Guyana Times -- Wednesday, June 1, 2022

GPF launches Security Specific Language Programme P16

– 55 cops being trained to be bilingual Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 5026

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

President Ali swears in members of Police Service, Integrity Commissions

See story on page 3

…says appointees have character and skills to execute duties – Opp Leader threatens legal action against appointments

Ernesto Choo-a-Fat – Police Service Commission

Bishop Patrick Findlay – Chairman, Police Service Commission

Mark Conway – Police Service Commission

PRICE

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

EPA renews P13 Environmental Permit for Liza Phase 1 Project – flaring fees almost doubled in new permit

Bullets were meant for dead man’s friend – suspect P10 confesses

Spain donates 50,000 vaccines for children aged 5-11 P14 …135 new COVID cases detected in 24 hours

CCJ to hear P8 Guyana’s election petition case on July 19 – to decide on jurisdiction of CoA Dr Jocelin Kim Kyte-Thomas – Integrity Commission

Hardesh Tewari – Integrity Commission

Chandra Gajraj – Chairperson, Integrity Commission

Wayne Bowman – Integrity Commission

Mohamed Ispahani Haniff – Integrity Commission

VP Jagdeo Govt rolls out announces $2B in $150,000 cash relief measures for grant for fisherfolk mining industry See story on page 11

– final taxes, VAT on lube oil slashed; tributors tax removed

See story on page 9

– 5000 to benefit from initiative

Dr Cecil P12 Harricharan passes on

24-year-old man arrested for P15 raping girl,13

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Wednesday, June 1 – 04:00h – 05:30h and Thursday, June 2 – 04:00h – 05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, June 1 – 04:50h – 06:20h and Thursday, June 2 – 05:15h – 06:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be thundery showers and light rain showers during the day and night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Northerly to North North-Westerly between 2.23 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 17:40h reaching a maximum height of 2.44 metres.

Low Tide: 11:14h and 23:23h reaching minimum heights of 0.61 metre and 0.8 metre.

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

LOTTERY NUMBERS I

06 07 13

14 15 22

FREE TICKET

3 Bonus Ball

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022

DAILY MILLIONS

02 07 08 15 19 LUCKY 3

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DRAW DE LINE

01 02 07 08 10 12 15 SUPER

PAY DAY

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FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2022

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06 07 13 15 19

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COMMODITIES Indicators

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Crude Oil

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+2.78

Rough Rice

$314.64/ton

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London Sugar

$571.50/ton

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USD Per Ounce

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$1835.30

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$1834.10 -2.10

$1858.10 -0.11%

President Ali swears in members of Police Service, Integrity Commissions

…says appointees have character and skills to execute duties – Opp Leader threatens legal action against appointments

I

n keeping with his constitutional duties, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday swore in members of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Integrity Commission who were approved through the parliamentary process.

During a ceremony at the Office of the President, the new members of the Police Service and Integrity Commissions took their oaths of office, administered by acting Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman, before the President.

The new members of the PSC who were sworn in are: Attorney-at-Law Lloyd Mark Conway, businessman Ernesto Choo-aFat, and Bishop Patrick

Members of the newly-appointed Police Service Commission (from left) Lloyd Mark Conway, Ernesto Choo-a-Fat, Bishop Patrick Findlay, along with President Dr Irfaan Ali, Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira

Members of the Integrity Commission (from left) Wayne Chris Bowman, Mohamed Isaphani Haniff, Jocelin Kim Kyte-Thomas, Chandra Gajraj, President Ali, AG Nandlall, Minister Teixeira, Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman and Hardesh Tewari

Findlay, who will serve as Chairman.

Businessman Hakeem Mohammed, who was also supposed to be on the commission, will be sworn in at a later date.

Meanwhile, the Integrity Commission has Demerara Bank Corporate Secretary Chandra Gajraj as Chairperson, along with

Mohamed Haniff, Attorneyat-Law and former Solicitor General Jocelin Kim KyteThomas, Hardesh Tewari and Wayne Chris Bowman as members.

In his address, the President recounted the process that led up to these appointments. The President explained that these names have already been approved

by the National Assembly.

According to President Ali, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton’s requests, including those for the CVs of the nominees, were honoured.

“On April 29, as is required by the Constitution, I invited the Leader of the Opposition to consult on the appointment of members of various bodies and com-

missioners. On May 9, the Leader of the Opposition responded, asking for more information. Specifically, for the agencies and the names of the (nominees). On that very day, we responded,” President Ali said.

“The President has no discretion. What I sought to do was propose a name from those approved by the National Assembly. On May 11, the Leader of the Opposition responded saying that my response was bereft of information… notwithstanding the fact I submitted all the information requested in his letter of May 10.”

President Ali further explained that on May 12, he responded by asking for what information was required. He went on to say the Opposition Leader requested a number of things at their meeting of May 13, including the CVs of the nominees. All 14 CVs were subsequently sent to Norton.

TURN TO PAGE 7

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guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

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

GPF and corruption

I

n recent years, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has shown some improvement in its performance: making many more arrests, responding more swiftly to crime scenes, solving more crimes, and capturing dangerous criminals, etc. And for this it should be given our fullest support, taking into consideration that being a Police rank in today’s world is an extremely risky and taxing job.

However, the public perception of Police incorruptibility, never high at any time, has reached a new low, plunging to subterranean levels after several top-ranking officials, both present and former, are before the court for engaging in corrupt practices.

One of the troubling issues that continue to beset the GPF is corruption, particularly in the Traffic Department. Many ranks in this department have, over the years, been accused of turning a blind eye to so many traffic offences, once errant drivers and lawbreakers pay up. And this appears to be one of the major reasons why road users continue to flout the law, with the resultant effect of more accidents on our roads, often times with tragic consequences.

A large number of drivers guilty of causing fatal and other serious accidents walk away from the courts free, in some instances because Police ranks do not show up to give evidence, perhaps due to being paid off.

Sometimes, if they do show up, they provide distorted evidence, which would free the defendants, or case files are reported to have been misplaced, for which no one seems to have accountability, so no one is penalised for these infractions in the justice system.

This situation simply cannot be allowed to continue, because corruption eats away at the moral fabric of society, thereby undermining governance and national socio-economic advancement.

“Corruption undermines everything the law enforcement and community work towards. It impoverishes whole communities, and threatens safety and security of the many for the benefit of a very few,” observed former INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K Noble.

However, corrupt Policemen are not the only perpetrators to be blamed. Those who pay bribes are equally guilty of the crime of corruption, and as long as there are those who are willing to pay bribes, there will be those who are willing to accept them.

In Guyana’s case, corruption with the GPF did not begin overnight, but, on the contrary, began during the postindependence period when the political situation declined for the worst and democracy was thrown overboard through rigged elections and the infamous doctrine of the paramountcy of the party.

During that period, Policemen were forced to sell the then ruling party’s newspaper, the New Nation, and hire car drivers and other citizens were coerced into buying it. And, of course, they never received change from their forced purchase. In fact, it is alleged that the then Prime Minister was himself involved in this practice.

However, dealing with corruption within the GPF is not an easy task, because of the complexity of human nature, but that should not be an excuse not to do anything about it, because our future prosperity is heavily dependent upon our ability to successfully confront it.

According to INTERPOL, “Corruption is a multifaceted phenomenon supported by differing historical and socioeconomic conditions in each country. It exists at all levels of society. Although in the past it could have been considered a largely domestic issue, corruption now often transcends national boundaries. Its consequences are global; its hidden costs immense.

“Nevertheless, corruption remains rampant in many countries, continuing to siphon off valuable resources and economic gains.”

Perhaps a first step in our fight against corruption, not only within the GPF, but in the entire society, would be to revive the ‘Office of the Ombudsman’, and provide it with ample resources needed in order for it to function effectively and efficiently.

Snaking its way through the land, the Aruka River in Region One (Barima-Waini) flows strong. This is one of the entries in the Ministry of Tourism’s Independence Anniversary "Snap and Share" competition in the category "waterfalls, creeks, lakes, and rivers" (Deopaul Somwaru photo)

The APA does not speak for Indigenous people of Guyana (Part 1) Dear Editor, I refer to Stabroek News’ article featuring APA information of 22nd May 2022 (For 21 months, Amerindian Peoples Association has been unable to meet Minister Sukhai). Let me make it pellucid that the APA does not speak, nor represent, all, or even the majority of Indigenous people of Guyana.

The APA executives are in the habit of parading all over the world and making misleading statements as if they are the voice of all Indigenous people of Guyana. They do this to gain popularity and access funds to service their self-interest and political agenda.

Many Guyanese, including myself, were under the impression that the APA was dissolved, as it had been silent in the period 2015 to 2020, during the APNU/AFC Government’s term in office.

It is no secret that the APA is a political front aligned to the previous APNU/AFC Administration. For the five years 2015 to 2020, the APA was mum on all Indigenous people’s issues. To put it mildly, the APA has awakened from its slumber.

It is most evident that when the present

Government - PPP/C - came into office in 2020, there apparently was a resurrection of the APA, which has now come off its 5-year hiatus of 'advocating' for Indigenous people's issues.

Let it be known that executive, high-ranking members of the APA were on the previous Government’s party list of candidates for the 2015 General Elections; executive members of the APA were placed in executive posts under the APNU/ AFC Government; and executive members, including the author or contributor to the May 22nd article, were singled out for a prestigious honorary doctorate.

For those who wish to see the facts, they facts are all but transparent.

The APA is raising revision of the Amerindian Act. Firstly, its members were against the ACT of 2006; they never wanted to be regulated, the APA was of the belief that all Guyana belongs to them, and that is why they want Traditional and Customary Rights to be part of Land Titling and almost anything nationally. Why, during the last Government’s term if office, when that Government had the majority in Parliament, was the revision of the very Amerindian Act not done?

And more tellingly, why, af-

ter 5 long years of the previous Government, did the APA never once raise an issue about this? One of its very own was the Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs. Leading members of the APA served as adviser to the then Minister.

The APA said not a word about the revision of the Amerindian Act during 2015 to 2020. The APA believes Guyanese are forgetful, and their actions and duplicity can be somehow swept under the carpet, or go unnoticed.

For too long, the APA has been misusing Indigenous peoples' rights as a weapon against the PPP Government, both when the PPP was in office pre-2015 and now that they have jumped on the bandwagon again. The current Minister is very well aware of this fact. The APA’s intention is to hold the Government to ransom.

It is all about political posturing under the guise of advocacy.

Consultation, fpic and violation of Indigenous peoples’ rights and LCDS 2030, land titling

The LCDS was first launched in 2009; the world, all Guyanese, and I am sure the APA, know that. To guide the process, a Multi-Stakeholder Steering

Committee (MSSC) was created. All Indigenous groups were invited to be part of it, and have a representative and an alternate.

Representation and alternate and attendance were done by all the other Indigenous groups (The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana -TAAMOG, Guyanese Organization of Indigenous Peoples (GOP) and National Amerindian Development Foundation (NADF).

However, by choice, the APA refused to send nomination or representative to the MSSC under the false pretence that no terms of reference for the MSSC was shared with them. They knew very well to collect the benefits that came along with the previous LCDS under the partnership with Norway.

The APA has been misleading Indigenous villages, and thus preventing them from acquiring national benefits and participating in programmes, but unsurprisingly, the APA has not once turned down grant resources from Norway, and, over the past decade, has received millions of dollars of grant money for the very work that it is stymieing.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

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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

Duplicity and delaying tactics are Guyanese still being signature statements of the PNC treated poorly in Trinidad

Dear Editor, There is the saying that goes like this: There is nothing new under the sun. And this saying rings true when you view the actions of the PNC party. These two recognisable features are evident in every turn that party makes: they lie, cheat, and are most deceptive. These qualities are notorious when it comes to that party.

Now, seeing there are instances too numerous to mention when you come to talk about that party, I will stick to two notable features of theirs in recent times. The first is Mr Norton's no-show at the scheduled consultation meeting with the President.

Clearly, this obnoxious loudmouth had nothing intelligent to say, so he'd rather stay away. And I do not disagree with him, because if you do not have anything sensible to speak about, then shut up and stay away; but do have the decency to inform His Excellency the President of your absence.

So, I sympathise with

Norton for being that foolish to shy away from the President when he fully well knew that he was not going to be there. but such is the nature of the beast in the Opposition that they are going to try every delaying tactic available to them until they run out of options. Poor souls!

And this brings us right into the next point; that is: to parallel the results of the 1997 General Elections of President Janet Jagan with prior PNC tactics of duplicity. On a related note, where is Joey Jagan? Haven't heard of this staunch supporter of the PNC/APNU lately? Is he in good health? Just asking?

While I await an answer from the press, let me proceed.

In that election of 1997, Hoyte lost to Janet Jagan by a landslide (something I predict will happen again, come next election). Not willing to accept defeat, Hoyte and his hoodlums took to the streets in the worst form of thuggery, claiming that the election was rigged.

The hypocrisy of the PNC bullies Dear Editor, The PNC had 5 years to appoint and confirm the Chancellor and Chief Justice. They refused, but now want to bully the PPP to confirm the two persons whom they refused to con-

firm.

Why do the PNC bullies think that everyone is stupid? They are clear as daylight.

Sincerely, Concerned Citizen

Their main concern was that the law governing persons to vote only by way of an Identification Card (ID Card) constituted an illegal act, hence the election should be considered null and void.

Now, when you do a background check of that claim, you will see that it was the PNC who clamoured for the institution of that law into the lawbooks, thinking in their warped mindset that it would have disenfranchised the Indian voter and eke them out a win. This did not occur, and it incensed them to riot and disgrace themselves.

The present GECOM Chairwoman heard that election petition, and after two years of thorough deliberations, ruled that there should be fresh elections. Well, the PNC got their wish, or so it seemed, because the results never changed, the same margin of defeat was afforded them.

The point I am making is that it was the same PNC who insisted they were being disadvantaged at elections, hence the enactment of the vote with ID Card Law being put in place. But look again and you see the very same PNC baulking at the very same law when they lost.

The fact is the PNC are expert double-talkers and pretty slippery in the duplicitous trade, like we say in Creole, "Look people, just guh deh."

It is high time for this foolishness to stop.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

Dear Editor, On the heels of Guyana signing several agreements with the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Guyanese are still being harassed and treated poorly at Trinidad airport.

On May 20th 2022, about ten of us were in transit in Trinidad on our way to Guyana from Florida, flight BW462. We were asked to de-plane and proceed downstairs at Piarco airport. We then had to wait until all the Trinidad-bound passengers were processed, and then we were taken back upstairs through security.

