Guyana Times -- Tuesday, February 8, 2022

9 British firms exploring investment opportunities in Guyana P13

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4914

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022

Over $750M budgeted for Local Govt Elections this year See story on page 3

…$300M+ budgeted for goods, services, security, other expenses

Granger writes Speaker, Clerk on Nicolette Henry's March 31, 2022 resignation …“Ball is in APNU/AFC’s court” on electing Opposition Leader – Speaker Page 15

With $1B budget, Audit Office prepared to scrutinise spending of oil monies See story on page 7

PRICE

$100 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Over 7800 paediatric P11 COVID-19 cases recorded since March 2020 …parental consent low for children’s vaccination – Health Minister

CANU finds P10 $4.5M worth of ganja in car

Miner jailed 38 years for rape P8

M&CC approves $2B budget for 2022 P12 “Since I is a teen I in prison” – convict to P9 Judge …handed 47-year jail term for killing inmate

…funds also budgeted for Youth Council, Commissioner of Information

Peacemaker shot dead during row See story on page 9

Unvaccinated Region 3 woman latest COVID-19 death See story on page 12

P2 Arson suspected as fire guts East Canje home

2 NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Arson suspected as fire guts East Canje home

The aftermath of the fire

fire came from around the house like somebody throw some gasoline and light the place afire; in the space of ten minutes, it already on the ground,” he related.

Twenty-nine-year-old

The raging fire at the East Canje, Berbice house

O

ne person is now homeless after a fire destroyed a house located in East Canje, Berbice.

Flames were seen coming from the building shortly before 19:00h on Sunday evening.

This is a case of suspected arson as the taxi driver has said that only a few days ago he found some of his clothes burnt.

Phenix Wilson, a taxi driver who lived at the house alone, was not at home at the time.

One eyewitness, Sherry Bipat, who lives nearby said that the fire engulfed the house quicky.

“Pax, pax, pax,” are the sounds she heard as she lay in her bed.

According to her, it wasn’t until she heard the sound of vehicles backing up on the road and the voices of several persons that she decided to investigate.

She first noticed a bright reflection coming from a zinc fence. Upon further investigation, she noticed that her

ing, I see all my clothes that I washed disappeared and one of the jersey burn at the back, but still I did not take it for anything serious.”

Wilson, who is renting the building, had been living there for the past 12 years.

He said even money he was saving to purchase a car was destroyed in the fire.

“I lost everything; furniture, documents, clothes.

The clothes I have on now is what I went to buy last night at Pitt Street. Tonight again I will have to go and buy

something else because all the clothes burnt. I was saving some money to buy a vehicle … everything burn up.

I have to thank God for life, I could work again and get back everything,” he added.

Persons who are interested in providing some assistance to Wilson can contact him on telephone number (592) 697-9614. Meanwhile, the Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Police Force have launched an investigation. (G4)

ECD man charged for illegal gun possession Phenix Wilson

neighbour’s home was on fire.

“By the time I reach on the road the structure for the house fall down. In less than half an hour the house burn down. The fire reel didn’t take long to come but by the time they reached the house was already burnt,” the woman related.

Firefighters were, how-

ever, able to prevent the fire from spreading to other buildings.

Wilson said he was at the wash bay when he received the news but by the time he arrived, scores of persons were at the scene and the building had fallen to the ground.

“A security from the community centre said that the

Wilson is of the view that the fire is an act of arson.

“Last Wednesday night I came home and was watching TV and about 12:30h I heard a noise at the back but the rays don’t have a fence to the one side, so I didn’t pay attention to it because I thought it was some animal that came into the yard. when I wake up the morn-

The gun which was allegedly found in the man’s possession

T

hirty-five-year-old Jethro Jones of First Street Paradise, ECD, was on Monday charged with the offence of possession of firearm without licence and appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.

Jones was arrested after a search was carried out on him by Joint Services ranks who were conducting a COVID-19 enforcement at a bar in Melanie, East Coast Demerara, early Sunday morning.

It is alleged that Police found one .32 Taurus pistol concealed in his pants waist but he could not produce a licence for same, which led to his arrest.

In court on Monday, Jones pleaded not guilty

Charged: Jethro Jones

and was placed on $150,000 bail. The case will continue on May 30.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Tuesday, Feb 8 – 09:30h – 11:00h and Wednesday, Feb 9 – 10:00h – 11:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, Feb 8 – 08:35h – 10:05h and Wednesday, Feb 9 – 09:40h – 11:10h.

Over $750M budgeted for Local Govt Elections this year …$300M+ budgeted for goods, services, security, other expenses

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 20 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Northerly to North North-Westerly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 09:23h and 21:54h reaching a maximum height of 2.31 metres and 2.19 metres.

Low Tide: 15:25h reaching minimum heights of 0.94 metre.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2022

LOTTERY NUMBERS H

14 16 19

21 22 25

FREE TICKET

26 Bonus Ball

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022

DAILY MILLIONS

06 08 10 18 22 LUCKY 3

1

2

7

7

Afternoon Draw

0

9

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

02 05 07 14 16 19 21 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2022

01 02 04 06 14 13

06 08 09 12 19

7

0 Afternoon Draw

2X Afternoon Draw

0

0 Evening Draw

3X Evening Draw

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$92.69/barrel

-0.63

Rough Rice

$277.92/ton

-0.08

London Sugar

$492.60/ton

0.00

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1821.50

$1822.50

Low/High Change

$1808.30 +1.20

$1824.70 +0.07%

Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira during questioning on Monday

By Jarryl Bryan

O

ver $750 million has been set aside in Budget 2022 for the preparations to be undertaken by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for the hosting of Local Government Elections (LGE) this year.

This money is part of an overall $4.1 billion allocation to GECOM in Budget 2022 and was examined and approved by the National Assembly during its consideration of the 2022 Budget Estimates on Monday.

Included in the $783 million for LGE is an over $300 million increase in “other goods and services purchased”, which jumped from $250.8 million in 2021 to $575.9 million in the 2022 budget.

When quizzed by Opposition Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament Khemraj Ramjattan on whether this increase would be spent on a voters’ list, Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gail Teixeira explained that this money would go towards LGE. “The issue of other goods and services purchased, increasing from $250 million to $575 million, relates to the preparation of Local Government Elections and the services that would be required for that.”

“However, with regards to the question about a new voters’ list, that is not a budgetary issue. That is an issue for the Commission and the Chairman has to make a decision on and if they so desire, then budgetary matters will fall into place,” Teixeira explained, noting that this decision has so far not been made.

Teixeira further explained that the increase will cater for expenses related to security, equipment maintenance, procuring containers, and storing sensitive election materials related to holding the elections.

“Under goods and services, it includes security services which would be in-

creased because of Local Government Elections. The equipment maintenance will go up sizeable, because it has to do with the preparation of the elections, cleaning and extermination, COVID and other… includes areas of rental of backup generators, containers to store ballot papers, and the publication of ads in the print media about the electoral process and to create public awareness and storage of all the sensitive election material,” she explained.

Under further questioning, it was also revealed

by Teixeira that GECOM Chairman, Retired Justice Claudette Singh’s salary is an estimated $2.4 million, while the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud gets $1.4 million.

It was only recently that

The Guyana Elections Commission

GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj had confirmed that LGE, which was supposed to be held in 2021, is on track to be held this year.

In fact, Gunraj said that a roadmap is being prepared towards achieving this.

In December 2021, the GECOM Chair had written Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall to confirm that the electoral body would be unable to hold Local Government Elections in 2021.

She had explained that since the Commission was currently without a Chief Elections Officer, who by law is required to manage the conduct of elections in Guyana, GECOM was “unable” to have the elections held at that point in time.

However, after a rigorous

process, GECOM has since hired Vishnu Persaud as the new CEO. GECOM still has to fill the posts of Deputy CEO and other senior management vacancies.

LGEs are constitutionally due every two years in Guyana, and were last held in 2018. However, given the fiasco that played out following the 2020 General and Regional Elections, the local Government polls were deferred to 2021.

At the last LGE in November 2018, the then People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Opposition had secured 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). This followed the holding of the LGE in 2016, during which the PPP/C also claimed the majority of the LAAs.

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guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Guyana’s wildlife A

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Members of the Honorable Artillery Company fire a gun salute in front of Tower Bridge in London to mark the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne (AFP photo)

Kindness is strength. But try telling that to children

By Emma Brockes

I

f you are a parent of young children who browses parenting websites, you will, at some point, have been pitched to about talent. You may be invited, via targeted advertising, to enrol your child in a Future School Global Maths Skill Assessment – “to see how they compare to peers globally”. You may be urged to consider the possibility – nay, probability – that they are “gifted” in some way, if not in maths, then in music or art. It’s window-dressing for lame subscription services, but the other day, assailed by this stuff, a line caught my eye that I haven’t been able to forget. “Talent isn’t everything,” read the copy. “The important thing is to teach your child to be kind.”

This positioning of “kindness” as oppositional to “talent” – and the impossibility, by implication, of a predisposition towards kindness itself being regarded as “talent” – is rife once you start looking for it. Kindness is, everywhere: the consolation prize, the donkey in the nativity play, the award for perfect attendance. The metric for gifted is limited in childhood to measurable and therefore narrow results; a child might learn to read early, but disciplines requiring maturity for their impact are sealed off as forms of prodigiousness. There are no seven-year-old fiction writing prodigies. There are no prodigies in kindness, either.

A few years ago, none of this would have struck me as noteworthy. It is true that, along with a lot of other “soft” values, kindness is something one comes to appreciate more with age and exhaustion. The phrase “give me a break”, once muttered by rote and gutted of meaning, is now one I use extremely literally. Parenting changes one’s parameters, too. In line with common assumptions, I believed a predisposition towards kindness wasn’t innate, but instead something entirely reliant on cultivation. These days I wonder about that, and about our determination to see it that way. Of my two children, one can be urged, pressured, bribed or cajoled

into sharing and being less grabby – behaviour, in other words, which falls squarely within the normal range. The other child, more often than not, considers and accommodates the feelings of others, naturally and without being asked. Like a tiny 40-year-old, she uses phrases like “I’m happy for her” and “No, you go ahead.” It’s weirdly mature and occasionally eerie.

Which brings us to the problem of kindness; not only the fact that, in plenty of settings, it can be a code for weakness or neediness, but the fact that the word itself has been emptied out through misuse. Online, “be kind” is an order commonly used by men towards women with whom they disagree. And, like similar entreaties – “smile!” – has a silent “bitch” at the end of the phrase. Kindness in this context means giving in to another’s demands, a form of female pliancy rooted in renouncing one’s needs.

Real kindness is not this. Kindness, I try to tell my children, is strength. My child with the kind disposition is frequently baffled and let down by the hostility of others, at which point I have to bite my tongue. “Jessica was a dick to you because she has vast inadequacies; and honestly, have you seen the state

of her parents?” is not ammunition I’m going to give to my seven-year-old. On the other hand, it seems fair to provide her with a rudimentary knowledge of how projection and insecurity work.

Frequently, these lessons go against the grain of how our culture measures success, and it’s a hard line to navigate; you can be competitive and resolute, and not a “pushover” or a “weakling”, but still factor in how other people feel. Can you teach someone to be kind?

Of course, but also only sort of, not entirely. You can condition them with reason and rewards in the same way you can send them to piano every week and eventually they’ll learn to play Twinkle Twinkle. The fact remains that some people are kinder than others not as a result of external forces, but from some preloaded ability we’re resistant to valorising. There are branches of therapy that frame acts of kindness as a form of self-care – much more in line with our what’s-in-it-for-me values – and the ancient Greek storyteller Aesop said, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Two thousand years later, it remains a hard sell. (The Guardian) (Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022

5

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

Personal reflections on the Another empty vessel departed iconic artiste making oil and gas noises Dear Editor, The title is impressive, “The Oil & Gas Governance Network”; they boast of the quality of their membership, MBAs! CPAs! Engineers!

Professors!

And they are never short on advice on matters oil & gas. However, when faced with paying for a ticket to attend the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2022, the OGGN suddenly becomes “minimum wage workers”, and need a free pass.

The incongruity is not new, nor is it confined to Guyana’s shores; and there is certainly no sur-

prise that OGGN is another empty vessel making oil and gas noises. This is not the first time Guyana has entertained financially embarrassed experts from the diaspora; one ‘wall street analyst’ returned to our shores and rode a moped for years, and we still admired his esoteric writings, which he parlayed into a job with the Granger Administration.

Guyanese have learned from that folly; an appearance on a Moray House panel no longer has the prestige, since they continue to entertain men with ‘gold bangle’ ethics and

clear anti-Guyana agendas.

Guyana would welcome financial experts from the diaspora who have demonstrated financial success, not hustlers running oneman operations from basements.

Dr Jerry Jailall et al should work on raising the US$350 for a ticket to the event, and gaining basic credibility before pontificating on how the billions of USD Guyana will earn from Oil & Gas should be utilised.

Sincerely, Robin Singh

Lata’s music played an overarching role in keeping East Indian culture intact

Dear Editor, The passing of Lata Mangeshkar brings a curtain down on a most illustrious life of an artist par excellence. The most recorded artist, hers is a mind-boggling human feat with more than 25,000 songs to her legacy. Arguably, she outlived and outperformed her contemporaries.

