Guyana Times - Friday March 12, 2021

Zinc-fortified rice will have great P9 demand on local, regional markets – Minister Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4585

THE BEACON OF TRUTH FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

Politically-aligned Teaching, Police Service Commission Heads masquerading as independent – AG

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

39-yearold latest COVID-19 death

P11

…65 new cases recorded …parliamentarians, Cabinet next in line for vaccine Cocaine in salt fish

See story on page 3

Shipper, P10 taxi driver remanded

…joined APNU/AFC case to block their own 2021 Budget allocations

NGSA set for August 4th, 5th …over 14,000 slated to write exams

11-year“We abide by old killed by all Govt rules, regulations” bandits in – Scotiabank Sophia robbery Caribbean VP See story on page 16

Page 7

Sale to First Citizens

Page 7

Maha Shivaratri brings Hindus together at Cove and John Ashram Page 2

Taxi driver admits to P10 driving getaway car in teen’s murder

Charges against Broomes, bodyguard dismissed

P8

Nurse P15 accused of sexually molesting boy remanded

Attorney General Anil Nandlall joins Indian High Commissioner, Dr KJ Srinivasa and the Swami as part of the Maha Shivaratri festivities at Cove and John Ashram

2 NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Maha Shivaratri brings Hindus together at Cove and John Ashram

T

he massive Maha Shivaratri celebration, which is commemorated annually to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva, was successfully organised on Thursday in a safe setting for Hindus to offer prayers during the pandemic.

Temples were opened throughout the day for limited gatherings in order for everyone to be accommodated. In the previous years, these numbers would accumulate to thousands.

The Guyana Sevashram Sangha at Cove and John, East Coast Demerara saw a significant turnout of devotees this time around. For decades, it has remained as the nucleus during Shivaratri celebrations, and

Persons gather to offer grains at the giant havan kund

this time around, the spacious lawns served as an advantage to maintain safe distancing to participate in the mass havan ceremony and continuous chanting.

Shiva embodies the destroyer of evil, and Maha Shivraatri translates to “Great Night of Shiva”.

The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance or Tandav. Ultimately, Shiva, also known as Mahadeva, is considered the destroyer in the Hindu Trinity.

For this, prayers continue for an entire day, and fruits and milk are offered at intervals, along with flowers, bael leaves, honey, curd, rosewater and other ingredients. It is recommended to remain awake at

night, following meditation and chants to increase spirituality.

Speaking at the official ceremony, Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr K J Srinivasa, lauded the endeavour to sustain celebrations such as this, even as Guyana is located thousands of kilometres away from India.

“In spite of that distance (from) the motherland, and in spite of having gone through travails your ancestors ensured, you stick to the Indian traditions, you follow the rituals which are embodying your worship and way of life…I feel heartened that thousands of kilometres away from India, we’re seeing this little India, if I may say so,” the High

Commissioner expressed.

Meanwhile, Swami Shivashankarananda, who is based at the ashram, said this occasion is an ideal time for reflection and to ensure that everyone practises good ideals towards each other.

“Maha Shivaratri is a major festival within the Hindu culture because it is marked as overcoming darkness and ignorance in the world. During this day, it is observed by remembering Shiva in prayers, fasting, chanting and meditation; ethics and virtues of self-restraint, honesty to others, forgiveness, kindness, and the discovery of Shiva are the primary focus and ultimate goal,” the Swami reminded.

Meanwhile, Attorney

General Anil Nandlall expressed in his remarks that Guyana is in a peaceful mode – one of the qualities sought after by people during this festival. However, he noted that the country is simultaneously faced with challenges which Government must overcome.

“Today there is peace, there is progress, and there is prosperity in this land.

But those challenges, and those who are bent relentlessly on presenting these challenges, are still with us, and therefore we have to continue to be vigilant.

Every day there is a struggle, on the one hand to push this country forward, develop this country, to improve the lives of our people, to improve the welfare of our

children, and to build a safer society for all of us.

And Government is pushing that agenda every day,” Nandlall said as he represented President Irfaan Ali. Different accounts have described the significance of Maha Shivaratri. While it is regarded as the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation and destruction, another story identifies that it was the day he married Goddess Parvati.

Another adds that Lord Shiva had consumed the poison that was produced due to the war between gods and demons. He held the poison in his throat, which caused it to turn blue. (Rupa Seenaraine)

NEWS

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FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Demerara – Friday, March 12 – 03:30h-05:00h and Saturday, March 13 – 04:00h-05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Berbice – Friday, March 12 – 16:05h-17:35h and Saturday, March 13 – 16:30h-18:00h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Light rain and thundery showers are expected from the mid-morning to early-afternoon hours followed by sunshine and more light rain.

There should be partly cloudy skies at night.

Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 16:23h reaching a maximum height of 2.61 metres.

Low Tide: 09:58h and 22:17h reaching minimum heights of 0.68 metre and 0.60 metre.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS I

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17 20 28

FREE TICKET

26 Bonus Ball

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 DAILY MILLIONS

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COMMODITIES Indicators

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$1740.90 -0.26%

Politically-aligned Teaching, Police Service Commission Heads masquerading as independent – AG …join APNU/AFC case to block their own 2021 Budget allocations

A

ttorney General Anil Nandlall has condemned a move by the Police and Teaching Service Commissions to joined a political litigation filed by the APNU+AFC Opposition to block the disbursement of the 2021 budget allocations to the various constitutional agencies, including their own allocations.

Speaking on his weekly online and televised programme, ‘Issues In The News’, Nandlall expressed worry that these two Service Commissions, which under the Constitution of Guyana are independent constitutional bodies, are now openly aligning themselves with a political party.

“Here it is, the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Teaching Service Commission (TSU) have joined a political party in filing a political litigation against the Government.

These are people who are clamouring for impartial treatment from our Government. They want their independence to be respected. The constitution says that they are independent and that that independence must be respected. But here it is, they have shunned their masks, pulled off their masks and they are now openly political,” he posited.

Opposition Members of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul and Coretta McDonald had approached the High Court in February, seeking, among other things, to prohibit the consideration and approval of 2021 budget for constitutional agencies and the disbursement of budgetary allocations. They contended that those were wrongly laid before the National Assembly.

However, the High Court last Friday dismissed the application after the National Assembly had already approved the passage of the $383.1 billion 2021 budget on Thursday afternoon and the Appropriation Act was signed.

But the other aspect of the legal proceeding, challenging certain provisions of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA) as unlawful and unconstitutional, will be litigated.

While the case was filed in the name of the two Coalition MPs by a slew of Opposition lawyers – including Roysdale Forde, Khemraj Ramjattan, Raphael Trotman and Amanza Desir-Walton, who

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

are all parliamentarians as well – the PSC and TSU, along with the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), have joined the litigation.

But AG Nandlall contends that he does not have a problem with the heads of these entities wanting to be politicians, which is their right, but he noted that they cannot masquerade as independent.

“That is the problem that I have… You can’t want to be a politician and then masquerade as an independent constitutional office holder. That is hypocrisy, that is wrong, and these must be exposed because you are receiving public monies under the false pretense that you are impartial…when in fact you are a politician in camouflage,” he asserted.

That in itself, according to the AG, is a violation of

the Constitution.

Moreover, Nandlall outlined that by openly embracing politically partisan postures, these supposedly independent bodies are also sabotaging their membership, and this is especially the case with the Police Service Commission headed by Paul Slowe, who was appointed by the previous APNU+AFC administration.

“How can they impartially discharge the functions of their office? That is why you have that implosion in the Police Force now.

Now the public (can) see that there may be a sound basis for these Policemen who are claiming that they are the subject of victimisation and political discrimination by the Police Service Commission. The Police Service Commission is now telling the world and showing the world that it is politically partisan,” he posited.

In fact, Nandlall recalled recently that the PSC Chairman, Slowe, had requested that the Attorney General not appear on behalf of the Commission in court proceedings – a departure from the traditional practice.

“I didn’t object though, historically, the Attorney General has always appeared for the Service Commissions. So Mr Paul Slowe expressed a displeasure at the current Attorney General appearing for the

Police Service Commission, but the very Mr Paul Slowe sees no difficulty in joining two APNU MPs – Mahipaul and McDonald – in an ongoing litigation being represented by Forde and Ramjattan and Trotman.

He has a difficulty with the AG appearing, and it wasn’t me personally appearing, there are State Counsellors that would have been appearing.

“This is the kind of vulgarity that you and the country are witnessing from a grouping called the Police Service Commission, which is a constitutional agency of independent status. How can the [Guyana] Police Force and Police officers have confidence in a politically partisan body…

We have to expose this duplicity and hypocrisy,” Nandlall stated.

Further, the Attorney General pointed out that by joining this political litigation, these constitutional bodies were also sabotaging their own budget allocation for the 2021 fiscal year.

“The case is about to stop the budget of these very agencies. So Paul Slowe and the Police Service Commission are going to the court to stop their own budget from being granted.

Can you believe these people…You don’t care about your own budget not being granted! You’re joining political forces to ensure that your budget is not granted…,” he contended. (G8)

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FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 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

COVID-19 and women’s incomes

T

he United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has found that income generated by female-led households in Guyana dwindled significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was one of the findings contained in the report that was submitted to Government earlier this week. The issue of women and their role in development has always been a topic of interest, not only in Guyana, but in countries around the world. The debates have centred around the challenges women face in getting access to the same opportunities as men, and, in a general sense, programmes and policies that could be implemented to ensure their economic and social advancement.

Women, over the years, have made tremendous progress, not only in terms of their own advancement, but by playing key roles in the development of their own communities, and, by extension, allowing other women opportunities to develop themselves. However, many challenges remain, and these must be tackled to ensure that women have access to the opportunities and resources needed to allow them to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.

We believe that when women are allowed to develop their full potential, it is not only women who gain, but the entire society. Women make enormous contributions to economies, whether in businesses, on farms, as entrepreneurs or employees, or by doing unpaid care work at home.

According to the United Nations, investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive economic growth.

Here, in Guyana, women have made tremendous progress at every level of the society, and they enjoy rights equal to what their male counterparts enjoy. This country deserves commendation for the advances it has made in ensuring that, in addition to women being protected under the law, they are also given relevant opportunities for their personal and professional advancement.

However, there is still a far way to go before we can safely say that women have access to the resources and opportunities, they need to fully develop themselves. For example, our singleparent mothers have, over the years, found it very difficult to make ends meet. Many of them have found themselves in a position where they work from month to month and there seems to be no end to the financial hardships they experience.

In some cases, they lack the necessary skills and qualifications required to get suitable well-paid jobs, so that they can earn enough to provide for themselves and their children.

For some who would like to venture out into establishing their own small business etc, the strict criteria set by banks and other lending institutions make it difficult to access the necessary loans. There are a few institutions which give grants and other forms of support, but that is on a limited scale, and most of them are Georgetown-based, making it a bit difficult for rural women to easily access.

There is also the issue of the high level of domestic violence affecting countless families, with women being at the receiving end of the violence most times. There were numerous dialogues, with the involvement of the relevant stakeholders, to tackle the issue, but the number of cases of women being abused or killed is going up.

We believe that policy-makers should revisit the issue and come up with practical solutions to address this scourge in a holistic manner, with greater focus being placed on the root causes of the problem.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also worsened the situation, as it continues to have serious socio-economic repercussions on the lives of women. As a consequence of the partial lockdown, significant sections of the female working population are now unemployed, or are receiving reduced pay, and those include single-parents.

Many women-owned small businesses are no longer operational, and women in the private care industry have lost their jobs because they can no longer work at the homes of their employers, due to fear of COVID-19 transmission.

The economic and social advancement of all women, including those in hinterland and rural communities, should remain a priority for this Government.

Hindu devotees wait in lines to perform rituals to a Shiva Lingam, a stone sculpture representing the phallus of the Hindu deity Shiva, on the occasion of the Maha Shivaratri festival, at the Shivala Bhaiyaan temple in Amritsar, India (AFP photo)

Unjustified attack on US role in Guyana’s 2020 elections Dear Editor, Senator Roxanne Persaud unjustifiably attacked the US for its role in protecting the democratic outcome of the vote of March 2, 2020. On New York State Senate floor last February 23, she rose to commemorate Guyana’s 51st Republic Anniversary last month, and Senator Roxanne, an AfroGuyanese American representing 19th District in Brooklyn, lambasted the US role in guaranteeing democracy in Guyana.

Senator Roxanne Persaud came across as misinformed, and misrepresented the outcome of the election, as well as America’s role in it. Local and international observers, the media, diplomats and the global community of nations would not agree with her statement criticising the US Government for supporting the democratic outcome.

Apparently, she relied on biased information from her base of support in Brooklyn rather than take an objective stand on democracy.

Somehow, because the US insisted that the APNUled coalition accept the democratic will of the voters, the Senator concluded that the US decided the winner of the elections. She is plain wrong.

The Guyana voters decided the outcome when they cast their ballots on March 2nd.

