhance the people’s lives and the services they provide.

In addition to NIS, representatives from the Office of the President, the Ministry of Housing and Water, the Central Housing and Planning Authority, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Guyana Power and Light (GPL), National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Ministry of Health, the Guyana Police Force, and regional officials, among others, were with the President at the Regional Democratic Council in Region Two outreach to address concerns raised by residents.

At a similar outreach in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), issues relating to NIS had also taken centre stage, and the Head of State had ordered that they be resolved.

NIS, which is tasked with paying benefits and collecting contributions, is among the most problematic entities, with scores of persons always having issues with their pension payments and/or contributions.

GRA should aim to be world-class tax Police commander administration — Finance Minister busted with smuggled …reiterates Govt’s zero tolerance for corruption liquor offers to pay taxes

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh speaking with GRA officials at one of the wharfs during his tour on Wednesday

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enior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, on Wednesday visited the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Headquarters and the various GRA facilities at respective wharves in Georgetown.

The visit, a release from Singh’s office said, occurred amidst the busy Christmas and year-end clearance process and enabled the Minister to inspect the operations at the respective facilities. The visit also allowed for the Minister to meet with GRA Department Heads to outline the Government’s key priorities, including increased efficiency and a high level of integrity.

During his visit to the Headquarters on Camp Street, Dr Singh, who was accompanied by newly-appointed Chairman of the GRA Board, Saisnarine Kowlessar, met with Commissioner-General

tune that we are meeting in the room of the oil and gas unit, as particularly where we are as a country, we are at a critical juncture, a defining moment, the moment that our country is really going to turn the corner from a country where there were a number of fiscal challenges to one which is now an oil producer and exporter with different challenges, including the need to manage our finances carefully and sustainably.”

On this note, the minister reminded GRA that despite the importance of revenue from oil and gas, domestic revenue mobilisation was still a priority.

“The coming into existence of an oil and gas sector does not mean that revenue collection from other sectors

Government services are delivered to taxpayers. He further emphasised GRA’s role in trade facilitation and the need for the rapid deployment of electronic tax-payer services, along with delivery of services in a client-friendly manner.

Turning his attention to corruption, Minister Singh then reaffirmed his Government’s zero tolerance stance on this as he cautioned that anyone found to be part of corruption would be dealt with condignly.

“We expect, as a Government, the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in revenue administration. That is the charge that President Irfaan Ali has given to his entire Cabinet. That is the charge that we are not only man-

GRA Board members in a meeting with Finance Minister

Godfrey Statia and toured the offices in the compound.

After congratulating the new board members on their appointment and wishing them well in the discharge of their responsibilities, the Minister said, “GRA should aim to be a world-class tax administration,” as he addressed Senior Management gathered in the Oil and Gas Unit.

He added, “It is oppor-

will not matter. In fact, it will be quite the opposite,” he said as he alluded to other non-oil sectors which his Government would be prioritising as well.

Pointing to the modernisation of infrastructure taking place in the country, the Finance Minister noted that this must be accompanied by rapid modernisation in the manner in which

dated, but required to convey to all entities within our respective sectors,” he reaffirmed.

Wrapping up his visit, the minister inspected the GRA’s operations at the various wharves, including those at the Guyana National Industrial Company’s (GNIC) wharf and the GRA’s Container Scanner Unit.

The Guyana Revenue Authority

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he Police Commander of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), Keithon King, who along with two other ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) was caught with smuggled liquor, has offered to pay the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) the taxes for the commodities.

This was confirmed by a senior official close to the investigation, but it is still unclear whether GRA has accepted the offer made by the commander.

The cops were caught after GRA officers conducted a search of the vehicle in which they were travelling.

Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the Guyana Police Force, Royston AndriesJunor, told the media on Wednesday that despite the incident, the commander and the two ranks remain on duty.

The GPF said in a statement stated that they are aware of the incident which occurred on Tuesday.

It was reported that officials of the Guyana Revenue Authority intercepted Force motor vehicle PYY 2671 and found a quantity of uncustomed alcohol.

According to the GPF, investigations into the incident are being conducted by the GRA. Calls to Commander King for a comment went unanswered.

Meanwhile, a similar incident occurred in December 2017, when former Head of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit, Motie Dookie, was entwined in an alcohol smuggling scandal and was sent on “special leave” with pay following directions from the previous Government.

Even though investigation was ongoing into the smuggling allegation, Dookie was posted to A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara) as one of the five sub-divisional officers.

In 2018, Dookie was removed from his post as the Commander of the SWAT Unit, pending the outcome of an investigation into the alcohol smuggling.

On December 31, 2017, Dookie was taken into Police custody at the Whim Police Station and placed under close arrest after 30 cases of illegal whiskey were discovered in a vehicle in which he was travelling. (G9)

16 NEWS Road fatalities spike as serious crimes tumble – Top Cop THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Dead: Purshotam Tilak

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Carolina Kennedy and her two daughters

hile Guyana has recorded a plunge in the number of serious crimes over the past year, road fatalities have surged.

This is according to Commissioner of Police (ag), Nigel Hoppie. He was at the time delivering brief remarks at the Force’s

Annual Christmas breakfast on Wednesday at the Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary.

“The year to date has seen a decrease of 4.3 per cent in serious crimes in comparison to last year.

However, in terms of traffic [statistics], we have recorded a 21 per cent increase in fatal accidents which has

Former Linden Mayor dies

Former Linden Mayor Stan Smith

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ormer Mayor of Linden and businessman Stan Smith passed away on Wednesday.

Smith was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Linden food establishment, Jacs Restaurant and diner, which is situated at Republic Avenue, MacKenzie.

As the news broke of his passing, numerous residents and officials took to

social media to offer condolences to his family and friends and to pay tribute to the former Mayor and businessman.

Smith is the second former Mayor of Linden to pass away in recent weeks.

Only a little over a week ago, former female Mayor Gloria Layne died. Layne, who was also a former headmistress, had served in the capacity between 1974 and 1975.

resulted in 15 per cent increase in the road fatalities,” the Top Cop disclosed.

Over the past two years, the Guyana Police Force has not provided any crime or traffic statistics – something which was done on a monthly basis prior to 2019.

Nevertheless, since the last weekend, there have been several serious crimes and fatal accidents.

On Saturday night around 21:30h, 36-year-old Kenford Downer set afire a Four Miles Squatting Area, Potaro Road, Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) home with his 48-year-old reputed wife Carolina Kennedy and their two daughters – ages five and three – inside.

The mother and children died, and Downer has since been arrested.

Also that night, a private security officer shot and killed 29-year-old Zadan Mohamed of Annandale Pump Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), after he, along with another suspect, was found in the compound of an Eccles Industrial Site, East Bank Demerara (EBD) manufacturing business sometime around 21:45h.