It would be uneasy to assess in sum or substance, East Indian life in the later stage of colonial British Guiana, or post-colonial Guyana without the cultural impact of Lata Mangeshkar’s music.

Weddings, birthday celebrations, certain religious functions, and so forth held

by East Indians would have occasioned a place for her music.

Indeed, a pivotal force directed first by way of Hindi films shown in cinemas, and also through ra-

dio and private diffusion and/or juke boxes or stereos, Lata Mangeshkar’s music played an overarching role in keeping East Indian culture and heritage intact during the long days of the unlawful Forbes Burnham PNC Government.

In those days, people simply lived with the music and without the analysis; but assuredly, the many shades of darkness that flashed about—high crime in the countryside, for example, created a harsh world within which people managed to survive using whatever measured happiness they squeezed out of this lady’s and her famous contemporaries’ songs.

Said another way, people were partially rescued from the usual failure and drab of race politics by the affectionate draw of culture and music. Perhaps one day someone will write

about these things for the record.

On a more subjective note, it was an opportunity truly missed when, as a high school boy I was unable to attend her show when Lata Mangeshkar visited Guyana during the mid-eighties. One is indebted, respectfully.

Sincerely, Rakesh Rampertab

Dear Editor, With the passing of Lata Mangeshkar, I would like to share some personal reflections on this departed iconic artiste. I was in New York in 1980 when I heard she would be coming to Guyana later in the year, on October 1st. I immediately booked a ticket to see her, not only because I wanted to listen to her in person, but because of what she represented to my family back in Guyana.

For my generation from the 50s and 60s, Lata was the voice that soothed us as babies with the song “Ayega, ane wale, ayega” (Those who want to come will come.).

Made you fall in love at ten with Sara Bhanu with her (Lataji’s) “Ehesaan Tera hoga…” (I would be indebted to you if you let me tell you what my heart desires), woo girls as a teenager with “Jhilmil sitaron ka aangan hoga” (There’ll be shining stars over our courtyard), be the background of maudlin homesickness in my college days at Brooklyn College in my 20s with “Ai mere Dile-nadaan (Oh my innocent heart), and make me request that her rendition of the medieval poet Meera Bai’s “Payoji Maine, Ram Ratan Dhan payo” be played at my funeral.

In 1967, when both Mohamed Rafi (my favourite male singer) and Mukesh visited Guyana, as a poor schoolboy, I could not afford to pay the entrance fee to their

shows at the local cinemas, and only glimpsed them from afar. I’ve never forgotten the intensity of my disappointment, and was determined not to let my music-besotted family in “hard-guava-season” Guyana experience the same with Lata.

I flew in on Sept 28, Lata’s birthday, when she was performing in Trinidad, and bought more than a dozen tickets for her show at the National Park (not the National Culture Centre).

We sat in the front row, and could see her pleasure at the reaction of her doting fans. At one point, she remarked that she could not understand how we could react so knowingly to the nuances of her renditions when we couldn’t understand Hindi.

Earlier, as was by recorded her manager, she and her troupe were puzzled when a band played the song “Gumnaam hai koi” (It’s someone anonymous) in welcoming her, while being presented with the key to the

city by then Mayor Cecil D Persaud.

But even though the Indian movies with subtitles translated the songs, it was not the words that touched us; it was the sentiments evoked by the music; and her voice, which was an unparalleled instrument. The closest analogy is western audiences reacting to opera when they do not understand German, French or Italian: you apprehend the world emotionally and directly, unmediated by “words” but through sounds.

“Mass excitement” hardly describes the reaction of the Guyanese fans after Lata touched down here; it was more like “mass hysteria”. It was amazing to see my mother, who was born in the same year as Lata, and her children enjoying the same artiste. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren did the same.

Om Sadgati: may her atma/soul be liberated.

Sincerely, Ravi Dev

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022

Page

Foundation ◄

Unit Test

By Cathy Song Earth-touching clouds hush the forest.

A terrarium of?stillness shrouds the bird realm.

Identify each angle as obtuse, acute or right.

Speaking as if?from another source, ‘Apapane the ventriloquist knits its calls, releasing

Identify each pair of angles as supplementary or complementary and explain why.

4)

5)

6)

Identify each triangle as scalene, isosceles or equilateral.

Sunscreen and Skin Human Body Science Experiment

I

n this fun and easy human body science experiment for kids, we’re going to explore skin and sunscreen.

Materials:

Identify each triangle as obtuse, right-angled or acute.

Sunscreen lotion Black or dark colored construction paper

Instructions:

Identify the following quadrilaterals.

16)

Fold the construction paper in half to create two sections.

Put a small dab of sunscreen on one side of the paper. Rub it in to the construction paper, ensuring the sunscreen is on just one side of the paper.

Put the paper in direct sunlight for most of the day.

Observe any changes to the paper.

How it works:

Look at the circle carefully and answer Questions 17-20

17) Name the centre point 18) Which segments are chords?

19) Which segment is the diameter?

20) Which segments are radii?

Identify the numbers of bases, faces, edges and vertices for each of the named solids.

21) Sphere 22) Square 23) Square pyramid 24) Cone 25) Prism

In this experiment, the construction paper acted as our skin. The area not protected by sunscreen should have faded throughout the day demonstrating the sunscreen’s ability to protect human skin.

Make this a science project:

Try different brands of sunscreen. Try different SPFs of sunscreen. (Isciencefun.org)

like a ball of string notes that flutter to the floor as leaves, typing trills that glitter the branches.

The cloud dome diverts the wind the way a boulder divides a river, rerouting the occasional car from turning down the gravel road.

There are many ways to pass through.

There are many ways to exit.

Solitude expands the sense of? time, on this side of the hourglass, the sand in short supply.

I frittered it away in such a hurry, the arguments, the hostility, grabbing at what I thought would make me happy, so many missed opportunities to make, in the end, amends.

I take heed from the old sages.

I do not miss the fickleness of? the fleeting world.

With my books and papers, I scratch insects out of stone, patch and reclaim torn threads.

The stitches are far from perfect.

Tobacco-drunk and countless tea cups, I retreat, content beside the twig-fed fire.

All that I need is to want nothing more. Rising into clouds, the wisps of?smoke impersonal as my signature.

Source: Poetry (October 2020)

Teacher's Tip “Minds are like parachutes. They only function when open.”

– James Dewar

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

With $1B budget, Audit Office prepared to scrutinise spending of oil monies …funds also budgeted for Youth Council, Commissioner of Information

Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gail Teixeira

T

he Government has made it clear that the Audit Office of Guyana, which has a legal duty that will encompass auditing inflows and expenditures of oil revenue from the Natural Resource Fund (NRF), is equipped to take on this important task.

The NRF Act was signed into law last year and the monies in the fund will be used in this year’s $553 billion budget. During the first day of examining the budget estimates, Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament (MP) David Patterson questioned whether monies were allocated for the Audit Office to track oil revenue.

According to Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Gail Teixeira, the Audit Office has been preparing for and is mandated to do exactly that under the Natural Resource Fund Act signed into law last year.

“The Audit Office has been preparing to track revenue coming into the coffers of the Natural Resources Fund… the Audit Office is building its capacity to audit exploration, extraction and production of oil in the oil sector. The Natural Resource Fund will be audited in accordance with the Natural Resource Fund Act.” “The Auditor General under the Act, the Natural Resources Fund has a role to play in terms of Section 31, that an external audit of the accounts, records and other documents relating to the fund shall be undertaken annually by the Auditor General, who may engage internationally recognised auditing firms who may assist with the discharge of the external audit functions,” Teixeira said.

Teixeira explained that the Audit Office has the ability and noted that the need for any further technical expertise will be determined at the requisite time. In fact, she assured that the 2023 budget is likely to also contain provisions to further build the Audit Office’s capabilities.

Additionally, Teixeira said that the Public Accounts Committee is expected to lend its support for any further expansion of the Audit Office. Teixeira further explained that monies are included for the audit office to transition to a paperless system, with various software licenses.

“In terms of the software licenses, $9.6 million is allocated to IDA and $1.65

Commissioner of Information Charles Ramson Sr

to TeamMate. And as you know, TeamMate is more related to a paperless system and IDA is a tool for assisting in auditing,” Teixeira said.

“They’re in phase one of the project to move towards a paperless audit. But as you’re well aware if you move around the country with 80 Local Authorities and 10 Regional Democratic Councils, State or agencies or Government agencies, you still have to be dealing with quite a volume of paper.”

Other allocations

The allocation of monies for other purposes was also probed, including money for the Youth Advisory Council that has been touted by President Dr Irfaan Ali. A sum of $60 million has been set aside for the council in this year’s budget.

Responding to questions from the Opposition,

The Audit Office of Guyana

Teixeira explained that the intention is to ensure the council is fully functional by the end of April. Last year’s allocation had gone towards ensuring the setting up of a secretariat within the Office of the President. “$60 million has been allocated for the Youth Advisory Council for which the President will be launching by the end of the first quarter. A Technical Coordinating Committee had been established in 2021 and that have completed the terms of reference.”

“I am advised that the President will be meeting with the youth arms of the various political parties to

encourage them to participate in the Youth Advisory Council,” Teixeira further explained.

It was also revealed during the examination of the budget estimates that retired Judge and Senior Counsel Charles Ramson Snr, who formerly served as Commissioner of Information from 2013 to 2018, has been rehired to the position.

According to Teixeira, a sum of $40 million was budgeted for the Office of Commissioner of Information, a position catered for under the Access to Information Act. Ramson, who at one point also served

as Attorney General, was rehired last year.

“The $40 million is allocated as follows: $1.5 million per month for the Commissioner with gratuity and vacation allowance which are calculated statutory and that comes up to $23.8 million per annum and the balance then goes towards the office supplies, materials and the office for the Commissioner of Information,” Teixeira said.

According to the Minister, Ramson has already handed over a work plan for his agency to President Ali, in accordance with the Access to Information Act. (G3)

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS

Miner jailed 38 years for rape A

48-year-old miner has been jailed for 38 years and five months for raping a 36-yearold woman. The custodial sentence was imposed on Odingo Emmanuel called “Dingo” of Imbaimadai Landing, Upper Mazaruni River, when he appeared before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Essequibo High Court on Monday.

A jury, in December 2021, found that he raped the woman on August 10, 2018, at Imbaimadai Landing, Upper Mazaruni River. Following the conviction, Emmanuel was remanded to prison pending sentencing, which was deferred to Monday to allow for the compilation of a probation report and victim impact statement.

Emmanuel is said to be a close friend of the woman and her reputed husband. On the night in question, the victim attended a social event and shortly after began inquiring of her spouse’s whereabouts.

Emmanuel informed her

Convicted rapist: Odingo Emmanuel

that the man left for home.

Upon her arrival at the home, the front door was half-open and she ventured

into the bedroom. While there, she came face to face with Emmanuel, who threw her onto the floor and raped

her.

The woman began to scream and scratched the man on his face. Her reputed husband later came to her rescue and dragged the man off of her. A report was made, and Emmanuel was arrested and charged.

The now-convicted man had been out on $250,000 bail pending the hearing and determination of his trial.

During a sentencing hearing on Monday, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry said the offence has had a detrimental effect on the woman’s mental well-being. She noted that despite the jury’s verdict, Emmanuel has maintained his innocence.

Meanwhile, the rape survivor shared that she is now forced to live with the stigma associated with victims of such crimes. Emmanuel only becomes eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 30 years behind bars.

The rapist was represented by Attorney-at-Law Lachmi Dindayal, while State Counsel Tiffini Lyken prosecuted the matter. (G1)

Charge against driver accused of stealing COVID-19 booklets dismissed

Freed: Mark Samuels

A

city Magistrate has dismissed a theft charge against a man who had been accused of stealing over five dozen COVID-19 immunisation cards from the Health Ministry.

Police had alleged that 31-year-old Mark Samuels of South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, who worked for the Health Ministry as a driver, stole the cards in August 2021.

It was alleged that between August 22 and August 23, 2021, at Brickdam Street,

Georgetown, he broke into the vaccination centre of the Ministry of Health, and stole 66 COVID-19 vaccination cards valued at $1014.

Samuels, who retained lawyer, Dexter Todd, had initially pleaded not guilty.

When the case came up on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus dismissed the charge for want of prosecution.

Todd had always maintained that the alleged stolen cards were not found on his client’s person or at his home. The prosecution had contended that during the period mentioned in the charge, a female nurse discovered that the lock on the cupboard in which the vaccination cards were stored was broken.

Upon checking, the healthcare worker noticed that the items were missing and alerted her supervisor, who lodged a report at the Brickdam Police Station. The prosecutor said that Samuels was caught on CCTV entering the vaccination centre.

In recent times, sever-

al Health Ministry workers, including those providing healthcare services, have been either charged with stealing or forging COVID-19 booklets.

In August 2021, 27-yearold Avinash Ramaherwar, who was a driver attached to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, was charged with stealing a dozen of the booklets. He was also charged with forging an official document.

