Guyana Times - Friday, August 27, 2021

IOM, Caricom sign MoU to collaborate P16 on regional migration Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4752

THE BEACON OF TRUTH FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

Guyana gets US$248M in IMF Special Drawing Rights − Central Bank says allocation to fight

PRICE

Page 3

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

4 women die from COVID-19, death toll now 606 P11 …151 new infections …99 persons hospitalised

AFC expresses no confidence in APNU’s Region 4 Chairman, Vice Chair P5

pandemic, aid infrastructural development

Vaccinated children support COVID-19 jabs as "the only solution" See story on page 7

…as 213 immunised at vaccine launch − UNICEF welcomes reopening of schools in Guyana

Teen sets home on fire after P17 quarrel with grandmother Woman-beater shot to groin after attacking P15 Police “Chuckie” handed life sentence for beating aunt to death P8

Fifth Form business student of the St Stanislaus College, Ramon Cummings, along with his mother, after taking the vaccine on Thursday

Majority of healthcare workers vaccinated – Health Minister Page 13

…hospitals activate contingency plan to prevent disruptions − no reports of persons dying after taking vaccine

Guyana’s 1st Energy Conference now confirmed for February 2022 Page 14

Berbice man P10 arrested after leading Police to stolen items Alleged cow thief abandons P animal upon 15 seeing Police

2

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

3

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Friday, August 27 – 09:00h-10:30h and Saturday, August 28 – 09:30h-11:00h and 23:00h-03:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Friday, August 27 – 07:05h-08:35h and Saturday, August 28 – 07:45h-09:15h.

Guyana gets US$248M in IMF Special Drawing Rights – Central Bank says allocation to fight pandemic, aid infrastructural development

FERRY SCHEDULE Parika and Supenaam departure times - 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily

WEATHER TODAY

Sunny conditions are expected followed by light rain showers with instances of thunder from midafternoon into the evening hours. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Northerly to South South-Westerly to West North-Westerly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 07:23h and 19:38h reaching maximum heights of 2.55 metres and 2.51 metres.

Low Tide: 13:14h reaching a minimum height of 0.72 metre.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS K

03 04 06 19 23 28

FREE TICKET

25 Bonus Ball

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

DAILY MILLIONS

04 05 16 18 26 LUCKY 3

8

5

4

7

Afternoon Draw

2

9

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

02 05 08 12 14 16 21 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021

02 04 10 13 16 13

06 12 14 16 18

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

$71.07/barrel

-1.66

Rough Rice

$239.94 /ton $477.20/ton

+0.15 -0.33

London Sugar

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1799.30

$1800.30

Low/High Change

$1779.80 +6.70

$1800.60 +0.37%

BoG Governor General, Dr Gobind Ganga

G

uyana has benefited from a whopping US$248 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) that will be used in its fight against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as well as for the country’s infrastructural development.

The IMF has earmarked a total of US$650 billion – the largest allocation of SDRs in its history – for distribution to Member States. SDRs are an international reserve asset created by the IMF to supplement the official reserves of its member countries. It is not a currency; it is a potential claim on the freely usable currencies of IMF members and as such, can provide a country with liquidity.

The allocation to Guyana is approximately SDR174.2 million. This US$248 million is not a loan and therefore does not carry any conditionality of the IMF’s Structural Adjustment Programmes.

In a statement on Thursday, Bank of Guyana Governor General, Dr Gobind Ganga welcomed the allocation, which he explained is in proportion to Guyana’s quota with the IMF. “The allocation is expected to aid in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic as well boost productivity and growth of the Guyanese economy through its capital spending that focuses on the infrastructural transformation of the country,” Dr Ganga said.

According to the Central Bank Governor, the allocation has buffered the country’s net international reserves to reach well over US$800 million, from US$601 million at end-July 2021. He added that this external position of the Central Bank was also supported by the commercial banks’ net international reserves of US$477 million and the Natural Resource Fund balance of US$436 million.

The Caribbean region is expected to receive a total of approximately SDR2 billion or US$3 billion from the total SDR set aside.

According to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, this allocation is a significant shot in the arm for the world and, if used wisely, presents a unique opportunity to combat this unprecedented

crisis.

“The SDR allocation will provide additional liquidity to the global economic system – supplementing countries’ foreign exchange reserves and reducing their reliance on more expensive domestic or external debt. Countries can use the space provided by the SDR allocation to support their economies and step up their fight against the crisis,” Georgieva said in a missive dated August 23, when the SDR allocation took effect.

With the SDRs being distributed to countries in proportion to their quota shares in the IMF, Managing Director Georgieva revealed that about US$275 billion is going to emerging and developing countries, of which low-income countries will receive about US$21 billion – equivalent to as much as six per cent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in some cases.

“SDRs are a precious resource and the decision on how best to use them rests with our member countries. For SDRs to be deployed for the maximum benefit of member countries and the global economy, those decisions should be prudent and well-informed,” the IMF Head stated.

However, in order to support countries and help ensure transparency and accountability, Georgieva noted that the IMF is providing a framework for assessing the macroeconomic implications of the new

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva

allocation, its statistical treatment and governance, and how it might affect debt sustainability. She added that the IMF would also provide regular updates on all SDR holdings, transactions, and trading – including a follow-up report on the use of SDRs in two years’ time.

On the other hand, the IMF Managing Director is encouraging countries with strong external positions to voluntarily channel of some SDRs to countries most in need so as to magnify the benefits of the allocation.

It was noted that over the past 16 months, some members have already pledged to lend US$24 billion, including US$15 billion from their existing SDRs, to the IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust, which provides concessional

loans to low-income countries.

This is just a start, and the IMF will continue to work with members to build on this effort.

“The IMF is also engaging with its member countries on the possibility of a new Resilience and Sustainability Trust, which could use channelled SDRs to help the most vulnerable countries with structural transformation, including confronting climate-related challenges. Another possibility could be to channel SDRs to support lending by multilateral development banks,” Georgieva stated in the missive from IMF. The US$650 billion in SDR allocation is a critical component of the IMF’s broader effort to support countries through the pandemic, which includes: US$117 billion in new financing for 85 countries; debt service relief for 29 low-income countries; and policy advice and capacity development support to over 175 countries to help secure a strong and more sustainable recovery.

This is the second time the Fund has made such an allocation in the recent past. In 2009, the IMF made allocations with the aim of ameliorating the adverse impact of the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. The developing economies, such as Guyana and the Caribbean, were able to withstand the global financial crisis favourably. It is hoped that the current allocation has the same impact.

4

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

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

Lifestyle changes and recycling

T

he issue of recycling is becoming a major concern for both the general public and the economy. Scientific research has suggested that, due to lifestyle patterns of citizens, the earth’s natural resources are being depleted too quickly to sustain a healthy balance. The earth’s natural resources are being consumed at a rate that reinforces the idea that we are living for today; and future generations will be paying for the consequences that result from our lifestyle choices.

For years now, calls for citizens here to dispose of their waste in a responsible manner have fallen on deaf ears, and the build-up of garbage in and around the city continues to be repeated.

Governments and businesses all over the world are realising how serious the problem is, and are taking steps towards putting policy mechanisms in place to ensure that the environment is protected from various forms of pollution. Recycling, along with reducing consumption, has proven to be an effective way to counter the damage we have been doing to the earth for centuries.

A major part of recycling relates to how best we can recycle much of what we use, instead of turning it into unusable waste. For the sake of emphasis, recycling is important as a means of reducing poisonous emissions into the atmosphere, and also to postpone depletion of our natural resources.

Guyana has indeed taken some time to get “on board”, while many companies and individuals in other parts of the world are improving their recycling habits by coming up with more ways to reduce and reuse what they use. In essence, while there has been much talk about the need to recycle certain products to save our environment from further damage, in a practical sense, the concept has not as yet taken much root here. Only a handful of companies have shown that they are really serious about moving in this direction. For example, in a bid to support the efforts to sustain and maintain a clean and healthy environment through the provision of proper disposal mechanisms and technology, one local company had launched a line of biodegradable products called Eco Pak. The Eco Pak products consist of bio-degradable table wares, including bowls, boxes and cups which are all environmentally friendly products because of the materials and the process utilised to manufacture them.

If we are serious about maintaining a healthy and clean environment, consumers must demand that businesses engage in practices that are more eco-friendly. For example, consumers must be encouraged to purchase from companies that manufacture more eco-friendly products.

As part of efforts to spread the message of recycling, a comprehensive education and public awareness campaign would need to be carried out, using every available means.

Following this, the authorities should explore setting up recycling centres across the country, since it makes no sense preaching about recycling if the necessary infrastructural support system is not present.

In addition to its positive impacts on the environment, recycling brings in a lot of money for many countries.

Companies make huge sums from basically utilising the materials that could otherwise have been thrown away.

We believe there is need for lifestyle changes among our citizens, and it would be very helpful if the schools, religious organisations and local Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and Municipalities in every region start the conversation with citizens about recycling. This should be done with direct involvement of the decision-makers.

Certainly, everyone prefers products that are manufactured in an eco-friendly manner, and wants a better, cleaner, and healthier environment.

World on fire: Wildfires rage across the globe A firefighter works as the Caldor Fire burns in Grizzly Flats, California, US, August 22, 2021 (Reuters/Fred Greaves)

On COVID and climate we can achieve change – but we’re running out of time …a simple breakfast with a friend presented a serious dilemma and pointed to both the need and precedent for action

By Robert Reich

O

n Saturday morning I met a friend for breakfast at a local diner. We weren’t sure whether to sit outside because of the surging Delta variant of COVID, or inside because stinging smoke from wildfires consuming northern and western California had spread into the Bay Area.

Our small dilemma is a microcosm of what many are going through or will be soon. The combination of multiplying COVID variants and mounting environmental damage is making the air dangerous to breathe, inside or out.

What to do? Clean air is the quintessential public good. It’s supposed to be free, abundant and safe. Few Americans alive today have ever before worried about microscopic particles containing deadly infections or deadly bits of carbon.

And yet largely because we’ve taken it for granted, and therefore as a society didn’t pay enough attention to public health or to the disintegrating environment, the air we breathe is no longer safe. We now need to rely on masks, air filters and other devices to protect our lungs.

And it’s far from clear how long this will go on or if and how it will ever end.

It’s not as if we weren’t warned. But it’s been bizarrely difficult for us as a society to focus our attention on this most basic of

all needs. I’m tempted to blame Republicans, capitalism, greed, the oligarchy. But these feel like copouts.

Our collective tendency is to wait until big problems become catastrophic before dealing with them. Most of the time we’d rather not pay attention. We have all we can do to make a living, bring up our kids decently, save a bit for retirement, hopefully have a bit of fun along the way. We assume others will take care of the biggest threats.

Or we tell ourselves there’s nothing more we can do. We may try to live modestly, recycle and conserve energy, use masks and get fully vaccinated. We might even write a few emails to politicians advocating for cleaner air and for stronger public health measures.

Beyond this, it can feel hopeless.

Hell, I was in a President’s cabinet. I personally know dozens of members of

Congress. I have a big megaphone. But when it comes to this simultaneous pandemic and environmental crisis, I sometimes despair too.

Americans speak a lot about “revolution”. We’re a nation born of revolution.

What we don’t talk about enough is a revolution in our thinking and behaviour – realising that we are not above and outside the natural world but part of it, that we cannot continue to exploit and plunder for profit, that there is something called the common good that requires personal sacrifice, and that those of us who are better off have a moral duty to sacrifice the most.

Yet I’m old enough to remember when California had smog days when the air was putrid and orange, when older and sicker people dared not venture outside and kids couldn’t play outdoors. I’m also old enough to remember when Britain had noxious air – coal-fired fogs that blanket-

ed cities, burned lungs and sometimes killed thousands.

I don’t recall the last pandemic, but I do remember when polio ripped through the land, spreading fear and paralysis. It put two of my six-year-old friends into iron lungs.

In all these instances, we acted – as a people, as a society. We got smog out of the air. Britain cleaned up too.

And we dutifully lined up at school to get polio shots (without the howling of governors or anti-vaxxers). We eradicated polio.

In other words, despite our tendencies to wait until the last moment, to get caught up in our own private needs and wants, and feel overwhelmed in the face of gigantic problems, we sometimes achieve the common good. It’s important to remember this.

My friend and I chose to have our breakfast outside.

I’m not sure it was the right choice. Although we reduced our risk of COVID, the smoke stung our eyes and probably did worse to our lungs. But I am sure this is not the only choice ahead.

Robert Reich, a former US Secretary of Labour, is Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley and the author of “Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few” and “The Common Good”. His new book, “The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It”, is out now. He is a Guardian US columnist (The Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

5

News

AFC expresses no confidence in APNU’s Region 4 Chairman, Vice Chair

C

iting continued failures and shortcomings in the management of the Regional Democratic Council’s affairs, the Alliance For Change (AFC) Councillors on the Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) RDC have expressed their lack of confidence in the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) elected Chairman, Captain Daniel Seeram, and Vice Chairman, Samuel Sandy.

Last week, the AFC representatives on the RDC laid formal notices of “No Confidence” in the Region Four Chairman and Vice Chairman. However, the AFC said during a statutory meeting on Thursday, the acting Chair disallowed a reading of the motions on the grounds that the office of the Chairman was not served with a copy of the motions nor did they conform to the stipulated timeline.