On Sunday morning about 11:45h, pedal cyclist

Purshotam Tilak, called “Navin”, of Albert Street, Kingston, Corriverton died after being struck by a speeding minibus on the Corriverton Highway.

Earlier Sunday morning, the unconscious body of a six-year-old girl was found a short distance away from her Goed Bananen Land, East Canje, Berbice home. Her mother was arrested and has since confessed to beating the child with a piece of wood and dumping her body after she fell unconscious.

A 23-year-old man, Keith Andrew Willis, called “Ghandi”, of Bachelor’s Adventure, ECD, was also murdered sometime between Sunday night and early Monday morning.

His body, which bore a single stab wound, was discovered on the Bachelor’s Adventure Access Road by a passerby.

On Tuesday around 12:20h, 60-year-old Clifton Sukhoo, called “John” of Lot 70 New Street, Cumberland East Canje, lost his life in an accident which saw two motorcycles crashing into each other along the Cumberland Public Road.

Then about 20:00h, two missionaries – 75-year-old Cornelius Rozema and his 79-year-old wife, Bernice – were killed in a two-vehicle crash on the LindenSoesdyke Highway.

Later on Tuesday night, around 22:45h, 33-yearold Ameena Sooklall of Providence, EBD, was also killed in an accident on the McDoom Public Road, Greater Georgetown.

These were just some of the major incidents over the past few days.

Dead: Cornelis Rozema

Dead: Bernice Rozema

Acting Commissioner Hoppie stated at the breakfast, which was attended

by President Dr Irfaan Ali, that the Force is continuing to deal with these serious crimes and accidents especially during the Christmas season.

“When we rolled out our Christmas plan, we featured heightened intelligence-led operations where ranks would be involved in emphasised foot, bicycle, vehicular, mounted, canine and marine patrols, and road blocks and traffic control, while maintaining vigilance in relation to the continued enforcement of the COVID-19 restrictions,” he stated.

According to Top Cop, “We intend to learn from the challenges we have faced with the aim of im-

proving our performance and building on our successes. We intend to improve on public trust and confidence.”

Moreover, the acting Commissioner provided an overview of the Force’s performance over the last year and reassured of the Police Force’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate.

“This year, from the Police perspective, has not been without its challenges.

Despite which, we continue assiduously with committed and dedicated efforts to maintain our mandate of safety and security of the nation and our country… I’m confident that we in the Guyana Police Force will be able to see our plans and goals to fruition as we move forward,” the Top Cop stated.

New Christianburg Primary School for 2021 completion

Husband surrenders 2 weeks after stabbing wife

A

fisherman who was wanted by the Police after he allegedly stabbed his wife multiple times, turned himself in at the Whim Police Station on Wednesday in the company of his Attorney, Rodwell Jagmohan.

The Police, in a press release, said the man was arrested and was expected to be placed before the court tomorrow.

Rajwattie Punie, a 35-year-old housewife of Letter Kenny Village, Corentyne, was left in critical condition after she was stabbed multiple times by the man on December 2.

Reports are that Punie and her reputed husband have been experiencing domestic problems.

On the day in question, the couple were arguing in the yard.

The couple’s teenage son told investigators that when

The new Christianburg Primary School under construction

C

Injured: Rajwattie Punie

he went to investigate, he saw his mother with blood on her clothing and skin, and his father had a kitchen knife in his hands. The suspect then walked out of the yard with the knife and escaped.

Meanwhile, the woman, who was hospitalised for several days following the incident, is said to be recovering at home.

o n s t r u c t i o n work on the new Christianburg Primary School in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) is expected to be completed early next year, Regional Vice Chairman Douglas Gittens has indicated.

Gittens made a visit to check on progress of the school’s construction on Tuesday. According to Gittens, the team employed to work on the school are doing an “excellent job” so far, despite some challenges and setbacks in securing materials such as wood in a timely manner owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vice Chairman said, nevertheless, work was on

par and was nearing completion. He also highlighted that there were some changes to the original design of the school, owing to some challenges.

Gittens also visited a number of other unfinished projects in Linden, such as the ongoing construction of the new Regional Democratic Council (RDC) building, which he said was just about 15 per cent complete. He noted that work on the foundation was still ongoing. Another site visited was the Linden synthetic track, which according to Gittens, is 60 per cent complete. This project, he noted, might wrap up early next year once all goes well.

17

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Haitians breached Immigration Act, deemed “prohibited” by giving false information – AG

I

t has been argued over the past week that the 26 Haitians Government was blocked from deporting should have been taken to a magistrate, but according to Attorney General Anil Nandlall, the Haitians voided this protection by lying to immigration officials.

Nandlall’s arguments are contained in his submissions as a respondent in the case of applicant Allandres Archer v Attorney General.

At the heart of this case are attempts to block the State from enforcing the deportation orders granted by Chief Magistrate Sherdel IssacsMarcus.

The Haitians were in protective custody at the Hugo Chávez Centre since last month and the Chief Magistrate had granted an order to deport them after being approached by the Immigration Office.

However, the Association of Haitian Nationals in Guyana successfully approached acting Chief Justice Roxane George on December 3, to block the deportation until the constitutionality of their detention comes up for the hearing of arguments on December 18.

In his submissions, Nandlall noted that 13 of the Haitians were first picked up by Police acting on reasonable suspicion and information, at a hotel on South

Road. He made it clear that the Haitians were not arrested, but rather were interviewed by agents of the Trafficking In Persons (TIP) unit.

The remainder were picked up on November 8 after being intercepted at a Police roadblock in Linden. At the time, the Police became suspicious that they were being smuggled to Brazil through the Georgetown-Lethem route.

It was while being questioned by the TIP unit that incorrect information was first given.

“Whilst in protective custody… it was discovered that Maudalissa Methelus and Marshall Methelus, minors aged 13 and nine years respectfully, are Haitian nationals who arrived in Guyana on the 7th November 2020 at the Eugene F Correia Airport in the company of a female Myriame Vieux, aged 33, also a Haitian national. Vieux said that she is the aunt of the two children she travelled with her to Guyana and they were travelling with her on vacation.”

But Nandlall noted that in a statement to a female Police Corporal, Vieux had said that the first time she met the two children was when she received them at the airport in Haiti.

According to her, she received the children with

signed travel documents and authorisation to travel.

“The guardians travelling with the Haitian national children when questioned provided copies of authorisation for the children and indicated that the children are related to them.

However, on examination of the authorisations produced

by Sonise Pierre who is travelling with Juldat Francois, aged 17 years, Jeff-Nerline Francois, 7 years old, and Jonathan Francois 13 years old, it was observed that the authorisation was given to Mr Luckner Francois to travel with the child and not Sonise Pierre.

