Guyana Times -- Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Valentine’s Day road: P8 SheriffMandela Road to be completed

by Feb 14 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4848

THE BEACON OF TRUTH WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

Guyanese benefited from high rate of COVID-19 emergency cash transfers in Region See story on page 19

…as labour force reduced by 23% – World Bank World AIDS Day

“Barbados has our 9022 new unwavering support” HIV cases – Pres Ali as country chooses Republican status diagnosed so far in 2021 5-year-old boy among 2 new COVID deaths See story on page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Guyanese warned against crowding, P16 packed shopping spaces during holiday

78-year-old killed in hit P9 and run Unhygienic living P15 conditions of migrants improved with intervention – Health Minister

See story on page 7

Page 18

Construction worker P9 drowns at Hope Canal Special P17 Constable charged for Mocha fatal accident

Guyana’s Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips shares a photo with Barbados’s Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Barbadian singer, actress and fashion designer Rihanna, who was named a national hero (Office of the Prime Minister photo)

1100lbs cocaine found in rum shipment to The Netherlands from Guyana

Page 10

COVID-19 guidelines renewed, countrywide curfew P18 remains

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Wednesday, Dec 1 – 01:30h – 03:00h and 13:00h – 14:30h and Thursday, Dec 2 – 02:00h – 03:30h and 13:30h – 15:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, Dec 1 – 14:05h – 15:35h and Thursday, Dec 2 – 14:45h – 16:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY There will be light rain showers during the day.

Expect light cloud at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East South-Easterly to North NorthWesterly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 14:13h reaching a maximum height of 2.67 metres.

Low Tide: 07:45h and 20:14h reaching minimum heights of 0.66 metre and 0.51 metre.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2021

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021

DAILY MILLIONS

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$70.57/barrel

-4.07

Rough Rice

$252.77/ton

-0.05

London Sugar

$497.70/ton

-0.74

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USD Per Ounce

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$1774.00

$1775.00

Low/High Change

$1769.50 -0.80

$1810.50 -0.05%

“Barbados has our unwavering support” – Pres Ali as country chooses Republican status

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ith Barbados officially becoming independent of the United Kingdom (UK), President Dr Irfaan Ali has joined in the outpouring of support and congratulations for the world’s newest republic.

Heir to the British throne, Prince Charles was in Barbados as Queen Elizabeth’s royal standard was lowered and the new Barbados declared after almost 400 years since the first English ships arrived on the island.

In official letters on Tuesday, President Ali expressed Guyana’s “unwavering support” for Barbados as it becomes a republic, conveying these best wishes to the first President of Barbados, Sandra Mason and Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

The day is especially auspicious, since Barbados is celebrating its 55th anniversary and its inaugural Republic Day. In official letters to both Mottley and Mason, Ali emphasised Guyana’s commitment and support to Barbados.

“As Barbados embarks upon its new status as a Republic, I assure you, President Mason and Prime Minister Mottley and the Government and people of Barbados, of Guyana’s continued and unwavering support,” the President said.

“We salute the Barbadian people on this momentous transition as you seek to further consolidate political independence and nationhood. It is a tribute to the conscience and courage of your forebears who yearned for freedom in all its plenitude and stood fast against the odds,” he added.

The Head of State also commended Prime Minister Mottley for “steering the successful advancement of Barbados’s Constitution and the completion of its national independence” and for the country’s “repatriation” of its Constitution and adoption of Republican status.

Pointing to Guyana’s bilateral partnership with Barbados in the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the President noted that Guyana was fully aware of the strong sense of patriotism and commitment to regionalism by the Government and people of Barbados.

He, therefore, defended Barbados against any suggestion that their newfound Republican status originated from any other source than the country’s rightful desire for sovereignty over its Constitution and Government.

“Guyana and Barbados are joined by ties of blood, history, and friendship. Our two countries now traverse the path of independence and integration as sister Republics. We look forward to working with you to further develop the warm and friendly ties, which so happily exist between us and to strengthening the fabric of our Caribbean community.”

President Ali also added that while the decision by the Government and people of Barbados unties the formal constitutional connection to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, it does not, in any way, diminish the high regard that the country retains for the Queen, whose role as the Head of the Commonwealth of Nations is

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips joins Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley and other regional leaders to celebrate Barbados’s Republican status

“deeply appreciated”.

Guyana’s Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips is currently in Barbados with a number of regional leaders, including Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Keith Rowley, and Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Philip Davis.

Phillips and his wife, Mignon Bowen-Phillips took part in Barbados’s official declaration of its Republican status and the inauguration ceremony for its first President, Sandra Mason. He also witnessed Barbados’s National Awards Ceremony, and met and interacted with Barbadian singer, actress and fashion designer Rihanna, who was named a national hero.

Since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government took office, Guyana has pursued closer ties with Barbados than

ever before. Bilateral talks between President Ali and Prime Minister Mottley culminated in a visit from a Barbados trade delegation only last month.

The Barbados delegation paid a visit to Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and were so impressed with what they witnessed in the construction aggregate industry that they have publicly said they believe opportunities for trade lie right there.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill met the Barbados delegation, which was led by his Bajan counterpart, Dr William Duguid. During a meeting at the Watooka Guest House in Linden, Dr Duguid spoke of his observations and areas of opportunity in Guyana.

“I’m very happy to be here in Linden, in Guyana to do a fact-finding mission and look for opportunities for us to not

only be able to invest, but to strengthen our trade relations between Guyana and Barbados. We’ve done a lot of travelling around in various locations, sawmills,” Dr Duguid had said.

“And we’re going to also see what is available here from a quarrying point of view.

Looking for sources here for sand, for granite, and crusher run for our road construction.

And also looking for opportunities, when we get those commodities to Barbados, what we will then put on the barge or ship coming back then to Guyana.”

According to Dr Duguid, one commodity Barbados could trade with Guyana is cement since the Caribbean island has a cement plant. Other possibilities include bitumen, which is used in road construction, once they can get the right chemicals. (G3)

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

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

Epidemics of HIV and COVID-19

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oday, December 1st, is observed as World AIDS Day, and this year’s theme is “End inequalities. End AIDS. End Pandemics.”

As expected, countries all over the world, along with international development partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO), will be highlighting the progress made while drawing global attention to the need for broader engagement with various stakeholders, especially those at the frontline who are involved in providing health care and support to those affected.

Like last year, countries all over are grappling to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, and more so now with the new variant, Omicron. This in effect means that priority would go towards fighting the pandemic, with HIV being placed on the back burner.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima had pointed out that COVID-19 pandemic is threatening the progress that the world has made in health and development over the past 20 years, including the gains made against HIV/AIDS. “Like all epidemics, it is widening the inequalities that already existed. Gender inequality, racial inequality, social and economic inequalities. We are becoming a more unequal world,” she had previously said.

In her message for World AIDS Day 2021, Byanyima reminded that AIDS remains a pandemic, the red light is flashing, and only by moving fast to end the inequalities that drive the pandemic can we overcome it.

In her World AIDS Day message, she said: “Without the inequality-fighting approach we need to end AIDS, the world would also struggle to end the COVID-19 pandemic, and would remain unprepared for the pandemics of the future. That would be profoundly dangerous for us all. Progress in AIDS, which was already off-track, is now under even greater strain as the COVID-19 crisis continues to rage, disrupting HIV prevention and treatment services, schooling, violence prevention programmes, and more.”

HIV continues to be a major global public health issue that claims the lives of thousands worldwide every year.

To reach the target of 90%, an additional 7.5 million people need to access HIV testing services. It should be noted, though, that many more people with HIV are now receiving life-saving drugs which help to keep the virus under control. But millions of people who need treatment still do not have it. For example, Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most severely affected part of the world, though some countries in the region have made impressive efforts in reducing fresh cases.

Caribbean countries, including Guyana, can boast of several successes in relation to our HIV response. Programmes to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, reduce new HIV infections, and treat people living with the virus have yielded encouraging results. Additionally, the Caribbean is the only developing region that has approached the near-universal coverage of antiretroviral medicines to prevent mother-to-child transmission. According to official statistics, the Caribbean leads the world in the rates of its reduction in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths.

In Guyana’s case, there are over 9000 persons diagnosed with HIV so far in 2021. In his World AIDS Day message, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said this year’s theme “highlights the importance of addressing economic, gender, racial and social inequalities. These inequalities have prevented persons at risk of HIV from accessing prevention services, and those infected from accessing care and treatment.” These inequalities have driven the HIV pandemic, with 1.7 million people getting infected while 690,000 have died.

Globally, the COVID-19 vaccines have been rolled out and have given hope that the virus would be brought under control.

However, there are still serious concerns about equitable access, especially for poorer countries.

According to UNAIDS Executive Director, progress in AIDS, which was already off track, is now under even greater strain as the COVID-19 crisis continues to rage, disrupting HIV prevention and treatment services, schooling, violence prevention programmes and more.

She urged world leaders to work together urgently to tackle challenges head-on. We therefore join the call that there is not a choice to be made between ending the AIDS pandemic that is raging today and preparing for the pandemics of tomorrow. We also support the call that the only successful approach would achieve both.

“If we take on the inequalities that hold back progress, we can deliver on the promise to end AIDS by 2030. It is in our hands.

Every minute that passes, we are losing a precious life to AIDS. We don’t have time,” UNAIDS Executive Director has said.

We urge the health authorities and other stakeholders here to use this day to recommit to winning the battle against the colliding epidemics of HIV and COVID-19.

End inequalities. End AIDS. End pandemics.

Three hundred and forty-two soldiers on Tuesday received cash incentives for their outstanding service throughout the year. Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess and other officers made the presentation to representatives from the various units at the Annual Incentive Ceremony held at the Auditorium, Base Camp Ayanganna (GDF photo)

Omicron variant should cause the partially and unvaccinated to rush to be fully vaccinated

Dear Editor, The news that only 54% of Guyanese are fully vaccinated is cause for real concern, considering the emergence of the new Omicron variant, which is creating some panic across the world.

I share the concern of the President and the Minister of Health, that more people need to rush to get vaccinated. The Government has done its part to secure vaccines, some of which will expire soon. It would be very sad if the vaccines procured by taxpayers’ money for our people expire for lack of folks following up to get their initial vaccination or their second or booster doses. I say the Government should set a deadline for everyone to be vaccinated, and beyond that deadline, start charging for the vaccines if people are that reckless and

stupid to not get vaccinated.

We cannot predict how many new variants would emerge and what harm they can cause, but we do know that it’s easier for variants to emerge in situations where there is no “herd immunity.” Getting one dose only does not create herd immunity; we need to get the second dose, and booster dose when available.

Already some countries are banning travel from countries where the Omicron variant has showed up.

New York City has declared a state of emergency, and similar actions may spread across the world.

I have a relative who got the first dose of the vaccine.

I asked her why she is dilly-dallying to get the second dose, and she said she is waiting to be called for the second dose. I told her

she should be the one calling and going after the vaccine, since she is seriously diabetic with some toes amputated.

The Government must be stricter with public workers getting fully vaccinated.

What percentage of Public Service workers are vaccinated? What percentage of teachers and nurses are now vaccinated? We are a poor country, and cannot afford another set of lockdowns and closures of work sites. We cannot afford more money for ongoing COVID relief. We want to reopen the economy, so there can be full production and work activities.

The unions are quick to ask for hefty pay raises, but they have failed to mobilise their workers to get fully vaccinated. This is simply reckless, as the health

and wellness of workers and the nation comes first. The unions must change their ways and make sure all their members are vaccinated. Same for the Opposition and other political parties, churches, non-profit organisations, and other civic organisations. We need everyone to get on board now, and let’s mobilise more people to get their second doses and booster doses. Also, we need more children to take advantage of the vaccines that are available for the younger ones.

