Guyana Times -- Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Govt, UNICEF embark on US$18.3M 5-year plan for children P21

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

Issue No. 4936

THE BEACON OF TRUTH WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

Pres Ali's initiative on regional agricultural agenda boosted

by US$110M financing See story on page 3

PRICE

$100 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

SOCU Head P19 sues Paul Slowe for $70M over defamation claims

APNU/AFC P20 to submit nominees for NRF Board – PNC Leader Fmr Prison P12 Officer slapped with life sentence for killing wife President Dr Irfaan Ali along with other regional leaders at the 33rd Inter-Sessional Meeting of Caricom Heads of Government which is being held in Ambergris Caye, Belize

Guyana off to a good start with spending of oil funds on development – Deakin Page 9

...recommends gradual transition from spending to saving oil revenue

GECOM to kickstart continuous registration on March 7 – former CCJ Judicial Counsel Page 7

appointed as GECOM Legal Officer

Guyana deplores threat or use of force in int’l relations Page 11

– Rodrigues-Birkett tells UN General Assembly

Duo to stand High Court trial for murder of Henry cousins

Page 16

Police hunt 2 suspects in cop’s disappearance P18

Pedestrian involved in Agricola fatal accident P13 identified as mother of 4 ExxonMobil tests spill response readiness P15

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Wednesday, Mar 2 – No closure and Thursday, Mar 3 – 03:30h – 05:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, Mar 2 – 16:20h – 17:50h and Thursday, Mar 3 – 17:05h – 18:35h.

Pres Ali’s initiative on regional agricultural agenda boosted by US$110M financing

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be light cloud during the day. Expect partly cloudy skies and light rain at night.

Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Caricom Chair and Belize Prime Minister John Briceño

Winds: Northerly to North North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 16:46h reaching a maximum height of 2.74 metres.

Low Tide: 10:19h and 22:42h reaching minimum heights of 0.57 metre and 0.48 metre.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022

LOTTERY NUMBERS L

01 04 19

FREE TICKET

22 24 25

28 Bonus Ball

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022

DAILY MILLIONS

08 11 13 15 25 LUCKY 3

7

1

3

0

Afternoon Draw

1

8

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

01 08 09 15 19 20 21 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022

02 07 09 13 16 13

06 07 12 17 21

1

3 Afternoon Draw

FP Afternoon Draw

6

0 Evening Draw

2X Evening Draw

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$104.97/barrel

+7.14

Rough Rice

$289.53/ton

-0.11

London Sugar

$507.20/ton

0.00

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1935.10

$1936.10

Low/High Change

$1904.50 -11.20

$1951.30 -0.52%

President Dr Irfaan Ali having a light moment with other regional leaders

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali has announced a whopping US$110 million financing to Caricom States with the aim of reducing food imports by 25 per cent by 2025.

The Guyanese Head of State is presently attending the 33rd InterSessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom in Belize. On Tuesday, he announced funding for up to five years for repaying up to GY$2 billion to Guyana and US$100 million to all Caricom Member States, with interest rates as low as 2.5 per cent.

Republic Bank Limited was named the lender agency through a facility called the Caricom Sustainability Agriculture Credit Facility (the “Credit Facility”).

This is a special facility designed for agriculture activities including, but not limited to, development of priority crops, capital equipment for farming, feeder roads to provide access to arable lands, bulk storage for crops, processing plants, shade house farming.

Further, President Ali made a detailed presentation on each country’s report of current and target commodities while outlining both constraints and actions needed.

At the same time, he highlighted that coffee, cocoa, coconut, spices, hemp (industrial) and palm oil are high-value commodities imported into Caricom with potential for development in the region.

He added that production is expected to increase between 25 per cent to 70 per cent to be able to significantly reduce food imports by 2025.

To achieve this, national expenditure on agriculture must be increased. On average Caricom Member States expend an estimated 2.1 per cent of national expenditure on agriculture.

However, President Ali implored that a significant increase is required

of about 5 per cent expenditure in agriculture by 2025 by each Member State. Guyana is committed to expanding 10 per cent of the national budget to agriculture by 2025.

President Ali also highlighted the global developments and their implication on the agricultural sector in the region.

Given the critical need for improved connectivity to foster the easy movement of cargo, President Ali also spoke to the issue of “Improving Caricom Food Security through Enhanced Maritime Transport”.

Guyana currently chairs the Caricom Special Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security, through Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha. As such, Guyana has been spearheading efforts to slash Caricom’s US$5 billion food importation bill.

Last year, President

Ali had declared that his Government would be pursuing an aggressive campaign to dismantle regional barriers to agricultural trade and that in the next four years, with the assistance of more diversified crops, Guyana would aim to reduce Caricom’s food import bill by 25 per cent.

“Personally, I look forward to the discussions concerning food security and production systems.

As you know, Guyana is leading on this issue and we will be presenting a paper. And that paper will not only highlight the potential and prospects for Guyana, but is an analytical paper that was done for the entire region,” Ali related in an interview on Monday.

According to President Ali, this policy paper will not only address issues of production and agriculture, but also the constraints hampering the increase in productivity and the need for financial support and crop insurance.

The President also said he is looking forward to robust discussions on trade

barriers within the region, at the end of which he is hoping a time table will be developed. This, Ali said, will hold all regional leaders accountable to a deadline by which such trade barriers can be eliminated.

“We cannot increase production and still have barriers to trade. The two complement each other, so I’m looking forward to a very robust discussion in this area also. The issue of regional security, transportation and logistical systems is also critical for us,” he said.

President Ali also emphasised the importance of upcoming discussions on the Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME).

He is hopeful that the leaders can come up with actionable plans to address aspects of CSME, which they can commit to.

After this announcement, President Dr Irfaan Ali was the recipient of high praise from Belize Prime Minister John Briceño over the way he has led the charge on sustainable regional agriculture.

TURN TO PAGE 7

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guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 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

Ash Wednesday

O

n Monday, the Hindu community commemorated the festival of Maha Shivratri; today, the Christian community will be observing Ash Wednesday – the first day of Lent, a 40-day period of reflection and fasting leading up to Easter. This is another reminder that Guyana is a multireligious society.

During his address at Guyana’s 52nd Republic Anniversary on February 23, President Dr Irfaan Ali said: “while we are a multicultural and multireligious society, there are some common values in our belief system that we must inculcate if we are to build a stronger Guyana that will bring prosperity for all. We must celebrate each other’s accomplishments. We must be open and transparent in the way we relate to each other. We cannot love God and hate each other. We cannot love Guyana or be part of the “One Guyana” family by sowing seeds of division and divisiveness. We must value education, health, justice, freedom, equality, and respect by ensuring equitable access, fairness, and investment that will allow all our people to benefit and our love for each other must be built on a foundation of respect, real decency, and dignity.”

Today, the Christian community starts a period of cleansing the soul and body as Lent begins, as Ash Wednesday is considered an important part of repentance, renewing commitment to their faith.

Ash Wednesday, as stated above for the Christian community, marks the commencement of the 40 days’ Lenten season – a period of introspection and repentance.

The Lenten season also serves as a time for service to humanity through acts of selflessness. The 40 days of Lent do not include the Sundays, because for Christians, every Sunday is a resurrection of Jesus.

This year, Ash Wednesday is today, but amid a pandemic, the observance is going to be more tapered as was the case last year.

Ash Wednesday is a time when Christians prepare themselves for penance. In the Old Testament, Ash Wednesday is the commencement of Christians’ penance and a period to turn away from sins. Anglican Priest Reverend Fr Monsell Alves in explaining this to <<<Guyana Times>>> had said: “The visible sign of repentance is the ashes. So when someone sees you crossed with ashes, it’s supposed to speak to them in two ways – I need repentance and it is a public expression of that person’s Christian faith. When you repent, you once again come into a relationship to believe in God, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Every Friday during the Lenten season, there is a Lenten devotion called Stations of the Cross – chronicling Jesus’ journey from trial to crucifixion.

Stations of the Cross is a series of 14 images depicting the events outlining Christ’s journey to the cross. The first of the 14 Stations of the Cross is: Condemnation of Jesus Christ to death. It is followed by Jesus Bearing the cross; The First Fall – Jesus falls the first time under the cross; His Mother – Jesus meets his blessed mother; Simon of Cyrene – the cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene; Veronica – the face of Jesus is wiped by St Veronica; The Second Fall – Jesus falls the second time; Daughters Of Jerusalem – the women of Jerusalem mourn for our Lord; The Third Fall – Jesus falls for the third time; Stripped – Jesus is stripped of his garments; Nailed – Jesus is nailed to the cross; Crucified – Jesus dies on the cross; Dead – the body of Jesus is taken down from the cross, and Buried – the body of Jesus is laid in the tomb.

The images are usually mounted on the inside walls of a church, but they are not confined to the building.

The exercise of visiting and praying at each of the stations stems from the early practice of Christian pilgrims. It is believed that the pilgrims visited the scenes of the events that happened in Jerusalem on the first Good Friday and took the same route as Jesus did on that fateful day.

Today as priests administer the ashes, the following words will be said: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”, signalling to people that they should start their period of fasting and introspection.

First Lady Arya Ali receiving a donation of 15 commercial bins and a quantity of garbage bags from Bpi Guyana Inc Consumer Products for the National Beautification Project. The First Lady’s office said on Tuesday that these will be used at Kingston Seawall, Georgetown to help to better manage solid waste disposal in the area (Office of the First Lady photo)

The Enmore Packaging Plant and industrial development on the ECD corridor

Dear Editor, Reference is made to several news articles in the press recently on the captioned subject, where it was reported that the Government is scrapping the Enmore Packaging Facility to facilitate an industrial development project by GKB. From examining these articles, it would appear that the media houses that carried these articles did not care to clarify with the authorities whether indeed the Enmore Packaging Plant will be scrapped to accommodate this Private Sector expansion project or will be relocated.

If one were to peruse the budget speech 2022, it was reported by the Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance that the Government is indeed expanding GuySuCo’s packaging capability at Albion and Blairmont.

Nowhere in any Government report or officials’ statement, or even the private entity’s statement to the press suggest that the packaging facility will be scrapped. One who is familiar with packaging plants would know that it is essentially a warehouse with a set of machinery–which can easily be relocated to another site. This could very well be the case with the Enmore packaging facility where the machinery of the packaging facility will be relocated to one of those locations previously mentioned

and the new investment that will be made will expand the packaging capacity at those locations.

It also makes sense as well to relocate the packaging facility if the intention is to consolidate the operations and to leverage economies of scale and scope through investment to expand the productive capacity. It also makes economic and financial sense to lease and/or sell the remaining assets at Enmore which will not only generate revenue for the State through the lease and or sale of the land, but also in the form of taxes, VAT, PAYE, and corporate taxes.

According to the CEO of GKB, Faizal Khan, the total estimated investment is some US$60 million or GY$13 billion. The multiplier effect of this investment over the first five years following the development phase of the project can be as much as three times, conservatively. That’s about $39 billion taking into account both the direct and indirect impact. These include direct employment of an estimated 500 persons, taxes paid for the employees and the company, the indirect employment created through the value chain – that is the procurement of goods and services that would be required in the entity’s operations. Altogether, this is a positive development both on a macro and micro level for the economy.

While some commentators

and media houses seem to be carried away with what would happen with the packaging facility attached to the sugar estate; and without verifying from the authorities, it seems as though there is a concerted effort to propagate all sorts of falsehoods and to paint an adverse picture about the Administration’s management of the sugar industry.

It should be noted that under the previous Administration in 2015, a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) headed by Dr Clive Thomas was launched, which cost taxpayers GY$50 million. In that CoI report, it never recommended the closure of any of the estate. In fact, it was recommended that further studies should be conducted including strategic options analysis. Several other recommendations were made, none of which were adopted by the Government at the time.

Hence, the economic catastrophe that was created with that egregious political decision then led to the compounded deterioration and destruction of the industry, putting thousands of persons out of a job and hundreds of businesses suffered great losses in revenue, non-performing loans in the banking sector increased significantly as a result of the income loss by many businesses and households, who couldn’t service their mortgages and other loan facilities.

The current Administration campaigned on reopening the sugar industry, largely to put back people to work and resuscitate the village economies that those sugar estates once sustained for years. Despite this, important to note is that one has to be practical wherein it would be difficult to resuscitate all of the estates given the abrupt closure where those estates were down for more than three years. For example, the Wales Sugar Estate is beyond re-operationalising.

For this reason, the Government is converting the Wales estate into the Wales Development Authority, an industrial zone where the gas-to-energy project will be located. In view of this, the Administration understands the importance of engaging the Private Sector to invest in these estates – not necessarily to produce sugar but in any other venture that will create employment and indirect opportunities in the supply chain and value chain of these communities, and the wider economy.

In other words, the Government is doing the right thing to find strategic alternative investments in partnership with the Private Sector for the reasons stated above.

Yours faithfully, JC Bhagwandin Financial Analyst

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

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News

Kwakwani Hospital gets new off-road ambulance C hief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), Rudolph Small on Monday handed over the keys of a fully equipped off-road ambulance to Andrea Logan, steward of the Kwakwani Hospital.

Small thanked the Government of Guyana for its timely provision of the ambulance to be used specifically in the Upper Berbice district.

“I am very grateful to the Government for ac-

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) Rudolph Small hands over the keys to the ambulance to Andrea Logan

ceding to our request for a new ambulance that would benefit the people of Kwakwani and the people in the riverine communities in the Berbice River.”

Small posited that the community has strong and united political lobbyists and with their efforts and heightened demand for better healthcare provisions for the residents of Kwakwani and its outlying communities, it is guaranteed that Kwakwani Hospital will be amongst the best healthcare insti-

tutions in Guyana.

“Mr Archer and his colleagues who are part of the steering committee at the hospital have been very instrumental in lobbying for a new ambulance for the community,” Small stated.

Archer and colleagues began lobbying for a new ambulance approximately one year ago and he is grateful that the Government has listened to their plea, through the office of the CEO. The community has been without a function-

al ambulance for about a year.

Meanwhile, Small related that requests for a second ambulance would be taken into consideration based on the need and the patient load required to be transported.

Small urged the drivers at the Kwakwani Hospital to take “good care” of the ambulance so that the institution can continue to provide exceptional healthcare services.