I was in Guyana as a reporter, and travelled around, including spending time with foreign observers. After the votes were counted that very evening, observers and the media reported that the opposition PPP had won the elections. The ruling APNU claimed victory and said the election was free and fair, free from interference, and

the best conducted elections in decades. However, a day after the election, attempts to declare the right winner were stopped by rogue elements within GECOM, who then made several efforts to rig the elections.

The Chair of GECOM, diplomats, and international observers also praised election day procedures. Issues arose over the counting of ballots a day after the election when APNU realised it had lost. Diplomats, observers, and the media urged APNU to present their SOPs, the public documents of vote count that were posted outside polling stations.

Elements within GECOM refused to use the official Statements of Poll to declare a winner of the elections.

The matter was taken to the court. Chief Justice, the Honorable Roxanne George, ruled in the High Court that the official Statements of Poll must be used to declare a winner. Representatives from ABCE, CARICOM, OAS, Commonwealth of Nations, UN, and other organisations and countries witnessed the attempt to flagrantly rig the election. They demanded that the official Statements of Poll be used to declare the winner. They condemned the effort to rig.

The US and the international community simply asked that the will of the people of Guyana be accepted. The PPP/C, after five months of delay, was declared the winner on August 2.

Clearly, Senator Roxanne made a terrible mistake to assail the US Government for being a neutral observer in the election. The US did not decide the outcome of the 2020 elections, but admittedly played a leading role in

the outcome of the 2015 elections, which resulted in the PPP being removed from office, replaced by APNU. In 2020, it was only after APNU realised that it lost the election that a plan was affected to barefacedly rig the outcome. The former Jamaican PM Bruce Golding said it was the most transparent effort he had ever witnessed to rig an election.

It is beyond comprehension why Senator Roxanne did not fact find her information on the election.

She would have found out that Caricom nations, rather than the US, played a significant role in helping to certify the outcome for the Elections Commission (GECOM). There was a recount that was conducted in the presence of a Caricom auditing observer group.

Then President Granger invited the Caricom group to supervise and certify the recount, saying it was the best interlocutor to resolve an impasse. The recount was done under public camera.

Caricom recount concluded that PPP won the election.

The APNU-led coalition rejected the outcome.

GECOM accepted the recount numbers as credible.

APNU started a campaign to vilify Caricom leaders.

The global community acknowledged the outcome of the elections as declared by GECOM with PPP as the winner. Not one country or observer agreed with APNU that it won or that there was electoral fraud in declaring the outcome.

Senator Roxanne failed to mention that APNU refused to honour the outcome of a no-confidence motion that it lost on December 21, 2018, which required that

elections be held by March 2019; the election was not held until a year later, and only after the regime caved in to international pressure. APNU also defied the court that ruled elections be held within the three months’ time frame. In addition, there was an aversion to rule of law and other tenets of the constitution, such as in the appointment of a Chair of GECOM. The Senator made no mention of efforts by some demanding the swearing in of a President when the outcome was not declared and when challenges were before the court.

Instead of attacking the US, Senator Roxanne should have instructed APNU to adhere to constitutional principles and democratic norms. Guyanese praised the US and the international community for their role in securing the democratic outcome of the vote.

The Guyanese people want America to play a greater role in protecting the country’s democracy.

To redeem herself, Senator Roxanne should read the judgments of the Chief Justice, the CCJ, as well as the recount reports from Caricom and the remarks of all western diplomats.

Guyanese, observers, media people, and Caribbean nationals are most disappointed in the Senator for her ill-informed remarks. She should correct her mis-statements about the election on the Senate floor, as well as apologise for her misrepresentation of the facts!

Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

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News

Govt expanding mortgage options for Guyanese G

overnment, in the coming week, would be adding another financial institution to its low-income housing programme, expanding the mortgage options for potential homeowners. Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, made this disclosure on Wednesday.

“We will be signing another agreement with another financial institution which will be participating in our low-income housing programme for the first time,” he is quoted by DPI as

saying.

Further, the Minister said the Private Sector has an important role to play in the Government’s housing drive.

In the 2020 Emergency Budget, the Government increased the ceiling for low-income housing loans from $8 million to $10 million. This was further increased in the recently approved Budget 2021, from $10 million to $12 million, to make housing loans more affordable to borrowers within that range.

“In relation to the ceiling that is applicable to the

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh

low-income housing programme being implemented by the banks, that increase

in ceiling is already applicable,” Minister Singh revealed.

In Budget 2020, the Government returned the Mortgage Interest Relief (MIR) to $30 million. The MIR is intended to make the portion of homeowners’ taxable income utilised to pay interest on their housing loans exempted from personal income tax.

On Wednesday, the Government formally handed over the approval for the New Building Society Limited to increase its mortgage ceiling from $12 million to $15 million.

Additionally, in both budgets presented by the

PPP/C Government, value-added tax was removed from construction materials to make home construction more affordable.

The Government, in its manifesto, committed to allocating 50,000 house lots to Guyanese countrywide, with a target of 10,000 per year. Upon the passage of the Emergency Budget last September, the Government, through its housing drive, allocated 3,800 house lots.

The Ministry was this year allocated $6 billion for infrastructural and utility works in new and existing housing areas.

Guyanese must share in this prosperity Dear Editor, The Ministry of Natural Resources has announced that the payment for the country’s fifth oil lift was received and deposited into the Natural Resources Fund Account.

On February 5, 2021, a total 997,420 barrels of oil was lifted from Liza Destiny, with a value of US$61,090,968.03 with a grand total to date of 5,009,797 barrels of oil worth US$246,542,662.

Inclusive of Royalties, the total in the Natural

Resources Fund Account now stands at US$267,668,709.12.

The question of local content inevitably becomes significant to our country now. How many jobs will be created for local citizens? What kind of training opportunities for citizens and local businesses will be supported? How will the development benefit local schools, roads, hospitals and other infrastructure? How will your Exxon help local communities build the capacity to

Why is Lowenfield still on the job?

Dear Editor, The question is raised: Why is Lowenfield still in the employ of the GECOM? Why is he still in the affairs of that body? It is a question that is repeatedly and persistently asked, with no sensible answer forthcoming. We are here talking about a man who stood up to the world as the Chief Elections Officer to deliver a fraudulent report showing the losers of the election as the winners.

Not to be undone, this man would later turn up to deliver three more tranches of fraudulent figures, this was after the recount of the disputed ballot. If those are not the most blatant acts of rigging, then what are?

That alone should have rendered him unfit for office, and far less for being a member of that Commission, but he is still there.

The Chair of GECOM should rightly have fired

Lowenfield, and let him go his way with his rigging apparatus. Of course, Lowenfield should have known better, but he was so full of it he was certain that nothing would come out of that brazen rigging assault; and, like I said in a previous article, he never envisioned that karma would have caught up with him, so he persisted.

What I think Claudette Singh should have done long before now is to have asked him to resign and save himself the ignominy, and she should have then proceeded to install another in his place. In that way, she would have served the devil his due while ensuring the smooth transition into a free and fair process. Because there is no way, shape or form that Lowenfield would be in a commission and this country go into another election. No! Never!

Respectfully, Neil Adams

take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead?

Exxon’s long-term commitment is to support initiatives to further build human capacity, advance education, improve health care, and promote sustained economic diversification simultaneously as they deposit the cheque into the Natural Resources Fund Account. These works will boost their shared capacity development efforts in Guyana while preparing Guyanese to capitalise on new and expanded eco-

nomic opportunities Achieving the right balance is the goal for President Ali and the Government.

All of Guyana’s 800,000 residents are hoping that Exxon’s voluntary commitments to help support initiatives to further build human capacity would be translated into action very soon. Exxon must be aware that it is alleged that ExxonMobil negotiated an exploitative oil deal with the Government of Guyana that has cause the country

to lose out on up to US$55 billion of revenue. Former APNU/AFC Minister Raphael Trotman – who helped negotiate the deal, and ultimately signed it – may have been operating under a possible conflict of interest. The evidence suggests that Trotman also failed to represent his country effectively during negotiations, declining to listen to expert advice and undervaluing Guyana’s apparently strong bargaining position.

The lost US$55 bil-

lion could have been used now to build needed infrastructure and sea defences to protect the 90% of the population at risk from rising sea levels. Exxon’s numbers priority is to do well in Guyana from Guyana’s sweet crude and to make money. However, Guyanese must share in this prosperity which is not sustainable otherwise; and Exxon must insist that it happens.

Sincerely, David Adams

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FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

Page

Foundation ◄

Æsop’s Fables

Question 1

Y

our future as an art conservator begins now!

There are hundreds of thousands of works of art in museums around the world. How do the museums take care of them all? Cleaning, preserving, and occasionally repairing works of art is known as art conservation, and the people who do this specialised work are called conservators. Art conservators make sure that art and historical objects stay safe for the future –so that they will be there when you grow up and even when your grandchildren grow up.

Try this: Sometimes, the best

FOR CHILDREN

Question 2

way to learn is to try things out yourself! Conservators look at

objects very carefully to learn about how they are made and to figure out what they need to do to preserve them. Explore your

home, and choose an object that’s important and special to you. Look carefully at your special object. What do you see?

Do you think that there any parts missing? Would you say it is clean or dirty?

Write down why your object is important to you, and draw a picture of it. Send in your response and picture to readonworld@gmail. com, and we’ll send back a conservator-in-training button as a prize!

Insider’s tip: It can be hard to see a familiar thing with fresh eyes. Try using a magnifying glass as you examine your object. (asia.si.edu)

A

monkey perched upon a lofty tree saw some fishermen casting their nets into a river, and narrowly watched their proceedings.

The fishermen after a while gave up fishing, and on going home to dinner left their nets upon the bank.

The monkey, who is the most imitative of animals, descended from the treetop and endeavoured to do as they had done.

Having handled the net, he threw it into the river, but became tangled in the meshes and drowned. With his last breath he said to himself, “I am rightly served; for what business had I who had never handled a net to try and catch fish?’

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NGSA set for August 4th, 5th “We abide by all Govt rules, regulations” Sale to First Citizens

…over 14,000 slated to write exams

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

T

he Education Ministry has announced that the dates set for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) are August 4 and August 5, 2021.

This announcement was made by Education Minister Priya Manickchand during a press conference on Thursday.

She noted that the placement examination would consist of papers one and two. Additionally, she disclosed that some 14,300 Grade Six students will be writing the assessment – an increase over last year, when only 14,032 candidates wrote the exam.

Minister Manickchand related that after consultations with teachers and parents, a decision was made to have the exams administered in this format.

“The majority decision was that the preference was to have an exam, people felt

that would be the fairest thing to do. Both papers one and two... up to the Grade Five level.”

As such, the Ministry has adapted measures to ensure the safe and effective sitting of the exam. In efforts to set the candidates in exam mode, two sets of mock exams will be administered prior to the final national assessment.

Manickchand explained that in order to guide preparations for the assessment, teachers will be given a consolidated curriculum, which according to the Minister was crafted by international consultants and officials at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).

“It distils the core skills and competencies appropriate for learners at the Grade Five level. Related concepts were reorganised to allow them to appear together

which would make it easier for the students to grasp what is being taught. The consolidated curriculum also helps teachers to understand the boundaries as they prepare learners for the NGSA,” she explained.

Moreover, the minister posited that the curriculum would not contain any new or strange concepts. However, it has been rearranged and reduced to 20 weeks rather than the previous length of 40 weeks.

Further, Manickchand highlighted the Ministry would also provide additional resources for the students.

These include timetabled revision lessons on the Guyana Learning Channel along with worksheets.

She further stated that each Grade Six student attending a public school would receive a care package which will contain past papers and all the requisite textbooks. The textbooks, she noted, will be required to be returned to the Ministry after the students complete their exams.

Meanwhile, the Minister noted that preparations will continue online.

She added that the Ministry would also engage in training sessions with teachers and would work to supervise the teaching and preparation process for this cohort of students.

In addition, she noted that if students were unable sit the exams, the normal procedure of placing them based on the average of the Region would be in effect.

(G15)

– Scotiabank Caribbean VP subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions, the Guyana Government had described the announcement of the sale as “premature and inappropriate”, since Scotiabank did not follow the necessary regulatory process for such transactions.

But Bagnarol, who is also Scotiabank TT Managing Director, told Trinidadian reporters following a virtu-

on to say that the sale was part of the Bank’s strategy, according to the Newsday article.

“This was part of the Bank’s strategy, that has been there since 2018, that we announce the sale. These are tough decisions and part of having a strategy is making tough decisions, where to invest and deploy capital,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Scotiabank

al Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday that the financial institution did not breach any laws in Guyana.

“I cannot comment on the direct act, but Scotiabank works in many countries and we abide by all the rules, laws, and regulations, and will work with the Guyana Government to make sure that we continue with this process with First Citizens.

We will follow all the procedures they require from us,” Bagnarol posited.

The Scotiabank Senior VP and Head of the Caribbean South and East region went

TT Chairman Derek Hudson was also quoted in the article as saying that announcing the sale of the Bank’s Guyana operations before obtaining approval from local financial regulators was not premature as described by the Government.