Notwithstanding disagreement on the interpretation of the acting Chair, the AFC said in a subsequent statement on Thursday that its Councillors would seek to remedy these defects and table the motions at the next statutory meeting of the RDC. Despite the APNU/AFC

Region Four Chairman Daniel Seeram

being elected leaders in September 2020 to manage the affairs of Region Four – Guyana’s largest region, the minority party in the Opposition coalition pointed out that several issues have persisted over a year later and this highlighted the fault lines within the Council and its ability to discharge responsibilities to serve the communities in the key geographical region.

“The AFC Councillors have highlighted several grave concerns including the suspension of the Regional

Administration of Committee meetings without any word to Councillors which has created chaos and information short flows frustrating the work of the Council and causing the Council to move a motion for its reinstatement,” the statement from the party detailed.

According to the AFC, the alienation and exclusion of its representatives by the Chair, who is a former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) member, is evident in the fact that he currently holds Chairmanship of key committees including the Tourism Committee, which to date has never met.

Moreover, it was noted that Seeram is currently the sole representative on the Sea Defence Board of the Public Works Ministry; the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA); the Board of the Agriculture Ministry and the COVID Task Force of the Office of the Prime Minister.

“This action deviates from the historical norm of sharing these positions with other Councillors and the spirit of partnership which is fundamental to the APNU+AFC coalition. It is necessary to note that the Personnel

Region Four Vice Chair Samuel Sandy

and Human Resource Management Committee also has not met for over eight months… Among other issues, this has resulted in 14 healthcare workers’ contracts not been renewed and two nurses not being paid for several months,” the AFC highlighted.

It was also outlined that the deterioration of the relationship between the Region Four Chairman and his Vice Chair on matters of principled approach and operations, which permeates every statutory meeting, is a major

source of discord that impacts negatively on the ability of the Council to function effectively.

Currently, these deficiencies have resulted in several contractors not being paid for close to six months owing to the failure of the Vice Chair in convening meetings and signing off requests in a timely manner. As a result, employees of these contractors are not being paid.

“AFC Region [Four] Councillors recognise that these fundamental differences in approach and operations make it difficult for the citizens of our most populous region to receive optimal services given the current structural differences which must be solved urgently… The Alliance For Change is keenly aware that its primary obligation is to serve the people of all communities in Guyana and to identify a progressive path that ensures the provision of better services to the residents of Region [Four],” the missive on Thursday detailed.

The AFC’s motions of no-confidence in the APNU RDC leaders come against the backdrop of a falling-out between the two coalition parties

over the election of the Region Four Chairman and Vice Chairman last September.

Based on agreements between the two coalition partners, the AFC would get the Vice Chair positions in Regions Four and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

AFC had nominated Neilson McKenzie for the Vice Chairman position, while APNU nominated Samuel Sandy and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) nominated Desmond Morian.

Voting was along party lines, as APNU and PPP cast their 14 votes each for their candidates and the AFC, with its five votes, backed McKenzie.

However, the APNUelected Chairman, Seeram, used his deciding vote to elect Sandy instead of AFC’s candidate.

AFC General Secretary David Patterson, who had helped craft the agreement, had subsequently resigned over the breach of the agreement by the APNU, which has a history of infringements against its smaller coalition partner.

Crying wolf on racial discrimination GTU is ‘messing around’

Dear Editor, Racial discrimination! This has been the mantra of the PNC/AFC from the day they were placed on Opposition benches by the people of Guyana. It must be noted that no ethnic faction enjoys a majority in Guyana, and no political party enjoys 100% support of any race.

The PPP/C is far more aware of this fact than the APNU/AFC were when they assumed office. An examination of the endless claims of racial discrimination being made as a political strategy exposes the mental laziness of the Opposition political leadership.

There are real issues of national importance that should be carefully monitored, examined, raised by the Opposition, and debated intelligently for our democracy to function optimally.

David Granger’s administration (2015-2018) promised to trim the Public Service on the campaign trail, but instead hired 14, 325 new persons, most permanently. The ethnic breakdown shows 13,786, or 96.2%, were of Afro descent; 8492 applications for jobs by other ethnicities went unacknowledged by APNU/AFC. The strategy of ethnic and political hiring in the Public Service did not lead to an improvement in efficiency, and many of Granger’s Ministers complained of being saddled with ‘weights’. One new employee was famous for arriving at work with a briefcase filled with the daily newspapers, which he would proceed to read minutely for the duration of the

workday.

There have been shifts in the Public Service. Some persons left after refusing to work with the new administration; political appointees resigned (some were retained), 84 of the 44,738 Public Service staff were fired for incompetence, insubordination, or outright refusal to work.

The APNU/AFC’s claim that there is racial discrimination in the Human Resource Management of the Public Service is completely false.

‘Newspaper man’ is still on the job. Ask any political activist what people ask them for, and the answer will most likely be “a house lot”; I would beg any/ all persons or organisations to examine the Irfaan Ali administration’s distribution of house lots throughout Guyana for any indication of racial discrimination. When persons are allocated a house lot in any area, they are required to attend a public meeting, where all the available lot numbers are placed in a bag and each allotted person has to pull their own. This policy, implemented under the Presidency of Bharrat Jagdeo, eliminated the creation of ethnic enclaves. There will be areas where the preponderance of applications will be of one ethnicity, but those are fast disappearing as our population mixes and the dynamics change.

The wilful ignorance that characterised the Granger/ APNU/AFC Administration has evolved into a machinery that fabricates outright fictions and bald-faced lies, the sheer volume and intensity of which

are difficult to comprehend.

And it is increasingly difficult to respond to all; whenever one goes unanswered, it is immediately treated as ‘fact’ and doubled-down upon.

Today, for example, a post on social media makes a ludicrous claim of intervention in the marking of NGSA exam papers by the Minister of Education; the patently false claim is then shared by none other than Coretta McDonald, who disingenuously says, “I hope this isn’t true”. McDonald epitomises the new APNU/ AFC political leader: expedient, callous, and dangerously uncaring of the consequences of her actions.

The APNU/AFC conflation of vaccines and discrimination remains the most callous political act in a country that has experienced rigging of elections, mathematical gymnastics to avoid going to polls after failing a no-confidence motion, and refusal to leave office after losing an election. The straw man of ‘mandatory vaccination’ is beaten to death; that it will inevitably cause some misguided soul to succumb to COVID-19 and depart this earth seems to leave the APNU/AFC leadership unbothered.

President Irfaan Ali has made it simple for anyone to avail themselves of medical advice and exemption, where medically prudent. No effort is being spared to protect the lives of all Guyanese.

Sincerely, Robin Singh

and not being honest

Dear Editor, I find it most preposterous that “With immediate effect, the Guyana Teacher’s Union (GTU) announced… that it is withdrawing from participating in the present assessment of schools and all other planned engagements with the Ministry of Education over the recent vaccine requirements put in place.”

To be defiant is one thing, but to be so in the face of common sense and at the risk of endangering a nation is quite another. I go back to December 2020, and I hope to enlighten the entire GTU. I remind all that, at the time, UNESCO and Education International (EI), the global federation of education unions, issued a call to governments and the international community to consider the vital importance of vaccinating teachers and school personnel.

The message was clear and resounding.

It stated that “Reopening schools and education institutions safely, and keeping them open as long as possible, is imperative. In this context, as we see positive developments regarding vaccination, we believe that teachers and education sup-

port personnel must be considered as a priority group.”

So, it is not a Guyana thing. The international cry is “…that countries should take critical measures regarding teachers in the global pandemic, including the protection of teachers and students’ health, safety, and well-being.”

So, to the GTU and its Head, Mark Lyte, I say, “Wake up and quit the machinations. The Education Ministry is spot on with its policy of urging “…teachers who are yet to get vaccinated to use this period to do so before the reopening of schools.”

Attaching some conditions is perfectly in order too, so I am with the Ministry, as it also outlined that “…teachers who do not wish to get vaccinated are required to submit a negative PCR test once per week.

Those who do not report for duty will be marked as absent.”

For Mark Lyte and those he is speaking for, I again highlight that Guyana’s situation herein is a bit tardy.

Guyana should have been embarking on mandatory vaccination for the teaching fraternity some time ago.

As far back as in April

2020, at the global level, it was pointed out that “… school closures disrupted the learning of almost 90 percent of students worldwide…(and) while that number has dropped since, there continues to be an unsupported assumption that closing schools may slow the spread of the disease, despite increasing evidence that schools are not the main driver of community transmission.”

This explains why “UNICEF is calling for teachers to be prioritised to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, once frontline health personnel and high-risk populations are vaccinated. This will help protect teachers from the virus, allow them to teach in person, and ultimately keep schools open.”

Who can debate that the longer children remain out of school, the less likely they are to return, and the more difficult it is for their parents to resume work?

I submit therefore that in the light of scientific, medical, and social evidence, the GTU is ‘out of order.’

For your consideration, Erin Northe

6

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

Page

Foundation

By Robert Browning

I

magine you are a Journalist getting ready to interview an astronaut. Write your questions. Then, imagine you are an astronaut. Research and write answers to your questions! (startwithabook.org)

Hamelin Town’s in Brunswick, By famous Hanover city; The river Weser, deep and wide, Washes its wall on the southern side; A pleasanter spot you never spied; But, when begins my ditty, Almost five hundred years ago, To see the townsfolk suffer so From vermin, was a pity.

Rats!

They fought the dogs, and killed the cats, And bit the babies in the cradles, And eat the cheeses out of the vats, And licked the soup from the cooks’ own ladles, Split open the kegs of salted sprats,

Made nests inside men’s Sunday hats, And even spoiled the women’s chats By drowning their speaking With shrieking and squeaking In fifty different sharps and flats.

At last the people in a body To the Town Hall came flocking: ‘Tis clear, cried they, our Mayor’s a noddy; And as for our Corporation — shocking To think we buy gowns lined with ermine For dolts that can’t or won’t determine What’s like to rid us of our vermin!

Rouse up, Sirs! Give your brains a racking To find the remedy we’re lacking, Or, sure as fate, we’ll send you packing!

At this the Mayor and Corporation

Quaked with a mighty consternation.

An hour they sate in council, At length the Mayor broke silence: For a guilder I’d my ermine gown sell; I wish I were a mile hence!

It’s easy to bid one rack one’s brain — I’m sure my poor head aches again I’ve scratched it so, and all in vain.

Oh for a trap, a trap, a trap!

Just as he said this, what should hap At the chamber door but a gentle tap?

Bless us, cried the Mayor, what’s that?

(With the Corporation as he sate, Looking little though wondrous fat); Only a scraping of shoes on the mat?

Anything like the sound of a rat Makes my heart go pit-a-pat!

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Vaccinated children support COVID-19 jabs as “the only solution”

…as 213 immunised at vaccine launch – UNICEF welcomes reopening of schools in Guyana

Student Danah Shiwgobin was the first to receive the COVID-19 jab at the vaccination rollout for children

T

he Health Ministry on Thursday officially commenced the rollout of COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 12 and above – a gamechanger as Guyana seeks to navigate through the pandemic.

The launch of the rollout at the St Stanislaus College paved the way for students to get inoculated using the 146,250 doses of the PfizerBioNTech vaccines which arrived in Guyana earlier in the week as a donation from the United States Government.

Danah Shiwgobin, a 12-year-old student of the St Stanislaus, was the first child to receive the vaccine.

As she collected her jab and spoke with Guyana Times, the eighth-grader said she was ‘perfectly fine’. Shiwgobin recalled that it was quite a simple process which her parents followed, and then she was

cleared to receive her jab.

“It was actually really simple. All you need to do is fill up a form, make sure your parents sign the consent form, and they just ask a few questions, like if you had any transfusions, any sickness or anything. That’s it basically, and then you just go and they will give you the vaccine,” she explained.

To children who are hesitant to take the vaccine, the student assured, “I will say, ‘Go ahead for it’, because this is actually the only solution right now. For students that haven’t taken it, I’m not sure if they have anything planned for them as to if they’re going to continue online classes and so on.”

Shiwgobin was followed by Ramon Cummings, a business student in his fifth year at the institution. By the end of the exercise, 213 children had received their first jab.

With this leg of Guyana’s vaccine campaign officially launched, a significant number of persons took their shots at the College.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand said it brings the country one step closer to the reopening of schools, preventing further cases of dropout.

“We have seen ourselves right here how much our students have dropped back, and how many have already left the classroom. We commit to making sure that we track each and every student who should’ve been in school, to bring them back into the school, and to make sure that once they come back in, the remediation that is needed

Students receiving their first jab

to make their presence in the classroom practical and sensible is done,” she asserted.

The Education Minister added that, in a time when there are great threats triggered by deadlier variants and rising cases, persons should only make the logical decision based on science-based evidence to protect themselves.

“We cannot afford - at this time when there is an existential threat hanging over our heads, with new variants coming to our shores and attacking our people - to be hesitant about positions we take; we cannot prevaricate on positions. The science and the medicine is clear…We’re going to come community to community, school to school, drive thru after drive thru to give every child who requires a vaccine a shot in the arm. Once we do that, we will come back to the schools, do that safely, and we’re going to take our country back. COVID

shall not win,” Manickchand stressed.

This Pfizer vaccine is only made available for children 12 years and above. Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony informed that Government would await data from current clinical trials to determine whether younger children can be immunised.