The final call still lies with the Govt of the day Dear Editor, Some people in Guyana can change their views and opinions by the blink of an eye. I have been following the opinion of a former Assistant Commissioner of Police who was also a member of the Police Service Commission under President Granger’s Administration.

Mr Clinton Conway is making the case that Deputy Commissioner Paul Williams is the obvious candidate to be the Commissioner of Police after Commissioner Mr Nigel Hoppie demits office at the end of March,

2022. I am not the right person to comment on the competence of Mr Paul Williams; but I have a simple question to ask the former member of the Police Service Commission, “Why was Mr Paul Williams, with all the qualifications and experience he has, not given the Top Cop job before Commissioner Mr Leslie James?”.

My understanding is that Mr Paul Williams was the most decorated and front-runner from the list of candidates for the Top Cop job; but because of two incidents that involved the killing of six

suspected bandits, he was denied the appointment of Commissioner of Police.

At that time, he was in charge of Operations. The Police Service Commission Board Members were instructed by the then "pow-

ers of the land" to appoint the number two candidate for the job of Commissioner of Police. I am sure that the Guyanese public would like to be informed in the most credible and honest way of events surrounding

that situation.

When Mr Leslie James was appointed Commissioner of Police, he was flabbergasted, it was an unbelievable moment for him, while Mr Paul Williams was sur-

prised and dejected at the announcement. Life is full of surprises; the final call still lies with the Government of the day.

Yours truly, Nazar Mohamed

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

Page

Foundation ◄

Profit and Loss Profit and loss depends on the cost price and selling price of an article.

Suppose, if a person buys an article for $70 and sells it for $100.

The cost price (CP) of an article is the price at which the article is bought = $70 The selling price (SP) of an article is the price at which the article is sold = $100 Since, the selling price of the article is more than its cost price; it is sold at a profit and, profit (gain) = $100 - $70 = $30 Thus, profit (gain) = selling price – cost price

ie profit (gain) = SP - CP Similarly, if a person buys an article for $100 and sells it for $90; The cost price of the article = $100 and its selling price = $90 Since, the selling price of the article is less than the cost price; it is sold at a loss. and, loss = $100 - $90 = $10 Thus, loss = cost price - selling price i.e. loss = CP - SP

Note: SP is the short form for selling price and CP is the short form for cost price.

1. A man bought an article for $10.50 and sold it for $12. Did he make a profit or a loss? In what amount?

2. A boy bought a second hand bicycle for $570. After one year he sold it for $350.

Did he make a profit or a loss? In what amount?

Calculate 20% 0.54 8.2

Tuesday’s answers 2)

I

n this cool science experiment, we’re going to make easy invisible ink. Creating invisible ink is a lot of fun and you can even pretend to be a secret undercover agent and keep all of your secret codes and messages concealed from other people. You simply need some general household items to create and enjoy easy invisible ink.

Materials:

Lamp or flashlight Water Blank white paper Spoon Cotton ball Bowl A lemon or a bottle of real lemon juice

Instructions:

Exercises:

1) a) b) c)

By George Noel

Perimeter = 36cm and area = 52cm

Squish and squeeze some lemon juice into the bowl and include a few drops of water.

Stir the water and lemon juice using the spoon.

Dip the cotton ball into your solution and then use the cotton ball to create a secret message on the blank white paper.

Allow the lemon juice and water solution to dry completely.

When you’re ready to reveal your secret message, warm up the paper by positioning it near a light bulb or holding the beam from a flashlight onto the area where the secret message was written.

Observe what happens.

How it works:

3) One inch is equivalent to 2.54 centimetres.

5 metres = 196.85 inches 508 inches = 1290.32cm 4) Calculate a) 12.25 + 71.58 = 83.83 b) 1.90 + 33.60 = 35.50 c) 0.33 + 19.67 = 20

5) K’ ∩ L’ = {6, 10, 18} L – K’ = {} L – K = {1, 5, 11} K = { 3, 4, 14, 16, 17, 20}

Lemon juice contains carbon compounds which are invisible at room temperature. The heat from the light source breaks down the compounds and releases the carbon. Once the carbon interacts with air, it oxidises and turns brown, revealing your secret message.

Make this a science project:

Try different types of citrus fruits and fruit juices. Try different types and colours of paper.

Try UV light. Try vinegar. (sciencefun.org)

Chorus: Guyana! I want to serve my country!

Guyana! Beautiful, happy and free!

Guyana! Let's co-operate with our Government To help develop Guyana the Free Together, my comrades, we will build our new GuyanaA country where all have equal opportunity.

So let us begin now to show loyalty to Guyana By showing love and respect for all Guyanese.

My brothers! My Sisters! We will live and die here together Our motto: One People One Nation - One Destiny For harmonious living cooperation will be forever In work and play as we live as proud Guyanese.

Chorus: Well it's time we settle all the rich lands in the interiorOur natural resources are there in great quantityAnd we will do farming and establish towns by the border, We'll grow more food so we would feed all Guyanese.

My greatest desire is to serve my country, Guyana, And sincerely help my Guyana to move along.

Our Government asks us that we study hard and we learn The things that will help Guyana to become strong.

“With the realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world” – Dalai Lama

WORD SEARCH

7 GECOM to kick-start continuous registration on March 7 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– former CCJ Judicial Counsel appointed as GECOM Legal Officer

T

he Guyana Elections C o m m i s s i o n (GECOM) has settled on March 7, 2022, to kick off Continuous Registration, a necessary process for updating the List of Electors and paving the way for the holding of Local Government Elections (LGE).

GECOM made the announcement on Tuesday, noting that the cycle of Continuous Registration will start on March 7 at all of GECOM’s Permanent Offices across the country. GECOM has 28 permanent Registration Offices located in all of the ten administrative regions.

Last week, this publi-

cation had reported that GECOM had issued instructions to Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud, to commence preparations for Continuous Registration, an important step towards the holding of LGE. It is also understood that GECOM is looking to have an updated voters’ list in place by October, in order for the LGE to be held. The last time GECOM conducted Continuous Registration was in 2019, in preparation for the March 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Over $750 million has been set aside in Budget 2022 for the preparations to be undertaken by GECOM for the hosting of LGE this year. This money is part of an overall $4.1 billion allocation to GECOM in Budget 2022 and was examined and approved by the National Assembly during its consideration of the 2022 Budget Estimates.

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

LGE are constitution-

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

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

GECOM’s new Legal Officer, Attorney-at-Law Kurt Anthony Da Silva

Legal Officer

GECOM has also made progress when it comes to filling the important vacancy of Legal Officer. At its statutory meeting on Tuesday, it was decided that Attorneyat-Law Kurt Anthony Da Silva would be appointed as the Legal Officer.

According to GECOM in a statement, Da Silva holds a Master of Laws Degree in Public Law from the University of the West Indies (UWI). After being called to the Guyana Bar, he served as the Judicial Research Assistant for acting Chief Justice Roxane George and other High Court Judges from 2017 to 2019.

“He then moved onto the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in 2019 where he currently serves the President and Judges at the CCJ as a Judicial Counsel,” GECOM explained in its statement on Da Silva’s appointment.

“In this regard, based on his experience in both the Caribbean Court of Justice and Guyana’s High Court of researching legal issues, analysing submissions in cases from attorneys-at-law, writing legal

Staff of GECOM during a House-to-House Registration exercise

opinions for Judges and his knowledge of the new rules of procedure and the electoral laws, the Commission appointed Mr Da Silva as the Legal Officer.”

Prior to Da Silva’s appointment, Attorney-atLaw Excellence Dazzell served as GECOM’s Legal Officer. It was announced in June 2021 that she, along

with then Chief Accountant Joseph Eastman, had resigned over contractual issues. GECOM is presently advertising for a new Chief Accountant.

Pres Ali’s initiative on regional...

FROM PAGE 3

Briceño is the new Chairman of Caricom. In his opening remarks at the inter-sessional meeting, which is being held in Ambergris Caye, Belize, Briceño noted that there has been substantial progress on regional agricultural issues under President Ali’s leadership.

“I must commend his Excellency Irfaan Ali, the President of Guyana, for his leadership and personal commitment to transforming the regional agri-food system,” Briceño informed the regional leaders gathered.

“The Special Ministerial Task Force

on Food Production and Food Security has already made substantial progress to identify priorities, commodities, levels of investment required and policy reforms needed against a timeline,” he added.

Region of peace

On the issue of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he noted that Caricom is steadfast in its condemnation of the conflict. While Caricom and Guyana have already issued statements, the President noted that further discussions are likely to feature on the Heads of Government meeting agenda.

“I want to send a message and I’m sure Caricom will also be sending a strong message, that this is a region of peace! Caricom is a region of peace. And we must work to ensuring that it remains a region of peace,” he said, adding that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations is expected to also be discussed.

The Guyanese Head of State is joined by the Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd, Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud and other Government officials.

8

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

War moves…

Y

…in Europe our Eyewitness wondered what he’d be writing about today as he scoured the dailies and the online newsfeeds – like he does every day. It was news about THE war, war, and more war!! If one thing was clear after a week of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it’s the difference between war in Europe and one in “other places”. You ask, “What other wars?” Dear Readers? And that’s the point, ain’t it? Just in the last three decades – since, say, we had our “free and fair elections – in the Middle East alone, haven’t we had a war in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Syria, in Lebanon?

But the difference, of course, is our TV screens and now our smartphones weren’t flooded 24/7 with graphic images of the carnage and bloodshed!

That there’s an invasion in Europe makes a difference, doesn’t it? Is it because there are more news agencies in Europe? Reporters? Smartphones? Or is it because European lives are more important or because Europe is more important? Does it make a difference? The bottom line is no one’s protesting this overload in information about the European war even though the casualties – measured in deaths, casualties, or refugees – don’t stack up to a typical day’s engagement in Syria!! European lives matter!!

Well, if you can’t beat ‘em you might as well join ‘em.

So, your Eyewitness’s gonna be writing again about “the war”. There was some hope on Monday that after the two sides parleyed on Monday there might be a ceasefire. That was a hope that was bound to be dashed from where your Eyewitness stands. While everybody’s been looking at the strategic angle – Russia looking for “strategic depth” in the West and such like – they’ve ignored the most critical variable: Russian national pride!!

Your Eyewitness has never taken lightly Putin’s assertion - in that long essay he wrote last year – that Ukraine was an integral part of the “Russian nation”. People in the West don’t appreciate enough the importance of “nation” – in the sense of “being a people” –- to folks who’ve been kept in the shade for centuries as “second rate”. This yearning comes out of their desire to “be somebody!” as Jesse Jackson shouted back in the sixties in the US on behalf of the Black nation.

But what the Russians don’t appreciate is that their sense of nationalism created an equal and opposite reaction in most of the satellites/Soviets Lenin absorbed after 1922.

While some of the Ukrainians in the East – abutting Russia – might agree with Putin and feel close to “Mother Russia”, the majority – especially in Western Ukraine – consider another round of the Russian Bear’s embrace anathema!!

They’re gonna fight to the death! …tactics and strategies Some folks have their bucktas (and drawers) all in a knot because Putin lied about “not invading” after massing those 100,000 troops on the Ukraine border. So, let your Eyewitness clue you in about some basics of “International Relations” (IR). Not so incidentally, half of UG takes this subject as a “course”, but Lord knows what they’re taught!!

IR, Dear Readers, is all about power and influence and absolutely nothing about morality and ethics.

Putin has convinced his Russian citizens (subjects?) that they’ve been wronged ‘cause all the satellites in the west have joined the EU and NATO. They’ve lost power and influence – and they have to recover these, come what may.

So, the Ruskies are in for the long haul…they’re in no hurry.

They’re out to right a historical wrong!! And no sacrifice will be too much.

Like the Germans did to them in 1941, the Ruskies will encircle and drive the Ukrainians into pockets.

Then force them into concessions or be killed! …and blitzkrieg Some thought the Ruskies were going for a blitzkrieg tactic against the Ukrainians. But how do you use surprise, speed, and superiority in matériel or firepower to disorient the enemy when the attack was no surprise??

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

9 Guyana off to a good start with spending of oil funds on development – Deakin NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

...recommends gradual transition from spending to saving oil revenue

G

uyana is off to a good start, not only in the way it has established a Local Content Framework and a Sovereign Wealth Fund, but the way it is using early oil revenues to lay the groundwork for sustainable economic development.

This is according to oil and gas expert Arthur Deakin, an analyst at Americas Market Intelligence (AMI) and Africa Market Intelligence (AfMI).

During an interview on Jumpstart, Deakin was asked by the host if the spending of the first oil revenues made sense and whether Guyana should slow down.

But on the contrary, Deakin lauded Guyana’s early expenditure of oil funds on sustainable development, noting that it “makes sense”.

According to the analyst, this is an economic practice known as frontloading and is important in the context of Guyana’s developing economy.

“I think that makes sense—the use of a majority of the oil revenues in the first couple of years. It’s called frontloading, but it makes sense for an economy that’s developing and emerging like Guyana,” he said.

“You need to use those funds to establish the foundation for the future development, so you need to build up the local capacity, you need to build infrastructure, you need to invest in education and healthcare. All these things are important to continue the accelerated growth of Guyana,” Deakin explained.

According to Deakin, the Government’s efforts to pass the Local Content Act, set up a Local Content Secretariat, and also efforts to strengthen the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) are laudable. But he did warn against too much spending, over multiple years.

“What you don’t want is for this high percentage of spending to continue for multiple

quarter of 2022. The project is expected to be finished within two years. The bridge will land aback Nandy Park, EBD, and at La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

Last year, Cabinet granted its no-objection for

Oil and gas expert Arthur Deakin

years after the oil revenues have already been flowing.

That will lead to overheating of the economy, it can lead to inflation,” Deakin said.

“So, as we see in the Sovereign Wealth Fund, as the years go by, that percentage that’s being used from the oil revenues starts declining. It’s a gradual decline and that’s a good sign. So, I don’t think they’re (Government) getting ahead of themselves,” he added.

Last month, the Government of Guyana, through Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh, presented a mega $552.9 billion budget to the National Assembly.

Of significant importance, Budget 2022 is the first budget that will benefit from financing from the proceeds of Guyana’s new and emerging oil sector. The Government had communicated its plans to withdraw from the Natural Resource Fund and transfer to the Consolidated Fund, a total of $126.7 billion. The Natural Resource Fund at the time had a balance of US$607.6 million.

