Guyana Times -- Tuesday, January 4, 2022

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Guyana could earn US$72.8B from oil & gas – Ali

guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4879

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

See story on page 3

...reiterates portion will go towards bettering lives of all Guyanese

Presence of Omicron variant likely in Guyana – Health Minister ...COVID cases surge since December 28 Page 11

Students of Tutorial High School adhering to the strict COVID-19 guidelines of the Health Ministry as schools reopened on Monday for face-to-face learning

Unvaccinated Over 750 informal settlers regularised, woman, 69, dies from 59 relocated in 2021 COVID-19; death toll now climbs to 1056 Page 13 – Minister Croal – 94 new cases recorded in 1 day Page 17

Alleged arson at GPHC will disrupt cardiac services for months See story on page 2

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Manhattan men charged with fatal stabbing of Queens Guyanese man P2

Duo in fatal shooting of bodyguard remanded to P16 prison

Shooter, getaway driver arraigned for Albouystown Christmas Eve P16 murder

Former Public Procurement Commissioners to be paid $48M in gratuity P9 – PAC to meet later this week to finalise list of nominees

Man charged over 2016 P13 fatal accident Low turnout in Reg 2 as schools reopen for face-to- P17 face learning

2 NEWS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Manhattan men charged with fatal stabbing of Queens Guyanese man

T

wenty-two-year-old Raymond Kenner and Alexander Stephens, 31, both of Manhattan, New York, were on Thursday charged for the fatal stabbing of a Guyanese man two weeks ago in Queens, New York.

Kenner had blood on his clothing and a folding knife in his pocket when he was arrested in connection with the killing of 25-year-old Andrew Cunje, in Hollis, Queens.

Queens District Attorney

Melinda Katz said in a news release that video surveillance implicated Kenner in the Dec 21 killing of the Guyanese man. In addition, Stephens was also wearing bloodstained boots when he was arrested. The two men were also arraigned for the murder of 29-yearold Benjamin Vasquez, in Jamaica, Queens.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges including second-degree murder,

suspects wore black hooded sweaters and black jackets and, in a video released by the New York Police, the pair was walking side by side along a sidewalk, both with their hands in their pockets, prior to launching the attack.

After reviewing surveillance footage, the prime suspect, Kenner, was busted at

a hotel that houses homeless people who have just been released from prison.

He was arrested at the shelter along with his accomplice, Stephens.

Jai Cunje, brother of the dead man, reportedly told news entities that the suspects “deserved it”. They deserve to suffer the way we did

as a family. They shouldn’t be allowed to be on the streets ever,” the grieving brother stated.

“He was literally the sweetest kid,” another sibling, Adrian Cunje, added. He was a softie; he wouldn’t raise his hands to fight anyone. He was probably scared, frozen with fear,” Adrian added.

Alleged arson at GPHC will disrupt cardiac services for months Dead: Andrew Cunje

robbery and tampering with physical evidence.

It was reported that Cunje, formerly of Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was attacked by two robbers on 197th Street and Carpenter Avenue in Hollis.

Based on reports, Cunje was left lying on the street a few hundred feet away from his home.

However, homicide detectives related that the two

H

ealth Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Monday stated that disruption to services offered at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s (GPHC) echocardiography laboratory can last for months as authorities seek to procure new equipment following a fire that erupted at the location on New Year’s Day. It is suspected that the fire was an act of arson. Over $20 million in equipment was damaged in the blaze which

The aftermath of the fire at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

was contained to that department following prompt response from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS).

“Certainly, there would be some amount of disruption, perhaps for a couple of months as we get that new piece of machine in place.

These machines, obviously, will have to come from one of the manufactures abroad and to bring them into Guyana, so doing that would take some time for us to be able to do that,” the Health Minister explained to reporters following a tour at the health institution after the fire.

“This piece of equipment will allow us to make a more precise diagnosis of a person’s heart condition, so it’s a very integral part of helping to diagnose types of heart disease that the patients would have. So, a lot of our patients - whether they’re outpatient persons or persons who are in the hospital - require this service, it’s almost kind of a routine once you do the preliminary workup that you’ll have to get an echocardiograph,” Dr Anthony outlined in explaining the importance of the equipment that was destroyed.

“Based on what you are seeing on the echocardiographs that inform on the next steps that person might need to get. So, it is a very critical important piece of equipment that has been damaged and the estimates from the CEO is approximately $20 million to $25 million…nevertheless we are going to work to ensure that we replace it as quickly as possible,” he added.

According to Dr Anthony, the destruction of this equipment will compromise the institution’s cardiac programme.

“In fact, it’s going to compromise our cardiac programme…we’re hoping that from the first of June this year we would’ve restarted our paediatric cardiac pro-

gramme and this is a very important piece of equipment to screen for those patients, we have been screening and making up a list so, this now will disrupt that cardiac programme,” he explained.

Dr Anthony also had strong words of condemnation for those responsible for setting the institution on fire.

“The Police and the Fire Department, as I understand, having preliminary conversations with them, believe that this is a suspected arson and if that is the case, it is really disappointing that someone or some set of persons, whoever it is, would come to hospital that is serving people when they’re sick and vulnerable and try to do something like this,” he expressed.

“It’s really a dastardly act to try to burn a hospital down so, I would like to condemn it in the gravest of terms because this should not be allowed in a civilised society,” the Health Minister added.

It was reported that water tenders from the Central, Campbellville and Alberttown Fire Stations in Georgetown were immediately dispatched to the New Market Street, North Cummingsburg location.

The fire occurred in the echocardiograph room, which is located on the first floor of the GPHC, and caused severe damage.

At the time of the fire, there were at least 11 patients in the vicinity – seven in the cardiac Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and four in another ICU. They were all evacuated to safety.

Guyana has already seen fires being set to important institutions such as the Brickdam Police Station and the building which houses the Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility.

Both cases were acts of arson.

3 Guyana could earn US$72.8B from oil & gas – Ali NEWS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Tuesday, Jan 4 – 04:00h – 05:30h and Wednesday, Jan 5 – 04:00h – 05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, Jan 4 – 05:30h – 07:00h and Wednesday, Jan 5 – 06:15h – 07:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 20 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North North-Easterly to North NorthWesterly between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 17:49h reaching a maximum height of 2.74 metres.

Low Tide: 11:22h and 23:54h reaching minimum heights of 0.64 metre and 0.48 metre.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS H

03 10 15

17 18 27

FREE TICKET

13 Bonus Ball

MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 2022

DAILY MILLIONS

04 08 13 20 23 LUCKY 3

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5

5

9

Afternoon Draw

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DRAW DE LINE

05 07 08 09 15 19 20 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2021

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COMMODITIES Indicators

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Change %

Crude Oil

$78.98/barrel

Rough Rice

$262.35/ton

-0.33

London Sugar

$497.10/ton

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+1.52

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1806.70

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Low/High Change

$1898.20 +5.30

$1828.30 +0.29%

...reiterates portion will go towards bettering lives of all Guyanese

W

ith the possibility that Guyana could earn US$72.8 billion over the lifespan of oil production in Guyana’s waters, President Dr Irfaan Ali is reiterating his Government’s commitment to improving the lives of Guyanese.

During his new year message, President Ali cited the projections made by the World Bank on what Guyana’s earnings are expected to look like over the next decade of oil production. He pledged that Guyanese will benefit directly from the resources.

“You should recall that the World Bank has projected that over the lifespan of oil and gas production, Guyana could earn $72.8 billion in revenues from the multiple offshore projects that will be operational.”

“Surely, it is right that with full and adequate supervision by reputable persons nominated by Parliament and the Private Sector, a portion of those funds should be spent in improving the lives of the people of Guyana, all of them, and bettering the conditions of the lives in which they live,” President Ali said.

Over the past few years, the World Bank has generally made projections of Guyana’s economic growth that have been buoyed by the growing oil and gas sector. For instance, the Bank had projected last year that Guyana’s economy would grow by 20.9 per cent, outpacing other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

“I do not want a rich Guyana of poor people. Yes, Guyana must be rich so that never again should we be among the poorest in the world; never again should our poor have to be nomads, seeking survival in other parts of the world…

But our people must share in the benefits of the wealth that is now Guyana’s – and share in it without fear or favour. It is the right of their birth and a right that has been earned by them and their fore-parents who toiled, sweated and sacrificed to make Guyana their beloved homeland,” the Head of State had noted in his message to the nation.

US oil giant ExxonMobil began producing oil on December 20, 2019, in the Stabroek Block. It has since made a slew of finds in the Stabroek Block, leading to Guyana’s rise as the world’s hottest new oil producer.

In October of last year, ExxonMobil made a find in the Cataback-1 well, which brings the total significant discoveries to more than 20 within the Stabroek Block.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

The Cataback-1 well, the oil company stated, encountered 243 feet (74 metres) of net pay in high quality hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone reservoirs. It is located approximately 3.7 miles (6 kilometres) east of Turbot-1, and was drilled in 5928 feet (1807 metres) of water by the Noble Tom Madden.

Then back in September 2021, the US oil giant announced that it found 220 feet (67 metres) of high-quality oil in the Pinktail well offshore Guyana. It was stated that the Pinktail discovery, which was drilled by the Noble Sam Croft drill ship, is 21.7 miles southeast of the Liza Phase 1 project.

Additionally, Exxon was

able to successfully appraise the Turbot-1 and 2 wells, where oil was previously found. In the case of the Turbot-2 well, drilling encountered 43 feet (13 metres) of net pay, separate from the oil previously encountered in the Turbot-1 well.

Currently, there is over US$534 million is the NRF being held at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York.

In August 2021, Guyana received payment for its seventh oil lift to the tune of US$79,617,561.87, the largest single oil payment the country has received to date.

The Natural Resources Ministry has stated that the aforementioned payment was for 1,047,820

barrels of oil, which was extracted from the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel on July 3, 2021.

The seventh oil lift brings the country’s oil extraction to a grand total of 7,056,262 barrels, and accumulative earnings to US$388,777,840. Guyana received its first payment of US$54.9 million for an oil lift dated February 19, 2020. The second lift, on May 21, 2020, was valued at US$35 million; while the third lift, which occurred on August 9, 2020, was worth US$46 million.

The fourth lift of oil offshore Guyana occurred on December 9, 2020, and came in at US$49.4 million in value. And on February 5, 2021, some 997,420 barrels of oil were lifted from Liza Destiny. A sum of US$61 million was paid for that lift.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). Exxon, through subsidiary Esso Exploration Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), is the operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

4

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 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

What are the NDCs doing?

O

ver the Christmas holidays, some parts of Guyana were experiencing flash floods as a result of heavy rainfall countrywide.

Of note, however, is that Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips, who was leading a Cabinet-level Task Force activated by President Dr Irfaan Ali, had said that some Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) have failed to prepare for any event of excessive rainfall. This is unacceptable and more so, those NDCs should be made to answer for their lackadaisical behaviour.

One photo published by this publication in December 2021 showed the culpability of residents in an East Coast Demerara community to properly dispose of their garbage. The photo shows a canal full of plastic bottles, and demonstrates and highlights the fact that residents of some of the flooded communities must also take responsibility for keeping their areas clean.

Over the years, there has been much talk about climate change and the devastating impact it is having and is likely to have, on communities and the world as a whole.

In fact, it could be argued that not many persons are educated about the issue especially as it relates to the kind of impact climate change has on the environment and on individuals themselves. Citizens still do take the issue for granted and do not pay much heed to the various messages about the need to change lifestyle patterns and so on.

Scientists have argued that the planet is indeed threatened by lifestyle patterns of individuals and if persons continue to use resources the way we currently do, the planet’s reserves will be exhausted at an increasingly rapid pace. For many countries, there is still the challenge of getting everyone to not only understand and appreciate the idea of the need to work towards sustainable consumption, but also to take practical steps to move in this direction.

Certainly, Governments can set the framework with their policies; set targets, define standards, give incentives to make companies go green. Businesses and industries together with researchers can provide the solutions, but, in the end, the consumers have the power of the purse – whether they buy green products or not.

In essence, achieving economic growth and sustainable development require that we urgently reduce our ecological footprint by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources. As stated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the efficient management of our shared natural resources and the way we dispose of toxic waste and pollutants are important targets to achieve this goal.

Based on statistics, the world’s population is growing rapidly, as more than a billion new people will enter the middle class by 2050. Experts have predicted that if citizens do not change their consumption patterns, the global use of resources will be multiplied by 15, which is considered dangerous for our planet as it would not be able to satisfy the needs of everyone.

At the individual level, every individual does play a crucial role in defining his/her own consumption patterns, and can in a way also contribute to the fight against climate change. For example, we can reduce the level of energy utilised, and the money that is saved on energy could be used instead to develop climate-friendly technologies and appliances.

Official records show that, on a global level, more than 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions are related to household consumption. While it is accepted that it is not an easy task to get persons to change lifestyles and to work towards a climatefriendly environment, the task would be much easier if they are educated about the role they can play and the benefits of their own actions.

Here in Guyana, we still continue to dump garbage carelessly.

For example, persons continue to dispose of plastics and other garbage in a reckless manner resulting in the clogging of drains and trenches, thereby leading to flooding, etc. Flooding, over the years, has exposed our vulnerability and should serve as a big wake-up call for us to treat the environment differently.

It is time NDCs be held accountable for their lack of action within communities. Properly-functioning NDCs can certainly help with flood prevention means if they execute their work plan with each community.