Guyanese, now is not the time for complacency. We must all pull together and encourage friends, neighbours, and relatives to get fully vaccinated now. These are troubling times.

Sincerely, Dr Jerry Jailall

Black pudding rantings of David Hinds Dear Editor, Recently a Guyanese friend from the United States sent me some video clips showing the rantings of David Hinds on the topic of the black pudding lady. After reviewing the clips, I could not help but going into fits of convulsive laughter, which naturally spurred my friend to ask the question if my laughter was the reaction to the spineless antics of Hinds and my answer was a resounding no! I explained that he

was witnessing the revelations of a doctor of philosophy, a renown historian and a so-called authority when it comes to matters of the Black Race. Interesting!

This caused my friend to become even more bewildered as to why someone with such a wealth of knowledge could behave in such a manner. Well my answer to him was that Hinds was indeed an educated man, and certainly not mad, let’s say at least not yet, but being an aca-

demically certified educator he is. But I had to do some further explanation, that education does not necessarily make one intelligent which you can clearly see from Hinds’ rantings. But still the question lingers why should a grown man be ranting and raving over a harmless delicacy such as Black Pudding?

Is it because the name “Black” in the Pudding conjures up such hate and acrimony in this Black Conscious man? Or is it be-

cause an Indian Lady has now infiltrated something Hinds considers a “Black Lady’s” domain, which is it? Has “Black Pudding lost its “Blackness because it is packaged and sold by an Indian Lady, which is it?

Well, for starters I would very well direct Hinds to the Afro-Guyanese Gentleman that sells Dhaal Puri in front of the horse racing betting shop by The East Coast Bus Park.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

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

Services offered at critical agencies

Dear Editor, If Guyana is to make some headway in the services industry, a serious look should be taken at the services offered at some of our critical Government agencies. Primarily, when we think about or speak about the services industry, we think about tourism, restaurants, and other things of that nature.

Many Government agencies have, for years, been chastised for the way persons desirous of conducting business are treated. My recent experience at the Georgetown Passport Office over the past few days has not only left a bitter taste in my mouth, but it has also further lessened my confidence in the professionalism of some of the persons paid to effectively serve persons on behalf of the Government of Guyana. I am therefore issuing a call to those in authority to investigate the way persons visiting this critical office

are advised.

For the past few days, I’ve been attempting to renew my daughter’s passport, as she is due to travel soon. Last Thursday, before journeying there, I made several attempts to call the office on the number I got from a Google search, in order to get some information on what documents I’d need in the absence of her father, but as is the case when calling many of these organisations, the number rang out. After calling for close to two hours, I was left with no other choice but to go down there myself.

Last Friday morning, I visited the Passport Office with the documents I had.

When I got there, the officer at the door said I would need to get a copy of her father’s ID and a letter of authorisation from him to process the passport. I asked the officer what the authorisation should entail, and whether it has to be done by a Justice of

Peace or a Notary. He answered in the negative, and proceeded to state what should be included in the document. He then told me that it could be written or typed, but that it would have to be signed by her father.

Based on the information I was given, I left the office and proceeded to have that done. I returned later that day with the additional document, and was told to take a seat inside. When I got to the counter, the officer behind the glass took my documents, examined them, and said that I would need to have the authorisation letter notarised.

I became frustrated. I informed the officer that I’d asked the officer at the door if the document had to be notarised and he had said no.

There was nothing I could do at that point, so I left there and proceeded to make arrangements to have the document nota-

rised.

Documents in hand, I returned to the Passport Office on Tuesday afternoon, only to be told that the authorisation wasn’t done correctly. At this point, two officers at the Passport Office had examined my documents on two separate occasions. Both of them failed to inform me that there was a specific format in which this had to be done. I was beyond frustrated at this point, because both my time and money had been wasted.

The female officer at the door who collected my documents (the only one who I think acted professionally in this ordeal) went into the building to speak with a senior officer.

I assume that after she had spoken with him, I was invited to take a seat by the female officer. When the alleged senior officer came to me, he, too, explained that the document was incorrectly worded and that there

was a specific format in which it had to be done.

I questioned why it was that during my prior visits to the office I wasn’t advised correctly? Without any empathy, the young man basically said that he was a supervisor and that he was now advising me.

While expressing my dissatisfaction about being ill-advised on several occasions, the officer said, “Anyone with sense can see that this document is not right, and that a specimen was on the wall. You can use your phone and take a picture of it.”

Editor, because of my profession, I deal with different people with different attitudes every day.

I understand that people invest their time and resources to get things done, and that expressing empathy when people’s time is wasted is important.

When the fault is on your end, the wronged should be issued an apology. At no time during our inter-

action did this officer apologise for the time and resources wasted, because I was ill-advised on two separate occasions by officers under his command, as he claimed to be a supervisor.

Moreover, to state that “anyone with sense could see that the document was wrong…” implies that the officers who examined the document before he did do not have any sense also.

Once again, I am calling on those in authority to look into the way persons are advised when visiting these offices. If the people who are tasked with engaging persons on a daily basis do not pull themselves together, the organisation as a whole would continue to face heavy criticism, and the phrase ‘only in Guyana’ will always precede negative comments as a result of a bad experience.

Yours truly, Janell Cameron

Declining fish stocks Black pudding rantings... deserve a real assessment, not another cheap shot at oil

FROM PAGE 4

Dear Editor, I was disappointed at the recent story “Declining fish catch triggers worry among local fishermen.” The perspective of our fishermen is always valuable, but the piece is filled with half-truths and unverified claims.

The story seeks to pin any and every decline in fish stocks on the oil industry.

Fair enough, it’s an easy target, no one is likely to stand up and say oil is great for fish; but if we want to actually understand what is happening, we need a real assessment.

Frankly, the Government should have done what every other country does, and conduct a comprehensive assessment of our fisheries decades ago.

What data there is shows a completely different picture than the one painted by the author. As the Guyana Standard reported last year in “Fishing output in decline for a while - Govt. report”, fishing takes peaked in 2003, and then declined through 2015.

There was no major oil drilling taking place during that time. How can oil be the problem of declining fish takes if the decline started long before

oil was found?

For that matter, how can oil drilling, happening 150 kilometres offshore, be the cause when nearly all of Guyana’s fishing is done in coastal shallow waters?

There are dozens of countries around the world with much larger oil production than Guyana’s, and they have huge fisheries. The UK, the US, Canada and Norway all spring to mind; each boasts a large oil industry and a huge fishing industry in the same waters. How is this possible?

They manage their fisheries.

They regularly assess stocks of each species, and issue quotas and regulate take so that species that are declining can be restored.

Oil has not wiped out the fish in any of these countries.

In contrast, the fishing industry in the U.S. often clamours for decommissioned rigs to be kept intact, since these vast structures become crusted with corals that serve as nurseries for fish.

There are real problems we must assess. Waters are warming, and storm patterns are changing around the world due to climate change.

Foreign fishing fleets from

certain countries poach freely from the waters of countries like Guyana, which cannot or will not stop them.

Blaming oil is an easy way out, but the Government needs to take this problem seriously and enact the kind of serious management those other countries have done for decades.

Sincerely, Donald Singh

In my book he sells some of the best there is in the food world. His delicacy is micro-thin, moist and super sweet.

Does this change the fact that this dish originated from the Indian sub-continent and I would give you a resounding no for an answer. In like token, The Indian Lady at Mon Repos who sells the best Black pudding in town should not evoke the ire of anyone.

What Hinds must come to the realization is that cross cultures do have a healthy existence in Guyana today, something that any sensible academician should encour-

age and not criticize.

Now, this brings us right back to the discussion as to the root cause for Hinds being so caustic against Indians and by extension The PPP/C Government, and this has nothing to do with The Indian, Black pudding Lady at Mon Repos. In fact, it lies deep in the heart of Hinds and others of his ilk, that is, the stealth craft of rigging has been dealt a severe blow and is now dead. No more can his or any party, cheat and steal to win an election in Guyana.

This is what has caused Hinds to become so paranoid in his undertaking to under-

mine Indians and the PPP/C Government. This is the root cause for a seemingly normal man to behave in such an irrational manner.

Hinds and his cohorts are hopping mad over the fact that they are not going to see power another time on a rigging ticket. Hinds and his friends in The PNC are in essence looking down the chute, no more would the despicable system of rigging haunt our electoral machinery again.

This is the reason for Hinds losing his mind.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

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Foundation ◄

Dividing mixed numbers

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o divide mixed numbers, change each mixed number into an improper fraction.

If only one number in your division problem is a mixed number, change it to an improper fraction. If both numbers in your division problem are mixed numbers, change both to improper fractions.

Example: Divide: 6 1/3 ÷ 3 5/10 Step 1: Change the first mixed number into an improper fraction: 6 1/3 = 19/3 .

Step 2: Change the second mixed number into an improper fraction: 3 5/10 = 35/10.

Step 3: Restate the problem: 6 1/3 ÷ 9 5/10 is the same as ( 19)/3 ÷ 35/10 Step 4: Find the reciprocal of the second fraction. The reciprocal of 35/10 is 10/35 .

Step 5: Multiply the first fraction by the second fraction^' s reciprocal.

19/3 x 10/35 .

Step 6: Multiply the numerators: 19 x 10 = 190.

Step 7: Multiply the denominators: 3 x 35 = 105 Step 8: Write the product: 190/105. The product of that multiplication is also the quotient of the original division problem.

Step 9: Change the quotient to a mixed number: 190/105 = 1 85/(105 )=1 17/25.

Materials:

Bag of chocolate coins Paper plates Pen Paper A watch, clock, or timer A clear plastic cup Black construction paper or black marker

Instructions:

Take the foil off of each chocolate coin you use for the experiment.

Place each chocolate coin on a separate paper plate.

Place paper plates in different spots, for example, one outside in the shade, one outside in the sun, one inside in a dark room, or one inside under a lamp.

Exercises: Divide

At each location, place up to 3 plates to see which melts the fastest: 1 white paper plate with just the chocolate coin 1 white paper plate, with a clear plastic cup over it, covering the coin to allow it to trap some heat 1 paper

plate, with a black piece of construction paper, or colour the plate black with a marker, to see if this absorbs more heat Using your time keeping device, pen, and paper, record how long it takes the chocolate to melt in each situation. If it doesn’t melt after 10 min of sitting, record that as well.

Compare your results and think about the conclusion to your results.

How it works:

At a certain temperature some of your chocolate coins went through a physical change from a solid to a liquid. This process is called melting. Energy was added to the chocolate by either sunlight or heat and this energy caused the molecules that make up the solid chocolate to move about and spread out and become a liquid.

Extra experiments:

Use a thermometer to record the temperature of the different spots. Can you figure out at what temperature chocolate starts to melt?

Try using other types of chocolate, for example, white or dark chocolate. Do the results change?

How long does chocolate take to melt in your mouth?

What temperature is the human body? Does this help prove or disprove your hypothesis on what temperature chocolate melts at?

I

1) 9 2/14 ÷ 4 8/9

4) 7 3/9 ÷ 1 8/14

2) 9 2/6 ÷ 8 1/5

5) 1 2/4 ÷ 6 5/100

3) 4 25/75 ÷ 3 1/3

6) 6 10/1 ÷ 5 3/15

magine you are a carbon dioxide molecule, describe your j o u r n e y through the hu- man body.