“We expect the results of those clinical trials are going to be available at the end of September, and once those clinical trials work as we envisage them to do, then the FDA and United States will most likely grant emergency use authorisation for us to vaccinate children between 11 and five. But we have to wait on that data, then we will be able to open up to this age group,” he clarified.

Meanwhile, United States Deputy Chief of Mission, Mark Cullinane, has assured that the vaccines are safe and effective, as witnessed in the

protective barrier it presents in preventing severe illnesses and deaths. The United States, he noted, was concerned about statistics in Guyana, which showed over 4,000 children being infected.

“The United States is troubled by recent statistics that more than 4,000 children under the age of 18 had been tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The recent spike in pediatric cases and breakthrough infections from those who already have the vaccine among the adult population offers a strong indication that the Delta variant and others may be spreading here in Guyana.”

In addition, UNICEF Representative Nicolas Pron said his organisation welcomes the physical reopening of schools in Guyana.

“Today is a landmark day for Guyanese students, as the Government launches the COVID-19 vaccine for eligi-

ble students, which paves the way for the physical reopening of schools. It is a day of hope and possibility, as many students, some for the first time, will soon step into schools after many months of being at home”, he stated.

Pron further stated that children have a right to education and to the safety and protection that schools provide. “I must commend the Government of Guyana for its efforts in making COVID-19 vaccines available to all eligible residents, and now eligible students. This is an achievement attained by only a few countries. I wish to recognize, too, the efforts of our COVAX partners, including the United States,” he added.

In trails, the double-dose Pfizer component has shown to be around 95 per cent effective, and is one of two vaccines approved for children from the Food and Drug Administration.

8 NEWS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Chuckie” handed life sentence for beating aunt to death

Sentenced to life: Kevin Mohan, called “Chuckie”

A

Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown man has received a life sentence for the September 4, 2016 murder of his aunt, 47-year-old Anita Mohan.

Kevin Mohan, called ‘Chuckie”, 26, who was formerly charged with the capital offence earlier this month, had pleaded not guilty when his trial began. However, following deliberations, a

12-member jury unanimously found him guilty of the crime before Justice Sandil Kissoon, who is presiding at the High Court in Demerara.

The murder convict was represented by Attorney-atlaw Damien DaSilva, while Senior State Counsel Lisa Cave led the prosecution’s case.

Based on reports, the battered body of Anita Mohan was discovered in a pool of blood in the kitchen of her Lot 315 South East Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown home. Police had said that Kevin Mohan confessed to killing his aunt during the course/furtherance of a robbery.

Police Headquarters also said that the man admitted to having a male accomplice.

A post-mortem examination revealed that the woman sustained a chop wound to her head and one in the vicinity of her temple, along with a stab wound to her chin and one in her mouth. A portion of her tongue was severed, and

Dead: Anita Mohan

she was strangled. Her cause of death was given as cerebral haemorrhage.

At a sentencing hearing on Thursday, a Probation Officer revealed that Kevin’s father abandoned him when he was a child, while his mother, who was reportedly a “lady of the night”, died at an early age.

As such, the Probation Officer said, Anita, who sold beverages and vegetables and reared

cattle, raised Kevin.

According to the official, Kevin’s relatives said he did not have many friends, and described him as a hasty person who is prone to becoming angry very easily, more so when he consumed alcohol.

Prison officers, the Probation Officer disclosed, referred to him as a humble individual who did not give them any trouble during his incarceration. Further, he said that prison officials posited that Kevin is a good candidate for rehabilitation, since he is a first-time offender.

While his aunt raised him from childhood, the Probation Officer added, the convict expressed that it was never a life of comfort, since he began working during his early teenage years.

“The relatives of the deceased are asking for justice to be done in a way that will send a message that the taking of life will not be condoned in a law-abiding society,” the official said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Different strokes...

N

…for different bites ow that the waters have settled from the storm in the teacup up at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn in the alleged “Rally against racism” by the PPP in Guyana, we’re beginning to see some light. And it ain’t making some folks look good at all!! First of all, you had a bunch of MPs and other officials from the PNC posse - the ones who didn’t have their visas revoked!! - and who looked like they were singing for their supper. All from the lyrics sheet they were handed by the Brooklyn Con-man doing his hustle to some “neva-see-come-fuh-see” hicks!!!

But the biggest loser was Congressman Hakeem Jeffries who allowed his very (very!) close connection with the grifter to “tie bundle” with him! He went out so far on a limb that his judgement is being questioned on the Hill. After all, he can’t very well place his political capital on the line on the untenable accusations he hurled at the PPP about their “racism” for PERSONAL reasons. Cause part of that capital comes from the fact he’s Chair of the Democratic Caucus in the House…and it might look like he’s speaking for the entire Democratic Party. Which he sure as heck ain’t doing!

Even for the Black Caucus - as was shown by senior Texan Black Congress members Al Green and Sheila Jackson-Lee honouring VP Jagdeo!! He was implicitly bitch-slapped!!

Now that PPP’s Gail Teixeira has just sent a 28-pg dossier to all members of Congress and the Senate - not to mention all international agencies - showing chapter and verse, the utter barefacedness of the Brooklyn hustlers to question the bona fides of the PPP’s legitimacy to govern, Jeffries will have even more mud on his face - at a time when he least needs it! Quite serendipitously, he’s leading the charge for the “John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act”, to restore voting rights protections that have been dismantled by the Supreme Court. Which affects adversely Blacks and other minorities - like suppressing voting by making it more difficult by insisting on bureaucratic niceties - ignoring the substantive essence of the right to vote!!

So, guess what? Now that the House has narrowly passed the Bill, it goes to the Senate, where the Republicans are in charge! And they’re going to be knocking Jeffries’ hypocrisy for knocking Trump’s policies and supporting the PNC claims - disenfranchising voters amounting to three seats in 47 Ballot Boxes. Just because of some bureaucratic bungling that “disappeared” the polling papers but containing all the ballots!!

Most hypocritically, Jeffries was just caught on camera insisting that “free and fair elections are central to our liberty”!!

Yeah right!! Just not for Guyana?? …on women’s equality Yesterday, the US observed “Women’s Equality Day”, which they’ve been doing since 1971. And after Feminist Movements versions 1, 2 and 3, your Eyewitness must echo that old Virginia Slims advertisement - “You’ve come a long way, baby!!” Especially when he now has to insist that it’s not said in a condescending way!! So, the question is: how have we been doing on the Women’s Equality front here in good, ole mudland?

Frankly, not so great. Sure, we’ve had a woman President (Janet Jagan) …but we still only insist that Parliament must have 33% women MP!! Imagine calling for equality in ethnic representation in the Executive, but not for women!! And then there’s jobs and salaries…women are still not represented in top executive positions in business, and even when they’ve broken that barrier, there’s a “glass barrier on salaries!!

And, most of all, their “house work” doesn’t count as “work” - which in reality isn’t given value in the only form that counts - money!!

“A firm handshake” doesn’t count!! …on vaccination Your Eyewitness appreciates the need for autonomy and all that. But isn’t it supremely selfish for refuseniks to place their “choice” on COVID vaccination ahead of others who want to enjoy their right to life?

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

NEWS

9

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GECOM finalising terms for ads to replace Lowenfield, Myers & Mingo T

he Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is currently finalising the terms for advertisements to be published in order to replace top officers from its Secretariat who are before the courts for electoral fraud, and who were fired a couple of weeks ago.

On August 12, GECOM Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield; his deputy, Roxanne Myers, and Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo were all dismissed.

Following GECOM’s statutory meeting on Tuesday, Government-nominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj said efforts are underway to replace them.

According to the Commissioner, the terms for an advertisement were the subject of Tuesday’s meeting. The advertisements will be seeking replacements for the vacant positions, which must be filled ahead of Local Government Elections (LGE).

Local Government Elections are expected to be held in November. However, GECOM has been in turmoil for the past few years.

Additionally, the Government has made it clear that GECOM must be purged of untrustworthy elements before elections.

Gunraj and his fellow Government-nominated Commissioners Bibi Shadick and Manoj Narayan had, on June 1, 2021, brought motions calling for the dismissal of Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo from GECOM. The trio are before the courts for a number of electoral charges for their alleged attempts to sway the results of the March 2020 General and Regional Elections in favour of the then ruling A Partnership for National

The Guyana Elections Commission

Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

On June 22, 2021, GECOM had unanimously decided to send the trio on leave pending the outcome of the motions.

In regard to CEO Lowenfield, the motion filed

by Gunraj detailed that in spite of protests from contesting parties other than the APNU/AFC, he deliberately chose to neglect the complaints of discrepancies in relation to Mingo’s numbers.

In the case of Myers, that motion was submitted in the names of Shadick and Narayan. They argued that she aided Lowenfield in the commission of all his infractions, and even went out of her way to facilitate a meeting in a GECOM facility by then Foreign Affairs Minister Karen Cummings, where she threatened to revoke the accreditation of international observers.

Myers’s purported order to have the Guyana Police Force remove Commissioner Gunraj and political party representatives from the GECOM Command Centre during the

tabulation of the Statements of Poll (SoPs) was also listed as one of the reasons she should be dismissed from her

substantive post as DCEO. Meanwhile, the grounds for Mingo’s dismissal surround his tabulation of the

SoPs, in which he manufactured numbers to reflect a win for the APNU/AFC. It also concerns his conduct and defiance of the court orders mandating that he follow the outlined statutory process to acquire his final tally of the SoPs. However, Lowenfield had countered the motions with a court case seeking to block Gunraj and Shadick from voting on the motion. He has since withdrawn the legal proceedings.

On August 12, the Elections Commission met virtually to finally vote on the three motions tabled by Government-Nominated Commissioners for the dismissals of the trio. The motions were previously debated by the Commission, but, at the last meeting held vir-

tually on Tuesday, Opposition Commissioners Vincent Alexander and Desmond Trotman logged out before the motions could be dealt with, leaving the meeting without a quorum.

The APNU/AFCnominated GECOM Commissioners had similarly walked out of another meeting of the Commission on July 20, when they had met to deliberate on the motion to dismiss the GECOM trio.

During the August 12 meeting, which was also virtual and lasted for approximately 30 minutes, the three Opposition-nominated Commissioners abstained from voting on all three motions, while the three Government Commissioners voted in favour of the trio’s termination.

“Chuckie” handed life sentence...

According to the Probation Officer, Kevin, in engaging in such a crime, should have considered that his aunt made sacrifices to raise and provide for him.

In this regard, the official opined that his actions can be considered tantamount to “biting the hands that fed him.” “…and for such brutality to be meted out to a defenceless woman who is a blood relative speaks to the mindset of a deranged beast… such person should be excised from society,” said the Probation Officer, who also pointed out that Kevin has shown no remorse for his illegal behaviour.

Meanwhile, Kevin told the Probation Officer that he loved his aunt, and knows nothing about her death.

In fact, when given a

chance to address the Court, Kevin exclaimed, “I getting jail for something me did not do. I didn’t get a fair trial; I was victimised. Only Allah could judge me; Father knows the truth. I suffering bad in jail for something me did not do.”

For his part, Justice Kissoon declared that the Court would show Kevin no mercy. Describing how the woman met her demise, the Judge said, “Such was the degree of savagery, cruelty and violence unleashed upon Anita Mohan in the course of this crime by [Kevin] that the scene in the kitchen of the lower flat was described, according to the testimony of the witness, as a bloodbath.”

The Judge noted that the now dead woman’s relatives described her as industrious,

hardworking, generous, and supportive. In his sentencing remarks, Justice Kissoon reminded Kevin that his aunt raised him from a baby, and despite his habit of stealing items from her home, she still cared for him.

“Kevin Mohan, you have been given support, kindness, and benefited from acts of love in the dwelling of your aunt. The reward you give her in turn for her acts of generosity is this brutal, heinous killing,” said the Judge.

He added, “[Kevin] your actions speak to a calculated, planned criminal act to kill and to rob Anita Mohan. The deceased was killed by you for financial benefit.”

According to the High Court Judge, he found no mitigating factors, given the circumstances of the crime.

“Your age, 22 at the time

FROM PAGE 8

[of the commissioning of the offence], does not constitute a mitigating factor, as the majority of crimes of this nature: felony murder in particular, killing in the course of a robbery, are committed by persons of this age.”

The Judge noted this fact is highlighted in a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal of Trinidad and Tobago.

“Your cruelty to one who considered and treated you as a son will attract no mercy from this Court,” Justice Kissoon declared.

In the end, the Justice imposed a sentence of life on Kevin, and pointed out that the sentence of the Court “must be sufficiently severe to serve as a deterrent.”

The convicted killer has to serve a minimum term of 30 years in jail before he becomes eligible for parole.

10 NEWS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Berbice man arrested after leading Police to stolen items

A

resident of Crabwood Creek, Corentyne Berbice was on Thursday arrested after he had reportedly stolen one Stihl motor blower and ten packs of chemicals from a rice farmer.

The larceny reportedly occurred at some time between 12:00h on Wednesday and 8:00h on Thursday in the backlands of Crabwood Creek.

Police have said the 38-yearold rice farmer plies his trade in the Crabwood Creek area, and normally leaves his machines and other equipment in the backdam. However, during the date and time mentioned, the farmer left the said items and went home, but upon his return, he observed the items missing.

Acting on information received, Police contacted the 48-year-old suspect, who admitted to stealing the items. He then led Police to a location in Moleson Creek, Corentyne, where the items were recovered.