Then in October 2021, two nurses attached to the One Mile Health Centre, Wismar, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), were charged with forging COVID-19 vaccination books. They were released on $200,000 bail.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has continuously warned that persons found forging and selling the vaccination cards will face serious consequences. (G1)

The elders...

T

…to settle PNC’s standoff? here’s a report in the press from Hamilton Green, declaring that “PNC Elders” will be intervening to resolve the impasse in the party on the selection of a new Opposition Leader from its midst. Your Eyewitness NOW understands why Green’s been signing his letters to the press, “Elder Hamilton Green”. He just means he’s a “PNC Old Head”, as we say in the vernacular. And why shouldn’t he? He’s been there from goodness knows when - and certainly during the bloodbath in the 1960s, when he earned his fearsome reputation. The man knows where a lot of (PNC) skeletons are buried!!

The Old Heads listed are Green, Corbin, Sampson, Yvonne Harewood-Benn, Allan Munroe and Jeffrey Thomas. Your Eyewitness was surprised not to see Oscar Clarke’s name in the list. He’s not an “old head”? Or is it that Green resents Oscar because, when Hoyte kicked him (Green) out of the PNC, Oscar took his place!!? Ahh for the days when the consigliere from Dartmouth, Ptolemy Reid, could summon any upstart in the party and straighten them out!! Seems like the PNC’s arrived at a point where everyone figures they all put on their pants one leg at a time!! Not like when Burnham was around, and he was the one and only Kabaka!!

So, what are these worthies going to do to change the status quo?? Meaning, what leverage do they have over the major player holding up the anointment of the LOO and that IS singular!! Granger, and Granger ONLY, is the man who’s calling the shots right now!! No matter how they slice it or dice it, or purée it, the Clerk of the National Assembly needs a letter from Granger - as the Representative of the (PNC) List (ROTL) - to first send someone to replace an MP who’s resigned. And Granger ain’t indicating his choice in whatever shape or form!!

Some folks got their hopes up when Ex-Ed Minister Henry said her Budget Speech would be her last, and figured - not unreasonably - that she’d be resigning. But she flattered to deceive when, in that speech, she pointedly indicated she wasn’t enamored with the newbies clamouring to come into Parliament. Granger was the man!! So we now hear that she hasn’t OFFICIALLY resigned!! Granger can now look the elders - one of whom is beholden to him for his massive pension and national award - in the eye and ask, “What can I do, boss?”

Now, to change people’s minds you can use force, moral persuasion or education - or a combination. The elders, however, have no force or moral standing - and education will take years.

By which time the PPP will romp back into office in 2025!! And the rock rolls down the hill again!! …in the Budget Among other things, budgets redistribute resources to various sections of the society. So, we see “pensions” being doled out to elders, rather than leaving them under trees to die in their dotage. Now, there’s been some serious criticisms, not only from the Opposition - which seem to feel they have to criticise EVERYTHING! - that the $3000 increase to bring pensions up to $28,000 monthly just ain’t enough for elders to keep body and soul together.

Some - not the Government, mind you - have retorted that like the fabled ant of yore, who saved crumbs for a rainy day, so should have the elders. And if they’d worked for at least 15 years, they’d be collecting NIS pensions also. But that’s not the point, is it? When you consider that the increase amounts to $100 a day and food prices have skyrocketed, the criticisms have resonated in the 65,000-person over-65 brigade.

They amount to 10 seats – and, if mobilised, can become one of the much-talked-about “swing votes”!!

Elders’ powers!! …in the age of COVID-19 The elders are the demographic most at risk of dying during this COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from vaccines, shouldn’t their pension be increased to at least take care of the necessary vitamin boost??

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

NEWS

9

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Peacemaker shot dead during row A

24-year-old clothes vendor was shot and killed when he attempted to rescue a friend from a brawl on Leopold Street between Breda and Smyth Streets, Georgetown.

Dead is Carlos Waithe

of Lot 2 Norton Street, Georgetown. The murder occurred at about 04:00h on Monday morning.

Reports are that Waithe was consuming alcohol with friends in Charlestown on Sunday evening, after which

he indicated to them that he was leaving to head to a known bar at Breda Street, Georgetown.

Police said that at about 04:00h, Waithe, while in the company of another friend, arrived at the bar, during

to a private city hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. No one has been arrested. Police have since launched an investigation.

which the dead man’s friend became involved in an argument with other patrons at the bar.

The friend, Police said, was then seen running east on Leopold Street towards Smyth Street while being

“Since I is a teen I in prison” – convict to Judge …handed 47-year jail term for killing inmate

Carlos Waithe

chased by a group of men.

Loud explosions were heard during the chase which caused Waithe to also give chase behind the men, yelling “y’all can’t shoot da man”.

The men then turned their attention to Waithe and an argument ensued, during which he was shot.

Waithe was then rushed Convicted killer: Akeem Edwards

R

obbery convict Akeem Edwards, who was found guilty by a jury of killing a fellow inmate of the Mazaruni Prison, has been sentenced to 47 years in prison.

On September 14, 2014, in the county of Essequibo, he murdered 21-year-old Teon Smith who was serving a five-year sentence for robbery under arms.

Edwards was sentenced for the killing on Monday when he appeared before Justice Priya SewnarineBeharry at the High Court in Essequibo.

During a sentencing hearing, the convicted killer told the court that he is reformed and ready to return to society.

He said, “Since I is a teen I in prison. I just need the opportunity to be set free. I am reformed; I have spent 14 years in prison”.

“I is somebody’s son and if you take me position, you won’t like to be sentenced… like to do years more in prison. I just like to go back into society,” an unremorseful Edwards, who appeared in court virtually, told the Judge.

The Judge in her sentencing remarks noted that this was not his first run-in with the law. In fact, State prosecutor Tiffini Lyken disclosed that Edwards was previously convicted of robbery under arms, and trafficking in narcotics.

From what was documented by a probation officer, Justice SewnarineBeharry concluded that he has no respect for the law, persons in authority, and his peers.

The following were the aggravating factors highlighted by the Judge: the

killing was premeditated and took place in a maximum-security prison; how Edwards concealed the murder weapon; his prior convictions; and the nature and gravity of the offence.

In terms of mitigating factors, Justice SewnarineBeharry noted that while the convict lost his parents at a young age and was forced to drop out of school and seek employment, this was short-lived as he resorted to a life of crime.

In the end, the Judge sentenced him to 47 years’ imprisonment, and ordered prison authorities to deduct the time he has already spent in custody. He must serve 40 years before becoming eligible for parole. This was Edwards’ second trial for this murder; his first ended in a hung jury.

Facts state that Smith was stabbed to death by Edwards during an argument at the Mazaruni Prison. It was reported that the incident escalated when Smith went to retrieve a cell phone from a known hiding spot but could not find it.

Smith then accused Edwards of removing the phone. It was reported that during the lunch break at the penitentiary, Edwards armed himself with a knife, went over to Smith’s cell, and dealt him several stabs about the body.

The injured inmate was rushed to the Bartica Regional Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. His cause of death was given as perforation of the right lung and right coronary artery.

At the time of his demise, Smith was serving a five-year prison sentence for armed robbery. His killer was also serving a sentence for the same offence. (G1)

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

10 NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CANU finds $4.5M worth of ganja in car R

anks from the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) have arrested two persons in relation to the discovery over $4.5 million worth of marijuana.

The bust was made on Monday in a car at Number 51 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The two suspects, who were in the car, were taken to CANU Headquarters where the ganja was weighed and amounted to 33.3lbs. CANU

said the drug carries a street value of $4.5 million.

Investigations are ongoing.

Essequibo Coast motorcyclist collides with car

A

62-year-old man of Golden Fleece, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) was on Sunday afternoon injured in an accident which occurred along the Golden Fleece Public Road.

Injured is Koshal Netram, who is currently receiving care at the Suddie Hospital.

Reports are that at around 17:20h, Netram was riding his motorcycle,

CG 5980, along the roadway when he collided with motor car PTT 2222 which was driven by a 41-yearold woman of Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast.

Police said the motorcyclist rode out from a street and into the path of the motor car. Despite the woman’s best efforts to avoid a collision, the two vehicles collided.

As a result, the cyclist fell onto the road’s surface where he received injuries

Injured: Koshal Netram

about his body.

Investigations are ongoing. (G14)

NEWS

11

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Over 7800 paediatric COVID-19 cases recorded since March 2020

…parental consent low for children’s vaccination – Health Minister

A

fter almost two years of battling the pandemic in Guyana, statistics show that there were over 7800 paediatric infections detected by the Health Ministry.

While addressing the issue of paediatric COVID-19 infections in Monday’s briefing, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said a majority of these cases have been mild with low chances of hospitalisation.

However, there were instances where some persons required hospitalisation, along with 17 reported deaths.

“Over the course of the pandemic, we’ve had a number of paediatric cases. In total, since the pandemic started, we would have seen 7831 paediatric cases. Most of these cases have been mild so they don’t require hospitalisation but unfortunately, we’ve had 55 persons coming into the hospital and of these 55, we would have had 17 deaths. That’s for the entire duration of the pandemic,” he revealed.

Parental consent

In the 12 to 17 age group, vaccination numbers remain low as only 23,383 or 32.1 per cent are fully vaccinated. A noteworthy challenge, he relayed, is parental consent for children to take the shots.

“The big challenge here is that a lot of children have not been getting their vac-

This month, Pfizer also submitted to the USFDA for review, a vaccine for the six months to five-year category. However, upon approval, it will take a few months before countries can access the jabs.

Meanwhile, 426,317 or 83.1 per cent of adults have been vaccinated with a first dose COVID-19 vaccine.

In terms of second dose, 317,770 or 71.9 per cent are completely immunised.

cines because they haven’t received explicit permission from their parents. Parents need to give consent for us to do the administration of vaccines and so we’re really appealing to parents to give that consent so that we can protect your child. We want to have more programmes in the school system to make sure that we can do the vaccination but we can only give the vaccines if the child comes back with permission to say that they have received parental consent.”

Dr Anthony also reiterated that children are not immune to the life-threatening virus – a factor which parents must gravely take into consideration.

“I’m hoping that parents would understand the seriousness of getting their children immunised and so that we can protect them from COVID-19. We still have children who would get in-

fected, and when they get infected, a minority of them can get the severe form of the infection and some of that can be fatal. We really need people to remain protected and we have the means to protect people, which is vaccines,” he asserted.

Three weeks ago, the Health Ministry launched a probe after four paediatric COVID-19 deaths were reported in one week, and in light of the fact that three of those children succumbed before arrival to the hospital.

A committee of doctors was tasked with reviewing the charts and data from these cases thoroughly, obtaining information from parents to understand this trend. In the past, a majority of children succumbing to the virus were diagnosed with one or more comorbid conditions which augmented their risks.

The Ministry has been pursuing avenues to secure vaccines for children within the five to 11 age group.

Through Caricom, negotiations have started with Pfizer to determine whether the region can access these jabs.

“We have made known, how much of these vaccines we would need for our population. We’re anxiously awaiting for those negotiations to be completed for us to get an understanding as to when we can access those vaccines.”

Only 42,629 booster shots have been administered as authorities continue to encourage Guyanese to enhance their protection against the virus.

“This can really improve significantly. I want to appeal to everyone who would have gotten their doses five months ago to please come back and get their booster shot so that you can remain protected,” said the Health Minister. (G12)

12 NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Unvaccinated Region 3 woman latest COVID-19 death …declining trend in new cases seen – Health Minister

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD FEBRUARY 7, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

16

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

111 5.242 17

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

24

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

33,193

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

28,423

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

61,616

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

55,064

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED

REGION 1

2371

REGION 2

2373

REGION 3

7917

REGION 4

30,642

REGION 5

2295

REGION 6

5581

REGION 7

2392

REGION 8

860

REGION 9

3752

REGION 10

3433

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

426,317 317,770

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020

1182

week, you’ll see this 5495 drop further as less people are getting infected and more people are getting discharged”.

Speaking on the Operation COVI-CURB campaign, he said work continues to educate the population on the importance of national public health measures in place: mask wearing, sanitisation and social distancing.

“These measures help to reduce transmission of the disease. The Army, Police and other agencies have been helping us to inform the population and secondly, to enforce some of these rules so that people can comply with them.”

The prevalence of complacency, he noted, has in-

creased in recent time.

Businesses that initially exhibited vigilance have taken on a relaxed approach and are flouting the measures.

“If we relax these measures now, we are still going to see transmission and therefore, this is not some people doing the right now and some being able to violate the rules. We have to take a conscious decision that all of us are going to be involved to make sure that we can protect ourselves and the population. If all of us do the right thing, then the population would be protected,” the health official cautioned.

All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 Emergency

Measures, which are in effect until February 28, 2022.

This order emphasises the need for everyone, 12 years and older to get vaccinated against COVID-19; the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home; the importance of maintaining the six feet 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 needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy (G12)

M&CC approves $2B budget for 2022

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

Wash your hands or use handsanitizer If you have any symptoms, call the COVID-19 Hotline.

GET MEDICAL ADVICE ON COVID-19 FROM MOH 24/7 HOTLINE NUMBERS: 2311166; 226 7480; 624 6674; 624 2819; 624 3067 OR 180/181.