Beautiful fireworks display by members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at Base Camp Ayanganna at the stroke of midnight on Saturday to usher in the New Year

The NRF Bill passed – developmental plan facilitated Dear Editor, There had been calls by the Opposition and other sources for the PPP/C Government to delay the enactment of the NRF Bill to allow for more engagement with stakeholders.

The Government believes that there have been enough consultations and further contends that these calls for delay have been designed to impede the development priorities that they had set out in their manifesto, and which forms part of their covenant with the Guyanese people. They need access to NRF finance to fund vital physical and social infrastructure projects, including those that address the green economy, and to incorporate such funding into the 2022 budget that would be tabled soon in Parliament.

Delaying further the passage of the NRF Bill would have frustrated the Government’s development agenda and violated their covenant with the people.

Being aware that the Government was determined to pass the NRF Bill, the parliamentary Opposition in collaboration with a media house, staged a demonstration outside Parliament on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, to press for a delay in the passage of the NRF Bill. Their call for thousands of Guyanese to come out and support their demonstration was a bitter disappointment for them.

There were less than 40 people there. That sent a signal to the parliamentary Opposition that national support for them in their cause was lacking. Their next move was to derail the passage of the NRF Bill in Parliament by disrupting the parliamentary session with heckling, whistleblowing, and a brazen attempt to seize the Speaker’s Mace which is a symbol of Parliament’s author-

ity. If the Mace is not there, no bill could be passed. However, that problem was rectified and the NRF Bill was passed.

The PPP/C’s NRF Bill builds upon the APNU/AFC NRF Bill.

It was not the case where the PPP/C’s Government discarded the provisions of the APNU/ AFC NRF Bill. Structurally, in terms of layout there are more similarities than differences in the provisions of the APNU/ AFC and the PPP/C NRF Bills.

Both draw heavily from the Santiago Principles in formulating their legal, governance, institutional, investment, and financial framework to achieve transparency, accountability, and a fiscally sustainable NRF. Both bills set out the Bank of Guyana as being responsible for the operational management of the NRF. And their reporting requirements on the disposition of Natural Resource funds are equally strong (deposits to be made into the Consolidated Fund) while they share a similar view on the purpose and use (for development and natural disasters) of the NRF. An analysis shows that over 70 per cent of the APNU/AFC NRF Bill have been retained or incorporated into the PPP/ C’s NRF Bill. And the APNU/ AFC’s NRF Bill/Act was in the public domain for three years and it involved extensive consultations. Thus, Guyanese would have been acquainted with its provisions. What some stakeholders have been asking therefore, was for more time to focus on the other 30 per cent of the PPP/C’s NRF provisions that cover broadly the following areas: governance model, institutional framework, and NRF withdrawal formula.

How the NRF is managed, and its funds are withdrawn plus the amount, are what produce differences. The PPP/C

does not want a Government Minister to mage the NRF. In the APNU/ARC model, the Minister is vested with the power to manage the funds.

Under the PPP/C Government, the NRF would be managed by a Board of Directors (BoD) comprising 3-5 members appointed by the President (with at least one member appointed from the National Assembly and one from the Private Sector). It is argued that this BoD would theoretically be more influenced by professionalism than by political considerations. President Irfaan Ali has assured that the BoD would be politically neutral. The BoD is responsible for managing the fund, including review and approval of policies, as well as, reviewing what is a fiscally sustainable amount that could be withdrawn for physical and social infrastructure projects, inclusive of other projects related to the green economy.

Another area of concern is to determine an appropriate funding formula to tap into the Natural Resource Fund. The APNU/AFC developed a complex formula which is hard to decipher, and which is not amenable to any rational calculus. How the APNU/AFC Minister arrived at a fiscally sustainable amount is enigmatic. The PPP/C has developed a simple model which, they say, anyone could understand. The Government could draw down 100 per cent on the first $(US) 500 million; 75 per cent on the second $(US) 500 million; 50 per cent on the third $(US) 500 million; 25 per cent on the fourth $(US) 500 million; 5 per cent on the fifth $(US) 500 million; and 3 per cent of any amount in excess of the first $(US) 2.5 billion. How would further stakeholder engagement alter this funding configuration?

With regards to the Governance and Institutional framework, The PPP/C NRF Bill caters for a 9-member “Public Accountability and Oversight Committee (PAOC),” to be drawn from among religious bodies, the Private Sector, organised labour, profession, and the National Assembly.

The APNU/AFC NRF Bill requires a 22-member PAOC, representing a broad cross-section of the population, including geographic regions, to perform oversight functions. The PPP/C argues that a 22 member is too unwieldy. How would further engagement expand this level of representation? Who would have the final say in the PAOC composition?

The 5-member APNU/AFC Macroeconomic Committee (MAC) has the responsibility for determining what is the “fiscally sustainable amount” that could be withdrawn from the NRF. The PPP/C removed this layer and assigned this task to the Board of Directors.

The APNU/AFC Investment Committee (INVC) that would advise on the investment mandate comprised 6 members, compared with the PPP/C’s INVC which comprises 7 persons. It is difficult to envisage, therefore, what could change here and elsewhere by protracted consultations. Who decides what level of consultation is adequate?

The reporting protocols will help Guyanese to learn how efficient is the working of the PPP/C NRF Act. Any lapses and deviation from rules and protocols would have negative consequences at the next national and regional polls.

Guyanese are watching! And so is the world!

Sincerely, Dr Tara Singh

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 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

Finally, schools are reopened Dear Editor, Finally, schools have reopened their doors for full engagement by students, particularly at the secondary school level except for Grade 7 students while primary school students and nursery pupils are being engaged virtually and/or on rotation.

This is a welcomed move by the Ministry of Education since our students have been out of school for at least 18 months.

Editor, that translates to mean at least 18 months where many school-aged children have not benefited from any meaningful academic engagement. This would be the case specifically for those students who reside in the hinterland communities.

During the pre-COVID era, it was no secret that those students and their teachers did not benefit from the same quality of education delivery nor have access to the same facilities as their counterparts residing in coastal communities.

Editor, one can only imagine how the circumstances of our Amerindian students and teachers were tremendously exacerbated when the COVID pandemic began and schools were closed in March 2020.

In some of these communities, there is no stable internet connection to support online learning and in many, there is no internet connection to begin with.

With initial COVID protocols causing schools to close and prohibiting gathering, these students were left without receiving any teaching or instruction. Globally, according to UNICEF, 1 in 3 children did not have access to remote learning. If we were to look at Guyana in isolation, I am sure the statistics would be more devastating.

Despite, the commendable and widely appreciated efforts of the Ministry to produce worksheets and give to each student, as time went by, more and more Guyanese realised that the worksheets did not provide

the type of engagement that the children needed especially since they were physically away from school for such a long period and could not benefit from face-to-face teaching.

This lack of engagement and being out of school has resulted in an increased number of children dropping out of school with some taking up child labour while others suffered severe learning loss evident in the examination results we have seen. So basically, our students were not learning as they should and at worst, they were not learning, period. This is a dangerous position for any country, especially one such as Guyana that is on the cusp of monumental development.

Editor, it is not beneficial for our students to continue remaining out of the classroom, the realities of the impact of COVID, I believe, justify the decision to reopen schools. Also, based on the science available, schools have not been proven as a contributing factor

to increased transmission of the virus. This is according to the UNICEF organisation.

With that being said, it seems as though the adult population needs to take the blame for contributing to the transmission of the virus especially with the increased numbers, we are now seeing recorded daily in Guyana. This can clearly be attributed to the many parties and gatherings held over the Christmas holidays organised and attended by none other than adults.

Editor, Guyanese need to adopt a responsible approach to handling COVID and to think about how our actions can impact our children’s growth and education.

I commend the Ministry on its decision. It must have been a tough decision to make but it was bold and the correct decision nonetheless. All that is needed now is to maintain a safe environment at schools and for parents and other relatives to conduct themselves

When will we have religious education back in school?

Dear Editor, On the 11th December 2021, a stalwart transitioned from this life into eternity. She was born in Sri Lanka but grew up in Malaysia. However, she made the then British Guiana her home, having gotten married to our own Dr Leslie Mootoo. I speak of no other than the late Savithiri Mootoo.

She was always dressed in her traditional sari, and endeared herself in the hearts of all those with whom she came in contact during her sojourn here on planet Earth, which spanned more than nine decades! As I listened to the various tributes at her funeral service, from persons from all walks of life, I could only conclude - What an amazing woman!

She had a passion for children and was consumed by her love and fear of God and faith in Jesus Christ.

This passion drove her to make numerous phone calls to whoever would listen as she pleaded... “When will we have religious education back in schools?".

Those calls were count-

less! She herself had come to have a personal relationship with God through religious education in her school, and as the declining moral state of our society registered on her, she continued to make those calls, crying in agony... “The children need to know God! when will we have religious education back in schools?"

I'm sure as we have an honest glance backward at activities in our classrooms as compared with some of what we have seen on the internet recently, we’ll be sure to conclude that this young generation (of course with exceptions!) is crying out for moral moorings and spiritual guidance. Things (money, material resources, even education) do not satisfy the soul. They do benefit us for a time, but soon, despite all our degrees and accolades, we must lay them all down when death knocks at our door. Particularly with so many homes in crisis, the instilling of good morals in our schools via religious education will surely have a positive impact on our youths and on the nation

as a whole.

Dear Minister of Education; dear Chief Education officer, I raise my voice in support of Mrs Mootoo's wish and echo her sentiments - When will we have religious education back in schools?

As the doors of our schools re-open in 2022, albeit cautiously, I pray God's grace and wisdom

enfold those in charge of leading the education sector and may our children sense and know their value as they embrace the love of God that protects them from dangers seen and unseen.

Happy New Year to everyone!

Sincerely, Claudia Heywood

in a way that will reduce the spread of COVID-19 so that the school doors can remain open and let our children be

educated as is their right.

Sincerely, Maureen Matthews

Rohan Kanhai is 86 not out

Dear Editor, I refer to an article/letter in a section of the media on December 27, 2021, entitled "Rohan Kanhai, 'the peerless genius', is 86 not out" by a Mr Albert Baldeo.

Mr Baldeo recalled seeing Rohan Kanhai's last Test innings, which was at Bourda in which Rohan made 44 runs.

Mr Baldeo seemed resigned to the impression that Rohan was most likely playing his last Test innings as he put it: "He (Rohan) was 39 years old then, totally grey, which only enhanced his aura".

While that may have been his last Test innings, Rohan still had a lot of big cricket still left in him when the West Indies unceremoniously dropped him, grey or not.

In the 1975 World Cup Finals, he made a steady 55 to hold together the early part of the innings versus Australia. Rohan also represented Warwickshire until 1977.

Coming back to the jist of this letter, many believed that Forbes Burnham had a hand in the unceremonious dumping of Rohan as a player and captain because the West Indies were going to tour India and it would have been a great honour for a descendant of indentured labourers (coolies) to lead the team in the land of his ancestors.

Burnham robbed Rohan of that honour, just as he cheated Cheddi and the majority of Guyanese out of their true

destiny by rigging the elections and depleting the nation's wealth and resources.

After the West Indies won the inaugural 1975 World Cup, Burnham ignored the valuable contribution of Rohan Kanhai. Burnham invited the victorious team to Guyana for a celebration.

While the motorcade was moving from the Timehri Airport to Georgetown, Rohan Kanhai was noticeably not there. As questions started to swirl about the absence of Rohan, it was realised that Rohan was not invited.

Imagine, Rohan starred in World Cup, the winning team was invited to the land of his birth, but he was "persona non grata".

What an insult.

However, Burnham is not the only one to be blamed.

There were others in collusion. Where were the Sports Minister, other senior Government officials, Cricket Board officials, etc?

Why was the captain not "big" enough to say to the Kabaka that if one of his players was uninvited, he (the captain) was not coming?

Rohan, as captain, always stood up for his players, but that World Cup captain not only let himself down, and let Rohan down, but let his country down as well. More importantly, by not standing up for a player, he may have emboldened a dictator.

Sincerely, Rahman Mohammed

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

Page

Foundation ◄

Order of operations T

here are rules for which computations you do first, second, third and so on. Order of operations is the set of rules that tells you what steps to follow when doing a computation. The order of operations is BODMAS. These letters stand for: Brackets (first) Orders ( that is: Powers – also called indices and exponents – and square roots, etc) Division and Multiplication (rank equally and go left to right) Addition and Subtraction (rank equally and go left to right) Note: the only strange name is “Orders”. “Exponents” is used in Canada,

and so you might prefer “BEDMAS”. There is also “Indices” which makes it “BIDMAS”. In the US. they say “Parentheses” instead of Brackets, so it is “PEMDAS”.

Remember You can remember BODMAS best if you make up a phase to guide your memory. Here is one that may help: Brown Oranges Don’t Make Awesome Smoothies.

Example: 20 – 3 x 4 + 8 ÷ 22 – ( 3 – 2) = ?

We need to solve this problem using the order of operations.

Step 1: Solve the parts that are inside brackets: ( 3 – 2) = 1.

Now you have this: 20 – 3 x 4 + 8 ÷ 22 – 1 = ?

Step 2: Solve the parts that have orders (in this case exponents or indices in standard notation: 22 = 4.

So now you have this: 20 – 3 x 4 + 8 ÷ 4 – 1 = ?

Step 3: Solve division problems: 8 ÷ 4 = 2 The string is becoming shorter!

Now you have: 20 – 3 x 4 + 2 – 1 = ?