He has been arrested, and is expected to be charged shortly.

The stolen items after they were recovered

Drunken woman assaults cops who respond to reports of noise nuisance

T

he Police are investigating an incident in which several of its ranks were assaulted by a drunken woman after they had responded to reports of noise nuisance in the Parika Façade, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) area on Thursday.

Preliminary investigations revealed that a team of Policemen responded to a

noise nuisance report made via telephone by a caller against an identifiable female at Parika E.B.E. Upon arrival at the location, ranks were greeted by loud music coming from the premises of the suspect.

As ranks entered the yard, they noticed the suspect and three other persons consuming alcohol.

As such, she was warned to turn off the music, but instead became aggressive and stated to assault and abuse the ranks. In addition, she started to use a series of expletives. The Police retaliated by seizing the music equipment. Same was taken to the Parika Police Station, where it was lodged. Investigations are ongoing.

NEWS

11

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

4 women die from COVID-19, death toll now 606 …151 new infections …99 persons hospitalised

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD AUGUST 26 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

151

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

109

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

1510 22

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

6

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

12,824

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

12,040

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

24,864

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

22,617

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

306,906

FULLY IMMUNISED

158,557

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

606

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1351

REGION 2

748

REGION 3

2913

REGION 4

11,431

REGION 5

815

REGION 6

2039

REGION 7

1334

REGION 8

382

REGION 9

2244

REGION 10

1607

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

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

The Health Ministry on Thursday reported that four more persons – all women – have lost their lives to the novel coronavirus.

These patients were ad-

mitted with COVID-19-like symptoms and died while receiving care at medical institutions. The victims were a 69-year-old, a 78-year-old, and an 82-year-old – all of

whom are from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); and a 56-year-old from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara.

With the four new fa-

talities, the death toll has jumped to 606. New statistics provided by the Ministry also showed that 151 new cases were recorded, taking the total number of positive cases to 24,854.

There are 22 persons in the Intensive Care Unit

(ICU), 109 in institutional isolation, 1510 in home isolation and six in institutional quarantine.

A breakdown of positive cases reveals six new cases in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam); 12 in Region Three; 101 in Region Four;

six in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice); 20 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); four in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice).

TURN TO PAGE 17

12

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

13

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Majority of healthcare workers vaccinated – Health Minister …hospitals activate contingency plan to prevent disruptions – no reports of persons dying after taking vaccine

W

ith Government’s stance that unvaccinated health workers will be denied entry to service the population during this deadly wave of COVID-19, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has informed that a majority of persons in the sector have been vaccinated.

Speaking with the media on Thursday, he explained that this leaves the unvaccinated health workers in the minority. Currently, hospitals are activating mech-

Unvaccinated workers denied entry at the GPHC on Thursday

anisms to ensure that this lack of human resource capacity does not cause any disruptions to providing health care to the public.

“I think right now, a substantial portion of the health workforce have actually gotten their vaccine. There’s some who still did not get their vaccine, and they’re in the minority. So, what the hospitals have done is to make arrangements so that the shifts are covered. We’ll see what happens after,” Dr Anthony explained.

According to the Minister, with the Delta and other variants proving to be even deadlier – there is a concern if health workers remain unvaccinated and remain on the frontlines.

“When this all started, we called healthcare workers frontline workers. They were the barrier between us and this virus. One of the best ways of protecting our healthcare workers is to make sure that they’re vaccinated.”

TURN TO PAGE 17

14 NEWS Guyana’s 1st Energy Conference now confirmed for February 2022 T FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

he inaugural Guyana Energy Conference and Exhibition (GEC-X ’21), which was originally scheduled for September 28 and 29, 2021, will now take place in February 2022 as a hybrid event.

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the lead organiser of the event, said planning is moving forward in earnest, and details about the signature event will be made available soon.

GEC-X, which will be held under the theme “Powering the Future”, aims to move the energy discussion beyond oil and gas.

The Conference is intended to bring together foreign and local investors and Government decision-mak-

ers in productive engagements to seek collaborations that will lead to transformative energy projects.

Commenting on the new date for the event, President of the GCCI, Timothy Tucker, said the Chamber has taken into consideration the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and as such, will move forward with a hybrid version of the event, which will now comprise a mix of in-person and virtual sessions.

GEC-X is being organised in partnership with several local companies and service providers, and is endorsed by the Government of Guyana.

The expo Guyana Energy Conference and Exhibition (GEC-X ’21) will place keen focus on Guyana’s energy mix as a means of trans-

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat at the launch of the Exposition back in February

forming the South American country.

GEC-X ‘21 will primarily focus on the importance of local content development,

local participation, and local companies working together not only in the development of the oil and gas industry, but in other industries as well.

At the launch of the Exposition back in February, it was stated that the conference is called ‘Energy Conference’ because there

is a well-held view that our growth, development and transformation as a nation in the 21st century lie with our ability to produce and utilise cheaper energy, cleaner energy, and ultimately renewable sources of energy.

Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Dr.

Peter Ramsaroop, had noted that the conference will bring together a mix of local businesses and foreign investors.

President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, said the company is pleased to be supporting GEC-X ’21.

He pointed out that the conference will provide a useful opportunity for ExxonMobil to further inform and educate persons about its operations.

Also at the launch, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat has told an elite gathering that the conference is aligned with the Government’s focus on pursuing and developing an energy mix over the next few years.

He pointed out that the cost of power generation has been “a great hindrance” to Guyana’s development, and that is why Government is moving to address this as early as possible.

Larceny suspect nabbed after escaping from Police Station

T

Larceny suspect Akash Pechia

wenty-two-year-old Akash Pechia, a labourer of No. 50 Village, Corentyne Berbice, who escaped while in custody at the No. 51 Police Station, was rearrested on Thursday.

Pechia was initially taken into custody for questioning in relation to break-and-enter and larceny and other offences, but while being processed at the No.51 Police Station, he reportedly escaped.

The Police had launched a manhunt for him, and he was eventually arrested late on Thursday evening at Hazel Street, Springlands, Corriverton, Berbice.

He is presently in custody at Springlands Police Station, and is expected to be charged shortly.

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

NEWS

15

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

La Parfaite Harmonie Woman-beater shot to home burglarised, $700,000 groin after attacking Police music system missing A

T

he Police have launched an investigation into an alleged burglary committing on the home of a minibus driver at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD) on Wednesday.

The perpetrators escaped with an LG music system valued at $700,000, One

LG television set valued at $35,000 and one gas cylinder.

The Police have said that the victim, who lives alone, had secured his premises at about 05:30h and had gone to work. At the time, the items now missing were intact. However, at about 21:15h, he returned home

and discovered the bolt and padlock that secured his door broken, and the door open.

Immediately sensing that something was amiss, he went into the house and checked, and found the items missing. The Police were contacted, and an investigation has been launched.

Sonia Noel’s "Expo 50" ends with a bang

T

he conclusion of Sonia Noel’s Expo 50 has been described as “nothing short of an awesome experience for 50 emerging entrepreneurs and small businesses.”

‘The New Awesome You’ exhibition, in collaboration with Giftland Mall and Urban Life, at the Giftland Mall (Turkeyen, Georgetown) on August 21 and 22, which featured 50 enterprises and start-up businesses, saw both patrons and exhibitors benefiting from the event, which in turn saw persons enquiring about the date for the next expo.

The weekend expo featured a variety of emerging businesses, including spa services, catering, agro-processing, beauty products marketing company, seafood distributors etc.

However, unlike the Women in Business Expo, this event saw male exhibitors participating.

The exhibitors present at the expo were all part of a mentoring session before the event.

One of the lucky participants of the expo stated that “being part of the Expo 50

Kwakwani Police Station responded to a report of a man assaulting a woman in a house at Kwakwani Airstrip Road.

Upon their arrival at the scene, the ranks observed Harry assaulting a woman, who was bleeding from her face.

As such, the Police intervened, and in retaliation, the now injured man became aggressive towards the

Police and attacked one of the ranks. This led to a scuffle between the rank and the suspect, during which the suspect was shot to his groin area.

Harry was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex, where he was admitted. The Police Constable has since been placed under close arrest, as investigations into the incident continue.

Motorcyclist injured after colliding with Canter

The Canter involved in the accident

Sonia Noel and some of the exhibitors at the event

who purchased my products.”

Another, in her remarks, revealed that “being a part of Expo 50 is lottery won, because, as a young entrepreneur, I have gained a lot of knowledge in various aspects (learning how to work as a team, managing the little resources that were presented, dealing with facing my fears, because public speaking was one of my worst. I also learnt how to communicate and collaborate. The knowledge which I have acquired from no other than tenacious, considerate and multi-talented Miss Noel and fellow col-

An exhibitor showcasing her products at Expo 50

was truly a remarkable experience. I have never felt a more dynamic and cooperative team as this one.

This superb opportunity has boosted my confidence enormously in the areas of marketing, promotion, money management, and customer interaction. In addition, I was able to heighten my network by the connections I have gained from customers

Police Constable has been placed under close arrest after he reportedly shot a man to his groin during a scuffle at Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Injured is 40-year-old Keanon Harry of Kwakwani Water Front.

The Police have said that on Wednesday at about 15:30h, two Police Constables attached to the

leagues I can now put what I have learned into practise, so I can have the same impact on other upcoming entrepreneurs.”

A third shared that “the experience I had being a part of this amazing journey was overwhelming, meeting so many entrepreneurs who are gifted in so many ways, striving to reach the top was so inspirational to me.

What I would love to see is

more influential people like Ms. Sonia Noel coming out, working and pushing small business owners into their dreams, building their confidence, assisting in any small contribution, if necessary, and conducting workshops for small business owners on product marketing and managerial skills.”

Some of the small businesses present at the expo were La-Toya Barton, owner of The Book Hub; Kleon Spellen, owner of Hulk’s Fitness and Sports Centre; Neishana Baksh, a Henna Artist; Maverick Davidson, author of ‘The Awakened Soul’ book; and Tiffany Emanuel of Posh Styles and Habits/Allo’s Seasoning.

“This exposition has re-ignited my passion for entrepreneurial journeys, and listening to the impact on the startup and emerging businesses gave me great joy.

This journey is challenging, and I made many mistakes along the way, and I feel blessed to share my story that they can learn from my journey” Sonia Noel expressed.

Meanwhile, many of the exhibitors are in discussion to foster partnerships and collaborations.

In celebrating her 50th birthday, Noel had hosted an entire month of events, ranging from a virtual church service to online chats with upand-coming entrepreneurs and small business owners, blood drives, mentorship sessions, breakfast with the media.

Among the few events remaining on the agenda are a takeaway tea party, virtual event for authors and aspiring authors, and the God is Awesome service with bringing down the curtains.

The motorcycle Odysseus Clement was riding at the time of the accident

A

motorcyclist has been admitted a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital after he was involved in an accident with a Canter along the Ogle Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on Thursday.

The injured man is

32-year-old Odysseus Clement of Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

Based on reports received, on the day in question, at about 6:00h, the Canter, bearing registration number GGG 9813 and being driven by a 30-yearold resident of Patentia Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara (WBD), was proceeding along the roadway and was about to negotiate a left turn when the driver felt an impact to the left side front portion of the vehicle.

He immediately brought the vehicle to a halt and, upon checking, saw the motorcycle and its driver lying on the roadway. The injured motorcyclist was picked up in a conscious state and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was treated for a fractured right leg and other bodily injuries.

He was subsequently admitted a patient in a stable condition.

The driver of the Canter has been arrested, and he is assisting with investigations.

Alleged cow thief abandons animal upon seeing Police

The items that were found in possession of the suspect

A

23-year-old man was arrested in the wee hours of Thursday, moments after he was seen trying to steal a cow at J.C. Chandisingh Street in Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice.

The Police have said that on the day in question, at about 1:20h, a party of Police ranks were on motorcycle

The cow that was abandoned by the suspect

patrol within the Rose Hall Town Station District when they observed the cow, which was tied with a rope around its neck, being carried by the suspect across the JC Chandisingh Public Road.

However, upon seeing the ranks, the man quickly abandoned the animal and ran away. As such, the ranks took the animal to the Rose

Hall Town Police Outpost, where it was lodged.

Subsequently, upon patrolling the said area, the suspect was contacted, arrested, and placed in custody pending further investigations.

Upon his arrest, he had in his possession a blue canvas rope, a white canvas rope, a cap and a torchlight.

16 NEWS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana welcomes UN Office on Drugs and Crime I

n light of the Global Firearms Programme (GFP) Project which was launched in March 2021 under the theme, “Support to the implementation of the crime prevention and criminal justice component of the Caribbean Roadmap to counter illicit firearms trafficking and misuse across the Caribbean in a sustainable manner by 2030”, the Government of Guyana has welcomed a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The aim of the project is to prevent and counter illicit circulation and misuse of firearms and their links to serious crimes. In this re-

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and other officials

gard, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn has said the project is a timely one.

The project, which is funded by Germany, is in cooperation with the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Implementation

Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC).

However, the collaboration aims to produce a more comprehensive assessment of criminal justice response capacities, and to contribute to the understanding of national priorities in countering firearm-trafficking-related crimes.

Further, the delegation has intentions of collaborating with the Home Affairs, Foreign

Affairs and International Cooperation, and Legal Affairs Ministries, as well as the Department of Public Prosecution, the Guyana Police Force, and the Guyana Revenue Authority.