G

uyana’s latest death from the novel coronavirus is a 66-yearold woman from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), who was unvaccinated against the deadly disease.

She died on February 7, moving the country’s death count up to 1182.

Only 16 new infections were reported, one of the lowest numbers in recent time, moving the confirmed cases since March 2020 to 61,616.

There are 17 patients in the Intensive Care Unit

(ICU), 111 in institutional isolation, 5242 in home isolation and 24 in institutional quarantine. From 5495 active positives in the country, 99 are hospitalised across COVID facilities – with 69 at the Infectious Diseases Hospital.

Of the 28,423 males and 33,193 females that tested positive, 55,064 have recovered completely. Guyana has conducted 517,815 tests for the virus to date.

A breakdown showed one new case in Region One (Barima-Waini), five in Region Two (Pomeroon-

Supenaam), four in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), five in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), and one in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

The data showed no increases in Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

On Monday, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony identified, “We’ve seen a declining trend of new cases and I guess by the end of the

Councillors at the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) meeting on Monday (M&CC photo)

T

he Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Monday gave approval for its 2022 budgetary plans, a surplus of $2 billion.

The Council, in the presence of Mayor Ubraj Narine and Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore, deliberated on the estimates and approved the allocations.

From presentations of the Council, the indication is that the local organ remains open to collaboration to ensure that the services continue. According to the Council, the allotted sums will focus on Public Health; and the City Engineer and Solid Waste Departments.

“It also seeks to improve all areas of expenditure and create new revenue avenues to meet the core needs and services of the citizens of Georgetown,” said the M&CC. Last month, Mayor Narine had said that while the Council’s budget is some $2.6 billion, much more is needed for City Hall to effectively conduct its opera-

tions.

Even in its cashstrapped cries, workers of the Council have benefited from a 10 per cent salary increase, five per cent of which will be retroactive to January 2021 and five per cent would be paid from January 2022. This increase is applied to workers across the board.

The money for the increase in wages, the Mayor had said, will come from amnesty being granted for rates and taxes.

“The increase of revenue due to the amnesty that we called from December to March month-end.

Currently we have lots of application, and a lot of people are coming forward to pay their taxes….”, he was quoted as saying.

More than 600 workers stand to benefit. They last received an increase in their wages and salaries in 2018.

When asked if the rates and taxes would be increased later this year or next year to sustain the payment of those salary increases at

that time, the Mayor did not divulge any information, but rather said that any increase in rates would be decided by the Council.

Errant taxpayers have until March 31, 2022, to clear their debts to the Council and some will receive pardons on their liabilities during this amnesty period. A Special Circumstances Committee was created and shall decide the exemption rate. The Council is also equipped to offer a payment plan should the subject be unable to pay the arrears due in full.

An applicant will have to submit along with the application form, certified application of transport, title, lease, letter of administration; a printout of arrears statement; copy of official form of identification; updated rate evaluation as may be required among other documents.

In recent years, it is estimated that almost $9 billion is owed by taxpayers and commercial businesses to the Council. (G12)

NEWS

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

9 British firms exploring investment opportunities in Guyana A

s a follow-up to the visit by Her Majesty’s Deputy Trade Commissioner (HMDTC) for Latin America and the Caribbean Department for International Trade, Spencer Mahony and Caribbean Regional Director (DIT) Laura Ferguson, the British High Commission in collaboration with the Caribbean Council and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce (GCCI) have welcomed a delegation of British businesses which are looking to expand into new markets, such as Guyana.

The Trade Mission delegation, which is expected to be in Guyana for four days, will engage in several ministerial and business-to-busi-

ness meetings with the local Private Sector in an effort to foster discussions relative to investment opportunities within the various sectors inclusive of infrastructure, food & drink, agriculture, manufacturing, ICT & renewable energy.

The delegation comprises nine British companies ranging from education, manufacturing, and infrastructure.

Monday’s introductory event saw brief remarks from British High Commissioner, Jane Miller OBE; Deputy High Commissioner, Ray Davidson; Managing Director of Caribbean Council, Chris Bennett; President of the GCCI, Timothy Tucker; Senior Vice

President of GCCI, Gerald Gouveia; and Country Director of DIT, Sherwyn Naughton. Discussions focused primarily on doing business in Guyana, trade and investment opportunities, trade agreements, and UK business perspectives.

It also featured a presentation from Executive Director of the GCCI, Richard Rambarran on doing business in Guyana and Guyana’s Local Content Legislation.

Over the next few days, the companies will be engaging with a number of local stakeholders and members of the Government. The UK Government is keen to support a growth in trade and investment between

MovieTowne’s Garden of Love opens

A section of MovieTowne’s Garden of Love

M

o v i e T o w n e (Guyana) is ready to celebrate the season of love, all month long, at its Garden of Love.

For the month of February, couples can visit MovieTowne’s Garden of Love, complete with a love bench, a kissing bridge, a love tree, flower heart

by Nesha’s Flower land, a love seat, a Venice themed gondola, and of course the main attraction – a rose covered gazebo!

Garden of Love will open on weekdays from 14:00h to 20:00h and on weekends from midday to 20:00h.

Admission to the area is $500. Also, in the Garden of Love, persons can get

a couple’s hand sculpting done, personalised keychains, and tokens for that special someone.

The excitement extends to Cupid’s Shop where persons can win prizes.

“Every $6000 spent at any MovieTowne store from February 1st to 28th, gives you a chance to enter to win amazing prizes. Simply fill out the coupon, attach your receipt and drop it into the red box which will be stationed at the garden’s entrance for a chance to win prizes,” MovieTowne Guyana said in a press release.

The grand prize is a weekend trip for two to Arrowpoint Nature Resort

while the second prize is a weekend stay for two at the Marriott Hotel. The third prize is dinner for two at Jaxx International Grill, with complimentary wine and roses when dining.

The last prize is breakfast for two at Madd Tea Café. The drawing will be held on March 1 in Garden of Love at MovieTowne.

Meanwhile on February 12, MovieTowne will be hosting a couple’s candle making event and on February 13, persons can show off their creative skills with a couple’s Valentine sip and paint event. Also on February 13, there will be a live violin performance.

Representatives of the British companies meeting with British High Commissioner to Guyana Jane Miller, GCCI President Timothy Tucker along with other officials of GCCI

Guyana and the UK. This mission provides an opportunity to share opportunities, contacts, knowledge, experiences and to establish business linkages.

The visiting companies are Concrete Canvas; DAR; Grove Group; One True Maverick Vodka; Nectar Group; Signature LLP and Woollard and Henry.

Concrete Canvas products are part of a revolutionary class of new, innovative materials called

Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCMs).

DAR is an international firm of design consultants, originally from Beirut, which has a 1500-person headcount in the UK. Grove is a Google Cloud and Education partner, a premier Darktrace, Kenna Security and elite Mimecast partner as well as a Proofpoint distributor.

One True Maverick Vodka is a tri-blend vodka made differently with a unique taste, process and ingredi-

ents. Nectar Group operates and manages a number of bulk terminals around the globe and offers a range of value-added solutions for handling bulk cargoes.

Signature LLP is a Londonbased law firm with offices in Paris and Gibraltar, specialising in commercial litigation and arbitration.

Woollard and Henry is an international supplier of quality equipment and solutions across multiple sectors.

14 NEWS Illegal trade of wildlife to be fully penalised – GWCMC TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

T

he Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) will be rolling out its new Wildlife Domestic Licensing System in the coming month to better regulate the local and international trade of wildlife in Guyana and penalise persons who seek to trade without a licence.

This is according to Communications Officer Deuel Hughes, who told Guyana Times on Monday that persons require a licence to conduct both local and international trade of wildlife in Guyana, but the licences are issued on an annual basis.

“Persons require a licence to conduct trade.

Those persons who would be

Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission

trading wildlife externally would be exporting wildlife or importing wildlife from

Guyana to another country, they actually require an export licence. We issue those

Funds approved for final payment for offshore patrol vessel

M

oney has been approved in Budget 2022 for the final payment for the offshore patrol vessel. The first payment of $618 million was made through the 2021 budget for the $2.3 billion patrol vessel.

This was disclosed by Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister, Gail Teixeira on Monday in the Committee of Supply. The Minister was being questioned by the parliamentary Opposition on the budgeted sum for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

The $2.8 billion budgeted for capital projects for

the GDF will also strengthen the capacity of the Force.

While she could not give details due to security concerns, she noted that there is accountability through the Auditor General, the public accounts review and internal audits.

“The fact is that our Guyana Defence Force, we need to make sure they are properly equipped and trained to do the job they have according to the Constitution which is to defend our territory and to ensure we live in a secure environment,” Minister Teixeira was quoted by DPI as saying. However,

as it relates to the patrol vessel, when the first payment was made in 2021, the Minister had relayed in the Committee of Supply that it would be utilised by the Coast Guard to patrol the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

“We have a border issue.

We have our waters where there were incursions. We have one old vessel and, therefore, a decision was taken that we could acquire a new one,” the Minister had said in 2021.

The patrol vessel is being constructed by United States company, Metal Shark.

licences on an annual basis,” he said.

He further revealed that the GWCMC is currently issuing permits to persons to conduct local wildlife trade as the Wildlife Domestic Licensing System is not fully operational. “...Last year we would’ve focused on raising awareness on our domestic system of licences. That system is not fully operational as yet, so what we’re doing in the interim is that we’re issuing persons permit to sell wildlife locally,” Hughes explained.

Persons who are selling wildlife, whether it be through wildmeat shops or pet shops would have to apply to the GWCMC to conduct any sale of wildlife. Hughes hopes that by the month of March, the Wildlife Domestic Licensing System would be fully operational for persons to be issued with a standard wildlife trade licence instead of a permit.

“Actually, later in the year, or as soon as next month we are hoping to roll

Communications Officer Deuel Hughes

out that system fully where they would require an actual licence to conduct their activities,” he confirmed.

Hughes also disclosed that even though the system is not fully operational, persons who are caught selling wildlife without a permit can have the specimen of wildlife in their possession confiscated by the GWCMC. He noted that once the Wildlife Domestic Licensing System is functional, persons will be penalised even further.

“When the full system comes on board that is when

we’ll start penalising persons in terms of fines and even jail time is applicable,” he said.

Kamrul Baksh of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), last year, showed his support towards the initiative as it ensures the sustainability of local wildlife.

The GWCMC regulates the hunting, trapping, trade, protection, conservation, management, and sustainable use of wildlife, harvesting, and transporting wildlife under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act 2016. (G2)

IDB sets record $23.4B in 2021

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he Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and its private sector arm, IDB Invest, achieved a record of nearly $23.4 billion in new financing approvals, commitments and private sector mobilisations, beating previously reported initial estimates for financial assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean in 2021.

The figure reflects additional and updated numbers, including commitments and mobilisations, partnerships, and grants to Haiti.

The new record includes IDB Invest’s mobilisation of

more private funding in 2021 – almost $3 billion – than during any year in its history. The total also includes record or near-record levels of IDB funding approvals in priority areas for the region’s recovery and sustainable, inclusive growth, including health and the COVID-19 response, climate change, supply chains and digitalisation.

The IDB and IDB Invest reported in December that they expected combined approvals and commitments for 2021 to total nearly $20 billion, and $22.3 billion when including IDB Invest’s mobilisation figures.

The updated $3 billion mobilisation figure for IDB Invest replaces the previous estimate of $2.8 billion.

Combined with revised commitment figures from IDB Invest and newly included financing by the IDB and IDB Lab, the 2021 total amounts to the largest sum of funding ever posted by the institutions in a given calendar year.

Highlights from the IDB’s financing include a record amount of funding for climate-related projects ($4.5 billion) and a record level of financing to strengthen regional supply chains ($2.3 billion).

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Granger writes Speaker, Clerk on Nicolette Henry's March 1, 2022 resignation …“Ball is in APNU/AFC’s court” on electing Opposition Leader – Speaker

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he ball is in the parliamentary Opposition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change’s (APNU/AFC) court when it comes to electing a new Opposition Leader, since they need only write to the National Assembly indicating their readiness to proceed with the election.

This is according to Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir, who in a brief interview with this publication confirmed that former President and Representative of the APNU/AFC list, David Granger, wrote him formally informing him of Opposition Member of Parliament Nicolette Henry’s resignation from Parliament.

It is understood that Henry submitted her resignation to Granger as leader of the list. However, Henry’s resignation does not take effect until the ending of March 31, 2022. But when asked by this publication if this will delay the process of electing an Opposition Leader, Nadir said not nec-

Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir

essarily.

According to the Speaker, the ball is in APNU/AFC’s court to act when it comes to the election of an Opposition Leader. He said that “in such a case, the members of the Opposition would have to indicate (their readiness to proceed).”

After making her contribution to last week’s debates on Budget 2022, Henry, who had served as Education Minister under the previous APNU/

AFC coalition Government, had announced it was her final presentation in the National Assembly.

It is anticipated that with a vacant seat now on the Opposition’s side of the National Assembly, People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Leader Aubrey Norton would be sworn in as a Member of Parliament and take up the role of Opposition Leader that was left vacant by Harmon, who is still a parliamentarian.

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

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

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

According to reports, Dr Henry had agreed to step

Opposition MP Nicolette Henry

down.