This is where all the harassment is done.

We were asked to take off our shoes, belts, watches etc; our bags were searched, and drinks and water that were given to us on the prior flights were taken away. The security continued to ask about duty-free liquor etc from the passengers.

Trinidad is the only country in the world that is treating in-transit passengers in this way, especially Guyanese. This is an age-old practice that must be addressed by the relevant authorities.

Trinidadians are allowed to roam freely, and are seeking business refuge in Guyana, while we

The APA does not speak for...

COVID-19

Here is a case in point: Ms. Laura George pointed out in her article of May 22nd that certain APA villages didn't take the COVID VACCINE BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT CONSULTED or PROPERLY INFORMED. And as a result of this, they were shut out of meetings, etc. because no vaccine card meant their being unable to travel and access Government facilities.

Can it get more ridiculous than this, Ms. George?

The world was reeling from COVID 19. Millions of people died, thousands of Guyanese were infected, hundreds of Guyanese died. The vaccine was a means of countering COVID; what more consultation or information did you need on this? Vaccine was done at the national level and scale, and no international travel was allowed if no vaccine were taken.

The reality is that the APA was misleading communities to their disadvantage.

They failed to say that, even without the vaccine, once you submitted your negative COVID test result, you could

have gained access to any Government facilities.

Thus, if you can make trouble with a global programme of COVID vaccine under the false pretence of lack of information, what else would you not make problems with? Why didn’t the APA didn't lead this effort of information dissemination to the villages. Many NGOs and Private Sector groups came on board and assisted the Government to roll out this programme.

Thankfully, our numbers have reduced dramatically due to the Government’s national vaccination initiative and other health measures.

If the APA can play politics with one's health, there is no line in the sand to be drawn where they are concerned. No issue is safeguarded from their politicking.

A look back at the period 2015 to 2020, when the PPP was not in office and the APNU/AFC was in Government, would show the LCDS was mysteriously disbanded and replaced by the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS). Where was

the APA’s voice on FPIC and on consultation? The GSDS was drafted, and what came out of it? Not a single programme; instead, it was a money pit instead of a programme of incentives and accelerated benefits. Where was the APA’s voice when this strategy was pushed down on the Guyanese and Indigenous people?

May I ask Ms. George or the APA: has any consultation been done before or after the GSDS was drafted?

The answer is a resounding ‘No’. Why didn't the APA say anything? The APA is hoping that Guyanese are forgetful of this reality.

Land Titling

The article quoted said a major land-titling project was launched under the APNU/AFC. Can Ms. George or Ms. Jean La Rose provide some more information on this, as to the date when it was launched? The facts are that no land-titling project was launched under the previous administration.

Please be guided by the fact that, from the proceeds of the LCDS 2009/Norway

are continuously being harassed in Trinidad. I am calling on the Foreign Affairs Minister and President Irfaan Ali to please address this prac-

tice immediately.

Thanks!

Ram Prashad On behalf of the other passengers

FROM PAGE 4

Partnership, the PPP/C Government started this major land-titling project, and as illustrious as it was put over by the APA. This can be verified with UNDP or the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, and the internet: https://lcds. gov.gy/timeline/amerindian-land-titling/ This clearly shows the APA is trying to promote the former administration by claiming a project initiated by the PPP/C Government. A clear sign that the APA and the APNU/AFC are one and the same, and the APA is using Indigenous peoples as a front for its narrow political agenda. The APA's intension is to sway Amerindian people to vote for the APNU/ AFC and to prevent any programme that will help in the development of Amerindian people to proceed. They cannot bear the thought of Amerindian people seeing development and growth under the current political administration.

Sincerely, Peter Persaud

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

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(Sign on) Inspirational Time Cartoons Evening News (RB) Stop Suffering MasterChef Junior House Hunter Renovation Paternity Court Divorce Court Movie - Love Classified (2022) Wheel of Fortune The Thundermans S3 E5 The Evermoor Chronicles S2 E8 Indian Soaps Richie Rich S2 E1 Inspector Gadget S1 E11 The Young & The Restless From the Pavilion The Evening News Stop Suffering JB & Salim The Bold Type S4 E16 You S3 E2 Whose Line Is It Anyway? S12 E18 Sign off

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Foundation Reading is not studying Simply reading and rereading texts or notes is not actively engaging in the material. It is simply re-reading your notes. Re-reading leads to quick forgetting.

Think of reading as an important part of prestudying, but learning information requires actively engaging in the material (Edwards, 2014).

Active engagement is the process of constructing meaning from text that involves making connections to lectures, forming examples, and regulating your own learning (Davis, 2007).

Active studying does not mean highlighting or underlining text, re-reading, or rote memorisation.

Though these activities may help to keep you engaged in the task, they are not considered active studying techniques and are weakly related to improved learning (Mackenzie, 1994).

Ideas for active studying include: Create a study guide by topic. Create your own quiz.

Become a teacher. Say the information aloud in your own words as if you are the instructor and teaching the concepts to a class.

Derive examples that relate to your own experiences.

Create concept maps or diagrams that explain the material.

Develop symbols that represent concepts.

For non-technical classes (eg, English, Social Studies), figure out the big ideas so you can explain, contrast, and re-evaluate them.

For technical classes (eg, Maths) work the problems and explain the steps and why they work.

Study in terms of question, evidence, and conclusion: What is the question posed by the instructor/author?

What is the evidence that they present? What is the conclusion?

National Grade Six Assessment 2010, Mathematics Paper 2

National Grade Six Assessment 2012, English Language Paper 2

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Companies prequalified for gas-to-shore project to submit bids soon – VP Jagdeo ...warns firms against trying to circumvent procurement process

T

he nine companies that were prequalified for the gas-toshore project, will soon be invited to submit their proposals for constructing the project once Requests For Proposals (RFP) go out, even as Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo warned foreign companies against lobbying and seeking to circumvent the procurement process.

During a recent press conference, Jagdeo spoke about the gas-to-shore project and specific components like the power plant and the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility. He noted that in two weeks, the nine companies that were prequalified earlier this year will submit their proposals.

“You know that nine companies were prequalified. I think the list was in the public domain. This is after a long process. And the requests for proposals

will now go out, at the end of two weeks, to these nine companies to make the bids now for the power plant and the NGL facility.”

“So, we’re hoping that will happen very soon. And that we’ll be able to move forward with this project that will transform the country’s energy supply and also the supply of other liquids that we use. It’s a very feasible project, that would allow us to expand our economy, cut our carbon emissions and ensure that our development strategy gets implemented,” he explained.

It was reported back in January that among the companies whose Expressions of Interest were deemed acceptable enough to now enter the prequalification process, were CH4 Guyana Incorporated in collaboration with Lindsayca Incorporated, a Texas-based company.

Power China International Group Limited, a company that specialises in hydropower and electrical infrastructure, was also prequalified, as well as China Energy International Guyana Company Limited. China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) was also prequalified.

Other companies include Apan Energy, Wilson Offshore and Marine Limited, Constutora Queiroz Galvao, Tecnicas Reunidas, Black and Veatch, Amerapex Corporation (USA), SEPCOII Electric Power and Trinidadian company NGC Group.

Jagdeo also issued a stern warning to companies who have been prequalified for the project, to desist from attempts to have one on one meetings with Government officials. He noted that the tendering process will ad-

President Ali swears in...

“On May 27, I then invited the Leader of the Opposition to the second physical meeting. We received no response, nor objections to the CV’s. Then, at 2:25 PM, fifteen minutes after our scheduled meeting, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs received a letter from the Opposition Leader saying just one thing. The President should tell him the grounds on which he makes the appointments.”

During a press conference earlier on Tuesday, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton threatened to take legal action if the appointments went ahead without a second consultation.

President Ali has already made it clear that the development of the country will not be held hostage by political objects. On Monday, he had labelled the Opposition Leader’s actions to skip the

meeting that day as “immature”.

President Ali had suspended the PSC after its then Chairman, Paul Slowe, and then Commissioner, retired Assistant Police Commissioner Clinton Conway, were slapped with fraud charges.

They, along with other retired and serving members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), have been implicated in a $10 million fraud over duties delegated to them for revising the Police Force’s raft of Standing Orders. It is alleged that they collected payments amounting to $10 million, but never provided the Force with a raft of revised Standing Orders.

In addition, Slowe is facing three counts of sexual assault. It is alleged that on three occasions in 2019, at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, he sex-

FROM PAGE 3

ually assaulted a senior Policewoman by rubbing her left leg and foot without her consent.

The PSC is vested with the authority to exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in high offices within the Police Force, or even remove them from office.

The PSC also deals with the promotion of Policemen above the rank of Inspector.

The Government, on June 28, 2021, rejected as “unlawful and illegal” a list of purported promotions of members of the Police Force issued by the PSC. Meanwhile, the Integrity Commission is one component of Government that helps in the pursuit of honesty and transparency in the administration. Its mission is stated as “Securing the Integrity of Persons in Public Life”.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

here to the rules and regulations and no one will receive favourable treatment.

“A lot of the companies that are tendering, they have local representatives that have been saying they have agreements to represent these companies. And they’re trying to get these companies to meet with Government officials. Now let me make it clear.”

“If any of these companies believe that meeting Government officials or if it was represented to them, that they can meet Government officials and it will improve their chances when the bids are evaluated, they’re wasting their money by paying these local representatives and they’re wasting their time too,” he said.

There was a recent example of this right at the Office of the President, which Jagdeo said resulted in someone being arrested.

The Vice President recalled a specific instance in which a man who was a complete

stranger to him, took a photo next to him and then used this photo to collect money from companies on the false premise that he knew Jagdeo and could act as a liaison between them and the Vice President.

“He then showed up here, because my secretary called and arranged a meeting.

He showed up with another person he was conning, bringing to the meeting.

And he was arrested right here,” Jagdeo said.

“So, this is going on, it has become almost like an industry, where people claim they are representing companies and I don’t know what they are representing to these people. So, if anyone is stupid enough to lose your money by thinking you will get any preferences because someone arranged a meeting with some policymaker, it’s your loss.”

The gas-to-shore project, which has a 25-year lifespan, is expected to employ up to 800 workers during the peak construction stage,

as well as some 40 full-time workers during the operations stage, and another 50 workers during the decommissioning stage.

The scope of the US$900 million gas-to-shore project consists of the construction of 225 kilometres of pipelines from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, where Exxon and its partners are currently producing oil.

It features approximately 220 kilometres of a subsea pipeline offshore that will run from the Liza Destiny and Unity Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek Block to the shore. Upon landing on the West Coast Demerara shore, the pipeline will continue approximately 25 kilometres to the NGL plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

The pipeline would be 12 inches wide and is expected to transport some 50 million standard cubic feet per day (mscfpd) of dry gas to the NGL plant, but has the capacity to push as much as 120 mscfpd.

The pipeline route onshore will follow the same path as the fibreoptic cables and will terminate at Hermitage, part of the Wales Development Zone (WDZ), which will house the gas-to-shore project.

The Guyana Government has invited interested parties to make investments in the WDZ, which will be heavily industrialised and for which approximately 150 acres of land has been allocated. Those lands were previously used by the Wales Sugar Estate.

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CCJ to hear Guyana’s election petition case on July 19 – to decide on jurisdiction of CoA

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

T

he Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) intends to hear expeditiously, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s appeal against a decision of the Court of Appeal of Guyana in which it held that it had jurisdiction to hear an election petition dismissed for improper service.

During a case management conference on Tuesday morning, CCJ Judges Jacob Wit, Winston Anderson and Maureen Rajnauth-Lee set strict timelines by when the parties must file a joint record of appeal and written submissions. The latter cannot exceed 12 pages.

Oral arguments will be heard on July 19 at 10:00h and each party was allotted varying time limits to present their point. In assuring parties that the case will be handled in an expeditious

manner, Justice Wit said, “We really want to hear this case before recess starts….”

The CCJ will go into recess on July 29, bringing an end to term three of the 2021/2022 judicial year.

Justice Wit said that the court intends to hear the matter “fully” on that day and will not wait long after to render its decision. Additionally, former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield was struck out as a respondent in the appeal.

In a 2 to 1 majority ruling, the Appeal Court took jurisdiction to hear an appeal against Chief Justice Roxane George’s decision to dismiss election petition #99 based on improper service/non-service on the second-named respondent, former President David Granger.

The petition which was dismissed on January 18, 2021, was filed on behalf of the APNU/AFC by Monica Thomas and Brennan Nurse and challenged the results of the March 2, 2020 national elections with the intent of having Granger declared the duly-elected President.

Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justice of Appeal Dawn Gregory had ruled that to oust the Appeal Court from hearing the appeal against the Chief Justice’s ruling would defeat the purpose of Article 163 of the Constitution.

The Chancellor had noted that although she had considered all the precedents relied on by Nandlall, they failed

War by other means...

H

Former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

Attorney-at-Law Roysdale Forde

to invalidate the Court of Appeal’s jurisdiction to hear the appeal.

In a dissenting judgement, Justice of Appeal Rishi Persaud had said that considering the unambiguous language of that constitutional provision, as well as the fact that Justice George did not dismiss the petition on its merits, but rather because of procedural errors, a right of appeal did not lie to the Court of Appeal.

The manner of service is prescribed in Rule 9 (1) of the National Assembly (Validity of Elections) Rules, which imposes on the petitioners the statutory obligation to effect service within five days after the presentation of the petition.

Having been filed on September 15, 2020, the petition should have been served on Granger five days thereafter, which would have been September 21, 2020, since the fifth day – September 20, 2020 – was a Sunday.

But in Nurse’s affidavit of service, it was stated that the petition, along with the relevant documents, was only served on Granger on September 25, 2020 – five days outside of the statutorily prescribed period.

At the Court of Appeal, Nandlall and Trinidadian Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, who is representing Jagdeo, had argued that Article 163 of the Constitution bestows upon the High Court a peculiar jurisdiction to hear such matters.

They contended that there is no statutory or constitutional jurisdiction given to the Court of Appeal to hear an election petition dismissed for procedural impropriety or any other reason not stated in Article 163 (1).

According to the two Senior Counsel, Article 163 constitutes the complete code of how election petitions are to be determined, lists the types of issues that are to be raised by an election petition, and also limits the grounds upon which appeals flow from the determination of those issues.

“Article 163 limits appeals to be filed from decisions coming from the High Court that are commenced by an election petition only to the determination of the questions identified in the

Article,” Nandlall had submitted.