Just last month, a new unit was established by Minister Benn to clamp down on the trafficking of firearms and ammunition through a National Action

Plan for the Firearms Roadmap.

The unit referred to as a national team is said to have collectively agreed that the Firearms Act along with the relevant norms and regulation should be updated.

Additionally, the National Action Plan for the firearms roadmap saw top priorities being given to the developing and the enhancement of training in surveillance firearms’ detection at the port and border crossings, creating and enhancing domestic software and e-platforms to facilitate intelligence gathering, information exchange among national and regional law enforcement entities and crime mapping, and to create/update national weapons inventories.

GWI commences drilling 920-foot well at Lusignan IOM, Caricom sign MoU to

collaborate on regional migration

Executive Director of Caricom IMPACS, Lt Col Michael Jones and IOM Regional Director for Central America, North America, and the Caribbean, Michele Klein-Solomon after affixing their signatures to the MoU

The GWI team and NDC personnel during a recent visit to the well drilling site

S

Jagmohan Hardware Supplies & Construction Services has started to drill a new 920-foot well at Lusignan on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

Technical officials of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) recently met with officials of the Mon Repos La – Reconnaissance Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to update them on the exercise.

GWI’s Executive Director of Operations, Jawaharlall Ramjug, explained that there was a delay in the commencement of drilling as a result of challenges encountered in shipping the materials to Guyana due to the ongoing pandemic.

However, NDC Chairman (Ag) Jagroop is hopeful that drilling will be completed within the specified timeframe. With the commencement of the operation, residents within close proximity will, from time to time, experience noise associated with well drilling.

GWI is therefore seeking the patience and understanding of the residents in this regard, as the company works to ensure the community has the best water supply possible.

The Lusignan well had collapsed earlier in the year, and numerous attempts were made to conduct repairs, but to no avail.

The workers during the drilling exercise

Therefore, a decision was made to drill a new well in the community to restore normalcy to the water supply of residents.

GWI’s Chief Executive Officer Shaik Baksh had met with both residents and councillors of the NDC to discuss the company’s plans for the new well and to address any concerns.

Since the collapse of the well, alternative arrange-

ments were implemented to provide a steady level of service to residents of Lusignan.

This included channelling water from the Friendship Water Treatment Plant to provide residents with 10 hours of water supply daily.

Additionally, extensive leak repair works were done within the community to further improve the water pressure.

A

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was recently signed between the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The MoU aims to strengthen the cooperation between IMPACS and IOM in areas of mutual interest.

These include areas such as management of migration for development, development of migration standards and policies in the region aimed at protection-at-sea, processing irregular migrants, counter-trafficking in human beings, as well as contingency planning and emergency responses in the event of large-scale forced displacements.

During his remarks, Executive Director of Caricom IMPACS, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Jones, explained that the formalisation of the two agencies’ relation is a significant step in deepening their ties as they move to address issues of border management and counter-trafficking of humans.

He noted that Caricom IMPACS and IOM have already been working to enhance the capacities of regional governments in tackling these areas.

“We are very honoured to have partnered with the IOM over the years to execute programmes such as training on human mobil-

ity during natural disasters, and training on the reception and reintegration of forced returnees,” said Jones.

Further, he explained that IMPACS has also worked with IOM and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to implement the Caribbean Migration Consultations (CMC). The CMC is a forum that aims to coordinate and promote information exchange among Caricom Member States, in addition to developing common policies to assist in comprehensive migration governance in the region.

IOM is currently working with IMPACS to implement two activities to support migration management. These activities include an analysis of capacities and needs to assess health issues at points of entry in the Caribbean, and a legislative gap analysis and road map for policy change on the counter-smuggling of migrants in the region.

Both activities are implemented by IOM under the Western Hemisphere Program (WHP), which is generously financed by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.

The IMPACS Executive Director affirmed that this collaboration would benefit Caricom Member States by enhancing capacity-building initiatives in migration, harmonising policies and procedures, and accessing glob-

al tools to address irregular migration in the region.

Meanwhile, IOM Regional Director for Central America, North America, and the Caribbean, Michele Klein-Solomon, in her address, emphasised that working with Caricom in the region is critical to facilitating the effective management of migration and transnationalorganised crimes at all levels.

“Transnationalorganised crime and the way it manifests in the region require collaborative efforts across countries, and the expertise of dedicated specialists like Caricom IMPACS,” said Klein-Solomon.

The Regional Director also elaborated on the role of the CMC in furthering these collaborative efforts, as it was initiated to address the specific needs of the region.

She noted that the CMC has played an integral role in facilitating the working relationship between Caricom and the IOM, as they address issues of human mobility in the context of natural disasters, and the countering of trafficking of persons and the smuggling of migrants.

She commended IMPACS for their leadership in this regard.

To close the virtual ceremony, the Caricom IMPACS and IOM officials respectively signed the MoU to strengthen ties between the regional agencies in implementing effective migration management.

NEWS

17

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Teen sets home on fire after 21-year-old slapped with rape charge quarrel with grandmother T

wenty-one-year-old Arfan Shasudeen of Port Mourant, Berbice, Corentyne was on Monday slapped with a rape charge when he appeared at the Whim Magistrate’s Court. Police stated that he had sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 16.

As such, he was not required to plead to the charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Renita Singh under Section 10 (3) of the Sexual Offences Act, Chap.

8:03.

He was placed on $120,000 bail and scheduled to return to court on September 23, 2021.

P

olice are on the hunt for a 17-year-old lad who reportedly set fire to his grandmother’s dwelling place at No. 60 Village, Corentyne Berbice on Thursday.

The teenager has been identified as Kuma Persaud.

Police have saaid that on the day in question, at about 19:45h, the suspect lit a kerosene stove and placed it under a bed following a misunderstanding with his 50-year-old grandmother, who shortly after had left the house.

Within minutes, persons in the area were alerted to the fire, but by the time the tenders arrived, the house with all its content was destroyed. At the time of the fire, no one was at home.

When the Police arrived on the scene, an investigation was launched.

Cases in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) did not increase.

On Thursday, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony reported that 99 persons have been hospitalised – 73 at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Ocean View, Greater Georgetown.

The others are at West Demerara, Mahaicony, Rose Hall, Skeldon, Bartica, and Upper Demerara hospitals.

“Of the 73 patients that

Man gets bail on damage to property charge

The dwelling house that was completely destroyed

4 women die from... we have at Ocean View, we now have 23 persons in the ICU [Intensive Care Unit].

It is a serious thing and I hope we can get people to adhere more strictly to the measures and to protect themselves and family by getting vaccinated,” said Dr Anthony.

In Guyana, 306,906 persons or 59.8 per cent of the adult population have received their first dose, while 158,557 persons or 30.9 per cent have been completely immunised.

FROM PAGE 11

“We have seen a constant increase in vaccination, but we’re still a far way from herd immunity. We still have to work together to make sure that we increase these numbers community by community, region by region to make sure that we’re protecting ourselves. The only way these vaccines are going to work is if you get them and everybody around you get them. Then it helps to develop herd immunity.”

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms asso-

ciated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy Persons with comorbidities have been asked to continue taking their respective medications or treatment to control their conditions. The preventative measures and guidelines to protect against the virus must be adhered to since this category of persons is at greater risk if they contract COVID-19.

Majority of healthcare workers...

FROM PAGE 13

He pointed to the United States, which has mandated vaccination for all federal workers, highlighting that, “That’s because they’re now confronted with an upsurge of Delta infections.

They have so much more resources than we have and their hospitals are overflowing. They’re having problems with enough oxygen for their patients. They’re having problems in terms of trying to get beds for people. It is a serious thing and if our frontline workers are going to be unvaccinated, they can be among the first set of people who can be infected.”

While addressing the contention that a person’s human rights must not be tampered with, the Minister cautioned that sometimes individual rights have to ‘yield to the collective’ in order to keep an entire population safe.

Earlier on Thursday, several unvaccinated healthcare workers were denied entry to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), but the institution said its patients did not suffer as a result of the stance.

GPHC’s Communications Manager Chelauna

Providence told Guyana Times that approximately 50 employees were denied entry in keeping with the COVID-19 measures issued by the Health Ministry.

In updated COVID-19 measures which took effect on August 1, the Guyana Government mandated that healthcare workers be vaccinated against the life-threatening virus. Failure to do so would mean that they would be required to submit regular PCR tests to prove that they were not infected with the disease.

At the time, several of these persons had taken to the streets to protest against the measures, causing Government to announce on August 11, a two-week timeframe within which they were urged to reconsider their stance and get vaccinated.

This period expired today and many workers who still refused to get vaccinated turned up to work where they were denied entry since they did not produce a negative COVID-19 test.

“Staff were not locked out of the compound. The staff were given very clear instructions, not just yester-

Rape accused Arfan Shasudeen

day, but two weeks ago and before that, that they need to be vaccinated if they’re working at the GPHC, which is subdivision agency of the Ministry of Health.

They were given the option to either be vaccinated or producing a medical PCR test for entrance to the compound and this discussion, like I said, not just started two weeks ago,” Providence explained.

“They were given two weeks to comply with the vaccination or producing a negative PCR. We did send out a memo to our staff yesterday considering that the two weeks have come to an end, letting them know that if they could not produce their negative PCR or their vaccination cards, they will not be allowed into the compound. So, the staff were not locked out, the staff did not comply with the requirements for entry to the compound,” she added.

Asked specifically how many employees of the GPHC have opted to remain unvaccinated against the novel coronavirus, the Communications Manager said this information was not readily available.

However, she said there were about50 persons who were denied entry.

In fact, she said persons whom she knows to be vaccinated were also denied entry because they did not produce their COVID vaccine card. Regarding the impact this situation has had on the delivery of healthcare services, Providence explained that the GPHC’s patients did not suffer.

“We did meet and discuss what contingency plans we will put in place considering the worst-case scenario. Fortunately, today (Thursday) we did not need to deploy any worst-case scenario plans, because we did have staff who were willing to adhere to the requirements and either got their vaccination or produce negative PCRs…,” Providence further noted.

On the other hand, one healthcare worker at the protest stated that she was aware that one person who took the vaccine had died, but according to Dr Anthony, this is a tactic being used to defend their hesitancy. “No one has died after taking the vaccines,” he reiterated.

F

orty-nine-year-old Makhram Lall, called “Mike”, of Letter Kenny Village, Berbice, Corentyne, was on Monday granted bail in the sum of $30,000 by Magistrate Renita Singh on a damage to property charge.

He appeared at the Whim Magistrate’s Court, where he was not required to plead to the indictment, which was read under Section 160 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act Cha. 8:01. The Virtual Complainant was 45-yearold Ramrari Singh, called “Rashmee”, of Berbice, Corentyne.

Lall is expected to return

Charged: Makhram Lall, called “Mike”

to court on September 23, 2021.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

Regional

Colombians march to urge Congress Argentina’s President charged to back social reform package with allegedly breaking quarantine to host party – media T

A

rgentine Prosecutors have charged President Alberto Fernandez with allegedly breaking a mandatory quarantine, local media reported on Thursday, when he and his partner hosted a birthday party last year with friends.

Dailies Clarin and La Nacion reported the news, citing Prosecutors, who did not immediately respond to a comment request from Reuters.

The case against Fernandez has grabbed headlines in past weeks as Argentina imposed stricter

Argentine President Fernandez

Alberto

lockdowns than most countries to deal with the pan-

demic. In July of last year, Fernandez himself had banned all social gatherings before hosting one for the birthday of Fabiola Yanez, his partner.

Earlier on Thursday, Fernandez participated in a hearing in the case and offered to pay a fine to settle the case.

Opposition lawmakers have tried to start a political trial against Fernandez over the party, although they have a slim chance of succeeding because most lawmakers are aligned with the governing party.

(Reuters)

Death toll rises to at least 20 in western Venezuela floods

A

t least 20 people have died in the western Venezuelan state of Merida following intense rains that caused mudslides and rivers to overflow.

On State TV on Wednesday a ruling Socialist Party official in Merida announced the death toll had risen and said authorities were working to restore telephone service in some areas.

State Governor Ramon Guevara said earlier that more than 1200 houses had been destroyed and 17 people remained missing as rescue workers search the wreckage.

“Let’s try not to make this political or ideological,” Guevara, a member

of the Democratic Action Opposition party, said. “Let’s all look for solutions to the problem.”

Images shared on social media showed cars being swept down streets, buildings and businesses filled with mud, and mudslides that left boulders strewn across roads.

Several towns in the affected area including Tovar, Bailadores, Zea and Santa Cruz de Mora are without electricity as floodwaters damaged transformers, Guevara said.

Neither the state nor municipal governments have the resources to help the affected areas, he said, but he had charged infrastructure spe-

cialists to work with Caracas on repairing buildings and roads.

President Nicolás Maduro on Tuesday said Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami had guaranteed fuel for the rescue efforts.

Interior Minister Remigio Ceballos told State TV on Wednesday that at least 54,543 people in 87 municipalities had been affected in addition to damaged roads and bridges. He said the states that remain in a state of emergency were Merida, Tachira, Zulia, Apure, Amazonas, Bolivar, Delta Amacuro, Monagas and Aragua. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

St Vincent Govt builds homes for residents affected by volcano eruptions

The site at Orange Hill, St Vincent and the Grenadines where 27 pre-fabricated houses are being constructed (Searchlight Newspaper, SVG)

P

refabricated houses are being built in Orange Hill, in northeast St Vincent, to house some people who lived in areas declared unsuitable for occupation after the explosive eruptions of La Soufrière earlier this year.