“We conduct our business as should be conducted in accordance with the regulations of each country and then when the responses come out, they are addressed accordingly. I would say whether the organisation was surprised or not,” Hudson said in the TT Newsday report.

Scotiabank’s Senior VP and Head of South and East Caribbean, Stephen Bagnarol

M

ore than a week after announcing that it has agreed to sell its operations in Guyana to Trinidad-based First Citizens Bank Limited, Scotiabank is insisting that it has in no way breached any laws in Guyana.

This is according to Scotiabank’s Senior Vice President and Head of the South and East Caribbean, Stephen Bagnarol, in an article published by Trinidad and Tobago Newsday on Thursday.

On March 3, Scotiabank announced that “it has reached an agreement for the sale of its banking operations in Guyana to First Citizens Bank Limited”.

While the Canada-based multinational bank had said that the agreement was

TURN TO PAGE 9

8 NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Charges against Broomes, bodyguard dismissed

F

ormer Youth Affairs Minister within the Ministry of the Presidency, Simona Broomes and her bodyguard, Dexter Austin appeared on Thursday before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where several charges against them were dismissed.

Magistrate Bess dismissed the charges against the duo, since the Police Prosecutor was unable to present the file in court. The Magistrate added that the case had been ongoing for the past eight months and there had been no progress.

Austin and Broomes appeared in court in the latter part of August 2020, when they denied the charges of unlawful restraint, threatening language, and causing public terror along with assault, and

Simona Broomes

Dexter Austin with his firearm

were both released on self- bail.

Austin was separately charged for discharging a firearm within 100 yards of a public space.

On August 3, 2020, the former Minister and her bodyguard Austin went after two men who had removed a “no

fishing” sign from the parapet opposite her Lot 103 Lockoo Street, Lodge Housing Scheme, Georgetown home.

This, however, led to an altercation and an exchange of words before the men entered their vehicle and left the scene.

According to Broomes, there was a high-speed chase, but based on a video that was posted by the former Minister herself, that was not the case.

As they followed the white motor car, Broomes was heard urging persons on the roadway to intercept the vehicle.

However, the vehicle was finally intercepted in Sophia, where Broomes and some armed associates confronted the two men and assaulted them.

It was here Austin allegedly discharged his loaded firearm.

Spare a prayer...

J

…for the Police ust the other day, your Eyewitness bemoaned the sad, continuing decline of the Guyana Police Force. As he said then, of course he accepts that not all the apples in that particular barrel are rotten, but there are enough of them around to overwhelm whatever good ones may exist. One bad apple and all that! Anyhow, one of the better apples - who just happens to be the Chaplain of the GPF - had to deliver a prayer (they didn’t say whether there were also Hindu and Muslim prayers) at the opening Ceremony of the GPF Annual Officers’ Conference.

The fella took his task seriously, and fervently prayed for a full five minutes on what ailed the Force. He called for divine intervention to fix the same. One news outlet offered a sample of his homily: “……This day we lift the Guyana Police Force before you. And Father, today, if we are honest, we are elated to say that this Force is haemorrhaging right now. We stand in the gap and we confess the sins of this noble organisation. We confess every spirit of racism in this organization. We confess the spirit of corruption and bribery, we confess the spirit of injustice, and we declare, oh God, even now, above all, we confess the disunity and we pray, oh God, right now, that this Force is so fragmented that unless you help this Force, this Force will continue to be in trouble.”

Well, well, well! Mout’ open and ‘tory jump out! Now, notice that, like your humble Eyewitness, the good Chaplain didn’t say that the “sins”, “racism”, “corruption”, “bribery”, “injustice”, and “disunity” he identified included the ENTIRE GPF, but that, in his estimation, they were prevalent enough to “trouble” the very survival of the “noble organisation”.

But who told him to be so candid? Within days - just like that - he was yanked from his post as Chaplain and replaced!

Presumably, his replacement wouldn’t hang the Force’s dirty linen in public for us, the ordinary citizens, to see!

That reaction created quite a stir, however, and - lo and behold! - the good Chaplain was de-yanked before you could say “Holy Cow!!”

So, what does all of this mean? Well, for one thing, that life still goes on after Megan (one name) told Oprah that some old sod in the British Royals inquired as to the possible shade of the son that Megan was then expecting. Megan, of course, was completely bowled over that ANYONE could possibly bring that up!

Well, we can tell that our Police Top Brass also didn’t expect their Chaplain to spill his guts about the dark underbelly of the GPF (pun intended!) But will ANYTHING change? Don’t hold your breath. For neither Megan nor us and the Police!

…for prayers Guyana is a multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-racial state, OK? Well, last night, one of those religions - Hinduism - celebrated one of their biggest festivals - Shivratri. They would’ve fasted all day and spent all night worshipping Lord Shiva, who is that aspect of the Divinity into which all will revert when the universe collapses upon itself eventually. Not to worry, all will reverse itself in a few billion years, and we would then be projected as a new creation. Very comforting, eh?

We’re also in the midst of Lent, in which Christians are fasting for forty days before Easter - which commemorates Jesus’s ascension into Heaven after His Crucifixion. The 40 days and nights of fasting and prayers in the wilderness invoke Jesus’s preparation for His mission. In a month or so, Muslims will be starting to fast for Ramadan, and engage in intense prayers.

With all those prayers, you’d think we would’ve covered all our bases, wouldn’t you? …for the Royals You’d be relieved to know that, in answer to accusations

by Harry that some Royal person inquired about the colour of his then unborn son, his brother William assured us they’re “not a racist family”.

Whew!

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

NEWS

9

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Zinc-fortified rice will have great demand on local, regional markets – Minister

T

he Burma Rice Research Station has been developing a new variety of rice which has been biofortified with zinc to curtail nutrient deficiency. Samples were harvested for trials on Wednesday, and once successful, the product is expected to drive significant demand in the country and Caribbean.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha visited the Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) facility where the project materialised through partnership between the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB).

According to him, this is a positive step in developing the traditional sectors in a way that would impact the population. With the rice being fortified with zinc, persons would achieve their

required intake without spending additional money on supplements. As a result, it would tackle the non-communicable diseases in the region without any additional costs.

“It will not entail any additional costs. So, what we have been doing is producing value added [products], nutritious products but at the same cost. That’s the way to go.”

He added, “This has both economic benefit and health benefit…It has zinc in it. We are growing the zinc now in the fields rather than to put it artificially into the produce. So, this will help a lot of people because, right now, with the pandemic, we are being advised by the health specialists to use zinc. If they could get it right in the produce, that would be good.”

There was optimism that the tested product would be ready for the market within the next year, aiding

The varieties being harvested this week at the Burma Station

Guyana to reclaim its title as the bread basket of the Caribbean and maintain food security.

“It will also spark interest among local farm-

ers. I’m very optimistic that a year from now, after the next trial, we would have a candidate variety that can spread across the country, and farmers will be interest-

“We abide by all Govt rules...

Premature and unfortunate

Guyana’s Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh had said last week that it was premature and unfortunate that the deal between Scotiabank and First Citizens was announced without the regulatory process to consider the request for such a transaction yet to be initiated, much less concluded.

In accordance with Section 12 of the Financial Institutions Act (FIA), Scotiabank needs permission from the Bank of Guyana (BoG) before it proceeds to enter into any

agreement to sell its operations here.

Moreover, the BoG, which is the regulatory body for financial institutions in the country, said in a subsequent statement last week that First Citizens Bank has not even submitted an application in keeping with the requirements of the FIA 1995 to acquire control of Scotiabank’s operations in Guyana.

In fact, BoG Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga, told <<<Guyana Times>>> last week that the sale of Scotiabank’s operations in Guyana was subject to the approval of the central bank.

This, Dr Ganga explained, is to allow for the BoG to conduct the necessary mandatory assessments of the transaction – including, in this case, the company seeking to enter Guyana’s banking sector.

“Even if [First Citizens] submit an application in the near future, we have to do our assessments with respect to the requirements and those requirements include our objectives, in terms of what we need from another financial institution entering the Guyana market,” he pointed out.

Dr Ganga made reference to Scotiabank’s previ-

ed in cultivating these kinds of crops, because I’ve been getting good review on those varieties that we launched right here.

“This shows that we’re putting the funds in the right direction, and our country will not only be self-sufficient, but our country will be able to export and satisfy that demand in the Caribbean,” he expressed.

According to GRDB Chief Scientist Dr Mahendra Persaud, it is a commendable task for such a small country. Moreover, zinc deficiency currently affects a significant percentage of the global population.

“Zinc is a problem for over a third of the population on the earth, and mostly women and children are suffering. We’ve come a far way in developing these lines that we’re sure one or two will translate into a variety for the betterment of our own people in Guyana, Latin

American, and even further afield, because we trade 70 to 80 per cent of what we produce. That’s a win-win for everyone,” Persaud identified.

Last month, Dr Persaud had explained that the strains are part of a breeding trial, and will be tested over the next three seasons.

“We’ve been testing some breeding lines and established varieties for higher levels of zinc. We have 17 promising entries at four trial locations. These trials will go on for at least three more seasons before we make a final selection on which of the strains will go into the farmers’ fields for a final analysis for release as a variety. It’s quite at the initial stage, but we are very optimistic because we’ve seen these lines perform well at the breeding stage over the past five years,” he was quoted as saying.

from different perspectives... Any applicant we’ll have to judge with respect to the merit of the application from the perspective of our requirements and our objectives going forward,” he noted.

The BoG Governor revealed to this newspaper last Thursday that Scotiabank formally wrote to them that day, applying under Section 12 of the FIA to execute the sale. But according to Dr Ganga, the sale cannot be executed without an assessment of the transaction and the company buying the operations here.

He had noted that that

assessment would soon commence.

Meanwhile, Scotiabank had said that until regulatory approval was obtained and the transaction closed, it would continue operations in Guyana “as usual”.

Scotiabank’s Guyana operations currently encompass four branches and approximately 180 employees.

The Canada-based bank noted that these employees would all be retained upon the transfer of operations to First Citizens.

Scotiabank has, for some time, been looking to sell its operations in Guyana. (G8)

FROM PAGE 7

ous attempt to sell its operations in Guyana to Republic Financial Holdings Limited in 2019, which was halted after the BoG – having done its assessment – found that if the transaction had gone through with RBL, which is already operating in Guyana, it would have jeopardised the local market.

At the time, Dr Ganga told this publication that the application was denied in light of concerns about “concentration” and “competition”, which would have negative impacts on the country’s financial system.

“So, as you can see, we have to do our assessment

10 NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Taxi driver admits to driving Shipper, taxi driver remanded getaway car in teen’s murder Cocaine in salt fish

Remanded: Adrian David

Navindra Sarwan

avindra Sarwan, called “Tallman”, 46, of First Field Cummings Lodge, Georgetown, and Adrian David, 31, a taxi driver of 127 Shell Road, Kitty, Georgetown, appeared before Diamond Magistrate Judy Latchman to answer to a charge alleging that they had possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The charge detailed that between March 7 and 8, 2021, between First Field, Cummings Lodge, Georgetown and the Amerijet Cargo Shed at the Cheddi Jagan International

Airport, Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD), Sarwan and David trafficked 3.304 kilograms of cocaine, which were intercepted at the Amerijet Cargo Shed at the CJIA. Sarwan and David were both represented by counsels who pleaded for the men to be placed on reasonable bail.

However, CANU prosecutor Konyo Sandiford objected to either man being placed on bail.

Stating the facts of the matter, Sandiford explained that Sarwan is a licensed shipper, and that David supplied

N

Sarwan with a quantity of salted fish to be shipped to the United States. On March 8, 2021, Sarwan sent the salted fish and fresh fish, along with shipping documents, to CANU officers for examination.

While conducting the examination, CANU officers probed the backbone of the salt fish, from which a whitish substance emanated.

A field test was conducted on the “bones”, which indicated the presence of cocaine. As such, Sarwan was told of the offence, arrested, and taken to the CANU Headquarters along with the suspected narcotics.

Sandiford added that Sarwan alleged that David had brought the salted fish to his home. Following this disclosure, David was arrested.

A further search was conducted at David’s home, and ranks unearthed a replica of the fish concealment method in his fridge.

These two men have pleaded not guilty to the charge, and were remanded to jail. The case will continue on April 15.

(G15)

Guilty: Melroy Doris

M

elroy Doris, the taxi driver who is charged with the July 10, 2014 murder of 19-year-old cosmetologist Ashmini Harriram of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, on Thursday pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter before Justice Brassington Reynolds at the Demerara High Court.

State Prosecutor Tyra Bakker had initially indicted Doris for the capital offence of murder.

Following the guilty plea, Doris, who was represented

by Stanley Moore, SC, was further remanded to prison until March 25, 2021, when he will be sentenced after the presentation of a probation report.

Prosecutor Bakker told the court that Doris was arrested for the murder on September 2, 2014. She told the court that on the day of the offence, Harriram, also known as “Monisha Harriam”, and her cousin were walking along the Lusignan Public Road, ECD when they noticed a burgundy Toyota 212 motorcar bearing registration number PRR 8370 parked along the said road. The Prosecutor detailed that a few minutes later the teenager was shot to her head, and the car drove off.