“The learned Chief Justice in her ruling struck out the petition on the ground that there was non-service. In her written decision, her honour stated that service within the time prescribed is a condition precedent to the hearing and determination of an election petition,” the Attorney General had argued.

He added, “The [Chief Justice] never determined the questions which the petition raised to be determined which are the questions raised in Article 163 (1) from which Article 163 (3) says an appeal lies to the Court of Appeal upon the determination of those questions or orders consequential to the determination of those questions.”

As such, Nandlall argued that with those questions having not been determined, there is no right of appeal in any other statute nor the Constitution upon which the petitioners can hinge their appeal.

But Roysdale Forde, SC, and John Jeremie, SC – who appear for the petitioners – argued that the Court of Appeal does have jurisdiction to entertain the matter under Article 123 of the Constitution and the Court of Appeal Act. Jeremie had previously submitted that his clients had properly invoked the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal to where an “automatic right” of appeal lay as the High Court had determined and made its pronouncement on the petition.

The petitioners’ contention is that the elections were unlawfully conducted and/ or that the results (if lawfully conducted) were affected or might have been affected by unlawful acts or omissions. They are also asking the court to declare that President Irfaan Ali is illegally holding office.

The Opposition has a second election petition that is yet to be heard by the Court of Appeal. That petition was also dismissed by the Chief Justice.

The results of a national recount of all ballots cast showed that the PPP/C won the general elections with 233,336 votes over the coalition’s 217,920 votes.

…PNC’s passive-aggressive behaviour? ere we go again!! After holding up the business of Guyana for 5 months while they tried to steal the people’s votes, a year refusing to accept the PPP Government as “legal”, another five months to elect a PNC leader, then three months to get him into Parliament, the PNC still aren’t willing to perform their constitutional role as the official Opposition. Their latest feint is to throw tantrums about being informed about meetings with the President for constitutional “consultations”.

Now, if this isn’t passive-aggressive behaviour (PAB), what the heck is?? PAB, of course, is when you’re nursing some very negative feelings about someone or something, but you just can’t work up the courage to express those feelings openly. In psychology, we’re told that it’s due to low self-esteem inculcated in younger days - and this makes it difficult to be assertive as an adult. Normally, it’s precipitated by severe punishment or abuse, even as an adult.

Now, your Eyewitness always thought that the present Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, was a very forceful - even aggressive - fella, not afraid to express his feelings. So now he’s wondering whether that dressing down by Desmond Hoyte back in the day, in calling him his “creature” and throwing him out as PNC General Secretary, did some permanent damage to Norton’s psyche. But, on reflection, your Eyewitness doesn’t think so. What’s more likely is Norton’s being pushed by the extremists in and out of the party to be “more confrontational”!!

But he knows that, strategically, it doesn’t make sense! If he can get the PNC back into office by courting the “swing” votes, why drive them away with violent confrontation??

Anyhow, he’s taking the “middle of the road” approach, after accepting the PPP Government. (Duh!!) But he’s trying to show he’s not toadying up to Pres Ali. On his first consultations on constitutional appointments, he pushed the envelope by complaining that the President hadn’t explained the reasons for his nominations to the Public Service Commissions, etc. The President has no such obligation, but what the heck?!! Makes him look tough to the out-flankers?!

On May 13, a follow-up meeting was promised “within a week”, but Norton was only invited on May 27 to meet on May 30, He didn’t show up - said he was already engaged.

The media did report him meeting with his constituents in some remote villages!! The Pres staff’s explanation that HE’d been engaged in the 3-day Agri Forum from May 19, then the Essequibo Independence bash on 25-26, then on to Barbados for their Agri Show on the 28, didn’t cut any ice!!

Next middle-of-the-road-move?? …against crime Your Eyewitness almost fell off his chair after reading that the Police have to now learn Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese!! He wonders if this includes present staff! If so, it’ll certainly mean we’ll have to get along with no Policemen!!

Sadly, most of our ranks have enough trouble coping with English, and now they have to learn a foreign language??

Apart from being a cruel and unusual punishment banned by the Geneva Conventions, isn’t that rather impractical??

The top brass have just insisted that the entry requirements are now 3 subjects at CXC. Is one of them gonna be a pick from the three aforementioned foreign languages? Now, your Eyewitness understands that the Police have to think ahead about the hordes of Portuguese speakers from Brazil and Spanish speakers from Venezuela who’re already here. But Chinese? Are they expecting China to send them as part of their B&I? But really, folks, shouldn’t the Police insist that their ranks can first speak English? Especially words like “please”, and “thank you”?? …in politics Norton didn’t just NOT show up at his scheduled meeting with Pres Ali, and complain about “short notice”. He fired a powerful salvo, endorsing the incumbent two top members of the Judiciary for permanent postings!!

Touché!!

The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

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

NEWS

9

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt rolls out $150,000 cash grant for fisherfolk – 5000 to benefit from initiative

President Dr Irfaan Ali at Windsor Forest

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday announced the rollout of one-off cash grants to the tune of $150,000, which will go to registered local fisherfolk, across the country.

The President announced the initiative while visiting fishermen at Windsor Forest on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) on Tuesday. He explained that this measure is intended as direct assistance to the

thousands of persons who depend on the fishing industry to sustain them and their families.

“We’re announcing an initiative for every single person I identified just now all across the country, that is we’re going to help you with a one-off grant of $150,000 each. This [is] an immediate step that we are taking to make the indirect transfer to you, to assist you in addition to all that we’re doing to

expand the industry.”

“We understand that at your household level you still have immediate needs and you still have some immediate help that you require.

I’m talking to fisherfolk all across the country. We’ve assessed those needs because you have a Government that is not afraid of confronting,” Ali said.

According to the President, his Government is not afraid of facing the

fishing industry, listening to their concerns. He assured them that in good times or bad, the Government stands ready to listen to them.

The President also reminded that the Government has implemented other measures intended to benefit the wider population – initiatives that also benefited fisherfolk. He reasoned that this special additional measure is in light of the unique challenges being faced by fishermen, including the low catches they continue to experience.

“Notwithstanding all these interventions that we’ve made, we understand that at your household level, you still have immediate needs and you still have some immediate help that you require. I’m talking to fisherfolks all across the country,” President Ali posited.

Meanwhile, the Head of State also noted that specific measures will be announced

Fish farmers in one of the ponds along the Corentyne Coast

for persons involved in other economic sectors of the country. According to him, Guyana “will hear other initiatives being announced that will help all the industries in Guyana.”

Earlier this month, President Ali had announced a series of ground-breaking measures, ranging from cash grants to households in the hinterland and riverine communities to the provision of free fertilisers for farmers, which are aimed at

improving the lives of citizens.

Among the announcements was the distribution of a one-off $25,000 cash grant to every household in the riverine and hinterland communities of the country. This measure, according to Ali, would result in $800 million being pumped into the economy and would cushion the impacts of the rising cost of living.

TURN TO PAGE 16

10 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sophia execution

Bullets were meant for dead man’s friend – suspect confesses T

he prime suspect in the execution-style killing of 43-year-old Collin McPherson has reportedly confessed to the heinous crime, stating that the bullets were meant for another person.

McPherson, a father of four and a driver attached to the Ministry of Health, was shot dead by a lone gunman during the evening hours.

At the time, he and some friends were hanging out in his front yard.

However, the suspect was arrested over the weekend and during interrogation, he confessed to the murder following a detailed statement that was given by

the victim’s friend who was with the now dead man on the day he was killed.

The victim’s friend related that he was the target and not McPherson – information that was corroborated by the alleged shooter.

The friend explained that at around 19:50h on the day in question, he was at the Sophia Access Bridge in the company of another friend when the suspect and an accomplice exited a minibus.

According to the man, he and the suspect had a prior misunderstanding. Upon seeing the two men, the friend said he turned his head in a bid to avoid being seen by the duo.

Dead: Collin McPherson

However, despite his efforts, the suspect spot-

ted him but he and his accomplice smiled at him and walked away.

A few minutes later, the suspect reportedly returned to the area with a firearm and upon seeing this, the friend hid behind a caravan

that was concealed between some plants.

The man stated that there were two children in the area who saw him hiding and when the suspect approached, they gave away his hiding spot.

Upon uncovering his hiding spot, the suspect reportedly pointed the gun in his direction and told his accomplice to hand him a knife.

However, the friend said he managed to stab the suspect during an altercation before making good his escape.

At around 21:00h that evening, the friend went to McPherson’s house where he was relaying what had transpired. At the time, other friends were present.

While sitting in front of McPherson’s home, the suspect turned up on a bicycle and walked towards the group of men.

Soon after, a loud explosion was heard, causing everyone to scatter. The friend said he jumped over the fence and began running.

He added that he heard another loud explosion but continued running in a bid to save his life.

The friend related that he went to another friend’s house where he borrowed $200 which he used to get home. The following day, he went back to McPherson’s house where he learnt that the man was killed.

After he related his story to the investigators, they arrested the suspect who reportedly confessed that McPherson was not his target. The suspect is a security officer who also resides in Sophia, Greater Georgetown. He is expected to be charged shortly for the crime.

NEWS

11

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

VP Jagdeo announces $2B in relief measures for mining industry – final taxes, VAT on lube oil slashed; tributors tax removed

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during the consultation

I

n yet another series of Government interventions geared towards providing relief in light of the rise in cost of living and input costs, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) will be rolling out close to $2 billion in relief for the mining community.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo announced several measures that will benefit the mining community on Tuesday, while meeting with miners from the Guyana Gold & Diamond Miners Association and other stakeholders in the mining industry.

According to the Vice President, they are trying, even in their second year in

office, to fulfil their manifesto promises across the board.

Among the measures is $2.4 billion which he said will be spent on upgrading roads in mining areas.

He further explained that a decision was made to reduce the final tax on the income of miners, from 3.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent. According to Jagdeo, this reduction will put a total of $1.4 billion back into the pockets of miners.

Another decision was to remove the tributors tax, which was 10 per cent. While this was not a manifesto promise, he noted that some of the factors that went into this decision were the difficulty in collecting it and also the fact that it would benefit

small miners.

“So that is going to result in probably a loss of $300 million in taxes also. The third issue is this is something across the board for all industries, not peculiar to mining, that we want to do.

Because the gasoline and diesel, we removed all the taxes.”

“We’re going to remove the 14 per cent VAT on lube oil. This will have across-theboard impacts across all industries, cause anyone who uses lubricating oil will be impacted. So this is a combined package of maybe $1.9 billion, that the industries would see returned to it,” Jagdeo said.

Jagdeo’s announcement came on the same day that President Dr Irfaan Ali announced the rollout of a oneoff cash grant to the tune of $150,000, which will go to each of the thousands of registered local fisherfolk, across the country.

Earlier this month, President Ali had announced a series of ground-breaking measures, ranging from cash grants to households in hinterland and riverine communities for the provision of free fertilisers for farmers, which are aimed at improving the lives of citizens.

A section of the miners gathered

Among the announcements was the distribution of a one-off $25,000 cash grant to every household in the riverine and hinterland communities of the country. This measure, according to Ali, will result in $800 million being pumped into the economy and will cushion the impacts of the rising cost of living.

“The second measure I wish to look at is fertiliser support to farmers. In order to cushion the impact of the rising cost of fertiliser on farmers and to limit the passthrough to food prices, my Government will be purchasing 1 billion dollars’ worth of fertiliser for free distribution

to farmers for use in planting and replanting activities,” President Ali had said.

According to the President, this initiative is being done “considering that fertiliser accounts for between 15 to 30 per cent of the total operating cost for farmers. This initiative will significantly reduce input cost, and help ensure scaledup production and adequate supply of output, which is critical to maintaining price stability.”

The third measure announced by the Government is the setting up of a special unit to help landowners of both private and

Government-owned lots to build their houses. President Ali has said the unit would support applicants with the process of applying to banks for financing, and with the initial phase of construction by releasing the necessary resources.

Persons would also have the option of choosing $7 million, $9 million or $12 million house models for the Government to help them build. The other measure would see the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on additional construction materials until the market stabilises. These include sheetrock and concrete boards.

12 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

MoE commences consultations on Dr Cecil Harricharan transforming delivery of education passes on

Education Minister Priya Manickchand addressing the gathering on Tuesday

T

he Education Ministry has commenced a series of consultations with stakeholders in the education sector to assess the development of the sector and conceptualise recommendations to enhance its transformation.

These consultations will also assess the progress made towards the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Education Minister Priya Manickchand commenced the rounds of consultations on Tuesday in the library at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) with representatives from the National Interim Parent-

to examine all that has happened over the past twoand-a-half years, including schools’ closure, measures to safely reopen schools, and plans to transform the education sector.

Keeping in mind the Ministry’s 2030 vision of “providing opportunities for quality, equitable education and lifelong learning for all’’, the consultations are being held to determine short-, medium-, and long-term measures to provide quality education to all learners.

There are five subthemes that will be discussed during the consulta-

for life, work, and sustainable development”; “digital learning and transformation”; “teachers, teaching and the teaching profession” and “financing of education”.

Tuesday’s session, which was chaired by Deputy Chief Education Officer (Amerindian and Hinterland Education Development) Marti Desouza, placed participants into groups to discuss the sub-theme “inclusive, equitable, safe and healthy schools”. The participants examined current systems to determine what needed to be done to improve them.

Representatives of the National Interim PTA Body

Teacher Association (PTA) Body.

She explained that the purpose of the exercise was

tions. These are: “inclusive, equitable, safe and healthy schools”; “learning and skills

Over the next two weeks, engagements will be held across the country.

H

ighly recognised medical pioneer Dr Cecil Harricharan passed away in Canada at 93 years old on Monday, family members have reported.

Harricharan served as a doctor in the medical field for an astonishing 63 years, providing his selfless service to his country.

He was licensed to practice in the United Kingdom, Canada and throughout the Caribbean; a reflection of his commitment and love for his work.

Dr Harricharan’s amazing work over the years even saw him being awarded the Cacique’s Crown of Honour (CCH) at Guyana’s 50th Republic Anniversary Award Ceremony, by former President David Granger.

The former Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD) resident travelled around the globe during his younger years, conducting medical studies miles from home, receiving various degrees in his studies, such as the MD, CM degree (Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery) which he received while studying in Canada.

Dr Harricharan once served as General Medical Officer at the New Amsterdam Hospital, and District Medical Officer for West Demerara Regional Hospital during his time in Guyana’s health sector.

Dr Cecil Harricharan

He also worked throughout the various regions of Guyana wherever his service was needed which saw him working not only in Urban areas but even in the Essequibo Islands and the North West District (NWD) along with other interior regions of Guyana.