The volcano is also in the north of the island.

Bush has been cleared from the site, and roads and the foundations of 27 houses

are being built.

Officials from the Roads, Bridges and General Services Authority (BRAGSA) said the lots are each about 4000 square feet in size, and the houses will be constructed so as to let the occupants extend their homes in the future if they wish.

A shipment of building supplies is expected to leave Port of Spain for St Vincent

soon and officials expect the houses to be completed by mid-October.

Government officials said after an assessment by a technical team, several homes, primarily in communities north of the Rabacca Dry River will have to be abandoned as they are vulnerable to floods and lahars (mudflows from the slopes of the volcano).

To date, approximately 72 homes have been identified as being unsuitable for occupation after the Land and Surveys Department and the Physical Planning Unit did a mapping exercise.

At a community consultation at the Sandy Bay Primary School last week, town planner Dornet Hull told residents the Government delegation was there to “consult with you; we want to hear from you, we want to understand the area, and understand how you feel so we can have open discussion.”

(Excerpt from Searchlight Newspaper/Newsday)

housands of protesters demonstrated peacefully in Colombia on Thursday to urge its congress to approve unionbacked social and economic policies supporters say will benefit the most vulnerable.

Unions, student organisations and other groups held some six weeks of marches between the end of April and June to reject a subsequently-withdrawn tax reform and other bills they said would perpetuate deep inequality. Road blockades associated with the protests halted exports and led to shortages.

At times, the protests spiralled into violence, and at least 24 people were killed. Human rights groups say the toll was higher and have accused the Police of heavy-handed tactics.

A new watered-down US$3.9 billion version of the tax reform, which was approved by congressional economic committees on Wednesday, was the focus of ire for many march-

People attend a demonstration calling for free education and the approval of a basic income, in Bogota, Colombia, August 26, 2021

ers on Thursday. The bill would raise corporate taxes and enshrine some spending cuts.

The unions and others who organised the protests are pushing for an alternative package of reforms that include a monthly basic income of $235 for 7.5 million poor families for 13 months, free university education, and financial aid for small businesses. The bills appear to have little support among

lawmakers.

“We want to get their attention so the 10 bills proposed by the national strike committee can move ahead,” Central Union of Workers President Francisco Maltes told Reuters.

“It is the responsibility of Congress to begin the procedure, the debate and the approval of the laws which seek social well-being for Colombians,” Maltes said.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

US urges Mexico to clear migrant camps near border – sources

T

he United States has urged Mexico to clear ad-hoc camps housing thousands of migrants in border cities due to concerns they pose a security risk and attract criminal gangs, officials familiar with the matter said.

Facing domestic criticism over a jump in illegal crossings at the US-Mexico border, the Administration of US President Joe Biden has pressed Mexico to curb the flow of migrants to help ease pressure on the nearly 2000-mile (3200 km) frontier.

Two of the biggest camps to have sprung up in northern Mexico are in the city of

Reynosa, across the border from McAllen, Texas, and in Tijuana, opposite San Diego, California.

Government officials and migrant advocates say the Reynosa camp is home to at least 2500 people, is unsanitary and has drawn drug gang members looking to recruit desperate migrants.

The Tijuana camp is of a similar size, rights groups say.

For weeks, the US Government has been asking Mexico to clear the camps, in part because the sheer volume of people in them could jeopardise security if they made a sudden rush for the border, two offi-

cials familiar with the matter said.

The State Department and the White House declined to comment. The US Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment.

Mexico’s Foreign Ministry did not reply to requests for comment. The National Migration Institute declined to comment.

The officials emphasised the importance of eradicating conditions that encouraged cartel members to try to extort migrants, or to pressure them into joining their ranks. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Trinidad: 8 children in hospital with COVID, Minister blames partying parents

H

ealth Minister T e r r e n c e Deyalsingh on Tuesday linked partying parents to the COVID-19 spread across Trinidad and Tobago which has now also severely impacted eight children.

During his contribution to the motion to extend the State of Emergency (SoE), the Health Minister revealed that there were now eight children in hospital with severe cases of the virus, up from the three previous cases reported last week.

“Even with the SoE, we currently have eight

children in hospital,” Deyalsingh said.

Deyalsingh said that two children are currently at the Caura Hospital, three were at the Couva Hospital and another three were at Point Fortin.

“A week ago we had three,” he said.

“With the SoE, we had three, now we have eight.

Who knows where this will go if we don’t have an extension of the SoE where parents go out and party, social congregation and bring the virus home to their children.

That is what we are trying to prevent. To save lives, not only of adults but of our chil-

dren who are now bearing the brunt of their adults’ behaviour.”

Deyalsingh said while the vaccination numbers were going well, it needed to be better to protect children.

“That is why we need an extension of the SoE,” he said.

He detailed the list of lifted restrictions and how it coincided with COVID-19 numbers. He said it was too early to determine if the reopening of spas and personal services would lead to another spike but said the SoE helped reduce the daily rolling average. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

19

Around the world

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil rally falters on pandemic surge, renewed Mexico supply

O

il settled lower on Thursday, snapping a three-day rally on renewed concerns over demand due to rising COVID-19 infections and as Mexico restored some output after a fire disrupted supplies.

Losses were limited by the potential for other supply interruptions. Energy companies prepared for the possibility of a severe storm hitting the US Gulf Coast this weekend.

Brent crude settled down US$1.18, or 1.6 per cent, at US$71.07 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil settled down 94 US cents, or 1.4 per cent at US$67.42 a barrel.

Fresh COVID-19 outbreaks fuelled by the Delta variant raised concerns about the strength of the economic recovery globally.

Oil was also weighed down by broader weakness in equity markets later in the day, analysts said.

Mexico has begun restoring output after a fire on an offshore platform on Sunday knocked out more than 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) of production. By Tuesday, state oil firm Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) had recovered 71,000 bpd of production and expected to add an additional 110,000 bpd this week.

However, Pemex's efforts to restore oil production could lag official projections, people close to the matter told Reuters, as re-connecting wells is proving more difficult than planned.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday said Pemex would produce an average of 1.8 million bpd by year end, despite the fire.

Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron Corp and others on Thursday began evacuating nonessential personnel from offshore US Gulf of Mexico platforms ahead of a storm expected to enter the Gulf this weekend. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Former Mali PM arrested over corruption claims

Former Mali Prime Minister Boubeye Maiga has been arrested [File: Michele Cattani/AFP]

M

ali’s former Prime Minister, Boubeye Maiga, has been arrested for his role in the purchase of a presidential plane during the rule of deposed President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, his lawyer has said.

The exact reason for the arrest was not clear, but it was related to Mali’s purchase of a jet in 2014 for US$40 million, his lawyer, Kassoum Tapo, told the Reuters news agency by phone on Thursday, without giving further detail.

“We have not seen the case file and until then we cannot speak further,” he said.

The Justice Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Critics at the time claimed that the Keita

Administration overpaid and that the deal was corrupt. It led to a political scandal that hurt Keita’s presidency and spooked lenders. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank froze financing to the West African country as a result.

It was not clear what evidence Prosecutors have against Maiga or why he was arrested now. He served as Prime Minister from 20172019 and is seen as a possible candidate in the presidential vote that interim authorities promise to hold next year following Keita’s removal as President last August.

The transition is being led

by Assimi Goita, the Malian colonel who led the coup and is now interim President.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Civilians, US troops among dozens killed in Kabul blasts

A

t least 60 Afghans and 13 US troops have been killed and dozens of others wounded, medical sources and US officials have said, after two powerful explosions took place outside Kabul’s international airport amid a huge and chaotic evacuation effort from Afghanistan.

A “complex attack” on Thursday at the airport in Afghanistan’s capital caused a number of US and civilian casualties, the Pentagon said.

US President Joe Biden

President Joe Biden says the US airlift from Kabul will continue despite the attacks that killed over 70 people, including 13 US service members.

vowed to retaliate against the attack in Kabul, con-

Gunmen release abducted Islamic students in northcentral Nigeria – parents

A

n armed gang abducted students from an Islamic school in the north-central Nigerian state of Niger on Sunday, Police and state government officials said.

Armed groups carrying out kidnapping for ransom are blamed for a series of raids on schools and universities in northern Nigeria in recent months, abducting more than 700 students for ransom since December.

A spokesman for Niger's state Police said in a statement that gunmen on motorcycles attacked the town of Tegina, in the Rafi local government area of the state, on Sunday.

He said the attackers were "shooting indiscriminately and abducted a yet-to-be ascertained number of children at Salihu Tanko Islamic school".

The school's owner, Abubakar Tegina, told

Reuters in a phone interview that he witnessed the attack.

"I personally saw between 20 and 25 motorcycles with heavily armed people. They entered the school and went away with about 150 or more of the students," said Tegina, who lives around 150 metres from the school.

"We can't be exact because most of them have not reported to the school as at that time," he said, when asked for further details of the number taken.

Tegina said there are around 300 pupils aged between 7 and 15. He said pupils live at home and only attend classes at the site.

Most students kidnapped in recent months have been taken from boarding schools.

One person was shot dead during the attack and a second person was seriously injured, the State Governor's spokeswoman said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Judge reprimands Trump election fraud lawyers

A

US Judge has issued a blistering ruling against prominent lawyers who represented Donald Trump after his 2020 presidential election defeat.

US District Judge Linda Parker described a lawsuit filed in Michigan by Trump's counsel as a "profound abuse of the judicial process".

Her 110-page ruling, issued Wednesday, sanctioned Sidney Powell, Lin Wood and seven others who alleged voter fraud.

Judge Parker said the lawyers intended to undermine the electoral system.

"This case was never about fraud – it was about undermining the people's faith in our democracy and debasing the judicial process to do so," she said in her ruling.

Judge Parker ordered the lawyers to pay the court

costs of their opponents – the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan – and undergo 12 hours of legal education.

She also referred them to the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission and local disciplinary committees where they are licensed.

Lawyers representing Trump filed a spate of lawsuits across the US after his 2020 election defeat making unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud.

Trump refused to publicly concede defeat to his successor, President Joe Biden, for months. He only acknowledged a power transition would occur after a group of his supporters violently stormed the US Capitol building in January 2021, attempting to stop the result being certified. (Excerpt from BBC News)

firming that the bombings were carried out by ISKP, ISIL’s affiliate in Afghanistan.

“We will hunt you down and make you pay. I will defend our interests in our people with every measure at my command.”

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said one blast occurred near the airport’s Abbey Gate and the other close to the nearby Baron Hotel. Two US officials said at least one of the explosions appeared to be from a

suicide bombing.

“We can confirm that the explosion at the Abbey Gate was the result of a complex attack that resulted in a number of US and civilian casualties,” Kirby said on Twitter.

“We can also confirm at least one other explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, a short distance from Abbey Gate.”

The US Defence Department has announced that the number of US troops killed in the suicide blasts at Kabul airport rose by one to 13, and the number of injured was 18.

“A thirteenth US service member has died from his wounds suffered as a result of the attack on Abbey Gate,” Central Command spokesman Captain Bill Urban said in a statement.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said it would be impossible for the United States to evacuate all Afghans looking to leave the country.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Unvaccinated persons 29 times more likely to be infected and hospitalised

A son reaches out to his COVID-positive mother as paramedics prepare to transport her to a hospital in Houston, Texas

T

he number of people hospitalised with COVID-19 in the US has risen above 100,000 for the first time since January, when the mass vaccination campaign was just getting under way.

Figures from the US Department of Health and Human Services show that 100,317 inpatient hospital beds are now occupied by COVID patients.

The return to January levels of hospitalisations underscores the devastating surge of infection from the highly-contagious Delta variant of coronavirus which is spreading rapidly among unvaccinated people, especially in the US south.

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights the mortal danger that unvaccinated Americans are now facing. It shows that people without the vaccine are about 29 times more likely to end up in hospital

with COVID than those who are fully vaccinated.

Unvaccinated people are also almost five times as likely to become infected as those who get the shots, the study found, basing its conclusions on data from Los Angeles county in California.

Hospitalisations are particularly high in Texas and Florida. This week the death rate in Florida was higher than it has ever been throughout the pandemic.

According to the New York Times database the state is suffering a seven-day average of 228 new reported deaths, which is substantially worse than its two previous peaks in August 2020 and January this year.

The rising death rate brings Florida’s total death toll to 42,731. The state reported 26,203 new COVID cases to the CDC on Wednesday, the Miami Herald reported. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

20

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS

DILBERT

(April 20May 20)

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

YESTERDAY'S WORD Saturday's Word -- Morale

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Listen to people you know you can count on to tell you the truth. Consider what makes you happy, healthy and wise. Obsessing about how to please others will leave you feeling uncertain about your future.

You’ll have trouble making up your mind. Take time off, and give yourself a chance to chill. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be to know exactly what you want to do.

Listen carefully. You’ll be offered vague information. Don’t let anger set in or put you in a compromising position. Look at the big picture, and you’ll figure out a way to do your own thing.

Take better care of your health and well-being.