There are a number of transformational projects that will see funds from the budget being directed to them. They include the new Demerara River bridge, where preparatory work has to be done.

The construction of the new Demerara River bridge is slated to start in the fourth

China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd to construct the bridge at a proposed cost of US$256.6 million. The contract was awarded based on a DesignBuild-Finance (DBF) model with financial terms and conditions which would

be no less favourable than those submitted in the preferred bidder’s price proposals. The proposed construction cost by China State Construction was in fact the lowest amongst all bidders.

Meanwhile, the construction of the Amaila Falls

Hydropower Project, which is projected to generate some 165 megawatts of electricity, is set to begin this year and be completed by 2027.

As a result, the Government has allocated a total of $29.4 billion to the energy sector in 2022.

10

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

11

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana deplores threat or use of force in int’l relations – Rodrigues-Birkett tells UN General Assembly

G

uyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Carolyn RodriguesBirkett has firmly laid the country’s position on the current Russian invasion in Ukraine, maintaining that the country condemns any use of force or threat in matters relating to international relations.

At the 11th Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, she underscored that the Guyana Government is “gravely concerned” over the recent military intervention by Russia, in violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

Most importantly, she echoed the country’s calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to diplomacy.

“Guyana deplores the threat or use of force in the conduct of international relations and urges a peaceful resolution of the differences that currently exist, in consonance with the rule of international law and the provisions of the United Nations Charter. The current military action in Ukraine is contrary to the principles of respect for territorial integrity, sovereignty and the non-interference in the internal affairs of another sovereign State,” RodriguesBirkett positioned.

She added, “The aggression against Ukraine is a threat to the region and countries everywhere. The Government of Guyana supports the efforts of the United Nations Secretary

Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

General to bring a speedy resolution to the situation in Ukraine and cease the threat to international peace and security.”

She further told the Assembly that Guyana fully aligns itself with the statements issued by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) last month and with the Declaration of the Organisation of American States (OAS) on the situation in Ukraine.

Following the invasion, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration had expressed, “The Government of Guyana deplores the threat or use of force in the conduct of international relations and urges a peaceful resolution of the differences that currently exist, in consonance with the rule of international law and the provisions of the United Nations Charter.”

The Organisation of American States (OAS), of which Guyana is member called for the immediate cessation of the hostilities that were irresponsibly initiated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Caricom shared similar sentiments.

Apart from Guyana, the declaration also featured the Permanent

Missions of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru. Also throwing their support behind the declaration were Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, Canada, and the United States. Venezuela was also listed among the countries supporting the declaration.

In the document, it states that the aforementioned countries “strongly condemn the unlawful, unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation and call for the immediate withdrawal of the military presence and cessation of any further military actions in that country”.

Calling for Russia to end hostilities, withdraw its troops and equipment from Ukraine and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy, it also condemns

Russia’s illegal recognition of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, as independent states.

Russia’s act of aggression has been described by western neighbours as “a dark day for Europe.”

In response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, major global leaders have announced widespread sanctions against Vladimir Putin-headed Russia.

Guyana, through the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry, was seen engaging its hemispheric neighbours

to discuss the stability of the region in light of the current crisis.

Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd held a series of teleconferences with his counterparts from South American nations. He spoke with Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Alberto Franco França, and the Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia, Marta Lucía Ramírez.

Russian Ambassador, Alexander Kurmaz was also engaged.

12 NEWS Fmr Prison Officer slapped with life sentence for killing wife WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Murdered: Lonnette Nicholson-Prince

F

ormer Prison Officer Sheldon Prince, who fatally stabbed his wife, Lonnette Nicholson-Prince, in the compound of the New Amsterdam Psychiatric Hospital in 2016, was slapped with a life sentence by Justice Sandil Kissoon.

The convicted murderer had confessed to stabbing his wife to death on December 28, 2016.

However, the former Prison Warden first appeared before Justice Kissoon at the Berbice High Court on February 14, 2022, for the capital offence of murder.

It was reported that on the day in question, the now dead woman had just arrived for duty at the National Psychiatric Hospital when

Prince visited and asked to speak with her but she refused.

As she was walking away, Prince pulled out a knife and stabbed her 15 times about the body in the presence of co-workers. He then made good his escape but later turned himself over to the Police.

The State was represented by prosecutor Abigail Gibbs while Prince was represented by Attorney-at-Law Murseline Bacchus.

During his sentencing hearing, a probation report revealed that his father’s abusive tendencies towards his mother has caused him to become depressed and he developed mental health challenges.

Soon after his parents’ separation, Prince was affected both emotionally and psychologically. The probation report also stated that the convicted murderer left school at the age of 16.

He added that his initial relationship with Lonnette Prince was “one of love” but things changed after he accused her of being unfaithful while he was at work. This caused them to separate and as such, he was denied access to his daughter.

In light of this, Prince told the probation officer that his wife had become hostile towards him while noting his wife’s infidelity and her pro-

Convicted murderer: Former Prison Officer Sheldon Prince

miscuous lifestyle had provoked him and as such, his actions were not deliberate.

He claimed that he was embarrassed and humiliated when the now dead woman had confirmed that she was seeing someone else even though they were married. On the other hand, the victim’s parents related that their daughter had confided in them that she was being abused by the murder convict.

As such, the victim, the court heard, had secured a protection order, which was granted on November 5, 2016.

The couple’s nine-year-old daughter, who was also interviewed by the probation office, had recalled her father telling her that he was going

away and that she will not see him for a long time. The was via telephone on the morning of her mother’s death.

In tears, Prince told the court that his wife’s parents were always interfering in their relationship and that all he wanted, was to be good gather to his daughter.

“I marry at a young age and I tried to give my daughter the love that I never had while growing up as a child,” Prince cried.

Meanwhile, Justice Sandil Kissoon during the sentencing related that domestic violence continues to “rampage” society while adding that those who commit such crimes cannot look to the court for “clemency and mercy.”

He ruled that the murder was a “cold-blooded and premeditated” crime which was a “diabolical and murderous” act carried out by Prince.

Prince had stabbed the victim 15 times with the brunt of the wounds being to the region of her heart.

In addition, he added that Prince’s plea was a “tactical manoeuvre” and no credit will be given to him.

After taking all the mitigating factors into consideration, Justice Kissoon sentenced Prince to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 30 years.

Berbice phone card dealer murder trial

State expected to call 1st witness after completion of voir dire

Shannon Batson and Satesh Boodram

T

he State is awaiting the completion of a voir dire (trial within a trial) before it is allowed to call its first witness in the Adventure phone card dealer’s murder trial.

The State was expected to call its first witness on Monday but lawyers representing the five accused made several legal challenges, thus resulting in a voir dire being held.

Murdered: Danian Jagdeo

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

NEWS

13

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Pedestrian involved in Agricola fatal accident identified as mother of 4 T he pedestrian who was involved in the fatal accident along the Agricola Public Road, Greater Georgetown, which took the life of Nionel Berkley, was identified as 66-year-old Shirley Hollingsworth of Agricola Public Road.

The woman who remains in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital was identified by one of her daughters.

However, Police in a report on the accident stated that the 24-yearold motorcyclist of East Ruimveldt Housing

Scheme, Georgetown, was proceeding along the Agricola Public Road without a safety helmet when he allegedly collided with Hollingsworth, who was on the pedestrian crossing.

As a result of the collision, both the motorcyclist and the pedestrian fell onto the road’s surface where they received injuries to their bodies.

Berkley was picked up in an unconscious state and transported by ambulance to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The pedestrian was also picked up in an unconscious

Dead: Nionel Berkley

condition by public-spirited citizens and also rushed to

State expected to call...

Mark Dhuman, Abdul Salam Azimullah called “Sato”, Shuman Batson, Satesh Budram and Zaheer Abdulla called “Gold Teeth” are on trial for the February 8, 2017 murder of phone card vendor Danian Anthony Jagdeo.

The State’s case is being presented by Attorney-AtLaw Abigail Gibbs.

The five accused are being represented by attorneys Siand Dhurjon, Moti Singh, Ravindra Mohabir, Sasha Roberts and Surihya Sabsook. The trial is being presided over by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Berbice High Court.

In presenting the State’s case to the jury, the Prosecutor said the five accused are responsible for robbing and murdering Jagdeo.

She said it was during the course of the robbery that he was shot and told the jury that the State has witnesses to prove such. The State is expected to call its first witness on Thursday once the voir dire is wrapped up.

It was reported that Jagdeo, 36, of Lot 12 Section G, Kings Street, Williamsburg, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), was robbed and shot to death.

He was reportedly dis-

the hospital where she remains in a critical state.

Police stated that they are yet to uncover if the motorcyclist was the holder of a provisional or driver’s licence.

It was reported that Berkley, who was the driver attached to Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, had dropped off the Minister and was subsequently heading home on a motorcycle when he crashed into Hollingsworth, who was crossing the road at the time.

At the home of the now dead man on Tuesday, his mother stated that his

grandfather was a mechanic and after his passing, he handed everything over to her son. At that time, the now dead man was in the army but left soon after the passing of his grandfather.

The grieving mother stated that he was subsequently offered the position with the Minister. Berkley was the eldest of three children and a certified mechanic.

She last spoke with him on the day of his demise. “A lady tried crossing the road and she turned back, that is far as I know,” the mother related.

At the home of the in-

jured Hollingsworth, her neighbours stated that she was very active despite her age. At the time, they recalled that the woman had gone to the shop to purchase a few items.

Persons in the village also stated that Hollingsworth, a mother of four, would always make it her duty to use the pedestrian crossing.

Minister Hamilton, immediately after the accident on Monday, had related that he had known the young man since he was a teenager and that he was shocked to have learnt about his demise.

Zaheer Abdulla called “Gold Teeth”

Mark Dhuman

Abdul Azimulla called “Sato”

When the businessman resurfaced, the bandit was running out of the shop with Jagdeo’s bag while the injured man lay in a pool of

blood. Jagdeo was taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

FROM PAGE 12

tributing phone cards to his customers and was about to close off for the day when he was robbed.

At Adventure, Jagdeo had stopped at Country Chef Creole Snackette and was in conversation with the business owner when a lone man pretending to be a customer walked into the establishment.

Reports are that Jagdeo enquired whether the business owner knew the strange-looking man entering the premises; however, before the owner could respond properly, the man whipped out a gun and aimed it at Jagdeo.

Upon seeing this, the business owner ducked under the counter while several shots were fired.

14 NEWS No inequality in COVID vaccination, treatment in Guyana – Dr Anthony WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

...50% of 50,000 booster shots from Region 4 ...25 new COVID cases detected within 24 hours

G

uyana has crossed the 50,000 mark in the administration of booster doses to the population, of which 50 per cent of the jabs were delivered in Region Four, according to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony.

During his update on Tuesday, he stated that the booster dose coverage has reached 50,639.

This accounts for 987 in Region One; 2460 in Region Two; 7112 in Region Three; 25,235 in Region Four; 3198 in Region Five; 8340 in Region Six; 543 in Region Seven; 406 in Region Eight; 1812 in Region Nine; and 548 in Region 10.

He commented during the COVID update, “The message here is that while some regions have been doing very well and you can see from the first dose, there are still places where we need improvement. In Region 10, it’s relatively low compared to Region Four, that is at 94.3 per cent.”

The daily vaccination average is 1500 doses. Latest statistics reveal that 432,381 persons or 84.3 per cent of the adult population received a first dose; with 328,273 or 64 per cent returning for their second shot. In terms of the 12

to 17 cohort, 33,564 first doses and 24,251 second doses have been administered, equivalent to 46 per cent and 33.3 per cent respectively.

A further breakdown of first dose immunisation for adults indicate 17,024 for Region One; 21,656 for Region Two; 60,280 in Region Three; 201,873 for Region Four; 29,017 for Region Five; 62,767 for Region Six; 10,920 for Region Seven; 4156 for Region Eight; 13,010 for Region Nine; and 11,678 for Region 10.

No vaccine inequality

The Health Minister also concluded that vaccine inequality is not the issue in Guyana, but rather, vaccine hesitancy. This is the reason for low statistics in some communities.

“We don’t have an issue with vaccine inequality here in Guyana. As soon as we got vaccines, we were able to get the vaccine out to people.

What we have is vaccine hesitancy where a lot of people were not coming forward to take the vaccine. Even now, while we would have had a vaccine programme in place and going to every region, there is still pockets of hesitancy across the country,” the

Minister added.

New cases

Currently, 489 active cases are being monitored, inclusive of 43 hospitalised patients.

A total of 31 patients are being treated at the Infectious Diseases Hospital.

On Tuesday, 25 persons tested positive for the virus, maintaining a decline in cases as seen within recent weeks.

With the total confirmed cases in the country moving to 62,946 on the Health Ministry’s dashboard, deaths have remained at 1220.

In Guyana, 28,973 males and 33,973 females have been infected, of which 61,267 have recovered. There are nine patients in the designated Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 416 in home isolation, 34 in institutional isolation and 10 in institutional quarantine.

An analysis of new infections showed three were detected in Region One (BarimaWaini); six for Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); three for Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); one for Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); and eight for Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

No increases were reported in Regions Three (Essequibo

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD MARCH 1, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

25

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

34

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

416

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

9

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

10

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

33,973

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

28,973

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

62,946

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

61,267

REGION 1

2510

REGION 2

2466

REGION 3

8024

REGION 4

31,111

REGION 5

2364

REGION 6

5708

REGION 7

2418

REGION 8

887

REGION 9

3993

REGION 10

3465

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

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

432,381

FULLY IMMUNISED

328,273

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020

1220

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.

Islands-West Demerara); Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs

any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline on 2311166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www. health.gov.gy .

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

cy measures which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home, the importance of maintaining the six feet of physical distance from others, and the need for good hand hygiene.

15 ExxonMobil Guyana tests spill response readiness NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

E

xxonMobil Guyana recently conducted an exercise to field test spill response equipment, processes and team readiness.

The aim is to ensure readiness to respond in the unlikely event of an offshore oil spill, utilising available

Scenes from the spill response readiness exercise

resources such as in-country personnel, vessels, and response equipment stored in Guyana.

“Our approach to emergency response is to prevent, prepare and practice.

Prevention is our primary objective but training for po-

tential scenarios is also an important component of that approach,” said ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge. “Through robust training and exercises, utilising advanced technology, we ensure our response teams and stakeholders un-

derstand their roles and responsibilities and are ready to respond.”