“It was also observed that the name of the mother was spelt and signed differently on the authorisation when compared to the spelling featured on the passport of the child. The passport number featured on the authorisation for the child and the date of departure do not correspond with that on the child’s passport.”

More misinformation

But more misinformation was to follow. According to the AG in his submission, every single one of the Haitians lied about where they were staying in Guyana. He noted that all but one of the Haitians provided an address in Barrack Street, Kingston, but upon investigation it was re-

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

vealed that the property was demolished months ago.

On the other hand, one of the Haitians provided an address in Kitty, but when the occupants of the premises were contacted, they denied knowledge of the Haitians or their impending arrival. Nandlall noted that lying to immigration is a breach of Section 9 (1a) of the Immigration Act Chapter 14:02. And if they are in breach of this section, Section 9 (2) deems them prohibited immigrants.

Section 9 of the Immigration Act Chapter 14:02 states; “Every person who enters Guyana by sea, air or land shall (a) answer truthfully to the best of his ability all proper questions, in so far as is necessary for

the purposes of this Act, put to him by an immigration officer. (2) Any person who contravenes, or fails to comply with, any of the provisions of this section shall be deemed to be a prohibited immigrant.”

Section 15 meanwhile states; “Except as otherwise provided by this Act, no person (a) who is a prohibited immigrant; or (b) who being deemed under this Act to be a prohibited immigrant, is dealt with as such, shall enter or remain in Guyana.”

Nandlall noted that as such, deportation orders were sought and granted by the Chief Magistrate. The AG also contended that by law, there is a distinction between persons deemed to be prohibited immigrants and persons who are prohibited as a result of a decision by an immigration officer.

“Thus, it is respectfully submitted that the Haitian nationals having been deemed to be prohibited immigrants were not required to be taken before a Magistrate at the time that the applications for orders of deportation were granted. Since, by operation of law, they were deemed prohibited immigrants having failed to answer truthfully the place of their residence during their stay in Guyana,” the AG said.

Nandlall’s other submis-

sions in the case relate to the contention of the applicant that the matter is one of a breach of fundamental rights. He noted that the detention of the Haitians was within the law, pursuant to the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act Chapter 10:06. He also noted that no evidence has been provided that the Haitians were discriminated against based on nationality.

“It is respectfully submitted that the respondent has been able to definitively show that the Haitian nationals were untruthful on their immigration forms.

They were granted permits for a stay of six months in Guyana; however, the 26 Haitian nationals were untruthful in their disclosure of their place of residence while in Guyana.”

“This coupled with the discovery of 13 of the Haitian nationals proceeding to Linden and the Border of Guyana and Brazil aroused suspicion of trafficking in persons/smuggling, which is prohibited by the Laws of Guyana. Moreover, no evidence has been submitted to show that the Haitian nationals were discriminated against based on nationality. The orders prayed for by the applicant ought to be refused and the referral to the Caribbean Court of Justice denied,” Nandlall submitted.

SYMPTOMS

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID-19:

Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

Fever People who think they may be affected by coronavirus need to call the Public Health Ministry hotline 227-4986/624-3067 for further advice. They should not go to their GP, A&E, pharmacy or hospital.

If you have come into contact with somebody who may be infected, you may be told to self-isolate. People needing to do so should take "common-sense" steps to avoid close contact with other people.

(Adapted from BBC News)

Headache

Chills

Sore throat

Repeated shaking with chills

Muscle pain

Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have New loss of taste mild illness. or smell

18

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020

Regional

Trinidad: Opposition Leader Caribbean Airlines to extend condemns PM’s “shameful” layoffs for 3 months now-deleted FB post

O

pposition Leader Kamla PersadBissessar has condemned a now-deleted online post by the Prime Minister, who she said commingled the death of 19 Venezuelans with the murder of Ashanti Riley in a shameful way.

In her own Facebook post, Persad-Bissessar described the post as an “unimaginably shameful statement”.

“Invoking the recent horrific murder of teenager Ashanti Riley, Dr Rowley attempted to blame both (the) Organisation of the American States (OAS) and the Opposition UNC for the tragic death of migrants while attempting to reach our shores.”

Dr Rowley posted on the official Facebook account of the Office of the Prime Minister around 1 pm that there were “imps” who were incorrectly blam-

Opposition Leader Persad-Bissessar

Kamla

ing the Government for turning around a boatload of Venezuelan migrants, leading to the drowning deaths of 19 of them, including an 11-month-old. Their bodies were found on Saturday.

After the post appeared, Rowley was heavily criticised. Just over an hour later, he deleted it and apolo-

gised, saying two posts had got mixed up and was posted as one, and that they were intended for publication on his personal page.

“I regret and apologise to all for the distress caused by the post,” he wrote.

In the original post, Rowley did correlate the two issues, saying: “Our grief comes in double doses. As we bury our dead we continue to receive updated news of the tragic loss of many lives off the coast in Venezuela.”

That paragraph, which was not part of the edited second post, came directly after Rowley spoke of the death of Ashanti Riley and empathy for her family.

In chastising Rowley, Persad-Bissessar says he knows he is guilty of failing to craft a proper refugee policy, as well as securing TT’s borders. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Brazil Senate clears hurdle for foreign ownership of rural land

T

he Brazilian Senate unexpectedly approved a bill late on Tuesday to facilitate the purchase and leasing of rural properties in Brazil by foreign nationals or foreign companies.

The legislation must be approved by the lower House of Congress before the President can sign it into law.

If passed, the legislation could attract investments in

agriculture and other sectors such as wind and solar energy farms, along with mining.

According to the bill, foreign ownership can account for no more than 25 per cent of the territory in a municipality, and foreign owners must use the land to “fulfil a social function”.

The Senator who proposed it has publicly said he hoped the law would attract some 50 billion reais

($9.8 billion) in new investments per year to Brazil. Its approval in the Upper House comes as the Government of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro pushes to further open the economy to private investment.

In the case of intended land purchases in the Amazon region, the new law would require final clearance from the National Defence Council. (Reuters)

Mexican lawmakers restrict foreign law enforcement agents

M

exico’s Chamber of Deputies has passed changes to a security law which tighten the rules governing foreign law enforcement agents.

Under the new regulations, the foreign agents have to share the information they gather with Mexican officials.

The changes have the backing of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who proposed them.

US Attorney General William Barr warned that its passing would make USMexico cooperation “more difficult”.

The changes will affect those described as “foreign agents”, such as Police Officers, counternarcotics agents and intelligence experts sent from abroad to Mexico to help combat drug trafficking and transnational organised crime.