How the Carbon Cycle Works: Carbon enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide from respiration (breathing) and combustion (burning). Green plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during the process of photosynthesis to make their own food, using the carbon. This carbon becomes a part of the plant’s tissue. When herbivores and other animals feed on green plants, the carbon in the plants is passed on to these animals, and when carnivores eat the herbivores, the carbon is passed on to them. This is how carbon is passed on in the food chain. These animals in turn respire, releas-

ing the carbon back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Each time you exhale, you are releasing carbon dioxide gas (CO2) back into the atmosphere. Animals and plants get rid of carbon dioxide gas through respiration.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

World AIDS Day

9022 new HIV cases diagnosed so far in 2021 H ealth Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has committed Government’s continued approach in increasing treatment access for patients living with HIV/AIDS, while ending the inequalities which currently exist in the country.

Today is set aside for World AIDS Day to raise awareness on HIV and AIDS. The theme for this year's observance is "End inequalities. End AIDS. End Pandemics.”

Dr Anthony underscored that it highlights the importance of addressing economic, gender, racial and social inequalities. These inequalities have prevented persons at risk for HIV from accessing prevention services and those infected from accessing care and treatment.

“These inequalities have driven this HIV pandemic, with 1.7 million people getting infected while 690,000 died. Of the newly infected, 62 per cent were from key populations and their sexual partners…Despite the COVID-19 pandemic's challenges, which have disrupted health services, the Government and its partners have worked to end inequalities and increase access to prevention, care, and treatment,” he shared.

This has resulted in 9022 persons being diagnosed with HIV, while 6573 persons are on treatment, and 4052 are virally suppressed.

Of growing concern is that many HIV positive patients are hesitant to be vaccinated, putting them at risk for COVID-19.

Nevertheless, the Ministry is encouraging vaccination for these patients and has conducted several informational sessions with various key population groups.

“The Ministry of Health

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch

Programme Manager at AIDS Secretariat, Dr Tariq Jagnarine

continues to roll out combination HIV prevention by complementing HIV education, condom distribution, self-testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). The Ministry of Health is committed to closing the gaps in the testing and treatment cascade by increasing access to testing through self-testing and working with partners to offer VCT in all regions.”

In addition, the Government has secured enough ARVs for all patients needing treatment and taken steps to reduce loss to follow up by employing multi-month drug dispensation, using new and effective combinations of ARVs, and using DOTS in HIV management. Many patients have been screened and treated for STIs and Hepatitis. Plans are already on the way to secure treatment to cure persons with Hepatitis C. “We are optimistic that these partnerships will help us reach more at-risk groups to enlist them into our programmes. Work is also ongoing to strengthen the rights-based approach by working with stakeholders to remove discriminatory laws and other policies that can create structural and social barriers to prevention, care and treatment. The details of these

and other plans are outlined in the HIV/AIDS 2021 to 2026 strategy,” Dr Anthony detailed.

diplomat noted.

Here in Guyana, PEPFAR supports the National Care and Treatment Centre in its efforts to provide client-centred care and treatment that includes outreach to those who are most vulnerable. Over US$185 million dollars has been provided to Guyana since 2004, and this year an additional US$1.5 million was added. PEPFAR supports the Ministry and communities in Guyana to ensure that people of all ages, genders, and population groups have equitable access to life-saving prevention and treatment services.

US Govt’s commitment

In her message, US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch offered commitment on her Government’s end in leading global efforts to end the HIV epidemic.

With nearly two decades of bipartisan support across presidential administrations and from the US Congress, the United States has invested more than $85 billion in the global AIDS response through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and as the leading donor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund).

This is the largest commitment ever by one country to address a single disease.

“PEPFAR-supported programmes have safely ensured access to HIV services, including core prevention services that were affected by early COVID-19 mitigation measures. Many of these HIV prevention programmes have since expanded significantly, while keeping clients and staff safe from COVID-19. Globally, PEPFAR has helped replace death and despair with vibrant life and hope, and tragedy with triumph,” the

“We are at a crossroads in the global AIDS response, and the choices we make now will have critical implications for years to come.

After decades of progress, our work is not yet finished.

If we falter, millions more people will be infected with HIV and millions more people now living with HIV will die of AIDS. But if, together, we confront the challenges before us with conviction and compassion, we can pave the path to end the HIV epidemic everywhere and to secure a better future for everyone.”

Meanwhile, Programme Manager at the National AIDS Programme Secretariat, Dr Tariq Jagnarine outlined that the HIV/AIDS epidemic compounded with the most recent COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound impact on society.

“It has been four decades since the first case of HIV was identified, 40 years later we still face many challenges that hinders the progress toward elimination

of HIV/AIDS. Inequalities stands at the forefront of many of those challenges—this is fed largely by ignorance and animus, as a result stigma and discrimination persist and continue to have a forceful impact on people living with HIV.” He pointed out that over 94 per cent of the persons living with HIV in Guyana know their status but only 70 per cent are on treatment with antiretrovirals and 87 per cent are virally suppressed.

“This clearly indicates to us that to end AIDS and defeat COVID-19 we must eliminate the inequities contributing to stigma and discrimination, by putting people at the centre of our interventions and ground our responses in human rights and gender-responsive approaches. Now more than ever there is the need to end the social injustices that put people at risk of contracting HIV and fight for the right to living healthy,” Dr Jagnarine added.

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Valentine’s Day road: Sheriff-Mandela Road to be completed by Feb 14

T

he long-awaited Sheriff StreetMandela Avenue Road Expansion Project, which was supposed to have been completed by November 30, will now be wrapped up in time for Valentine’s Day 2022.

On Tuesday, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill toured the Sheriff-Mandela road project accompanied

by Ministry engineers and various contractors. At the Lamaha bridge, where the temporary bypass bridge has to be removed, he explained that the new project deadline is Valentine’s Day next year. However, the project as it stands now is substantially complete.

“As you can see, where we are standing is the only section of the entire project which remains to be paved.

And I know your question is, why we didn’t pave it? Well, I can answer that. We moved our assets from continuing to work here, to get the weekend at the DSL turn. And by now, you would have gone out there and realised that we have completed the paving at DSL. Within the next 48 hours, this entire section, 600 metres, is the only part of the road that remains to be paved,” the Minister told the media.

He added that in terms of contract management and the use of terms, that will deem the project to have been substantially completed. “As a result of COVID related delays, all the other works apart from these 600 metres which will be paved within the next 48 hours or so, that everything else; the installation of the lights, the guard rails, the signal, everything, should and must be completed by the 14 February, 2022.

Valentine’s Day. So, we’ll be able to say Happy Valentine’s to the people of Guyana.”

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill (second right) listens to a point being made by SRKN engineering consultant Krishna Narine (right) during the tour

Confusion over markings

Addressing the issue of the public’s confusion surrounding the road markings and taking accountability for the confusion as the subject Minister, he assured that a public education campaign will be done.

“Let me begin by apologising that the fact that we have to take time to explain to people now what is actually happening to answer their queries it shows that we should have done something better of which as the Minister responsible I take full responsibility for that and that is we should have mounted public education campaign and I take full responsibility for not doing that.”

“But apart from the road markings accompanying the entire road way will be vertical signs which will be steel poles that will be mounted in the corner of the road and then they’ll have the signs telling the turns, stoppages, pedestrian crossing, no noise zones and all the rest of it will be there,” Edghill explained.

Edghill acknowledged that the project, like most projects, suffered from various teething problems.

However, he assured that these are being rectified and also made it clear that con-

tractors Cevons and Road Grip did their work based on an approved design.

“Now like any project there are teething problems and we must admit that we have discovered a few teething problems where the markings were concerned but as the Minister responsible for public works, I would not like to put Cevons and Road Grip out to bleach, to say that they’re incapable of doing their work and all the other comments,” he said.

“I’m just saying is that in the drawings and the designs that were there once we started implementing it and were able to do a review, we saw the need for some changes and those changes have been made and wherever we see the need for changes those will be made.”

Confusing to the untrained eye

Meanwhile, SRKN engineering consultant Krishna Narine assured that while the road markings may be a bit confusing to the untrained eye, this is because they are unfinished.

“I must stress to you that the marking is not finished, so it may be a bit confusing when the marking is halfway - all the arrows are not finished yet…but gradually over the next week or so we

will endeavour to complete our markings on the road,” Narine said.

When this publication arrived at the scene, sub-contractor Cunnings Electrical had begun installing street lights. Edghill explained that by the time installation activities reach the DSL turn, some 325 street lights would have been installed.

Questions were also raised about what the final cost of the project would be, since variations had to be made to the contract and the previous works had to be corrected after they deteriorated under the previous Government. Edghill acknowledged that additional sums are likely to be needed, but stressed that this should not be a cause for concern.

The expansion project, which covers approximately seven kilometres of road between Sheriff Street and Mandela Avenue, involves the relocation of utilities; the installation of lane and shoulder improvements; placement of sidewalks and paved shoulders; traffic signals, traffic signs, streetlights, drainage; a pedestrian overhead walkway; culverts, bridges, and a roundabout.

The project was launched in 2018 but faced many setbacks under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration.

Edghill had explained that in August 2020, there was no work being done due to the COVID-19 pandemic and because of non-compliance with environmental standards which resulted in the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) being forced to cease disbursements to the project.

The project was eventually restarted in September 2020. (G3)

Taking care...

F

…of our forest? or most of your Eyewitness’s life, he was made to feel embarrassed because more than 3/4 of his country was covered with forests. Forests weren’t civilisation - in fact, they were its very antithesis, and were dubbed “jungles”. Savages live in jungles! Can you imagine the embarrassment of telling someone abroad, “I come from the jungle”?? How would they know that most of the 800,000 of us are strung along the Atlantic Coast like ants clinging to a string with honey!!?

Your Eyewitness just read a laudatory piece by a foreign journalist, praising our supposed “4 person per square mile” population density! Makes you believe each one of us is living in sprawling ranches or homesteads in the forests, don’t they? Little do they know that, in reality, we have one of the highest population densities around - comparable to the micro-island states in the Caribbean!! And we’re still fighting to get house lots packed 8 to an acre of land!! Talk about living “cheek to jowl” - ours is more like “baattie and poe”!!

Anyhow the aforementioned article offers a perspective to a hopefully new norm when looking in forests. As we heard from the Glasgow COP26, a lot of lip service was given to prevent mankind from toppling over the edge of No-return on Global Warming. Rather than the big polluters taking the bull by the horns and cutting back on their fossil fuel use, they’re looking at ways wherein they can have their (manufacturing) cake and eat it too. And one way is to motivate those of us who have lots of forests to keep them standing - so that they can suck in the carbon dioxide they produce and sequester it as “wood”!!

And as all of us know, the best motivator is cold, hard cash!! Through the foresight of then President (and now VP) Jagdeo, Guyana has a head start in monetising forests for the national cause. As far back as 2009, he arranged to keep our deforestation rate below a certain percentage of our standing forests, and collected a cool US$250 million!! At the time, a lotta folks thought he was kidding: being paid NOT to cut trees!!?

So here we are, once again looking at the world quite virtuously with our forests standing - especially with Bolsonaro next door in Brazil chopping down trees worse than young George Washington and that famous cherry tree!! The story by the foreign stringer noted that, last year alone, Brazil had felled trees in an area greater than the entire country of Netherlands!! Well, they figured their readership would know how large Netherlands was!!

For us, we can stop being uncomfortable at our country’s forests, and start boasting we’re saving the world!! …of refugees Your Eyewitness is also very proud we’re now home to more than 25,000 refugees. All from Venezuela. While some might be squirming that our demographics are being overturned, maybe that’s not such a bad thing. We haven’t done that hot with our present demographics for ourselves over the past 55 years, have we? Maybe we need to be shaken up by the realisation that if we don’t look out, we may just lose corn and husk!!