After working in the public health sector for over two decades, the doctor then opened his own private facility at Middle Street, Georgetown, before ultimately retiring in his early 90s.

Dr Harricharan, who came from humble beginnings and now lays at rest has surely cemented his legacy as one of the greatest to serve in Guyana’s medical sector.

NEWS

13

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

EPA renews Environmental Permit for Liza Phase 1 Project – flaring fees almost doubled in new permit

T

he Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has renewed the Environmental Permit for the Liza Phase 1 Project within the Stabroek Block, offshore Guyana, for another five-year period.

The Liza 1 Permit was approved back in 2017 and two years later, US oil major ExxonMobil and its co-venturers in the Stabroek Block began oil production with the Liza Destiny Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel.

Since then, the operators have started production at a second Field Development – Liza 2 – with the Liza UnityFPSO. According to regulations, the oil giant submitted an application to renew the Liza 1 Environmental Permit six months ahead of the May 31 expiry date.

In a release to the media, the EPA stated that the renewal was entirely in keeping with the Environmental Protection Act Chapter 20:05, and came following the EPA’s careful consideration of the compliance of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) compliance with the first iteration of the Environmental Permit for the Liza Phase 1 Project.

The Liza Phase 1 Project was the first petroleum development project to have been approved in the Stabroek Block. Progressing from the knowledge and ex-

perience gained during the course of this project, the renewed permit specifies further conditions and standards which will ensure that all environmental and social safeguards are taken for the protection of human health and the environment.

The Permit strictly prohibits routine flaring and venting, and specifies that flaring is only permissible during commissioning, startup, and special circumstances.

“The Permit also goes further to require the Permit Holder to pay US$50 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) emitted as a result of flaring in excess of permitted periods.

This marks the highest sum to be levied in the event flaring is above stipulated limits and payable in these circumstances, progressing from US$30 under the first Environmental Permit (modified) for the Liza Phase 1 Project,” the EPA said.

Further, among the notable conditions, the Permit ensures that EEPGL is held liable for all costs associated with clean-up, restoration, and compensation for any pollution damage which may occur as a consequence of the project, and keeps indemnified the EPA and the Government of Guyana in the event EEPGL and its co-venturers fail to meet their environmental obligations under the Permit. Further, the financial assurance provid-

ed must be guided by an estimate of the sum of the reasonably credible costs.

In addition, the EPA added that the Permit provides for the targeted monitoring of the effects of effluent discharges from the project within the Area of Influence.

“The effluent streams to be monitored include, but are not limited to produced water, bilge water, cooling water, and greywater. The Permit requires the submission of the effects of these discharges every six months. Further, EEPGL is required to submit safety case information, including a Risk Assessment prior to the drilling and development of wells.”

Finally, it stated that EEPGL was also enjoined to establish and maintain a grievance mechanism in keeping with the World Bank’s Approach to Grievance Redress in projects, to ensure that complaints from individuals and communities who may be affected by the project are received and addressed.

There is a requirement for reporting the same and what actions were taken to address the grievances to the EPA. A few days ago, EPA Executive Director Kemraj Parsram had related that they were looking to include some strong measures aimed at preventing any activity that could harm the environment.

“The Yellowtail [Exxon’s fourth Development Project in the Stabroek Block which was approved in January] Permit that was recently issued, there are some stronger measures in there and so we just expect to put those similar measures into this Liza 1 Permit as well,” he had explained.

Further, the EPA Head had outlined that they were also looking at other key preventative measures that

were not included in the initial Liza 1 Permit including flaring, insurance, and other aspects.

The Liza Destiny FPSO began production in December 2019 with a 120,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) capacity. However, the US oil major said it was now delivering at better-than-designed capacity.

This was after the Liza Unity FPSO came on stream earlier this year, adding

another 220,000 bpd to Guyana’s output.

ExxonMobil’s operationalisation of the two FPSO vessels comes about seven years after it first discovered oil offshore Guyana in May 2015.

The Stabroek Block’s recoverable resource base is currently estimated at more than 11 billion oil-equivalent barrels and has the potential to support up to 10 projects.

14 NEWS Spain donates 50,000 vaccines for children aged 5-11 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…135 new COVID cases detected in 24 hours

T

he rollout of vaccination for children between the ages of five and 11 in Guyana will commence shortly, with the arrival of 50,000 doses of the vaccine – a donation from the Government of Spain.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Tuesday related that the vaccines will arrive next week, enabling immunisation for 25,000 children.

“This was one of the vaccines that we were trying to get for quite a while now. We are getting a donation from the Government of Spain.

We’re expecting that to come in next week. It would be approximately 50,000 doses, which would then be for 25,000 children,” Dr Anthony stated.

The Government is also expecting a donation of vaccines for this age group through the COVAX mechanism.

“We are also expecting another set of vaccines for this similar age group from COVAX. They have written to us, asking us whether we would like to have some.

That we will have to negotiate to see the dates when that would arrive.”

Vaccine uptake in the adolescent category, ranging from ages 12 to 17, has been quite slothful. According to the Health Minister, author-

ities will be leaning on the school system and parents to introduce the vaccines to this new age cohort.

“I don’t think with 25,000 children, that we should have a problem. I have been getting a lot of requests from persons who want to see their children getting vaccinated. So, I think because this is a relatively new category of persons, I don’t anticipate that we will have a problem with uptake,” he revealed.

Vaccination figures show 442,087 first doses being administered to adults, accounting for 86.2 per cent.

Meanwhile, 341,687 second doses or 66.6 per cent coverage have been achieved.

For the 12 to 17 category, 34,697 or 47.6 per cent first doses were administered, followed by 25,427 or 34.9 per cent second doses. Booster shots were listed at 65,284.

Examining the booster dose coverage, he shared, “That’s an area that we’re a little worried about because we think that the uptake of booster doses could be much better. That’s something that we have to constantly keep reminding people, that they need to come out and get their booster doses. Our first dose and second dose, we’ve done well with that, but many persons now are eligible for boosters. Now we

want them to come forward and get their booster.”

New cases

Meanwhile, active COVID-19 cases are increasing significantly in Guyana, with the rise of infections every day. A total of 135 new cases surfaced on Tuesday, taking confirmed cases up to 64,763.

Statistics show that 651 active infections are being monitored across the country.

Nevertheless, there are three persons in the Intensive Care Unit, 27 in institutional isolation, 622 in home isolation and five in institutional quarantine. From those who tested positive, 62,877 have recovered. Meanwhile, 629,486 COVID tests have been processed.

A breakdown of new cases shows that one was detected in Region One (BarimaWaini); nine in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 23 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 69 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); two in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); 21 in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne); three in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); two in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and five in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD MAY 31, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

135

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

27 622 3

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

5

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

34,968

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

29,795

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

64,763

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

62,877

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED

REGION 1

2523

REGION 2

2571

REGION 3

8203

REGION 4

32,150

REGION 5

2413

REGION 6

6018

REGION 7

2433

REGION 8

886

REGION 9

4048

REGION 10

3518

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

442,087 341,687

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020

1234

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.

“Single shared vision” needed to protect Caribbean agriculture & food systems – Min Mustapha

G

iven the increasing impacts climate change continues to have on the regional agriculture sector, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said there needs to be a single shared vision and coordination of efforts toward sustainable change to protect the Caribbean’s agriculture and food systems.

Mustapha was at the time delivering remarks at

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and IICA Country Representative Wilmot Garnett during the meeting

the Meetings of the Americas on Climate Change and Agriculture.

In his address, Minister Mustapha said agriculture in the Caribbean and around the world is under threat as a result of the adverse effects of climate change.

“We cannot overlook the urgency of increasing the climate resilience of the agriculture sector. If we do, our objectives of enhancing productivity and production, food security, economic growth, and improving livelihoods will not be possible. Given the Caribbean Region’s increased vulnerability to natural disasters due to the effects of climate change, and the threat it places on agricultural production and food security, urgent action is needed to protect the Caribbean’s agriculture and food systems.

This requires a more integrated approach, a single shared vision, and coordination of efforts towards sustainable change,” the Minister noted.

He also said that de-risking the regional agricultural sector is critical to moving the sector forward.

“Developing financial instruments such as weather-related insurance products, along with additional, layered approaches to disaster risk financing at the national level was one of the areas of focus posited during the Caribbean

A section of the Leaders of the Americas during the meeting

Regional Dialogue on Food Systems which was held in May 2021. The de-risking of the regional agricultural sector through the provision of alternative sources of financing and insurance products for the region based on the peculiarities of each Member State is critical to moving the sector forward. The Caricom Special Ministerial Taskforce on Food Production and Food Security, which was established to guide the transformation of the Regional AgriFood Systems towards full commercialisation, will continue to work aggressively on these priority areas to improve the sustainability of the agriculture sector in the Region.”

The meeting which was

held virtually was organised by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in the lead-up to the Ninth Summit of the Americas scheduled for June 2022.

The Summit will provide an opportunity for leaders to engage in high-level dialogue to jointly address the urgent need to transform the agriculture sector in response to climate change while meeting other sector goals.

Leaders will also be able to work together to identify appropriate mechanisms for joint action and seek opportunities to channel technical and financial resources towards transforming the sector in the face of climate change.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramsammy’s Ruminations MoH to focus on preventing youths from Government’s intense pace getting “hooked” on tobacco products of positive development has – as Guyana joins world in observing No Tobacco Day driven opponents stark loony

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hile President Ali and his Government are eagle-eyed and focused on the rapid pace of development; while Guyana is on the steep rise in our economic fortunes; every single day, new development projects are taking off, the naysayers and the Opposition are dazed into insanity. With all the great reports of development projects and initiatives all around the country; with the global attention firmly fixed on Guyana; the Government’s opponents are desperate in their own insane world.

Each and every single day, communities across Guyana are looking out, because they know the President, the Vice President, the Prime Minister and Cabinet members would be coming their way with more announcements of development that brings social and economic benefits to them, and that change the landscape of our country.

Last week Essequibo hosted Dr Leslie Ramsammy the National Flag-Raising Ceremony. But Government leaders, led by both President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, went on an intense outreach in Region 2. Last week, also, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo did outreach in Linden, Region 10. During that outreach, hundreds of persons from Region 10 benefited from scholarships, small business loans, and grants.

The Vice President also announced the construction of a new bridge to replace the old Wismar-Mackenzie bridge. He announced more than $1B in new public sector investments in the Region. While the citizens in Region 10, particularly in Linden, flocked to meet and greet the Vice President, the Leader of the Opposition decided to simultaneously hold his own outreach. It was a disaster. The people of Linden ignored Aubrey Norton. It was sad to look at what a PNC leader had become in Linden.

Shocked by the rejection from his own supporters, in a place that is regarded as the foundation for the PNC support base, the Leader of the Opposition is in a foul mood. As is usual when things are not going their way, the PNC leader decided to punish the citizens of Guyana.

He was invited on Monday, May 30, to meet with the President to carry out his constitutional duties. The invitation to meet with the President was sent to Aubrey Norton on May 27th.

Norton was a no-show to the meeting. He did not extend to the President the courtesy to explain that he could not attend the meeting. He simply did not show up, but then published a letter in social media to tell the President he was too busy to attend at short notice. He alleged that just as the President was busy with the Agri-Investment Forum and Independence celebration, so, too, the Opposition Leader has a pressing schedule with important things, like nothing.

While Norton is pouting and feeling sorry for himself, that his most ardent supporters in Linden had no time for him, the people of Guyana are his collateral damage. There are important appointments, promotions, and other significant business of interest to the people of Guyana that must be made through the Police Service, Public Service and Judicial Service commissions. These appointments, however, depend on the constitutionally-mandated consultations between the President and the Leader of the Opposition. But the Leader of the Opposition could not care less. He has decided to play games with the lives of people. What did Norton do on Monday that was more important than him meeting his constitutional obligations?

But Norton is not the only one experiencing insanity as the country moves rapidly forward. There are, in fact, many persons who overnight have become “experts”. One such “expert” is a foreigner named Tom Sanzillo, who appeared in one of the newspapers in Guyana to claim that every Guyanese, every man, woman and child, already owes EXXON $9M each. He claimed that EXXON’s investment in Guyana would amount, by 2070, to more than US$75B, and that represents a loan that Guyanese must pay back. But the reality is that no single Guyanese owes a penny today or in the future to EXXON. True, EXXON is investing huge sums of money in Guyana; and true, EXXON hopes to recover that investment from revenues generated by sale of oil. That is no different from a vendor investing money to buy a commodity to sell in the market. No one in Guyana owes that vendor any money. That vendor merely invests, hoping to recover his or her money after selling the products he markets. The newspaper and Tom Sanzillo tried to sensationalise an insane position. Not a single Guyanese lost a night’s sleep over the fake story.

Not a single cent invested by EXXON is a loan that Guyana, the Government, or any citizen is responsible for. Wherever EXXON gets its money to invest, it can recover from oil revenues resulting from that investment. If EXXON is taking loans for the purpose of investing, it is doing so on its own accord, it is not the responsibility of the Government of Guyana.

The PPP Government has been one of the most prudent Governments in the world when it comes to debt management. From more than 953% of the GDP in 1992, when Guyana was essentially bankrupt, Guyana today has a debt ratio of only about 16% of our GDP. Few countries in the world have a debt ratio so low. The truth is the PPP Government’s opponents have gone stark loony because they cannot stop the development train.

The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

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lmost five years since the passage of the Tobacco Control Act, the Guyana Government has admitted that there is still a need for better sensitisation and educational campaigns on the use of tobacco products in the country.

Curtailing the use of tobacco products among the younger population is now a central focus of the Health Ministry, as new inventions and packaging to market the dangerous substance continue to lure people.

The Health Ministry has partnered with the Education Ministry to enhance its education campaign against tobacco usage and its effects on health.

During a World No Tobacco Day event on Tuesday, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony relayed that as youths experiment with the new tobacco products and electronic devices being marketed, they stand a higher chance of getting hooked, making them lifelong prisoners to smoking.

“We need to talk to younger people and get them to understand the dangers of smoking. The people who are in charge of marketing cigarettes, they realised that if you get somebody hooked on cigarettes before the age of 18, then the chances are that they would become lifelong smokers. Cigarettes contain nicotine which is an

addictive substance. That can lead to psychological dependence and then physical dependence, and then you’re hooked.”

He warned that the new e-cigarettes and vaping equipment being invented to attract the younger age groups have the same effect as smoking cigarettes, as they contain the same compounds that would cause damage to the body.