Murder accused Lennox “Two Colours” Wayne

According to Bakker, when Doris was arrested, he gave a caution statement in which he admitted that he was the getaway driver. A post mortem examination revealed that Harriram died as a result of respiratory failure and gunshot injuries to the spine.

Meanwhile, Lennox Wayne, who was jointly charged with Doris for the teen’s murder, is still awaiting trial for the offence.

According to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Wayne, also known as “Two Colours”, had, in November 2020, indicated to the State that he wanted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter.

The murder accused, however, changed his decision, the DPP Chambers disclosed.

Reports are that Wayne is not pleased with the prison term being offered by the court.

Wayne was first charged with the murder in 2014, and was remanded to prison. His lawyers - Nigel Hughes and Ronald Daniels - have since filed a constitutional motion asking for a permanent stay of the murder proceedings against their client. Among other things, Wayne is also suing the State for more than $100,000 in damages for a

Dead: Ashmini Harriram

breach of his fundamental right to a fair trial within a reasonable time.

According to court documents seen by this publication, Wayne deposes that he was first tried for the offence in 2017, and that trial ended in a hung jury. Accordingly, he stated that the trial judge ordered a retrial at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Criminal Assizes.

The murder accused has said that, four years later, he is yet to be brought before a judge and jury.

Wayne pointed out that although his name had been listed on the Demerara Criminal Assizes for retrial in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, his case has not been called.

In the circumstances, he is asking the High Court to admit him to bail pending the hearing and determination of the constitutional proceedings.

He is also seeking a declaration that his fundamental right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time, as guaranteed under Article 144 of the Constitution of Guyana, has been breached as a result of the lengthy delay in his retrial.

The motion comes up for hearing before Justice Navindra Singh on March 23, 2021 at the High Court in Demerara. (G1)

NEWS

11

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

39-year-old is latest COVID-19 death …65 new cases recorded …parliamentarians, Cabinet next in line for vaccine

U

nder the coronavirus vaccine administration programme, the Health Ministry is currently making preparations to offer shots to Members of Parliament (MPs) within the next week.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony made this disclosure on Thursday, stating that the vaccines would be open to any Member of Parliament or Cabinet who wishes to be immunised during the current round.

As it is, authorities are rolling out countrywide the 100,000 doses that were received from the governments of China and India.

“We’ve been talking to the Parliament and we’ve been making arrangements to ensure that MPs who would like to have their vaccines in this round…we’re able to give the vaccines to them. I’m sure that over the next week or so, different members of the Cabinet would also be taking their vaccines,” he informed.

Former Presidents Donald Ramotar, Samuel Hinds and David Granger have already taken their vaccine, in addition to Prime Minister Mark Phillips under the elderly group, ranging from 60 years and older.

This extension started on Wednesday, when it was recognised from the country’s data that older persons are more at risk for contracting the novel virus. There has since been a smooth rollout with just a few glitches, which will be fixed, and persons are encouraged to turn up for their vaccines once qualified under this bracket.

“I think the response has been tremendous. There have been a few problems. I think people did not know where to go, and we’re sorting it out,

but the response has been great. People have been coming out, getting their vaccines, and we’ve been observing persons to make sure that after they receive their vaccines, we observe them for 15 minutes just to make sure they’re okay. I would encourage everyone to please ensure that they come out and get their vaccines,” the Minister explained.

Dr Anthony added that many of the deaths reported in Guyana were persons within the elderly group.

With immunisation in the form of the vaccine, protection will be offered from the worst form of the virus, and essentially save lives.

“It will protect you from getting the more severe form of the disease, and therefore it would protect our elderly population. We’re extremely pleased to be able to offer this vaccine to persons 60 years and above,” Dr Anthony said.

Simultaneously, healthcare workers in the Public and Private Sectors are being immunised if they voluntarily decide to take the jab. Doses have been set aside to cover the 12,000 workers who stand to benefit.

He expounded, “We have allocated, in a sense, vaccines to cover this group. We have sent those doses out to the different regions we’re inoculating. At the same time, we’ve looked at the elderly populations in these regions and allocating accordingly.

Hopefully, we can get more people getting their vaccines as quickly as possible.”

Zeroing in on the vaccines being used, it was outlined that the Sinopharm vaccine is highly efficacious, at about 74.9 per cent. On the other hand, increasing the intervals between the AstraZeneca

vaccine raises the efficacy to about 82 per cent.

The health official assured, “The vaccines that are available, they work. That is what we want people to understand. Sinopharm is safe.

Sinopharm is right now listed by the WHO in what is called an emergency use listing pending the full consultation.”

There are several vaccines pending approval by the WHO to be added on the Emergency Use Authorization with Pfizer and Moderna. However, the results from trials have led several countries to approve these vaccines for their respective immunisation rollout.

“There is nothing being reported in the scientific literature to say that ‘if you use this vaccine, this is really bad’. We would have seen this all over the place. We’re not seeing that, and in fact, right now, the demand for these vac-

cines is so great that it is very hard to access vaccines globally.”

New death

As at Thursday, another person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) died. This takes the total number of deaths from the pandemic to 206.

The latest fatality is a 39-year-old female from Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) who died while receiving care at a medical facility. The woman had recently undergone a surgery.

Within 24 hours, the country also saw an increase of 65 new cases. Overall, positive cases have now climbed to 8993 – 4630 males and 4363 females.

According to the Ministry’s dashboard, there are seven persons in the designated Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 519 on home isolation, 31 in institutional isolation, and 16

in institutional quarantine.

The data shows that 8230 patients have since recovered.

Of the new cases, 19 were detected in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 19 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); one in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice); two in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne);

three in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and two in Region Nine (Upper Takutu- Upper Essequibo).

The cases in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) remain at 1023, 237, 246 and 661 respectively.

12 NEWS Trio arrested after Police Man found floating in Canje River after taking a swim find .38 pistol at Parika T T FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

hree men were taken into Police custody on Wednesday following the discovery of a firearm at Parika Façade, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

The Police have said that on the day in question, ranks acting on information went to the home of seaman Devendra Campbell, also called “Das” and “Josh”, and conducted a search on his premises for firearms and ammunition.

Several ranks conducted the search in the man’s home and yard, but they came up empty-handed.

However,

upon being questioned, the seaman informed the Police that he has a firearm which is kept in an old stove at the back of the yard, but before the Police arrived at his home, he instructed a relative to remove the firearm.

As investigations continued, the relative was reportedly contacted and, upon being asked about the firearm, told Police that he had taken the weapon and left it with another man at another house.

Upon receiving that bit of information, the ranks went to the house in ques-

tion, where they conducted a search during which a nickel-and-black firearm, suspected to be a .38 pistol, was unearthed. The gun reportedly had a marking, “3791”, on its frame.

Campbell subsequently admitted ownership of the firearm and provided a statement under caution.

The three men were told of the offence, cautioned, and arrested. They were escorted to the Parika Police Station, where the suspected firearm was initialled, sealed, and lodged as investigations continue.

he lifeless body of 51-year-old Deonarine Ishtar, also called “Ravi”, a labourer of Smithfield, New Amsterdam, Berbice, was on Wednesday pulled from the Canje River.

Based on reports received, the now dead man was with other men at Tucber Park in New Amsterdam, awaiting the arrival of a boat that would transport two sheep into the Canje River, when he reportedly took off his clothes and told the others that he was going to take a swim.

While the others went about their business, Ishtar

Dead: Deonarine Ishtar

went into the water and swam to the other side of

the Canje River, where he reportedly held on to some grass near the river’s bank.

However, about 20 minutes after, the boat arrived and the men went across the river to collect Ishtar, but instead they found his motionless body floating in the water.

His body was placed in the wooden boat and taken to shore. Police were contacted, and upon inspecting the body, there found no marks of violence. The body was then escorted to the Arokium Funeral Home to await a post mortem. The Police are continuing their investigations.

NEWS

13

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GPHC patient found Black Bush Polder farmer beaten during argument dead on Middle Street A A n investigation has been launched into the death of a Laing Avenue, Georgetown resident, whose lifeless body was found in the vicinity of Zoom Online Shopping on Middle Street, Georgetown.

The dead man has been identified as 55-year-old Winston Blackette. Based on reports received, his body was discovered at about 21:00h on Wednesday evening by a security officer attached to Da Silva’s Optical.

The security officer was informed of the motionless body by another male, and immediately raised an alarm. Further, he summoned that EMT Ambulance

Services to the scene. Upon arriving, the medical personnel confirmed that the man was dead.

At the time of the discovery, the now dead man was clad in a red and black sweater, a black jersey and a pair of long black jeans.

He was also wearing a pair of black rubber slippers. A hospital name tag was seen on his right wrist.

He was reportedly bleeding through his mouth and nostrils. There were no visible signs of violence on his body, and, as such, foul play has been ruled out by the Police.

However, hospital officials have confirmed that the now dead man had vis-

ited the Georgetown Public Hospital with complaints of chest pains and a swollen foot. They say he was examined and diagnosed with leptospirosis.

Due to his medical condition, he was admitted a patient in the male surgical ward.

Police, in a release, have also stated that the man had not been discharged from the medical facility. They are working with the theory that the now dead man might have walked out of the hospital.

The body of the late Winston Blackette has been taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Home to await a post mortem.

2 3 - y e a r - o l d Corentyne rice farmer is now a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital after he was allegedly beaten by another man on the Mibicuri Public Road in Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice Region Six (East Berbice -Corentyne) last Wednesday. The injured man has been identified as Ishwar Megnauth, also called “Buck Man”.

Based on reports received, at about 10:30h on Wednesday, Megnauth was drying paddy on the Mibicuri Public Road when he was confronted by a known male, who complained that Megnauth’s wife was in the

habit of calling him.

This led to a heated argument between the two men, during which the 45-yearold suspect armed himself with a piece of wood and dealt Megnauth a blow to his hand.

The blow resulted in Megnauth sustaining inju-

ry, and he was taken to the Mibicuri Public Hospital, where he was examined and later transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where he has been admitted a patient. After a report was made to the Police, the suspect was arrested, and is assisting with investigations.

14

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Man beaten with hammer tells court Man found guilty of willing to accept compensation killing drinking buddy …after attacker found guilty on wounding charge

A

lvin Melville, the man who partially lost his vision and hearing after he was severely beaten in the head with a hammer by a relative, has told the High Court he is willing to accept compensation, which will go towards financing further corrective surgeries.

Melville made this disclosure through a probation officer, who on Thursday presented a probation report on 49-year-old Compton Fecker, called “Chappy”, who was found guilty by a jury of feloniously wounding Melville, his son’s father-in-law.

Fecker, a fish vendor, was initially indicted for attempted murder. The jury, however, returned a guilty verdict for the lesser count of feloniously wounding . As a result, Fecker was remanded to prison pending sentencing as his lawyer, Adrian Thompson, requested that a probation report be compiled on his client. Judge Brassington Reynolds did not impose sentencing on Thursday, since the court wanted to have a victim impact statement from Melville.

The victim was supposed to appear in court via Zoom, but efforts to have this done proved futile. In the circumstances, sen-

Guilty: Compton Fecker

tencing for Fecker was further adjourned until March 22, 2021. According to facts presented by Prosecutor Seeta Bishundial, on March 19, 2015, in the county of Essequibo, the men had an argument during which Fecker pulled out a hammer and dealt Melville several blows to the head.

The injured man collapsed to the ground and was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital. Owing to the extent of his injuries, he had to be transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he remained hospitalised for days.

The probation report revealed that Fecker had a bad temper especially when he

was under the influence of alcohol. The probation officer said that residents in his neighbourhood related that his actions were uncalled for since there were other means to settle the dispute.

According to the probation officer, Melville disclosed that as a result of the beating he has partially lost vision and hearing.

Apart from this, the probation officer said that Melville related that he also suffered a fractured skull for which he has to undergo further surgery and suffered from constant headaches which make it difficult for him to sleep. The victim said that as a result of his injuries, he has been unable to work to provide for his family. The probation officer told the court that Melville indicated that he was willing to accept monetary compensation which he would use for his medical bills.

The probation officer noted that Fecker’s actions were unwarranted and he should have reported the incident to the relevant authorities.

As such, the probation officer asked the court to adjudicate the matter in such a way that vulnerable people would feel protected by the justice system. (G1)

A

25-year-old man, who was initially on trial for the murder of his drinking buddy who he stabbed to death with a bottle, was Thursday found guilty of the lesser count of manslaughter after a 12-member jury returned from deliberations at the Essequibo High Court.

On November 19, 2016, in the county of Essequibo, Tony Rampersaud was found to have unlawfully killed Henry Mendonca, a Venezuelan national. Upon his arraignment before Justice Gino Persaud, Rampersaud, formerly of Eteringbang, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), pleaded not guilty to the murder in-

dictment presented against him by State Prosecutor Lisa Cave.

According to the facts, Rampersaud and Mendonca, who both resided in Venezuela, came to Guyana on the day in question and were drinking at the Eteringbang Landing.