But another powerful reason for us to welcome these refugees is because their country did the same for 50,000 Guyanese after Burnham had destroyed our country - much as Chavez and his puppet Maduro have done to Venezuela!! In fact, a lot of those that we’re calling “Venezuelan refugees” are actually the children of those same Guyanese who went over and found refuge.

Then there are the Indigenous members of the Warao tribe. Why should they be called “refugees” because of lines called “borders”?

Weren’t all of those lands once theirs?? …against new COVID-19 threat As your Eyewitness warned some days ago, experience should’ve taught us that there can’t ever be something called “overreaction” against new strains of COVID. See all those countries locking off their borders against “Omicron”?

Why aren’t we doing the same?

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

NEWS

78-year-old killed in hit and run A

hit and run accident along Lamaha Street, Georgetown, claimed the life of a 78-year-old pedestrian in the wee hours of

Monday. Dead is 78-yearold Veronica Lewis of Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Based on reports received, the unknown motor

Construction worker drowns at Hope Canal

A

n allegedly drunken construction worker met his demise on Monday after he reportedly jumped into the Hope Canal, East Coast Demerara (ECD), and never resurfaced.

The dead man has been identified as 29-yearold Shaheed Ali of ‘B’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

Based on reports received, the now dead man was at his mother’s residence, consuming alcohol with two other relatives when it was decided that they should go swimming.

At about 15:00h, they made their way to the Hope Canal and plunged into the water.

After a few minutes had elapsed and Ali did not resurface, checks were made for him, but he was not found. Ali’s body has not yet been recovered.

The two relatives who had gone swimming with

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

him have been taken into custody as Police continue their investigations.

vehicle is suspected to be white in colour but the registration number, owner, driver, and other particulars remain unidentified.

Details surrounding the incident outline that the elderly woman was on the southern side of Lamaha Street, in the vicinity of Waterloo Street, when she was struck down by an unknown vehicle that failed to stop.

As a result, the pedestri-

an was left lying on the road’s surface with severe head and other injuries about her body. Minutes after the accident, the Ambulance Service attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital was contacted and the elderly woman was pronounced dead.

The body was taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home awaiting post-mortem. The Police are continuing their investigations.

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10 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

1100lbs cocaine found in rum shipment to The Netherlands from Guyana

O

ver 1100lbs of cocaine was on Thursday last found in a rum shipment that departed Guyana and arrived in The Netherlands. The plastic-wrapped cocaine was discovered by Drug Enforcement Agents between the boxes of rum in the consignment.

Following the discovery, their counterparts at the Custom AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) were contacted and an investigation was immediately launched. When contacted, Head of the Unit, James Singh explained that about 500 kilograms of the illegal substance was found in the consignment of rum which left a city wharf, adding that the ship transited in two other countries before arriving in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

“The container was scanned and checked before it left Guyana and we have verified that there was nothing but the product which was rum from one of the local distilling companies inside the

The cocaine that was found among the rum

container,” he told Guyana Times.

He added that after scanning the container, it was under security at the port facility for a few days before it was shipped.

“This is clearly a case of a rip on-rip off operation… a reputable company exporting rum is now being seen as a drug carrier but this shows that things to happen when vessels stop at various ports

before they reached their destinations,” Singh noted.

We have scanned images as evidence that the container only had rum in it before it was sealed and placed in the port for shipment… we have to look at various angles… one will be the quality of cocaine and if there were any distinctive marks on the packaging… then we have to look to see

whether the seals were tampered with… so we are in contact with our counterparts who will provide us with the necessary details as we continue our investigations locally,” Singh related.

He reiterated that there is nothing to indicate that the drugs left in the container from Guyana and as such, he of the view that the drug might have been placed in the container when it stopped at one of the two ports.

On this note, he added that in the past there have been instances where drugs were loaded into containers during shipment.

This, Singh noted continues to be an issue.

“Not because the shipment left Guyana, means that the cocaine left Guyana… we cannot continue to look at ourselves in the negative when we know for a fact the container left Guyana drug-free…

The Netherlands authorities have to conduct its investigation and determine at which port the co-

caine was loaded,” Singh stated.

Back in March, Jamaican authorities had reported that over a hundred packages with more than 300 pounds of cocaine were found in containers from Guyana.

The discovery was made at the Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL).

According to a news entity in Jamaica, the drug was found in two of six containers that arrived on the island from Guyana en route to Haiti and China.

The report said that while searching the containers, Narcotics Police accompanied by members of the Jamaica Customs Contraband Enforcement Team found a total of 122 packages (110 in one and 12 in another), each with a compressed white substance resembling cocaine.

The total weight of the drugs was approximately 139.4 kilograms (307 pounds) and the estimated street value was US$6.59 million.

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NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Unhygienic living conditions of migrants improved with intervention – Health Minister C

ontinued engagement and support to migrants recently found living along the riverbanks at Anabisi, Region One (Barima-Waini) led to improved living and health conditions in the settlement.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony provided an update on the migrant situation, where he outlined that residents would have cooperated with environmental officials to establish a better living setting.

“We also had another team that went back in to look at the environmental conditions. As you can see, it was quite unhygienic. We sent the environmental health officer. That person worked with them… and helped to get the place cleaned up so that they’re not living in very unsanitary conditions. With the help of the same residents, we were able to do that and that was done during last week,” the Minister detailed.

With the detection of malaria, nets infused with insecticides were sent for residents to protect themselves.

Infected persons have been seeking treatment.

“Because we had one case of malaria amongst the group, we thought that it was important that we give them mosquito nets.

We would have distributed about 75 insecticide-impregnated malaria nets to this group. Some of it are hammocks with nets so that was very convenient for them.”

Throughout last week, officials were able to establish a liaison person as was previously planned. This will now allow for communication between the settlements and officials to provide other needed assistance. Dr Anthony shared that thus far, the migrants have been receiving support in several areas of need.

“The team from the Port Kaituma hospital would continue to monitor what’s going on in Anabisi. We have identified two persons in the community. There’s a young lady that speaks Warrau, a little English and Spanish.

That person would be the liaison in terms of the medical things and there’s another gentleman there who has been keeping a record of the persons that came across.

We’re are having a liaison with him too to check on records, who’s there and to assist them in any way possible. So far, the interaction has been good and whatever support is needed, they’re getting from the regional officials and the hospital at Port Kaituma.”

After the migrants of Warrau origin were found

Migrants that have settled along the river at Anabisi

living on the riverbank, a ministerial team arrived in the community to provide medical assistance, food supplies and other items.

Cases of upper respiratory tract infections, diarrhoeal diseases and rashes continued to be the predominant conditions along with chronic malnutrition in children.

Following reports of the discovery, the Office of the Prime Minister had stated that several Government agencies immediately responded to provide the necessary emergency interventions.

Two days ago, Guyana Times reported that with over 20,000 Venezuelan migrants in remote hinterland areas, the United Nations

High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) underscored the need for humanitarian presence and support from the international

community to aid with the Government of Guyana’s response to the needs of these communities.

This is according to UNHCR’s Multi-Country Office Representative in Panama, Philippa Candler.

During a recent press briefing in Geneva, she expressed concerns about the difficult conditions of Indigenous Venezuelans in Guyana, some of whom have settled in hard-toreach areas near the border and others in or around the towns of Mabaruma and Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini).

“UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, colleagues and I are worried about the difficult living conditions of Indigenous [Warrau] fami-

lies from Venezuela who are settled in remote locations across Guyana. Increased humanitarian presence and timely support from the international community is needed to help the Government of Guyana respond to the needs of these communities,” Candler stated.

The UN Refugee Agency representative disclosed that Guyana is currently home to an estimated 24,500 refugees and migrants from Venezuela, including some 2500 Indigenous Warraus.

She noted that some 250 Warraus, half of whom are children, have also found refuge in Anabisi in northern Guyana since early 2020.

16 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyanese warned against crowding, packed shopping spaces during holiday ulation, which accounts for about 78.1 per cent. Second doses are at 278,058 or 54.2 per cent. The health official pointed out that with countries intensifying immunisation, Government will not be complacent.

“Almost every country now is intensifying its vaccination efforts. We need to do that here as well. We cannot be complacent. We need to increase our vaccination efforts.

dren 13 to 17, at 40 per cent first dose, that’s still relatively low. We have vaccines for this age category and therefore, we want to encourage parents, guardians to encourage these young people to come and get their vaccines.

It’s important that you get vaccinated now. With all that is happening and the variant of concern Omicron circulating, it’s just a matter of time before it probably spreads be-

There is a lot of score in what we’re doing in terms of vaccination. There are still people who haven’t come forward to get their first dose. We need to do that.”

Presently many persons are yet to come forward and take the jabs. Booster coverage is about 1000 but the subset of people eligible for the shots are significant. A breakdown of booster dose uptake shows four for Region Two, 77 in Region Three, 739 in Region Four, 22 in Region Five, 173 in Region Six, 212 in Region Seven, one in Eight and 57 in Region Nine. No one took the shots in Regions One and 10.

Meanwhile, the coverage among children has been moving at a slothful pace.

He examined, “In the chil-

cause we have seen it is now getting distributed in the world.”

Dr Anthony has continuously expressed that there are enough vaccines in the country to vaccinate citizens.

With new variants emerging, immunisation would provide protection against death.

“I just want to say to people, get vaccinated plus it is not just about vaccination.

You also have to abide by the other public health measures that we have put in place.

There’s still too many people who believe that somehow, COVID has disappeared from Guyana and they’re walking around without masks.

They’re entering buildings without a mask. They don’t want to keep social distancing.” (G12)

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

T

he holiday season is in full swing, prompting warnings to Guyanese to desist from gathering in large groups and shopping without caution in crowded areas.

Shopping in confined spaces is more common in recent time, highlighted Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Tuesday. He warned that this can lead to spikes in infection of the COVID-19 virus, thus exacerbating the public health situation.

“There are lots of overcrowding in many of the shops.

People are going around to do Christmas shopping and all of that. They’re crowding these places. If you’re in a very crowded, indoor environment that doesn’t have a lot of ventilation, the chances are if somebody is positive, they can share that virus with persons who are around them.

We still have to take all the public health measures that we have spoken about,” said the Minister.

Guyana has surpassed the 400,000 first dose coverage among the adult pop-

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramsammy’s Ruminations Special Constable charged Black role models abound across Guyana, PNC leadership not among them

G

uyanese young people today have access to thousands of scholarships. Many are receiving house lots to build their own homes, and many are establishing businesses as they explore their entrepreneurial instincts. It is a different dispensation because, not so long ago, when they inquired what the Government was doing for young people, former President David Granger told them they should stop asking and go out and sell dog food and plantain chips. In 2020, young people joined other Guyanese to dump David Granger.

Fortunately, young people can look up to role models across Guyana: farmers, hard-working people, doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers, sports and entertainment personalities, engineers, accountants, priests and pastors, pandits and imams, business people and people from various walks of life. It is not hard to find these role Dr Leslie Ramsammy models; they represent every ethnic group in our country.

Among role models are many Afro-Guyanese. For fear of leaving anyone out, I would just acknowledge there are thousands of AfroGuyanese that are role models for our young people, no matter what ethnicity these young people belong to.

Hon Charles Ramson, Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, spoke on radio of the growing numbers of persons who are role models for our young people. In particular, he called out leaders of the PNC/APNU/AFC for objecting to three young Afro-Guyanese getting a contract to build a school in Region 10. He wondered why PNC leaders would object to successful young entrepreneurs who happened to be Afro-Guyanese, instead of encouraging more black youth to follow the example of the three young men. At no point did the Minister say Afro-Guyanese youths have no Afro-Guyanese role models; not once did the Minister even remotely make such an absurd claim.