The key points of the changes are: Foreign agents will no longer have immunity; they will be required to share information with the Mexican Government and Mexican officials will have to

R

egional carrier Caribbean Airlines has announced that it will extend layoffs for an additional three months.

The period is now set to end on April 15; the original date was January 15.

According to an internal memo sent to staff by Caribbean Airlines Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Garvin Medera, the company is trying to keep costs at an absolute minimum while it awaits the reopening of the country’s borders.

Caribbean Airlines announced furloughs and salary cuts from October 15 as short-term measures to save the company, which has been struggling since the Government closed

Trinidad and Tobago’s borders in March in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The memo said funding for the foreseeable future was uncertain.

According to Medera, while Caribbean Airlines was reluctant to extend the layoffs, it was necessary to prevent the need for more severe measures.

The memo also said the airline informed staff of salary reductions in October for an eight-month period ending in June 2021.

It said Caribbean Airlines would continue to cut costs wherever possible, including contractors, temporary workers, and irrelevant allowances. (CMC)

Leaders of Mexico, Brazil congratulate Biden on US election win

T

he leaders of Latin America’s two biggest economies, Brazil and Mexico, congratulated Joe Biden on Tuesday on his election victory after a long delay that ignited criticism they were courting danger by rebuffing the US President-elect.

Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro both waited until the day after Biden’s November 3 election win was confirmed by the US Electoral College before acknowledging it, each leader running the risk of alienating Biden and his fellow Democrats with their extended delay.

Lopez Obrador and Bolsonaro are ideological opposites in the region, but found common ground in waiting longer than nearly all other Heads of State.

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un may be the only key international leader who has yet to recognise Biden’s

defeat of Republican President Donald Trump in last month’s election.

Trump himself has refused to concede defeat, making unsubstantiated claims of widespread voting fraud and pursuing unsuccessful legal efforts to overturn the results.

For weeks, Lopez Obrador argued it was prudent to wait until Trump’s legal challenges ended.

At his daily morning news conference, Lopez Obrador said he sent the incoming American leader a letter praising Biden’s “triumph”.

He stressed the Democratic former Vice President’s pro-immigrant stance and suggested the two neighbours work together on the thorny issue, after years of Trump’s unprecedented demands that the Mexican Government do more to reduce the flow of US-bound migrants.

“I also want to express

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro finally accepted the loss of Trump, a political role model with whom he had sought to forge closer ties [Eraldo Peres/AP file photo]

my recognition of your position in favour of Mexican and the world’s migrants, which will allow the continuation of our plan to promote development and well-being in southeast Mexico and among the countries of Central America,” Lopez Obrador wrote. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Police, disguised as Santa and an elf, bust alleged drug dealer in Peru Much of the heroin seized in the US comes from Mexico – some is smuggled through tunnels across the border

get permission before meeting foreign agents and submit a written report of what they discussed.

The changes mention foreign agents in general and do not single out a specific country, but are widely understood to be targeted at agents from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

With Mexico “the source of nearly all heroin seized in the United States and a transit route for much of the cocaine”, according to

the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Counternarcotics Matthew J Flynn, it comes as little surprise that the DEA should have invested considerable time and effort in gathering intelligence inside Mexico.

The DEA has offices in Mexico and its agents have been active there for decades.

However, their role has been controversial, with Mexican security forces alleging that information is often not shared with them.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

P

eruvian Police drugsquad members disguised as Santa Claus and an elf swooped down a house in Lima not to deliver gifts but to capture a suspected cocaine and dope dealer as part of an anti-drug operation.

The agents, dressed in red, white and green outfits with flak jackets hidden underneath, arrived in an undercover van on Sunday before breaking into the house with a large hammer to apprehend their suspect.

“We are the Police, we are

the green squad, this is an anti-drug operation,” one of the agents yelled in footage filmed by Police of the raid, as he pinned the suspect to the ground and handcuffed him in the Villa El Salvador district of Lima.

The tactic of launching raids particularly to take down drug gangs using operatives in dress-up is a common tactic of Peruvian Police to assure the element of surprise which, they say, has brought some notable successes in recent years.

The arrested man had

been videotaped selling drugs outside his home near a school, a Police spokesman said. At the house, Police found a bag with hundreds of small bags that appeared to contain drugs, a revolver and a balaclava, he said.

“With the results we are seeing, a significant amount of drugs has been confiscated, both marijuana and basic cocaine paste in ketes (small packages of drugs), a firearm has also been seized,” said Colonel Fredy Velasquez, head of the Grupo Terna drugs squad. (CTV News)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil jumps on crude inventory draw

C

rude oil prices rose on Wednesday after the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a crude oil inventory decline of 3.1 million barrels for the week to December 11.

The report came out a day after the American Petroleum Institute estimated inventory builds across crude and fuels, pressuring prices just as they had started to improve again.

Analysts had expected the EIA to report a 3.5-million-barrel decline in crude oil inventories for the week to December 11, after it estimated a huge build of over 15 million barrels for the previous week.

In gasoline, the authority reported an inventory build of one million barrels for last week, which compared with a hefty increase of 4.2 million barrels for the previous week, following another increase, of 3.5 million barrels per day (bpd) for the week before that. Gasoline production last week averaged 8.5 million bpd, which compared with 8.3 million bpd a week earlier.

In middle distillates, the EIA estimated an inventory increase of 200,000 barrels for the week to December 11, compared with a build of 5.2 million barrels for the previous week and another, of 3.2 million barrels, for the week before that. Distillate fuel production averaged 4.6 million bpd last week, compared with 4.7 million bpd for the prior week.

API’s inventory report surprised market participants, causing a decline in prices, which was also fuelled by renewed worry about demand as several European countries reinstated or tightened their movement restrictions – despite the upcoming holidays – to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

It appears the initial enthusiasm about oil demand recovery driven by mass vaccinations has started to wear off as the challenges come to the surface in terms of availability and distribution. These challenges mean it will take more than a few weeks to vaccinate enough people to be able to talk about a return to normal, just like medical experts warned at the height of the vaccine hype a month ago. (Oilprice.com)

UK trade pact closer but, success not certain

B

ritain and the European Union have moved closer to sealing a new trade deal but it was still unclear if they would succeed, the bloc’s chief executive said on Wednesday.

Britain and the EU are in the final stretch of talks to keep an estimated one trillion dollars of annual trade free of tariffs and quotas beyond December 31, when the United Kingdom finally transitions out of the world’s largest trading bloc.

With just over two weeks left, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he hoped the EU would “see sense” and agree a deal that respected

Britain’s sovereignty, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the bloc favoured agreement.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament: “I cannot tell you whether there will be a deal or not. But I can tell you that there is a path to an agreement now. The path may be very narrow, but it is there.”