However, an argument ensued between the two, and Rampersaud broke a bottle and stabbed Mendonca to his abdomen. The injured man was taken to San Martin Hospital in Venezuela, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Following the guilty verdict, Rampersaud was further remanded to prison. A probation report on him will be pre-

Guilty: Tony Rampersaud

sented to the court on March 26, 2021, ahead of his sentencing hearing on March 30, 2021. (G1)

Nurse accused of sexually molesting boy remanded

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ail was refused for 32-year-old Yohan London, a registered nurse of Section C Christianburg, Wismar, Linden when he made a virtual appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Thursday, charged with four counts of sexual activity committed on a male minor child.

The offences occurred between September 1, 2017

Sexual

molestation of child and June 30, 2018. The nurse was not required to plead to the charges and was remanded to prison.

The cases were adjourned to March 16 and

March 18, and were transferred to the Linden Magistrate’s Court and Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court respectively for reports and fixtures.

16 NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

11-year-old killed by bandits in Sophia robbery GO-Invest keen on

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n 11-year-old child has been killed by bandits during a home invasion in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

Dead is Anthony Cort.

Reports are that the child and his mother were two houses away from their residence when two males wearing face masks and armed with handguns invaded the property belonging to a 44-year-old businesswoman.

Police said that the 11-year-old was in the upper flat of the home in C Field, Sophia in the company of others when the bandits rushed inside the

lower flat and held the occupants at gunpoint. They were relieved of two cellphones valued $80,000 each, two gold bands valued $100,000, two gold rings valued $100,000, one

gold chain valued $100,000, and $80,000 cash.

According to Police, the bandits then ordered the victims into the upper flat of the house via a northern door. As they went into the

upper flat, Anthony was about to exit a north-eastern bedroom when one of the bandits discharged a round hitting the child in his left upper shoulder.

The perpetrators then ran north, jumped a zinc fence and made good their escape. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) subsequently responded to reports of the tragedy and pronounced the child dead at the scene. His body was taken to Lyken Funeral Parlour to await a post-mortem examination.

Police have since recovered a 9mm spent shell near the child’s body.

Pensioners can cash vouchers at money transfer agents, banks

I

n an effort to ease the hassle and long lines for senior citizens to uplift their monthly pension, the Human Services and Social Security Ministry has introduced another option, and pensioners can now re-

deem their vouchers at any MoneyGram/Surepay or BillExpress location countrywide.

However, pensioners are required to walk with their booklets and some form of identification to complete the transaction.

Apart from encashing vouchers at the money transfer agents, pensioners can access the service through their respective banking institutions or post offices.

Guyana-UK trade

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uyana Office for Investment (GOInvest) Chief Executive Officer Peter Ramsaroop says the agency is keen to facilitate the export of sugar and forest products to the United Kingdom to capitalise on the trade agreements already in place.

In a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), the CEO said revenues from these commodities would be reinvested in the economy to support its expansion and growth. As such GO-Invest’s export unit is examining the possibilities closely.

“The bilateral agreements are there, the Caricom treaties are there.

We believe that export is a key component of the development of Guyana as it brings in foreign currency.

We have to strengthen that export arm and our office is a part of that process, working along with the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Tourism,” he said.

The Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry has already reported the high demand in the UK for Guyana’s wood and sugar.

Director of the Ministry’s Foreign Trade Department, Dr Dianna Glasgow stated back in January that Guyana could take advantage of the UK market given the demand.

During a virtual meeting with Great Britain’s Minister of International Trade, Ranil Jayawardena in late January, Minister Hugh Todd noted the importance of the sugar industry here, and relayed that investments were being made to increase the efficiency of the sector.

Meanwhile, Ramsaroop also reported on his briefing session with UK’s Commonwealth Caribbean Trade Envoy, Darren Henry and some 550 UK

Head of GO-Invest, Peter Ramsaroop

companies last week.

During that meeting, the CEO noted Guyana’s readiness for partnerships and investments in the agriculture, tourism, technology and other sectors.

“They are free to come into Guyana. We have the best investment climate, the best trajectory with 40plus per cent growth for 2020, a significant growth in 2021 and beyond, with a President that believes in democracy and Guyana and has a plan and a vision and an execution measurable plan that will create results. That makes it exciting to them,” he said.

Ramsaroop also said more investors were coming in.

“It is fine investors are willing to come into Guyana, looking for local partners. I think it is the most rewarding part of my job when I see that happen and knowing for a fact that the Government has outlined their framework and they believe the action plan and want to be part of the action plan,” he said. Following the UK’s referendum to exit the European Union (EU), the UK and CARIFORUM embarked on rolling over the CARIFORUM-EU agreement’s terms into the CARIFORUM-UK EPA, signed by Guyana in March 2019 and ratified

by Ministerial Order in December 2020.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

T&T children witness mom’s brutal murder “A

unty Toya! Aunty Toya! Come and help mommy.

Daddy killing mommy.”

This was the cry for help from a seven-year-old boy as he ran to his neighbour Latoya Durant’s home on Tuesday night, after he and his two-year-old brother witnessed their father hacking their mother, Adeina Alleyne, to death.

Police said after the boys saw Dwight Waldrop brutally chop their mother, the elder boy, with blood on his hands, ran to neighbours for help. Durant and other neighbours eventually found his brother screaming on a bed, inside Waldrop’s Building 5 apartment in Embacadere, San Fernando. Alleyne’s daughter was not at home.

According to neighbours, Waldrop, 33, a watchman, had accused Alleyne, 34, a supervisor at Puff N’ Stuff Bakery in Vistabella, of being unfaithful. However, Alleyne had ended her relationship with him some time ago.

They said before Tuesday’s murder, Waldrop had threatened to kill Alleyne and was sharpening a knife and cutting himself as a test.

Investigators said Alleyne lived in Apartment 2, Building 3, while Waldrop lived in Apartment 3-4, Building 5, in the housing development.

A neighbour told investigators that around 7.15 pm, the child ran into her apart-

ment and told her his father had chopped his mother. Neighbours then broke down the front door to Waldrop’s home and found Alleyne soaked in blood and lying on the floor of a bedroom.

They picked up the younger child off the bed and went to the kitchen, where they found Waldrop dead with a clothesline wrapped around his neck.

San Fernando police, led by ASP Coraspe, Insp Phillip, Sgt Williams and Sgt Dinoo, responded alongside detectives from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region Three. Crime Scene Investigators found a bloodied Chinese chopper, which they believe was the murder weapon. While investigators wait for autopsy results to determine the cause of death, neighbours said Alleyne’s throat was slit.

Durant said Alleyne was not supposed to go back to Waldrop’s apartment, as she had made several reports against him. She said she also spoke to Waldrop about moving on from the relationship and tried to dissuade him from harming Alleyne and himself.

Waldrop’s cousin, Hazel Harry, said Waldrop could not deal with the separation.

She said she believes Alleyne went across to his apartment for something and they argued.

“Apparently, he spoke to persons telling them he

would commit this act but nobody really believed it. It is not easy to deal with because it is three children left behind without parents. Sometimes, if we talk to the right people, we would get the right advice. That did not take place and this is the result of it,” Harry told Guardian Media.

In a Facebook post, Puff N’ Stuff Bakery said Alleyne was a shining light at the workplace. The company described her as a fabulous mother, daughter and granddaughter.

“To have such a gracious soul taken from us so tragically has created a loss of words for us. We pray for her family, children, and friends during this difficult difficult time. We have lost a strong, beautiful, loving and caring woman so senselessly.

“We ask you to keep her and her family in your prayers. We pray for her eternal rest and salvation.

Deina, you will be forever missed,” the company stated in the post.

Commenting on the latest incident yesterday, International Women’s Resource Network (IWRN) president Sandrine IsaacRattan said Alleyne was the fifth woman murdered in domestic violence circumstances for 2021. She said in the last three months, the IWRN had observed heightened bouts of anger, a sense of uneasiness and insecurity in some men, even during casual conversations.

Giving specific examples, Isaac-Rattan said some men are becoming extremely angry and threatened by their partners’ social media posts.

She said some men also have an issue when their partners enhance their overall appearance.

“There’s also that unfortunate desire to check their partners’ phones. Nonevidenced-based accusations are also becoming more prevalent,” Isaac-Rattan said.

“While we await the endorsement of the National Gender-Based Violence strategy, it is incumbent on male role models to occupy their rightful place. Mobilise both young and adult males in their communities to implement basic programmes to deal with anger management.”

Also commenting on the attack, San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello said it was shocking and sad. He noted

that International Women’s Day was commemorated only on Monday and there were so many programmes geared at preventing violence against women.

“These men committing these heinous crimes, they need counselling, something is wrong with them. They need to be analysed from a psychological standpoint to see what is wrong with them,” Regrello said. (T&T Guardian)

Resignation demands grow as Police get Cuomo groping report

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ew York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s grip on power appeared increasingly threatened Thursday as a majority of state legislators called for his resignation and police in the capital city said they were aware of a new harassment allegation against the state’s chief executive.

The Times Union of Albany reported Wednesday that an unidentified aide had claimed Cuomo reached under her shirt and fondled her after summoning her to his official residence late last year. Cuomo said he never touched anyone inappropriately. A lawyer for the governor said Thursday that she reported the allegation to police after the woman involved declined to do so herself.

Beth Garvey, the governor’s acting counsel, said in a statement that as a matter of state policy, the woman who made the allegations was told she should contact her local police department.

“In this case the person is represented by counsel and when counsel confirmed the client did not want to make a report, the state notified the police department and gave them the attorney’s information,” Garvey said. She said the state was obligated to do so under state law.

An Albany Police Department spokesperson, Steve Smith, didn’t immediately return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment. The possible involvement of police comes as more lawmakers called on him to resign over alleged

misconduct with women.

At least 121 members of the state Assembly and Senate have said publicly they believe Cuomo can no longer govern and should quit office now, according to a tally by The Associated Press. The count includes 65 Democrats and 56 Republicans. Cuomo’s support in the state Senate was especially thin. Roughly two-thirds of its members have called for the Democrat’s resignation, including Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

Cuomo’s support in the state Senate was especially thin. Roughly two-thirds of its members have called for the Democrat’s resignation, including Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

(NBC)

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guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

Regional

COVID-19: Brazil surge Venezuela’s new stations offer fuel, liquor to those who can pay reaches new level

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razil has exceeded 2000 COVID-related deaths in a single day for the first time, as infection rates soar.

The country has the second highest death toll in the world, behind the US. Experts warn the transmission rate is made worse by more contagious variants.

On Wednesday, former leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva hit out at President Jair Bolsonaro’s “stupid” decisions.

Bolsonaro has downplayed the threat from the virus. Earlier this week, he told people to “stop whining”.

On Wednesday, the country recorded 79,876 new cases, the third highest number in a single day. The total number of COVIDrelated deaths reached 270,656, according to Johns Hopkins University in the US. It means Brazil has a rate of 128 deaths per 100,000 population – 11th highest amongst 20 of the

One epidemiologist in Brazil fears the country is “becoming a threat to global public health”.

worst-affected countries in the world. The highest rates are in the Czech Republic with 208 deaths per 100,000 people and the UK with 188 deaths per 100,000 people, Johns Hopkin’s figures suggest.

Margareth Dalcolmo, a doctor and researcher at Fiocruz, described the situation as “the worst moment of the pandemic in Brazil”.

Across Brazil, Intensive Care Units (ICU) are at more than 80 per cent capacity, according to Fiocruz.

And in 15 state capitals, ICUs are at more than 90 per cent capacity, including in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

Reports say the capital Brasilia has now reached full ICU capacity, while two cities - Porto Alegre and Campo Grande - have exceeded capacity.

In its report, Fiocruz warned that the figures point to the “overload and even collapse of health systems”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Drugmaker “bullied” Latin American nations – UK media group

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r u g m a k e r Pfizer employed “high-level bullying” against at least two Latin American countries during negotiations to acquire vaccines according to a recent investigation, including requesting the nations put sovereign assets as collateral for payments.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ), a UK-based non-profit media organisation in an investigation unveiled in February said the pharmaceutical company’s negotiation technique led to a months-long delay in reaching a deal in one country, and the total failure to reach an agree-

ment with two others, Argentina and Brazil.

According to the yearlong investigation, which relied on unnamed officials, Pfizer “bullied” nations during talks.

“They said that Pfizer had been the most difficult company to work with, and the Government felt that they had been bullied and held to ransom by Pfizer – that’s using the officials’ own words during these negotiations,” Madlen Davies, chief global health investigations correspondent at TBIJ, told Al Jazeera’s The Take podcast.

“The official said that Pfizer had this kind of

good cop, bad cop negotiating team and the bad cop told them, ‘Why are you only buying this number of doses? People will die because of you, you should buy more.’ And the Government felt this was very kind of strange behaviour,” Davies said.

A year into the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 2.6 million people worldwide, nations are scrambling for access to vaccines – a key to saving lives and reopening battered economies.