“You hear about hookah bars where you can go and smoke and all of that stuff.

You hear about vaping and electronic cigarettes. But all these things still contain nicotine. Some of them contain the dangerous constituents of cigarettes and therefore, would still do damage to your body. While they would modernise the packaging of these things, the effect is still the same.”

The latest survey from the World Bank shows that some 12 per cent of the adult population is smoking, painting the need for education and enforcement of the laws.

A two-prong approach has been identified by the Health Minister to curb the smoking epidemic in Guyana: prevention through education and sensitisation for smokers. He underscored that greater education is needed on the Tobacco Control Act, which was introduced in 2017 and lists provisions for the sale, use and packaging of the substance.

Businesses and institutions, he noted, should be more acquainted with the provisions under the Act. “One of the things that we have to do more of is to get more institutions and businesses acquainted with the provisions of the legislation. I don’t think a lot of people understand what is there and therefore, one of the things we have to do more of is to educate people pertaining to those provisions. If people are smoking

in indoor spaces, or public spaces, that’s an offence. If they persist and they don’t want to listen to the proprietor or whoever is administering that space, then that person can be fined. Many of our institutions that have the task of imposing those fines, have not been very diligent in how they’re doing so.”

The Health Minister further highlighted the consequences attached to smoking and the fact that people are damaging their health in the process. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

It also increases the risk of tuberculosis, and problems with the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.

“One wonders why people would pay so much money to then cause themselves diseases. Literally, with every pack of cigarettes that you’re buying, you’re actually putting your health at risk and endangering yourself. Every cigarette that you smoke, you’re lessening your life…We need to help people to understand this.

We need to be careful.

They’re interested in making money but in the process of making money, they’re damaging people’s health.

We have to make sure that people have the information where they would make wise choices and it would be for

their health,” he pointed out.

Last week, the Presidential Commission on the Prevention and Control of NCDs voiced its concerns over the use of and prevalence of e-cigarettes and hookahs, calling for urgent regulation.

The Presidential Commission only recently underscored its disappointment with the weak implementation of the law in Guyana, while also highlighting that the global efforts to reduce the risk of tobacco use continue unabated. The Commission has committed to intensifying its efforts to lead the fight against tobacco and tobacco product use in Guyana.

The Tobacco Act 2017 recognises that the alternatives the tobacco industry has provided do not represent a healthier alternative to traditional tobacco products and, therefore, the regulations in the Tobacco Control Act 2017 equally applies to these products.

Clauses 25 (2), 29, 30 and 33 of Guyana’s Tobacco Control Act requires that e-cigarette and hookah products must be properly packaged and labelled before they are permitted to enter Guyana and before they are allowed to be distributed and sold in the country.

Under Section 25 (2) of the Packaging and Labelling Regulations (2018), hookah products must meet the same packaging and labelling requirements as traditional tobacco products.

24-year-old man arrested for raping girl,13

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24-year-old man has been taken into custody for raping a 13-year-old girl at Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice).

The incident was reportedly committed on Wednesday last, and while the details of the incident were not released to the media, the Police have said that a report was made, and, without hesitation, the suspect was arrested, and is assisting with investigations.

Only a few days ago, Police in Region Seven

(Cuyuni-Mazaruni) launched a hunt for a taxi driver accused of raping a teenager. It has been reported that the teen had boarded the suspect’s vehicle and, instead of taking her to the desired destination, he drove some distance, parked, and committed the act. A report was made to the Police, and the teen was sent to be medically processed.

In May, Police in Regional Divisions One (Barima-Waini) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) voiced their concerns about the number of rape offences oc-

curring in there. Region Eight Commander, Senior Superintendent Michael Kingston, has said the issue of rape is an “eyesore” for his ranks, given the number of reported cases.

He said that, so far, there have been nine reported cases of rape, even with a 14.3% decrease in serious crimes. This is compared to 12 cases in the corresponding period last year.

Kingston has also said he is working assiduously to ensure the region continues to see a decrease in cases of serious crime.

Meanwhile, Region

One Commander, Superintendent Himnauth Sawh, has said his ranks are battling cases of rape.

He said the reason for the increased cases of rape in Region One is the lack of education. As such, he said, the Police in Region One are also working with the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), Child Link Inc, and Blossom Inc to reduce the cases of rape. For the year 2021, the Region saw almost 18 cases of rape, compared to this year, when the Region has seen 10 such cases so far.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

US-based Guyanese author donates books to National Library

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ormer journalist and overseas-based Guyanese author Whitney Persaud recently donated several of her published children’s fiction “Curious Kyrie and the Mouse in the House” to the National Library.

Deputy Chief Librarian Nadine Moore, who received the books, said that reading is fundamental and lauded Persaud for giving back to the country’s children through the arts. Moore said that the National Library promotes reading throughout Guyana.

The donation comes as Guyana’s Education Ministry has beefed up its efforts to attain success in literacy across

the board.

“We know that this will go a far way, as we also promote literacy in Guyana. We desire to see people, especially children enjoying reading.

We are happy to have these books, and they will help in our collection development and expanding it, especially in the Juvenile Department,” she said Moore reiterated the importance of children being able to identify with their own culture, especially when it comes to reading. She emphasised the need for children to start reading early, whether it be e-books or paperback books.

Meanwhile, Ron D’Avilar,

Deputy Chief Librarian Nadine Moore (third from left) and Ron D’Avilar (second left) flanked by relatives and supporters of author Whitney Persaud (Rabindra Rooplall photo)

liaison to Persaud, who led the donation event at the National Library, said that the books come at a

Govt rolls out $150,000 ...

“The second measure I wish to look at is fertiliser support to farmers. In order to cushion the impact of the rising cost of fertiliser on farmers and to limit the pass through to food prices, my Government will be purchasing 1 billion dollars’ worth of fertiliser for free distribution to farmers for use in planting and replanting activities,” President Ali had said.

According to the President, this initiative is being done “considering that fertiliser accounts for between 15 to 30 per cent of the total operating cost for farmers. This initiative

will significantly reduce input cost, and help ensure scaled-up production and adequate supply of output, which is critical to maintaining price stability.”

The third measure announced by the Government is the setting up of a special unit to help landowners of both private and Government-owned lots to build their houses. President Ali has said the unit would support applicants with the process of applying to banks for financing, and with the initial phase of construction by releasing the necessary resources.

FROM PAGE 9

Persons would also have the option of choosing $7 million, $9 million or $12 million house models for the Government to help them build. The other measure would see the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) from additional construction materials until the market stabilises. These include sheetrock and concrete boards.

President Ali had also said at the time that Government would continue consultations, and would, in the future, make more announcements aimed at bringing further relief to the public.

time when the need for success in literacy is essential in Guyana. He spoke of the setbacks in the world’s education system owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasised the need to get back on track where education is concerned.

D’Avilar stated the author’s desire to encourage early childhood reading, social inclusion, and the moral lessons shared in her book.

Persaud details encounters in her book that sees children sharing, forgiving, and being kind to one another.

According to D’Avilar, Persaud has collaborated with several organisations in Guyana to ensure that children across the country will have a copy of their own.

In the coming weeks, ReCreation, in collaboration with the author, will host a children’s sip and paint and will see illustrations from her book being featured.

Children in attendance at the event will receive a copy of the Curious Kyrie and the Mouse in the House.

The main character of the book, Kyrie, his brother Kaiden and sister KayleeRose were all present at the book donation ceremony.

D’Avilar said that Persaud has plans to see another two books being added to the series and will depict stories of her younger nephew Kaiden and her niece Kaylee-Rose.

GPF launches Security Specific Language Programme – 55 cops being trained to be bilingual

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The Guyana Police Force Officers and other officials

he Guyana Police Force Police (GPF) is stepping up its efforts by training its officers to speak more than one language. As such, the Force in partnership with the University of Guyana, on Monday launched the “Security Specific Language Programme”, at the Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Road, Georgetown.

The foreign language training curriculum is aimed at enhancing their ability to grasp and understand the languages that will be taught from the beginner's level to a more advanced level.

Dean of the University’s Faculty of Education and Humanities at UG, Dr Roslin Khan explained that the programme is at the same level that is currently being offered at the University of Guyana, and will focus primarily on three foreign languages: Spanish, Portuguese and Mandarin.

While the courses will have the same grammar structure

as that is being done at the University, the contents and vocabulary are specialised for law enforcement personnel in Guyana.

Dr Khan further noted that the participants will be assessed throughout the duration of the training and upon completion, they should be able to read, write and speak in the various languages.

Each language course is expected to be eight weeks in duration, with participants attending five days a week for three hours daily.

M e a n w h i l e , Deputy Commissioner “Administration”, Calvin Brutus, who addressed the participants virtually, highlighted the importance of the language training in the course of core policing functions of safety and security as it relates to ranks who conduct anti-crime patrols, traffic ranks and those at the inquiry’s office, who are the first line of contact with members of the public.

Brutus also referred to the increasing number of persons who speak foreign languages that these ranks come into contact with on a daily basis in Guyana.

“While the languages being taught will be at a beginner’s level, they will provide the participants with the necessary language skills to interact with foreigners,” Brutus said as he further highlighted that once participants are successful in the first phase, they will be afforded the opportunity to move to the next level.

“The Guyana Police Force intends to have the successful participants go on to the intermediary and eventually the advanced level in these foreign language courses," Brutus added.

Fifty-five members from the ranks of Sergeant to Constable of the various Divisions and Sections of the Force were selected as the first batch of participants to be a part of the programme.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GEA issues tender for supply, delivery of electric vehicle charging stations I n the face of the detrimental effects of climate change and rising global temperatures, there has been a global shift to utilise more electric vehicles (EVs), and the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has issued a tender looking for a company to supply and deliver six EV charging stations.

According to the bidding documents, these stations will serve as a pilot project whereby they will be used for commercial operations across the coastal regions of Guyana, namely in Regions Three, Four, and Six. The chargers to be delivered should require an activation process to initiate charging. This can be with a radio frequency identification (RFID)

An electric vehicle charging port

card or smartphone app, often linked to an account which has been set up beforehand, or a cloud-based platform or network offering access via an app and/ or RFID card to launch charging.

Once activated, the unit will conduct further connection and account checks

before commencing to charge the vehicle.

Charging tariffs will be applied at a cost per energy consumed (dollars per kWh). Alternatively, a price per charging time (dollars per hour) can also be used as a set fee for a charging session.

The supplier is also re-

quired to provide training in installation best practices, rate setting, network management, operations, and maintenance of the charging stations. For an efficient payment system, the tender requires that the supplier provide a localised platform in Guyanese dollars.

In addition to the supply and delivering the unused, upgraded charging stations, the bidder will also be required to provide all technical documentation including manuals and direction of installation over to the GEA, provide after-sales services to the agency for at least three years after the supply of goods.

The deadline for the submission of bids is May 31, 2022.

These “greener” vehicles are undoubtedly better for our environment since they emit no greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. This is a stark contrast to the more polluting fossil fuel vehicles that the world has been supporting for more than a century.

The move to use EVs is already advancing in Guyana. Motor vehicle retailers, as well as citizens themselves have been importing these greener vehicles. Just recently, a citizen imported the first Tesla to Guyana, joining the other 80+ EVs that are driving the streets of the country.

With the tax incentives that the Government has implemented on the importation of EVs, it can only be expected that this market will expand and flourish.

The Government, under its new and expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, also sees the importance of putting other measures in place to ensure the smooth use of these vehicles in Guyana. Low-carbon technologies within the transport sector are an important component of Guyana’s LCDS and complement related programmes in areas of cleaner power generation and nature-based solutions.

Among the low-carbon strategies within the transport sector, the LCDS supports increasing efficiency levels of vehicle fuel consumption, and will foster the development of an electric vehicle industry to substitute fossil fuels with electricity.

UG to host exhibition of innovation at National Library

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ver forty ground-breaking innovative projects by students and staff of the University of Guyana will be on display as the tertiary institution hosts its inaugural exhibition of innovations and appropriate technolo-

gies from June 8 to 9, 2022, at the National Library in Georgetown.

A selected set of innovations will be displayed to stimulate scientific inquiry, promote business opportunities and publicise some of UG’s applied research work,

which could impact national development.

Some of the innovations include agricultural applications, including phytogenic ameliorants to enhance gastrointestinal health in poultry; equipment pertinent to the coconut and other value

Indian High Commission kicks off International Day of Yoga with GPF

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eading up to the International Day of Yoga celebrations, the High Commission of India in Guyana facilitated a curtain-raiser session with the ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

In the Police Officers’ Mess Annex, about 80 officers from the GPF attended the yoga session, which saw participation from Indian High Commissioner, Dr KJ Srinivasa; Deputy Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus and Special Branch Head Errol Watts.

While addressing the Police Officers at the yoga session, the High Commissioner shared information about yoga, its benefits for mental, spiritual and physical well-being and its relevance, and how people, especially frontline workers, including Police Officers, across the globe, have benefited from practising yoga during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The yoga session was organised with the aim of extending the benefits of yoga to the ranks in these testing times.

“Yoga helps immensely in controlling mental stress and tension as well as to keep them healthy and fit. Thus, India’s gift of yoga to humankind all over the globe has truly been a lifesaver,” said the High Commission in a release.

In December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution sponsored by 177 mem-

High Commissioner, Dr KJ Srinivasa joins GPF ranks for the yoga session

ber nations unanimously proclaiming June 21, the longest day in the northern hemisphere, as International Day of Yoga.

Since then, June 21 has been celebrated as International Day of Yoga every year. Yoga is a system of holistic living, having its roots in Indian tradition and culture. Yoga has transcended the barriers of race, religion and culture and has become a global movement.

Yoga is essentially a mental and physical discipline based on an extremely subtle science which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is an art and science for healthy living.

The High Commission of India will also be organizing one more curtain-raiser event for the International Day of Yoga with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on June 8.

The main event will be held on June 19, at the

Everest Cricket Ground in Georgetown where Guyanese dignitaries are expected to attend along with the diplomatic corps, students, and others.

On June 21, a yoga event will be held at the Indian Arrival Monument in Palmyra, Berbice. This event has been selected to be telecast live across the world as part of an initiative of the Government of India to ensure live broadcast of 24 hours of yoga on International Day of Yoga 2022 from iconic locations across the globe in a “Yoga Ring”.

The High Commission of India has invited all Guyanese to join these celebrations. These events will be live broadcast on the Facebook pages of the High Commission of India and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre as well as on prominent local TV channels.

chains; roll-on and roll-off forage applications for small ruminant feed; several types of food production, including mushrooms such as indigenous varieties; renewables such as applications for concrete blocks; DNA typing of sweet potato vars and its application to industry, and bioethanol applications.