The equipment was deployed at a location near the Sea Buoy Anchorage, off the Demerara River, utilising two open-stern tugs.

The exercise had sever-

al objectives including confirming the state of readiness to transfer emergency kits onto a vessel; safely deploying a containment boom and skimmer packages; utilising support vessels to deploy equipment in open water; and familiarising vessel

crew with boom operations in open water.

The response team was also familiarised with the mobilisation and offshore deployment of boom and skimmers in addition to the operation of dispersant application devices.

Emotional & financial well-being initiative, Happytalism launched

G

uardian Group on Monday finally launched its much-anticipated programme, Happytalism, which is a free regional public initiative designed to create emotional and financial well-being, thus helping thousands of people and businesses cope with both the mental health and economic effects of the pandemic.

The programme commenced on March 1, 2022, and will feature world-renowned best-selling author and speaker on positivity and happiness,

former Harvard Professor Dr Tal Ben Shahar, integrated with the award-winning branding and business development INTANGIENCE™ methodology of Ross as featured by CNN, Forbes, Ad Age and noted in Harvard Business Review.

The initiative is also a collaboration with the United Nations established University for Peace and founder of its Centre for Executive Education, Mohit Mukherjee.

Happytalism promises to be a much-needed window of relief and oppor-

tunity for many with the overwhelming desire to achieve a better, happier life in times like these as there have been more than 2000 persons who have registered for the programme.

One of the series of inspiring insights by Dr Tal Ben Shahar on emotional resilience and happiness, is condensed into 12 thirty-second sound bites which will be aired on radio and shared via social media.

Persons seeking to dive deeper will be given free access to ten-minute talks conducted by Dr

Tal Ben Shahar and Ernie Ross, innovator of the INTANGIENCE™ methodology. There will also be live one-hour interactive sessions with positivity experts Dr Ben Shahar

and Ross, along with Mohit Mukherjee, founder of the UPEACE Centre for Executive Education.

The programme which contains 19 sessions, will span over a three-month

period, from March 1 to May 27, 2022. The programme will be done entirely via Zoom and those interested can register by visiting the website at happytalism. me.

16 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Duo to stand High Court trial for murder of Henry cousins

Vinod Gopaul, also called "Magga"

V

inod Gopaul, also called “Magga”, 34, of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder; and Anil Sancharra, also called “Dan Pole” and “Rasta”, 33, of D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB), appeared before Magistrate Peter Hugh at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday in connection with the murders of Isaiah and Joel Henry.

Anil Sancharra, also called "Dan Pole"

During their appearance, the Magistrate ruled that a sufficient case was made out against the duo by Police Legal Advisor Mandel Moore and as such, they were committed to stand trial at the next convenient sitting at the Berbice Assizes.

Gopaul and Sancharra were jointly charged and remanded to prison on Friday,

January 15, 2021, for the murders of the two teens in the Cotton Tree Backdam, West Coast Berbice.

The cousins were found murdered one day after they went to pick coconuts in the Number Three Village backdam.

A post-mortem showed that the teenagers died from haemorrhage and shock, due to multiple incised wounds.

They both sustained a severed spine, along with multiple chops about the body.

The killers went so far as to carve out a huge “X” on Isaiah’s head, and cut open Joel’s chest.

The main witness is 21-year-old Akash Singh called “Monkey” – the younger brother Sancharra.

He had testified that he went to the backdam with his brother (Anil) and his brother's friend (Vinod) and observed that their weed (marijuana) farm have been sprayed down. They slept there in the backdam that night and the following morning when he woke

up, he saw the two accused (Anil and Vinod) and the two teenagers sitting together.

According to the witness, Vinod was the accused that told the two teenagers about their weed farm being sprayed down and the teenagers started to laugh.

Vinod then told them, “I talking about the weed farm spray down and y’all laughing, like y’all know something what going on. Y’all gotta start feel pain…”

The witness said one of the teens tried to get up and Vinod chopped him to his neck with a cutlass while Sancharra started to chop the other teen.

The witness testified that he started to see blood spilling profusely from the two cousins and then one of the accused told him in a threatening manner, that he “gah do something to”.

The witness related that he was instructed to “put the X” on the head of one of the Henry boys. The witness said he took the cutlass and put an “X” on the forehead of

Isaiah Henry

Joel Henry

Isaiah Henry.

During the Preliminary Inquiry (PI), the witness was easily able to identify the two suspects.

Singh testified twice in 2021, the first time on November 8, 2021, which was via Zoom, and then on November 30, 2021, at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court, where he was cross-examined by Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd.

This was the crucial evidence that Mandel Moore and his team relied on, and the witness maintained his testimony when cross-examined by Todd.

In addition, Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh was the second witness to give evidence in court. Singh testified on December 7, 2021, at Blairmont Magistrate’s Court, where he tendered the two post-mortem reports for the Henry boys.

The reports noted that both of the deceased had several incised wounds on their bodies.

When questioned whether the wounds could have been caused by a cutlass, Dr Singh responded in the affirmative, which supports the testimony given by Akash Singh that the duo was chopped several times.

Back in July 2021, Magistrate Hugh had discharged the murder charges against Sancharra and Gopaul for the murder of 16-year-old Isaiah Henry.

In discharging the charges, Magistrate Hugh agreed with the submissions by Defence Attorney Dexter Todd who argued that the State has not produced any admissible evidence of murder against the duo.

Nevertheless, a PI was recommended which proved that there was enough evidence to send the matter to the High Court for trial.

On September 6, 2020, the badly mutilated bodies of Isaiah and Joel were found in the backlands of Cotton Tree – almost two days after they had left their Number Three Village, WCB home to pick coconuts.

The murders of the Henry cousins had sparked protests across several villages along the West Coast Berbice corridor, where commuters were beaten and robbed. With roads blocked, some vehicles were also torched.

Then days later, on September 9, 17-year-old Haresh Singh was found murdered at the Number Three Village backlands. It is suspected that his death was in retaliation for the murders of Isaiah and Joel, since he is related to one of the persons initially held by the Police for the cousins’ murders.

According to the confession from Singh, the Henry cousins’ murders stemmed from a destroyed ganja farm in the West Berbice backlands.

NEWS

17

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

1000 children to benefit from IDB “Learning Pods” initiative I

DB Lab, the innovative laboratory of the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), is providing financial support to STEM Guyana Inc to assist 1000 children across 40 communities in all ten regions of Guyana.

This support includes technology tools and supplementary learning in Math, English, and Science. IDB Lab is investing US$950,000 in the three-year programme, “Guyana’s Learning Pods

– Supporting Success in Education for Vulnerable Children”.

The STEM Guyana pilot will expand the education model, which caters to children aged seven to fifteen from low-income and vulnerable communities. In the pilot, small groups of children in communities across Guyana access a connected learning platform at a local community centre to foster “STEM” skills, with the support of an in-person facilitator

and an online teacher.

The IDB Lab support will create more “Learning Pod” centres for public spaces for students from Grades One through Ten, to access content and technology tools, as well as in-person and online live teaching sessions, three times per week. The programme will use the core public school curriculum for an expanded range of subjects.

Karen Abrams of STEM Guyana said, “the Learning

Pods programme provides for small class in-person and tech-drive learning support for students who have been disadvantaged by the COVID pandemic school closures, and also ensures their safety as the programme makes available cleaning supplies, masks, and temperature checks to all enrolled students.”

“Opportunities are increasing in Guyana and the demand for skills is rapidly changing,” said Guyana’s IDB

Chief of Operations and acting Country Representative Lorena Solorzano Salazar.

“There is need for us to adapt and learn innovative technologies and talents that can contribute to inclusive and sustainable development and guarantee the future wellbeing of our people, our country and the region.”

The “Learning Pod” programme is expected to contribute to better performance of all students and help reduce attrition from the school

system.

It targets 50 per cent participation of girls. STEM Guyana expects a future expansion of the programme to benefit as many as 5000 vulnerable students over the life of the investment postCOVID-19.

STEM Guyana is a non-profit tech organisation that partners with public and Private Sector agencies and uses software tools to help solve national and regional problems.

18 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police hunt 2 suspects in cop’s disappearance

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

lmost two years after Police Constable Quincy Lewis, who was attached to the Agricola Outpost, disappeared without a trace after leaving

ithout cheap, affordable, clean and reliable energy, Guyana cannot develop a society that can live in and enjoy the benefits of a developed country. We need energy to support a manufacturing industry and to build other pillars of the economy to provide enough well-paid jobs for our people. While the experts have predicted an energy need of more than 500 megawatts (MW) by 2030, the potential investments for economic development in Guyana will need in excess of 500MW. Myriad manufacturing investments in Guyana are not feasible unless Guyana can guarantee a supply of affordable, reliable energy. The potential for Guyana to develop a fabrication industry to supply materials for the oil and gas industry is not realisable unless the energy industry grows by leaps and bounds. For example, the US$50 million investment at Enmore to fabricate needs for the oil and gas industry is not sustainable unless there is enough and the cost of energy is dramatically reduced.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy We now know Guyana has oil and gas wealth that has already brought billions into the treasury and will continue for decades to bring billions of US dollars into the economy. We now know better, even after years of bringing in billions of dollars into the economy, gold deposits worth more than US$35 billion will contribute to the economy. We know our carbon reserves are worth more than US$190 billion in future earnings.

We know silica sand deposits are worth more than $35 billion. Our water resources and agriculture are enough to sustain our country as a food-secured country and to position us in the coming years to obtain a significant share of Caricom’s annual US$5 billion food import substitution market. At the same time, manganese, diamond, bauxite and quarry resources add to Guyana’s phenomenal natural resources.

But without an energy resource to help build our country with an economy that takes advantage of these resources, we will remain as an under-developed country.

The Amaila Hydroelectricity Project is not just an option to meet the energy needs of the country for affordable and reliable energy, it is an imperative. Without the initial 165MW hydroelectricity plant at Amaila, reaching the energy needs of the country in the near and long term is impossible. But Amaila, judged by the experts to be a sound project, has been the victim of charlatans whose intention is simple – stop Amaila at all costs. The motivation is simple – stop Amaila so that Guyana continues to be under-developed. This harsh indictment might appear too blunt, but it is true. It is nothing short of unpatriotic to oppose Amaila without any sound argument and despite the experts endorsing the project.

Had the project proceeded in 2013-2014, by today, Guyana would have had enough affordable, reliable and clean energy to meet our total present needs and to reduce energy costs by at least 50 per cent today. A small group of naysayers and gripers stopped the project when the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) controlled Parliament in 2013-2014. By rejecting the budget for Amaila, APNU/AFC killed the project. They formally killed Amaila after APNU/AFC took control of the Government. When the parent organisation of APNU/AFC, the People’s National Congress (PNC), killed the train system in 1973, they created a transportation nightmare that, almost 50 years later, we cannot see a solution in sight. The transportation nightmare is now worse. In spite of the new roads being built, no number of new highways and roads will sustain a high middle-income society. The stoppage of Amaila has worse consequences; it would keep Guyana poor for way beyond the lifetimes of all existing generations.

Today, the PNC and their surrogates in APNU and AFC, together with a small group of charlatans, continue their assault on Amaila.

One of those charlatans has hijacked a whole media empire to wage war against Guyana’s journey away from being poor to being a high middle-income country, with our lifestyles changing dramatically. This charlatan misrepresents, misinforms with intent to derail Amaila, no matter what the consequences. Fortunately, Guyanese citizens, byand-large, recognise the significance of Amaila.

This charlatan, for example, is pushing the narrative that Amaila will produce more energy than we need and that the Guyanese people, via GPL, will have to pay for the excess energy even though we do not need it. While it is true that GPL and, therefore, the Guyanese people, will pay for all the energy produced by Amaila, it is also true that all of the present fossil fuel-based energy must be replaced as Guyana meets our commitment for zero use of fossil fuel, per an agreement in the Paris Treaty to reach zero-fossil fuel-based energy by 2025. Clearly, Guyana is not going to reach that commitment. But with Amaila in place by 2027 and with a shore-based gas energy plant in place by 2024, Guyana will reduce fossil fuel use for energy generation by 70 per cent by 2027.

The possibility of not needing as much energy is based only on Guyana’s failure to develop a society that feels like and looks like a high middle-income country. The Irfaan Ali Government understands that without a surplus of energy, Guyana will fail. While the charlatans desperately try to stop development, President Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government are determined that Guyana’s wealth must ensure a highly-developed country that supports better lives for all its citizens.

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223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

home for work, Police said they are hunting two men in relation to his disappearance.

In a telephone interview on Tuesday, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said while Police are still investigating the officer’s disappearance, it appears as though the suspects might have fled the jurisdiction.

On June 19, 2020, the young Police rank visited his home to uplift a few pieces of clothes since he was supposed to be inline.

However, after collecting the items, he boarded motor car PTT 7541 and left his Lot 4315 Westminster, West Bank Demerara (WBD) home and was not heard from or seen since.

The cop’s brother, Revon Jordon, had told Guyana Times that they became aware that Lewis was missing after the owner of the car came looking for him at their home.

The man also kept insisting that his brother is very responsible and would not

Missing Police Constable; Quincy Lewis

leave without informing his family. A missing person’s report was filed seven days following the disappearance.

Lewis’s mother, Charlene Jordan told Guyana Times that she made several visits to the Police station since her son went missing, but she was told that they were

still investigating the matter and making every attempt to locate the young man.

The woman also said that something seems amiss about her son’s disappearance. She also expressed frustration that she was not getting any substantial information from the Police on her son’s disappearance.

However, Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance recordings revealed that Lewis crossed the Demerara Harbour Bridge, which is less than 10 minutes’ drive from where he is stationed. He was last seen entering Greenfield Park, East Bank Demerara.

A few months after he disappeared, Lewis’ cell phone was found in the Timehri, East Bank Demerara area with the screen cracked.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Constable Quincy Lewis or the car he was driving is asked to contact 677-6547, 680-1436, or the nearest Police station.

Assault against Amaila is motivated by an unpatriotic desire to stop development

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

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SOCU Head sues Paul Slowe for $70M over defamation claims H

ead of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Fazil Karimbaksh has filed a whopping $70 million lawsuit against former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe over defamation claims.

Slowe, according to reports, had allegedly made comments about Karimbaksh on a recent social media programme.