Step 4: Solve multiplication problems: 3 x 4 = 12 Again, the problem is starting to look even simpler: 20 – 12 + 2 – 1 = ?

Step 5: Add and subtract as you move along from left to right.

First, 20 – 12 = 8. Then 8 + 2 = 10. Then 10 – 1 = 9.

Do not group the additions separately from the subtractions, unless they are in brackets! As 20 – 12 + 2 – 1 is not equal to 20 – ( 12 + 2) – 1 .

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PAC puts Tender Boards on notice to improve record-keeping – recommends use of cloud storage for minutes; circular to be issued Administration Board (NPTAB).

“I have to study the issue. So that if I do issue a circular, which is something I’m also empowered to do, that the circular provides a solution to the problem that we’re discussing. I know that the Tender Board is responsible for ensuring that the Ministerial Tender Board complies with the

The Public Accounts Committee

W

ith missing records, particularly minutes, being a recurring problem at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), regional Tender Boards have been put on notice about the need to improve their record-keeping and even explore technological options.

During Monday’s sitting of the PAC, the Committee was reminded of the need for regional Tender Boards to submit minutes upon request from auditors of the Audit Office of Guyana.

According to PAC member and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira, this is a part of the Procurement Act. “When we look at preparing a report for 2016, one of the things I think we have to flag, is the unavailability in many cases where regional Tender Board minutes were not available. And that this is a critical requirement un-

der the Procurement Act.” “So, in other words, vindicating what the Auditor General has found but also continuing to have a situation where minutes are not available at the Tender Board at the regional level.

So, we should flag this in our 2016 report,” Teixeira said.

Emphasising the importance of Tender Boards maintaining their records, PAC Chairman Jermaine Figueira made the suggestion that cloud storage be used by these Tender Boards to back up the minutes of meetings throughout the year.

“At the time of the request for the records by the audit office, if they’re not available, they’re not available. The argument if it exists or doesn’t exist is left for another day. But with regards to the present time when the request was made by the audit office to conduct

its affairs, the documents weren’t made available.

So, the audit office worked on the presumption that it wasn’t available.”

“More strenuous efforts must be put to ensure that records are properly kept.

And I recommend that consideration be given by the Administration if those records could also be stored in the clouds. So, you have physical and electronic copies and whenever requests are made, if the physical cannot be found the source is in the clouds,” Figueira said.

Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Sukrishnalall Pasha committed to examining the issue and if necessary, issuing a circular to remind Tender Boards of the need to maintain their records. Additionally, Pasha noted the role that must be played by the National Procurement and Tender

Procurement Act. So, this matter is a procurement issue as well as a financial issue.”

“I need to engage NPTAB to ensure that the circular that we issue correct the problem without me overstepping as well, or assuming responsibilities another body is also responsible for,” Pasha informed the Committee.

In the 2016 Audit Report, paragraph 906 dealt with a contract for the repairs to the Quarrie Bridge in Region Eight (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). The contract was awarded for the sum of $8.530 million, but no details on the tendering and award of the contract could be seen. Additionally, there was an overpayment of $2.4 million on the contract.

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Child rape suspect remanded for attempted murder A

Wisroc, Wismar, Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) man, Jamal Reagon Forde, otherwise known as

“Sugar” who is being investigated for child rape, was on Monday remanded to prison for attempted murder.

Forde, a labourer, ap-

peared before Magistrate Wanda Fortune at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge which was laid pursuant to the Criminal Law (Offences) Act. He was arrested for the offences on December 31, 2021. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) is currently seeking legal advice on how to proceed with the rape allegation. Forde will make his next court appearance on January 31, 2022.

Remanded: Jamal Reagon Forde

Back to normalcy…

S

…in schools? o “school open” yesterday! And maybe the kids have another reason to groan than the traditional one protesting the end of just hanging around with no homework to submit! This other reason is the schedule that was released for the different levels of the schoolchildren.

There’s no such thing as just showing up to school anymore with this COVID-19! For nursery there will be face-toface classes – but with rotation so that all newbies can be accommodated in accordance with social distancing rules.

So, who’ll attend which shift? The authorities will decide and so inform the parents. Your Eyewitness hopes that this logistical challenge will be handled without too much trauma for our little darlings.

From Grade 1 to 7 there will the choice of face-to-face or online classes – but compulsory face-to-face for Grades 8 to 12. Got all of that? It’s not over! If the kids don’t want to show up, their parents are responsible for them keeping up with what goes on in school. Are you confused enough by now, Dear Reader? Well, your Eyewitness thanks his lucky star he’s not schlepping kids any longer to school because – even though he agrees that we must try to get back some kind of normalcy into our lives – this gotta be stressful for the parents. They don’t just have to worry about kids getting into fights (your Eyewitness was notorious for this!) or being bullied, but now as to whether the kids can contract a deadly virus and bring it home to grandma.

Your Eyewitness sees this year’s school opening as a test of how well our authorities can sort out all the adjustments that will have to be made for us to deal with this new and deadly challenge that looks like it will become the new “normal”. Will the kids be disciplined enough to keep their masks on at all times? Will the teachers? What happens if some poor kid don’t have a mask? Or if the mask drops on the ground and gets dirty? Will all schools have spare masks?

Will they have sanitisers? Even in the best of times we used to be challenged with just supplying chalk…how about all these new demands? Your Eyewitness just hopes that the Ministry of Education has been given enough resources – especially human – to deal with the new challenges.

And deal with them they must! Across the world, there’ve already been studies showing the negative impact the loss of education delivery to a substantial number of children across age cohorts because of COVID-19 will have on future development.

With our economy taking off with the oil find, we can’t afford to have another generation being educationally unprepared. …in electoral laws?

Your Eyewitness is more than a tad confused about the status of the proposed changes the Government wanted to make in the Representation of the People Act (ROPA). With the flak they faced about not giving the Opposition “enough time” to ruminate over the changes in the NRF Bill, they should ask the Opposition why they aren’t traversing the country educating their constituents (or riling them up!!) on the proposals. Surely, if we go by the Opposition’s rhetoric – and those worthies from civil society – the PPP must be pulling a fast one!!

Your Eyewitness just saw one of the latter groups – suddenly become coy about listing their names! – accusing the Government of something sinister (and provocative!) in their suggestion to break up Reg 4 for “administrative efficiency”! From where your Eyewitness stands, he’s always in trepidation about Reg 4’s results and the Mingo Manoeuvre in March 2020 didn’t do anything to reassure him.

Can the worthies explain how subdividing Reg 4 wouldn’t speed up declaring the results? …in politics?

To be honest, your Eyewitness doesn’t want politics to return to “normal”. Not when “normal” in the eyes of the PNC means violating the Constitution, rigging elections, inciting riots, and storming the Speaker’s desk to seize his Mace.

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

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Former Public Procurement Commissioners to be paid $48M in gratuity – PAC to meet later this week to finalise list of nominees

From left: Carol Corbin, Sukrishnalall Pasha, President David Granger, Ivor Burnette English, former Labour Minister Nanda Kishore Gopaul and Attorney-at-Law Emily Dodson after they were sworn in as Commissioners in October 2016

T

he five former members of the Public P r o c u r e m e n t Commission (PPC) will be the beneficiaries of $48 million in gratuity between 2016 and 2020, following a decision by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to approve the payout.

In fact, it turns out that the PAC had met and approved the money for the five members - Chairperson Carol Corbin and members Ivor English, Nanda Gopaul, Sukrishnalall Pasha and Emily Dodson - since last year and the intention was to pay them in time for Christmas.

But when the PAC had its first meeting of 2022

on Monday, Chairperson Jermaine Figueira expressed disappointment that the monies had not been paid yet and questioned the reason for the delay.

Pasha, who now serves as the Finance Secretary (FS) in the Ministry of Finance, informed the PAC that the monies were available but that he is not in receipt of the PAC’s written decision to pay out the monies.

“A decision was made for this payment. And it was important for us to ensure that the decision was implemented. If that decision is sent to me, I can look at the numbers and using the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act as well

as the circulars, which I issued last year, the payment could be honoured without breaching any law,” Pasha said, prompting Figueira to assure him that the decision would be sent on Monday. In fact, Figueira subsequently announced that a pay sheet has since been prepared for the former Commissioners to be paid.

Confusion momentarily arose at the PAC, after it was revealed that at one point the matter had been referred to Minister of Governance Gail Teixeira, who is also a member of the PAC, so that she could approve the decision.

Teixeira made it clear on Monday that she could

not authorise spending and she was at a loss to explain why Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Hermina Gilgeous, sent the documents to her for approval.

“Outside of being a member of this Committee, as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance you may have noted that in the last two budgets I answered for the constitutional bodies and office of the President.

And I defend their budgets, including all the constitutional agencies and the PPC,” Teixeira said.

“I don’t know Ms Gilgeous sent it to me. She may have assumed that as the person defending the budget, I have to do something with this. On receipt of this I realised I have no such authority to deal with this and I sent it to the FS. He then returned it to me the same day and I sent it to the Ministry of Finance, saying I do not have the authority to give approval for $48 million.”

PPC

Also discussed was the PAC subcommittee set up last year to appoint the Public Procurement Commission. It is expected that the subcommittee will meet on Wednesday where they will seek to finalise the appointment of this Commission.

There was criticism from the Opposition members

The Public Procurement Commission

of the PAC, at the length of time it was taking the sub-committee to meet and finalise the members of the Commission. A suggestion was even made by member Ganesh Mahipaul that if the subcommittee cannot complete its work by next week, then the list of names be brought to the full house.

However, PAC member Juan Edghill cautioned against ultimatums being issued and urged that the subcommittee be allowed to follow due process. Meanwhile, Teixeira explained that as the matter stands, there are eight nominees in total. However, she noted that the Opposition has not confirmed who are its final two nominees for the PPC shortlist.

“At our last meeting in December, we looked at a number of names. We also kept an opening, flexibility to do with an approach which we said we would go back and discuss with our principals. At no point did

you indicate what were the persons that your party, your Opposition was in support of. And we agreed to meet again. There was no further communication with us from that meeting, except exchange Christmas greetings and that was it.”

“At Wednesday’s meeting, if the Opposition is ready with their two names and we’re ready with our three names then we can proceed. If we’re still in the process of making decisions and getting guidance, then we’ll have to keep meeting… there have been names proposed but no one has indicated which of the two and which of the three, either side are in support of,” Teixeira posited.

The PPC has the vital role of overseeing contract approvals and mediating contractor complaints.

The PAC is responsible for approving members of this Commission, as well as requesting background checks on candidates.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Presence of Omicron variant likely in Guyana – Health Minister

...COVID cases surge since December 28

H

ealth Minister, Dr Frank Anthony suspects that the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, may be circulating in Guyana due to an increase in cases over the past week.

He made this revelation during the Ministry’s COVID-19 update on Monday where he noted that due to the increase in cases from December 28, 2021, to January 1, 2022, there might be a chance that the Omicron variant is present in Guyana.

“On the 28 of December 2021, we saw 32 cases. By the 29 of December that went up to 87 cases, then on the 30th that jumped to 161, and by the 31st of December that went up to 182. So, we start closing [at] the end of the year with cases going up,” he said.

He further added, “On the 1st of January we saw that it went even further to 209, then yesterday (January 2), it was 284.”

He added that the active COVID-19 cases recorded in the last 24 hours is 98, which he stated is “relatively high”.

“With the way that this has rapidly progressed within the last couple of days, we suspect, from an epidemiological point of view, that we might have Omicron that is in circulation,” Dr Anthony declared.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony meeting with officials of GPHC on Sunday

The Omicron variant is the latest variant of the COVID-19 virus that has been circulating.

The deadly variant was discovered on November 26, 2021, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated variant B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern. It has been named Omicron on the advice of WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE). This decision was based on the evidence presented to the TAG-VE that Omicron has several mutations that may have an impact on how it

behaves; for instance: how easily it spreads, or the severity of illness it causes. Data surrounding the new strain points to higher transmissibility and reinfection. It is said to be 5.2 times more infectious than the Delta variant.

“Given the way it is spreading around the world, we would anticipate at some point that it would get to Guyana. We have mechanisms in place that when we have such suspected cases, we’ll be able to take those samples and send them to a lab that will

be able to do the sequencing,” the Minster had stated on December 31, 2021.

In the daily briefing, the Minister underscored the need for persons who have yet to take their vaccines to do so as soon as possible. Dr Anthony also stressed the importance of persons who are fully vaccinated taking their booster shots as it would prove effective if they are to be infected by the Omicron variant.

With samples already sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago for

the testing of the Delta variant, Dr Anthony stated that more will be sent, eventually, to test for the Omicron variant.

Currently, there are 1396 active cases and where there is an increase in all regions, some regions stand out like Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) with 112 cases, Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) with 846 cases, and Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) with 236 cases.

So far, 40 persons are currently hospitalised with

COVID-19, with 20 at the Ocean View facility. Six of those are in the ICU, while two are below the age of 18 years.

The Health Minister has already met with the management of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to discuss additional measures to be taken to protect both patients and staff from the Omicron variant.

In December, Dr Anthony indicated that Guyana will test for the Omicron COVID-19 variant in the country at the “appropriate time”.

Local authorities have already sent samples to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago to test for the Delta variant and Dr Anthony has since confirmed that this deadly strain is present here.

When asked if the Guyana Government plans on sending more samples to CARPHA to test for the presence of this variant in the country, Dr Anthony said this will be done eventually.