The two-day event is free of cost and open to the public from 12 noon on June 8, 2022.

A streaming gallery is going to be open with selected aspects of the projects daily, streaming from the University of Guyana’s Facebook page.

The Opening Ceremony, which will also be streamed, is scheduled for Wednesday, June 8 and will feature presentations from ViceChancellor, XI, Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin, Director of University of Guyana’s Institute of Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (UGIRIE), and Professor of Practice, Pat Francis, among others.

Prof Pat Francis expressed the University’s excitement at being able to host the event since it is the first time that key stakeholders and members of the public will be afforded the opportunity to get an up-close look at the ground-breaking and innovative applied research work being done by students and staff of the University of Guyana.

“The University of Guyana produces more than 100 applied research pieces every year in collaboration with several agencies and other universities. We are particularly pleased to commence the process of making these findings available to Guyanese entrepreneurs and householders.”

The UGIRIE is a Technology Transfer Facility (TTF) that provides a platform for researchers and innovators within the University of Guyana and

Some of the ground-breaking work that UG staff and students have been working on that will be on full display at the inaugural exhibition of innovation

allied institutions/individual researchers to share new products and services with the industry. The programmes and courses offer practical approaches to establishing, accelerating and scaling up businesses. The Institute focuses on concepts that are grounded in good science and technology.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana Prof Paloma Mohamed Martin related that “Apart from the applied research and innovation projects, UG staff publishes an average of 200 peer-reviewed articles annually. The student research culture is powerful and has been continuous for decades, it’s time our university showcased this, and we are delighted that Prof Francis and her tiny dedicated team in UGIRIE have been able to bring this exciting first showing into the public space. They have also invited schools and part-

ners. I think this is just fantastic!”

The UGIRIE was set up in 2019 with a mandate of bridging the gap between knowledge generation and utilisation through strategic partnerships, thereby facilitating start-ups and product improvement.

Ultimately it intends to facilitate the utilisation of Guyana’s vast natural resources to help generate new products and services, thereby playing its part in stimulating Guyanese innovation and technologies driven by rigorous scientific research and practice which is happening inside the University.

The UGIRIE said it hopes to help transform our economy through the development, documentation, dissemination and marketing of research findings and innovations in science, arts and humanities to industry.

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Regional

PAHO/WHO, regional partners Rainstorm claims 100 launch policy briefs to support lives in north-east Brazil Caribbean in smoke-free legislation A hundred people are now known to have died as torrential rain triggered landslides and torrents of mud near the city of Recife in north-east Brazil.

Rescue workers continue the search for people still missing after poor neighbourhoods and shanty towns were swept away in the region.

President Jair Bolsonaro posted video on social media showing him in a helicopter flying over the area.

He later said it had been too dangerous to land because of “soil instability”.

Some 1200 rescue personnel, using boats and heli-

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he Pan American Health Organisation, along with the World Health Organisation and several other agencies, has launched policy briefs to support Caribbean Countries in implementing smoke-free legislation.

“Can you join me as I imagine what the Smoke Free Caribbean in 2025/2030 would be like?”

Dr Joy St John, Executive Director, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) asked webinar attendees at this year’s “World No Tobacco Day” virtual celebrations, held on Monday, May 30th, 2022, a release said. “As tobacco use alone accounts for 1 in 6 of all deaths resulting from NCDs, all of those people will be alive with their finances greatly improved from not buying 5 to 10 packs of cigarettes every day!” she continued.

“The environment will also be less polluted by cigarette butts and discarded packaging – the air will be fresher too,” Dr St John remarked.

The webinar, entitled “A Smoke-Free Caribbean: A Win-Win for Health and the Environment” was jointly hosted by the Pan American Health

Organisation (PAHO); Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC); the Caribbean Public Health Law Forum (CPHLF) and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Law and Health Research Unit (LHRU) in observance of World No Tobacco Day 2022. This year’s theme aimed to bring into focus yet another threat to public health caused by tobacco consumption – that is, environmental degradation.

P A H O / W H O Subregional Programme Director Dean Chambliss explained that a focus on

the ecological impacts of cigarette smoking was “… of grave importance because each year close to 600 million trees are cut down to make six trillion cigarettes, contributing significantly to deforestation on a global level.” He added that addressing tobacco’s threat to environmental sustainability, “ was also important because 32 million tons of tobacco leaves are grown to produce those same cigarettes, and studies show us that this results in over 80 million tons of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere annually”. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Bolsonaro says could split up Petrobras as prelude to privatisation

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razilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday floated the idea of splitting Stateowned Petrobras into various pieces as a prelude to privatising it.

Speaking in a taped interview, Bolsonaro also reiterated his opposition to its policy of raising fuel prices in line with international market swings, arguing that the company was not fulfilling its “social function” as outlined in the country’s Constitution.

Earlier in May, Bolsonaro had urged the State-run oil company not

to raise fuel prices again, and compared the company’s profits to a “rape” of the country.

The far-right leader said a new fuel price hike

by Petroleo Brasileiro SA, as the company is formally known, could bankrupt Brazil and cause what he called a “national convulsion”.

Petrobras pegs its fuel prices to international crude rather than subsidising fuel for Brazilians, but many people have demanded that it limits price increases for gasoline and diesel as both

have soared recently, hurting Bolsonaro’s popularity ahead of an October presidential election.

“Petrobras, we are at war. Petrobras, do not raise fuel prices anymore. Your profit is like a rape, it is absurd,” Bolsonaro said during a weekly livestream on social media.

His remarks came as the oil giant reported its first quarter results, with net income jumping more than 40 times to 44.56 billion reais (US$8.9 billion) as oil companies take advantage of rocketing crude prices.

(Excerpts from Reuters)

Gonsalves receives Cuba’s highest national award

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t Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has returned home from Cuba where he was awarded that country’s highest national award, the Order of José Martí.

Gonsalves is the second Caribbean Community (Caricom) leader to have received the award from Havana in a one-month period.

Late last month, Dominica’s Prime Minister

Roosevelt Skerrit received the award, and praised Havana for “holding fast to the ideas and ideals of José Martí, to the revolutionary spirit of Ché Guevarra and to the vigour and vision of Comrade El Presidente Fidel”.

Both leaders were presented with the award by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel.

The Order of José Martí is named after the Cuban national hero, who became the symbol of Cuba’s strug-

gle for independence.

Gonsalves had led a delegation to Cuba last week where he also participated in the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) summit, according to a Government statement.

It said that Gonsalves also participated in a series of bilateral meetings.

On May 26, the two countries observed the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between them.

(CMC)

copters, were deployed in the state of Pernambuco where the disaster occurred.

Luiz Estevão Aguiar told TV Globo that he had lost 11 relatives.

“My sister, my brother-inlaw, 11 people from my family died. It was difficult... I did not expect this,” he said tearfully.

Flávio José da Silva was searching for his stepfather Gilvan in the rubble of what was once his house.

He said that shortly after it collapsed, he had heard Gilvan say: “I’m here, under the ground”. “We hope to find him alive,” Silva said, pointing to a pile of debris.

Deadly flooding and landslides have killed hundreds of people in Brazil over the past year.

Experts link the bad weather to La Niña, a climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean that can affect weather worldwide.

Many factors contribute to flooding, but a warming atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely.

The world has already warmed by about 1.2 Celsius since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless Governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.

Storm Agatha kills 3 in southern Mexico; debris cleared on coast

A

t least three people were confirmed dead and at least five others reported missing on Tuesday after record-breaking storm Agatha battered southern Mexico, local authorities said on Tuesday.

Aldis Lopez, 21, and Mario Cruz, 18, were the storm’s first confirmed victims in the community of Santa Catarina Xanaguia in the hardest-hit state of Oaxaca.

“They were buried between rocks and mud,” Axel Martinez, a spokesperson for the Oaxaca’s civil protection agency, told Reuters.

The civil protection agency confirmed a third person had died in the town of San Mateo Pinas, a woman who got caught in a landslide.

Five others were reported missing, according to the State’s Public Security Secretary.

Agatha made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane Monday afternoon, touching down with 169-kilometre-per-hour (105 mile-perhour winds) near the beach town of Puerto Angel on the

Palm trees sway in the wind as Hurricane Agatha pounds the southern coast of Mexico, in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca state, Mexico, May 30, 2022 (Reuters/Jose de Jesus Cortes)

Pacific coast, losing strength as it moved inland.

By early Tuesday, Agatha had weakened to a tropical depression with winds of 45 km per hour (30 miles per hour) and was expected to dissipate by afternoon, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), which warned of life-threatening flash floods and mudslides in Oaxaca state.

In a news conference, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he would meet with authorities and security advisors to monitor the situation.

Waves of between one and three meters were expected to hit the coasts of Oaxaca and Chiapas during the day, Mexico’s National Water Commission CONAGUA said on Twitter.

Agatha, the strongest hurricane on record to reach land on Mexico’s Pacific coast during the month of May, is expected to drop a total of 25-41 centimetres (10 to 16 inches) of rain on Oaxaca, with heavy downpours in nearby states of Chiapas, Veracruz, Tabasco and eastern Guerrero, the NHC said.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

US readies to host regional summit, but attendance still unclear

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he Administration of United States President Joe Biden is readying plans to host next week’s Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, but it remains unclear if Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will attend.

The Mexican leader’s absence would be a setback for the US, as Mexico is a top trading partner and Latin America’s second-most populous country, and migration to the US – an issue that requires Mexico’s cooperation – is expected to be an important topic during the Summit.

“If all countries are invited, I am going to attend the Summit,” Lopez Obrador said during his daily news conference on Monday. “If not

all countries are invited, the Government representative, Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard is going to attend.”

The summit is being convened in the United States for the first time since the first such gathering in Miami in 1994, as Biden seeks to reassert US leadership and counter China’s growing clout. He and other leaders are due to arrive in Los Angeles on June 8.

It also comes as the US is trying to mobilise regional efforts to tackle increasing numbers of migrants and asylum seekers headed towards the US. Mexico, which shares an enormous land border with the country, is crucial to any such effort.

But Lopez Obrador has said that he does not want to attend the Summit of the Americas unless every country in the region is invited. The US has not invited the unfriendly Governments of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, drawing criticism.

“Is it going to be the Summit of the Americas or is it going to be the friends of America summit?” Lopez Obrador said on Friday.

In recent months, the number of migrants heading towards the US-Mexico border from Central America, as well as other countries such as Haiti, Cuba and Nicaragua, has reached record highs, heaping pressure on the Biden Administration (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil turns negative as OPEC eyes Russia suspension from output deal

O

il prices turned negative on Tuesday after a report that some producers were exploring the idea of suspending Russia's participation in the OPEC+ production deal.

While there was no formal push for Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to pump more oil to make up for any potential Russian shortfall, some Gulf members had begun planning for an output increase sometime in the next few months, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing OPEC delegates.

Brent crude futures for August, the most actively traded contract, settled down US$2, or 1.7 per cent, at US$115.60 a barrel, after rising to US$120.80 earlier in the day. The frontmonth contract for July, which expired on Tuesday, closed up US$1.17, or 1 per cent, at US$122.84.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude settled at US$114.67 a barrel, down 40 cents or 0.4 per cent from Friday's close. Earlier in the session, it had touched US$119.98, its highest since March 9. There was no settlement on Monday's US Memorial Day holiday.

"The suspension of Russia from OPEC plus could be a precursor to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates utilising their spare production capacity, because they would feel that they no longer have a production quota agreement that needs to recognise Russia's interest," said Andrew Lipow of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston.

OPEC and allies led by Russia, collectively known as OPEC+, have been unwinding record output cuts in place since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in 2020. Under a deal reached in July last year, the group was set to increase output targets by 432,000 barrels per day every month until the end of September.

However, Russian crude output in April fell by nearly 9 per cent from the previous month, an internal OPEC+ report showed this month.

Despite the late reversal in direction in the session, both benchmarks ended May higher, marking the sixth straight month of gains. They have risen more than 70 per cent over the period.

The premium of August-loading Brent contracts over a sixmonth spread hit a nine-week high at close to US$15 a barrel, indicating current supply tightness.

Prices were supported most of the session after the European Union agreed to a partial and phased ban on Russian oil, China decided to lift some COVID-19 restrictions and the US summer driving season kicked off.

EU leaders agreed in principle to cut 90 per cent of oil imports from Russia, the bloc's toughest sanction yet on Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine three months ago.

Once fully adopted, sanctions on crude will be phased in over six months and on refined products over eight months.

The embargo exempts pipeline oil from Russia as a concession to Hungary.

US crude oil production rose in March by more than 3 per cent to 11.7 million bpd, it’s the highest since November, according to the Government. However, output has been slow to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and is still far below its record high of 12.3 million bpd in 2019.

Oil prices found further support as Shanghai announced an end to its COVID-19 lockdown, and will allow people in China's largest city to leave their homes and drive their cars from today.

US retail gasoline prices also touched a record national average of US$4.622 a gallon, according to AAA gas prices data as Memorial Day weekend marked the official start of the summer driving season. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Russia assaults Sievierodonetsk wasteland, extends gas cuts to Europe

U

krainian forces were holding out in the eastern industrial city of Sievierodonetsk on Tuesday, resisting Russia's all-out assault to capture a bombed-out wasteland that Moscow has made the principal objective of its invasion.

Both sides said Russian forces now controlled between a third and half of the city. Russia's separatist proxies acknowledged that capturing the city was taking longer than hoped, despite one of the biggest ground assaults of the war.

Russia, responding to Western sanctions after its Feb 24 invasion of Ukraine, widened its gas cuts to Europe on Tuesday with Gazprom saying it would cut supplies to several "unfriendly" countries which have refused to accept Moscow's roubles-forgas payment scheme.

EU leaders agreed over-

A local resident walks next to a building destroyed by a Russian military strike, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in the town of Bakhmut, in Donetsk Region, Ukraine, May 29, 2022

night to cut imports of Russian oil by 90 per cent by year-end, the bloc's toughest yet response. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed the move but criticised what he called an "unacceptable" delay.

"When over 50 days have passed between the fifth and sixth sanction packag-

es, the situation is not acceptable for us," Zelenskiy said, speaking alongside Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova in Kyiv.

Western military analysts say Moscow has drained manpower and firepower from across other parts of the front to concentrate on Sievierodonetsk, hoping a massive offensive will

achieve one of its stated aims, to secure surrounding Luhansk province for separatist proxies.