Choose moderation over excess and patience over criticism. Look for a way to make your home more comfortable and entertaining.

Before you act, think matters through and look for solutions to keep the peace.

It’s better not to overreact or take sides. Be the logical person everyone looks to for guidance, and you’ll gain respect.

Conversations will be entertaining and informative.

Suggestions will stimulate your mind and encourage you to participate in something requiring stamina and fortitude.

Put more time and effort into self-development and home improvements. You can save money and encourage a healthier environment.

Reconnect with someone who inspires you, and you will come up with an idea you can develop together.

Refuse to let negativity or your grievances get in the way when optimism will open doors and lead to new beginnings. Be innovative, and you’ll discover something or someone who encourages progress.

Refuse to get entangled SAGITTARIUS in someone’s plot. Do your (Nov. 23own thing and pay attention Dec. 21) to detail. Question anything suspicious or even remotely underhanded, and don’t be afraid to do what makes you happy.

A passionate approach CAPRICORN will draw attention and support. Arrange to connect (Dec. 22with someone who may pose Jan. 19) a problem, and put your persuasive tactics to work on settling matters before they escalate.

Refuse to let your emoAQUARIUS tions take the reins. Look (Jan. 20inward, and put your energy Feb. 19) where it will help you most.

Physical fitness, personal growth and financial management will be key.

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Take the initiative to make things happen. The suggestions you make will be valued by someone influential. Handle cash, assets and passwords with care. Get out there and help people!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

21

England vs India: the Headingley Test…

Joe Root's 3rd century in 3 Tests punishes India E

ngland captain Joe Root continued his stellar form with yet another magnificent century to flatten India on day two of the third Test at Headingley.

Such has been his insatiable run-scoring that it was almost inevitable that Root - playing on his home ground - would compile his third hundred in as many matches, and sixth of the year. His majestic 121 helped England to 423-8, a humungous lead of 345 over the tourists, after India were bowled out for 78 on Wednesday.

Root added 139 for the third wicket with Dawid Malan, who marked his recall with 70, while opener Haseeb Hameed soaked up some early pressure before he was dismissed for 68.

India's attack was largely toothless on a placid pitch, Virat Kohli's men a shadow of the side that surged to victory in the second Test at Lord's.

Although Headingley has a history of sensational comebacks, this match surely will not be one, and England are primed to level the series at 1-1 with two matches to play.

England's dream comeback continues

This will go down as one of the most remarkable turnarounds between two Tests, both for the way India have failed to turn up and for how England picked themselves up from the Lord's debacle. The foundations were laid on day one, when India were shot out and England moved to 120-0, leaving Thursday as

a glorious procession to a virtually impregnable position in front of a vibrant and colourful crowd.

At the centre of it all was Root, whose previous hundreds this summer have come when England had their backs to the wall. Instead, with his team on top, Root produced his most effortless, stylish and predictable ton, treating his Headingley home to something of a “greatest hits” of his batting.

Malan's success was further vindication for England's selection, after runs for Hameed and wickets for Craig Overton, while India must wonder how they have unravelled so quickly. Their bowling was insipid, tactics baffling, and fielding uninspired. They now must prepare themselves for a second innings when their only realistic measure of success would be extending this match into the weekend.

SCOREBOARD

India 1st Innings 78 all out Englad 1st Innings Rory Burns b Mohammed Shami 61 Haseeb Hameed b Jadeja 68 Dawid Malan c †Pant b Mohammed Siraj 70 Joe Root (c) b Bumrah 121 Jonny Bairstow c Kohli b Mohammed Shami 29 Jos Buttler †c I Sharma b Mohammed Shami 7 Moeen Ali c sub (AR Patel) b Jadeja 8 Sam Curran c sub (MA Agarwal) b Mohammed Siraj 15 Craig Overton not out 24 Ollie Robinson not out 6

Root the hero of Headingley

Superlatives have run dry for Root, who is putting together a year of batting that will rank alongside some of the greatest the game has ever seen. England had been tied down before he came to the crease, but he instantly changed the tempo, off the mark from his first delivery, and then manoeuvring the ball wherever he pleased.

Root seemingly has the ability to deftly

Extras (b 8, lb 4, nb 7, w 1) 20 TOTAL (129 Ov, RR: 3.27) 423/8 Yet to bat: James Anderson Fall of wickets: 1-135 (Rory Burns, 49.6 ov), 2-159 (Haseeb Hameed, 62.6 ov), 3-298 (Dawid Malan, 93.6 ov), 4-350 (Jonny Bairstow, 107.3 ov), 5-360 (Jos Buttler, 111.3 ov), 6-383 (Joe Root, 117.2 ov), 7-383 (Moeen Ali, 118.4 ov), 8-418 (Sam Curran, 127.1 ov)

into the air before being liftBOWLING O-M-R-W ed off the ground in a bear Ishant Sharma 22-0-92-0 hug from Yorkshire team-mate Jasprit Bumrah 27-10-58-1 Jonny Bairstow.

Mohammed Shami 26-7-87-3 Root's biggest moment of trouble Mohammed Siraj 23-3-86-2 came from a fly in his eye that needRavindra Jadeja 31-7-88-2 ed tending to by Umpire Richard Kettleborough, then what appeared to be a bout of cramp required attention guide any ball he faces to third man or point, with India strangely reluctant to plug the gap. from the physio. Soon after, Root was bowled He whipped through mid-wicket, and played through the gate playing a tired drive at one spectacular back-foot drives with both feet off that Jasprit Bumrah got to nip back. Root left with his bat and helmet raised, soaking up the the ground.

His stand with Malan bumped along at adulation, with 1,398 runs in 2021. He is only more than four runs per over. When Root 83 short of Michael Vaughan's England rereached three figures - tying the England record cord for a calendar year, with five Tests still to for six centuries in a calendar year - he leaped play. (BBC Sport)

Manchester City to face PSG, Chelsea will meet Juventus in Champions League draw

P

remier League champions Manchester City have been drawn to face Paris StGermain, RB Leipzig and Club Bruges in the Champions League group stage.

Holders Chelsea come up against Serie A giants Juventus, Russian club Zenit St Petersburg and Swedish side Malmo.

Manchester United face Villarreal, who beat them in last season's Europa League final, as well as Italian club Atalanta and Swiss side Young Boys.

Liverpool are in a tough group with Atletico Madrid, Porto and AC Milan.

Man City beat PSG 4-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the competition last season

Group stage draw in full: Group A: Manchester City, Paris St-Germain, RB Leipzig, Club Bruges Group B: Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Porto, AC Milan Group C: Sporting Lisbon, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, Besiktas Group D: Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sheriff Tiraspol Group E: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Benfica, Dynamo Kyiv

Group F: Villarreal, Manchester United, Atalanta, Young Boys Group G: Lille, Sevilla, FC Salzburg, Wolfsburg Group H: Chelsea, Juventus, Zenit St Petersburg, Malmo.

This year's Champions League final takes place at the St Petersburg Stadium in Russia on Saturday, 28 May, 2022.

Mixed draw for English clubs Pep Guardiola's City side, who were beaten

by Chelsea last season in their maiden final in

the competition, face a brace of tantalising Group A meetings with Lionel Messi's new club, PSG. Those matches could see a reunion for Messi with old foe Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been heavily linked with a move to City from Juventus before transfer deadline day.

The two sides meet in the competition for the second consecutive season, after last season's semi-final showdown which City won 4-1 on aggregate.

Bundesliga side RB Leipzig will also be a difficult proposition, having knocked out Manchester United in the group stage last season.

Jurgen Klopp's six-time winners Liverpool are arguably in this season's hardest group, along with La Liga champions Atletico Madrid, Portuguese club Porto - winners in 1987 and 2004 - and seven-time European champions AC Milan.

Liverpool beat Milan in the famous 2005 final in Istanbul, but the Italians gained revenge in Athens two years later.

The toughest task for Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea side will be negotiating home and away meetings with Juventus, while the defending champions should have few problems against Zenit and Malmo.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be much happier with Manchester United's chances of progression from Group F, having been knocked out in the group stage last season.

The Red Devils will be aiming to take revenge on Unai Emery's Villarreal, who beat them on penalties in the Europa League final last season.

(BBC Sport)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

Kwakwani’s sport and recreational facilities assessed for upgrade

The team inspecting the pool

A

team of officials have conducted an assessment of several recreational and sporting facilities in Kwakwani with a view to ensuring the necessary upgrades are made for the benefit of the citizens.

Acting Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Kwame McCoy, MP, joined by Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle; Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Kashif Mohamed; and others, on Wednesday visited the football field, the basketball court, the Kwakwani Recreational Centre, the State House, the club house, and swimming pools.

Minister McCoy noted that assessment of the facil-

ities would determine what works are needed for inclusion in the Recreational and Ground Enhancement programme.

“So that we could prepare this community to be able to bring its best potential to the fore, and be able to produce the best athletes and sports personalities, like we want to do in every other community across this country. And you have seen us invest already in many communities across Guyana,” Minister McCoy has said.

The Minister noted that the 2021 budget, which caters for initiatives like the synthetic tracks, mini stadiums and other initiatives, gives sportsmen and women

a better chance to succeed.

Ann Gordon, a resident of Kwakwani, said there are many youths in the community who stand to benefit from the upgrade of these facilities.

“It would be very beneficial to the young people, especially through sports in the area, because Kwakwani has been producing top-quality level of sportsmen and sportswomen for a number of years now, and one of the things that we definitely need is infrastructure, things improved, because we can’t be going back or stagnated, we need to go forward,” the resident said.

The Sports Commission Chairman expressed sim-

ilar views, noting that the Ministry is in support of improving the community.

“Kwakwani is one of the places that we really wanted to visit, because they have produced real top-class athletes throughout the years. The basketball court, they are the champions of basketball at the school level, and they continue to produce really, really outstanding players,” he highlighted.

Following the assessment, he pointed out that some of the facilities are in relatively good condition.

“Some of the buildings are in excellent condition. The football field, like most other fields in the country, after the rains and everything, needs some work, and we are getting an opportunity to see and assess everything that has to be done with the football field, with the swimming pools, and with the basketball court. We will take it back, get to the drawing board and do stuff.”

Additionally, Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, noted that since the Ministry has been given responsibility for the club house and the State House, the assessment will determine which facilities need to be catered for in the 2022 budget.

The upgrade of sport and other facilities is in keeping with the PPP/C Government’s commitment to advance sport development in the country through the necessary investments.

(DPI)

Griffith aims to use cautious approach in Sunday's cycling

Christopher Griffith is aiming to win Sunday's circuit race

F

resh from a win at last Sunday’s Carlton Wheelers 44-mile cycle race between Schoonord and Bushy Park, Team Evolution's Christopher Griffith is hoping to extend that form in Sunday's race on the outer circuit of the National Park.

In a comment invited

by Guyana Times Sport, Griffith said he would be using a cautious approach while looking for another win.

"I won't try to rush anything, just wait for the latter part of the race, when everyone is wounded, and try and see what I can do,"

Griffith said.

Reflecting on his win on Sunday last, when he stopped the clock at one hour 46 minutes and 20 seconds, Griffith said he was able to put in some work, and got adequate rest during the build up to the Carlton Wheelers race.

"I (went) with the in-

tention to hide, but, later in that race, I started feeling better, and it had some guys already gone. Five miles to the turning point, I attacked, and Andre "Padlock" Green started working to catch the front pack, and it was a set of cat and mouse. He had more people (team mates) than me, I was outnumbered, but I waited for the sprint home," Griffith added.

Some of the country's top riders will continue the battle on August 29 from 08:00h on the outer circuit of the National Park.

This lucrative 15-lap event is sponsored by Touche Kosmetics, and the winner of the Open category would bag a cash prize of $60,000.

The veterans Under-50 and Over-50 will ride for 10 laps, and each winner thereof would be rewarded with $40,000. Top female, junior and juvenile riders would each be rewarded with $40,000 in their 10lap race. The Masters will have the option to choose which race they prefer to participate in on the day, either the Open or Masters event. (Brandon Corlette)

Top spots tied at Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships

Glimpses of the CAGC tournament

B

oth the Men’s and the Women’s Individual standings show a tie for the top spot in round 2 of the CGA’s annual Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships (CAGC).

The 64th CAGC has been played at the Country Club at Grand Reserve, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico from August 24 to 26.

In the Men’s individual standings, Rhadames Peña of the Dominican Republic (who shot 72) was able to close the slim gap from round 1 to tie with Gustavo Rangel of Puerto Rico (with 73 strokes). Both currently lead the board with an overall 142 and 2 under par. Puerto Rico’s Jeronimo Esteve (70) and Justin Burrowes of Jamaica (73) are just behind with scores of 144 and 145 respectively.

The individual standings in the women’s division remain a tight race leading into the final round. At the top of the board, there is a tie between the powerful Puerto Rican ladies Paola Rosario (with 73 strokes) and Camila Negroni (shooting 78) for 152 at the end of round 2. Just 1 point away, with an overall score of 153, is another tie between Puerto Rico’s Darianys Guzman (77) and US Virgin Islands’ Alexandra Swayne (79).

Host country Puerto Rico Men’s Team continues their lead for the Hoerman Cup with 5 over par (scoring 290+291 for an overall 581). Jamaica remains in second place (+34), improving their score from 309 to 301 for an overall score of 610. The Dominican Republic, in third (+39), also improved from 312 to 303, to score 615.