But there is also growing evidence that wealthier nations have had unfair advantages. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Record 12 deaths in 1 day as Jamaica reports 695 new COVID cases

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amaica has recorded 12 deaths due to COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the highest number of deaths in one day since the first case of the virus was confirmed locally in March 2020.

The country’s case count also inched closer to 30,000 on Wednesday, with 695 new cases.

This pushes the total confirmed deaths to 475 and the total confirmed cases of the virus since the outbreak in the island to 28, 968.

The latest deaths include two females, ages 54 and 37, and two males, ages

Health and Wellness Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton

79 and 33, from St James; three males, ages 75, 77 and 87, and a 76-year-old

female from St Elizabeth; a 62-year-old male from Kingston and St Andrew; a 48-year-old male from St Catherine; a 67-yearold male from St Ann; and a 73-year-old male from Westmoreland.

Another death was also reported as coincidental and one more was reported under investigation.

Meanwhile, the Health and Wellness Ministry said of the new cases reported, 409 are females and 286 are males with ages ranging from four days to 91 years.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

elcome to Venezuela’s new gasoline stations: They boast digital fuel pumps and high-end, imported liquor. They’re plastered in fresh coats of bright yellow and red paint. And in what’s become a rarity these days, they actually have gasoline to sell — for a price that very few can afford.

Over the past six months, the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been quietly handing over dozens of run-down gasoline stations across the country to local entrepreneurs who turned them into these flashy retail complexes and rebranded them under a chain known as Via. It’s the first phase of a desperate and complicated plan to rescue the country from US sanctions that have dealt a final blow to Venezuela’s oil business and choked the nation of fuel supplies so severely that filling

stations have been forced to repeatedly shut.

The way Maduro sees it: The new ventures will operate as independent businesses and import fuel free of American sanctions that specifically target his administration and those who help it.

It’s a fairly straight-forward plan until you look under the hood: The gas station deals that Maduro’s Government has done so far aren’t publicly disclosed. Nobody seems to know who ultimately owns them or who runs them. And some are already raising

concerns about whether the Government itself is still behind the operations.

“The changes are a reaction to the State’s collapse, not a well-thought plan,’’ said Jose Manuel Puente, an economics professor at Caracasbased IESA business institute. “New fuel pump stations are just an illusion of harmony, not part of a structural stabilisation of the economy.”

Maduro’s Information Ministry, the Oil Ministry and PDVSA didn’t respond to requests for comment.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Nobel Prize economists call for vaccine equity and debt relief

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obel Prize-winning economists Joseph Stiglitz and Michael Spence are spearheading calls for urgent action to help poorer countries recover from the economic ravages of the coronavirus pandemic, including measures to advance vaccine equity, debt relief, and bolstering fiscal resources for cashstrapped nations.

The proposals were outlined in a new interim report released on Thursday – the one-year anniversary of the global pandemic – by the Institute for New Economic Thinking’s Commission on Global Economic Transformation, co-chaired

by Stiglitz and Spence.

“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures,” Spence said in the report. “Failing bold action, developing countries could be on track to lose years or even decades of progress in the post-pandemic world.”

Highlighting the interconnected nature of the global economy, the report urges nations to suspend or modify intellectual property protections for COVID-19 jabs,

A new report urges nations to suspend or modify intellectual property protections for COVID-19 jabs to accelerate vaccine production, get more people inoculated sooner and stay ahead of mutations [File: Mike Hutchings/Reuters]

treatments, tests and products to accelerate vaccine production, get more people inoculated sooner – including in rich countries- and stay ahead of mutations.

“In the developing world, many of them are not scheduled to get the vaccines for years to come unless we change what’s going on,” Stiglitz told reporters during a virtual press conference to launch the report.

“The world is not going to be safe from the pandemic itself until the pandemic is

controlled everywhere in the world, so in that sense, it’s even in our own self-interest that there be a rapid dissemination of the vaccines and the other medicines, the mass tests that help control the pandemic,” he added.

World Trade Organisation talks this week saw richer nations block an effort by dozens of other countries to temporarily waive intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

T&T: PSA President guilty of making false fire report

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ublic Service Association (PSA) President Watson Duke has been convicted of making a false fire report in 2017.

Duke was found guilty of the offence by Magistrate Avion Gill during a virtual hearing on Wednesday.

Duke was not immediate-

ly sentenced by Gill, as his Attorney Travers Sinanan requested time to provide a mitigation plea.

According to the charge, Duke was accused of tripping a fire alarm at the Arima Borough Corporation’s office at Hollis Avenue, Arima, during protest action on September 19, 2017.

Under the Fire Services Act, the offence carries a maximum penalty of a TT$1200 fine and three months’ imprisonment.

Duke is expected to reappear before Gill on April 26.

The case is being prosecuted by Veona NealMunroe.

(Trinidad Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil prices pass US$65 on rising gasoline demand, falling US dollar

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il rose as the dollar declined and a fall in US gasoline inventories offered a signal of recovering consumption.

Futures in New York climbed above US$65 a barrel, while the US currency was trading lower. Gasoline inventories have declined more than 25 million barrels in the last two weeks, while a measure for consumption expanded last week to the highest level since November. Profit from producing the fuel has soared.

The appetite for Iranian oil has grown, meanwhile, with China boosting its purchases even as other nations wait for the easing of US sanctions. Imports have surged so much this month that ports in Shandong province are seeing increased congestion, according to traders and analysts.

Oil’s rally of more than 30 per cent so far this year has taken a breather in recent days. Still the market has been tightening amid output cuts from OPEC+ members and as the outlook for demand improves with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

“The rise in oil prices today looks to come on the back of positive risk sentiment on global financial markets,” said Jens Pedersen, senior analyst at Danske Bank. “With the next OPEC+ meeting less than three weeks away there is a limit to how high prices can go due to the potential for OPEC+ to start normalising output.”

US gasoline stockpiles fell by almost 12 million barrels last week, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Crude stockpiles rose by 13.8 million, taking gains over the past three weeks to almost 37 million following a cold blast that shuttered a number of refineries.

It’s possible that US crude may have to trade at a bigger discount to the global Brent benchmark, according to consultant Energy Aspects. That comes as the Brent market faces headwinds form refinery maintenance and sharp cuts to Saudi OSPs, forcing US crude to trade even lower in turn, the consultant said. (Bloomberg)

Tanzania President John Magufuli “in India with COVID-19”

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anzania’s main Opposition Leader has said President John Magufuli, an avowed coronavirus sceptic out of public view for nearly two weeks, is in India receiving medical treatment for COVID-19 and is in serious condition.

Tundu Lissu, who lost last year’s election to Magufuli, on Thursday cited medical and security sources in Kenya for his information that the President had been transferred from a hospital in Kenya to India and was in a coma – but did not provide evidence.

Tanzanian Government spokesmen have stayed mum during days of speculation over the 61-year-old Magufuli’s whereabouts and health.

In power since 2015 and nicknamed “The Bulldozer”, Magufuli was last seen on February 27 looking his normal robust self during a ceremony at State House in Dar-esSalaam, Tanzania’s largest city.

Lissu told the news agency Reuters that Magufuli was flown to

Tanzania's President John Magufuli has played down the threat from COVID-19, saying God and remedies such as steam inhalation would protect Tanzanians

Kenya’s Nairobi Hospital at the start of this week and then on to an unknown destination in India. “He’s comatose since yesterday morning,” he said, without elaborating.

Kenya’s Nation newspaper cited unidentified political and diplomatic sources on Wednesday saying that an African leader, which it did not name, was being treated for COVID-19 on a ventilator at a Nairobi hospital.

India’s Foreign Ministry and its high commission in Nairobi had no immediate comment. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Myanmar military murdered at least 70 since coup – UN

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he United Nations special rapporteur for Myanmar slammed the country’s military for the killing of at least 70 people since protests erupted against its power grab in February, citing growing evidence of crimes against humanity – including murder, persecution, and torture.

Talking about “a horrible truth”, human rights investigator Thomas Andrews told the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday that “the country of Myanmar is being controlled by a murderous, illegal regime”.

More than half of those killed were under age 25, Andrews said, adding more than 2000 people have been unlawfully detained since the coup and violence is steadily increasing.

“There is extensive video evidence of security forc-

People attend a funeral of Chit Min Thu, who died in anti-coup protests in North Dagon township in Yangon, Myanmar [Reuters]

es viciously beating protesters, medics, and bystanders.

There is video of soldiers and Police systematically moving through neighbourhoods, destroying property, looting shops, arbitrarily arresting protesters and passers-by, and firing indiscriminately

China, Iran, North Korea seek support at UN to push back against unilateral force, sanctions

C

hina, Russia, North Korea, Iran and others are seeking support for a coalition to defend the United Nations Charter by pushing back against the use or threat of force and unilateral sanctions, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Thursday.

The move by 16 countries and the Palestinians to create such a group comes as US President Joe Biden’s new Administration boosts its multilateral engagement and with allies, reversing former President Donald Trump’s favoured unilateral approach as he focused on an “America First” policy.

Biden has also pledged to take on China at the United Nations, where Beijing has been pushing for greater global influence in a challenge to traditional US leadership.

A concept note for the “Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations,” seen by Reuters, states that multilateralism “is currently under an unprecedented attack, which, in turn, threatens global peace and security”.

However, a senior European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, responded: “These socalled friends are the ones who have done most to breach the charter. Maybe they should start by respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms in their own countries.”

Other founding members of the group are Algeria, Angola, Belarus, Bolivia, Cambodia, Cuba, Eritrea, Laos, Nicaragua, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Syria, and Venezuela. (Excerpt from Reuters)

into people’s homes,” he said.

Andrews called for multilateral sanctions to be imposed on senior military leaders and on the country’s major sources of revenue, “including military-owned enterprises and Myanmar’s oil and gas enter-

prises”, he said.

“It should come as little surprise that there is growing evidence that this same Myanmar military, led by the same senior leadership, is now engaging in crimes against humanity.”

A few hours later, Myanmar rejected the accusations. “Authorities have exercised the utmost restraint to deal with the violent protests,” said Foreign Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary Chan Aye in a video message.

His written statement – the video was cut short – also said Myanmar was undergoing “extremely complex challenges” and facing a “delicate situation”, and insisted the military leadership did not want to stall a budding democratic transition. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Shock and uncertainty after death of Ivory Coast PM Bakayoko

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vory Coast faced shock and uncertainty on Thursday following the death of Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko, the West African nation’s second premier to die in office in less than eight months.

A close ally of President Alassane Ouattara, Bakayoko, who died of cancer a few days after his 56th birthday, was appointed Prime Minister in July 2020 after the death of his predecessor Amadou Gon Coulibaly, Ouattara’s handpicked successor.

Although Ouattara named his chief of staff Patrick Achi as interim Prime Minister on Monday while Bakayoko was in hospital, Bakayoko’s passing leaves a vacuum for Ouattara to fill as he continues his search for a potential successor.

“It will be difficult to replace him because of his standing, his way of doing things,” Abdijan resident Maturin

Bamouni said. “Even when they are not from his political side, he still managed to sort things out.”

A central figure in Ivorian politics over the past two decades as the country was plunged into a prolonged conflict and a partition, Bakayoko, a jovial character with roots in media and showbiz, emerged as a conciliatory figure, able to talk to all sides of the conflict.

“Bakayoko meant everything for Ivorians, a minister who listened to the whole population, even the Opposition,” Abdijan resident Kevin Bigore told Reuters.

His capacity to gain the trust of all sides including former rebel soldiers who staged a series of mutinies in 2017, threatening a fragile peace in the world’s top cocoa-producing nation, saw him appointed as Defence Minister in 2017, and kept the portfolio when he became Prime Minister.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Australia PM says Quad meet to discuss Indo-Pacific, COVID-19, climate change

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ustralia Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the first meeting of the leaders of “Quad” countries would discuss security challenges across the Indo-Pacific, climate change, and efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the region.

US President Joe Biden and the Prime Ministers of Australia, India and Japan will hold an online meeting on Saturday early morning Australia time in what Morrison said would be “an historical moment”.

“It will be in the wee small hours of tomorrow morning, but I can assure you I’ll be bright-eyed as we engage

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison arrives at Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan, November 17, 2020

in what will be an incredibly important gathering for Australia,” Morrison told reporters in Sydney.

“There have been many

other meetings, but when Governments come together at the highest level, this shows a whole new level of cooperation to create a new

anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

India, United States, Japan, and Australia are members of the Quad, an informal group that Washington has been promoting to work as a potential bulwark against China’s increasing political, commercial and military activity in the Indo-Pacific, diplomats say.

The virtual engagement is expected to last for about two hours and lay the groundwork for an in-person meeting later in the year, a senior US official told Reuters earlier this week. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

Set your sights on what you can accomplish, and stop (March 21- worrying about what everyApril 19) one else is doing. Leave nothing to chance when dealing with bureaucracy. Pay attention to detail.

ARIES

Stand firm and follow through with your plans.

(April 20- Don’t feel bad if someone May 20) doesn’t tag along; it’s up to you to make things work and find your joy. When one door closes, another will open.