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

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

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

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

Shuman currently occupies one seat in the 32-seat parliamentary Opposition, while the remaining are taken up by the APNU/AFC coalition.

Nevertheless, Harmon’s resignation as Opposition Leader last month came one day after he had also stepped down as General Secretary of the APNU, while former PNC Leader David Granger has resigned as the par-

APNU/AFC List Rep David Granger

ty’s Chairman. The APNU Chairmanship has since been taken up by Norton.

The PNC Leader is also looking to take over as Head of the APNU/AFC List of Candidates – a position that is currently being held by Granger. For Norton to become the new Leader of the Opposition, Granger will have to give the greenlight.

In the event that Granger steps down as Head of the List of Candidates, AFC’s Ramjattan will take his place. (G3)

Biden pledges end to Nord Stream 2 if Russia invades Ukraine

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S President Joe Biden said on Monday that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline would be halted if Russia invades Ukraine and stressed unity with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as the West rallies to avert a war in Europe.

At a White House press conference with the new German leader, Biden, a longtime opponent of the decade-old pipeline project to Germany from Russia, said Russian forces crossing into Ukraine would trigger a shutdown. "If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the ... border of Ukraine again, then there will be ... no longer a Nord Stream 2. We, we will bring an end to it," Biden said.

Asked how, given the project is in German control, Biden said: "I promise you, we'll be able to do it."

Scholz said the United States and Germany had the same approach to Ukraine, to Russia and to sanctions, but did not directly confirm the Nord Stream 2 plans or mention the pipeline publicly by name over the course of his day-long visit. Whether the United States and Germany are on the same page over the $11 billion project has become a crucial question as the two ma-

US President Joe Biden meets with Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 7, 2022 (Reuters/Leah Millis)

jor democracies lead NATO allies in pushback against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia has amassed some 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border. It denies it is planning an invasion. US officials say an attack could occur within days or weeks.

Scholz, under fire at home and abroad for what has been seen as insufficient leadership in the crisis, told reporters Russia would pay a very high price if it invaded

Ukraine and said Germany and the United States had the same approach. "We will be united. We will act together. And we will take all the necessary steps," Scholz said in English.

Even before the pipeline starts flowing, Germany uses Russian gas to cover half its needs. It delayed approval of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline until at least the second half of 2022, but has refused to cancel the nearly completed project.

Biden and Scholz em-

phasized that they preferred diplomacy as a solution to the Ukraine conflict.Asked if Russia still had an "off ramp" from any crisis, Biden said yes.

Scholz, whose popularity has plunged 17 percentage points in recent weeks as tensions ratcheted up with Moscow, is due to visit both Ukraine and Russia next week, after meetings this week with Biden, European Union officials and the heads of Baltic states.

The Biden-Scholz rela-

tionship could be pivotal at a time when French President Emmanuel Macron has yet to declare if he will run in an election in three months, and while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is engulfed in a domestic crisis.

On Monday, Macron met with Putin and told the Russian leader he seeks to avoid war and build trust.

Scholz also met with key lawmakers on both sides of the aisle on Monday evening, including top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer and Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell.

Biden said he had no doubts about Germany's reliability as a partner and said Scholz had the United States' complete trust.

"There is no doubt about Germany's partnership with the United States. None," Biden said.

Biden and US officials emphasized that Germany was the second largest donor of non-military assistance to Kyiv after the United States, and that they were planning sanctions against Russia together.

Details of the sanctions package are still being finalized, but banning Russia from the SWIFT financial transaction system remains an option, a U.S. official

said.

Steven Sokol, president of the American Council on Germany, said Scholz needed to clarify Germany's position on Nord Stream 2 and show more "creativity" in providing assistance to Ukraine, short of sending in weapons.

"Germany has to understand that if it wants to be more of a player on the world stage and carry more responsibility, then with that comes taking more action," Sokol said. "In order to be a leader, Germany has to do more." (Reuters)

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US offers $10 million reward Jamaican policewoman for information on ISKP leader arrested in US, accused of

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he United States is offering up to $10m for information leading to the location or identification of Sanaullah Ghafari, the leader of the Afghanistan affiliate of ISIL (ISIS).

The reward offered by the US State Department on Monday also covers any information that could lead to the arrest of individuals responsible for last year’s deadly bombing at Kabul airport, which was claimed by the ISIL group in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K).

The August 2021 attack in the Afghan capital, which killed 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US service personnel, came amid the US’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Ghafari – also known as Shahab al-Muhajir – was appointed head of ISKP in June 2020, according to the US State Department, and was responsible for ap-

proving all ISKP operations throughout Afghanistan and for raising funds for the group.

The results of a US military investigation into the August 26 attack at the Kabul airport, released on February 4, found that it was likely conducted by one person who detonated a single explosive device, loaded with ball bearings, in a packed crowd.

Days after the bombing, the US carried out a drone attack that the Pentagon initially said targeted suspected ISKP fighters.

But media outlets quickly reported that 10 Afghan civilians, including several children, had been killed.

US officials later apologised for the bombing, though no members of the US military have been punished.

Little is known about Ghafari, but he is rumoured to have been an al-Qaeda commander or a former

member of the Haqqani network, one of the most powerful and feared factions in the Taliban.

Ghafari was blacklisted by the US in November as a “specially designated global terrorist”.

Two other members of the group – spokesperson Sultan Aziz Azam, also known as Sultan Aziz, and senior leader Maulawi Rajab Salahudin – were also blacklisted.

“We are committed to using all of our counterterrorism tools to counter ISIS-K and ensure that Afghanistan cannot again become a platform for international terrorism,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said at the time.

“These designations expose and isolate terrorists, preventing them from exploiting the US financial system and assisting with relevant law enforcement activities.” (Aljazeera)

Grenada celebrates 48th anniversary of independence

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renada is celebrating its 48th anniversary of political independence from Britain on Monday with Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell noting the impact that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is continuing to have on the island two years after the first case was detected here.

Addressing a military parade where spectators were not allowed to attend, Mitchell said despite the “dark cloud of the pandemic” Grenada was looking forward to the future with hope. He noted that, “at the same time”, this must be underpinned by concrete action that will transition hope from a desire to reality.

“This is why we are concerned about the level of vaccine hesitancy that exists in Grenada . . . we believe in the science and remain optimistic that vaccination and achieving herd immunity will help bring an end to this crisis.

“We will therefore continue to advocate for vaccination, but ultimately there is only so much the government can do and say. What we need more than ever is a solid partnership . . . government and people working side by side to overcome this pandemic,” Mitchell said.

The prime minister noted that the fallout created by the pandemic has increased the onus on the government to provide economic and social assistance to ease the burden.

Grenada has recorded 211 deaths and 12 862 infections linked to the virus.

“It is a difficult time for

Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell

government to be called upon to do more at the same time it faces a reduction in revenue when compared to pre pandemic times,” Mitchell said.

“However, government is committed to ensuring that our most vulnerable citizens are not further marginalised by this unrelenting pandemic.” He said that since 2020, his administration has embarked on COVID-19 stimulus packages that had assisted hundreds of citizens and businesses.

He said assistance had also been given to workers of the cash-strapped regional airline, LIAT, who lost their jobs when the airline was forced to revamp its operations.

“We are still in the early stages of implementation . . . with new initiatives to come on stream this year,” Mitchell said. Additionally, the prime minister said he was looking forward eagerly to students returning to

face-to-face tutoring.

Meanwhile, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has congratulated Grenada, noting the country’s resolute movement along the path to development.

CARICOM SecretaryGeneral Dr Carla Barnett, in a congratulatory message to Mitchell, also commended the country’s significant contribution to promoting regional integration.

“There is much for the government and people of Grenada to be proud of since achieving independence 48 years ago, as the country has moved resolutely along the path to development.

Grenada’s contribution globally in academia, sports, culture and diplomacy is well documented,” she said.

Barnett said that the theme chosen for this year’s festivities, “Overcoming our Adversity – Safeguarding Livelihoods – Protecting our Future” speaks to the firm determination of all Grenadians to play an active role in the continued development and prosperity of their country.

“Honourable Prime Minister, Grenada continues to make significant contributions to the promotion of regional integration. In particular, the Community welcomes Grenada’s steadfast leadership on Science and Technology [including Information and Communications], for which you, prime minister, have portfolio responsibilities in the Quasi-Cabinet of the CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government,” she added. (CMC)

being boss of lottery scam ring

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Jamaican policewoman was arrested in the US on Friday after she was accused of being the leader of a lottery scamming organisation.

Fox 11 News has reported that Constable Shelian Allen is charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by wire, and conspiracy to commit fraud by mail.

Online reports say local and federal agencies, including Homeland Security and the US Postal Inspection Service, which have been conducting investigations, believe Constable Allen is the head of a lottery scamming organisation. The authorities believe the organisation has several bases operating in the US and Jamaica.

“A review of numerous accounts tied to this organisation revealed a loss amount in excess of $1.69 million from 17 victims across the country,” the news report said, citing US court documents.

The news report said US authorities went to Jamaica and interviewed Allen, who is a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. A phone, believed to be hers, was inspected and evidence of lottery scamming was found.

Senior Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, head of the Corporate Communication Unit, the information arm of the JCF, confirmed the policewoman's arrest.

She however said as far as she knows

Shelian Allen

Allen was not arrested on scamming charges.

“She was arrested for wire fraud, mail fraud, and illegal possession of drugs,” SSP Lindsay said.

OBSERVER ONLINE sources had revealed that US immigration found cocaine in Allen's stomach after an x-ray. (Jamaica Observer)

Home invader ate shrimp, took bath and left US$200 for broken window

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n armed New Mexico home invader enjoyed shrimp, beer and a bath before apologizing and leaving behind $200 to fix the window he had broken, telling the homeowner he had just needed a warm place to sleep, police said.

Santa Fe Police responded to a residence on Sunday after a man reported he entered his home only to find 34-year-old Teral Christesson there with an AR-style rifle, according to court documents filed in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court, obtained by the Santa Fe New Mexican.

The caller told police Christesson was drinking a beer and eating shrimp when he arrived.

The invader apologized to the homeowner, saying he needed a place to sleep and put $200 on a chair before packing up his gun in a duffel bag and quietly departing, according to documents.

Christesson is believed to have entered the house via a window he had smashed.

The homeowner estimates the window will cost $200 to replace, The New Mexican reported.

The homeowner told police “the male was extremely embarrassed and apologetic about the situation,” according to a report, The Albuquerque Journal reported.

Teral Christesson

When asked why he was in the home, Christesson said “his family was killed in east Texas and he was running from somebody.”

He told the man he had been driving but his car had broken down about 100 miles outside of Santa Fe. The thoughtful home invader was arrested the next day, however, after he tried to steal a woman’s car at gunpoint at a Church’s Chicken restaurant in Santa Fe, according to a criminal complaint.

The woman told cops that she was waiting for her food in the drive-thru line when Christesson allegedly approached her car door and demanded that she get out of the vehicle because he was taking it. Christesson fled after she began honking

her horn.

He was picked up by police when he was spotted walking down a road later that day.

According to court documents, Christesson told police that he had been “caught in a blizzard” on Sunday and broke into the home out of fear of freezing, The New Mexican reported. He said he “felt bad” about breaking the window.

He refused to speak about the attempted car-jacking at Church’s Chicken.

He was charged with aggravated burglary, larceny and criminal damage to property for the Sunday break-in and an additional aggravated assault charge for the attempted carjacking. (NY Post)

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Green light for Vincy Mas – Gonsalves P

rime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves says “Vincy Mas” will return to the St Vincent and the Grenadines cultural calendar in March this year, but cautioned that the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination rate would determine the size of the festival.

“It was decided clearly that we will have Carnival this year,” Gonsalves said on a radio programme here on Sunday, telling listeners that health authorities would ramp up their vaccination effort over the next two months, with the hope of vaccinating 70 per cent of the 80 000 people who are 12 years and older.

As of Sunday, 63 669 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered here.

Vincy Mas had not been held over the past two years as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed 94 lives and infected 9 447 others.

Gonsalves the decision to hold the festival this year was made at Cabinet last Wednesday, after a two-hour discussion with the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC).

He said that there are three basic functions of Carnival, including that Vincy Mas is a mass cultural event that showcases talent in mas, calypso, pan, and other areas as well as it being an economic activity.

Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves

“Every society needs occasions when you have releases. It’s a catharsis. You’re doing work all the time and you have to have something which you let off your energy; you release it. There are all sorts of events, you do that with sports, you do it with cultural events.”

Carnival, he said, is one such activity, with thousands of persons involved “and those who don’t come out enjoy it at home and, increasingly, on various internet

platforms. And the public sector and the private sector are very much engaged.”

Gonsalves noted that in addition to the pandemic, St Vincent and the Grenadines has been affected by the explosive eruption of La Soufriere volcano and the impact of Hurricane Elsa last year.

“It has been a difficult time for our nation. And in addition to the cultural dimension, and in addition to the economic, there is a need for

some kind of collective relief. At least so we think in Cabinet. I’d be interested to hear what people think about this,” Gonsalves said, adding that the CDC’s proposal was “reasonable” and took into account the existing COVID-19 protocols and levels of vaccination.