Puerto Rico are hoping for a clean sweep in their home country, with their women’s team also at the top of the leaderboard for the George Teale Trophy. Puerto Rico maintained their score of 150 on both days for a score of 300 and 12 over par. Tied in the second place are teams from the Dominican Republic and US Virgin Islands, scoring an overall 322 for 34 over.

They are followed closely by the Jamaican team with 327.

Six Caribbean countries sent 47 of their best amateur golfers to compete for the Arthur Ziadie Trophy, which is awarded to the best overall team awarded (see standings), as well as the Hoerman Cup (Best Male Team) and the George Teale Trophy (Best Female Team). Sponsors include R&A, Puerto Rico Tourism Company, Puerto Rico Olympic Committee, Banco Popular, Titleist, and Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve, among others.

The 2021 CAGC heads into the final round today (Thursday, August 26). (Sportsmax)

CLASSIFIED ADS A

VACANCY

FOR SALE

Assistant Secretary. Apply at LENS, 136 Sheriff Street next to Buddys. For more information call 227-1511

Pure Bred German Shepherd Pups for sale. Vaccinated and dewormed.

622-0015/220-8559

Sales Person. Apply at LENS, 136 Sheriff Street next to Buddys. For more information call 227-1511

Mix Breed Puppies for Sale. Contact: Tel- 253-3114/692-0126.

Welder/Fabricator. For Grill work: 6215310

SERVICE Learn to Drive: Shalom Enterprise. Lot 2 Croal Street, Stabroek, Georgetown.

Please call: 622-8162 / 659-3381/2273869. Join us on FaceBook.

TAXI SERVICE Elegant Cabs. 231-1494 / 226-4277, Cell #: 625-6600. 24 hrs.

WANTED Female domestic to work in Trinidad to take care of an elderly male. Between age 25-35. Must be fully vaccinated.

Salary to be negotiated. Call or WhatsApp for more info. 18683865302 or 18683864631 Bilingual Security Officer. Must have Sound Secondary education. Forward applications to: hr@eurekalabgy.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

Shimron Hetmyer scored an impressive half-century (Photos: CPL T20)

L

ed by a responsible half-century from Shimron Hetmyer and backed by a collective bowling effort, Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) silenced the Trinbago Knight Riders in the opening match of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at Warner Park in St Kitts.

The Warriors had limped through most of their innings after being put in to bat, before a finishing flourish by a previously sluggish Shimron Hetmyer took them to 142 for 7. The nature of the surface at Warner Park in St Kitts though wasn't typically T20like. It offered bite for spinners, and extra bounce too,

Hetmyer's responsible half-century, collective bowling silence TKR

which made the total challenging.

Given the Knight Riders' batting depth, they would have still fancied chasing it down, especially after a reasonably bright start in the powerplay. But the advent of Tahir swung the momentum, and the Amazon Warriors bowlers then never let up.

Tahir, who was bowling in The Hundred in England four days ago, seemed as bouncily fresh as ever, returning figures that would have done him credit even if they came in five-ball overs. He conceded only singles across his four overs, and struck once in each of his first two overs.

The Knight Riders, who had kept the required run

SCOREBOARD GAW Innings Brandon King c Udana b Hosein 9 Chandrapaul Hemraj c Hosein b Narine 13 Odean Smith b Narine 24 Shimron Hetmyer c Bravo b Seales 54 Shoaib Malik c Seales b Udana 2 Mohammad Hafeez c Munro b Hosein 8 Nicholas Pooran (c)† c Bravo b Rampaul 12 Romario Shepherd not out 9 Extras (lb 3, w 8) 11 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 7.10) 142/7 Did not bat: Naveen-ul-Haq, Ashmead Nedd, Imran Tahir Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Chandrapaul Hemraj, 3.2 ov), 2-43 (Brandon King, 6.1 ov), 3-53 (Odean Smith, 7.5 ov), 4-75 (Shoaib Malik, 12.3 ov), 5-88 (Mohammad Hafeez, 14.6 ov), 6-104 (Nicholas Pooran, 17.1 ov), 7-142 (Shimron Hetmyer, 19.6 ov) BOWLING O- M-R-W Jayden Seales 4-0 -30-1 Ravi Rampaul 4-0 -36-1 Sunil Narine 4-0 -17-2 Isuru Udana 4-0 -39-1 Akeal Hosein 4-0 -17-2

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS INNINGS (TARGET: 143 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) Lendl Simmons c Naveen-ul-Haq b Shepherd 5 Sunil Narine c King b Imran Tahir 20 Colin Munro c Shepherd b Mohammad Hafeez 13 Tim Seifert c Hemraj b Smith 23 Darren Bravo lbw b Imran Tahir 3 Denesh Ramdin † c Shoaib Malik b Shepherd 28 Kieron Pollard (c) c †Pooran b Shepherd 2 Isuru Udana c †Pooran b Smith 1 Akeal Hosein not out 22 Ravi Rampaul c †Pooran b Naveen-ul-Haq 1 Jayden Seales not out 0 Extras (b 5, lb 2, nb 1, w 7) 15 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 6.65) 133/9 Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Lendl Simmons, 1.4 ov), 2-32 (Colin Munro, 3.2 ov), 3-50 (Sunil Narine, 6.4 ov), 4-62 (Darren Bravo, 8.5 ov), 5-78 (Tim Seifert, 11.5 ov), 6-86 (Kieron Pollard, 13.6 ov), 7-90 (Isuru Udana, 15.2 ov), 8-111 (Denesh Ramdin, 18.2 ov), 9-121 (Ravi Rampaul, 19.4 ov) BOWLING O-M -R-W Naveen-ul-Haq 4-0- 42-1 Romario Shepherd 3 -1-15-3 Mohammad Hafeez 3-0 -19-1 Ashmead Nedd 4-0 -28-0 Imran Tahir 4-0 -12-2 Odean Smith 2-0 -10-2

Sunil Narine returned figures of 2-17

rate within reach till the powerplay, were suddenly forced into taking more risks.

They did have captain Kieron Pollard still available though,

and the knowledge that a steep run rate could be reeled in if he got going.

However, Romario Shepherd struck the decisive blow when he got one to lift and move away in the corridor from back of a length, drawing an uncertain poke as Pollard was unable to keep his hands from following the ball, nicking a catch behind.

Once Pollard fell, with TKR having four wickets standing and needing only 57 off 36, the Amazon Warriors were in command.

Shepherd ended with the best statistics, having taken the three big wickets of Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin and Kieron Pollard to return figures of 3 for 15.

The Knight Riders ended with a chase that was steeper than they had thought, having kept the opposition on a tight leash for most of their innings. The Amazon Warriors started the tournament with a novel batting order, opting to send in Odean Smith at #3. Smith had batted just four times in T20

23

Imran Tahir celebrated in trademark style

games before this, and had never scored more than 10 runs. However, the limited sample size was misleading, with Smith having a List A strike rate of 110.86 and a first-class strike rate of 102.08.

The experiment proved reasonably successful, with Smith biffing 24 off 15, but it also meant an overcrowded middle order was squeezed.

The Amazon Warriors also opted to send in Pakistan

veterans Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez ahead of captain Nicholas Pooran, who eventually ended up coming in at No.7, with only five overs remaining. No top-order batter had got going, and with two overs remaining, Hetmyer was still on 29 off 32. However, he belatedly found his range to loot 30 from the last two overs, ending with 54 off 41, and dragging the total into the defendable territory.

Pooran happy with winning start, Pollard rues dropped catches G uyana Amazon Warriors humbled defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders in the first match of the Hero Caribbean Premier League with a nine-run win in St Kitts.

Warriors Captain Nicholas Pooran said this was the start the team was looking for against a good TKR team. Losing captain Kieron Pollard echoed different sentiments at the post match interview, lamenting the dropped catches that proved costly.

"I don't win tosses, but toss doesn't decide results.

That said, we wanted to start the season well, since TKR are a good team. It was tough for us at the beginning, but we fought till the end. Hetty played well, as did Odean Smith. We thought if Odean plays he may bat at #8, but in the powerplay we thought he can do something at#3. On a track like this, our spinners did well, and we kept staying in the game with the wickets. Bit disappointed with our last over with the ball," Pooran said at the post match presenta-

Captains Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard at the toss

tion.

Meanwhile, Pollard, the losing captain, said: "I thought we gave them too many runs, dropped a few catches at the back end.

Then we lost wickets in clusters. Only have ourselves to blame for not getting over the line. I knew 140 to chase, we were right in the game, despite how the wicket might have played. Positives are we

bowled well for 18 overs, Ramdin and Seifert had a good batting day."

Jamaican Odean Smith was the player of the match for his 2-10 with the ball and his 15-ball 24 with the bat after being promoted to number three. Speaking at the post match interview, Smith said: "the wicket was not easy to bat on, I wanted to just make full use. My message was to go out and

go for it whenever the ball was in my area. It was difficult to bat on, so I knew their batters would have it tough too. A win early on is a good opportunity to move forward strong."

The Amazon Warriors will lock horns with host nation St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on Saturday August 28 from 10:00h Eastern Caribbean time.

(Brandon Corlette)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

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

Hetmyer’s responsible half-century, collective bowling silence TKR Page 23

Patriots sound warning with dominant win over Royals S t Kitts & Nevis Patriots got their 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign off to a winning start with a comprehensive 21-run win over the Barbados Royals.

Barbados Royals won the toss and put the Patriots in to bat, but despite a flurry of early wickets, a fantastic 115-run partnership between DJ Bravo and Sherfane Rutherford ensured the Patriots set the highest total of the tournament so far with 175/5.

In reply, the Patriots were never under threat, as they produced an excellent bowling display to keep the shackles on the Royals throughout.

The Royals took full advantage of their decision to field first by removing both openers Evin Lewis and Devon Thomas in the first three overs, before Oshane Thomas bowled Chris Gayle to leave the Patriots tottering at 38/3 at the end of the PowerPlay.

Bowling with real zip, Oshane Thomas struck once more, removing Asif Ali in the eighth over as his hostile spell resulted in exemplary figures of 3/22 from his four overs.

Patriots captain DJ Bravo entered at the fall of the fourth wicket, and, along with Rutherford, consolidated the innings before exploding into life in the final seven overs. Their 115-run partnership in 70 balls ensured the Patriots laid a platform for Fabian Allen to add late fireworks at the death to power the Patriots to a very imposing 175/5.

Much like the Royals, the Patriots made early inroads with their bowling, dismissing both openers inside the first three overs. However, they encountered a calamitous run-out to get them on their way when Johnson Charles found himself at the same end as Glenn Phillips.

Through the middle phase overs, the Patriots put a stranglehold on the game, forcing the run-rate up and putting pressure on the Royals batsmen to play high-risk shots.

Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers fell without making a significant indent on the scorecard, and although Shai Hope anchored the innings with a well-constructed 44, his dismissal with six overs to go left too much to do for the remaining batsmen.

Azam Khan showed a few signs of his potential with some late blows, but the Patriots closed out the Royals innings with minimum fuss. (CPL)

SCOREBOARD PATRIOTS INNINGS Evin Lewis c Holder b Mohammad Amir 6 Devon Thomas† lbw b Thomas 7 Chris Gayle b Thomas 12 Asif Ali c AzamKhan b Thomas 8 Sherfane Rutherford b Holder 53 Dwayne Bravo (c)not out 47 Fabian Allen not out 19 Extras (lb 5, nb 2, w 16) TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 8.75) 175/5

23

Did not bat: Dominic Drakes, Sheldon Cottrell, Paul van Meekeren, Fawad Ahmed Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Evin Lewis, 2.2 ov), 2-19 (Devon Thomas, 3.2 ov), 3-38 (Chris Gayle, 5.4 ov), 4-39 (Asif Ali, 7.1 ov), 5-154 (Sherfane Rutherford, 18.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Mohammad Amir 4-0-20-1 Jason Holder 4-0-45-1 Oshane Thomas 4-0-22-3 Kyle Mayers 3-0-20-0 Hayden Walsh 2-0-25-0 Thisara Perera 3-0-38-0

BARBADOS ROYALS INNINGS (TARGET: 176 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) Glenn Phillips c †Thomas b Cottrell 5 Johnson Charles run out (†Thomas) 12 Shai Hope † c Allen b Cottrell 44 Jason Holder (c)c Rutherford b Drakes 10 Kyle Mayers c Asif Ali b Allen 9 Azam Khan run out(†Thomas) 28 Thisara Perera cBravo b Drakes 3 Ashley Nurse not out 8 Hayden Walsh not out 16 Extras (b 9, nb 1, w 9) TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 7.70)

19 154/7

Did not bat: Mohammad Amir, Oshane Thomas Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Johnson Charles, 1.1 ov), 2-27 (Glenn Phillips, 2.2 ov), 3-49 (Jason Holder, 6.2 ov), 4-67 (Kyle Mayers, 10.4 ov), 5-104 (Shai Hope, 14.2 ov), 6-117 (Thisara Perera, 16.1 ov), 7-131 (Azam Khan, 17.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Sheldon Cottrell 4-1-39-2 Paul van Meekeren 3-0-25-0 Dominic Drakes 4-0-13-2 Fawad Ahmed 3-0-19-0 Fabian Allen 3-0-12-1 Dwayne Bravo 3-0-37-0

Sherfane Rutherford scored his maiden fifty

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - marketing@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.