Karimbaksh has also secured a High Court injunction, which prohibits Slowe from referring to him as “corrupt, incompetent, unprofessional, unfit and vindictive”.

Slowe, former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), was suspended in October 2021 and was granted bail when he appeared before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on charges related to fraud and sexual assault.

He was not required to plead to one fraud charge and three counts of sexu-

Paul Slowe

al assault. It is alleged that Slowe sexually assaulted a senior policewoman in 2019 on three occasions.

All three allegations state that Slowe touched the woman in a sexual way, on her leg, without her consent.

On the sexual assault charges, he was granted $75,000 bail while on the fraud charge, he was granted $100,000 bail.

Also, in May 2021, the Force had announced that

Slowe had been implicated in an ongoing investigation which is part of a massive investigation into financial irregularities at the GPF. It is alleged that Slowe, five former retired senior officers, one current Assistant Commissioner, one former female Finance Officer, and a male officer attached to the Police Finance Office conspired with each other and other persons to defraud the GPF of in excess of $10 million.

However, in court documents seen by this publication, Karimbaksh is contending that following the charges being instituted against him, Slowe created a social media programme that is broadcast on Facebook and YouTube, titled “Speaking Out: Exposing Corruption and Incompetence”.

“The said Facebook and YouTube pages were created by the defendant or at his instruction for the sole purpose of launching character attacks on the…officers that are investigating him

SOCU Head Fazil Karimbaksh

for these offences in an effort to prejudice the investigations,” the SOCU Head argued in his legal submissions to the court.

“Since creating the said Facebook and YouTube pages, the defendant regularly publishes and causes to be published defamatory materials about and concerning the claimant,” Karimbaksh further submitted.

He highlighted a specific instance whereby

the Facebook page published the following words, “Senior Superintendent Fazil Karimbaksh has disciplinary matters pending against him. He is known to be vindictive and unprofessional, yet he remains in charge of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) which he has used to carry out his personal vendettas.”

This publication, Karimbaksh pointed out, was shared twelve times and had more than 100 interactions.

The SOCU Head further cited other instances where his character was brought into disrepute on the two so-

cial media pages.

It was argued that as a consequence of the publications, the claimant’s reputation has been “seriously harmed and he has suffered considerable hurt, embarrassment, distress, and anxiety”.

“The number of publications and the continuing nature of the defamation has increased the defamatory sting,” Karimbaksh further contended in his legal submissions.

As such, the SOCU Head secured the injunction barring the social media pages from publishing defamatory statements against him.

20 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC to submit nominees for NRF Board – PNC Leader T

he Opposition A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) will be submitting its list of nominees to sit on the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Management Board with individuals it deems fit and qualified.

Leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC), Aubrey Norton told media operatives on Tuesday that the party is still to finalise the names from their end before submission.

However, it would be submitted in time for the next Parliamentary Committee of Appointments meeting, scheduled for today.

“We are discussing it and at the next meeting, we will submit our names…If you have an effective one man on a Board, sometimes that one man can be very effective. So, we will do every-

thing to ensure that our reps are effective but we understand the disadvantage with which we started…

What we have to do is to put our nominees and work towards ensuring that they are professionally competent. I don’t think it is our task to express a view on those named by the PPP, except for the fact that they need to satisfy certain criteria that should’ve been set out,” Norton outlined.

In the Act, Section 5 (1) prescribes that the three-tofive-member Board is to be selected by the President – one of whom shall be elected Chairperson. Section 5 (2) notes that these persons shall be elected from persons who have wide experience and ability in legal, financial, business, or administrative matters - one of whom shall be nominated by the National Assembly

and one of whom shall be a representative of the Private Sector.

In January, the process commenced through the Parliamentary Committee of Appointments to select one of the nominees for the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Board of Directors.

The Directors will hold the post for no more than two years with eligibility for reappointment, and all appointments, as well as changes in appointments, are to be gazetted and published on the Ministry’s website and in two daily newspapers.

The new Bill states that the Board of Directors will be responsible for the overall management of the Fund, reviewing and approving the policies of the Fund, monitoring the performance of the Fund, ensuring compliance with the

APNU Chairman Aubrey Norton

approved policies of the Fund, and ensuring that the Fund is managed in compliance with the Act and all other applicable laws.

Moreover, the Board is also expected to report to the subject Minister, who is allowed to give policy directives as deemed neces-

sary to their functions. In addition, the proposed legislation caters for the appointment of two committees, one of which is the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee, which will provide non-Government oversight of the Fund and comprises various civil society representatives who will have to present a report to the National Assembly annually.

It was after the NRF Bill was brought up for debate that chaos broke out in the National Assembly last December, in which members of the APNU/AFC attempted to steal the ceremonial mace. While the APNU/AFC coalition contended and remains fixated that the Bill was not successfully passed, this claim has already been debunked

by Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir.

For Parliament to conduct its business in a lawful manner, a quorum and the Mace must be intact. At the time of the passage of the Bill, both were in place. The Government side was seated in the House when the vote was taken. The Bill has since been assented to by President Ali. Despite selecting their nominees, Norton said the party still intends to pursue the matter in the court.

“We have got to ensure we have people there to scrutinise what is happening and, in that regard, we have agreed that we will nominate people while at the same to protest and signalling that we intend to challenge it in court.”

Meanwhile, the Alliance For Change – the junior coalition party – has also indicated willingness to sit on the Board.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt, UNICEF embark on US$18.3M 5-year plan for children – priorities include nutrition services, climate-resilient WASH services

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he United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday presented its Country Programme Document to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, signalling the commencement of a new programme of cooperation geared at improving the rights and well-being of children in the country.

With an indicative five-year budget of about US$18.3 million, the new country programme aims to achieve outcomes in six areas including, survival and thrive; education and skills; child protection; climate resilience and water, sanitation and hygiene; social protection and inclusion.

UNICEF Representative to Guyana and Suriname, Nicolas Pron formally presented the document, which was developed extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Government.

It provides a new framework

UNICEF officials with the new framework

of cooperation between UNICEF and the Government of Guyana from March 2022 to December

2026. The CPD was endorsed

by UNICEF’s Executive Board during its first regular session

last month, which saw the attendance of the Permanent Mission of Guyana to the United Nations.

The CPD outlines UNICEF’s priorities over the next five years, which are also aligned with the Government’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for women and children, while helping to address key deprivations associated with health, nutrition, water and sanitation, education and social protection.

“This programme of cooperation with Guyana aims to support the Government in meeting its commitments to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of children, as stipulated by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF will support the Government of Guyana in developing and strengthening systems that will allow children and adolescents to grow up healthy and resilient; have equitable access to improved

learning and skills for life and work; be protected from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and extreme poverty; and live in a safe and sustainable environment,” Pron related.

While the programme will operate at the national level, it will simultaneously improve service delivery in hinterland areas and among the urban poor.

The Executive Board is the governing body of UNICEF, providing inter-governmental support and oversight to the organisation, in accordance with the overall policy guidance of the United Nations General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council.

The Executive Board reviews UNICEF activities and approves its policies, country programmes and budgets. It comprises 36 members representing the five regional groups of Member States at the United Nations.

22 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Murder accused walks free on time served after killing mall owner

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fter spending the last six and a half years on remand, Fazeel Bacchus, who confessed to the 2015 fatal shooting of 48-year-old businessman Ganesh Ramlall called “Boyo”, will be released from prison on time served.

Twenty-seven-yearold Bacchus, formerly of Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was arraigned before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Georgetown High Court for the capital offence of murder.

However, he opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

Attorneys-at-Law Konyo Sandiford and Narissa Leander, the prosecutors, during the trial, accepted

Fazeel “Javed” Bacchus

the guilty plea to the lesser count of manslaughter, and as such, Bacchus was sentenced to six and a half years in prison.

The Judge’s starting point was set at 18 years from which deductions were made for his early guilty plea, time spent in pre-trial

Dead: Businessman Ganesh Ramlall

custody among other things.

Guyana Times understands that the killer’s sentence has been completely served by his previous time spent awaiting trial, and once the prison processes his release in a timely manner, he will be home by Tuesday.

Ganesh Ramlall, the businessman, had lost his life just after he returned home and was going to use the outside bathroom when he was confronted by four men who shot him about his body and took away his licensed firearm, jewellery, and wallet.

Upon seeing the gunmen, the businessman raised an alarm and called out to his relatives to secure the house.

Shortly after, the bandits escaped and Ramlall was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Days after the fatal shooting, Police arrested Bacchus and he confessed to being the getaway driver.

Police discover pistol during funeral procession

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The firearm that was found by Police

ayhem broke loose during a funeral procession in Georgetown earlier this week, after Police came face to face with a group of “gunmen”. It was reported that one of the suspects was arrested.

While details on the incident remain sketchy, a

report from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) stated that ranks who were in Georgetown at the time, along with members of the “Special Branch” went to Princes and Victor Streets, Georgetown, where a funeral was in procession.

TURN TO PAGE 25

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cops in need of better-quality training – Assistant Police Commissioner ...as 75 ranks shortlisted to be trained T o improve the quality of training provided by the various Police colleges across Guyana, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has partnered with the University of Guyana (UG) to launch a course that will equip them with better instructional training skills.

On Monday, the Force in collaboration with the tertiary institution and the Centre of Excellence for Teaching and Learning (CoETaL) launched its “Train the Trainers” course that will see some 75 shortlisted ranks being trained on how to implement and execute instruc-

tional skills.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Calvin Brutus at the launching event admitted that the quality of training being offered by the GPF has been lacking in standards over the years. He said that this is what prompted the Force to work with UG to execute the course.

“This came about when we took up the helm of the Guyana Police Force. We did analysis of many reports that were submitted to us in the past including the China’s Commission, the Russel Combs’ report, previous strategic plans and we’ve done an analy-

sis of the instructors that we have at our colleges, other staff present working there, our IT infrastructure, and generally the quality of the training that we provide at the college. While we’ve been doing this for quite a number of years, for some reason we’ve fallen away in terms of the quality of training that we provide for our staff,” Brutus said.

He further stated that the Force’s aim is to improve the quality of policemen and women in the next 5 to 10 years. He also revealed that the training being offered by the Force is not sufficient enough

Deputy Commissioner Police, Calvin Brutus

of

to equip officers with the knowledge of how to execute their jobs.

“What we have found, based on our analysis, is that the training that we’ve

produced to our recruits and our staff is not sufficient information for them to fully understand the duties and the responsibilities as Police in Guyana.

The use of force seems to be one of the areas that we’re lagging behind, and in that regard, many of the locations and even some individual members are now currently blacklisted by the US State Department.

Training is one area that will assist us to get beyond the blacklisting so that we can benefit in closer collaborations with the US Embassy.”

The course seeks to enable the ranks to adminis-

ter the necessary training to the batch of 700 new recruits of the GPF that will commence training in May. The course will be broken down into three different sections. The first part of the course will be Instructional Design and will be taught from March 2 through March 8.

The second part, Instructional Delivery, will be taught from March 9 through March 11, with the final part of the course, Assessments being taught from March 12 through March 16.

The course is a micro credit course that will be accredited by UG.

24 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

200 Region 3 residents benefit from medical outreach

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everal organisations, including the Guyana Cancer Foundation and the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), on Sunday last conducted a medical outreach in Westminster, Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), which saw some 200 residents benefitting.

Members of the community were provided with pressure and glucose testing, HIV and STI testing, general check-ups on the spot, and free psychological consultation.

The Guyana Cancer Foundation provided the medical team to administer the various testing at the

The medical team

Villagers at the medical outreach

outreach. Prescription and over-the-counter medication

were provided by Massy Distribution and the RHO

District in Region Three.

Diapers for both children and adults were also distributed to the villagers, along with clothing which was provided by CIOG.

In addition, COVID-19 vaccines were also being administered at the outreach.

The outreach was organised by Devica Hassan with assistance from many

organisations like the US Embassy Civil Affairs Team, the Guyana Medical Relief, the National Blood Transfusion Service, and the National AIDS Secretariat.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police discover pistol during...

When the cops arrived, it was alleged that a group of men who were seen standing in the street started running in various directions. As the ranks gave chase, a .32 Taurus pistol without magazine was found on the ground, where the men were seen

running from.

The men managed to escape, except for a 23-yearold male who is now in custody pending further investigations.

Only a few days ago ranks of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) unearthed illegal firearms

and ammunition.

During the operation, two handguns were seized, one was a Taurus 9 mm pistol along with a 10-round magazine and the other was a .38 Special Revolver.

According to CANU, these operations are part

of its collaboration with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to keep communities safe as part of the National Safe Country Strategy.

In November 2021, President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced that Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs

FROM PAGE 22

Anil Nandlall has been tasked with working on an amendment to the country’s law to ensure there is a higher penalty in place for persons who unlawfully possess firearms.

The Head of State had also noted that Government will grant a

period of amnesty for persons in possession of illegal firearms to turn them over.

However, when this period expires and the amended law comes into play, the President warned that those individuals will face stiffer penalties.

26 NEWS Ukraine: Putin’s miscalculations could see him strike harder WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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New members have been joining the Territorial Defence Forces in Kyiv

kraine has fought back much harder during the first week than Vladimir Putin expected, or very probably than his generals promised him, it would. But these are still the early stages of what could be a very nasty war.

Putin must have hoped that a few days after Russian forces invaded, Kyiv would have fallen. And he surely expected that Western countries, cowed and divided, would have accepted that he had reclaimed a territory that he says is historically part of Russia.

None of this has happened. Ukraine has proved a hard nut to crack, and the reaction of Western countries, particularly Germany, has been far fiercer than he thought.

Russia’s economy has already been savagely hit.

Putin’s one big friend, China, now seems worried that this Western upsurge of anger might, one day, be turned against China itself - and that serious damage could be done to the Chinese economy. It has

his north-western border.

These are all major setbacks for him. They stem from Putin’s own miscalculations, made while he isolated himself from COVID. He saw only a very few advisers, who we can assume

er defector, with the toxic nerve agent Novichok in Salisbury in 2018. Skripal survived, although one woman, Dawn Sturgess, died after being exposed to the deadly substance.

The danger to entirely

tacked Finland, expecting it to crumble within days.

Instead, it fought back, and the Russian army received a bloody nose. It was almost a year before the so-called Winter War was over. It ended with Finland losing territory but remaining an independent country. There’s at least the possibility that the war in Ukraine will finish in a similar way.

