58 minute read
Nurse P accused
Man beaten with hammer tells court willing to accept compensation
Man found guilty of killing drinking buddy
Alvin Melville, the man who partially lost his vision and hearing afwas under the influence of alcohol. The probation officer said that residents in his …after attacker found guilty on wounding charge 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 dictment presented against him by State Prosecutor Lisa Cave. According to the facts, Rampersaud and Mendonca, who both resided in Venezuela, ter he was severely beaten in neighbourhood related that of the lesser count of man- came to Guyana on the day in the head with a hammer by his actions were uncalled slaughter after a 12-member question and were drinking at a relative, has told the High for since there were other jury returned from delibera- the Eteringbang Landing. Court he is willing to accept means to settle the dispute. tions at the Essequibo High However, an argument compensation, which will go According to the probation of- Court. ensued between the two, and towards financing further ficer, Melville disclosed that On November 19, 2016, in Rampersaud broke a botcorrective surgeries. as a result of the beating he the county of Essequibo, Tony tle and stabbed Mendonca Melville made this disclo- has partially lost vision and Rampersaud was found to to his abdomen. The injured sure through a probation of- hearing. have unlawfully killed Henry man was taken to San Martin ficer, who on Thursday pre- Apart from this, the Mendonca, a Venezuelan na- Hospital in Venezuela, where sented a probation report on 49-year-old Compton Fecker, probation officer said that Melville related that he also tional. Upon his arraignment before Justice Gino Persaud, he was pronounced dead on arrival. Guilty: Tony Rampersaud called “Chappy”, who was found guilty by a jury of feloniously wounding Melville, his son’s father-in-law. tencing for Fecker was furGuilty: Compton Fecker suffered a fractured skull for which he has to undergo further surgery and suffered from constant headRampersaud, formerly of Eteringbang, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), pleaded not guilty to the murder inFollowing the guilty verdict, Rampersaud was further remanded to prison. A probation report on him will be presented to the court on March 26, 2021, ahead of his sentencing hearing on March 30, 2021. (G1)
Fecker, a fish vendor, was ther adjourned until March aches which make it difficult initially indicted for attempted murder. The jury, howev22, 2021. According to facts presented by Prosecutor for him to sleep. The victim said that as a result of his in- Nurse accused of sexually er, returned a guilty verdict for the lesser count of feloniously wounding . As a result, Seeta Bishundial, on March 19, 2015, in the county of Essequibo, the men had juries, he has been unable to work to provide for his family. The probation officer told molesting boy remanded 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 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 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. Bail 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 Sexual molestation of child from Melville. The victim was supGeorgetown Public Hospital, where he remained hospitalAs such, the probation officer asked the court to adjudicate on Thursday, charged with four counts of sexual activiand June 30, 2018. The nurse was not required to March 18, and were transferred to the Linden posed to appear in court via ised for days. the matter in such a way that ty committed on a male mi- plead to the charges and Magistrate’s Court and Zoom, but efforts to have The probation report re- vulnerable people would feel nor child. was remanded to prison. Sparendaam Magistrate’s this done proved futile. In vealed that Fecker had a bad protected by the justice sys- The offences occurred The cases were ad- Court respectively for rethe circumstances, sen- temper especially when he tem. (G1) between September 1, 2017 journed to March 16 and ports and fixtures.
FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM 11-year-old killed by bandits in Sophia robbery
An 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.
GO-Invest keen on Guyana-UK trade
Pensioners can cash vouchers at money transfer agents, banks
In 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 redeem 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 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 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.
Head of GO-Invest, Peter Ramsaroop
T&T children witness mom’s brutal murder
“Aunty 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 apartment 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
New 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)
Regional
COVID-19: Brazil surge reaches new level Venezuela’s new stations offer fuel, liquor to those who can pay
Brazil 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
Dr 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 agreement 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
Jamaica 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) Welcome 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
Nobel 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
Public 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 immediately 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)
19 Around the World
OILNEWS
Oil prices pass US$65 on rising gasoline demand, falling US dollar
Oil 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”
Tanzania’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 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)
Tanzania's President John Magufuli has played down the threat from COVID-19, saying God and remedies such as steam inhalation would protect Tanzanians
Myanmar military murdered at least 70 since coup – UN
The 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 forces 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
People attend a funeral of Chit Min Thu, who died in anti-coup
protests in North Dagon township in Yangon, Myanmar [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 enterprises”, 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)
China, Iran, North Korea seek support at UN to push back against unilateral force, sanctions
China, 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) Ivory 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)
Shock and uncertainty after death of Ivory Coast PM Bakayoko
Australia PM says Quad meet to discuss Indo-Pacific, COVID-19, climate change
Australia 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)
ARCHIE
DILBERT
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CALVIN AND HOBBES
SUDOKU
SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE
ARIES (March 21April 19)
TAURUS
(April 20May 20)
Set your sights on what you can accomplish, and stop worrying about what everyone else is doing. Leave nothing to chance when dealing with bureaucracy. Pay attention to detail.
Stand firm and follow through with your plans. Don’t feel bad if someone doesn’t tag along; it’s up to you to make things work and find your joy. When one door closes, another will open.
GEMINI (May 21June 20)
CANCER (June 21July 22)
You’ll find it difficult to separate your feelings from what you know to be accurate. Be realistic, prepare to work diligently toward your goal and be proud of your accomplishments.
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.
LEO (July 23Aug. 22)
VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)
LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)
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.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)
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. SAGITTARIUS Keep your emotions under control when dealing (Nov. 23- with personal matters and
Dec. 21) manipulative people. Be smart, disciplined and moderate when temptation puts you to the test.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 20- Feb. 19)
PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)
You’ll gain insight into something you want to pursue. Start to make the changes that will help you use your skills, experience and knowledge in new and exciting ways. Set high standards.
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.
Spin questions for England as India try on new big-hitting avatar
The Big Picture
Is 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 Players Championship Sawgrass
Rory 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 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)
Cricket 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.”
Roger Harper, CWI Lead Selector, said: “We all believe that Kraigg is the right man to lead our Test side at this point in time, and I’m delighted that he has accepted the role. In the recent Test series against Bangladesh, Kraigg was able to motivate his players to play to a very high level, and create the culture we are 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
March 12th, during the interval of the 2nd CGI Insurance ODI at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (SVRS).
Test Series Schedule | West Indies v Sri Lanka
March 21-25: 1st Test at the SVRS – 10am ECT/9am JT
Kraigg Brathwaite
CXC woes push CARIFTA 2021 to August
The 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, 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
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, 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
NACAC President Mike Sands
A Guyanese contingent at the CARIFTA Games
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
The winning Tucber Park team
Tucber 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 compact 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
In 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 overs- Rampertab 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
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– Captain Pollard
The 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.
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 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
Contrary 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 release, 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.”