TAURUS

DILBERT

You’ll find it difficult to GEMINI (May 21- separate your feelings from June 20) what you know to be accurate. Be realistic, prepare to work diligently toward your goal and be proud of your accomplishments.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO

SUDOKU

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Step into the spotlight and take charge. How you present your plans will determine the amount of help you receive. A money matter is likely to go south if you count on someone unpredictable.

Alter your life because it’s what you want, not because someone pressures you. Connect with people who bring out the best in you. Let go of what isn’t working for you.

Communication will bring good results. Ask questions and listen to the responses you get, and you’ll come up with concrete plans that will improve your life and an important relationship.

Pour your energy into something that excites you.

The more you accomplish, the better you will feel about yourself and your future.

Self-improvement will boost your confidence.

Less talk and more action will be necessary. Remove the clutter from your life, and focus on what’s best for you.

Physical and emotional changes will take place if you set up a healthy routine.

Keep your emotions unSAGITTARIUS der control when dealing (Nov. 23with personal matters and Dec. 21) manipulative people. Be smart, disciplined and moderate when temptation puts you to the test.

You’ll gain insight into

CAPRICORN something you want to pur(Dec. 22sue. Start to make the changJan. 19) es that will help you use your skills, experience and knowledge in new and exciting ways. Set high standards.

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Keep an open mind, but don’t make an impulsive move because someone else does. Listen to the voice of reason, set boundaries and do what makes you feel comfortable. A joint venture isn’t in your best interest.

Emotions will flare up if someone takes advantage of you. It’s in your best interest not to be too accommodating. Don’t worry if someone likes you; demand respect before you get involved in a joint venture.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

21

Spin questions for England as India try on new big-hitting avatar

I

The Big Picture s it the future, or is it simply the present and the reality of a looming T20 World Cup? England rested and rotated all through the Test leg of this India tour, but now they're at close to full strength for the T20I series.

These five matches therefore come with a sense of urgency that a lot of bilateral T20I series lack. England, possibly the world's best T20I side, are giving all their stars a run-out in Indian conditions before the big event in October. Along the way, they'll subject India to the most rigorous litmus test for where they stand in this format.

India, for their part, have lost only two of their last 15 completed T20Is. It's a formidable record, indicative of a side that has most bases covered, but the big question for them to answer is how they'll do when they meet a really good hitting team - such as this England lineup - in a knockout game on a flat pitch, particularly when asked to bat first.

It's evident from the makeup of their squad for this series that they're looking to assemble the firepower for that sort of

scenario. Suryakumar Yadav, an innovative, 360-degree player; Ishan Kishan, IPL 2020's most prolific six-hitter; and the recalled Rishabh Pant bring extra muscle to a middle order that already includes Hardik Pandya and the addition of Rahul Tewatia, whose fitness status is as yet unclear.

It gives them a third option for the spin-bowling all-rounder's role, he being more explosive with the bat than either Axar Patel or Washington Sundar.

With Shardul Thakur potentially at No. 8, this is a team with a good amount of batting depth; so, the biggest question for India, as always, is whether their top three can bat with a little more adventure and a little less fear of getting out.

Can India, in short, be more like England?

England, for their part, would need to find a way to be more like India - with the ball. Among all Full Member teams, England have the worst T20I economy rate since the start of 2018 (India are fourth-best). If England can't find a way to rectify that issue on Indian pitches - particularly given the injury doubts surrounding

Jofra Archer - other teams would ruthlessly target their bowlers, come the T20 World Cup. He's put an indifferent IPL behind him, he's "worked his backside off". In the words of his coach Ravi Shastri, to bring his fitness up to speed, Rishabh Pant improved his wicketkeeping beyond recognition, and he's played four outstanding innings in the space of seven Tests to once again have the world at his feet.

He's earned a T20I recall too, and India would hope that Rishabh Pant can do to England's bowlers in white-ball cricket what he did to James Anderson when he bowled to him with a new red ball at the same venue last week.

It's mindboggling that no team went for Jason Roy at the IPL auction, but this may have had something to do with a perceived weakness against spin.

In his limited time in the IPL - a combined seven innings in the 2017 and 2018 seasons - he struggled against spin, averaging 12.40 and striking at 110.71, while returning corresponding figures of 117.00 and 150.00 against pace.

Through this series, Roy will hope to show the teams that rejected him that he has the game to succeed against spin in Indian conditions.

Team news Varun Chakravarthy is set to miss the series, after failing his mandatory fitness test, while there are doubts over the availability of Rahul Tewatia and T Natarajan. Given all this, the bowling attack is likely to include one of Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, and a possible threeway battle between Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar for two spots.

It also remains unclear where

Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav will fit in the middle order, but the biggest selection headache for India will involve their openers: which two, among Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul, will fill the top two slots? Virat Kohli, without confirming the XI, said on match eve that Rohit and Rahul remained India's first-choice T20I openers.

India (possible): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel or Washington Sundar, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Navdeep Saini.

Jofra Archer's recurring

elbow issue is the main concern England have going into the series-opener. They have a wealth of fast-bowling options to select from, though, with Mark Wood, Tom Curran and Reece Topley all in contention should the need arise.

England (possible): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Eoin Morgan (capt), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 Jofra Archer/Mark Wood, 11 Adil Rashid.

Pitch and conditions A far more batting-friendly surface can be expected at Motera than the ones served up for the third and fourth Tests, though the pitches that hosted the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20s here in January did help the spinners. The slower bowlers in that tournament averaged 32.00 on this ground, and had an overall economy rate of 6.67, with the quicks managing corresponding figures of 24.02 and 7.55.

Of the seven matches played here, five were won by the chasing team, suggesting dew may have had an influence.

(Adapted from ESPNcricinfo)

McIlroy makes nightmare start at Brathwaite replaces Holder Players Championship Sawgrass as West Indies Test captain

R

ory McIlroy made a disappointing start to the defence of his title at the Players Championship, as he slumped to a seven-over 79 at TPC Sawgrass.

Starting on the back nine, the Northern Irishman's opening round included a quadruplebogey eight after finding the water twice at the 18th.

Spain's Sergio Garcia holds the early clubhouse lead, with an eagle on his final hole moving him to seven under.

Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson are among the late starters in Florida.

Rory's nightmare start McIlroy is the defending champion, after winning the Players Championship two years ago, with the 2020 tournament cancelled prior to the second round because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He made an awful start when he hooked his drive on the 10th into the undergrowth, and had to take a penalty drop on his way to a double-bogey six.

The four-time major champion also three-putted the par-three 13th, before hitting two balls into the water at the 18th, with another three-putt resulting in a quadruple-bogey eight that left him seven over par and 10 shots off the lead at that point.

A birdie from nine feet on the

C

first hole saw McIlroy begin to repair some of the damage, and he made another on the second, despite again hitting a poor drive, but bogeys on the next two holes dropped him back to seven over.

He clawed one shot back at the fifth, but another three-putt on the ninth saw him sign for a 79, equalling the highest opening round of a defending champion set by Sandy Lyle in 1988.

Sergio shines at Sawgrass McIlroy's struggles were in sharp contrast to his playing partner Garcia. The 2008 champion made an eagle on the par-five 16th and birdied the seventh and eighth, before holing from 18 feet for a closing eagle to complete a superb 65 his lowest opening round at the Players Championship.

England's Matthew Fitzpatrick is three shots behind Garcia, alongside Canadian Corey Conners, after carding an opening round 68, which included four birdies and a chipin eagle on the par-five ninth.

Compatriot Lee Westwood, runner-up to DeChambeau at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational, is a shot further back on three under alongside American Tom Hoge.

"I built up a lot of confidence last week, putted nicely, made good par saves when I needed to, and that's what you need in these kinds of tournaments, where three under is a good score," said Westwood.

"I could see, going out this morning, that nobody was going to burn it up, you were going to have play conservatively sometimes, smart golf, and that's what I tried to do."

Justin Rose withdrew from the tournament hours before his tee-time, and was replaced

by US Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker. The former world number one cited "personal medical reasons" for his withdrawal, though he pulled out mid-round from the Arnold Palmer Invitational last weekend because of a back injury. (BBC Sport)

ricket West Indies (CWI) has announced that Kraigg Brathwaite will replace Jason Holder as the West Indies Test Captain.

Brathwaite, who previously led the team in seven Tests whilst deputising for Holder, including the recent twonil Test Series win away to Bangladesh, becomes the 37th Test Captain of the West Indies.

Holder, the current No. 1 all-rounder in the ICC Test rankings, captained the West Indies team in 37 Tests since taking over from Denesh Ramdin in 2015, leading the side to 11 wins, 5 draws and 21 defeats.

Jimmy Adams, CWI Director of Cricket, paid tribute to Holder by saying: “On behalf of CWI, I would like to thank Jason for all he has given to the game in the region while serving as captain of our Test team. Throughout his five-and-a-half-year tenure, he has led with dignity

while always upholding the highest values of the sport.

As the world’s leading Test all-rounder, we all believe that Jason still has a tremendous role to play in West Indies Test Cricket f o r many years t o come.”

looking to establish where the team showed a collective determination to fight and a real hunger for success.”

“It is a huge honour to be given the captaincy of the West Indies Test team.

I feel extremely proud and humbled that the Board and Selectors have given me the opportunity and responsibility to lead the team. The recent Test Series win in Bangladesh was a fantastic achievement, and I’m really looking forward to the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka, and I’m excited about what I believe this team can achieve in the future,” Kraigg Brathwaite has said.

The squad for the 1st Test against Sri Lanka will be announced on Friday Kraigg Brathwaite March 12th, during the interval of the 2nd Roger Harper, CWI Lead CGI Insurance ODI at the Selector, said: “We all believe Sir Vivian Richards Stadium that Kraigg is the right man (SVRS). to lead our Test side at this Test Series Schedule | point in time, and I’m delight- West Indies v Sri Lanka ed that he has accepted the March 21-25: 1st Test at role. In the recent Test series the SVRS – 10am ECT/9am against Bangladesh, Kraigg JT was able to motivate his playMarch 29 to April 2: 2nd ers to play to a very high level, Test at the SVRS – 10am and create the culture we are ECT/9am JT

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FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

CXC woes push CARIFTA 2021 to August

T

he 2021 CARIFTA Games scheduled for Bermuda have been pushed back to August 13-15, 2021, Mike Sands, President of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC), announced on Thursday during a virtual press conference.

The regional junior track and field championships, which were to celebrate their 49th edition, were to have taken place from April 3-5, but were moved to July 2-4 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, according to the NACAC president, the decision to push the dates to August stems from the move by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to have external examinations between June 14 and July 16, dates which overlap the previously scheduled dates for the CARIFTA Games.

CXC's decision was forced by adjusted school times across the region caused by the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Donna Raynor, President of the Bermuda Athletics Association and Bermuda’s Carifta Games Local Organising Committee (LOC), has said she was ‘floored’ by the decision to move the games to August, but indicated that there are several upsides to hosting the games then.

She indicated that, by then, member countries should have been able to bring infections under control, and most, if not all,

NACAC President Mike Sands

would have had access to the vaccines. The athletes would also have more time to prepare, she said.

Further, Raynor advised that hotels in the country have also indicated that they would have rooms available to accommodate the visiting

no fan would be allowed into the stadium hosting the games, but she said that also could change, depending on the prevailing conditions in the weeks leading up to the Games.

Raynor also indicated that the delay would not necessarily significantly add to the costs of hosting the games.

She indicated that she only envisions additional expenses in the form of enhanced medical facilities and personnel.

With that in mind, there will either be no opening ceremony or a significantly scaled-down one, in an effort to contain spending.

Sands has said that

A Guyanese contingent at the CARIFTA Games

teams.

That said, she indicated the safety protocols were being prepared for forwarding to the Bermuda Government for approval. Those protocols would include that athletes are tested three days prior to arriving in Bermuda. Of course, that could change depending on what the state of the pandemic is in the weeks leading up to the games, she said.

At this point, she said,

NACAC would lend financial support to offset additional costs associated with the delays.

The NACAC President said work is ongoing behind the scenes to help member nations minimise costs associated with travelling to Bermuda. He said NACAC was considering having athletes travel to a centralised location from where they would be flown directly to Bermuda.

(Adapted from Sportsmax)

Ramsammy brothers lead Tucber Park to Premium Asphalt U-19 title

T

The winning Tucber Park team

ucber Park Cricket Club on Thursday last defeated East Bank Blazers by 286 runs at the Rose Hall Canje Community Centre to lift the first ever Premium Asphalt Under 19 trophy. Abdul Ramsammy struck an impressive 97 while his younger brother Zeynul Ramsammy made a composed 68 as Tucber Park posted 3309 in their alloted 50 overs. In response, a collective bowling effort rolled over East Bank to 44 all out.

Earlier, Tucber Park lost Anthony Williams for five but Abdul found a reliable partner in Tomani Caesar. The duo shared a blistering 74-run partnership for the second wicket which came off only 47 balls in 39 minutes. The com-

pact left-hander, Caesar was removed for a promising 24 from 16 balls which included four boundaries.