Her relatively upbeat comments on the long-running Brexit crisis helped nudge the Sterling upwards on currency markets. However, von der Leyen also said two issues were still unsolved.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

COVID-19: WHO to investigate virus origins in China's Wuhan

A

team of 10 international scientists will travel to the Chinese city of Wuhan next month to investigate the origins of COVID-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

Beijing has been reluctant to agree to an independent inquiry and it has taken many months of negotiations for the WHO to be allowed access to the city.

The virus is thought to have come from a market in the city selling animals.

But the search for the source has led to tensions, notably with the US. President Donald Trump's Administration has accused China of trying to conceal the initial outbreak.

A biologist on the team travelling to Wuhan told the Associated Press news agency that the WHO was not seeking to apportion blame,

but rather to prevent future outbreaks.

"It's really not about finding a guilty country," Fabian Leendertz of Germany's Robert Koch Institute said.

"It's about trying to understand what happened and then see if, based on those data, we can try to re-

duce the risk in the future."

Dr Leendertz said the aim was to find out when the virus began circulating and whether or not it originated in Wuhan.

The mission was expected to last four or five weeks, he added.

In the early days of the

virus, it was traced to a so-called "wet market" in Wuhan, Hubei province, and it was suggested that this was where it made the leap from animals to humans.

But experts now believe it may simply have been amplified there.

Research suggests that coronaviruses capable of infecting humans may have been circulating undetected in bats for decades.

Last December, a Chinese doctor at Wuhan Central Hospital – Li Wenliang – tried to warn fellow medics about a possible outbreak of a new disease, but was told by police to "stop making false comments" and was investigated for "spreading rumours".

Dr Li died in February after contracting the virus while treating patients in the city. (Excerpt from BBC News)

taking time to deliberate before making any major changes with top sanctions targets like Iran and China, the sources said.

His challenge will be to sort out which sanctions to keep, which to undo and which to expand. This will come after four years in which Trump has imposed punitive economic measures at a record pace – often uni-

laterally – but has failed to bend US rivals to his will.

The revised strategy will be crafted with help from a broad review of sanctions programmes that will begin soon after Biden’s inauguration, the sources said on condition of anonymity.

But even before this assessment is complete, Biden is expected to make clear that sanctions will remain

a central instrument of US power – although it will no longer be deployed with the “America First” bravado that has driven Trump’s foreign policy.

“It won’t be a pullback or a push forward,” said one person close to Biden’s transition team. “It will be a readjustment in the use of the sanctions tool.” (Excerpt from Reuters)

It was initially believed that the virus originated at a so-called "wet market" in Wuhan

Biden will keep using US sanctions weapon but, with sharper aim – sources

J

oe Biden will not shy away from using President Donald Trump’s weapon of choice – sanctions – as he seeks to reshape America’s foreign policy, according to people familiar with his thinking.

But when Biden takes office on January 20, he is expected to quickly begin recalibrating Trump’s blunt-force approach while

Europeans urged to wear masks for family Christmas

T

he World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Europeans to wear masks during family gatherings at Christmas.

It said Europe was at "high risk" of a new wave of coronavirus infections in the early part of 2021, as transmission of the virus remained high.

Countries across the continent have been registering thousands of daily cases and hundreds of deaths.

Germany was among countries tightening restrictions on Wednesday, closing schools and non-essential businesses.

Meanwhile European Commission President

The situation in Germany has been described by officials as "more serious than it has ever been"

Ursula von der Leyen said the first COVID vaccine would be authorised for use within a week.

Von der Leyen told the

European Parliament the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine – developed in Germany – would be rolled out for the bloc immediately, more than

a week earlier than originally envisaged.

A statement from the WHO's European regional office said that the massive increase in gatherings of families and friends across Europe during the winter holiday season brought a significant risk of increased COVID-19 transmission.

It urged individuals, families, and communities to play their part to prevent another resurgence of cases.

Family gatherings should be held outside if possible, and if indoors participants should wear masks and practise social distancing, it said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Kenyan militant charged with researching 9/11-style airplane hijacking

U

S prosecutors said on Wednesday they had charged a Kenya-born militant with terrorism-related offences, including conspiring to hijack aircraft for a 9/11-style attack on an American target on behalf of the Somalibased al-Shabaab militant

group.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the US Justice Department said that Cholo Abdi Abdullah, aged 30, was arrested in the Philippines in July 2019 and transferred to the United States on Tuesday to face six federal charges related to al-

leged terrorism.

At a hearing held via electronic link on Wednesday morning, Abdullah told a US Magistrate Judge he was pleading not guilty to all of the charges. His defence lawyer agreed with the Judge that Abdullah should remain in custody pending a

hearing in January.

The Justice Department said Abdullah, acting at the direction of an unnamed senior al-Shabaab commander, travelled in 2016 to the Philippines to enrol in a flight school to train for a possible 9/11-style attack.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

20

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Follow your heart, intelligence and intuition. An agreement with someone special will give you the hope and assurance you need to move forward with your plans. Romance is featured.

Be careful make a comTAURUS mitment that will be diffi(April 20cult to honor. An emotionMay 20) al situation will lead to a change of heart and a costly endeavor. Don't cut ties with a sure thing unnecessarily.

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO

SUDOKU

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Invest more time in something you want to pursue. An energetic approach will encourage others to help you reach your objective.

Make plans with a loved one.

Limit what you spend.

Hard work will pay off. Work alone if it will deter others from interfering with your plans. Rethink your strategy with efficiency and frugality in mind.

You'll have plenty of opportunities if you stick to your game plan. Refuse to let anyone persuade you to take part in something that won't benefit you. It's time to put your needs first and strive to reach your goals.

The changes you make will be disruptive if you haven't discussed what you want to do with a partner or a family member. Be up-front and get those you care about involved in your plans.

Don't let uncertainty take the reins. You have a limited amount of time to make a decision and put your plans in motion. Get what has to be done out of the way as quickly as possible.

Don't let your emotions limit what you can achieve.

Look for opportunity and seize the moment. You will encounter individuals who have something valuable to offer. Be creative at all times.

Get busy, stay active and strive to look your best. Take your health and well-being seriously. Refuse to let anyone interfere with your plans or push you to do something costly or debilitating.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Stay calm, relaxed and in control. Be disciplined when faced with a challenge. Anger or aggressive behavior will set you back.

Be smart, direct and persistent.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Apply pressure when needed. Speak up, state your case and make things happen. Taking an aggressive and passionate approach will affect a situation in dire need of adjustment.

Romance is favored.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Don't get involved in someone's problems. Stay focused on finding opportunities, finishing what you start and doing your own thing.