“We have some arrangements with CARPHA where, if necessary, we will send samples. That’s something we will evaluate and at the appropriate time we will send samples,” the Health Minister had explained.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Schools reopen amid strict COVID-19 guidelines

Students at Ascension Secondary School during a classroom session on Monday

Students of Plaisance Secondary School

A Pupil of Stella Marrs Primary School heading to school accompanied by a parent

Students in the classroom at No 29 Primary, West Coast Berbice

A teacher and students at Bladen Hall Secondary

Students of Cummings Lodge Secondary adequately social distancing in their classroom

A student of St Joseph High School joins a queue to get her temperature tested

Students of Tutorial High heading to school on Monday morning as the new academic term began

14 NEWS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Parents, teachers need to encourage students to get vaccinated – Dr Anthony ...says will monitor health situation as schools reopen

H

ealth Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has called on parents and teachers to encourage children between the ages of 12 – 17 years to get vaccinated, as there continues to be a low percentage of vaccination rate among this age cohort.

The Minister made the call during the daily COVID-19 update on Monday.

“We have been administering the Pfizer vaccine for the 12 to 17 age group and again, we seem to have hit a peak… I think parents, teachers, everybody needs to encourage students to get vaccinated, get both doses of the vaccine. Later on, we will introduce the booster

for them also to get boosted,” the Minister said.

Dr Anthony said children within the 12 to 17 age group “needs to up” the vaccination rate for both first and second doses.

He said approximately 30,410 or 41.7 per cent of that age cohort took the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine with 21,740 or 29.8 per cent receiving both doses.

Additionally, the Minister noted that the number of hospitalised cases has increased over the last few days. He said 40 persons are currently hospitalised, with two persons being below the age of 18.

“In terms of hospitalisation, the numbers have gone up over the recent cou-

ple of days, so we are now at 40 persons in hospital with 24 of them at the Ocean View hospital and we have six of those persons in the ICU. At Ocean View, we have two persons who are below the age of 18,” Dr Anthony said. The Health Minister said Guyana is also considering acquiring booster shots for persons 16 years and older.

“They have considered [in the United States] that persons 16 years and older can get the booster dose so that’s something that is active, under active consideration here in Guyana.”

The Minister continues to urge students to follow all COVID-19 guidelines and

to get fully vaccinated in order to protect themselves on their return to school.

Meanwhile, as schools across the country reopened on Monday, he stated that the Ministry will be “constantly monitoring” the health situation as concerns about the presence of the new Omicron coronavirus variant linger.

“We are doing monitoring. We have seen in other countries children who are vaccinated would get a milder form of the disease if they do contract the virus, in a lot of cases they remain asymptomatic, so we’ll continue to monitor.”

Presently, all Grade Six pupils are being allowed to attend face-to-face class-

Students of Bladen Hall Secondary on Monday

es on a daily basis since they are scheduled to sit the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) later

in the year. In addition, secondary school students are also being engaged in faceto-face learning.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23 customers win big cash prizes in GTT’s Christmas promotion

– ends on Jan 8

T

elecommunication giant GTT continues to spread its $30 million reasons Christmas cheer with its customers as 23 persons to date have won close to $3 million in cash prizes through the company’s live draw at its retail stores across Guyana.

GTT’s Chief Operations

Officer of Mobile Service, Richard Stanton said the company has been ecstatic about its giveback to its valued customers over the past weeks. “We have seen the joy in our customers’ faces, we have heard their excitement through the calls, and we could not have been happier as a company,” he said.

“And this is just the cash prizes, over the past weeks we have dispersed quite a number of shopping vouchers, top ups and MMG credit through our media partners; we have also given quite a significant number of new customers free internet and installation when they sign up for our GTT

Fibre service,” Stanton added.

With its Christmas campaign still ongoing, Stanton said the company still has many prizes left to be won including its $300,000, $400,000 and $500,000 cash

prizes that will be done live in-store.

Customers can still enter the draw by simply topping up with a $1000 or more, signing up for GTT Fibre service, registering for MMG, purchasing hand-

sets, or paying their GTT bills on time and in full.

GTT’s Christmas promotion runs until January 8, however, the company will host its last live draw on January 11 at its 55 Brickdam Retail Store.

16 NEWS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Duo in fatal shooting of bodyguard remanded to prison

T

Murder accused: Darren Daley

Murder accused: Judah Vickery

wo men have been charged and remanded to prison for the shooting to death of 40-year-old bodyguard/ training officer Garfield Newton.

Charged are 24-year-old Judah Vickery called “Culture”, of Youth Place, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, and 25-yearold Darren Baley called “Fifty” of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

They were not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that on December 24, 2021, they murdered Newton during the course or furtherance of a robbery. The two murder accused appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

They were remanded to prison until January 26, 2022.

Newton, of Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, was reportedly killed moments

after collecting several pieces of jewellery which he had taken to be cleaned at a goldsmith in Campbell Street, Albouystown, Georgetown.

He was attached to the Beharry Group of Companies as a bodyguard.

It was reported that after Newton collected a silver band, one gold chain, and two gold rings, he made his way to the company’s motor van which was parked on Sussex Street, Albouystown, Georgetown.

However, about five minutes later, the goldsmith was informed by a teenager that Newton had been shot and was lying on the street. As a result, the goldsmith went out and saw Newton lying motionlessly on his abdomen. He was also relieved of the company’s firearm.

The injured man was pronounced dead at the scene

by Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).

The Guyana Police

Shooter, getaway driver arraigned for Albouystown Christmas Eve murder

Wanted: Kevin Carter

T

Murder accused: Ezekiel Hawker and Dead: Deon Charles

Dead: Garfield Newton

Force (GPF) has since issued a wanted bulletin for 18-year-old Kevin “Lil Boy” Carter in connection with Newton’s murder. Carter’s last known address is West Ruimveldt Squatting Area, Georgetown.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Carter is asked to contact the Police on telephone numbers 226-7065, 227-1270, 226-7476, 911 or the nearest Police station. All information will be treated with the strictest of confidence.

wo men were remanded to prison on Monday after they were charged with the Christmas Eve 2021 murder of 28-year-old Deon Charles called “Zip”.

Appearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts were Ezekiel Hawker, 19, a shopkeeper of Forshaw Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, and Mickel Forde, 31, a welder, of Tucville, Georgetown.

The two men were not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that they murdered Charles of East La Penitence, Georgetown on December 24, 2021. They were remanded to prison until January 27, 2022.

It was reported that Charles was shot dead in execution-style whilst standing on James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown talking with friends. On the fateful night, two men exited

a white Toyota Axio and approached Charles.

Soon after a loud explosion suspected to be a gunshot was heard. Charles reportedly fell to the ground and the two men immediately re-entered the car, which sped off the scene. The injured man was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

Following the murder, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) issued a wanted bulletin for Hawker. Last Thursday, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed that Hawker was handed over to local Police by law enforcement officers in neighbouring Suriname.

Subsequently, the allegation of murder committed on Charles was put to Hawker and he admitted to committing the act, under caution. Hawker told investigators Charles had previously shot him twice, and after seeing him on Christmas Eve night on James Street,

Albouystown, he took revenge.

Forde is believed to be the driver of the motor car which transported Hawker to and from the scene. After completing investigations, Police sent a file to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) which recommended that Forde and Hawker be charged with the capital offence of murder.

Meanwhile, the GPF has extended gratitude to its Surinamese counterparts, who, over the years, have offered vital support to local Police in apprehending suspects who have fled Guyana and handing them over for investigations to proceed.

In recent times, suspects of high-profile crimes have opted to flee the jurisdiction believing that they will forever evade justice. However, the Police Force said it intends to relentlessly pursue any suspect who adopts this course of action.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Unvaccinated woman, 69, dies from Low turnout in Reg 2 as schools COVID-19; death toll now climbs to 1056 reopen for face-to-face learning – 94 new cases recorded in 1 day

A

s of Monday, 1056 COVID-19 deaths JANUARY 3, 2022 UPDATE were recorded in Guyana as the Health DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL 94 Ministry reported that a NUMBER OF NEW CASES CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 69-year-old unvaccinat- NUMBER OF PERSONS IN 47 REGION 1 1708 ed woman from Region INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION 10 (Upper DemeraraREGION 2 1603 OF PERSONS IN 1281 Berbice) who tested pos- NUMBER REGION 3 5288 HOME ISOLATION itive for the disease died.

REGION 4 18,859 The pensioner died NUMBER OF PERSONS IN 6 REGION 5 1507 COVID-19 ICU while receiving treatment REGION 6 3888 at a medical facility.

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN 7 INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE REGION 7 1824 However, new staREGION 8 624 tistics provided by the TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY 21,219 Ministry showed that 94 GENDER (FEMALES) REGION 9 2543 new cases were detected REGION 10 2310 TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY 18,935 from a total of 1204 tests GENDER (MALES) HERE IS HOW YOU CAN BE thus taking the overall SAFE DURING THE COVID-19 TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES PANDEMIC number of confirmed cas- IN GUYANA SINCE 2020 40,154 es to 40,154. Of the total Wear a face mask.

37,764 confirmed cases, 18,935 NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES Keep a physical distance of at least are males and 21,219 are 6 feet.

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED 411,081 females.

Wash your hands or use handsanitizer The new infections FULLY IMMUNISED 295,325 were recorded in Region If you have any symptoms, call the TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS 1056 COVID-19 Hotline.

One (Barima-Waini): two cases; Region Three GET MEDICAL ADVICE ON COVID-19 FROM MOH 24/7 HOTLINE NUMBERS: 2311166; 226 7480; 624 6674; 624 2819; 624 3067 OR 180/181.

(Essequibo Islands-West and seven persons are in in- COVID-19 Emergency Demerara): 14 cases; stitutional quarantine.

As of Measures which are in effect Region Four (Demerarauntil January 31, 2022.

Monday, the total number of Mahaica): 43 cases; Region This order emphasises Five (Mahaica-Berbice): two recovered cases was 37,764. cases; and Region Six (East To date, the Ministry has the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask Berbice-Corentyne): 23 cas- done 429,855 tests.

As of Monday, the World when leaving your home, es.

Health Organisation (WHO) maintaining six feet physOne case each was recorded in Region Eight said that 281,808,270 cases ical distance from others, (Potaro-Siparuni), Region were reported globally along and the need for good hand Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper with 5,411,759 deaths. The hygiene to help reduce the Essequibo), and Region 10. WHO also reported that in spread of COVID-19.

If anyone is displaying There are currently six pa- the Region of the Americas, tients in the COVID-19 the number of confirmed any of the symptoms associIntensive Care Unit (ICU) COVID-19 cases has in- ated with the COVID-19 or at the Infectious Disease creased to 102,287,397 while needs any additional inforthe death toll stands at mation, kindly contact the Hospital.

COVID-19 Hotline at 231Further, the Ministry re- 2,404,354.

The Health Ministry is 1166, 226-7480, or 624-6674 ported that 47 persons are in institutional isolation, reminding the public to ob- immediately or visit www.

1281 are in home isolation, serve the protocols of the health.gov.gy.

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD

G

rade Six and all secondary school students with an exception of Form One did not turn out as expected in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) as physical teaching commenced on Monday.

Guyana Times visited several primary and secondary schools throughout the region and was informed that the turnout at most schools was poorer than expected.

Among the schools visited were Aurora Primary School, Aurora Secondary, Abram Zuil Secondary and, Queenstown Primary.

At Queenstown Primary School and Aurora Primary School, the turnout was very poor and teachers be-

Students of Abram Zuil Secondary School

Primary School is very poor because of the deadly virus.

Many parents do not want to send their child to school because they are very concerned about their health," a teacher explained.

Meanwhile, a student, Khamraj Singh, said he is

Pupils at Aurora Primary School

lieve that it is because of the spike in COVID-19 cases.

"I think the attendance here in Queenstown

very excited and happy to return to school for face-toface learning.

"I am very happy that school has opened this year

because I would be able to learn and pursue my secondary education. I didn't get a chance to sit in my Form One classroom and receive teaching but nevertheless, I understand it's because of the pandemic. I am happy that the Ministry of Education has decided for school to reopen and we as the students will adhere to all COVID-19 guidelines in our classes," Singh said.

During a visit at Aurora Secondary School, the Fourth and Fifth Forms saw an average attendance of about 20 students in each class.

Guyana Times noticed most children were routinely sanitising their hands and they wore their masks. Temperature checks were also done at all of the schools when this newspaper visited.

Upon entry to the schools’ compound, the children were directed to the sinks where they were required to wash their hands with the soap that was provided.

New Year’s Resolutions – Atomic Habits W ith the New Year here, thoughts will be turning to New Year’s resolutions – those from last year we didn’t keep and our resolutions for 2022.

The way I remember one bit of inspirational wisdom related to this that we heard in our childhood in Guyana, is: Sow a Thought and reap an Act Sow an Act and reap a Habit Sow a Habit and reap a Character Sow a Character and reap a Destiny In his book, Atomic Habits – Tiny Changes Remarkable Results, James Clear flushes out this line of thinking, describes its psychological underpinnings and puts forward actionable strategies for creating or reinforcing good habits and discontinuing or minimizing unhelpful habits – a strategy for keeping New Year’s resolutions.

He uses the word Atomic in a counter-intuitive sense in that it refers to very small (as in the word atom) changes that can have large impacts, rather than great and powerful habits all at once, as the title appears to imply at first glance.