The right-handed Ravishkar Sobhai partnered the senior Ramsammy and the score rolled along smoothly as the duo added 82 runs together. Sobhai made a 30-ball 34 which included four boundaries and one six. Abdul's 131-minute innings of 97, came off 70 balls and was decorated with six maximums on the fairly large outfield and and five fours.

Zeynul Ramsammy, batting at number five, struck a solid 68 which came off 83 balls laced with three sixes and and four fours in a dominant Tucber Park effort.

Leg-spinner Simeon Gafoor

claimed 3-61 from 10 overs for East Bank Blazers. In reply, Blazers never got going as extras were the top-score.

Four of the Tucber Park bowlers claimed two wickets each. Player of the match Abdul claimed 2-6 from six overs to polish off a solid allround effort while Zeynul had 2-1 in three balls. Richard Simon had 2-13 in three overs and Kevin Kisten had 2-2 in his solitary over.

The tournament was contested by six teams. The BCB congratulated Tucber Park and wish East Bank Blazers all the best in the future. Special thanks to Regional Executive Officer Mr. Navindra Persaud and sponsor Tevindra Jagdeo.

(Brandon Corlette)

BCB/Minister Zulfikar Mustapha Under-15 Tournament…

Ramnauth, Smart, Budhoo, Ramdehol among top performers

I

n total, 16 teams are participating in the 2021 Berbice Cricket Board/ Minister Zulfikar Mustapha Under-15 cricket tournament, which bowled off last week in the Ancient County.

The vibrant BCB is using the tournament as preparation for the 2021 edition of the Guyana Cricket Board’s InterCounty Under-15 tournament, which is being sponsored by Minister of Agriculture Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha, a resident of Berbice.

Among the top performers in the opening rounds were opening batsman Rampersaud Ramnauth, medium Pacer Tyrese Smart of Rose Hall Town Farfan and Mendes, All Rounder Afraz Budhoo of Albion, the talented Ravin Boodwah of Port Mourant, Romario Ramdehol of RH Canje; Raphal Fraser and Deeraj Ramjit of Rose Hall Town and Troy David of Edinburgh.

Scores from the first rounds of matches are as follows.

1.RH Canje defeated Edinburgh Warriors by 140 runs at the Canje Ground.

Rose Hall Canje 173 all out Zadeem Larose 40, A. Hetmyer 20 and Romario Ramdehol 18. Bowling for Edinburgh W. Castello 3 for 34, D. Persaud 2 for 41. Edinburgh 33 all out in 17.1 overs. Troy David 12. Aaron Craig 4 for 18 and Romario Ramdehol 6 for 9.

2.Kendalls Union defeated Edinburgh by one run at the Edinburgh Ground.

Kendall Union 95 runs from 27 overs- G. Harris 48. D. Cort 2 for 10, D. George 2 for 12 and Wesley Castello 4 for 16 Edinburgh 94 all out in 23 overs Troy David 17, Rakeem Peters 17 and Darren George 14. K. Premnauth 5 for 12, N. Kashi 2 for 11 and S. Goberdhan 2 for 10.

3.Edinburgh defeated East Bank Blazers by nine wickets at the Edinburgh Ground.

East Bank Blazers 68 all out in 26 overs David Ellis 19, James Kesney 24.

Denesh Persaud 2 for 17, Wesley Castello 4 for 23 and Troy David 3 for 5 Edinburgh 70 for 1 in 13 overs Raheem Peters 30, Troy David 16 not out.

4.Albion defeated Port Mourant Kennard by 48 runs at Albion Albion 116 all out in 48.1 overs N. Ramsammy 26, Dion Seetal 43. Y. Mohan 3 for 13 (10 overs), R. Boodwah 3 for 16 Port Mourant- 68 all out in 30.2 overs Ravin Boodwah 12 Afraz Budhoo 4 for 18 Devindra Lalbehari 3 for 13 5.Port Mourant Prem Kennard breeze past Upper Corentyne B by ten wickets at the No72 Ground.

Upper Corentyne B- 27 all out in 14.2 overs

Yoganand Mohan 2 for 15 Ravin Boodwah 5 for 11 Port Mourant Pre Kennard 28 without loss in 6.2 oversRampertab Ramnauth 11 not out and Vishal Williams 10 not out.

6.Port Mourant Prem Kennard defeated RHTFM by one wicket at the Area H Ground.

RHTFM-128 all out in 44.3 overs Imran Mohamed 25 Raphael Fraser 14 Rahul Mohan 5 for 32 Ravin Boodwah 2 for 27 Port Mourant Prem Kennard 130 for 9 in 47.4 overs Rampersaud Ramnauth 39, Ganesh Seosahai 19 and Romesh Bharrat 21.

Khemraj Tika 2 for 32, Imran Mohammed 2 for 22 and Tyron Smartt 2 for 30.

7.Albion Community Centre A defeated Upper Corentyne A by nine wickets at Albion Upper Corentyne A- 23 all out in 10.2 overs Govin Doodnauth 12.

Afraz Budhoo 8 for 9 Albion 24 for 1 in 8.3 overs Dion Sital 11. Hoopchand Dhanraj 1 for 4 8.Rose Hall Town Farfan and Mendes dedeated Upper Corentyne B by ten wickets at the No69 Red Rose Cricket Ground.

Upper Corentyne B- 15 all out in 11.2 overs Tyrese Smartt 5 for 6, Khemraj Tika 2 for 8 and Deeraj Ramjit 2 for 01.

RHTFM- 16 without loss in 3.2 overs Tyrese Smartt 10 not out 9.Port Mourant Prem Kennard defeated Albion B by ten wickets at the Port Mourant Ground.

Albion B- 12 all out in 14 overs Ravin Boodwah 5 for 1, M. Rampersaud 3 for 6 Port Mourant 15 without loss in 4 overs Rampersaud Ramnauth 11 not out.

10.Upper Corentyne A got pass their B counterparts by 36 runs at No72 Ground.

UCCA 'A'- 100 all out in 16 overs Navin Chalitar 18, Jahmiel Clark 15. L. Sukhwa 2 for 10, H. Hemchand 2 for 17 and J. Bissoon 2 for 15.

UCCA 'B' 64 all out in 19 overs B.Hemchan 13 George Doodnauth 3 for 12 Devin Persaud 3 for 10.

11.Rose Hall Town Farfan and Mendes defeated Upper Corentyne A by 265 runs at the Area H Ground.

RHTFM 286 for 8 from their 50 overs Raphael Fraser 77 Deeraj Ramjit 60 not out Tyron Hooper 2 not out Hoopchand Dhanraj 2 for 42 Upper Corentyne 21 alll out Khemraj Tika 4 for 10 Tyrese Smarrt 5 for 12

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FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

"We are up for the fight" T

he West Indies crushed Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the first One Day International (ODI), and will be looking to make it two in two when the second ODI bowls off today, Friday March 12, from 9:30h local time at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua.

After the opening victory, Captain Kieron Pollard said he and his team are up for the fight for the remaining matches. Pollard also reflected on the first ODI, and shared some positive sentiments on “player of the match”, Shai Hope, who scored a classy century.

"They were 100 without loss and we were looking at a chase of 300. We thought we needed to up the intensity in the field. They lost a couple of wickets and it started the slide.

“For us in white-ball cricket, Hope is the guy. He's been given a role, and he gives us the foundation and others can bat around him. In One-Day cricket, he's been fantastic.

– Captain Pollard

West Indies captain Kieron Pollard and Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne

We still had a couple of fumbles and weren't perfect. The guys are up for the fight.”

Meanwhile, Hope is happy with his return to the West Indies team after being dropped from the New Zealand tour. He spoke about

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

his 10th ODI century, and posited how great it is to be back in the maroon colours.

"I just had patience and trusted my ability. I made sure I negated the threat that they threw at us. Hasaranga was the main threat, and I

think we played him very well. He didn't get any wickets. It feels great to hit a century. Being away from the game for so long, when playing is all you know, it's just great to be back," Hope has said.

The Sri Lankans will be

aiming to come good in the next match, as the middle order looks to solve their batting problems.

West Indies: Kieron Pollard (c), Shai Hope, Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Jason Mohammed, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair.

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Dasun Shanaka, Danushka Gunathilake, Pathum Nissanka, Ashen Bandara, Oshada Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Thisara Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ramesh Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Asitha Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dananajaya, Lakshan Sandakan, Dilshan Madushanka, Suranga Lakmal.

(Brandon Corlette)

Shai Hope

FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers…

No provisionals and no friendlies for Golden Jags C ontrary to past procedure, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will not be sharing a provisional squad for the Senior Men’s National Team ahead of their upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifying games. Instead, the Federation will release their final team on March 17.

The Senior Men’s Football team, commonly referred to as the Golden Jaguars will be travelling to the Dominican Republic on March 17, for two CONCACAF World Cup qualifying games against Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas.

Like past international engagements, a provisional squad was expected to be released. However, the GFF has chosen to go against this tradition for a plethora of reasons. Technical Director Ian Greenwood while hinting that there may be a provisional squad that will not be publicized, said that they are looking to only release the team list that they are sure will go to the DR. “The provisional squad has not been announced publicly. We'll wait until the final squad because there's a lot of issues with players being released from clubs so we want to make sure that that is available.

There are also a few players that have been called provisionally that we're now having to deal with their medical team because there's one or two slight niggling injuries that we need to confirm,” Greenwood disclosed.

He continued explaining, “So, the reason why we're leaving until till the day that we travel is because we know that that

will be the team that will go there's still a few question marks with the selection from the especially international bass players because of situations they have with a club, situation that may help with some slight movement injuries as well.”

On the other hand, Head Coach Marcio Maximo presented a different perspective, sharing that releasing a team list until the ninth hour maintains motivation amongst the locally based players.

Marcio posited, “When you delay to give the announcement, you keep the motivation, the players until as possible. You know, because everybody wants to, even here the group wants to go, but we have limited numbers here, you maintain the motivation, high motivation until last minute, because they want to come into the national team.”

For GFF President Wayne Forde, there is too much going on behind the scenes to disclose the lucky players. According to the football boss, the Federation is avoiding making multiple team announcements.

“We would want to announce a squad as early as possible, but they are situations that is simply outside of our control. And it's better to make one announcement than to be making an announcement and adjusting it because this didn't come through or this didn't happen.”

So, I just want to make sure that the media and the public is clear that it's not in the interest of the Federation to hold that information back without any good reason. It's just that there are many mov-

GFF’s Technical Director Ian Greenwood, President Wayne Forde and Head Coach Marcio Maximo

ing pieces behind the scene.

And until those pieces are properly aligned, it would be not in anyone's interest to go out and make announcements. So, I wanted to make sure that, that that is clear,” The football boss maintained.

While the GFF remains tight-lipped about their selectees, several Clubs in the UK have announced the selection of Guyana’s Internationally based players via social media.

To this, Greenwood answered that the ‘premature’ announcements by the International Clubs are as a result of the GFF formalities, in releasing players for international engagements.

“In terms of squad re-

lease, there’ll be letters going out to various players of various clubs, because there's certain deadlines where we have to send information out to the clubs,” Greenwood stated.

No friends, no friendlies

When it comes to ingame preparation for the international stage; the Golden Jaguars will have no such experience this time around as the mission to play friendly games has been aborted.

“We have worked extremely hard in recent months to organize friendly matches against suitable national teams. We've had discussions with two CONCACAF members, and

I've made provisional arrangements with them.

Unfortunately, however, these fixtures have had to be postponed due to the ongoing challenges created by the restriction on international travel, the COVID-19 regulations,” The GFF President had previously said.

Expressing his confidence in the team’s management and other preparatory methods, Forde declared that he believes the team is up to par for the competition.

He commented, “I don't have the competency to talk about how the guys are developing, technically, tactically, I'm sure the courts will want to weigh in on

that. But as the head of the Guyana Football fraternity, I derive my opinion on these things based on the specific decisions that I take as the leader and the investment that I'm making. So, the short answer is that I am confident that the team will be extremely competitive against any opponent within our region.”

Meanwhile, Coach Maximo explained that the lack of friendlies is a common situation for many National teams.

(It is important to note that Guyana’s first opponents T$T were involved in a friendly match with the USA on January 31st, where the Caribbean team went down 7-0.)

Maximo stated, “If you see around, not many Countries did friendly matches, because the situation about the pandemic. Like the President told before, we arranged two friendly matches, but the two federations fall with us because they supposed to come, the government we delay the dates and not because they don't play as well.”

Zeroing on their preparations, irrespective of the friendly games, Maximo said, “And also, we try and minimize this gap with good intensive training. Because if you see most of our international players stopped some parts of the competitions there as well have in these two only training because the England state division for the visit, stop little get some leads.”

“So, I think this is the general situation not only in Guyana. Each coach will minimize this problem with intensive, proper training to take a good result.”

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

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

Pg 22

CXC woes push CARIFTA 2021 to August Pg 23

Pg 23

FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers…

No provisionals and no “We are up for the fight” friendlies for Golden Jags – Captain Pollard 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.