Nevertheless, the Leader of the Opposition joined other colleagues in condemning Minister Ramson. Minister Ramson is capable of calling out Joe Harmon, Amanza Walton-Desir, David Hinds and others for letting down the Guyanese people, particularly persons who have provided steadfast support to the PNC. AfroGuyanese youths have provided strong support for the PNC throughout its history. They continue to do so today, but the PNC continues to steadfastly disappoint them. When young people look to the leadership of the PNC, they see people who have consistently abandoned and shamed them.

Guyanese, young and old, witnessed first-hand the brazen attempt to rig election results between March 2 and August 2, 2020. While GECOM staff were involved in the rigging efforts, most Guyanese believe that the intellectual authors of the conspiracy to rig the results from Region 4 were leaders of the PNC. The world saw the rigging effort. Past and present Prime Ministers from Caricom witnessed the rigging effort. To this day, Harmon and colleagues brazenly try to sell the narrative that the PPP is a Government installed by Caricom and the ABCE countries. Instead of accepting they failed in Government and the Guyanese people dumped them at the polls, they carry on with the deception, insulting the intelligence of the Guyanese people. The greatest insult is to the intelligence of their own supporters.

Young supporters of the PNC shake their heads, wondering what in the world possessed these big women and men to try selling a story that 33 is not more than 32, when they themselves for decades accepted that 33 is a majority in a Parliament of 65 members. Which young black Guyanese would be proud of leaders who went all the way to the CCJ with the charade that 33 cannot be more than 32?

Young Guyanese, no matter what their ethnicity, knew that the PNC leaders themselves knew that the argument of 33 is not more than 32 was simply, a ruse to avoid the elections. How then can PNC leaders expect Guyanese youths, in particular Guyanese black youths who have been loyal to the PNC, to respect them?

When Harmon, in his effort to remain relevant, attacked Charles Ramson for bravely speaking the truth, he conveniently ignored the racist claims made by Amanza Walton-Desir: that Indo-Guyanese supporters of the PPP were “mentally lazy”; by Keith Scott, who served as a Minister in the APNU/AFC Government: that Amerindians are lazy; by David Hinds, who called for Afro-Guyanese to boycott black-pudding vendors from Mon Repos.

Guyanese do remember that, prior to 2015 elections, Harmon and his APNU/AFC colleagues campaigned as the party for young people, and then, after they became the Government, promptly became a Government totally dominated by old people. Guyanese youths in particular have not forgotten that the then APNU/AFC Government shamefully told them to bear their chafe and await their time. The time never came. None of the young Guyanese supporters became a Minister, or had any senior position in Government. There was no place even in Parliament for them.

They forgot the young people in the villages, passing them with their convoys, with bright flashing lights and sirens. The leaders of APNU/AFC found comfort at the Marriot, and forgot that young people in the villages who voted for them in 2015 were still waiting for them to come in 2020. Some of the young people who supported them in 2015, tired of waiting, abandoned them in 2020. Every time now PNC leaders open their mouths, they give their young supporters even more reason to abandon the PNC.

for Mocha fatal accident

T

wenty-one-year-old Special Constable Aaron Rodrigues of Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown was on Monday arraigned in Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman’s Court at Diamond, East Bank Demerara to answer charges in relation to the fatal accident that occurred at Mocha, EBD and resulted in the death of Euclin Joseph.

Rodrigues was arraigned on the following charges: causing death by dangerous driving; being an unlicensed driver, and breach of insurance.

Rodrigues has pleaded not guilty to the charge of causing death by dangerous driving, and has been placed on bail in the sum of $1 million. He has, however, pleaded guilty to being an unlicensed driver and to the breach of insurance charge, and has been fined $17,500 and $50,000 respectively. He will make his next court appearance on December 17 in the matter of causing death by dangerous driving.

The accident reportedly occurred on November 27, 2021 along the Mocha access road, EBD and involved motorcar PSS 7652, being driven by Rodrigues.

It was reported that Joseph was killed after a speeding car being driven by a

The car that was involved in the accident

young Special Constable lost control and slammed into a utility pole.

According to Police reports, the Constable was proceeding west along the southern side of the Mocha access road at a fast rate of speed in motor car PSS 7652 when he lost control of the vehicle and it ended up on the southern parapet, where the right side collided with a GPL light post. As a result of that collision, the occupants of

the vehicle – Euclin Joseph, Raymond Joseph, Samantha Andrews and Lashana Young – were taken out of the crashed vehicle by Police and public-spirited citizens and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre for medical attention.

Reports are that Euclin Joseph was pronounced dead on arrival there, while the other occupants were given medical attention.

Lethem man gets 3 years for 16 grams of narcotics Magistrate’s Court and pleading guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

Reportedly arrested on Saturday, Winter was charged under Section 5 (1) (a) (i) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act, Chapter 10:10.

Meanwhile, Lester George, called ‘Monkey’, a 29-year-old labourer of Achawib Village, South Rupununi, who also was charged with narcotics’ possession, pleaded guilty to

Sentenced: Shem Winter

Sentenced: Lester George

T

wenty-one-yearold Shem Winter of Tabatinga, Central Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) was on Monday sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and fined $10,000 for trafficking in narcotics after appearing before Magistrate Allan Wilson at the Lethem

the charge when it was read to him and was fined $5,000 along with three months of community service.

The Police have said that on November 27, 2021, ranks on patrol duty, acting on information received, intercepted green Premio motorcar PRR 4548, in which were three occupants, including George and Winter.

They conducted a search on the occupants’ persons, and the search done on George unearthed two Ziplock bags with ganja concealed in his pocket. When

told of the offence and cautioned, George replied, “Yes sir, is me own”.

The search done on Winter unearthed a bulky transparent plastic bag with ganja in his pants pocket. He, too, when cautioned, replied, “Yes officer, is me own”.

George and Winter were both arrested. The suspected narcotics found on Lester George amounted to five grams, while that found on Shem Winter amounted to 16 grams.

18 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

5-year-old boy among 2 new COVID deaths A

five-year-old boy is one of two persons who died from COVID-19 after being infected with the virus. This is the eleventh child to die from the virus in Guyana.

The Health Ministry informed on Tuesday that the child, who hailed from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), died on Monday.

Along with him, a 49-yearold fully-vaccinated woman from Region Five also died on Tuesday. Now, the death toll has moved to 994.

There were 49 new cases in one day, according to the Ministry’s dashboard, with the total confirmed cases in the country moving to 37,874.

There are 18 patients in the designated Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 1139 in home isolation, 72 in institutional isolation and two in institutional quarantine. The data showed that 35,651 patients have recovered from the life-threatening virus while 390,796 tests were conducted.

An analysis showed 22 new cases in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), three in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), 19 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and five in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

No increases were reported in Regions One

(Barima-Waini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

Guyana has 1391 active cases. Clusters were reported in Region Four with 671 active infections, 276 in Region Three and 207 in Region Six. Meanwhile, 73 persons are in hospitals – 50 of which are at the Infectious Diseases Hospital on the East Coast of Demerara.

Speaking on hospitalised pregnant women, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony informed during the COVID-19 update that presently, none of them are severely affected.

“Once you test positive, we’ll keep you in. We’ll monitor you and then if you decompensate, meaning that you’re having trouble breathing, then we have all the necessary equipment there to assist you. Right now, we don’t have any such case but, in the past, we did have cases where some of the women had the most severe form of COVID.” Since the emergence of the new Omicron variant and new threats which it brings, the Minister said

they are looking at the possibility of sending samples to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) or the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) for genomic sequencing.

He pointed out, “We have developed a relationship with CARPHA, where we can send samples for genetic sequencing. We also have an arrangement with PAHO, where we can send samples for genetic sequencing. So, these are arrangements that we will be looking into to see whether or not we need to send these samples there.”

On November 26, the WHO designated the variant B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern, 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.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD NOVEMBER 30, 2021 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

49

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

72

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

1139 18

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

2

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

20,032

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

17,842

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

37,874

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

35,651

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

400,561

FULLY IMMUNISED

278,058

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

994

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1669

REGION 2

1558

REGION 3

5091

REGION 4

17,764

REGION 5

1415

REGION 6

3281

REGION 7

1781

REGION 8

620

REGION 9

2473

REGION 10

2222

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

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

or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19

emergency measures which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home; the importance

of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand hygiene. (G12)

COVID-19 guidelines renewed, countrywide curfew remains

T

he national curfew of 00:00h to 04:00h remains in effect as authorities have renewed the National COVID-19 Emergency Measures for the rest of the year.

These measures still restrict social gatherings and stipulate specific requirements for the operation of gyms, restaurants and cinemas.

The measures have remained unchanged for essential services to operate 24 hours a day, and these include: hospitals, pharmacies, the Judiciary, Parliament, diplomatic corps, Disciplined Services,

solid waste management, airports, hotels or other accommodations; energy services, mining operations, security services, telecommunication providers, fisherfolks, limited port oper-

ations, construction, post service and freight, funeral homes, among others.

Any person who fails to comply with these measures commits an offence under Section 152 of the Public Health Ordinance, and is liable, on summary conviction, to the penalty provided under that Section.

Noncompliant businesses will be issued a written warning to the operator, indicating that if the operator does not comply with these measures, the business of that operator may be suspended; or where after being warned, the operator remains noncompliant, their business will be suspended for a period not exceeding 30 days.

NEWS

19

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyanese benefited from high rate of COVID-19 emergency cash transfers in Region …as labour force reduced by 23% – World Bank

T

he World Bank report has pegged the rate Guyana lost its labour force in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic at 23 per cent, while at the same time revealing stats that show Guyana led efforts in the region when it comes to pandemic related cash transfers.

The report in question, “An Uneven Recovery: The Impact of COVID-19 on Latin America and the Caribbean”, was compiled by the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The World Bank conducted its survey in 24 countries in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region, sampling from populations aged 18 years and over and with telephone access.

Of the 23 per cent of Guyanese who were employed before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic last year and who subsequently lost their jobs, approximately seven per cent of them became unemployed while the remaining 16 per cent simply left the workforce. The report also provided details of what this job loss looked like regionally.

“Close to one in four people employed before the pandemic in Latin America and Caribbean report that they no longer work, and more than half of them have exited the labour market force,” the re-

The report was compiled by the World Bank and UNDP

port said.

“The most affected by job loss are: women (38 vs 17 per cent compared to men), particularly mothers with children less than five years old; old workers (31 vs 28 for younger workers, and 22 for workers between 30-54 years old), and those with low educational attainment (35 vs 27 and 18 per cent for those with secondary and higher education, respectively),” it added.

The report did, however, have some positive news to share when it comes to the Guyana Government’s efforts to help citizens out through cash grants. At a rate of approximately 70 per cent, Guyana has the third highest share of households to receive emergency cash transfers.

Only El Salvador and Bolivia had higher rates of emergency cash transfers, compared to the other 22 countries surveyed. But according to the report, most

countries have still not recaptured pre-pandemic household income levels, opening the door for the necessity of more transfers.

“Close to half of the households in the region are still unable to recover their pre-pandemic (total) income level, despite receiving support from the Government in the form of regular and emergency transfers and despite increases in private transfers,” the report warned.

“This scenario of economic turmoil for households in LAC has persisted despite Government attempts to counter it through expansions in coverage and expenditure of regular social transfers and the introduction of emergency transfers, which jointly benefit 46 per cent of households in the region at present.”

The report further noted that as of 2021, emergency aid coverage ranged from

3 per cent of households in Haiti to nearly 80 per cent of households in El Salvador and varied widely in size across countries.