“So naturally, I raised the question what kind of carnival would we have if we go for 70 cent vaccination by the end of March.

“So we try and do that in February and March — we do an all-out bigger campaign than ever.

This is not just a question of getting the vaccine rate up, that’s one thing, but really we need something bigger than this slimmeddown version of Carnival.

“So, the idea is . . . to go on a mass campaign to up the vaccination rate and to link it also with the kind of carnival that we will have,” Gonsalves said, adding that linking the size of Vincy Mas to the vaccination levels is not an opportunistic move.

This is something which is strategic, both in terms of health, and for us, as a people to have this release after this tremendous strain and pressure and part of our quest to repair — fresh hope in life and living and for us to feel better.”

He said that while the government is focusing on infrastructural development, the social safety net and support for various types of production, “we need to do some-

thing existential”.

“And people are doing it with churches on Saturdays and Sundays, but healthy carnival activity is perfectly normal. And if the priests could play mas, who is we?”

Gonsalves said that Cabinet has asked the CDC to provide data as the government might not know until April “whether we’re going to have something big or something scaled down”.

He said that some Carnival makers may begin planning, and, for example, mas bands wanting to compete in the King and Queen of the Band competition may wish to begin making their costumes.

He said that some mas bands might be even cynical about whether the government would reach the vaccination target.

“Well, I want to know, what the sums involved are, if we have to provide a reimbursement in whole and substantial part for work which people do in the artistic creative field, in the months of February and March, or even into April, which they may not be able to use if the format is more constrained.

“You have to do these things simultaneously. And you have to hope that the best results come in each and every little thing that you’re doing towards this grand goal of a pretty normal Carnival.,” he added. (CMC)

Building resilient health systems key – PAHO director response and recuperation, particularly in disease surveillance and to increase the availability of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, including vaccines”. Calling for urgent action across all sectors, the PAHO director invited “heads of state, ministers of health, the environment, labour and the economy to move quickly, and to act jointly, as one region, with the private sector, ac-

Dr Carissa Etienne

T

he director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Dr Carissa F. Etienne says that coordinated action across the Americas, including the Caribbean, to increase health surveillance, surge capacity and the availability of essential medicines will be key to building resilient health systems that can better cope with future challenges, such as climate change.

Addressing a high-level event at the Atlantic Council on the topic, “Responding to the Next Disaster: Building Health and Climate Resilience in the Americas”, the PAHO director said that “our health and wellbeing are inherently interdependent on our actions on the environment, the social determinants of health – including health systems – and the economy”.

She added that the pan-

demic “has distracted the region and the world in general from addressing profound structural issues that impact our very future, including the current climate crisis”.

As countries in the Americas last week reported the highest number of weekly cases since the pandemic began – more than eight million – and many continue to struggle with the longterm impacts of COVID-19, Etienne said that resilient health structures should be “built in non-pandemic times, with political commitment and the necessary financing to transform health systems for the achievement of Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage”.

She said that while COVID-19 provided valuable lessons, “regional solidarity and concerted action are”, however, “critical for

ademia and civil society” towards this end.

Etienne recalled that PAHO adopted regional frameworks on One Health, Universal Health and Resilient Health Systems at its 2021 Governing Bodies meeting to support pandemic response, recuperation and recovery.

“The swift implementation of these frameworks in the Americas is imperative

in the face of future public emergencies,” she said. “Our vision must be translated into political action, with the firm commitment of countries acting in solidarity.”

PAHO said “Responding to the Next Disaster: Building Health and Climate Resilience in the Americas” is an initiative of the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Centre (AALAC) in

partnership with the United States Department of State.

The event brought together regional organisations to advance an inclusive conversation on health and natural disasters ahead of the ninth Summit of the Americas, which will focus on “Building a Sustainable, Resilient and Equitable Future” for the hemisphere, PAHO said. (CMC)

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Regional

Haiti faces more instability as UN groups condemn death of toddler during T&T operation at sea Moïse’s term officially ends

H

U

nited Nations human rights and refugee organisations Monday condemned the death of a nine-month-old Venezuelan baby during an operation at sea involving the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard.

In a joint statement, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR); the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and UNICEF said they “are deeply saddened” at the event.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and convey our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones who are grieving this loss and a speedy recovery to the injured. Nobody should have to lose their life in their search for safety, protection and new opportunities,” said Dr Eduardo Stein, Joint Special Representative of UNHCR and IOM for Venezuelan refugees and migrants.

“This incident highlights the plight faced by people on the move during desperate and dangerous journeys to safety,” he added.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has expressed his “deepest sympathy….and of all the people of Trinidad and Tobago with respect to the unfortunate loss of life of the baby during the security operations” on Saturday night.

“We continue to appeal to our Venezuelan neighbours to not be encouraged to risk their lives and the life of others in illicit and dangerous

border crossings,” Dr Rowley added.

In a statement, the Coast Guard said while patrolling the south coast, the TTS Scarborough detected a vessel that had crossed the border from Venezuela on Saturday night and that it pursued the boat which attempted to evade the TTS Scarborough.

“All available methods were used including the use of the loud hailer, ship’s horn, searchlight and flares, to try to get the suspect vessel to stop, however, the vessel continued to attempt to evade TTS Scarborough. In keeping with standard protocols, warning shots ahead of the vessel were next employed,” the Coast Guard statement said.

“At this time, the ship’s boat from TTS Scarborough attempted to intercept the vessel, however, the vessel continued with aggressive manoeuvres, first coming into contact with the ship’s boat and then making attempts to ram it.”

The Coast Guard said the boat eventually stopped

“and only then it was discovered that there were illegal migrants on board who had remained hidden and were, therefore, not seen before.

“Further checks discovered one adult female illegal migrant who was holding an infant and who indicated that she was bleeding”.

It said the injured mother was subsequently stabilised and transferred to a local health facility, adding “regrettably, the infant was found to be unresponsive”.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley said he had spoken with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez about the incident and hoped for better future cooperation between Trinidad’s Coast Guard and Venezuela’s National Guard.

Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry in a statement expressed “its deepest regret and rejection of the incident” and urged Trinidad “to carry out an exhaustive investigation to clarify the facts surrounding this fatal incident”. (Excerpts from CMC and Reuters)

US declassifies inclusion of former Honduras leader Hernandez on corruption list

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ashington last year added then Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez to a blacklist barring entry to the United States due to corrupt or anti-democratic actions, Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said on Monday as the listing was declassified after Hernandez left office.

In a statement, Blinken cited credible reports that Hernandez “has engaged in significant corruption by committing or facilitating acts of corruption and narco-trafficking, and using the proceeds of illicit activity to facilitate political campaigns”.

The former Honduran President was also named in sworn testimony in a US federal criminal proceeding as having received proceeds of drug trafficking as part of his campaign funding, Blinken said.

aitians are bracing for more violence and instability, as assassinated President Jovenel Moïse’s term in office has officially come to an end, but the crisis-stricken Caribbean nation appears no closer to a political transition.

Large numbers of Police patrolled the streets, and schools and businesses were shut on Monday as the nation marked a grim anniversary.

It has been seven months since Moïse was killed in his home by armed men on July 7, 2021, and Monday

was also the end of the slain President’s term in office.

Opponents have demanded that Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who took office less than two weeks after Moïse was killed, step down, arguing that his administration is unconstitutional.

“We’re in a situation where fear is taking over peace,” Bocchit Edmond, Haiti’s Ambassador to the United States, told The Associated Press news agency. “Our country cannot continue to live that way.”

Haiti is facing an ongoing political crisis as the nation of 11 million has experienced

worsening gang violence and uncertainty in the aftermath of Moïse’s assassination.

On Monday, thousands of people opted to stay home, afraid that even greater violence would erupt as Haiti’s political instability deepens, kidnappings spike, and gangs grow more powerful amid a crumbling economy.

Henry has promised to create a provisional electoral council soon to pave the way for elections in Haiti, which he says will take place by the end of this year as his administration tries to improve security conditions. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Ex-President heads into Costa Rica run-off, ex-Finance Minister likely awaits

F

ormer President Jose Maria Figueres comfortably led the preliminary vote count in Sunday’s Costa Rican presidential election, with former Finance Minister Rodrigo Chaves poised to defy expectations to face him in a second-round run-off.

Figueres was seen winning 27.3 per cent of the vote based on returns from nearly three-quarters of polling stations, with economist Chaves pulling past evangelical Christian Fabricio Alvarado to carve out an advantage in second with 16.6 per cent of the tally.

Chaves, a former World Bank official who has forged an anti-establishment reputation since running the Finance Ministry for about half a year under outgoing Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, had been running fourth in recent opinion polls.

“Chaves has a liberal economic position, is socially conservative, pro-law and order and against the

Presidential candidate Jose Maria Figueres of the National Liberation Party (PLN) delivers a speech, after he led a preliminary partial tally of votes in presidential election, in San Jose, Costa Rica, February 6, 2022

political class,” said Rotsay Rosales, a political scientist and head of the National Policy Observatory of the University of Costa Rica.

Fabricio Alvarado of the neo-Pentecostal New Republic Party and runner-up in the Central American country’s 2018 election, was running third, garnering support of 15.2 per cent.

To win the first round outright, a candidate had

to secure more than 40 per cent of votes. The two leading contenders will face each other in a run-off on April 3. A total of 25 candidates were competing in the first round.

Chaves, who in the campaign rejected accusations he had been censured for sexual harassment earlier in his career, urged Figueres to pursue a dignified discourse in the run-off. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Nicaragua to take over 6 universities seen as critical of Ortega

N Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez

The State Department included Hernandez on the Corrupt and Undemocratic Actors List effective July 1, 2021, but was now declassifying and publicising the move, Blinken said.

Hernandez left office last month.

Inclusion on the list “generally makes the list-

ed individuals ineligible for visas and admission to the United States”, he said.

Hernandez has repeatedly denied the allegations. Last year, his brother was sentenced by a US Judge to life in prison plus 30 years for drug trafficking. (Excerpt from Reuters)

icaraguan lawmakers loyal to President Daniel Ortega on Monday passed legislation allowing the State to take over six universities the Government effectively shut down last week, in a move critics say entrench authoritarianism.

The private universities include the Polytechnic University of Nicaragua, the hotbed of student anti-Government demonstrations in 2018.

Students and colleges

played a key role in the 2018 nationwide protests that at one point threatened to bring down Ortega’s Government.

More than 300 people were killed during the ensuing crackdown widely condemned by rights groups.

“The National Council of Universities (CNU) will guarantee the continuity of studies for the 14,000 students (of the closed universities),” according to a Government document sent by Ortega to Congress.

The Government has also stripped five foreign universities of their operating permits inside Nicaragua, citing violations. For some of the universities, the licences were linked to programmes they run inside Nicaragua.

Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, have sought to portray their opponents as traitors and have passed laws making it possible to jail critics of their government. (Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil settles down off 7-yr highs; USIran talks eyed

O

il prices settled lower on Monday on faint signs of progress in nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, which could lead to the removal of US sanctions on Iranian oil

sales.

Last week, crude prices rallied for the seventh week on ongoing worries about supply disruptions fuelled by frigid US weather and ongoing political turmoil among major world producers.

If US sanctions are lifted, Iran could quickly export millions of barrels of crude and help to drive down red-hot oil prices.

Brent crude settled down 58 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at US$92.69. Its session high of US$94 was the highest since October 2014.

US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 99 cents, or 1.3 per cent, to settle at US$91.32 after touching US$92.73.

On Friday, US President Joe Biden's administration restored sanctions waivers to Iran to allow international nuclear cooperation projects as talks on the 2015 international nuclear deal enter the final stretch.

Although the sanctions relief will have limited impact on Iran's struggling economy, markets viewed the move as a signal both sides were determined to reach a deal.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a European official said top envoys to the Vienna talks - which are indirect because Iran has so far refused to sit down with US diplomats - were likely to meet today in the Austrian capital.

"Besides the feel-good vibe coming from the negotiations, the Biden administration is feeling pressure to lower inflation, and the fastest way to do that would be to lower energy prices," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho.

Crude prices, which have rallied about 20 per cent this year, are likely to surpass US$100 a barrel because of strong global demand, analysts have said.

However, the relative strength index (RSI), a measure of momentum, shows the oil market is currently overbought, and ripe for a pullback.

Fuelling supply concerns, tensions remain high in Eastern Europe, with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan saying on Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine within days or weeks but might still opt for a diplomatic path. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Canada police seize fuel in attempt to break up truckers' vaccine protests

P

olice in Canada's national capital have seized thousands of liters of fuel and removed an oil tanker as part of a crackdown to end an11-day-old protest against the Federal Government's health measures and vaccine mandates, police said on Monday.

"We are turning up the heat in every way we possibly can," Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly told reporters. "We are asking for a major push of resources to come in the next 72 hours."

The "Freedom Convoy" consisting largely of truckers began as a movement against a Canadian vaccine requirement for cross-border drivers.

But it has since evolved into a rallying point against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's strict measures to fight the pandemic.

This weekend, police counted 1000 trucks and 5000 protesters, down from 3000 trucks and 10,000 to 15,000 protesters last weekend, Sloly added.