We are only at the start of things, and just because Ukraine has held out so far, that doesn’t mean it can resist the full might of Russia for long. But the first round has unquestionably gone well, and the West’s response has been far more robust than most people expected. Chief among them, Vladimir Putin. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Seals help Japanese researchers collect data under Antarctic ice

Kyiv residents have been escaping the Russian bombardment in basements and underground shelters

told him what he wanted to hear. Now he will have to reach for new options. He

People help a wounded woman in Kharkiv, Ukraine, 1 March 2022

already distanced itself from the invasion.

NATO, by contrast, might be strengthened.

Finland and Sweden could both end up joining the alliance for their own protection. Putin launched this war in part to stop Ukraine one day joining NATO, but he could find more NATO members on

ate a high-temperature explosion. Ambassadors at times like this often make extreme claims, but the fact is we have already seen video of Russian thermobaric rocket launchers on their way to Ukraine.

Putin must have hoped that a few days after Russian forces invaded, Kyiv would have fallen

has always refused to back down when he is rebuffed.

He will hit back harder and he has the weapons to do it.

The Ukrainian ambassador to the US claims that Russian forces have already used a thermobaric weapon - what people call a “vacuum bomb”, which sucks in oxygen to gener-

Analysts say it is probably only a matter of time before they are used more widely.

Photographs also show that suspected cluster bombs have been used against civilians in Kharkiv. These unleash showers of so-called “bomblets”, which inflict horrific shrapnel wounds on anybody within a wide area. An international convention banned them in 2008, but Russia has not signed it, having claimed it uses cluster bombs in accordance with international humanitarian law. The people of Kharkiv may disagree about that.

Vladimir Putin has never had any qualms about using excessively dangerous weapons. He is thought to have signed off on the use of radioactive polonium to murder the former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006. He is also likely to have agreed to let Russian military intelligence attack Sergei Skripal, anoth-

innocent civilians doesn’t seem to have worried him.

These were planned as targeted assassinations, not the kind of widespread attacks that we are starting to see in Ukraine, but the principle is the same - civilian lives don’t matter if Russia’s wider interests are at stake.

Would he be prepared to use nuclear weapons if he doesn’t get his way over Ukraine? That must be a possibility - but most analysts think we’re not close to that stage yet. It is true that Putin has said darkly that if anyone considers interfering in Ukraine from the outside, they will face consequences more serious than any in their history. And he’s often repeated the thought that if the world doesn’t include Russia, why should it continue to exist? All the same, NATO would have to miscalculate very badly for a nuclear confrontation to build up.

History may repeat itself - in 1939, Stalin at-

This video grab shows a Weddell seal fitted with high-tech headmounted measuring devices to survey waters under the thick ice sheet, near Japan’s Showa Station in Antarctica, April 2017.

National Institute of Polar

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seal wearing a helmet with an antenna might look unusual, but eight Weddell seals, each with a 580g monitoring device on their heads, have been helping Japanese researchers survey the waters under the thick ice sheet in Antarctica.

Tapped for a research project between March and November 2017 - winter in Antarctica - these seals were equipped with the head-mounted conductivity, temperature and depth sensor, which allows scientists to collect observation data, such as water temperatures and salt levels, in areas with extremely harsh environmental conditions.

Project leader Nobuo Kokubun said such research helps scientists trace the animals’ behavioural patterns and ecology.

“During the summer, we can go to Antarctica on icebreakers to conduct actual research activities, so that we can collect data there.

But during the winter, such things cannot be done in so many places,” Kokubun said during an interview with Reuters on Friday.

Kokubun said the scientists also learned from the data that warm seawater from the upper layer in the open sea reached Antarctica from March through winter that year.

The water flowed below the ice, bringing in sea creatures like Antarctic krill, a major food source for seals.

Aiming to examine further the impact of global warming on Antarctic coastal areas, Kokubun next hopes to make the device small enough to fit on other animals at the South Pole such as penguins.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

27

Regional

US set to announce increased Mexico declines to impose economic sanctions on Russia staffing at Havana Embassy

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exico will not impose any economic sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Tuesday.

He also criticised what he called censorship of Russian State-sponsored media by social media companies.

"We are not going to take any sort of economic reprisal, because we want to have good relations with all the Governments in the world," Lopez Obrador told a news conference.

Lopez Obrador's position stands in contrast to the international sanctions imposed on Russia for President Vladimir Putin's actions.

Russia has built strong links to various Governments in Latin America, especially authoritarian administrations in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, but its ties with Mexico are seen to be lim-

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador attends the 109th anniversary of the death of President Francisco I Madero, a hero of the Mexican Revolution

ited due to the strong USMexico relations.

The Mexican and US economies are deeply intertwined. But leftist leader Lopez Obrador has at times had testy relations with the United States and has criticised US foreign policy.

Lopez Obrador's com-

ments came in response to a question about the interest in Mexico of Russia's second-largest oil producer Lukoil and Russian airline Aeroflot.

Lukoil said on Friday it has completed its acquisition of a 50 per cent operator interest in an offshore oil project in Mexico, part of its drive to expand its global reach.

The Mexican President also criticised what he characterized as the censorship of Russian State media.

"I don't agree with the fact that media from Russia or any country is censored," Lopez Obrador said.

Alphabet Inc's Google barred Russia's stateowned media outlet RT and other channels from receiving money for ads on their websites, apps and YouTube videos, similar to a move by Facebook after the invasion of Ukraine.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

to process visas – sources

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he Biden Administration is expected to announce as soon as this week a plan to beef up its skeletal staffing in the US Embassy in Havana to restore visa processing for Cubans that had been largely suspended since the Trump era, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The deployment of additional consular officers to Havana, a result of President Joe Biden's ongoing year-long review of pol-

icy on communist-led Cuba, would mark an initial phase of easing strict limits on visas imposed under former President Donald Trump.

The State Department under Trump sharply scaled back Embassy staff in 2017 following a spate of "anomalous health incidents" that came to be known as "Havana syndrome". The unexplained illnesses first affected US employees in the Cuban capital and later cropped up in other parts of the world.

Newly-elected Honduras Government to ban open-pit mining

Jamaican mastermind behind US$1.3M iPhone stealing ring gets 12 years

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Jamaican man on Monday was sentenced to 12 years in a United States prison for being a leader of a scheme that stole US$1.3 million worth of Sprint iPhones in 14 states.

Horace Henry, 44, an illegal immigrant of New York City, had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

According to a report from Pennlive.com,

Henry's sentence also includes restitution of US$705,803, which will be shared by other defendants, including another Jamaican and a Guyanese national.

Further, Henry, who was previously deported and re-entered the US illegally, is to be on three years' supervised release following his prison term and faces the likelihood of again being deported.

The report said that Sprint's actual loss from

the scheme, which operated from January 2018 to July 2019, was US$705,803.

A total of 1630 phones were ordered, however, approximately US$642,444 worth of them were not delivered.

The modus operandi of the Henry-led scheme involved the stealing of "the identities of 390 individuals with high credit scores to open sprint accounts and order iPhones", the report stated. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Trinidad: Families heartbroken as bodies of 3 divers recovered

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he bodies of three of the four divers who were stuck in a Paria Fuel Trading Company pipe have been recovered.

Paria made the announcement Monday afternoon after informing family members.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the recovery of the bodies of three of the four divers who went missing on February 25, 2022. The bodies of these three missing divers were recovered today (February 28, 2022) around 5.55 pm,” the company said.

It added that attempts to retrieve the fourth body were still ongoing.

The company said it was joining the families in mourning their loss “and is continuing to provide support and counselling as they deal with this profound loss”.

“No effort was spared in the attempts to treat the

Honduras mines gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc, but the new President wants to put limits on mining

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he new Government of Honduras has announced that it will ban open-pit mining in the Central American nation.

The Government, which was sworn in last month, also said that it would cancel environmental permits for mining operations across the country.

It is not yet clear if the cancellation will apply only to new projects or also to those already operating.

bodies with the utmost respect during the recovery operation. A full investigation into the incident will be undertaken to understand the root cause of the incident,” Paria added.

As news of the deaths of four divers became a reality, the Paria car park in Pointea-Pierre became filled with wails of anguish last night.

Diver Rishi Nagessar’s

elderly relative had to be placed on a chair as he went limp with grief.

“Oh gosh Rishi, you gone boy. Just Saturday you come by the house,” the elderly man bawled.

A female relative of Yusef Henry began shouting, “I fed up. I don’t want to see anybody. Is answers we want.”

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

For decades, Indigenous groups have complained of legal and illegal mining in their ancestral lands.

Honduras mines gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc ,but on Monday the Ministry of Mining described "extractive exploitation" as "harmful to the state of Honduras".

It argued that mining threatened natural resources and public health as well as limiting access to water.

The Ministry statement also declared "the entire Honduran territory an area free of open-pit mining" and said that it would proceed with "the revision, suspension and cancellation of environmental, licences and concessions".

It also announced that areas of high ecological value would be preserved.

Honduras is not the first country in Central America to place limits on mining. In 2002, Costa Rica banned all new open-pit mining projects and El Salvador banned mining for metals in 2017.

Environmental and Indigenous activists in Honduras have for decades been warning of the damage caused to nature and communities by large-scale mining.

President Xiomara Castro included a promise to limit mining in her election manifesto. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Caricom leaders meet; voice concerns over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

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An unidentified family member of one of the missing divers weeps as she awaits information outside the Paria Fuel Trading Company Ltd in Ponte-a-Pierre

There have been no recent reports of incidents in Havana.

The drawdown all but halted visa processing for Cubans who in many cases seek to emigrate or travel to the United States to reunite with families. It coincided with Trump's rollback of a historic rapprochement that his predecessor, Barack Obama, oversaw between the United States and Cuba, Washington's old Cold War foe. (Excerpt from Reuters)

aricom’s incoming chairman and his predecessor have stressed the need for regional unity as they voiced concern about Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

Belize’s Prime Minister John Briceno, the regional grouping’s new chairman, and outgoing chairman Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne voiced their concerns Tuesday as the ThirtyThird Inter-Sessional Meeting of Caricom Heads opened in San Pedro, Belize.

Addressing an audience, including Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, Browne said in his online video address that “our unity and solidarity in Caricom will be a vital and necessary

element in the strength and stability of our organisation as we face a world in flux”.

“All around us the very dangerous and volatile changes threaten to overwhelm the international order as we have come to know it. As I speak, the guns of war are once again roaring in Europe in a military confrontation that could bring two nuclear world powers into open conflict,” he said.

“The implications of this development for world peace and security are almost too frightening to contemplate. The trend towards danger and volatility across many spheres in international affairs has characterised the past six months of my chairmanship and I fully expect it to con-

tinue.”

Briceno, who spoke before an in-person audience, said the current international climate, which was “riddled with crises, conflicts and suffering” was now facing “what appears to be a new Cold War”.

“As we meet, Russia has invaded Ukraine. This is a flagrant violation of international law. We condemn in the strongest terms this unjustified invasion. There must be an immediate cessation of hostilities, an immediate and unilateral withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine. We call for all to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law,” he said. (Excerpt from Nation News)

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guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Russian oil trade in disarray over sanctions as prices blast through US$100

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ussian oil trade was in disarray on Tuesday as producers postponed sales, importers rejected Russian ships and buyers worldwide searched elsewhere for needed crude after a raft of sanctions imposed on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

Numerous nations imposed sweeping sanctions against Russian companies, banks and individuals following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last week and global majors announced plans to leave multi-million-dollar positions in Russia.

Even though sanctions have not specifically targeted the oil trade, buyers throughout Asia, Europe and North America have vanished, sending worldwide benchmarks to over US$100 a barrel.

Russia is the second largest exporter of crude worldwide, trailing only Saudi Arabia, as it ships out 4 to 5 million barrels of crude every day, along with 2 to 3 million barrels of refined products. With demand already surging past pre-pandemic levels and major producers struggling to keep up, market players are increasingly fearful that prices will keep rising.

The knock-on effects of sanctions were felt all across the oil market on Tuesday. Russia's key Urals oil grade was bid at a discount of more than US$18 below physical Brent crude, the primary worldwide benchmark, a record in the postSoviet era. Even at that price, traders have been unable to find willing buyers.

"Nobody wants to buy, ship or store Russian oil," a trader of Russian oil said.

Traders in futures markets aggressively pushed the price of current Brent contracts to more than US$15 above futures contracts that will deliver oil six months from now. That's also a record, and indicative of growing worries about tight supply.

Even non-Russian oil has been snagged in the turmoil. Five traders who spoke with Reuters said buyers are avoiding oil delivered by the CPC pipeline - which delivers more than 1 million barrels a day from Kazakhstan, or over 1 per cent of world supply - because it can mix with Russian grades and terminates at a Russian port on the Black Sea, traders said.

"It's an important source of supply - over a million barrels a day - into a world which right now really needs that oil supply," Chevron CEO Mike Wirth said in a Tuesday call with reporters. Chevron has a 15 per cent stake in CPC and a 50 per cent stake in Tengizchevroil (TCO), which is developing crude oil fields in western Kazakhstan.

Rival energy firms BP, Equinor and Shell have abandoned multibillion-dollar positions in Russia, and BP has already cancelled all of its fuel oil loadings from the Russian Black Sea port of Taman, sources familiar with the matter said.

On Tuesday, US giant Exxon Mobil said it was pulling US employees from Russia, even though it has not said it will give up operations there.

Buyers around the world were trying to secure supplies from elsewhere. State-run Indian refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp, which buys roughly 2 million barrels of Russian Urals monthly, is seeking more oil from Middle Eastern producers for April. Canada said on Monday it would ban oil imports from Russia.

US traders have started shunning Russian barrels, while Asian buyers were awaiting clarity from banks on whether they can transact with Russian sellers.

The Malaysian Government said a Russian-flagged oil tanker targeted by US sanctions will not be allowed to call at Kuala Linggi port.

European Union countries are considering a ban on Russian ships entering ports in the bloc. Britain said on Monday it would deny entry to British ports to all ships that are Russian owned, operated, controlled, chartered, registered or flagged.

In response to the severity of the disruption, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said it would coordinate a release of 60 million barrels of oil reserves from big consumers, with half coming from the United States. The market responded by rallying even further, seeing the move as indicative of the worldwide supply crunch.