In light of the negative impacts of COVID-19 on citizens, the Government of Guyana had announced that every household would get $25,000 in direct cash transfers back in September of last year.

The money was to be distributed through a door to door, voucher system and was among the wide-ranging measures President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced would be in the emergency budget. True to its word, the Government went countrywide with its $25,000 per household initiative.

Pensioners also received a one-off pension bonus of $25,000 while persons living with disabilities received the same.

With the aim of cushioning the high shipping costs due to the global pandemic, President Dr Irfaan Ali had also announced several reductions to shipping-related charges to the tune of $4.8 billion in order to bring relief to citizens and businesses.

There is also the Government’s $19,000 per child “Because We Care” initiative, which comprises the grant valued at $15,000, and the school uniform

GNBS opens sub-office in Mahdia

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond along with other officials during a tour of the new office

T

he Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) on Tuesday opened its door to the people of Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) with a new sub-office located in the town of Mahdia at one of the Regional Democratic Council’s (RDC) buildings.

This will result in the expansion of core services to the residents of Region Eight. An inspector will now be stationed in central Mahdia, which is the gateway to several mining communities, to provide measurement and product monitoring services, among others.

Delivering her remarks at the opening ceremony, Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond said that the

launching of a new GNBS office in Mahdia signals the Government’s commitment to decentralise the services offered to citizens across the country.

The concept of One Guyana extends beyond bridging racial divide. It also speaks of linking Guyana geographically. As a Government, we want to ensure that no one feels less important than a resident of Georgetown. We want you to have the same access as those in the urban parts of the country. We are doing so by strategically ensuring that all Government services are available in all our regions; and therefore, all Guyanese will have direct access to the services of the Government,” she said.

Executive Director of the GNBS (ag) Ramrattie Karan also pointed out that the Bureau’s vision is to be the premier national institution for standards and quality in Guyana and to do so, it is important to have a physical presence in each of the administrative regions. She noted that prior to the opening of the office in Mahdia, inspectors “would regularly travel to Region Eight to verify petrol pumps and other measuring instruments used by businesses here, but as the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting travel restrictions have taught us, this is not the perfect option.”

Further, the GNBS local office will be offering calibration services to gold miners who require calibration

of their high accuracy or precision balances (scales). The GNBS Inspector will also be monitoring the quality of 17 products which falls under the purview of the GNBS, to safeguard consumers.

The opening ceremony was also attended by Regional Chairman Headley Pio, Mayor of Mahdia and President of the Mahdia Chamber of Commerce, David Adams.

The Mayor also expressed similar sentiments noting that the setting up of the GNBS’ office sets businesses on the correct course of using standards. He also committed to encourage businesses to utilise the services of the Bureau.

With support from the Government, the GNBS has now established seven offices with the others being in Anna Regina (Region Two), VreedEn-Hoop (Region Three), New Amsterdam and Corriverton (Region Six), Bartica (Region Seven) and Lethem (Region Nine).

While in Mahdia, the visiting GNBS team also held several meetings with stakeholders, conducted a lecture for students of the Mahdia Secondary School and participated in an interview on Radio Mahdia to create awareness of GNBS and its services in the region.

Stakeholders needing to contact the GNBS Mahdia office can call (592) 632-0731.

and supplies voucher valued at $4000. Government has committed to increasing the “Because We Care” cash grant incrementally each year until it reaches $50,000. The school uniform and supplies voucher was increased last year from $2000 to $4000, representing a 100 per cent increase.

As of the end of March 2021, over $28 billion in banking relief to businesses in various sectors has been provided, helping to cushion them from the fallout of the pandemic.

Piloted back in 2014 under the previous People’s

Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, this initiative was designed to assist parents with children in the public school system with some financial support, thereby raising the disposable income in households and increasing attendance rates.

It was scrapped in 2015 after the APNU/AFC Government took office.

Last year, the new PPP/C Administration reintroduced the grant, raising it from $10,000 to $15,000 per child in addition to raising the uniform allowance from $2000 to $4000. (G3)

Wife of “El Chapo” sentenced to 3 years in prison

A

US Judge sentenced Emma Coronel Aispuro, wife of jailed Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, to three years in prison Tuesday on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering.

The sentence was less than the relatively light four years requested by Prosecutors, with the Judge acknowledging that Coronel was only a teenager when she married the ruthless drug czar and she readily pleaded guilty after her February 2021 arrest.

With long hair and dressed in a dark suit and white turtle neck shirt Coronel, a 32-yearold former beauty queen, apologised to the court.

"I express my true regrets for any and all harm that I

may have done," she said in Spanish before the sentence was announced.

"I am suffering as a result of the pain that I caused my family."

She asked the judge to make it possible that she be allowed to raise her twin nineyear-old daughters.

"They are already growing up without the presence of one of their parents," she said.

"I beg you to please not allow them to grow up without the presence of their mother."

The Judge said she would also pay US$1.5 million in a restitution deal agreed before the hearing, and that she would be given credit for nine months already spent behind bars since her arrest. (Excerpt from AFP)

Venezuelan Opposition Leader urges unity ahead of governorship re-run

V

enezuelan Opposition Leader Juan Guaidó on Tuesday urged supporters to unify as a dispute with the Government over a recent gubernatorial election in Barinas state intensified.

Local and regional elections were held across Venezuela on November 21, resulting in a sweeping victory for the ruling Socialist party, which picked up 19 governorships, while Opposition politicians claimed three.

On Monday, the Supreme Court disqualified Opposition candidate Freddy Superlano from the vote in Barinas, citing pending administrative investigations against him, and ordered a re-run in January.

Initial results had suggested Superlano was likely to eke out a victory in a close-run contest.

"Let's use this moment in Barinas to reunify the democratic forces and demand (proper) conditions" for elections, said Guaidó, who is recognised by the United States and many other Western coun-

tries as Venezuela's legitimate leader. The Opposition views the Supreme Court as beholden to Maduro's Government.

Superlano's disqualification was unjust, Guaidó added, speaking at a demonstration in Caracas. Superlano has accused the ruling party of refusing to accept a legitimate defeat.

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Barinas, a Socialist party stronghold and birthplace of deceased ex-President Hugo Chávez, was the only state that had yet to be called late on Monday, when the court ordered fresh elections to take place on January 9 and disqualified Superlano from holding public office.

Superlano was challenging Socialist party incumbent Argenis Chávez, the late president's younger brother, who resigned as Governor on Tuesday and said he would not seek re-election in January.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

20

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Markets fall on Omicron fears as officials offer vaccine reassurance

F

inancial markets fell sharply on Tuesday after the head of drugmaker Moderna said existing COVID-19 vaccines would be less effective against the new Omicron variant, but they recovered strongly after more reassuring comments from European officials.

European Medicines Agency (EMA) executive director Emer Cooke told the European Parliament that existing vaccines will con-

tinue to provide protection.

Andrea Ammon, chair of the European Centre for Disease prevention and Control (ECDC), said the cases of Omicron so far confirmed in 10 European Union countries were mild or without symptoms, although in younger age groups.

The Pan-European STOXX 600 index, spooked by fears that vaccine resistance might trigger restrictions that would choke off a nascent recovery, was down

0.5 per cent at around 1644 GMT, having fallen as much as 1.5 per cent in early trade.

In New York at 1605 GMT, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 respectively were down about 1.3 per cent and 1.26 per cent.

"There is no world, I think, where (the effectiveness) is the same level?.?.?. we had with Delta," Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel told the Financial Times.

"I think it's going to be a material drop. I just don't know how much because we need to wait for the data.

But all the scientists I've talked to?.?.?.are like 'this is not going to be good'."

The University of Oxford said there was no evidence that current vaccines would not prevent severe disease from Omicron, but that it was ready to rapidly update its shot, developed with AstraZeneca , if necessary.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil bound for gains as OPEC+ guards supply, but virus threat looms – Reuters poll

COVID: Greece to fine over-60s O who refuse COVID-19 vaccine G

reece is to make COVID vaccinations mandatory for people aged 60 and over.

Fines of €100 (£85) will be imposed at monthly intervals from mid-January on those who refuse, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

The money will go towards the Greek health system, which is struggling with a surge in hospital admissions.

About 63 per cent of Greece's 11-million population is fully vaccinated, but data show more than 520,000 people over 60 are yet to get the jab.

"Greeks over the age of 60... must book their appointment for a first jab by January 16," the Premier said in a statement to the Cabinet.

Greece will be the first country in the EU to target a specific age group

"Their vaccination is henceforth compulsory."

The measure is still to be put to a parliamentary vote, he said, but lawmakers are widely expected to approve it.

While countries have made vaccines mandatory for health

workers and other high-risk workers, Greece will become

the first in the EU to target a specific age group.

Austria has announced that compulsory COVID vaccinations will start in February.

Syriza, Greece's main opposition party, called the new measures punitive and financially excessive.

Mitsotakis said the decision had "tortured" him but he felt a "heavy responsibility in standing next to those most vulnerable, even if it might fleetingly displease them".

The virus has claimed more than 18,000 lives in Greece.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

German court jails ISIL member for life over Yazidi genocide

Mike Pence asks Supreme Court to overturn abortion rights

F

ormer US Vice President Mike Pence has called on the Supreme Court to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade case which legalised abortion in the US. Pence said the ruling was "a misguided decision" that harmed millions of unborn babies.

If Roe v Wade is overturned, millions of women will lose access to abortions.

Today the Supreme Court will consider a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks.

The ban includes abortions on pregnancies caused by rape or incest.

The law, however, has not been enforced because of a legal challenge from the state's only abortion provider.

At a news conference in Washington DC on Tuesday, Pence said he hoped the Supreme Court will "make history" with a full reversal of Roe v Wade.

"We are asking the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn Roe v Wade and restore the

sanctity of human life to the centre of American law," the former Vice President said.

Additionally, Pence argued that the "fiat of unelected judges" is not reflective of popular opinion in the US. He believes elected, state-level officials are better placed to write abortion laws for their own jurisdictions.

A nationwide ban on abortions is not on the horizon, but states may be given control over their own abortion laws.

Such a move would be "devastating" for low-income women, Katherine Franke, director of the center for gender and sexuality law at Columbia University, told the BBC. It would increase maternal mortality and poverty, she added.

The US is one of seven out of 198 countries that allow elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, according to the Washington Post. (Excerpt from BBC News)

The Iraqi Taha al-Jumailly is led into the courtroom at Frankfurt's Higher Regional Court before the verdict on Tuesday

A

German court jailed for life a former member of the ISIL (ISIS) group after he was convicted of committing genocide against Iraq’s minority Yazidi community.

The case involved the death of a five-year-old girl he bought as a slave and then chained up in the hot sun to die.

The Frankfurt regional court sentenced Taha al-Jumailly, a 29-year-old Iraqi citizen, at a hearing on Tuesday and ordered him to pay the girl’s mother 50,000 euros (US$57,000).

He was found guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity resulting in death, war crimes, aiding and abetting war crimes and bodily harm resulting in death after joining ISIL in 2013.

Al-Jumailly’s lawyers had denied the allegations made against their client, who was arrested in Greece and extradited to Germany two years ago.

In a separate trial, his wife, 30-year-old German

national Jennifer Wenisch, was sentenced to 10 years in jail in October for “crimes against humanity in the form of enslavement”, and aiding and abetting the Yazidi girl’s killing by failing to offer help.

German news agency dpa quoted the presiding Judge, Christoph Koller, as saying Tuesday’s conviction was the first for a person’s role in the systematic persecution of the Yazidi religious minority, a Kurdish-speaking group, carried out by ISIL. The United Nations has called the group’s assault on the Yazidis’ ancestral homeland in northern Iraq in 2014 a genocide, saying the Yazidis’ 400,000-strong community “had all been displaced, captured or killed”.