The less you rely on others, the more you'll be able to do.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020

21

Women behind huge increase in running and cycling in 2020 W

omen led an unlikely global fitness boom in 2020 with large increases in the numbers running, cycling and walking during the pandemic, according to the world’s biggest online fitness platform.

Strava, which tracked more than 1.1 billion activities uploaded by its 72 million users over the past year, found the number of uploaded runs and cycle rides nearly doubled compared with the same period in 2019, while the number of walks recorded tripled year on year.

While some of this growth could be attributed to new users, Strava’s Director of International Marketing, Simon Klima, said the increase “was nothing like we’ve seen before, and far surpassed our

projections based on historical trends”.

Much of it, he added, was down to women being more active.

“We’ve seen a real boost from women in terms of overall activity levels during the pandemic year,” he said. “There could be several reasons for that, but in the past our research has found that one of the biggest blocks for women to cycling is a perceived safety risk. But, during the pandemic, women perhaps felt safer to take to their bicycles, thanks to some temporary infrastructure improvements and quieter roads.”

Globally, the median number of activities uploaded by women to the platform rose by 45% year on year among those aged 18-29, and around 25% in

other age categories. For men the rise was closer to just 10%.

The growth in women’s activity was particularly notable in Britain.

According to Strava, which has 9million UK users, around 13% of the population, there was a 108% rise in the median number of

J

was ready for F1” in two tests he has completed for Alpha Tauri in the past couple of months - at Imola in November and at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina track on Tuesday.

Tsunoda said: “Like most racing drivers, it has always been my goal to race in F1, so I am very happy with this news. I realise that I will be carrying the hopes of a lot of Japanese F1 fans next year, and I will be doing my best for them too.”

Tsunoda is the first Japanese driver in F1 since Kamui Kobayashi, who competed for Toyota in the final two races of 2019, Sauber from 201012, and Caterham in 2014.

regulations on exercising outdoors compared with countries such as Italy, Spain and France, where there were huge drops in outdoor exercise levels between March and May. Despite the lack of races and events like parkrun being suspended owing to COVID, Strava also found 55% of users hit a personal best in the 5km, 10km, half-marathon or marathon in 2020.

Its data also shows that the average distance per run in the UK is 5.5km and the average time is 33 mins and 47 secs – compared with global figures of 6.3km and 38:48 secs. (The Guardian)

Heineken Champions Cup rugby…

Exeter's match at Toulouse cancelled after COVID-19 outbreak

Yuki Tsunoda joins Red Bull’s Alpha Tauri team for 2021 apan’s Yuki Tsunoda has signed to make his Formula 1 debut with Red Bull’s Alpha Tauri teawm in 2021.

The 20-year-old, who finished third in his maiden Formula 2 season this year, joins Frenchman Pierre Gasly.

Tsunoda is a member of the junior programmes of both Red Bull and their engine partner Honda.

“In F2 this year, Yuki has demonstrated the right mix of racing aggression and good technical understanding,” Alpha Tauri team principal Franz Tost said. “I am sure he will be a great asset to our team.”

Tost added that Tsunoda had “proved he

activities by women in the 18-29 age group, and rises of between 52% and 65% in other age categories.

“As well as cycling, there’s also been a greater adoption of running, perhaps partly as an alterna-

tive for gym classes,” said Klima.

“But working from home also gives some people freedom to be active during the day, as they spend less time commuting to an office. It has allowed people to take control of their calendars a little bit more, and to find more time for being active.”

When Strava compared the “moving time” of its users in 2020, it also showed an increase of 14.7%.

“What’s also interesting with all this data is that the same people have been more active this year than in previous years on average,” Klima said.

According to Strava, Britons were also comparatively more active than other nations during lockdown, helped by less strict

Tsunoda’s promotion means Russian Daniil Kvyat does not have a drive in F1 next season.

Kvyat, a former Red Bull junior, was dropped from the beverage giant’s F1 programme at the end of 2017 after a rapid rise and fall.

He was re-signed in 2019, after a year as Ferrari’s third driver, when a driver shortage in the Red Bull programme left a seat to be filled at Toro Rosso, the former name of Alpha Tauri.

But Kvyat was comprehensively outperformed

by Gasly over 2020, and his prospects for a future as an F1 race driver look bleak. (BBC Sport)

H

olders Exeter's Heineken Champions Cup match at Toulouse on Sunday has been cancelled because of a COVID-19 outbreak at the Chiefs.

Glasgow's home fixture against Lyon on Saturday has also been called off, because the Warriors played Exeter last weekend.

European bosses will now meet to decide the outcomes of the cancelled games. It is envisaged that the matches cannot be rearranged because of fixture congestion.

A European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) statement said: "EPCR has been informed that a number of Exeter Chiefs players and staff have tested positive for COVID-19.

"In accordance with public

health guidelines, the club will not be able to send a matchday squad to fulfil its Heineken Champions Cup round 2 fixture against Toulouse at Stade Ernest Wallon on Sunday (20 December). The Pool B match is therefore cancelled."

Twenty Glasgow players are self-isolating after facing Exeter, and a Warriors statement said this, along with "an extensive injury list", meant it was "not safe" to play Saturday's game against Lyon.

The Glasgow statement added: "Glasgow Warriors will now turn its attention to mitigating any further risks to its squad to protect the upcoming 1872 Cup fixtures against Edinburgh in the Guinness Pro14."

When Fiji's recent Autumn Nations Cup fixtures were

cancelled because of a coronavirus outbreak among the team, their opponents were awarded a 28-0 victory.

The Champions Cup is using a new, shortened format this year with each side only playing two others home and away in the group stages.

After that, the top four sides in each of two 12-team pools will advance to the quarter-finals, making bonus points and points difference even more important in the pool stage.

The EPCR statement continued: "As per its COVID-19 protocol, EPCR will convene match result resolution committees to determine the results of the cancelled matches, and the decisions of the committees will be communicated as soon as practicable." (BBC Sport )

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020

Hemraj’s all-round brilliance leads Cavaliers to victory…

CLASSIFIED ADS Combined, they helped their team to win by 9 wickets.

At the spin of the toss, the Cavaliers won and chose to field, this decision allowed them to restrict their opponents to 133-3 in their allotted 20 overs.

While SAMP Army played things safe from the get go, they reaped hard luck, as this resultAndre Russell will be part of the Cavaliers ed in such a meagre score. Despite Franchise top scores of 61 from he Somerset Cavaliers Kunal Sehgal and 59 from made light work of Sanjay Stanley, the team SAMP Army in the wasn’t saved, as good bowlopening match of the US ing pegged them back whenOpen Cricket 2020 at Central ever they aimed to accelerate.

Broward Regional Park.