The challenge is that good

habits such as exercising daily are harder to maintain than bad habits because of the latency between the habit and the outcome (or reward).

For example, exercise leads to longer-term health but there is a latency between exercising and its long-term benefits showing up. The six-pack abs take a while to show and the life-long health benefits take many years. Good habits are harder to start and maintain but have great long-term benefits. Bad habits on the other hand tend to yield instant or near-term gratification, although the longer-term outcomes tend to be bad - such as in the case of smoking.

Bad habits, therefore, tend to persist while good habits are more easily extinguished. Habits, good and bad, become automatic and ingrained over time, or to put it another way, these habits become the essence of who we are.

To illustrate how unconscious automated habits take hold, Clear uses examples from animal studies. In one study, rats were conditioned to associate pressing a lever with being rewarded with cheese. Soon the rats began to associate the lever with cheese even when no cheese

was forthcoming on presentation of the lever.

Clear breaks this stimulus-response into 4 stages: Cue (lever), Craving (for cheese), Response (press lever) Reward (cheese) The same continuous feedback loop is observed in humans and smoking.

Cue (stress), Craving (for cigarette), Response (light up) Reward (relief) As can be seen, this works particularly well for bad habits, and explains why they live on. Good habits need a little more help to take root.

So Clear suggests a strategy for increasing the odds of persisting through the boring reps to get the longer-term benefits.

He says rather than focusing exclusively on the longterm and far remote goal such as better health, focus more on the immediate processes that will get your there. For example, let your running shoe in obvious sight (rather than at the back of the closet) be the cue to get you out of the door. The first step is always the hardest, but the last mile is always the least crowded.

Let the habit of process take hold. One action leads to another and another. This is what takes you to your big-

ger goal.

His action plan for building the good habits and its corollary for minimising unhelpful habits is to instil routines (or processes) which becomes automatic or second nature. He labels the 4 elements of his plan as follows: 1. Make it obvious

2. Make it attractive

3. Make it easy 4. Make it satisfying

1 Make the cue obvious: Place little reminders in your environment. Pair a new habit with a specific time and location.

2 Create an attractive association with the cue: Associate something you like or wish for with the cue. Pair an action you want to do with the action you need to do, eg I will have a warm shower after I exercise. The anticipation gives you a dopamine spike. Reframe your thinking from I “have” to exercise to I “get” to exercise.

3 Make the response easy: The key is repetition not perfection. Repeat the desired habit regularly. Start modestly eg, I will walk for 10 minutes each day rather

than I will walk for 30 minutes. Or in terms of process, think, “open my note” rather than “study for class”.

4 Make the reward satisfying: The feeling of making progress is satisfying. Give yourself immediate rewards along the way. This can be as simple as placing a bead in a glass jar each time you perform the activity of a desired habit.

Once good habits are automated, we tend to perform them easily without conscious effort. You no longer have to exert your will power each time. This is a great energy saver. It frees up your mind for other things. And any good habit contributes to building a base on which more good habits can be stacked.

For younger folk aspiring to peak performance, the automated habits are the foundation.

You leverage the automatic habits by combining them with completely focussed conscious attention whenever you need peak performance. For example, the best basketball players would combine “muscle memory” with complete conscious attention to everything occurring on the court in every game each time they come out to perform.

However, to get on any field of play and excel, you have to find your niche by the experience of trying different activities. Each person has different propensities. To use a sport analogy, the natural attributes of a champion swimmer are not the same as those of an outstanding basketball player or a gymnast.

Your niche is likely to be in the area of an activity that you enjoy but most other people consider work.

To maintain peak flow, you have to continually challenge yourself. Showing up every day, day in and day out, is a huge part of winning the battle. It puts you in contention. It is a prerequisite and the necessary groundwork without which you would never get started, but it is not sufficient by itself. Complacency and boredom have to be warded off. Once you are in your field of choice, the tasks you choose must be challenging enough to require you to perform cognitive functions for the task at the limit of your ability – not below your ability or far beyond your ability, but just far enough above your ability that you have to stretch. This combined with ingrained automated habits produces peak performance.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

Regional

Haiti PM Ariel Henry Colombia: At least 16 dead in clashes between armed rebel groups survived assassination V attempt – officials iolent confrontations between Colombian rebel groups near the country’s border with Venezuela have left at least 16 people dead, Colombia’s human rights ombudsman said on Monday.

Sources told Al Jazeera that most of those killed on Sunday in Colombia’s eastern Arauca department are thought to be Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) dissidents and members of the National Liberation Army (ELN).

Some FARC members rejected a 2016 peace deal

G

unmen tried to kill Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry during an event on Saturday to mark the anniversary of the country’s independence, officials say.

The incident happened as Henry took part in the ceremony at a church in the northern city of Gonaïves.

Video posted online showed the Prime Minister and his entourage scrambling toward their cars amid intense gunfire.

The security situation has deteriorated significantly since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse last July.

Henry has pledged to crack down on powerful gangs that are blamed for a wave of kidnappings and for seizing control of much of the gas distribution around the country, causing severe fuel shortages.

The Prime Minister’s office said “bandits and terrorists” were behind the assassination attempt, and that arrest warrants had been issued for the suspects.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry thanked the Bishop of Gonaives for holding mass on January 1 “despite the tense situation that was prevailing in the city” [File: Ralph Tedy Erol/Reuters]

The office accused the group of hiding behind walls to attack the convoy and of threatening the bishop by surrounding the church, according to the Associated Press.

One person was killed and two others were injured in the gunfight between the armed men and security forces, local media reported.

The attack is another blow to the fragile administration led by Henry, who became Haiti’s acting Head of State two weeks

after Moïse was killed.

The circumstances of the assassination, believed to have been carried out by a group of mercenaries, are still unclear.

No date has been announced for a vote to elect a new President.

The rise in violence and a dire economic situation, made worse by several natural disasters in recent years, have led to a growing number of Haitians seeking opportunities in other countries. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Brazil’s Bolsonaro in hospital with intestinal blockage

B

razil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has been hospitalised with an intestinal blockage after falling ill on holiday.

The President posted a photo from his hospital bed on Twitter, saying doctors had inserted a nasogastric tube and were evaluating potential surgery.

Doctors said on Monday that his condition was improving.

Bolsonaro, 66, has been admitted to hospital several times since being stabbed in the abdomen during his 2018 presidential campaign.

In his tweet, the President said he had started feeling unwell on Sunday afternoon after lunch. He was flown from the southern state of Santa Catarina, where he was vacationing, to urgently be admitted to the Vila Nova Star hospital in São Paulo.

Television images showed the President walking down the stairs of the presidential plane after landing in the early hours of Monday.

Bolsonaro said that the symptoms were the same

that saw the group demobilise, bringing an end to five decades of armed conflict in the country, and the dissidents announced a return to arms in 2018. The ELN is Colombia’s largest remaining armed rebel group.

Late on Sunday, Colombia’s human rights ombudsman’s office expressed “deep concern for the escalation of the armed conflict in Arauca due to the confrontation between illegal armed groups that put the civilian population at grave risk”.

The office called on local authorities to be present

and protect civilians in the border area, which has seen an uptick in violence linked to armed groups since early 2021.

“In the last few hours there have been homicides, threats, illegal detentions, mass displacements and risk of forced displacement in border municipalities, specifically in Tame, Fortul, Saravena and Arauquita,” it said.

The Colombian President’s office has yet to release a death toll from the violence on Sunday. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

22 COVID deaths, 338 new cases recorded in T&T

T

he first three days of 2022 have produced a combined total of 1098 new COVID-19 cases combined, as the Health Ministry’s update on Monday said 338 new cases were detected in samples taken between December 29 and January 2.

It said 22 deaths were reported between Sunday and Monday, bringing the death toll to 2936.

The comparable period in January 2021 had 18 cases and no deaths.

The Ministry said the people who died were seven elderly men, six elderly women, five middle-aged men, and four middle-aged women. It said 12 of these people had multiple comorbidities, including a mix of diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, obesity, asthma, cancer, and a history of strokes. Seven people each had only one comorbidity, while three people had no known comorbidities.

It said the number of ac-

tive cases is now 15,183. Since March 2020, there have been 92,997 cases of COVID-19, of which 74,878 have recovered.

There are 462 patients in hospital. There are 169 patients in step-down facilities. There are 47 people in state quarantine facilities, and 14,214 people in home self-isolation. There are 546 recovered community cases and 66 people have been discharged from public health facilities.

The update said the total

number of people vaccinated with their first dose of a two-dose regime was 663,843.

Of these, 120,100 took the AstraZeneca vaccine, 421,028 took the Sinopharm vaccine, and 122,715 took the Pfizer vaccine.

The number of people vaccinated with their second dose was 620,118, while the number of people vaccinated with the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 48,864.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Today is last day for voter registration in B’dos

E

ligible voters in Barbados whose names do not appear on the Preliminary List of Electors must be registered by today, the last day for registration for the January 19, General Elections.

Barbadian authorities

issued the reminder on Monday.

Inspection of the Preliminary List of Electors and registration to be an elector may be done at any of the Revising/ Registration Centres in each constituency.

People may access the

chatbot on the website to confirm their electoral registration status and registration details by entering a query such as, “Am I registered”, followed by entering their National Registration Number.

(Excerpt from Nation News)

Antigua still optimistic despite Air Canada flight suspension Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro posted a photo from his hospital bed on Twitter

ones that had led to a fourday hospitalisation in July, saying the stabbing was the root cause of his health problems. Bolsonaro was seriously wounded in the attack and has had at least four operations since.

In a statement reported by Reuters later on Monday, doctors said his condition was improving, but it was not yet known if he would need further sur-

gery.

The far-right President, who took office in 2019, plans to run for re-election in a vote scheduled to take place in October. His popularity has plummeted in recent months, amid his Government’s widely-criticised response to the pandemic and the country’s economic downturn.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

T

he Antigua and Barbuda Government says it remains optimistic that Air Canada will reverse its decision to suspend flights to the island as of January 31 this year as the country battles with the latest surge in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in recent weeks.

Tourism Minister Charles “Max” Fernandez, speaking on Observer Radio on Monday, said Canada has been one of those countries “that has been exceptionally cautious”.

“Now they probably can do more in terms of locking down, because, of course, they have other means of income. The rest of us are not as fortunate, and dependent on the tourism. But I think the Omicron variant is what has created the concerns for them.

“I believe that by saying the 30th of January they want to be sure that there is no full-fledge increase to create further problems for them,” Fernandez said.

In a statement, Tameka Wharton, the Senior Sales

and Marketing Manager (Canada Region) of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, said that the Canadian Government advising “Canadians to avoid all non-essential travel”, has made it challenging for the airline to maintain its previously-announced flight schedule leading to the suspension.

Last month, Bermuda announced that the airline was suspending services from January 9 this year.

(Excerpt from CMC)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

OILNEWS OIL NEWS

Around the World

5 world powers vow to prevent spread of nuclear weapons

Oil settles higher F on 2022 demand optimism

O

il settled higher on Monday on hopes of further demand recovery in 2022, despite OPEC+ looking set to agree to another output increase and persistent concerns about how rising COVID infections might affect demand.

OPEC and its allies, or OPEC+, are expected today to agree to the output hike.

The Omicron coronavirus variant has brought record case counts and dampened New Year festivities worldwide, with more than 4000 flights cancelled on Sunday.

"The monthly OPEC + meeting that will be developing during the next couple of days is more likely to prove bullish than bearish since several of the OPEC members are having difficulty achieving assigned quotas," said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates in Galena, Illinois.

Brent crude settled up US$1.20, or 1.5 per cent, at US$78.98 a barrel at 12 pm EST (1700 GMT), having earlier risen as high as US$79.05. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude settled up 87 cents at US$76.08 a barrel.

"Infection rates are on the rise globally, restrictions are being introduced in several countries, the air travel sector, amongst others, is suffering, yet investors' optimism is tangible," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM. Many US schools that would normally welcome students back to classrooms on Monday are delaying their start dates, scrambling to test pupils and teachers and preparing, as a last resort, to return to remote learning as record numbers of COVID-19 cases from the Omicron variant sweep the country.

Oil gained some support from an outage in Libya. Oil output will be cut by 200,000 barrels per day for a week due to pipeline maintenance.

Last year, Brent rose 50 per cent, spurred by the global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and OPEC+ supply cuts, even as infections reached record highs worldwide.

Some see more gains in 2022.

"Crude and oil product prices should benefit from oil demand moving above 2019 levels," said a report from UBS analysts including Giovanni Staunovo. "We expect Brent to rise into a US$80–90 range in 2022." (Excerpt from Reuters)

Iran vows revenge for Soleimani killing if Trump not put on trial

I

ranian President Ebrahim Raisi, speaking on the second anniversary of the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani by the United States, said that former US President Donald Trump must face trial for the killing or Tehran would take revenge.

Iran and groups allied with it in Iraq and other countries have been holding events to honour Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, the overseas arm of the elite Revolutionary Guards. He was killed in Iraq in a drone strike on Jan 3, 2020, ordered by then President Trump.

"If Trump and (former secretary of state Mike) Pompeo are not tried in a fair court for the criminal act of assassinating General Soleimani, Muslims will take our martyr's revenge," Raisi said in a speech on Monday.

"The aggressor, murderer and main culprit - the then President of the United

States - must be tried and judged under the (Islamic) law of retribution, and God's ruling must be carried out against him," Raisi added.