Russia, meanwhile, is expected to boost supplies to China.

Oil pipeline monopoly Transneft, which handles more than 80 per cent of total oil produced in Russia, plans to increase supplies to China via the ESPO pipeline this month to 2.48 million tonnes from 2.22 million tonnes in February, according to TASS news agency. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Russia warns Kyiv as Ukraine's cities shelled, armed convoy stalls

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ussia warned Kyiv residents to flee their homes on Tuesday and rained rockets on the city of Kharkiv as Russian commanders intensified their bombardment of Ukrainian urban areas in a shift of tactics after their six-day assault stalled.

A US official said a miles-long armoured column bearing down on the capital Kyiv had not made any advances in the past 24 hours, frozen in place by logistics problems, short on fuel and food, and perhaps pausing to reassess tactics.

Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces would strike targets in Kyiv used by Ukraine's security service and also

A blast is seen in the TV tower, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Kiev, Ukraine, March 1, 2022

communications sites. It warned residents near such sites to leave their homes, while giving no information about where in the city of three million people those targets were located.

Speaking in a heavily

guarded Government compound in Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia must "first stop bombing people" before peace talks could make any headway.

In a joint interview

with Reuters and CNN, Zelenskiy also urged NATO members to impose a no-fly zone to stop Russia's airforce, something the military alliance has ruled out.

As Zelenskiy, unshaven and wearing simple khaki clothes, spoke, news came that a Russian missile had struck a TV tower near the Babyn Yar Holocaust memorial site in Kyiv, killing at least five people.

Rocket strikes on Ukraine's second biggest city Kharkiv killed at least 10 people and wounded 35, Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said.

Similar strikes killed and wounded dozens in Kharkiv on Monday.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Syria shopping centre blaze kills 11

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t least 11 people have been killed in a fire at a shopping centre in the Syrian capital, Damascus, the Interior Ministry has said.

It happened at the La Mirada Mall on al-Hamra Street overnight on Tuesday, state news agen-

cy Sana reported.

Two people had been rescued, AFP news agency quoted the Interior Ministry as saying. AFP said dozens of businesses had been destroyed by the blaze.

An investigation into the cause is under way.

Twenty fire engines were sent to tackle the fire, which took four hours to bring under control. Sana said the "entire building" had been alight before the flames were put out.

Pictures showed the blackened six-storey façade, with smoke drift-

ing out of shattered window frames, and debris and water covering the street.

The Director of Civil Defence said most of those who died were security guards or staff, AFP reported. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Libya Parliament approves new Several Palestinians killed Government as crisis escalates by Israeli forces – Ministry

Fathi Bashagha was appointed last month as Prime Ministerdesignate despite growing tensions [Zoubeir Souissi/Reuters]

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ibya’s east-based Parliament has approved a new Government despite the incumbent Administration pledging not to cede power, pushing a fragile peace process to the brink of collapse and raising the risk of new conflict.

Prime Minister-designate Fathi Bashagha on Tuesday submitted his Cabinet to the east-based House of Representatives, where 92 of 101 legislators in attendance approved it, during a vote that was broadcast live from the city of Tobruk.

The new Government included three Deputy Prime Ministers, 29 Ministers and six Ministers of State. There were only two women in the Cabinet, overseeing the Ministry of Culture and Arts and holding the position of State Minister for Women’s Affairs.

The vote aggravated a power struggle with the interim Administration of Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah,

who was installed through a UN-supported process last year. It is likely to produce two parallel administrations, which could derail the United Nations-led efforts to reconcile the war-torn country.

There was no immediate comment from Dbeibah, who repeatedly promised to only hand over power to an elected government and said parliamentary elections should be held in June.

Libya was split for years between rival administrations based in the east and the west, each supported by myriad militias and foreign governments. Opposing armed groups have mobilised in the capital Tripoli during recent weeks and foreign forces that have backed rival warring factions remain embedded in the country.

The political crisis leaves Libya without a unified Government, with the main political and military forces bitterly divided and with no clear path forward. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

The Palestinian Health Ministry says three Palestinians were killed

by Israeli forces in two separate incidents [Raneen Sawafta/Reuters]

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hree Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in two different incidents in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

Ammar Shafiq Abu Afifa was killed by “Israeli occupation forces shooting at him near the town of Beit Fajar”, the ministry said on Tuesday.

The Israeli army did not immediately comment, when asked by the AFP news agency.

Afifa was a resident of the Al-Aroub refugee camp north of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

Separately, Israeli forces killed two Palestinians before dawn on Tuesday after coming under fire during an arrest raid in the northern West Bank, Israeli Border Police and Palestinian health authorities said.

Israeli Border Police

said officers and undercover Police entered the Jenin refugee camp to arrest a suspect “wanted for terrorist activity”.

“After the arrest of the suspect, as the forces left the house, heavy fire was opened from several directions, and undercover forces operating at the scene responded with live fire,” Police said.

They said as Police reached their vehicles, another assailant shot at the forces, “who responded with accurate fire”.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said two men were killed in the fighting. Wafa identified them as Abdullah al-Hosari, 22, and Shadi Khaled Najm, 18.

Troops arrested Imad Jamal Abu al-Heija, a freed prisoner, Wafa reported.

The news agency said the killing of the two Palestinians sparked a “massive and angry march” in Jenin. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

29

Badminton, rowing, skiing federations ban athletes from Russia and Belarus M ore sporting bodies sanctioned Russian and Belarusian athletes on Tuesday over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with the governing bodies for badminton, rowing, and skiing banning athletes from the two countries from international competition.

Since the start of what Russian President Vladimir Putin has called “a special military operation” last week, sports bodies across the world have already moved against Russia and Belarus by refusing to host or play against teams from the countries.

Belarus has been a key staging area for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On Monday, the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board recommended sports federations ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from competing in events.

The badminton federation’s

move comes a day after it cancelled tournaments in Russia and Belarus.

It said the ban on athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus would start at the German Open from March 8-13, but it is allowing Russian players to compete at two Para badminton tournaments in Spain this week as they have already arrived on location.

“These players, however, will compete as neutral athletes, with no national flags or anthems,” it added.

World Rowing banned Russia and Belarusian athletes and officials from its international competitions with immediate effect and until further notice.

“World Rowing strongly condemns the Russian military invasion of Ukraine and the

ensuing violation of the Olympic Truce,” the governing body said.

The international ski federation, FIS said its council had voted unanimously to follow the IOC Executive Board’s recommendations.

“With immediate effect, no Russian or Belarusian athlete shall participate in any FIS competition at any level through the end of the 2021-2022 season,” it said in a statement.

Swimming’s world governing body, FINA, which on Sunday called off the World Junior Swimming Championships in Kazan, Russia, said on Tuesday that Russian and Belarusian athletes would now only compete as neutral athletes or neutral teams.

“No national symbols, colours, flags should be displayed or anthems should be played in international aquatics events which are not already part of the

respective World Anti-Doping Agency sanctions for Russia,” it said.

It added that the FINA Order awarded to Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2014 has been withdrawn.

On Monday, soccer governing bodies FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia’s national teams and clubs, making it likely the country will be excluded from this year’s men’s World Cup and the women’s Euro 2022 tournament.

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) also called for a complete ban on athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus, including from the Beijing Paralympics, which begins on Friday.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Sunday that it had taken “swift action” to cancel all events in Russia indefinitely and that no ITF events would be held in Belarus

for 2022.

The ITF was responding to calls by the Ukrainian Tennis Federation for it to immediately expel Russia and Belarus from the organisation and ban Russia from team and individual tournaments.

However, the sport’s two professional tours, the men’s ATP and women’s WTA, have not announced any action against Russia or Belarus so far.

Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina refused to play against Russia’s Anastasia Potapova at the Monterrey Open and said she would not play any Russians or Belarusians until the sport’s governing bodies implement the IOC’s recommendations.

Other Ukrainian women’s tennis players, including Marta Kostyuk and Lesia Tsurenko, have urged the WTA to pull all tournaments from Russia.

(Reuters)

Haris Rauf tests positive for COVID-19, likely to be ruled out of 1st Test against Australia

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akistan have been dealt another potential blow ahead of the first Test against Australia with Haris Rauf testing positive for COVID-19.

He has been put in isolation for now and is likely to be ruled out of the first Test in Rawalpindi, which begins on Friday.

Rauf is yet to play a Test for Pakistan, but was in the running for selection after the withdrawals of Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf with injuries picked up in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) last week.

Pakistan called up Iftikhar

Ahmed and Mohammad Wasim Jr to replace those two, but they may be compelled to look at options among their reserve players, which include Mohammad Abbas and

Naseem Shah.

Whether or not Rauf misses the first Test will depend on the results of further testing. Though he tested positive from a Rapid Antigen Test, Rauf had cleared a COVID test on arrival in Islamabad on Monday afternoon.

The entire squad has now been re-tested with results expected later on Tuesday.

Rauf helped Lahore Qalandars win the PSL final

Jason Roy pulls out of IPL 2022

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ason Roy has pulled out of the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 for personal reasons. The England opener, who was signed by new franchise Gujarat Titans at his base price of INR 2 crore (approximately US$266,000), stated that cricket in the pandemic-enforced biobubbles had taken a toll on him over the last three years.

“It’s with a heavy heart I have decided to pull out of this year’s tournament,” Roy posted on Instagram. “I want to thank

the [Gujarat Titans] management and the Captain Hardik [Pandya] for putting your faith in me and picking me in the auction.

However, with everything going on in the world over the last three years it’s added up and taken its toll on me.

“I feel it’s only right I spend some quality time with my family.

As well as spending time working on myself and my game over the next couple of months leading into a very busy year. I will be following each game of the Titans and

backing them to lift the trophy in their first year of the tournament.

“Thank you everyone for the continued support and I hope you can all respect and appreciate my decision.”

Roy represented Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2021, coming in as a replacement for Mitchell Marsh. He had been signed by Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020 before pulling out due to personal reasons. Since making his IPL debut in 2017 for the erstwhile Gujarat Lions, Roy has played only 13 games in the competition scoring 329 runs at an average of 29.91.

Roy was in fine form at the justconcluded Pakistan Super League, top-scoring for Quetta Gladiators with 303 runs at a strike-rate of 170.22. Participating in the IPL would have meant another two months in the confines of a biobubble. Gujarat Titans will confirm a replacement player in due course. (Cricbuzz)

on Sunday evening, which is why he joined the squad on Monday. He arrived with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, and Mohammad Rizwan, who all took part in the final. Fawad Ahmed, the Australian legspinner, who was part of the Qalandars

squad and is due to work with Australia as their spin consultant, was also part of the flight.

Pakistan’s preparations for a historic Test – the first Australia will play in Pakistan since 1998 – have already been hit by the injuries to

Hasan and Ashraf. Ordinarily, Rauf would be battling it out with Wasim Jr for a spot in the XI. But if Rauf’s re-test is also positive, Wasim Jr likely plays – although Pakistan also have the option of calling in Naseem from the reserves.

(ESPNcricinfo)

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

West Indies no match for all-round India

I

Shafali Verma loses her stumps

ndia beat West Indies in their second warm-up fixture ahead of the Women’s World Cup, and now enter the main tournament on the back of successive warm-up wins after also beating South Africa on Sunday. While half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma set them up for a total of 258, a solid all-round effort with the ball ensured West Indies stopped at 177 for 9.

Mandhana and Sharma added 117 for the second wicket after Shafali Verma fell for a second-ball duck, the opener’s relatively dry recent run continuing – she made 0 and 9 in the last two One-Day

Internationals (ODIs) against New Zealand last week after having hit a 57-ball 51 in the third game, her first score of note in some time.

But India would be relieved w i t h

Shemaine Campbelle top-scored with 63

Mandhana’s innings, as she cracked 66 from just 67 balls just two days after being forced to retire hurt when she was hit in the helmet by a Shabnim Ismail bouncer that caused “a mild soft tissue injury to her left earlobe which caused discomfort while batting”.

Mithali Raj and Yastika Bhatia also chipped in with decent hands, of 30 and 42 respectively, after Cherry-Ann Fraser dismissed Mandhana and Sharma. Despite the good contributions, it was a worry for India as they slipped from 142 for 2 in the 27th over to 195 for 5 by the 37th.

Fraser finished with 2 for 24 from five overs.

Karishma R a m h a ra c k and Hayley

Deepti Sharma punches the ball towards the covers

Matthews picked up two wickets apiece too, but West Indies’ batters didn’t quite come to the party during the chase, losing their top four with just 53 on t h e board.

Pooja Vastrakar struck twice up top, while Sharma and Meghna Singh picked up a wicket each. A brief recovery between Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle took W e s t

Indies to 122, before Singh got rid of Matthews for 44 in the 38th over.

By then, West Indies’ required rate had shot up, as they needed another 137 from the remaining 73 deliveries.