Hemraj was the leading This was thanks to the efbowler, as he was not only forts of Guyana’s very own economical but managed to Chandrapaul Hemraj and bag two important wickets Jamaica’s Kenar Lewis. in his three overs, resulting

T

in him ending with figures of 2-10.

Navin Stewart was also able to bag a wicket, while the experienced West Indian Fidel Edwards bowled his four overs for 34 runs.

With 134 needed for victory, this total was a walk in the park for the Cavaliers.

Hemraj and Lewis came together and decimated their opponents. Hemraj rallied with a 25-ball half-century which included 5 maximums and 4 boundaries, while Lewis, who was bowled for 61, did the damage off 21 balls, which included 5 maximums and 6 boundaries.

In the end, the damage was already done, and the SAMP Army knew there wasn’t much that could be done, as they awaited the final run to be scored to register their first loss.

With the Cavaliers now winning their opening game, their batting and bowling

DCB U-19 inter-association cricket tournament…

Alvin Mohabir stars again

– as Georgetown thump East Coast – Bad light stops play in West Dem - East Bank clash

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The scores in the other games were: Atlanta Paramveers defeated 22 Yards by six wickets: 22 Yards 111 all out in 18.5 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 33, Ahad Malik 21, Wayne Parnell 3-29, Khary Pierre 2-19, Akeal Hosein 2-19) vs Atlanta Paramveers 114-4 from 19.4 overs (Steven Taylor 46*, Chris Gayle 39, Dane Piedt 2-17).

Brampton Pacers defeated Afghan Zwanan by four

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wickets: Afghan Zwanan 133-9 from 20 overs (Paul Palmer 45*, Cody Chetty 34, Mark Deyal 2-18, Salman Nazar 2-20, Junaid Siddiqui 2-25) vs Brampton Pacers 135-6 from 18.5 overs (William Perkins 31, Asad Zaidi 27*, Ronsford Beaton 2-27).

Johnson Charles and the Jaffna Stallions are 2020 LPL champions

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B

esides scoring an unbeaten half-century in the opening round of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Under-19 inter-association cricket tournament, Georgetown's Alvin Mohabir spun webs around the clueless East Coast batsmen to end with magical figures of 5-7.

This right-arm off-spinner was also instrumental in the city side's 9-wicket win at Enmore.

Batting first, East Coast crept to 65 all out in 26 overs, with only Romel Datterdeen (15) and Lakeram Ramkisson (10) reaching double figures, and with extras top-scoring with 23.

It took Mohabir only three overs to complete the demolition job and end with figures of 5-7 after he was the fourth change bowler. Bryan Boyen had 2-16 as the city side dis-

Jaden Campbell

played dominance with ball in hand.

In response, the dominant Georgetown side reached their target of 66 in 17.1 overs, ending on 671. The right-handed Jaden Campbell hit an unbeaten 36 which was laced with four boundaries, while Shamar Yearwood’s 26 notout was decorated with three fours and one six. Brandon Jaikaran, the lone city batsman dismissed, contributed only three before Chetram Balgobin took his wicket.

The other match at Everest was set for a thrilling finish with West Demerara having the edge over East Bank, but bad light ended the encounter.

West Demerara won the toss and chose to bat, scoring 88 all-out from their allotted 20 overs, which was reduced to 17 due to a wet

outfield. Ustradeva Balgobin and Rashid Benjamin scored 24 and 25 respectively.

Mavindra Dindyal was the most instrumental bowler, collecting 3 for 11, while Niran Bissu took 2 for 20.

In reply, East Bank struggled as wickets kept tumbling, and they were forced to close their innings on 60-7 from 17.1 overs. Opening batsman Yeudistir Persaud scored 12 while middle order batsman Zachary Jodah top scored with 17. Balgobin, on the bowlers’ end, took 3 for 20 while Vishal Persaud collected 2 for 9.

In the third and final round on Friday (tomorrow, 18th December, 2020), Georgetown will battle with East Bank at Everest, while East Coast will face West Demerara at Enmore. Both matches will start at 9:30 hrs.

ohnson Charles and the Jaffna Stallions are the 2020 champions of the Lankan Premier League following their emphatic 53-run victory over the Galle Gladiators at Hambantota today.

Charles scored 26 runs in 15 balls in a 44-run opening partnership with Avishka Fernando (27) in just 21 balls that set the tone for the Stallions, who won the toss and chose to bat, to make 188 for 6 from their allotment of 20 overs.

"It always feels so grateful when you win a championship. I'm just glad we made it over the line. It's a very great feeling," Charles said after.

"With our bowlers and the skill they have, we were definitely pleased with the score we had."

Charles was the first wicket to fall off the fourth ball of the fifth over when he tried to heave a slower ball from Dhananjaya Lakshan over long-on but mistimed the shot and was caught by Gunathilaka, who dived to take the catch inches from the ground.

His was the first Lakshan’s three wickets.

The Stallions lost two more wickets in the next four overs stumbling to 70 for 3 mid-way the ninth over.

However, the champions regained some momentum in

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the middle overs through a fourth wicket partnership between Shoaib Malik, who was the top scorer with 46 and Dhananjaya de Silva who had a 20-ball 33.

The innings got some late lift from Thisara Perara, who smashed five fours and two sixes in his 39 that came off just 14 balls as the Stallions raced towards their match-winning total.

Lakshan was the Gladiators’ best bowler with 3 for 36.

Needing to score at over nine runs and over to achieve victory, the Gladiators were in early trouble at 7 for 3 inside the first two overs.

However, thanks to Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who raced to 40 from just 17 balls during which he struck three fours and four sixes, the Gladiators got back in the hunt with 62 runs on the board by the middle of the ninth over when he was caught behind by the St Lucian off the bowling of Usman Shinwari, who finished with figures of 2 for 20 from his four overs.

Azam Khan tried to rally his team with a 17-ball 36 but the Gladiators lost wickets regularly and eventually ran out of time and balls at 135 for 9.

Malik was the best the bowlers with 2 for 13.

(Sportsmax)

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

Full resumption of boxing gyms expected in January – Ninvalle

F

ollowing the ghastly effects of the coronavirus pandemic which caused Guyana’s boxing to miss out on Olympic Qualifiers and the Olympic Games itself, Boxing has finally got a move on with the reopening of selected gyms for individual training.

In an exclusive interview

with Guyana Times Sport, President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle, explained how they are navigating their newfound freedom with respect to the guidelines given.

“Well, we have been given the go-ahead to have basic activity. Basic activity

does not mean sparring, we have not been given the goahead to have competitions as yet; but, rest assured, we have our plans as they relate to reopening.” he said.

On the topic of competitions, Ninvalle was keen to highlight that the GBA has no intention to force the hand of either the Health

Ministry or the COVID-19 Task Force.