Under Iran's Islamic laws, a convicted murderer can be executed unless the family of the victim agree to take "blood money" through a reconciliation.

Iranian judicial officials have communicated with authorities in nine countries after identifying 127 suspects in the case, including 74 US nationals, ProsecutorGeneral Mohammad Jafar Montazeri told state television.

"The criminal former president (Trump) is at the top of the list," he said.

On Sunday, Iran urged the United Nations Security Council in a letter to hold the United States and Israel, which Tehran says was also involved in the killing, to account, Iranian media said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

19

ive global nuclear powers have pledged to prevent atomic weapons from spreading and to ensure a nuclear war is never fought, in a rare joint statement ahead of a review of a key nuclear treaty later this year.

The statement on Monday said that the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China and France – who are the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – consider it their primary responsibility to avoid war between the nuclear states and to reduce strategic risks, while aiming to work with all countries to create an atmosphere of security.

“We believe strongly that the further spread of such weapons must be prevent-

ed,” it said, adding, “A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.”

The Russian-language version of the statement read, “We declare there could be no winners in a nuclear war, it should never be started.

“As the use of nuclear

arms would have far-reaching consequences, we also confirm that nuclear arms – as long as they exist – should serve defensive aims, deterrence against aggression and prevention of war.”

Russia hopes the pledge will reduce world tensions, while saying a summit of

permanent UN Security Council members remains necessary.

“We hope that, in the current difficult conditions of international security, the approval of such a political statement will help reduce the level of international tensions,” Moscow’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

France also released the statement, underscoring that the five powers reiterated their determination for nuclear arms control and disarmament. They would continue bilateral and multilateral approaches to nuclear arms control, it said.

China said the pledge will “increase mutual trust” and reduce the risk of nuclear conflict. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Turkish inflation soars to 36%, highest in Erdogan era

T

urkey's annual inflation rate surged to 36.1 per cent last

month, its highest in the 19 years that Tayyip Erdogan has ruled, laying bare the

Sudan coup: Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigns after mass protests

Pro-democracy protesters faced another violent crackdown from the military

S

udan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has resigned after another day of mass protests rocked the capital Khartoum.

Thousands marched against a recent deal he had done to share power with the army, who staged a coup in October.

Chanting "power to the people", protesters called for a return to full civilian rule.

But military forces again responded with force, leaving two people dead.

Hamdok's decision to quit leaves the army in full control.

It is another blow to Sudan's fragile attempts at a transition to democratic rule after a popular uprising led to the overthrow of Sudan's long-term authoritarian President Omar alBashir in 2019.

In a televised address, Hamdok said the country was at a "dangerous turning point that threatens its whole survival".

He said he had tried his best to stop the country from

"sliding towards disaster", but that "despite everything that has been done to reach a consensus... it has not happened".

Civilian and military leaders had made an uneasy power-sharing agreement after the army staged a coup on October 25 and initially placed Prime Minister Hamdok under house arrest.

The country was just one month away from transition to a civilian head of state when the army seized power.

Protests continued even after Hamdok had returned to office, with some demonstrators saying that his reinstatement was helping to legitimatise the military takeover.

The United Nations' special representative in Sudan has expressed regret over Hamdok's resignation. It puts at risk progress made since the December revolution when Bashir was toppled, Volker Perthes warned. (Excerpt from BBC News)

depths of a currency crisis engineered by the President's unorthodox interest rate-cutting policies.

In December alone, consumer prices took a rare step into double-digits, rising 13.58 per cent, Turkish Statistical Institute data showed on Monday, eating deeper into the earnings and savings of Turks rattled by the economic turmoil.

The year-over-year CPI outstripped a median Reuters poll forecast of 30.6 per cent with staples such as transportation and food - which took increasing shares of households' budgets during 2021 - rising even faster.

Turkey's lira shed 44 per cent of its value last year as the central bank slashed interest rates under a drive

by Erdogan to prioritise credit and exports over currency and price stability.

On Monday the currency whipsawed down 5 per cent then up 3 per cent.

It stood at 13.0790 versus the dollar at 1734 GMT, some 0.8 per cent firmer than Friday's close.

Some economists predict inflation could reach as high as 50 per cent by spring unless the direction of monetary policy is reversed. Goldman Sachs said it would remain above 40 per cent for most of the year ahead.

Turkey now has the eighth-highest inflation in the world, according to a Trading Economics listing.

Last year was the worst for the lira in nearly two decades, while the annual CPI was the highest since the 37.0 per cent reading of September of 2002, two months before Erdogan's AK Party first took office.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Newborn baby found in toilet bin of Air Mauritius plane

A

irport staff in Mauritius have found a newborn baby boy abandoned in the rubbish bin of a plane's toilet.

A 20-year-old woman from Madagascar, suspected of having given birth on the flight, was arrested.

The Air Mauritius plane, which arrived from Madagascar, landed at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport on January 1.

Airport officers made the discovery when they screened the plane for a routine customs check.

They rushed the baby to a public hospital for treat-

ment.

The woman suspected of being the child's mother, who initially denied the boy was hers, was made to undergo a medical examination which confirmed that she had just given birth.

She was placed under Police surveillance at the hospital.

Both she and the baby are said to be doing well.

The Malagasy woman, who arrived in Mauritius on a two-year work permit, will be questioned after her release from the hospital and charged with abandoning a newborn. (Excerpt from BBC News)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

OILNEWS OIL NEWS

Around the World

Five world powers vow to prevent spread of nuclear weapons

Oil settles higher F on 2022 demand optimism

O

il settled higher on Monday on hopes of further demand recovery in 2022, despite OPEC+ looking set to agree to another output increase and persistent concerns about how rising COVID infections might affect demand.

OPEC and its allies, or OPEC+, are expected today to agree to the output hike.

The Omicron coronavirus variant has brought record case counts and dampened New Year festivities worldwide, with more than 4000 flights cancelled on Sunday.

"The monthly OPEC + meeting that will be developing during the next couple of days is more likely to prove bullish than bearish since several of the OPEC members are having difficulty achieving assigned quotas," said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates in Galena, Illinois.

Brent crude settled up US$1.20, or 1.5 per cent, at US$78.98 a barrel at 12 pm EST (1700 GMT), having earlier risen as high as US$79.05. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude settled up 87 cents at US$76.08 a barrel.

"Infection rates are on the rise globally, restrictions are being introduced in several countries, the air travel sector, amongst others, is suffering, yet investors' optimism is tangible," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM. Many US schools that would normally welcome students back to classrooms on Monday are delaying their start dates, scrambling to test pupils and teachers and preparing, as a last resort, to return to remote learning as record numbers of COVID-19 cases from the Omicron variant sweep the country.

Oil gained some support from an outage in Libya. Oil output will be cut by 200,000 barrels per day for a week due to pipeline maintenance.

Last year, Brent rose 50 per cent, spurred by the global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and OPEC+ supply cuts, even as infections reached record highs worldwide.

Some see more gains in 2022.

"Crude and oil product prices should benefit from oil demand moving above 2019 levels," said a report from UBS analysts including Giovanni Staunovo. "We expect Brent to rise into a US$80–90 range in 2022." (Excerpt from Reuters)

Iran vows revenge for Soleimani killing if Trump not put on trial

I

ranian President Ebrahim Raisi, speaking on the second anniversary of the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani by the United States, said that former US President Donald Trump must face trial for the killing or Tehran would take revenge.

Iran and groups allied with it in Iraq and other countries have been holding events to honour Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, the overseas arm of the elite Revolutionary Guards. He was killed in Iraq in a drone strike on Jan 3, 2020, ordered by then President Trump.

"If Trump and (former secretary of state Mike) Pompeo are not tried in a fair court for the criminal act of assassinating General Soleimani, Muslims will take our martyr's revenge," Raisi said in a speech on Monday.

"The aggressor, murderer and main culprit - the then President of the United

States - must be tried and judged under the (Islamic) law of retribution, and God's ruling must be carried out against him," Raisi added.

Under Iran's Islamic laws, a convicted murderer can be executed unless the family of the victim agree to take "blood money" through a reconciliation.

Iranian judicial officials have communicated with authorities in nine countries after identifying 127 suspects in the case, including 74 US nationals, ProsecutorGeneral Mohammad Jafar Montazeri told state television.

"The criminal former president (Trump) is at the top of the list," he said.

On Sunday, Iran urged the United Nations Security Council in a letter to hold the United States and Israel, which Tehran says was also involved in the killing, to account, Iranian media said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

19

ive global nuclear powers have pledged to prevent atomic weapons from spreading and to ensure a nuclear war is never fought, in a rare joint statement ahead of a review of a key nuclear treaty later this year.

The statement on Monday said that the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China and France – who are the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – consider it their primary responsibility to avoid war between the nuclear states and to reduce strategic risks, while aiming to work with all countries to create an atmosphere of security.

“We believe strongly that the further spread of such weapons must be prevent-

ed,” it said, adding, “A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.”

The Russian-language version of the statement read, “We declare there could be no winners in a nuclear war, it should never be started.

“As the use of nuclear

arms would have far-reaching consequences, we also confirm that nuclear arms – as long as they exist – should serve defensive aims, deterrence against aggression and prevention of war.”

Russia hopes the pledge will reduce world tensions, while saying a summit of

permanent UN Security Council members remains necessary.

“We hope that, in the current difficult conditions of international security, the approval of such a political statement will help reduce the level of international tensions,” Moscow’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

France also released the statement, underscoring that the five powers reiterated their determination for nuclear arms control and disarmament. They would continue bilateral and multilateral approaches to nuclear arms control, it said.

China said the pledge will “increase mutual trust” and reduce the risk of nuclear conflict. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Turkish inflation soars to 36%, highest in Erdogan era

T

urkey's annual inflation rate surged to 36.1 per cent last

month, its highest in the 19 years that Tayyip Erdogan has ruled, laying bare the

Sudan coup: Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigns after mass protests

Pro-democracy protesters faced another violent crackdown from the military

S

udan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has resigned after another day of mass protests rocked the capital Khartoum.

Thousands marched against a recent deal he had done to share power with the army, who staged a coup in October.

Chanting "power to the people", protesters called for a return to full civilian rule.

But military forces again responded with force, leaving two people dead.

Hamdok's decision to quit leaves the army in full control.

It is another blow to Sudan's fragile attempts at a transition to democratic rule after a popular uprising led to the overthrow of Sudan's long-term authoritarian President Omar alBashir in 2019.

In a televised address, Hamdok said the country was at a "dangerous turning point that threatens its whole survival".

He said he had tried his best to stop the country from

"sliding towards disaster", but that "despite everything that has been done to reach a consensus... it has not happened".

Civilian and military leaders had made an uneasy power-sharing agreement after the army staged a coup on October 25 and initially placed Prime Minister Hamdok under house arrest.

The country was just one month away from transition to a civilian head of state when the army seized power.

Protests continued even after Hamdok had returned to office, with some demonstrators saying that his reinstatement was helping to legitimatise the military takeover.

The United Nations' special representative in Sudan has expressed regret over Hamdok's resignation. It puts at risk progress made since the December revolution when Bashir was toppled, Volker Perthes warned. (Excerpt from BBC News)

depths of a currency crisis engineered by the President's unorthodox interest rate-cutting policies.

In December alone, consumer prices took a rare step into double-digits, rising 13.58 per cent, Turkish Statistical Institute data showed on Monday, eating deeper into the earnings and savings of Turks rattled by the economic turmoil.

The year-over-year CPI outstripped a median Reuters poll forecast of 30.6 per cent with staples such as transportation and food - which took increasing shares of households' budgets during 2021 - rising even faster.

Turkey's lira shed 44 per cent of its value last year as the central bank slashed interest rates under a drive

by Erdogan to prioritise credit and exports over currency and price stability.

On Monday the currency whipsawed down 5 per cent then up 3 per cent.

It stood at 13.0790 versus the dollar at 1734 GMT, some 0.8 per cent firmer than Friday's close.

Some economists predict inflation could reach as high as 50 per cent by spring unless the direction of monetary policy is reversed. Goldman Sachs said it would remain above 40 per cent for most of the year ahead.

Turkey now has the eighth-highest inflation in the world, according to a Trading Economics listing.

Last year was the worst for the lira in nearly two decades, while the annual CPI was the highest since the 37.0 per cent reading of September of 2002, two months before Erdogan's AK Party first took office.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Newborn baby found in toilet bin of Air Mauritius plane

A

irport staff in Mauritius have found a newborn baby boy abandoned in the rubbish bin of a plane's toilet.

A 20-year-old woman from Madagascar, suspected of having given birth on the flight, was arrested.

The Air Mauritius plane, which arrived from Madagascar, landed at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport on January 1.

Airport officers made the discovery when they screened the plane for a routine customs check.

They rushed the baby to a public hospital for treat-

ment.

The woman suspected of being the child's mother, who initially denied the boy was hers, was made to undergo a medical examination which confirmed that she had just given birth.

She was placed under Police surveillance at the hospital.

Both she and the baby are said to be doing well.

The Malagasy woman, who arrived in Mauritius on a two-year work permit, will be questioned after her release from the hospital and charged with abandoning a newborn. (Excerpt from BBC News)

20

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS

DILBERT

(April 20May 20)

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

An intellectual attitude will win you favors.

Reconnect with someone who is always helpful.

Your strengths will stand out if you are enthusiastic and positive when dealing with others.

An emotional situation will cause stress and worry.

Do something physical to release tension and clear your head. Being productive will build confidence. Dig in and get things done.