"We can say already that a third of Sievierodonetsk is already under our control," Russia's TASS state news agency quoted Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the pro-Moscow Luhansk People's Republic, as saying.

Fighting was raging in the city, but Russian forces were not advancing as rapidly as might have been hoped, he said, claiming that pro-Moscow forces wanted to "maintain the city's infrastructure" and moved slowly because of caution around chemical factories.

A Russian air strike hit a nitric acid tank, Luhansk governor Serhiy Gaidai said on Tuesday. In a post on the Telegram app, he urged local residents not to leave bomb shelters because of the risk posed by toxic fumes.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Handguns: Canada proposes complete freeze on ownership

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anada should introduce a total ban on the buying and selling of all handguns, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said.

His Government is proposing a new law that would freeze private ownership of all short-barrelled firearms.

The legislation would not ban the ownership of handguns outright - but would make it illegal to buy them.

Trudeau's proposal comes days after a deadly shooting at a Texas primary school, in the neighbouring US, killed 21 people.

The Bill, which was presented to Canada's

Canada already has far stricter gun ownership laws than the United States

Parliament on Monday, makes it impossible to buy, sell, transfer or import handguns anywhere in the country.

"Other than using firearms for sport shooting and hunting, there is no reason anyone in Canada should need guns in their everyday lives," Trudeau told reporters.

"As we see gun violence continue to rise, it is our duty to keep taking action," he said.

It marks the most ambitious attempt yet by his Government to restrict access to firearms.

The Bill would also require rifle magazines to be reconfigured so they can hold no more than five rounds at a time.

And it would take away

firearms licences from gun owners involved in domestic violence or criminal harassment.

Unlike in the US, gun ownership is not enshrined in Canada's constitution, but firearms are still popular, especially in rural parts of the country.

Canada already has stricter rules on gun ownership than its southern neighbour and records fewer firearm incidents every year.

But there have been calls in recent years to tighten gun legislation there even further, especially following a number of deadly shootings.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

UN: Eritrean troops shelled school in north Ethiopia

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ritrean forces shelled a town in northern Ethiopia over the weekend, according to internal United Nations documents and regional forces.

It was a rare bombardment after two months of relative peace in a conflict which began in November 2020.

Bulletins from the UN seen by Reuters cited information from humanitarian organisations in Shiraro saying at least 23 rounds were fired, some hitting a school housing displaced families.

A 14-year-old girl was killed, at least 18 people were injured and 12 houses were damaged, one of the documents said.

Late on Monday, the Tigray People’s Liberation

Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki (left), Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (right) and Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed pose during the inauguration of the Tibebe Ghion Specialised Hospital in Bahir Dar, northern Ethiopia, on November 10, 2018 [Eduardo Soteras/AFP]

Front (TPLF), the party that controls most of the Tigray region, accused Eritrean forces of attacking its troops on Saturday and Sunday in Shiraro, about seven miles from the

Eritrea-Ethiopia border.

Eritrea has supported Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s federal forces in its war since late 2020 with the TPLF. The TPLF said its forc-

es had killed four Eritrean commanders and more than 300 Eritrean soldiers in the weekend flare-up.

“As part of their desperate attempt to escalate the tension and drag us into more action, they shelled Sheraro on the 28th and 29th of May,” TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda tweeted.

Bottom of Form Eritrean and Ethiopian troops withdrew from most of Tigray in mid-2021 and the Government declared a unilateral ceasefire in March.

That allowed aid to enter famine-struck Tigray and brought a lull in fighting in a conflict that has killed thousands of civilians and uprooted millions. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

20

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

You'll react too quickly. Think before you do something that makes you look bad. Keep busy, avoid trouble and get your facts straight before sharing information. Avoid talking too much.

(March 21-April 19) Don't judge others or make a change without considering the consequences.

Formulate what you want to do and map out a course that helps you dodge controversy and interference.

DILBERT (April 20-May 20)

Keep your thoughts to yourself until you figure out what you want. Avoid taking on too much or letting someone talk you into shouldering added responsibilities. Be blunt about what you can do.

(May 21-June 20) A positive attitude will encourage a better outcome. Overreaction or a display of anger will dent your reputation.

Don't limit what you can learn by being close-minded. Focus on what's possible.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Listen, ask questions and verify facts.

Set high expectations, and take an energetic approach to achieve your goals and attain happiness. Don't let someone's uncertainty cloud your vision.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Experience is the best teacher. Dig in and try new things, participate in challenging exercises and test your intellect and skills. Personal gain is within reach.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Take a moment to assess a volatile situation. Emotions will flare up and ruin your day if you aren't willing to compromise or acknowledge what others want. Look for solutions to keep the peace.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Don't use force; use ingenuity. Think matters through to come up with alternatives. Don't worry about anyone who doesn't want to participate in your plan.

Romance is favored.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Stick close to home and do whatever it takes to use your space constructively.

Building a safe and convenient place to work, grow and excel will make it easier to reach your dreams.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Have a little fun, but don't ignore your responsibilities. Working toward a rewarding goal will encourage you to make prudent changes. Romance will improve your day and enhance your life.

LAST PUBLISHED WORD -- INFRINGES

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Dig in and do something that makes you feel good about yourself. Present your idea to the people you love and trust. Step away from those who ridicule you or belittle your aspirations.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Discipline will come in handy and help you terminate unhealthy situations. Revisit how you handle money, your lifestyle and love, and make changes that help you create a secure and stable future.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

P

akistan have relocated their home series against the West Indies from Rawalpindi to Multan. The

decision has been taken in light of political uncertainty in Islamabad - the country’s capital, which is adjacent to Rawalpindi.

The fixtures and schedule, however, remain unchanged, with the three ODIs, which are a part of the Cricket World Cup Super League, to be played on June 8, 10 and 12.

The games were originally slated for Rawalpindi, but the PCB had kept Multan as a backup option with former Prime Minister Imran Khan potentially planning protest rallies in the capital over the coming days. The original protest rally took place on May 25, but there remains a significant possibility of further such rallies taking place over the

coming days.

Multan remained the only viable option, with Lahore and Karachi’s pitches being relaid, and the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar undergoing renovation work.

Multan is situated in southern Punjab, and is among the hottest cities in the country, with temperatures in the high 40s expected on matchdays.

Pakistan has never hosted elite cricket at this time of year due to the summer heat, with nearly all high-level competitions, including domestic season, being played

during the winter and spring months between September and April.

During the summer months, the PCB has mostly held its training camps in the northern side of the country, mostly in Abbottabad, which is located in the hilly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and experiences relatively milder weather.

Last year, the PCB had made an attempt to host a women’s cricket camp in Multan, but had to call off the camp due to extreme heat.

The games will start at 4pm

21

in the afternoon to mitigate the weather conditions. Pakistan will carry out their training camp in Lahore from June 1-4, before the squad moves to Multan on June 5.

West Indies will arrive in Islamabad as planned on June 6, and will travel to Multan on a charter flight. The ODIs have been carried over from the series scheduled last December, when only the three T20Is took place, a COVID outbreak in the West Indies camp having forced the postponement of the ODIs. There will be no biosecure bubble for the series. (Cricinfo)

Football’s return to play in Guyana…

GFF pledges to increase M-FAP funding for members football,” Forde said.

“Through M-FAP, we are able to ensure the football community has everything

required to rapidly increase participation in the sport across all age groups for male and female players.”

NBA Finals…

T

The GFF Executive body (sitting) is flanked by RMA and Club representatives

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has signalled its intention to increase funding for its Members Financial Assistance Programme (M-FAP), in light of the 25 percent increase to the FIFA Forward 3.0 funding mechanism announced at the 2022 FIFA Congress in March.

The two areas that will likely receive more funding through M-FAP are competitions and infrastructure, in particular the maintenance and upgrading of football grounds. The M-FAP increase will be factored into the GFF’s 2023 budget and presented at an Extraordinary Congress later this year, alongside the result of the

recently announced revision to the GFF statutes, which is being conducted at the request and under the guidance of FIFA and Concacaf.

The GFF membership, meeting for its annual congress at the GFF National Training Centre in Providence last Saturday, also signed off on the GFF’s 2021 financial report, audited by Ram and McRae. The report will be shared with the Government of Guyana, and published on the GFF website.

“We are determined to increase the funding for our pioneering M-FAP programme,” said GFF President Wayne Forde. “This will mean more

financial resources, as well as technical and logistical support, for our members across Guyana, so that they can accelerate their efforts to stage competitions and improve playing conditions for all.

“The GFF is committed to good governance, transparency and accountability,” Forde continued. “We see the auditing, member approval and publication of our financial report as a key pillar in strengthening the image of sports governance in Guyana, and delivering on our mandate.”

The new FIFA Forward 3.0 Programme would see an increase of 25 percent in funding, giving FIFA member

associations – including the GFF – access to funding of around US$8 million over the four-year period from 2023, as long as specific criteria are met.

The GFF’s M-FAP system operates along similar lines, requiring strict criteria to be met for its members to receive full funding and support quotas.

The increase in M-FAP funding would enable a stronger focus on the maintenance and upgrade of football facilities across Guyana, as well as the staging of more youth and senior competitions for male and female football.

“We understand that our members need support to deliver this quantity of

Blake runs season’s best 10.05 for second at Ostrava Golden Spike event

Y

ohan Blake, 2011’s 100m World champion, ran a season’s best 10.05 to place second in the Men’s 100m event at the Ostrava Golden Spike, held at the Municipal Stadium in the Czech Republic on Tuesday.

The race was won by Great Britain’s Reece Prescod in a personal best time of 9.93, while fellow British teammate and former Kingston College sprinter Zharnel Hughes was third in the same time as Blake.

Jamaican Tokyo Olympic finalist Candice McLeod ran a season’s best 50.38 for second in the Women’s 400m event, behind Poland’s Natalia

Kaczmarek, who ran a personal best 50.16. Another Polish athlete, Anna Kielbasinska, was third in 50.38, equalling her own personal best.

Puerto Rican Olympic champion Jasmine CamachoQuinn sped to victory in 12.56 in the Women’s 100m hurdles, ahead of Poland’s

Pia Skrzyszwoska, who ran a personal best 12.65, and the USA’s Nia Ali, who ran 12.69.

It was a Caribbean 1-2 in the Men’s Javelin event, as Grenadian 2019 World Champion Anderson Peters continued his fine form this season with a throw of 87.88m to win ahead of Trinidadian 2012 Olympic Champion Keshorn Walcott (84.77m).

Germany’s Julian Weber was third with a throw of 83.92m.

Cuba’s Maykel Masso won the Men’s Long Jump event with a jump of 8.14m, ahead of the Czech Republic’s Radek Juska (8.11m) and France’s Augustin Bey (8.00m). (Sportsmax)

Warriors’ owner Joe Lacob ready for battle with Celtics ‘friends’ -“I want to kill them,” he says

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olden State Warriors’ owner Joe Lacob has nothing but a burning desire to win against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

Lacob used to have a minority stake in the Celtics, and was part of the ownership when Boston won the most recent of their 17 NBA championships back in 2008. He bought the Warriors in 2010, and under his ownership, the team has won three titles: in 2015, 2017 and 2018. But a victory this time around would mean even more to Lacob.

“Boston was very important, and those guys were very helpful.

They’re friends to this day. Not too close friends, though,” Lacob told reporters. “I want to kill them right now, I’m going to be honest.

I’m very competitive about this, and I’m sure they are, too. It’s going to be a battle on the court, and a little bit of a battle on the ownership level, too. We want to kill each other, and we want to win; both teams. And they should.”

Lacob looks back fondly on

his time co-owning the Celtics.

However, even if he is set on getting the better of Boston in the Finals.

He added: “It was very important, I think, to run any business in life -- actually, I think it doesn’t even need to be a business -- you just kind of need some experience, right? You need to be able to do some pattern matching. You need to see what works and what doesn’t work.

“In this case, it’s the same kind of thing. Boston was an experience for me, as a limited partner, to get to see how an NBA team (is run) upfront, in person, and real.

I got to know people like Danny Ainge, and Doc Rivers was the coach. I’ve got a ring from 2008, by the way, from the championship.

“Five years, I think it was; it was a tremendous experience with the basketball side and the business side. I learned some things I liked to do the way they did it, and things that maybe would be different.” (Sportsmax)

22

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cox eager to take on leadership of Golden Jaguars

…says Jaguars can do well at Nation’s League

G

olden Jaguars player Samuel Cox has adjusted to his role in the senior men’s national football team, and is ready to perform his role to the best of his ability in order to see the team achieve success.

Cox is a part of a 31-member Golden Jaguars team in Trinidad and Tobago preparing for the commencement of the CONCACAF Nations’ League this weekend. “It’s been brilliant for those local players who have had the opportunity to work back again with Jamaal Shabazz, whose been enthusiastic and shown his eagerness to improve the roster of players that we have locally,” Cox said while speaking about his return to the National team set-up.

The midfielder also discussed his seniority in the team and his eagerness to take up the leadership role.

Cox had this to say: “Being in the programme now for the last 7 years, I’ve seen the ups, I’ve seen the downs. I’d like to think that my experience now could have a positive effect on those younger players that are new to the programme.

“Some of those that are emerging young talents locally and overseas, hopefully I can guide and provide a voice that offers almost like a big brother-type of perspective. That’s where I see myself now, and still being able to do my bit on the grass,” he explained.

Cox has opined that he could also assist the local

team in the coaching department, given his recent stints abroad. “I think I could offer a voice with the coaching staff too. Any assistance I could be, trying to help the programme and these younger players and the existing older players, that’s my job as a captain,” he said.

“I’ve always seen myself as doing that,” he added.

Turning his attention to Guyana’s upcoming international fixtures for the Nation’s League, Cox readily admitted that Guyana’s opponents would be difficult to beat, but revealed a formula that could get the Golden Jaguars over the hurdle.

“I think we know the opposition that we’re up against.

Obviously, Montserrat have a lot of England-based play-

ers that play in the leagues over here. So, we know that’s going to be a tough challenge, almost like a hybrid of a Caribbean/ English type fixture,” he said.

“We know what Haiti possesses as well. Have a lot of players playing out in South America and in America. We’ve got three really tough opponents that we’re coming against. It’s just about preparing the boys mentally, making sure they can deal with the psychological demands; then its physical, tactical, technical demands as well,” he concluded his analysis.