And Vastrakar pretty much sealed it for India after she bowled Campbelle for 63. (ESPNcricinfo) Smriti Mandhana was in fine touch, hitting 66 in 67 balls

SCOREBOARD

INDIA WOMEN INNINGS (50 OVERS MAXIMUM) Smriti Mandhana c & b Fraser 66 Shafali Verma b Henry 0 Deepti Sharma c Alleyne b Fraser 51 Mithali Raj (c) b Ramharack 30 Yastika Bhatia c Campbelle b Matthews 42 Richa Ghosh † b Alleyne 13 Sneh Rana b Matthews 14 Jhulan Goswami c Mohammed b Ramharack 1 Meghna Singh run out (Dottin/Campbelle) 3 Poonam Yadav run out (Campbelle/Nation) 14 Rajeshwari Gayakwad not out 10 Extras (lb 1, nb 1, w 12) 14 TOTAL (50 Ov, RR: 5.16) 258 Did not bat: Renuka Singh, Taniya Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur, Pooja Vastrakar Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Shafali Verma, 0.4 ov), 2-118 (Smriti Mandhana, 20.2 ov), 3-142 (Deepti Sharma, 26.2 ov), 4-168 (Mithali Raj, 31.2 ov), 5-195 (Richa Ghosh, 36.6 ov), 6-224 (Yastika Bhatia, 42.5 ov), 7-227 (Jhulan Goswami, 43.4 ov), 8-232 (Sneh Rana, 44.3 ov), 9-237 (Meghna Singh, 45.2 ov), 10258 (Poonam Yadav, 49.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Chinelle Henry 6-0-25-1 Aaliyah Alleyne 7-0-24-1 Hayley Matthews 8-0-47-2 Anisa Mohammed 6-0-34-0 Afy Fletcher 3-0-26-0 Stafanie Taylor 5-1-27-0 Cherry-Ann Fraser 5-1-24-2 Karishma Ramharack 10-0-50-2

WEST INDIES WOMEN INNINGS (TARGET: 259 RUNS FROM 50 OVERS) Deandra Dottin c Goswami b Meghna Singh 1 Aaliyah Alleyne lbw b Vastrakar 12 Kycia Knight † lbw b Sharma 23 Stafanie Taylor (c) c †Ghosh b Vastrakar 8 Hayley Matthews c †Ghosh b Meghna Singh 44 Shemaine Campbelle b Vastrakar 63 Chedean Nation lbw b Sharma 1 Chinelle Henry c †Ghosh b Gayakwad 8 Cherry-Ann Fraser st †Ghosh b Gayakwad 6 Anisa Mohammed not out 5 Afy Fletcher not out 2 Extras (w 4) 4 TOTAL (50 Ov, RR: 3.54) 177/9 Did not bat: Shamilia Connell, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Rashada Williams Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Deandra Dottin, 3.4 ov), 2-27 (Aaliyah Alleyne, 10.6 ov), 3-43 (Stafanie Taylor, 16.3 ov), 4-53 (Kycia Knight, 19.4 ov), 5-122 (Hayley Matthews, 37.1 ov), 6-135 (Chedean Nation, 40.2 ov), 7-158 (Chinelle Henry, 43.6 ov), 8-170 (Shemaine Campbelle, 46.1 ov), 9-172 (Cherry-Ann Fraser, 47.3 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Jhulan Goswami 8-2-14-0 Meghna Singh 8-3-30-2 Pooja Vastraka r 7-1-21-3 Rajeshwari Gayakwad 10-0-39-2 Deepti Sharma 9-0-31-2 Poonam Yadav 8-0-42-0

Walsh takes away positives from warm-up matches W

est Indies Women lost their second warm-up match by 81 runs to India at Rangiora Oval, New Zealand – ahead of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Cricket World Cup. Batting first, India got a solid start from Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, after Chinelle Henry bowled Shafali Verma in the first over for 0. Mandhana top-scored

with 66 off 67 deliveries, while Sharma added 51 to her name.

India posted 258 all out in their 50 overs. Cherry-Ann Fraser (224), Hayley Matthews (2-47) and Karishma Ramharack (250) were the best bowlers for the West Indies.

In their reply, West Indies Women lost constant wickets but Shemaine Campbelle and Matthews provided a 69run resistance to the Indian bowling attack. Campbelle top-

scored with 63 off 81 deliveries while Matthews added 44 from 61. West Indies Women finished their innings on 177-9.

Pooja Vastrakar finished with the best bowling figures for India, taking 3-21, followed by Meghna Singh with 2-30.

West Indies Women Head Coach Courtney Walsh said while the batting was a concern, there have been some good performances, “Good to see a couple of the batters getting in some runs.

It would have been nice if one of them had carried on to get

a bigger score, but I’ll take nothing away from them. We have to have a serious look at what we do coming into the first game, but it was good to get these two practice games out the way, so we can have a rethink of how we progress from here.”

The West Indies Women will play their first match of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 against home team New Zealand in the opening match of the tournament on Friday, March 4 at Bay Oval in Tauranga.

Rain forces abandonment of opening round of ESCL tourney Grizzlies star Morant hailed as “beautiful player” by

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orrential showers last Sunday forced the abandonment of the opening round of the 2022 Essequibo Softball Cricket League (ESCL) over-40 20 overs competition in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). Weather permitting, the competition is set to continue with three matches

be crowned when the final is played in late May as last year’s winners Invaders Masters will not be participating. Sunday’s fixture will see Ravens Sports Club tackling Devonshire Castle Sports Club while Sunrisers Masters will collide with Hibernia Strikers and Queenstown Tigers will do battle

legendary Spurs Coach Popovich after 52-point showing

J at various venues across the Essequibo Coast this Sunday.

According to Chairman of the League, Wakeel Layne, teams shared the points from the rain-hit round, but he is now hopeful the action can prevail this weekend.

Notably, a new champion is to

with Caribbean Cricket Club.

Venues for these games have not been named as yet. In this double-round tournament, the champion side will take home a trophy and $100, 000 while the runners-up are slated to collect a trophy and $50,000.

WI Women Head Coach Courtney Walsh (centre)

a Morant chalked up a firstever career 50-point game for the Memphis Grizzlies and was labelled a “beautiful player” and “special kid” by San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich.

It was the first time in Grizzlies franchise history a player had achieved the target, and his overall haul of 52 helped Memphis – who sit third in the Western Conference – to a 118105 triumph on Monday.

Morant’s performance followed a previous career-best

46 against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, as he went 22-for-30 from the field and drained each of his four three-point attempts.

Popovich, at the age of 73, has seen plenty of the NBA’s best during his illustrious coaching career and he waxed lyrical about Morant’s talents.

“He’s a beautiful player,” Popovich said.

“What else can you say about him? It’s not just that he’s athletic. Everybody says ‘he’s athletic’. Somebody says ‘he’s a

freak of nature’, because he’s so fast. But he makes decisions. He knows what is going on on the court.

“So, you combine that cerebral part of his game with his athleticism and you’ve got a special kid.”

There was no shortage of highlights on the reel for Morant, including him dunking over the seven-footer Jakob Poeltl and landing a buzzer-beater for a 6858 half-time lead after catching a huge launch forward from Steven Adams in mid-air.

He also executed a sensational three-pointer from near the logo, but for Morant it was clear what the highlight of the night was.

“It’s got to be the 50 [points],”he said.

“I’m thankful for my teammates, my coaches. They believe in me and have all the confidence in the world that I’ll make the right plays.”

De’Anthony Melton, who

scored 15 points for the Grizzlies, said of Morant: “He’s at the rim every night, but the way he put it together tonight, he was just in attack mode from the jump.

“He got whatever he wanted, and it looked easy out there. It was just special to be out there and watch that.”

Of Morant’s leap over Poeltl, Melton added: “That dunk was crazy. The way he rose, stared at him and dunked it.” (Sportsmax)

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31

…as they hunt qualification berth in U-20 Championships

By Jemima Holmes

G

uyana’s Under-20 women’s team will find themselves in a tough position today, as only a victory or a draw will be good enough for their survival in the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championships.

Thus far, in the tournament that is being hosted in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Guyana have managed to pull off a 2-0 victory against Honduras and then a crushing 5-0 loss to Mexico two days later. As such, the result of their final Group F Game today against Panama will decide whether or not Guyana is amongst the top three teams in their Group, to qualify for the next round.

As the group currently stands, Mexico leads on six points and one game to go against Honduras, arguably ranking them as the group winners and a shoe-in for the next stage. Guyana, however, sit in number two with just three points and one game to go. While the Lady Jags will play Panama, it is essential for the local team to pick up at least a draw. A loss to Panama will see Guyana’s opponents surpassing them, since Panama currently have one point from a draw against Honduras.

Guyana’s U-20 women’s Head Coach, Paul DeAbreu

With a victory against Mexico for Honduras looking unlikely, Guyana can still remain in the top three, but their fate would completely rest in the hands of Mexico.

Looking at the odds and circumstances under which Guyana can advance to the Round of 16 knockout stage, Head Coach Paul DeAbreu expressed his appreciation of the team’s performance thus far.

“To date, our team has been able to demonstrate perseverance. We have come together for the first time, with little time and come out with a victory,” DeAbreu shared.

Admitting that Mexico were mighty opponents for the Lady Jags to come up against, the Head Coach indicated plans to make changes in order to take three points away from today’s game.

“It’s always hard to play Mexico, it’s a challenge. They’re the best team in the Under-20 group; we’re not at the level yet to compete against them, we can only learn from playing teams like this,” he explained.

On today’s game, he added, “Going forward we look to change our formation, style of play as we had three attacking players. We feel confident that we can continue advancing in the tournament.”

Meanwhile, the players in the Guyanese Under-20 team are also keen about what is required of them in today’s game. Audrey Narine, during a post-match interview on Monday night, verbalised plans of regrouping and bouncing back from Monday’s loss.

“We knew it was tough going in and we’re going to grow and learn from this experience and hopefully rebuild as a team for Panama,” Narine shared.

She went on to add, “We’re going to talk to our coach, rebuild as a team, and hopefully get a

Bank of Baroda Golf Tourney to kick off this Saturday at LGC

Guyana’s U-20 women’s team in action

result out of it.”

Obviously, the Lady Jags are not the only ones who are looking to walk away with a win today, as Panama expect a similar outcome for themselves against Guyana. When quizzed about their match against Guyana, Panama’s Ana Rodriguez was also optimistic about keeping Guyana at bay.

The Panamanian player replied to post-match questions, stating, “With Guyana, we’re going to face it with great enthusiasm and get them out.”

“It’s just between us to work to adjust some spaces,” she concluded.

Guyana are set to take on Panama at 16:00h (4pm) local time today at the Olimpico Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo. Should the encounter go any other way than in Guyana’s favour, the Lady Jags will have a heart-wrenching few hours ahead, as they wait for the result of the Mexico-Honduras clash to ascertain their fate in the competition. Mexico versus Honduras is scheduled for a

19:00h (7pm) start tonight.

The next round of the CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championships will take a straight knockout format, featuring the best three teams in the current four groups and another four teams who qualified for the Championships through the U-20 Qualifiers in September 2021.

The first-, second- and thirdplace finishers in the competition will automatically qualify for FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica from August 10 to 28, 2022.

Archery Guyana’s 2021 Outdoor Championships all set to shoot-off

… tournament sponsored by Seven Seas

H

T

LGC VP Paton George, alongside LGC Secretary Chet Bowling, receiving the sponsorship cheque from Bank of Baroda’s Alexis Mickle, Managing Director Arun Kumar Gupta, Jayadev Peruthanath, Chandan Kumar and Naresh Persaud

his Saturday, the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) will be host to the Bank of Baroda Golf Tournament. The format of the event will be medal play 18 holes net scores shotgun start and it will commence at 12:30h (12:30pm).

It will consist of three flights – players with 9 and under handicap, 10-18 handicap, and 19-36 handicap. Up for grabs will be prizes for first, second and t h i r d place, best net in each flight, best overall net, best gross, Nearest to the Flag, and Longest Drive. All prizes will include trophies plus vouchers. Thus far, 30 players have registered.

Sharing his take at the handingover of the cheque was LGC Vice President Paton George who said, “We’re back for the Bank of Baroda Tournament. Everyone is excited as usual; we got a couple weeks off due to the weather, the course is drained and we’re cutting the fairways right now. The course will be in ideal conditions come Saturday.

Based on your handicap, your score will be calculated, so we expect a good tournament and still enforce the COVID restrictions as they apply. Bank of Baroda has been a generous sponsor in the past, and also looking into the future, this partnership is important and the golfers recognise it as well.”

The competition will definitely

bring the heat as in April 2019, the LGC partnered with the Bank of Baroda to host a tournament, which saw William Walker walking away with top honours. However, with Walker not participating due to unforeseen circumstances, a new champion will be crowned come this Saturday.

Presentation of prizes will be done shortly after the completion of the game; players are advised to contact the club to register. Registration closes at 17:00h (5 pm) on Friday, March 4, 2022. On the day of the tournament, players can uplift their scorecards, etc, and proceed to the allocated tee box and wait for the blast of the horn, which will signal the commencement of the game.

The Bank of Baroda (Guyana) In. was one of the earliest overseas branches of the Bank of Baroda. It was established in Georgetown, Guyana on March 31, 1966, less than a year after the formation of the Bank of Guyana, and prior to Guyana’s independence. In 1999, the overseas branch was converted into a whollyowned subsidiary of the Bank of Baroda. In 2012, the Bank established a branch in Mon Repos on the East Coast of Demerara. It now has two branches in Guyana.

All COVID-19 protocols will be in effect.

aving just concluded a safe and successful 2021 National Indoor Competition, Archery Guyana has proudly announced that on Sunday, March 6, 2022, it will be hosting its 2021 Outdoor Championships sponsored by Seven Seas. Even more exciting is the fact that for the first time, the Guyana National Stadium will have on its grounds, archers vying for the top position.

Seven Seas, a brand

rigorous, and intense research and development process resulting in formulations that are known for their excellent quality and high standards. Seven Seas products help families live their TRUEAGE through their range of products built on the science of OMEGA-3.

The Seven Seas brand started out with COD LIVER OIL, which our parents fed to us at a tender age, and has since developed into a range of essential health

Seven Seas has an established JointCare range, which supports an active lifestyle and consists of different formulations, such as JointCare Supplex, Complete, and Max. These products start with Omega-3 and Glucosamine and include various additions such as calcium and chondroitin which focus on the health of bones, cartilage, muscles, and connective tissue.

Thanks were expressed by

Flashback! A look at Archery Guyana’s last outdoor tourney

distributed by Massy Distribution (Guyana) Inc, has continued to re-commit its support to Archery Guyana, and will be exclusively sponsoring the 2021 Outdoor Archery Competition.

Seven Seas has been around for generations, becoming a household name over half a century ago. Its products are the culmination of a continuous,

products, aimed at enhancing our hair, skin and nails; reducing joint inflammation and more importantly, assisting with brain development and memory support. Helping us to look younger, think smarter, and be radiant inside and out are some of the benefits of using Seven Seas Products.

It should also be noted that

Chairman of the Competitions Committee, Umasankar Madray for Seven Seas’ continued collaboration as a competition sponsor. Special thanks were also expressed to the management of Massy Distribution (Guyana) Inc and Seven Seas as we move forward to promote the sport of archery in Guyana.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

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

Page 23

The U-20 Lady Jags celebrate during their win over Honduras last Saturday

…as they hunt qualification berth in U-20 Championships

Bank of Baroda Golf Tourney to kick off this Archery Guyana’s 2021 Outdoor Saturday Championships all set to shoot-off at LGC … tournament sponsored by Seven Seas Page 23

Page 23

Chair of Archery Guyana’s Competitions Committee, Umasankar Madray flanked by Seven Seas representatives Neelam Dharmo (left) and Stacy Sam (right)

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