Of the thousands captured by ISIL fighters, boys were forced to fight for the group, men were executed if they did not convert to Islam – and often executed in any case – and women and girls were sold into slavery.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

il prices will stay elevated into next year as OPEC+ keeps a tight leash on supply despite US-led strategic crude releases, a Reuters poll showed on Tuesday, but a COVID-19 resurgence fuelled by the Omicron variant could loom large over the outlook.

A survey of 39 economists and analysts - kicked off before Omicron grabbed headlines-- forecast Brent crude to average US$71.25 a barrel in 2021, up from the US$70.89 consensus in October and the US$70.57 average this year. The 2022 Brent outlook was raised to US$75.33 from US$74.04.

This is the highest projection this year for the benchmark.

"We expect that OPEC+ will remain cautious in adding barrels, but does not want oil prices to move past US$80 for any sustained period of time," said John Paisie, president of Stratas Advisors.

"OPEC+ is also still worried about shale producers in the US ramping up production in response to higher prices."

US crude was forecast to average US$68.52 and US$73.31 a barrel in 2021 and 2022 respectively, versus October's US$68.62 and US$71.21 consensus.

Demand was seen growing by 4.5-6.0 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2021 and by 3.3-5.0 million bpd next year, led by Asia.

Oil prices have retreated from recent highs as concerns over Omicron coupled with the release of stockpiles by the United States and other nations posed headwinds.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, a group known as OPEC+, will meet this week to assess the Omicron variant's impact and decide whether to adjust its plan to increase output by 400,000 barrels per day in January and beyond.

A few analysts noted that while OPEC+ could rein in a ramp-up in output in response to the stockpile releases, rising coronavirus cases and potential US shale growth could also impact prices next year.

Morgan Stanley on Monday cut its first quarter 2022 Brent crude price forecast to US$82.50 per barrel from US$95, stating that the Omicron variant creates a downside risk to its demand forecast. (Excerpt from Reuters)

French Police evict migrants from camp on Channel coast

P

olice on Tuesday tore down a makeshift camp near the northern French port of Dunkirk where scores of migrants who say they are fleeing war, poverty and persecution in the Middle East were hunkered down with hopes of reaching Britain.

Armed officers entered the camp, which runs along a disused railway line, before workers in protective suits pulled down tents and plastic shelters.

Charity workers say the 27 migrants who drowned in the Channel last Wednesday had stayed in the same area before they attempted the perilous sea crossing from France to Britain last Wednesday. Their dinghy deflated in the open sea.

The number of migrants crossing the Channel has surged to 25,776 in 2021, up from 8461 in 2020 and 1835 in 2019, according to tallies compiled by the BBC using Home Office data.

The spike in numbers has angered Britain, which accuses France of doing too little to stem the flow.

Paris says that once migrants reach the shores of the channel, it is too late to prevent them crossing.

French Police routinely tear up the camps that spring up between Calais and Dunkirk. Evictions at the Grande-Synthe site had been taking place on a weekly basis for the past few weeks, one charity worker said.

The migrants are typically transported to holding centres scattered across the country where they are encouraged to file for asylum, though many quickly make their way back to the Channel coast.

President Emmanuel Macron on Friday told Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson to "get serious" in the effort to curb migrant flows, as post-Brexit relations between their governments deteriorate.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

21

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS

DILBERT

(April 20May 20)

If you judge others, someone will judge you.

Stick to what's important to you and focus on money matters that can make or break your ability to do the things you enjoy.

You'll crave change, but before moving forward with your plans, consider the possible outcome. You are better off taking baby steps to ensure you maintain your standard of living.

Live up to your promises.

GEMINI Get your work out of the way (May 21- before you move on to pleasJune 20) urable pastimes. You'll be judged by what you do and how you present yourself.

Learn from experience.

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)

Explore your options and take the road less traveled.

Strive for simplicity rather than trying to do too much at once. Space things out and pay attention to detail.

Choose quality over quantity.

Stop and consider your options. Keep your emotions in check. Make decisions with a clear mind and purpose. Don't let the changes going on at home or work throw you off guard.

Address financial matters.

Impulsive spending will not make you happy or solve your problems. Look for ways to expand your interests, skills and earning ability. Update your files and qualifications.

A hasty judgment won't sit well with a loved one.

Eliminate worry by keeping busy and being resourceful.

Uncertainty in an investment is reason enough to take a pass. Look at the big picture.

Bide your time and observe what's happening around you.

Others' actions will speak volumes about who they are and what they want. Knowledge is your best resource when a decision is required.

Listen, assess and go SAGITTARIUS about your business. Keep (Nov. 23an open mind, but don't put Dec. 21) your money on the line without proper research. You'll come up with a foolproof plan if you work at it.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

Use your attributes to your advantage. A unique offer will grab the attention of someone who can help you professionally and personally. Networking will be mandatory if you want to excel.

Someone will try to stifle your emotions. A financial matter could throw a wrench in your investment plans.

Slow down and rethink your strategy. Your intelligence is your strength.

Take physical action.

All eyes will be watching, (Feb. 20so make every move count.

March 20) Trust in your ability to get things done without making a fuss. Now's the time to maximize your effort!

PISCES

22

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

WI vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test…

West Indies batters steady after Permaul, Warrican give them nine-wicket morning R

ain allowed for just half a day's play on the second day of the second and final Test in Galle, but West Indies took big strides towards squaring the series in that short time.

Following a morning session that brought nine Sri

This was largely down to the fact that neither Blackwood nor Brathwaite was compelled to take any undue risk, and

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS Pathum Nissanka lbw b Permaul 73 Dimuth Karunaratne (c) c & b Chase 42 Oshada Fernando c †Da Silva b Warrican 18 Angelo Mathews b Warrican 29 Dhananjaya de Silva c †Da Silva b Permaul 2 Charith Asalanka c Bonner b Permaul 10 Dinesh Chandimal † lbw b Warrican 2 Ramesh Mendis c Hope b Warrican 5 Suranga Lakmal c Warrican b Permaul 12 Lasith Embuldeniya b Permaul 1 Praveen Jayawickrama not out 0 Extras (lb 7, nb 3) 10 TOTAL (61.3 Ov, RR: 3.31) 204 Fall of wickets: 1-106 (Dimuth Karunaratne, 30.6 ov), 2-139 (Oshada Fernando, 41.6 ov), 3-152 (Pathum Nissanka, 48.2 ov), 4-154 (Dhananjaya de Silva, 48.4 ov), 4-162 (50.2 ov), 5-169 (Charith Asalanka, 52.6 ov), 6-169 (Dinesh Chandimal, 53.3 ov), 7-178 (Ramesh

Jermaine Blackwood scored 44

Mendis, 55.3 ov), 8-187 (Lasith Embuldeniya, 58.1 ov), 9-200 (Suranga Lakmal, 60.5 ov), 10204 (Angelo Mathews, 61.3 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Kemar Roach 6-2-12-0 Jason Holder 8-2-23-0 Kyle Mayers 2-0-13-0 Veerasammy Permaul 13-3-35-5 Roston Chase 14-0-64-1 Jomel Warrican 18.3-5-50-4 WEST INDIES 1ST INNINGS Kraigg Brathwaite (c) not out 22 Jermaine Blackwood lbw b Jayawickrama 44 Nkrumah Bonner not out 1 Extras (nb 2)

2 TOTAL (29.4 Ov, RR: 2.32) 69/1 Yet to bat: Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Jomel Warrican, Kyle Mayers, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva †, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach Fall of wickets: 1-62 (Jermaine Blackwood, 27.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Suranga Lakmal 4-1-16-0 Lasith Embuldeniya 14-4-35-0 Ramesh Mendis 3-0-7-0 Praveen Jayawickrama 8.4-2-11-1

into false strokes, which in the end brought about Blackwood's wicket.

The general pared back nature of that session was in stark contrast with the morning session, when Warrican and Permaul had run riot. They were adroit with their lines and lengths, and Warrican in particular varied his pace and trajectory well to prevent the batters from settling down.

Permaul was the epitome of discipline, with probing, consistent lines - mixed in with the odd arm ball that would have done even the finest exponents of leftarm spin proud.

After some brief early resistance from the batters, Warrican was rewarded when he induced Oshada Fernando into edging a cut to Joshua Da Silva behind the stumps.

Oshada's overnight partner, Pathum Nissanka, was the next to go, trapped plumb in front, courtesy of a Permaul arm ball. There was no partnership of note after that, as Warrican and

Permaul ran through the line-up, picking up a wicket nearly every other over though Charith Asalanka's reverse sweep to score his first runs in Test cricket will certainly be remembered fondly.

To compound matters for Sri Lanka, Angelo Mathews was forced to retire hurt with what has now been confirmed as a thigh strain. While he is almost certainly not going to bowl in this game - he was due to open the bowling alongside Sri Lanka's only other seamer, Suranga Lakmal - he showed that he could be called upon with the bat if needed. He returned to the crease towards the end of the innings and proceeded to launch some big blows to take Sri Lanka beyond the 200 mark before receiving an absolute ripper from Warrican, which zipped past his forward defence to knock back middle stump and bring the innings to an end. (ESPNcricinfo)

Fernandes ecstatic at hockey restart

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Veerasammy Permaul had figures of 13-3-35-5

Lankan wickets for just 91 runs, West Indies came up with a solid batting display after lunch, bringing the gap to 135 runs for the loss of only Jermaine Blackwood's wicket before the rain came.

Kraig Brathwaite was unbeaten on 22 off 77 deliveries, and alongside him was Nkrumah Bonner on 1.

In an albeit brief afternoon session largely devoid of any genuinely pulse-racing action, it was only Blackwood's dismissal - and his subsequent poorly judged review for an lbw off a Praveen Jayawickrama arm ball, as well as an unsuccessful review from the hosts a short while later against Brathwaite - that brought momentary excitement.

L

ocal hockey graced the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on Monday night for the first time in almost two years.

A partnership between the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) and ExxonMobil saw the birth of the ExxonMobil Indoor Hockey Championships, catering to first and second division teams.

Thus far, GHB President Philip Fernandes is quite pleased with what he has seen. Sharing his two cents’ worth on the event, Fernandes expressed that it has been a great restart.

“The hockey players have been looking forward to this for a very long time.

We’ve had no hocky taking

Jomel Warrican claimed 4 for 50

Rain stopped play in Galle

as a result, neither was really tested. Both looked relatively at ease throughout their stay - whether moving deep into the crease to counter the turn late, or planting a big front foot to get to the pitch - but notably

place for the last year and a half/almost two years, so this is a welcome return, players are eager to be back,” Fernandes shared with this publication.

“You can see that some of them have been doing their work at home, have been keeping in tune, have been keeping themselves fit. We’ve seen some exciting games so far for the night, and I think that as the week progresses, the standard will only rise. And we expect to see a wonderful tournament, to end the year on a high note,” he shared.

While one would expect the level of fitness and competition to lag, given the break, Fernandes has been impressed with the prog-

steering clear of the sweeps and sauntering down the pitch, which had been a hallmark of the Sri Lankan innings earlier.

This meant that they were content to wait for the bad balls - primarily ones pitched too short - to score

GHB President Philip Fernandes

ress the players have made, especially those in the second division.

“So far, for the evening, we’ve seen a lot of the ju-

boundaries, though it was really only Blackwood that showed any semblance of positive intent in that regard. His 99-ball 44 came with five fours.