There will be a shift in how you think about your current direction. Distance yourself from anyone putting pressure on you. Use your intelligence and choose to do your own thing.

Money, contracts, shared responsibilities and fairness will be necessary if you want to maintain stability. An unexpected change of plans will require diplomacy. Work alongside others peacefully.

You’ll gravitate toward reliable people, but if you take advantage of them, you will eventually damage your reputation and ability to get the support you need. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.

You’ll gain momentum if you channel your energy into what matters to you most. What you physically accomplish will make a difference. All talk and no action will make others question your ability.

Change and stress go together. Stay centered and think matters through.

Don’t feel pressured to rush things when attention to detail and care are required.

Follow your heart.

Talk less and do more.

Don’t waste time discussing trivial matters when productivity is what counts.

Live up to your promises, meet your deadlines and be reliable in all things.

SAGITTARIUS Make preparation a priority.

Acting in haste will lead (Nov. 23to mistakes. Concentrate on Dec. 21) mastering what you are doing and producing something that you can be proud of. Savor success.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

LAST PUBLISHED WORD -- XYLOPHONIC

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

Question and assess your life and the changes you want to make. Focus on truth, facts and timing. Your intuition is there to guide you. Trust your gut and do what you need to do.

Channel your energy into something constructive. Make changes based on needs, not on what someone is doing or wants you to pursue. Fine-tune your skills to suit what’s trending.

Do your best and let oth(Feb. 20- ers do as they please. More March 20) time spent building your brand and less spent trying to remake someone else will lead to greater rewards and personal satisfaction.

PISCES

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

21

Elgar, Petersen survive fighting last hour after quicks wrap up India for 202 T

he difa n d Test batted on bridged some effirst day with the tuned

ference between India South Africa in the first was how well India had the first day. South Africa that difference with fectiveness on the of the second Test, bowling attack up and at full strength.

pushed the score beyond 200. But none of the partnerships INDIA 1ST INNINGS ov), 8-185 (Mohammed Shami, India strung togethKL Rahul (c) c Rabada b Jansen 50 59.3 ov), 9-187 (Ravichandran er were allowed to Ashwin, 60.5 ov), 10-202 Mayank Agarwal c †Verreynne (Mohammed Siraj, 63.1 ov) take root, chiefly b Jansen 26 BOWLING O-M-R-W due to Jansen.

Cheteshwar Pujara c Bavuma Kagiso Rabada 17.1-2-64-3 M a y a n k b Olivier 3 Duanne Olivier 17-1-64-3 Agarwal and Ajinkya Rahane c Petersen b Olivier 0 Lungi Ngidi 11-4-26-0 Rahul looked like Hanuma Vihari c van der Dussen Marco Jansen 17-5-31-4 they were buildb Rabada

20 Keshav Maharaj 1-0-6-0 Rishabh Pant † c †Verreynne India ing another SOUTH AFRICA 1ST INNINGS b Jansen 17 Dean Elgar (c) not out w e r e solid plat11 Marco Jansen bagged four wickets Ravichandran Ashwin c Petersen form, havwithout Virat Aiden Markram lbw b Jansen 46 b Mohammed Shami Kohli, ruled out on the ing put on 7 length, took the shoulder of the Shardul Thakur c Petersen Keegan Petersen not out 14 morning of what would have been 36 runs b Olivier 0 Extras (lb 2, w 1) 3 his 99th Test with upper back in the first hour. Immediately after bat, and went to point. The next Mohammed Shami c & b Rabada 9 TOTAL (18 Ov, RR: 1.94) ball, Rahane poked at a back35/1 spasms. KL Rahul won the toss the drinks break, though, Jansen Jasprit Bumrah not out 14 Yet to bat: Rassie van der bowled one across Agarwal, tempt- of-length delivery that was well Mohammed Siraj c †Verreynne the first time he walked out as Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle outside off and became catchTest Captain, though, and chose ing him to drive even though it b Rabada 1 Verreynne †, Marco Jansen, ing practice for gully. to bat. However, a returning wasn't quite a drivable length.

Extras (b 8, lb 3, nb 5) 16 Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Olivier's speeds didn't TOTAL (63.1 Ov, RR: 3.19) 202 Duanne Olivier, Lungi Ngidi Duanne Olivier and a rid-ofAgarwal had been positive Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Aiden debut-nerves Marco Jansen from the start – his first three even hit the mid-130s, but the Fall of wickets: 1-36 (Mayank Markram, 3.5 ov) Agarwal, 14.1 ov), 2-49 bounce he got from a length ensured India were bowled scoring shots were all sweetBOWLING O-M-R-W (Cheteshwar Pujara, 23.3 ov), out for 202 midway through ly-struck boundaries – and did played a key role. Jansen got 3-49 (Ajinkya Rahane, 23.4 Jasprit Bumrah 8-3-14-0 the first day's third session. not let scoring opportunities go. the same, with his height giv- ov), 4-91 (Hanuma Vihari, 38.4 Mohammed Shami 6-2-15-1 ov), 5-116 (KL Rahul, 45.5 ov), Mohammed Siraj 3.5-2-4-0 At stumps, South Africa He went for the drive, but only snicked ing him additional leverage.

6-156 (Rishabh Pant, 53.4 ov), The Kohli-sized hole in the 7-157 (Shardul Thakur, 54.6 Shardul Thakur 0.1-0-0-0 had cut the deficit to 167 and it through to Kyle Verreynne, the wicketbatting order meant Rahul and lost only Aiden Markram in keeper replacing the retired Quinton de the returning Hanuma Vihari partners running out, he was forced to manthe bargain.

Kock.

India's innings comWith Kohli absent, the onus was needed to rebuild. They did that for a while and ufacture scoring options, and one mis-timed prised two distinct phases. on Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya had begun opening out when Kagiso Rabada slash meant Jansen had his fourth. An enRahane to steer India through. Both and extra bounce did the job again. A back-of- terprising knock from Jasprit Bumrah meant Rahul's masterful 50 held the top half together, men came into this series under a bit length ball flew off the inside half of Vihari's India were not quite done, but they were never even as wickets fell at of a cloud about their form and their bat as Rassie van der Dussen at short leg leapt going to go too far.

India's bowlers tested South Africa's top orthe other end, and then places in the XI, but Olivier cut short high to his left and clung on with arm stretched KL Rahul out full. der, as they had done throughout the first Test R Ashwin's 46 led the any hope of a revival innings from eiscored a The key strike came when Rahul chose the too, and Mohammed Shami trapped Markram ther. Pujara got one that kicked off a way as the lower order fluent 50 wrong ball to attack, just after reaching fifty. in front early too. And while Keegan Petersen Jansen had pitched it short, but Rahul didn't got a life when he slashed at Bumrah and Pant account for the bounce perfectly, which meant couldn't hold on one-handed to his right, a his pull resulted in a top edge that was caught more serious worry for India was Mohammed near the fine-leg boundary. Jansen then beau- Siraj walking off clutching his right hamstring tifully set up Rishabh Pant, getting the ball to during his fourth over, the penultimate one of leave the left-hand batter consistently before the day. Siraj had given Dean Elgar a thorough one held its line, and even came back a touch, working over, and shown exemplary control. to take an inside edge for the wicketkeeper.

If he is unable to bowl further in this game, Ashwin had decided to play his shots, and his loss could be a crippling blow for India. break down is not easy, but I he did so with élan, finding the boundary with (ESPNcricinfo) found a way.” beautifully-timed drives and flicks. But with Argentina will face Poland on Wednesday in their final group D match with a place in the semi-finals up for grabs, after Poland beat Georgia 3-0.

World number nine Hubert Hurkacz, from Poland, World Cup semi-final defeat by fore being ranked the top T20 recovered from a set down to all-rounder in March 2014.

Australia. beat Georgia’s Aleksandre However, he was banned He scored 12,780 runs and Metreveli, the world number took 253 wickets across all from bowling on several occa570, 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-1. sions after being reported for three formats.

Pablo Carreno Busta and orld number four “But I haven’t had [this kind Roberto Bautista Agut won “Today, I say goodbye to in- having an illegal bowling acStefanos Tsitsipas of injury] before, so I don’t their respective singles ties in ternational cricket with pride tion, most recently in 2019 admits he is unsure know. It’s my first time expe- straight sets to ensure victory and satisfaction,” the 41-year- while playing for English counif he will be fit to play at the riencing something like this.” old said. ty side Middlesex, and was for Spain over Norway.

Australian Open.

Tsitsipas won the first set “I have earned and accom- forced to remodel his action.

Bautista Agut upset Greece’s Tsitsipas against Schwartzman, before Norwegian world number plished more than I had ini“His game evolved with was beaten 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 the 29-year-old rallied to win eight Casper Ruud 6-4 7-6 (7tially envisaged and for that, time, adjusting to different 6-3 by Argentina’s Diego the match and secure victory 4) after Carreno Busta had I’m thankful to all my fellow formats quite intelligently,” Schwartzman at the ATP Cup for Argentina. cricketers, captains, support said PCB Chairman and felbeaten Viktor Durasovic 6-3 in his first singles match since Earlier, his teammate 6-3. staff and the PCB [Pakistan low ex-national captain Ramiz elbow surgery.

Federico Delbonis beat Cricket Board] who helped me Raja.

Chile’s match with Serbia Mohammed Hafeez He had sat out his first sin- Greece’s Michail Pervolarakis will go to the deciding doubles “Later in his career, he beormer Pakistan Captain out during my career.” gles match at the tournament 7-6 (7-5) 6-1.

Hafeez made his interna- came a T20 specialist, where with the score tied at 1-1 after Mohammad Hafeez has in Sydney to “protect” his el“I was just trying to think the singles rubbers. announced his retire- tional debut in 2003, making he was never out of touch with bow. that it was his first match for After Filip Krajinovic de- ment from international crick- his name as an opening bat- modern demands of this testBut after playing in the two months after his elbow feated Alejandro Tabilo 6-4 et. ter while bowling part-time off- ing format. His batsmanship doubles on Saturday, he con- [injury], so I was thinking just 3-6 7-6 (7-5) to give Serbia the took a sprightly turn, nailing The all-rounder played spin. ceded he was “in a lot of pain”. to try and be in the match,” early advantage, team-mate in 55 Tests, 218 One-Day In 2012 and 2013, he sixes almost at will.”

The Australian Open said Schwartzman. the International Hafeez will continue to Dusan Lajovic was forced to Internationals (ODIs) and topped starts on January 17 in “I had the chance and I retire injured from his match 119 Twenty20 Internationals Cricket Council’s rankings play in the Pakistan Super Melbourne. think I was ready. I am very with Cristian Garin with the (T20Is) for his country, last for bowlers and all-round- League and be available for “That is enough [time to happy because playing against Chilean winning 4-6 6-4 3-0. appearing in November’s T20 ers, a period in which he cap- other franchise tournaments. recover], I believe,” he said. Stefanos and being a set and a (BBC Sport) tained Pakistan’s T20 side, be- (BBC Sport)

SCOREBOARD

Australian Open: Stefanos Tsitsipas unsure if he will be fit for tournament after ATP Cup defeat

Mohammad Hafeez: Former Pakistan Captain retires from international cricket

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F

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Caesar, Hope basking in joy of Super-16 wins ty only made the GDF’s win sweeter.

“What we know is that all victories don’t come sweet, so some victories you have to fight and you have to get the best of what your players can give. And like I said before yesterday (Friday), it’s the willpower, who want it

W

winning streak, after clinching the first-ever Women’s Super-16 Championship.

“First of all, I must give God praise and thanks for this victory, thanks for keeping us safe. It’s a very good feeling, I hope it continue every year’ cause we’ve been training for a little while

GPF’s Colette Hope receives her award for best defender

ith both the Men’s and Women’s Super-16 Tournaments done and dusted, the respective winners are the happiest bunch as the new year begins. And while there were many aspects of the events that differed, one thing that is certain is that both the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Men and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Women are looking to better their squads in future.

This came to light during separate interviews with the teams’ representatives, following the final games.

On Saturday night, following the Men’s final,

Sherwin Caesar of the GDF noted that the team were in a euphoric mood, but still had a clear goal in sight.

Caesar told this publication, “I think it’s wonderful. I’m overwhelmed and my team is enjoying it, it’s a great pleasure that we could actually repeat this win and we’re hoping to get it three time, three time go back at it.

We just got to get back, start training again, and work harder for the next tournament coming up.”

When probed about the tough challenge that Western Tigers put forward in the final, Caesar explained that their opponents’ tenaci-

T

despite drawing the series 2-2.

Heading into the final Teddy Bishop top scored with 43

match, the men in maroon were 2-1, nevertheless they fought hard and persevered, winning by 20 runs.

South Africa needed 127 for victory off 50 overs, they had the world of time to play and cash in on an easy series win. But the West Indies had other plans, the youngsters showed great fight and determination to pull back the entire game, bowling their opponents for 107 in 23.5 overs. South Africa never found their footing they completely choked to draw a series which they were in control of. Johann Layne started the ball rolling as he snapped up the first three batsmen to have South

Africa reeling 3-29. From

at

t h e r e , McKenny Clarke picked up another three wickets but the job was far from over. Jaden Carmichael and Anderson Mahase wrapped up the game with three and one wicket, respectively, to close out the series and give t h e

GPF Women are looking to improve themselves and their game for future competition.

“As usual, there is more room for improvement and we’re going to keep doing that. If we have to go back to the drawing board every single day, we’re going to go back to the drawing board,” Hope concluded.