After Guyana play their opening game this Saturday (June 4) in the Dominican Republic, the team would head home for two match-

Samuel Cox, captain of the Golden Jaguars

es at the Leonora Stadium on June 4, and 7, against Bermuda and Haiti respectively. For the fourth game,

the Golden Jags would return to the Dominican Republic to play Haiti again on June 14.

LGC opened for practice Football’s return to play in Guyana…

Melanie, Dynamic, despite rainy season GFC register wins in …AGM set for June 5 senior league matches

By Timothy Jaikarran

T

he rainy season is prevailing in Guyana, and like many other

the weather would affect the game of golf, the club also offers other games, such as table tennis, pools, and dominoes, which each play an

LGC Secretary, Chet Bowling

The LGC AGM is set for June 5, 2022

sporting disciplines, golf has been affected by this development.

However, while this is so, the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) is still open, and members can still go there to sharpen their skills as they await the end of the rainy season.

In an interview with this publication, LGC Secretary Chet Bowling was asked his view on the current season, and how it is affecting the activities of the club. His response is detailed below.

“Of course, we are all affected by the rainy season.

However, while there are no tournaments, members still get to play a few holes.

I was out there and was able to play. One thing is that, during this time, members use the down time to practice, as the greens are usually playable, and people usually practice their putting and chipping and (are) able to play a few holes."

Bowling related that, with two to three days of sunshine and the excellent work that has been done by the staff on the course, it is his belief that the course can be playable. He also mentioned that, while at times

important role in boosting camaraderie at the club.

Bowling also shared that, for the year 2022, there are some major plans on the club’s agenda. "We just have to hold out for the weather, but, you know, we have some major plans this year. We have our Annual General Meeting coming up

the rain would not affect us. So, we need to improve on the fairways and raise them up, and (undertake) other general developments that would better our chances during the rainy season," Bowling explained.

Pertaining to the sponsors, the LGC Secretary relayed that the club is extremely grateful to all those who have come on board during the past. He said there currently is one sponsor who is awaiting the end of the rainy season to sponsor a tournament. More importantly, Bowling has urged the sponsors to con-

A glimpse of the action between Fruta Conquerors and GFC

A

ction in several Regional Member Association (RMA) leagues heated up over the

Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams netted a brace

on June 5. Most of the committee would probably be re-elected. We are looking to do things this year differently, so we can have a longer playing season in which

tinue to stay on board, as great things are coming as the club works to fulfill its vision of transforming the LGC to world class standards.

weekend as their senior men’s leagues continued to take shape.

At the Buxton ground on the East Coast of Demerara, the East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) staged four matches in their Stagsponsored league. In the first game of the evening, Melanie FC demolished Haslington All Stars 4-0.

Shaquan Thomas registered Melanie’s first goal in the 9th minute, and Colin Henriques followed suit in

the 16th, to make it a 2-0 game at the half. In the second segment, Samuel Cockfield’s goal came in the 51st minute, and Teshawn Gordon’s came in the 62nd minute for the 4-0 victory.

The second match of the evening was eventually postponed because of a power outage, but on Sunday night at this same ground, home team Buxton United and Ann’s Grove played to a drawn game.

Kemi Edwards opened the scoring with a second-minute goal for Ann’s Grove, and it was not until the 30th minute that Buxton United was able to reply.

The game’s second half went by goalless, and at the end of full time the score was 1-1.

In the second game, Dynamic FC was able to keep Victoria Kings at bay with a brace from veteran player Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams, who netted in the 75th and 79th minutes for the Dynamic win.

Meanwhile, at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground on Sunday

night, Santos and Order and Discipline missed out on the opportunity to oppose one another.

However, home team GFC spurred a come-frombehind effort to upset Fruta Conquerors.

Fruta’s Jerome Harrigan registered the first goal of the game by way of a header after a set piece. The Tucville-based Conquerors maintained their lead up until the second segment, where Calvin Shepherd found the equalizer for GFC in the 46th.

With the game tied, Alberto De Santos became the saviour for the GFC when he netted the winning goal in the 80th minute.

CLASSIFIED ADS HOUSE FOR SALE Fully concrete Top and Bottom, 24 x 42 - + 8 FT Extention, 4 12x12 Rooms, $30 Million neg. Contact: 692-7305 or +1 646 972 9267.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

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WI vs Netherlands…

23

Hope steers West Indies to emphatic win in rain-marred series-opener in the 21st gave O'Dowd a chance to break the shackles, however, and he didn't miss out, pulling hard through midwicket for four to bring up the hundred.

Musa couldn't get going however, and a second attempted sweep off Hosein sneaked under the bat and into the pad in front of leg, and he knew better than to review.

After an unusually restrained 39, O'Dowd's concentration failed him in

Debutant Teja Nidamanuru top-scored with an unbeaten halfcentury that helped Netherlands to post 240/7

A

near-chanceless century from Shai Hope at the top of the order saw the West Indies notch a comfortable win over the Netherlands in a rain-affected series opener in Amstelveen.

Set a target of 247 in 45 overs by their hosts, after a Duckworth-Lewis-Stern adjustment following a protracted rain delay in the first innings, Hope put on a century-stand with Shamarh Brooks for the opening wicket, to lay the foundation of the chase; and despite a flurry of wickets mid-innings, Hope and Brandon King romped home with eleven balls to spare.

A promising opening stand between Max O'Dowd and the teenaged Vikram Singh, followed by a brisk half-century on debut from Teja Nidamunuru after the rain, was not enough to lift

Hope and King shook hands with the Netherlands players after they had closed out the game in style

Vikramjit Singh scored 47 at the top of the order

range after the first few overs, imposing himself on the match with an effortless pick-up six over backward square off Anderson Phillip in the ninth. It sailed over the VIP stand and into the trees of the Amsterdamse Bos. Three balls later, a near carbon copy shot that sailed over the press tent brought the sparse home crowd to their feet, and despite the absence of much of their

the 27th over, and he played around a fuller ball from Walsh that drifted on and in through the gate, and went on with the arm into the stumps.

The Windies’ fightback continued as, 13 balls later, Mayers had de Leede chasing a wide one outside off and nicking through to Hope. That wicket caused the hosts to slide from 1021 to 138-4 in the space of

Joseph, but failing to clear Phillip at long on.

Nidamanuru pressed on with van Beek however, taking the Dutch past 200 by pulling Mayers hard and flat toward the square boundary, where Bonner had drifted in too far and could only palm it over the

Brandon King played a handy knock of 58

Shamarh Brooks contributed 62

the hosts to a score that could challenge the tourists.

Hope batted through despite the quick loss of three partners midway through the chase, and was joined by Brandon King to close out the win at a canter.

Having being asked to bat first after losing what looked both at the time and in hindsight to be a crucial toss, Singh and O'Dowd nonetheless got the hosts off to a good start, weathering a hostile new ball spell from Alzarri Joseph, which gave both the Dutch openers plenty to think about on a deck that did a fair bit early on.

But O'Dowd and Singh bided their time, and Singh especially began to find his

first-choice side, the home fans began to liven up.

The first real chance came in the tenth over, after Pooran had switched to spin. O'Dowd turned Hosein to leg, and was slow to take the cue to run from Singh, but the throw was also poor to punish him as they took a stuttering single.

Singh, however, fell three runs short of his half-century, being trapped LBW on review as he looked to brush Hosein to leg off the pads.

That wicket, the spread field, and slow-bowling combo of Hosein and Hayden Walsh combined to put the brakes on O'Dowd and Musa Ahmad as they struggled to pierce the infield.

A drag-down from Walsh

eight overs. The first of the rain showers that had been threatening the ground hit shortly after, and brief though it was, another couple of showers coming in behind kept them off for almost two hours.

The rain interruption seemingly broke Edwards's focus, and he shuffled across to Phillip looking to glance to leg, and was pinned LBW shortly after the resumption.

Nidamanuru and Seelaar played some attractive shots, but too often found fielders as the hosts struggled to accelerate into the death. Seelaar fell in the 40th over trying to force the pace by stepping down to

rope for six. Joseph proved hard to get a hold of at the death though, the 42nd and 44th going for just 11 runs in total.

Nidamanuru continued to punish Mayers in the last over, bringing up his half century with a steepling six over the on side, where deep midwicket took a flying catch on his way over the rope but couldn't get it back in. Next ball and again a half-chance was spilled over the rope on the square boundary, and though Logan van Beek was bowled by a slower ball two balls later, Nidamanuru's late hitting was enough to give the Dutch something to bowl at. Though finishing on 240-7, with DLS adding just seven runs to the total, the hosts needed early wickets to have a hope of holding off the Windies.

But after the turnover, neither Logan van Beek nor Vivian Kingma could get the new ball swinging, and Shai Hope and Shamarh Brooks rode out the opening salvo before Brooks got stuck into Kingma in the last over of the powerplay, twice whipping full balls off his toes all the way into the stands behind square leg to bring up the fifty for the tourists.

Seelaar brought himself into the attack in hopes of breaking the stand, but was

left frustrated after finally breaching Brooks's defences with the last ball before drinks and clipping the off bail, only for the obstinate piece of woodwork to settle back in the groove.

Hope and Brooks carried on where they left off, as Seelaar turned to spin at both ends to no avail.

Aryan Dutt's first ball was slammed back straight over the sightscreen and out of the park by Hope. the latter bringing up his fifty by cutting Seelaar away to the deep in the 20th over, before Kingma was brought back, only to be pulled around the corner first ball as Hope also went to fifty while the hosts were rapidly running out of ideas.

The breakthrough came like a bolt from the blue, short from van Beek on the third ball of the 24th, and Hope flat-batting it back past him, only it never made it past, as a reflex return catch sent him back for sixty.

First ball to number three, Nkrumah Bonner, was full and on the money and dead in front. And Pooran survived an LBW appeal as he missed a sweep aimed at Dutt, but overturned on review. But, two balls later, he was comprehensively castled going back in the crease and missing a mow across the line.

That was the last joy for the hosts, however, as Brandon King, coming to

Shai Hope remained unbeaten on 119

the crease at 133-3, did not leave until the job was done.

Hope brought up his 11th ODI century by just stoking Seelaar through the covers for a single off the third ball of the 37th, by which time the West Indies were closing in on 200. The pair brought up the Windies' second century stand as hope deposited Bas de Leede over midwicket and into the stands again, and King brought up his fifty in the same over, working de Leede along the ground in the same direction to notch his half century from just 45 balls.

King finished unbeaten on 58* from 54 balls, but it fell to Hope to deliver the coup de grace, albeit an uncharacteristically uncontrolled one, edging Ryan Klein through the vacant cordon for four on the first ball of the 44th to see his side to a seven-wicket victory.

The two sides will meet again on Thursday for the second ODI in the threematch series, with the tourists looking to bag another crucial 10 CWC Super League points and seal the series win early, while the hosts would be hoping to set up a decider on Saturday.

(Cricbuzz)

SCOREBOARD NETHERLANDS INNINGS (45 overs maximum) Vikramjit Singh lbw b Hosein 47 Max O'Dowd b Walsh 39 Musa Ahmed lbw b Hosein 13 Bas de Leede c †Hope b Mayers 17 Scott Edwards † lbw b Phillip 13 Teja Nidamanuru not out 58 Pieter Seelaar (c)c Phillip b Joseph 14 Logan van Beek b Mayers 11 Ryan Klein not out 2 Extras (b 4, lb 8, w 14) 26 TOTAL 45 Ov (RR: 5.33) 240/7 Did not bat: Aryan Dutt, Vivian Kingma Fall of wickets: 1-63 (Vikramjit Singh, 11.6 ov), 2-102 (Musa Ahmed, 21.3 ov), 3-124 (Max O'Dowd, 26.5 ov), 4-138 (Bas de Leede, 29.1 ov), 5-155 (Scott Edwards, 33.6 ov), 6-183 (Pieter Seelaar, 39.2 ov), 7-238 (Logan van Beek, 44.5 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Alzarri Joseph 9-0-36-1 Anderson Phillip 9-0-66-1 Kyle Mayers 9-1-50-2

Akeal Hosein 9-0-29-2 Hayden Walsh 9-0-47-1 WEST INDIES INNINGS (Target: 247 runs from 45 overs) Shai Hope †not out 119 Shamarh Brooks c & b van Beek 60 Nkrumah Bonner lbw b van Beek 0 Nicholas Pooran (c)b Dutt 7 Brandon King not out 58 Extras (lb 1, nb 1, w 3) 5 TOTAL 43.1 Ov (RR: 5.76) 249/3 Did not bat: Keacy Carty, Kyle Mayers, Alzarri Joseph, Anderson Phillip, Hayden Walsh, Akeal Hosein Fall of wickets: 1-120 (Shamarh Brooks, 23.3 ov), 2-120 (Nkrumah Bonner, 23.4 ov), 3-133 (Nicholas Pooran, 26.3 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Logan van Beek 8-1-49-2 Vivian Kingma 7-0-47-0 Ryan Klein 7.1-0-38-0 Pieter Seelaar 9-0-36-0 Aryan Dutt 8-0-46-1 Bas de Leede 4-0-32-0

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

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

WI vs Netherlands…

Hope steers West Indies to emphatic win in rainmarred seriesopener Pg 23

Pg 22

…says Jaguars can do well at Nation’s League

T

eam Mohamed’s, through its principal, Azruddin Mohamed, has boosted the Guyana Chess Federation’s (GCF’s) efforts to send a team to this year’s 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India.

This was done on Tuesday afternoon through a monetary donation of an undisclosed sum of cash.

The FIDE Olympiad is currently scheduled to run from July 28th to August 10th, 2022. At the Olympiad, Guyana’s 12-member team, which is expected to be announced by the Federation in the coming week, would be coming up against some of the brightest chess minds from around the globe.

According to a statement from team Mohamed’s, “Part of the donation made

by Mr Mohamed will be used to offset expenses for a fund-raising dinner that will be held in July. The proceeds from that event will go toward airfare, hotel accommodations, and ground

travels for the team members”.

President of the Guyana Chess Association, Frankie Farley, has expressed gratitude to Mr. Mohamed for the timely donation, while stating that it would go a long way in affording Guyana’s team the opportunity to participate in the Chess Olympiad.

According to the GCF, last weekend’s National Championships was the final qualifying event that would assist the Federation in determining who would comprise the Guyanese Chess team. The pointsbased selection system would include results from the already concluded Grand Prix tournaments.

Given that Wendell Meusa and 14-year-old Pooja Lam have secured the National Men’s and Women’s Champion titles respectively, these two are likely to headline Guyana’s team for the international event in July.

Azruddin Mohamed presenting the sponsorship cheque to GCF President, Frankie Farley

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