The Sri Lankan spinners, for their part, struggled to get the same purchase off the pitch that the likes of Jomel Warrican and Veerasammy Permaul, who finished with career-best figures of 5 for 35, had extracted so effortlessly earlier in the day. Indeed, perhaps buoyed by what they had seen in the morning, the Sri Lankan spinners were arguably a little too eager. On several occasions, they strayed too full, while on others they erred on the shorter side. On the occasions that they did find their lengths, the West Indian batters were coaxed

nior teams in the second division. I’ve seen young people that have improved, they’ve grown up, it’s amazing how much two years can do. They’ve grown up, and they’re able to play better hocky now,” he enthused.

“We expect, as the night progresses and we see senior division women and men, then we’ll really see some better quality in terms of overall hockey,” he explained.

Looking at the New Year, the Hockey Board President is hoping to get an early start on the season, to get the most out of it.

“Definitely! We don’t want to kill much of the beginning of the year waiting for anything to happen, we hope to start things early.

There’s quite a bit going on on the calendar internationally, and we’d like to have our full local calendar,” he said.

Fernandes also had this to say: “I think this (ExxonMobil Championships) would give us that start that would not necessarily mean we would take the whole of January or February to get going.

We can get going from the beginning of the year with this, and head into our season.”

On the opening night, Pepsi Hikers, Guyana’s 40s, Bounty GCC and Saints were among the winners in the first division. In the second division, Saints Sensations and Hikers Cadets were also winners.

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ExxonMobil Indoor Championships…

23

Pepsi Hikers, Bounty GCC, Saints Sensations open with wins T

National midfielder Jamarj Assanah controlled the game for the Pepsi Hikers

Misfits’ midfielder Bushani Kaladeen being guarded by the Saints’ defence

eams have shared the spoils on the opening night of the ExxonMobil National Indoor Championships as hockey had its long-anticipated return to local competition after almost a two-year hiatus.

The Pepsi Hikers were their usual dominant selves as they amassed the largest victory margin of the entire tournament over ‘50 Not Out’ with their 10–3 win in the men’s first division competition. The Guyana 40s surprised the speedy YMCA Old Fort with a 3-0 victory, while Saints made it hard work for Bounty GCC in the early going, but faded to lose 1-3, completing the night of first division matches.

The Hikers looked the coolest on show, and their victory was never in doubt, as the national strike trio of Jamarj Assanah, Captain Robert France and the diminutive Aroydy Branford raided the 50 Not Out goal continuously.

National women’s goalkeeper Alysa Xavier, however, the only female in the men’s competition due to her quality, managed to make several fine saves to prevent what could have been a much higher scoreline against 50 Not Out. In the women’s competition, Tekeisha Deleon seemed to be everywhere on the court, the inspirational team leader and captain leading from the front by scoring two of her team’s three goals to pull off a 3-0 win over Misfits.

National striker Nicole Eastman managed to score the third goal to see Saints to a comfortable victory.

The men’s second division action saw more success for Saints, as their Saints Sensations outclassed the newcomers GCC War Dogs by 5-0. Sean Sookhai and Naresh Mahadeo each scored doubles to lead the

scoresheet for the match. GCC had a tough night in the second division, as the Hikers Cadets came from behind to edge the GCC Pitbulls 2-1 in their second division clash.

Full results are as follows:

MALE Division Pepsi Hikers defeated 50 Not Out by 10-3 Goals: Pepsi Hikers (10) – Aroydy Branford 4, Robert France 2, Jamarj Assanah 1, Orlando Machado 1, Randy Hope 1, Shane Samuels 1.

50 Not Out (3) – Philip Fernandes 2, Orson Ferguson 1.

Guyana 40s defeated YMCA Old Fort by 3-0 Goals: Guyana 40s (3) – Chris Low-Koan 1, Devin Munroe 1, Dwayne Scott 1 Bounty GCC defeated Saints by 3–1 Goals: Bounty GCC – Kevin Spencer (3) Saints – Hilmar Chester 1 FEMALE Division Saints defeated MisFits by 3-0 Goals: Saints (3) – Tekeisha Deleon 2, Nicole Eastman 1 MALE Second Division Saints Sensations defeated GCC War Dogs by 5–0 Goals: Saints Sensations (5) - Sean Sookhai 2, Naresh Mahadeo 2, Jabari Lovell 1 Hikers Cadets defeated GCC Pitbulls by 2–1 Goals: Hikers Cadets (2) – Orlando Machado 1, Edmund Chinian 1 GCC Pitbulls (1) – Samuel Woodroffe 1

BCB hosts successful OGM BCB launches pictorial review booklet -AGM set for December 19 at PMC ground

T

he Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) last Sunday hosted a very successful Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) at the Port Mourant Cricket Ground on the Corentyne Coast.

A total of 14 delegates attended the meeting, along with the full panel of elected and appointed BCB executives. Each club was represented by one delegate, while sub-associations were represented by two delegates. Absent from the AGM were delegates from Whim, BCB President Hilbert Foster Young Warriors, Police, and the Berbice River ic. The BCB, he stated, was Association. able to successfully complete The OGM was chaired 19 finals in a two-month periby BCB President Hilbert od earlier this year.

Foster.

While the Tenelec Delegates approved the Under-15 tournament was minutes of the last Annual started two weeks ago, the General Meeting, and re- BCB has also obtained sponceived comprehensive re- sorship for numerous othports from the President, er tournaments, includSecretary, Chairman of the ing the under-13, under-17, Competition Committee, and under-19, under-23, First the Financial Report for the Division, Second Division, year 2020.

Females and internal zonal Delegates were informed tourneys. that the 2021 Financial The BCB President also Report would be submit- informed the delegates of ted at the next meeting in numerous upcoming develDecember. opmental programmes that BCB President Hilbert would transform the level of Foster told delegates that the Berbice Cricket. These inboard was the only county clude an expansion of the board in Guyana to have sub- board’s coaching programme; mitted an audited financial donation of gears to hundreds statement to the new Guyana of youths; social skills trainCricket Board (GCB), and ing for youths; coaching aids that the BCB was able to for clubs, including bowlstand on its feet despite the ing machines; publication of ongoing COVID-19 pandem- several educational materi-

als for youth players; training of several pre–Level One coaches; obtaining at least three more pitch covers; and assisting youths in their pursuit of educational careers.

A Special Committee has been set up to look into rules for the upcoming Romario Shepherd Under-13 Tournament. It is headed by Vice President Albert Smith, and among the topics to be discussed would be the length of the pitch and size of balls to be used.

Delegates have also selected the Albion, Cotton Tree, Skeldon, Rose Hall Canje, Port Mourant and No 69 Grounds to be recommended to the Guyana Cricket Board as possible inter-county venues.

Discussion was held on whether the BCB would continue tournaments that were started two or three years ago.

No final decision was made in this regard, and the matter would be pursued at the Annual General Meeting to be held on 19th December at the same venue.

Foster has announced that he would be seeking re-election for his third 2-year term, and indicated that there might be changes to his slate. Former Head Master Colin Bynoe has been identified to serve as the Returning Officer for the AGM, and a total of 13 clubs and 3 sub-associations would vote for the new executives.

T

Executives of the BCB and some delegates at the BCB OGM each pose with a copy of the booklet

he Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday launched a full colour 32-page pictorial review booklet as it continues to invest heavily in the development of cricket in the Ancient County.

The booklet has been sponsored by J Supermarket, and is the latest of several publications made by the proactive BCB under the dynamic leadership of Hilbert Foster.

This historic publication features more than 170 photos which highlight the outstanding work of the BCB from 2018 to 2021, when more than 75 tournaments were hosted at several levels while hundreds of developmental projects were undertaken even as the BCB also assisted clubs/players with more than $20M worth of items.

The editorial content of the booklet is divided into several sub-headings, including coaching, teams, tournaments, sponsors, friends of Berbice Cricket, assistance to players, assistance to clubs, educational, meeting with Government officials, awards, honouring parents, donations, and general

activities. The impressive full colour booklet also includes a message from BCB President Hilbert Foster, portraits of BCB Patron Vickram Bharrat, Minister of Sports Charles Ramson, and the 19 Berbicians who have played Test cricket.

The 18 Berbicians who have also been selected to participate in trials/camps organised by the West Indies are also featured in the magazine, along with the executives of the BCB. Foster has said that the booklet was published as part of the BCB’s aggressive marketing/public relations campaign, to attract sponsorship for more projects and also to keep the public informed of the work of the board. He opined that every Berbician should be very proud of the work of the BCB over the last four years, and young ones should also inspire to become leaders of the BCB in the future.

He said the Board’s achievements are unmatched across the Caribbean, and the ongoing pandemic has not stopped the proactive board from fulfilling its mandate.

The hosting of more than 75 tournaments at all levels, securing in excess of fifty million dollars in sponsorship, organising hundreds of developmental projects, assisting players and clubs with close to twenty million dollars of items, creating history with the publication of its own coaching manual, and undertaking a multi-million-dollar restoration of its offices are some of the BCB’s works over the last four years.

Public Relations Officer Simon Naidu, who has co-edited the booklet, has expressed gratitude to Jason Sripal of J Supermarket for his sponsorship of the booklet, which would be distributed free of cost across Guyana, the Caribbean, North America and Europe. The booklet would also be used to attract sponsors across the world as the BCB strives to take Berbice cricket to another level.

Naidu disclosed that the board has already started to work on another publication to showcase the top 100 most promising youth players in the county.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

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

ExxonMobil Indoor Championships…

Page 23

Pepsi Hikers, Bounty GCC, Saints Sensations open with wins

“Keep believing in God!”

Permaul declares after maiden Test five-for

W

hat a day it was for Guyana’s spin ace Veerasammy Permaul, being given the golden opportunity in the 2nd Test against Sri Lanka to wreak havoc among those batsmen, as he caused his opponents all sorts of difficulties in trying to read him while he returned top figures of 5-35 after a hard-fought day one, when he went wicketless.

Speaking with Cricket West Indies Media at the end of play, Permaul described how it felt to bag his maid- Permaul having a chat after the day’s play en Test five-for, “First of all, I want to thank God for givstandout, as he picked up 4-50, ing me the opportunity. I am very which when added with Permaul’s overwhelmed with getting my first figures accounted for 9 wickets for Test five-wicket haul. I think over a mere 85 runs at an economy rate the years I have been working very of 2.71 runs per over. hard to get back into the team; and, Permaul has complimentyou know, it really paid off.” ed Warrican, as he believes that In terms of the key to his sucWarrican’s role was instrumental cess, Permaul noted that he tried in being able to control the batsto adjust his bowling to what pace men, which in turn aided Permaul was good for the conditions they in attacking the batsmen at the were playing in. And besides adother end, consummating an exceljusting his pace and length, he lent bowling partnership. aimed to control the ball and spin it “Moving forward, I think it is as hard as possible; and in the end, important that we stay very conthe strategy brought him success. sistent as a bowling unit and be Jomel Warrican was also a

patient; and not to look for wickets, but try to create opportunities rather than going out and look for wickets by experimenting,” Permaul has posited.

The Guyanese spinner disclosed that while he was out of the squad for a lengthy period, what has always kept him motivated was his belief in God. “I always believed in God. I knew at some time I would have gotten the opportunity back. I didn’t know when, but I always believed in God and knew at some point in life and a stage in my career that I would get back the opportunity,” Permaul has said.

To the youngsters who are working hard and aiming to get into the West Indies setup, Permaul’s advice is: “Keep believing in God; and once you believe, anything is possible.”

This was Permaul’s first Test match since June 2015, even though he has continuously proven himself year after year in regional tournaments. Regionally, he has played 121 matches and bagged a whopping 456 wickets.

Before his five-for, he had played in six Test matches and bagged 18 wickets.

Pg 23

-AGM set for December 19 at PMC ground

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