“We have written to the Ministry of Health, by extension the Government, asking for specific areas of resumption, and we have been given the go-ahead for those specific areas of resumption. We would not want to overstep the bound-

RHTY&SC receives outpouring of support for Christmas programme – Bakewell, Natural Resources Ministry, Metro, Bounty Farm Ltd, Toucan Industries et al on board – club co-sponsors female football tournament for East Bank Demerara

GBA President Steve Ninvalle

aries at this time, we want to remain within the mandate and the instructions that we received,” Ninvalle detailed.

Further, He stated, “The thing is that we would need that go-ahead so that we could reopen to competitions and so forth.”

Describing the reopening of some gyms as “going good, so far”, the GBA President shared why all the gyms

have not reopened.

“Not all of the gyms have restarted, because of individual issues they might have. In the Christmas season, there is usually a lull in boxing activity, so I would say you will see a full resumption of all the gyms by the first week in January.”

When probed about any concerns about the fitness of athletes, and how they will get back into shape for competition, the GBA boss had the following to say: “Well, across the board, there needs to be a whole revamping. When I say revamping, even to get the athletes back in the gyn has proven to be quite an arduous task. Some persons may have wandered away, and we are now trying to regroup them and bring them back.

“I guess when there is competition, then people will understand that we’re fully back.” (Jemima Holmes)

NA Mayor rewards Flying Ace cyclist Balram Narine

A representative of WR Enterprise hands over the donation to RHTY&SC Vice President Mark Papannah

T

he ten cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC), MS continue to attract support for their ongoing Christmas Outreach programme, which commenced on Sunday December 6.

The teams – Poonai’s Pharmacy Under 12 and Under 13, Farfan and Mendes Under 15, Bakewell Under 17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under 19 and Intermediate, Metro Female, Namilco Thunderbolt Flour Under 21 and First Division intend to share out 1000 food hampers, each worth about $4000; 5000 toys; 500 special Christmas packages, and provide Christmas breakfast to hundreds of senior citizens.

The teams have also been sharing out footwear, clothing, educational materials, school materials as part of the largest Christmas Outreach Programme ever since the club was founded in 1990.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Minister Vickram Bharrat, Fitzroy McLeod, Jennifer Cipriani, Donna Todd, Leon Johnson, Bakewell, Metro, Christopher Barnwell, and Farfan and Mendes Ltd have all made

financial contributions towards the programme.

The club has also received toys, stationery and food products from Ansa McAl, Bakewell, DeSinco Trading, National Milling Company (Namilco), Bounty Farm Ltd, Edward B Beharry, Toucan Industries, China Trading, Factory Price, Regal Stationery, WR Enterprise, Survival Supermarket (Duncan Street), Demerara Distillers Ltd, Guyana Lottery, Mattai Supermarket and T&R Construction, among others.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster disclosed that, to date, more than 700 food hampers have been distributed in the first week of the programme. According to the long serving executive, the RHTY&SC has touched the entire Berbice coastline by using the church system to reach those most in need.

Over forty churches, NGOs and orphanages have so far benefited from the programme, including Deeper Life Assembly, St Agnes Anglican Church, St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic, Rose Hall Wesleyan, Elohim Adventist and No 71 Living Water Assembly.

Over 20 cricket clubs

Balram Narine receiving the award from New Amsterdam Mayor Winifred Haywood in the presence of his cycling coach Randolph Roberts RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster hands over the sponsorship to EBFA President Franklyn Wilson

have also received donations of food hampers for distribution to their memberships. The team also donated a plaque with the names of all the Catholic Priests who have served the St. Francis Xavier Church during the period 1897 to 2020.

On Sunday 13th of December, the club hosted hundreds of children at their annual Christmas Party at the Area H Ground. Each child received a bag of confectionery and biscuits, educational materials, a box of food and a Christmas toy. The programme would conclude with the hosting of the annual Christmas Village in the compound of the Rose Hall Town Primary School from the 22nd to 24th December.

Meanwhile, the ten teams have offered support to the East Bank Football Association under the Presidency of Franklyn

Wilson. The teams handed over three trophies, eight medals and funds for two bicycles towards the hosting of a female football tournament.

Foster has stated that the RHTY&SC was proud to assist in the development of football as it plays a part in keeping youths away from crime and drugs. Wilson expressed gratitude for the support, and said the tournament would be well organised as had obtained in the past.

The club has been supporting the tournament for some time now and has pledge to continue doing so in the future. Foster disclosed that every year the RHTY&SC cosponsors over 50 sporting events across the county in several sporting disciplines, including football, cricket, basketball, volleyball and cycling among others.

N

ew Amsterdam Mayor Ms. Winifred Haywood has continued to show support for cycling in the ancient county of Berbice. She recently supported one of the best riders in Berbice, Balram Narine, who plies his trade for Flying Ace Cycling Club.

Last Tuesday, the Mayor presented a trophy and monetary gifts to Narine, who has continued to show great promise, featuring in the top five finishers in the recently concluded Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) time trials.

The 22-year-old Narine finished as the top Berbice cyclist in the countrywide three-series time trials that rode off in Georgetown, continued in Linden, and finished in Berbice last Sunday last.

Narine completed the events in one hour ten minutes and 12 seconds, finishing behind Marcus Keiler, Marlon Williams, Jamual John and Briton John. The

Mayor first saw Narine in her sponsored events, the Mayor cycling race, in which Balram won twice. Haywood decided to reward Narine, and hopes he continues in that rich vein of form in his cycling career.

The New Amsterdam Mayor also indicated that she would continue to support the Randolph Robertsled Flying Ace Cycling Club.

In response, Narine expressed gratitude towards Mayor Haywood and his long-time coach, Roberts.

The humble and disciplined Narine, who hails from Corriverton but resides in New Amsterdam, is hoping that 2021 is his year for success.

Cycling has always been Narine's first love. Narine told the Mayor that he would continue to work hard as he aims to make a cycling tour internationally. He is also calling for business people to support his journey and other mayors throughout the country to do likewise.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

RHTY&SC receives outpouring of Full resumption of support for Christmas programme boxing gyms – Bakewell, Natural Resources Ministry, Metro, Bounty Farm Ltd, Pg 23 Toucan Industries et al on board – club co-sponsors female football tournament for East Bank Demerara – Ninvalle

Pg 23

expected in January

Hemraj’s all-round brilliance leads Cavaliers to victory…

Lewis cops Man of the Match

DCB U-19 inter-association cricket tournament…

Page 22

Alvin Mohabir stars again Page 22 – as Georgetown thump East Coast – Bad light stops play in West Dem-East Bank clash

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