Both Super-16 finals were played over the weekend; GDF beat Western Tigers 5-4 on penalties and the GPF Women thumped GT Panthers 4-2. (Jemima Holmes)

Marslowe proud of male and female teams’ performance in GFF-K&S Yearend Tournaments ...urges business community to come on board

GDF’s Sherwin Caesar

more will win and GDF needed it, so we go and get it,” he explained.

He went on to touch on the future plans for the GDF team, sharing, “Training for the league, hoping that we have a league and we’ll continue training towards that”.

On the other hand, Colette Hope of the GPF Women is hoping to create a

now,” Hope said.

She went on to touch on Sunday night’s final against GT Panthers FC, disclosing: “At first, we start beating up a little on ourselves, but after the second half we went into the dressing room, we get ourselves together, went back to the drawing board and as usual, there is more room for improvement, so we

Bowlers, Bishop contribute as West Indies defy South Africa to wrap up series 2-2 he West Indies Youth contingent ended their fourmatch series against South Africa on a high

went back and come out successfully.”

Hope was quizzed about the inclusion of several young players in the Police Force team, to which she replied that their contribution was appreciated.

“Their contribution was wonderful for them. As a senior player, I’m so grateful for having them around, teach them as much as I could, also from the Coach and staff and everybody,” the GPF Women’s Captain explained.

Similarly to the Men’s winners, Hope says that the

SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES UNDER-19S 1ST INN - 126/10 (35 OVERS) S Parris b Boast 1 M Nandu c Cunningham b Mnyanda 1 T Bishop c Van Heerden b Tsaka 43 A Auguste * b Mnyanda 1 R Clarke † c Stephenson b Simelane 30 G Depeiza c Cunningham b Brevis 7 A Mahase c Maree b Boast 7 J Layne c Kitime b Brevis 4 J Carmichael Not out 10 M Clarke c Maree b Brevis 1 I Thorne c Kitime b Brevis 0 Extras (13 wd,1 lb,5 b,2 nb) 21 Total (10 wickets, 35 overs) 126 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (S Parris,0.6), 2-12 (M Nandu,3.2), 3-16 (A Auguste,5.3), 4-74 (T Bishop,17.6), 5-85 (R Clarke,20.4), 6-104 (A Mahase,29.2), 7-104 (G Depeiza,30.2), 8-116 (J Layne,32.2), 9-124 (M Clarke,34.1), 10126 (I Thorne,34.6) Bowler O-M-R-W M Boast 9-1-41-2 A Mnyanda 6-1-19-2 J Stephenson 4-1-15-0 A Simelane 6-0-21-1 A Tsaka 6-0-13-1 D Brevis 4-1-11-4

youngsters some confidence. Bowling McKenny Clarke starred with 3 wickets as well

were Johann Layne 3-34, McKenny Clarke 3-23, Jaden Carmichael 3-14 and Anderson Mahase 1-8.

Earlier in the innings, batting first, West Indies posted 126 in 35 overs at a net run rate of 3.6 runs per over. The local contingent had the worst pos-

SOUTH AFRICA UNDER-19S 1ST INN - 107/10 (23.5 OVERS) E Cunningham b Layne 3 V Kitime c Auguste b Layne 13 D Brevis c Auguste b Layne 4 G Maree † lbw Clarke 8 G Van Heerden*c Auguste b Clarke 2 A Simelane b Clarke 6 K Solomons b Mahase 3 M Boast c Bishop b Carmichael 10 J Stephenson c Depeiza b Carmichael 2 A Tsaka Not out 11 A Mnyanda b Carmichael 20 Extras (21 wd,1 lb,2 b,1 nb) 25 Total (10 wickets, 23.5 overs) 107 Fall of wickets : 1-8 (E Cunningham,2.2), 2-12 (D Brevis,2.6), 3-29 (V Kitime,6.6), 4-37 (G Maree,9.3), 5-52 (G Van Heerden,11.4), 6-56 (A Simelane,13.1), 7-58 (K Solomons,14.2), 8-65 (J Stephenson,16.3), 9-74 (M Boast,18.4), 10107 (A Mnyanda,23.5) Bowler O-M-R-W J Layne 8-0-34-3 I Thorne 4-0-18-0 M Clarke 6-0-23-3 A Mahase 2-0-8-1 J Carmichael 2.5-0-14-3 M Nandu 1-0-7-0

sible start as they found themselves at 3-16 in 5.3 overs with Shaqkere Parris (1), Matthew Nandu (1) and Akeeme Auguste (1) all back in the pavilion.

Teddy Bishop and Rivaldo Clarke kept things in check, giving them much-needed momentum. In the end, Bishop fell for 43 off 46 deliveries in over 17.4 and Clarke for 30 a couple of overs late, the score now read 85-5. They needed to carry on but the South Africans were too good as they tightened the reigns, picking up wickets constantly. In the end, the entire team folded as Dewald Brevis bagged 4-11. He was supported by Matthew Boast 2-41 and Aphiwe Mnyanda 2-19, while Asakhe Tshaka and Andile Simelane chipped in with one wicket each.

By Timothy Jaikarran

S

pirited performances by the Bartica All-Star male and female teams were not enough to keep them alive, with both teams going down on Christmas Night, in the GFF-K&S Year End Tournaments. However, President of the Bartica

BFA President Alden Marslowe

Football Association, Alden Marslowe has stated that despite both teams losing, the Bartica representation gave a reasonable account of themselves.

Coming up against a strong and talented Police FC female team, the Bartica Females showed heart and determination, but eventually lost by seven goals to one.

In the main event, Western Tigers FC prevailed against the Bartica All Star Males by four goals to nil.

In an interview with this publication, the BFA boss said, "Obviously our teams needed a better performance.

However, under the present circumstances, their performance could be considered quite credible. They both came up against strong teams and they gave a reasonable account of themselves. When an association team loses in a big match, there is a flurry of opinions floating around where did it go wrong: composition of the team, the right

coach, the preparation. In this case, we came up against a sound and proper team and lost and so now we put that behind us, assess our position, get back to our development strategies and stick to the programme".

Marslowe noted that one positive that was brought away was the female team as they had been struggling to rebuild the Bartica Female Team for a number of years.

He explained that now, the future of female football in Bartica looks bright. Marslowe stated that in the competition, the girls won one match and lost one, hence they were motivated and excited to go into the new year as a squad of more than fifty and that people should look out for them in the future. In terms of what is next for football in Bartica, Marslowe reiterated that the BFA will be getting back to their development strategies.

He posited that the month of January will be spent regularising the clubs and having them properly registered. It is his hope that once the BFA receives the go-ahead for a return to competitions they will be able to play football the way it should be played.

In closing, Marslowe said, "Our game is still very much alive. Thanks to the Guyana Football Federation, every effort is being made to ensure we have all the tools for development; and every effort is being made for a return to play.

In the meanwhile, we also encourage our corporate friends to partner with us to build up the game. The responsibility for youth development falls to all of us, and while at Bartica we receive sound support from the offices of the Mayor and Town Council and the RDC, the one important ingredient that we lack at the moment is the involvement of the business community."

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

Police women lift first female Super-16 trophy lowed Police to hold on to the levelled score, until the second half where they made a move.

Resuming the second stanza on a 2-2 score, Police got ahead early after Prince completed her hat-trick in the 47th. GT Panthers had a few close calls but were unable to level the scores again, owing to the superb work from eventual best goalkeep-

O

Dennecia Prince (blue) netted a hat-trick in the final for Police

ne day after the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) lifted the Men’s Super-16 trophy, the women from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) championed their version of the tournament, after downing the GT Panthers 4-2 in a tight contest.

The Women of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) did one better than their male counterparts (who fin-

ished fourth in the male tournament), as they went all the way to lift the first-ever Women’s Super-16 trophy on Sunday night.

Also competing at the Leonora Track and Field Facility, Police found themselves trailing behind their opponents at the earliest juncture, following a blistering goal from GT Panthers captain Annalisa Vincent in the 6th.

By Brandon Corlette

The senior Guyana men’s national cricket team conducted another fitness test at Leonora on a cool Monday morning. According to Head Coach Esuan Crandon, 98 per cent of the players recorded improved numbers in the yo-yo test.

The likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Chandrapaul Hemraj and Keemo Paul were present to conduct the fitness assessment as preparation continues for the Regional 4-Day Tournament in February. Hetmyer, who missed selection to the West Indies white-ball squads to play Ireland and England owing to fitness issues, recorded an improved number in the yo-yo test.

“I think what we have seen today is some improvement from the guys, probably not what we were looking for but at the end of the day, most of them, about 97-98 per cent would have improved on their previous scores (in the yo-yo test) so that is a good sign for us, and it also tells the entire group that once you put in the work, you will improve. It is simple as that. I do not understand why it is difficult for some of these players to understand.

You are professionals and they have to put in the work to get to the level of fitness we are looking at.”

“It might be a possibility of another one (fitness test), for some of them who are not there as yet, so let us see how it goes,” Crandon explained. The Guyana senior team will be playing their first of three 4-Day Best v Best practice matches at Albion, set for January

It was not too long after that Dennecia Prince put the female officers in the lead, with a brace in the 15th and 19th. As if they were going tit for tat, Feona Benjamin evened up the scores for GT Panthers with a 21st minute goal.

Thereafter, it looked as though Panthers’ fire had burnt out, as their shot choices and finishing became inconsistent. This factor al-

5 and that encounter would be good for the players to get into the groove.

“To get the guys in the good groove and frame of mind to play four-day cricket, batting for long periods, scoring big hundreds, picking up wickets, bowl long spells, being able to concentrate for long periods of time, being able to think and perform under pressure.

That first game would be a good gauge for us, taking from that first game, into the next two games, and we are looking to improve as we go on from game to game, and try to build good momentum for the 4-Day coming up,” Crandon added.

The upcoming Best v Best matches, which is set to bowl off tomorrow, Wednesday January 5 at Albion will involve a pool of earmarked players, with the initial match at least being played ahead of the selection of the first national team to participate in the CWI Regional 4-Day Tournament.

According to the Guyana Cricket Board, the first two matches are scheduled for the Albion Community Centre Ground, Berbice, and given Head Coach Esuan Crandon

er of the tournament Nieola Chester, who went above and beyond to keep GT Panthers’ side of the scorecard stagnant.

Meanwhile, as GT Panthers’ goalie took a tumble, a long shot from Tiandi Smith put the cherry on top for Police in the 87th with their fourth goal to seal the victory.

In the third-place play-

Lakeisha Pearson (blue) fends off a challenge during the final (Jemima Holmes Photos)

off, Fruta Conquerors Women overcame the Female Soldiers convincingly. Sandra Johnson got the scoring going for Fruta in the 13th, but a 26th minute strike from GDF’s Akeelah Vancooten levelled the scores. Vancooten went on to complete her brace in the 38th, to give GDF the lead at the half.

Looking as though GDF would hold on to the 2-1 score line for the victory, it took a spirited comeback from Fruta’s Jalade Trim to put her team in cruise control. The teenager netted back-to-back goals in the 63rd and 66th to lead her team to victory.

In special prizes, Annalisa Vincent walked away with the accolades for highest goal scorer and most valuable player, while Police’s Nieola Chester, Colette Hope and Micalla Prince were the best goalkeeper, defender and forward, respectively. Best midfielder and most improved player went to Fruta’s Jalade Trim and Angel Denny. Meanwhile, Bartica’s Amya Schroeder was the youngest player and Alicia Mentore the oldest in the tournament. (Jemima Holmes)

Chandrapual Hemraj going through the process

Keemo Paul is fit and ready (Brandon Corlette photos)

the need to have cricket played throughout the counties, the second match scheduled for Albion is subject to change based on weather conditions while the third and final match is being arranged for the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

Guyana contracted players are: Kelvon Anderson, Christopher Barnwell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Leon Johnson, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Veerasammy Permaul, Romario Shepherd, Vishaul Singh, Kevin Sinclair, Nial Smith, Anthony Bramble, and Keon Joseph.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

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

Police women lift first female Super-16 trophy

Page 23

The GPF Women are the first winners of the Female Super-16 tournament (Jemima Holmes Photo)

T

Shimron Hetmyer showed improvements (Brandon Corlette photo)

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The first Best v Best 4-day match will bowl off on January 5

he Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has announced the thirty-man squad for the first match in the GCB’s Best of Best Redball 4-Day Tournament.

The first of three scheduled matches will be played at the Albion Community Centre ground from Wednesday January 5, 2022. The scheduled hours of play per day is from 10:00h to 17:00h.

The thirty-man squad for the first match in the GCB’s Best of Best Redball 4-Day Tournament is: Leon Johnson, Kemo Paul, Shimron Hetmyer, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Vishaul Singh,

Kevlon Anderson, Veerasammy Permaul, Keon Joseph, Kevin Sinclair, Tevin Imlach, Qumar Torrington, Joshua Jones, Demitri Cameron, Sylus Tyndall, Clinton Pestano, Anthony Adams, Kevin Umroa, Ashmead Nedd, Richie Looknauth , Junior Sinclair, Quintin Sampson, Zachery Jodah, Jonathan Ramersaud, Akshaya Persaud, Raymon Perez, Kemol Savory, Marvin Dindyal, Javed Karim, Rampertab Ramnauth and Seon Glasgo The scheduled dates for the other two matches are January 12-15, 2022, and January 18-21, 2022

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