Ottawa awoke to its second

week of what its political and policing leaders now describe as a siege with Sloly saying the occupation has gone beyond anything he can adequately deal with. The protests have been largely peaceful.

A short stretch of Metcalfe Street in downtown Ottawa, home to Canada's Parliament, Central Bank, and buildings including Trudeau's office, smelled of campfire on Monday. A clustering of trucks, cars and tractors without trailers bore signs deriding everything from vaccines and mandates to Canada's carbon tax.

One sign showed a poster of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees rights including that of life, liberty and security of the person - subject to "reasonable limits."

There was also evidence of pushback from residents.

Small signs in the groundfloor windows of an apartment building a few blocks away said: "Go Home Morons" and "Vaccines Save Lives."

(Excerpt from Reuters)

COVID disrupts health services in over 90% of countries – WHO D isruptions in basic health services such as vaccination programmes and treatment of diseases like AIDS were reported in 92 per cent of 129 countries, a World Health Organisation survey on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic showed on Monday.

The survey, conducted in November-December 2021, showed services were "severely impacted" with "lit-

tle or no improvement" from the previous survey in early 2021, the WHO said in a statement sent to journalists.

"The results of this survey highlight the importance of urgent action to address major health system challenges, recover services and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic," the WHO said.

Emergency care, which

includes ambulance and ER services, actually worsened with 36 per cent of countries reporting disruptions versus 29 per cent in early 2021 and 21 per cent in the first survey in 2020.

Elective operations such as hip and knee replacements were disrupted in 59 per cent of the countries and gaps to rehabilitative and palliative care were reported in about half of them.

The survey's timing coincided with surging COVID-19 cases in many countries in late 2021 due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant, piling additional strain on hospitals.

The WHO statement attributed the scale of disruptions to "pre-existing health systems issues" as well as decreased demand for care, without elaborating.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Ukraine crisis: World leaders step up talks amid invasion fears World leaders are stepping up efforts to reduce tensions over Ukraine as fears of a Russian invasion grow.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed hope that war could be avoided as he met Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

In Washington, US President Joe Biden host-

ed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and said they were "in lockstep to address Russian aggression".

Russia currently has more than 100,000 troops massed on Ukraine's borders.

Western powers accuse the country of planning an invasion, something Russia has repeatedly denied.

Climate change: Top companies exaggerating their progress – study

Environmentalists often accuse corporations of misleading consumers with greenwashing

M

any of the world's biggest companies are failing to meet their own targets on tackling climate change, according to a study of 25 corporations.

They also routinely exaggerate or misreport their progress, the New Climate Institute report says.

Google, Amazon, Ikea, Apple and Nestle are among those failing to change quickly enough, the study alleges.

Corporations are under pressure to cut their environmental impact as more consumers want green products.

Some of the companies told BBC News they disagreed with some of the methods used in the report and said they were committed to taking action to curb climate change.

The firms analysed account for 5 per cent of global greenhouse-gas emissions, the report says - which means although they have a huge carbon footprint, they have enormous potential to lead in the effort to limit climate change.

"The rapid acceleration of corporate climate pledges, combined with the fragmen-

tation of approaches, means that it is more difficult than ever to distinguish between real climate leadership and unsubstantiated," the study says.

Study author Thomas Day told BBC News his team originally wanted to discover good practices in the corporate world, but they were "frankly surprised and disappointed at the overall integrity of the companies' claims".

The Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor was conducted by non-profit organisations New Climate Institute and Carbon Market Watch.

It looked at firms' publicly stated strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in order to reach net zero.

Net zero, a target scientists say the world must reach by 2050 to limit global temperature rises, means not adding to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Achieving it means reducing emissions as much as possible, as well as balancing out any that remain by removing an equivalent amount.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Vladimir Putin (left) and Emmanuel Macron (right) held talks in Moscow on Monday

US officials said on Sunday that Russia has assembled 70 per cent of military forces needed for a full-scale invasion.

In recent weeks, Moscow has demanded that the Western military alliance NATO ban Ukraine from ever becoming a member, and that the group cuts its troop numbers in eastern Europe.

NATO has rejected both demands. It has instead suggested talks on other areas, such as limiting nuclear weapons.

The tensions between Russia, Ukraine and the West

come nearly eight years after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula and backed a bloody rebellion in the eastern Donbas region.

Moscow accuses the Ukrainian Government of failing to implement the Minsk agreement - an international deal sponsored by Germany and France to restore peace to the east, where Russianbacked rebels control swathes of territory and at least 14,000 people have been killed since 2014. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Three alive, 7 missing after Nigeria oil vessel explosion

T

hree crew members on board an oil vessel that exploded last week off the coast of Nigeria have been found alive, while seven were still missing, according to the ship’s operator.

Ikemefuna Okafor, the executive officer of Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL), said late on Sunday the company would ensure the survivors receive the appropriate medical attention.

Okafor added that “one dead body was discovered in the vicinity”, but it was not immediately clear if it was of a crew member.

“The identity of the dead body is yet to be ascertained,” Okafor said. Efforts to locate the remaining crew members, “clean up and limit damage to the environment, and establish the cause of the explosion” were ongoing, he added.

The Trinity Spirit, a floating production, storage and offloading vessel, caught fire following an explosion on Wednesday off southern Nigeria’s oil-rich Delta state,

raising fears of an environmental disaster. The blaze was extinguished a day later.

The vessel had a processing capacity of 22,000 barrels per day and a storage capacity of two million barrels, according to SEPCOL. Idris Musa, of the country’s spill detection agency NOSDRA, told the AFP news agency on Sunday that “no spill incident” had taken place “other than emulsified oil in small quantity”.

A Reuters news agency witness saw the burnedout remains of the Trinity Spirit, which broke into two and partially submerged, but said there was no evidence of spilled crude.

Nevertheless, environmental activists have expressed concern about the potential impact.

Eric Omare, executive director of Niger Delta Good Governance and Environmental Initiative, said high tidal waves could have washed away the oil and that the full impact would be felt soon. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

20

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

Watch, and you’ll see a pattern form that will help you make up your mind.

Call on someone who offers sound advice, and you’ll come up with a plan that will put your mind at ease.

(March 21-April 19) Don’t let uncertainty hold you back.

Check off all the boxes and forge ahead with confidence. It’s up to you to make things happen and turn your ideas into something substantial.

DILBERT (April 20-May 20)

Don’t lose sight of your goal. Home in on your target and don’t stop until you reach it. Steer clear of anyone who tends to meddle or entices you to be indulgent.

Take your responsibilities seriously.

(May 21-June 20) Use your skills and knowledge to find a distinct way to get ahead. Team up with someone who has something to contribute, or discuss your ideas with an expert who can help you focus.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Consider indecisiveness a red flag.

Spare yourself the worry and stress of getting involved in something that makes you feel uneasy. Protect what you have worked so hard to achieve.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Live in the moment, observe what’s going on around you and learn all you can to help you monetize your skills. If you socialize with like-minded people, promising opportunities will appear.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Put a halt on joint ventures or shared expenses. Divvy up what’s yours and what’s not to protect against loss or do damage control. Go it alone if you want to get things done.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) You’ll attract people who are disciplined and ready to take on additional responsibilities. Discussing your plans with a friend or relative will be enlightening.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Do what suits your needs and helps you stay on course. Taking care of your responsibilities will also keep a meddler at arm’s length. A serious approach to your finances is encouraged.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Pay attention to detail, organize your thoughts and incorporate changes at home and to your schedule to ensure you reach your objective. A kind word will lift someone’s spirits.

YESTERDAY'S WORD --

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Take note of what others do and how they act. Keep your thoughts to yourself, which will help you assess what’s going on without making waves. Time is on your side, and patience will pay off.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) It’s up to you to bring about change if that’s what’s required. Don’t wait for someone to make a move when taking the helm and making things happen will bring higher returns.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022

21

ECB President pays visit to South Essequibo Under-15 cricketers

E

ven with the unprecedented rainy conditions that halted the Essequibo Cricket Board’s Under-15 trials, the youths from that area braved the in-

clement weather and turned out in their numbers at Zorg, where they had practice sessions with Coach Forbes Daniels and other members of the South Essequibo Cricket

Association.

At the camp, the 23 young future cricketers displayed their commitment to learning the game, and possibly playing at the highest level.

Paying a visit to the camp was ECB President Deleep Singh, who gave a motivational talk to the lads and stated how impressed he was with what he saw at the practice sessions.

“With limited resources, you still do so much

WI v India ODI series…

“We need to assess better, spend more time at the crease” – says Alzarri Joseph after Windies 6-wicket defeat to India

F

ollowing the West Indies’ six-wicket defeat to India last Sunday, fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has said he believes the West Indies need to do a better job at the crease.

The West Indies having batted first and posted a paltry 176 all out in just 43.5 overs, India needed just 28 overs to get to 178-4, and take a 1-0 lead in the threematch series.

Pace bowler Joseph, who was the Windies’ best bowler on the day, with 2-45 from seven overs, has said the nature of the pitch made bowling difficult.

“It was a pretty difficult wicket. It was slow and spin-friendly, so there wasn’t really much in it for me. We had our team meetings and we had specific plans for specific batsmen, so I was just bowling towards the plans. I just tried to put in my effort, and put my best foot forward for the team,” he said.

Joseph lamented the batsmen’s lack of application during their innings – a common theme in the West

Alzarri Joseph

Indies batting over the years.

“I just think we need to assess a bit better, and spend some more time at the crease.

As you see, Fabian and Jason gave us a good partnership, and partnerships will give us a better total. We needed to score a bit more,” the Antiguan has said.

“I think maybe 240 or 250 would have been a more challenging total on that wicket, but it’s our first game out, and we have two more games to get back in the series, so we’ll just go back to the drawing board and put our plans in. We have two days to go back and plan, so

we’ll have our post-match meetings and come up with plans to get to where we need to get.”

Joseph has had an excellent start to his ODI career with 66 wickets in 41 matches, and his goal is to just keep improving.

“My (goal is) just improving as a cricketer every time I go out on the field. Year after year, month after month, week after week, day after day, I try to improve myself and be better than I was yesterday,” he said.

The second ODI takes place on Wednesday.

(Sportsmax)

to train our youths, but I know (that) through faith, commitment and the love of sharing knowledge, we can produce quality players to represent Essequibo”.

President Singh and Coach Gonsalves also visited the Reliance sports ground, where similar ac-

ECB President Deleep Singh interacting with one of the youngsters

tivities were taking place, and said he enjoyed the enthusiasm displayed by the youths, and was able to spot some good talent at both venues.

Singh further thanked the Area Committees, their members, and the parents for working with these youth cricketers in preparation for the trials.

Ramdhani siblings place in ACAC Interlock #2

T

he Alberta Colleges’ Athletics Conference (ACAC) Interlock #2 Tournament kicked off on Sunday, February 6, 2022 at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Alberta, Canada.

Representing Olds College, Priyanna Ramdhani gained a bye in the first round to the quarter-finals. She advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Abbey 21-4, 21-9.

She put up a fight in the semi-finals, but ended up losing to Jasleen Kaur 1421, 21-4, and 21-13. Going against Cecilia Wolski, Priyanna gained third place with 21-7, 21-9.

Meanwhile, Narayan Ramdhani representing Kings University, who was the number one seed, also gained a bye to the quarter-finals.

He defeated Tye Belanger 219, 21-10 in the quarter-finals and Brandon Gendre 21-5, 21-8 in the semi-finals. Narayan gained second place in the final after losing to Smit Patel 1821, 20-22 in a very tough battle. Both players won at home – Narayan winning at Kings and Smith winning at NAIT. The final showdown will be at

Provincials.

Priyanna teamed up with Abbey of Olds College and gained third place in the women’s doubles while Narayan teamed up with Abigail Ledda of the Kings University to win the mixed doubles.

The Interlock #3 ACAC

Provincial Tournament will be held in Olds, Alberta on February 1920, 2022. This tournament will determine the athletes who will represent the ACAC at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (Nationals) to be held in March.

22

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CWI announces return of West Indies 4-Day Championship 2022

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) Monday announced that West Indies Championship 2022 will start on Wednesday, February 9, marking the return of First-Class cricket in the region since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CWI has unveiled the match schedule for the first two rounds of the West Indies Championship as part of a fiveround tournament schedule for the six professional regional franchises.

The West Indies Championship marks not only a return of the regional redball competition, but also the opportunity for West Indian players to stake their claim for selection to the West Indies Test squad for the forthcoming Apex Test series between West Indies and England in March 2022.

The first and second rounds will be played in Barbados and Trinidad from Wednesday, February 9 to Saturday, February 12; and

from Tuesday, February 15 to Friday, February 18. The teams will again compete for the Headley Weekes Trophy named in honour of West Indies legends George Headley and Sir Everton Weekes.

Defending champions Barbados Pride, who won the last edition of the West Indies Championship in 2020, will face Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the first match at Kensington Oval; home team Trinidad and Tobago Red

Ovideo is overall winner of LGC golf tourney

Force host Jamaica Scorpions at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad; while the newly-named Guyana Harpy Eagles face Windward Islands Volcanoes at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.

In the second round, Barbados Pride face Jamaica Scorpions at Kensington Oval; Trinidad and Tobago Red Force take on Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy; and Guyana Harpy Eagles meet Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Queen’s Park Oval.

The last three rounds of the West Indies Championship are scheduled to be contested in May. For the 2022 tournament,

each squad would consist of 15 players due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CWI is also implementing a special “player loan” system to try to ensure that each team would be able to complete its fixtures. If a team has a player(s) ruled out due to a positive COVID-19 result, that team can request to use a player(s) from another team and/or from a pool of locallyregistered reserve players.

Johnny Grave, CEO of CWI, has commented on how the West Indies Championship is a critical part of CWI’s professional cricket calendar.

Jimmy Adams, CWI Director of Cricket, also welcomed the return of the four-day format.

“Following detailed planning over the past six months, we are delighted to finally announce the return of the West Indies Championship. This is exciting news as we know the teams have been putting in hours of hard work in the nets, patiently waiting for the matches to be confirmed, and are looking forward to being back on the field and entertaining their fans.

These upcoming matches are especially crucial as we host England in the Apex Test series in March, so the ‘Championship’ will be the ideal preparation for our Test players as well,” Grave has said.

Adams said: “I am pleased to see the reintroduction of

regional four-day cricket for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. This competition plays a critical role in our player-development pathway, and, after almost two years, we are delighted to have our regional players back playing competitively in this format.”

Live ball-by-ball scoring of each game will be available through the www. windiescricket.com match centre. CWI will be streaming each of the matches with commentary via the Windies Cricket YouTube channel.

The Championship will also be streamed live in India on FanCode, as part of CWI’s partnership with the Indian broadcaster.

Match Schedule Round 1 – February 9-12 * Barbados Pride v Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Kensington Oval * Windward Islands Volcanoes v Guyana Harpy Eagles at Queen’s Park Oval * Trinidad and Tobago Red Force v Jamaica Scorpions at Brian Lara Cricket Academy Round 2 – February 15-18 * Barbados Pride v Jamaica Scorpions at Kensington Oval * Guyana Harpy Eagles v Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Queen’s Park Oval * Trinidad and Tobago Red Force v Windward Islands Volcanoes at Brian Lara Cricket Academy

Beacon Café sponsors careers of Van Lange and Wong

A

The winners’ row

nother in-house golf tournament was hosted on Saturday by the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC), and a total of 20 persons braved the inclement weather to compete in that highly-anticipated tournament. At the end of play, Miguel Ovideo had stormed to the title, while the inform Patrick Prashad settled for second place and LGC President Patanjilee Persaud bagged third place.

The results of that day’s activities were as follows: * 1st: Miguel Ovideo; Gross 89, Hc 18, Net 71. * 2nd: Patrick Prashad; Gross 82, Hc 10, Net 72. * 3rd: Patanjilee Persaud; Gross 86, Hc 12, Net 74. * Best Gross: Tom Watkins; Gross 81. * Longest Drive: Shanella London.

After the tournament, LGC Vice President Paton George disclosed that a total of 30 players had registered, but 10 dropped out because of the inclement weather “having its way”. George also said, “It rained period-

T Miguel Ovideo was the overall winner

LGC VP Paton George

ically throughout the tournament, but that makes for an interesting round of golf.

The conditions were soggy, and the ball wouldn’t go anywhere; you have to adjust to the conditions and play a strategic game, accept some higher scores, knowing that it’s the field that is going to be affected, and not just play. So, you keep within your game and plod along.”

George also related that, because of the conditions, eventual winner Miguel Ovideo was able to plod along, even though the scores were not normal because of the soggy conditions on the ground. He said the 20 participants had a great time, and even though the

rain caught them on several instances, they still enjoyed themselves, owing to the impeccable works of the fairway that is cut and the drainage which prevented the logging of water.

“Still, it was difficult.

We are going to have to do a little bit of repairs on the fairway, so we will probably not have a tournament next week, at least not a sponsored tournament. We are going to hold that off while we get the conditions back to pristine. But, all in all, great weekend, and we look forward to another COVIDfriendly, COVID-compliant golf tournament,” George posited.

hrough its owner, Ramdeo Kumar, an avid table tennis fan and a recreational player, Beacon Café has offered to sponsor the table tennis careers of two of Guyana’s most promising talents: Jonathan Van Lange and Colin Wong.

At the GTTA National Seniors Championships last Sunday night, Van Lange and Wong were pitted against each other in the final of the men’s under-21 championship; and although Van Lange emerged victorious over Wong 4-0, the athletes put on a great show, both having had to battle through a veritable army of talented players in the opening rounds in order to meet in the final.

Van Lange and Wong are the future of table tennis in Guyana, and they both have been rising among the ranks through each table tennis event.

In an interview with Beacon Café owner Kumar, he was asked what had triggered the decision to sponsor these athletes, and he responded, “Beacon Café has decided to sponsor these

two young men, as we see them as the future of this sport in Guyana. Both Jonathan and Colin…have been playing this game for several years, and they are at a stage where they need support from corporate Guyana to move their game to the next level, where they can compete fairly in the Caribbean.”

Kumar explained that Beacon Café is happy to take this course of action, as it has endorsed the future of table tennis in Guyana, and he added that with him being a fan and recreational player of the sport, he felt it was the right time to play his part at this stage in these players’ lives, when it is critical for them to continue developing their game.

Further, Kumar said he believes that support for these athletes is critical at this juncture of their playing careers in order for them to remain in the sport and improve their performances.

He expressed the firm conviction that corporate support for sports in general would come from other sources in Guyana.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022

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23

3 qualify for CARIFTA at 1st trials G

uyana’s preliminary contingent for the CARIFTA Games moved up to five on Sunday following qualification of three young ladies in blistering fashion at the Leonora Track and Field Facility, West Coast Demerara.

Keliza Smith, Adriel Austin and Attoya Harvey punched their tickets to the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) Games in the Jamaica, "Land of Wood and Water" this Easter weekend, after making the qualifying times at Guyana’s first of three CARIFTA 2022 trials.

In only their second meet this season, the young Guyanese did well to clock qualifying times, and prom-

Keliza Smith

ise to only get better as the season progresses.

Smith was able to hit the nail on the head, clocking 11.80s in the 17-19 100m race, the CARIFTA standard for which is set at that exact time. However, she was not so fortunate

in the 200m contest, clocking 24.39s, just 19 split seconds shy of the 12.20s qualifying standard.

Adriel Austin, who is no stranger to the regional event, crossed the line in 2:13.46s in the 800m race, a second below the qualify-

ing mark.

Provided that the COVID-19 situation is controlled in the host country, this year will mark the first time that Harvey heads to the Games, after qualifying twice before in 2020 and 2021, when the Games were called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This teen clocked 4.56.83 in the 13-16 1500m to book her spot in Guyana's CARIFTA team.

Following the race, Harvey shared her thoughts on qualifying for the third consecutive year.

“I feel good, because this is actually my third time qualifying, but the last two years I didn’t get to go because of COVID. So, yeah, I feel great,” an elated Harvey has said.

Regional Boxing Associations calling on Guyana to host Caribbean Championships

G

uyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle is receiving calls from a number of his counterparts from around the region, requesting that Guyana host this year’s Caribbean Boxing Championships.

The Championships, described as an important pillar for the development of this sport in the Caribbean, have not been held since 2019.

Guyana was host to this prestigious boxing event in 2015 and 2018, and it is against this backdrop that David "Shakes" Christopher, President of the St Lucia Boxing Association, believes the GBA should host this year’s event.

Christopher’s calls are buttressed by the belief that the presidents of the Boxing Boards of Trinidad, Suriname and Grenada would endorse this decision.

“Mr Ninvalle already has the blueprint, the know-how and the experience, and I think that other presidents will endorse Guyana’s hosting of this event. So, I’m calling on Mr Ninvalle to come out and salvage that tournament, as the Caribbean needs to return with a bang to boxing,” Christopher has said.

With the Commonwealth Games and the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC) Elite Continental championships being some of the top competitions this year, Christopher believes it is important for the Caribbean Championships to be held this year.

“The Caribbean Championship is our Olympics. We have to make sure that the entire event is something that we will be proud of. My personal belief is that Mr Ninvalle can make this happen, he has done it before. So, at this point in time, I am throwing my hat behind the older and more experienced head,” Christopher explained.

GBA President Steve Ninvalle

This St Lucian boxing official added: “Our boxers are moving away from the sport and going into other (areas) and getting themselves involved in other activities that are not prudent to boxing. I think we need to get boxing back into the ring to save our sport.”

According to Christopher, St Maarten had been earmarked to host this year’s event, but boxing authorities on that island are facing some logistical and financial issues. This, he said, was ventilated on Sunday at a meeting of some Caribbean administrators.

“Dominica was earmarked also, but I don’t think they have the capacity to do such (host the Caribbean Championships).

So, we shouldn’t try to reinvent a tournament that we lost two years. This is where all the countries/islands come together to showcase our development and elite boxers. That is where we get ranking for the Caribbean.

So, without that, it’s like we’re spinning top in mud we wouldn’t get anywhere.

So again, I am calling out Guyana,” Christopher declared.

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Association (TTBA), Cecil Forde, echoed Christopher’s call for the tournament to return to Guyana. Forde, one of the longest-serving boxing administrators in the region, has reasoned that it is only right that the

St Lucia Boxing Association President David Christopher

TTBA President Cecil Forde

return of the championships is placed in tried and trusted hands.

“This is not a time for us to experiment. The Caribbean Championship is serious business. I support 100% placing this premier event in the hands of Mr Ninvalle, and Guyana hosting the next Caribbean Championship,” Forde said.

President of the Suriname Boxing Association, Remy Burke, has claimed Guyana remains a close ally, and his country stands to benefit much if the tournament is held here.

“We just have to drive over. So, from a financial standpoint, Guyana being the venue is beneficial to us, as we can take a much larger team as against it being held anywhere else,” Burke said by telephone yesterday.

Neil Roberts, President of the Grenada Boxing Association, believes that restarting the Championships is a priority for the region.

“At the end of the day, we want the championships to be held, and not have excuses as to why it could not be held. It’s a foregone conclusion that my support is behind Guyana’s hosting, as I personally know the level of organisation and what to expect,” Roberts declared.

Guyana’s position as the top Caribbean territory in amateur boxing was also used as one of the reasons for the Caribbean

Championships to again be hosted where it all started; but, more importantly, there is this country’s $3.2B allocation for sports in the National Budget.

Meanwhile, in an invited comment, Ninvalle said the GBA is “honoured that some of the Caribbean (boxing) presidents view Guyana as the appropriate place to host the Caribbean Championships this year.”

“I’m enthused about it!

Personally, it shows how Guyana is viewed in the wider Caribbean, as not just a producer of quality fighters, but also for its organising competence. The tournament is usually held in November or December, so we have a month or two to make a final decision.

However, I would go on record as saying that Guyana stands ready,” Ninvalle has said.

Guyana finished third at the 2019 Caribbean Boxing Championships. This country won nine medals against a tough field of boxers in Trinidad and Tobago over four nights of competition at the National Cycling Centre (NCC) at Balmain, Couva.

Trinidad and Tobago, which had a field of 25 boxers, are the new champions, while Barbados pipped Guyana by a single point to place second. Some 17 nations, including powerhouse Cuba, had participated in the 2019 championships.

Attoya Harvey

Quizzed about her preparation and what drove her personal-best run that Sunday, the teenager explained that there wasn’t much competition around her, but she focused on pushing herself.

“I had to train hard and do a lot of weights work, because my hands are kind of weak,” she explained.

Turning to her motivation for clocking her personal best time, Harvey ex-

plained, “Well, Coach used to be stern on me, and he keep telling me to go. I didn’t really had anybody to push me, so I had to go by myself.”

Guyana’s contingent of CARIFTA 2022 athletes now includes Smith, Austin, Harvey, CARIFTA Javelin medalist Anisa Gibbons and Long jump’s Wesley Tyndall. The games are scheduled for April 1618 in Jamaica.

Adriel Austin

T

he President, Executive Committee and members of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) are saddened at the passing of Mr Jerry Permaul.

Permaul was a former club cricketer who participated in cricket tournaments on the East Coast Demerara, and he was a former President of the Enmore Cricket Club and also of the East Coast Cricket Board.

He was a member of the Special Committee which was responsible for constituting the East Coast Cricket Umpires Association.

In association with other outstanding cricket personalities of East Coast Demerara, including SK Singh and Moses Bhagwan, Permaul had dedicated much of his time and energy to the development of cricket in that region. Because of his institutional memory of East Coast cricket, Permaul continued his outstanding cricket administrative duties until his departure to take up residence in Canada.

The late Jerry Permaul

He had coordinated tournaments for the Guyana Cricket Board, excelling in many positions on the GCB’s sub-committees, especially those assigned for international tours. He was also a Vice-President and Senior Selector of the Demerara Cricket Board.

Permaul was a highly committed individual who placed great emphasis on the time implementation and perfection of activities undertaken. He will be fondly remembered for his helpfulness and pleasant demeanour.

The GCB hereby expresses sincere condolences to the family members of the late Jerry Permaul. May his soul rest in peace.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022

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

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