Guyana Times - Friday, October 22, 2021

59 to be conferred with degrees at TAU’s 9th graduation exercise

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Issue No. 4808

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

Guyana, UAE ink MoU to advance technical assistance, cooperation See story on page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

CDB President cites sustainable energy transition as a necessity for Caribbean development P11 – lays out 5 priorities for way forward

Sophia woman killed after motorcycle P10 crashed into reversing truck 300 St Cuthbert’s P16 Mission residents receive access to water for 1st time Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh and UAE’s Minister of International Cooperation, Reem Al-Hashimy signed an MoU on Thursday to advance relations between the two States. Also in photo are President Dr Irfaan Ali and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, His Highness, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan

See story on page 7

Guyana's oil revenue could total US$600M by year end – Min Bharrat ...another 1M barrels’ lift set for November

Govt declines deadline extension for CJIA works

7-month-old baby among 6 COVID deaths

– as expanded water system commissioned

Kildonan man busted with P10 ganja during Police patrol

Page 14

See story on page 18

Harmon to contest for PNCR leadership See story on page 9

– toll now jumps to 887, 74 new cases reported

Policemen P15 charged for raping 21-yearold in Lethem Bosai workers protest for wage/salary increases P18

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Friday, October 22 – 04:00h-05:30h and Saturday, October 23 – 04:00h-05:30h and 23:30h-05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Friday, October 22 – 16:50h-18:20h and Saturday, October 23 – 05:40h-07:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Light rain showers with instances of thunder are expected during the day and evening.

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

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

High Tide: 17:19h reaching a maximum height of 2.73 metres.

Low Tide: 10:57h and 23:17h reaching minimum heights of 0.59 metre and 0.47 metre.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS M

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2021

DAILY MILLIONS

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03 05 07 08 15 18 20 SUPER PAY DAY

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COMMODITIES Indicators

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$1786.30

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Low/High Change

$1776.30 +3.20

$1789.20 +0.18%

Guyana, UAE ink MoU to advance technical assistance, cooperation

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s Guyana continues to strengthen relations with its Middle East allies on the sidelines of the Dubai World Expo 2020, the country has signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to advance technical assistance and cooperation between the two nations.

This was done during a meeting held on Thursday between President Dr Irfaan Ali and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. That meeting was aimed at advancing closer relations between the two countries, and to discuss key areas of technical cooperation.

In a statement coming from the Office of the President, it was noted that among the areas discussed were food security, climate change, the environment, technology and infrastructure, and revising the visa policy for both countries.

President Ali, in his remarks, expressed gratitude to the Sheikh and Her Excellency Reem Ebrahim Al-Hashimy, the Minister of International Cooperation and Managing Director of Expo2020 Dubai.

“We came with a clear intention to extend the foundation of the relationship that we want to grow and expand for the betterment of both the UAE and Guyana,” President Ali said.

He explained that since arriving in Dubai, the delegation has engaged in discussions with many agencies, including the Abu Dhabi Ports.

The President noted that the visit has already proven successful, as several additional engagements have been planned in the coming months to advance discussions in technical cooperation in a number of areas.

During the discussions, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan assured the Guyanese President of the UAE’s support to strengthen bilateral relations.

The two countries also committed to setting a tangible results-based agenda moving forward.

Guyana’s Senior Minister within the Office of the President, with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, non-resident Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Guyana, Saleh Ahmad Salem Alzaraim Alsuwaidi, and Ambassador and Presidential Assistant and Personal Envoy to Greece, the Middle East and Africa, George Hallaq, accompanied President Ali. Immediately following the discussions, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

President Dr Irfaan Ali in discussion with UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the UAE Pavilion at the Dubai World Expo

was inked to advance closer technical cooperation between the UAE and Guyana.

This was signed by Minister Singh and Minister Reem Al-Hashimy at the UAE Pavilion at the Expo.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates on February 9, 2006. The Ministry’s role focuses on maintaining clear political positions that support the UAE’s relationships with its regional and international partners, while promoting the UAE as a regional leader in different fields. Also, as Foreign Minister, he focuses on establishing specialised dip-

lomatic capabilities and encouraging political talents to address international concerns and provide distinct consular and other services in looking after UAE nationals and the issues they may face during their travels.

Meanwhile, President Ali on Wednesday also engaged officials of Elite Agro of the UAE, to discuss investments opportunities in Guyana’s agriculture sector.

Elite Agro is one of the largest producers of fresh vegetables and fruits in the Arab region, with largescale farms in UAE, Serbia and Morocco.

In addition to the Abu Dhabi Ports, the Guyanese Head of State also met

with representatives from the UAE-based Al Habtoor Group LLC, which provides engineering and construction services. The Company also operates in the hospitality, automotive, real estate and education sectors.

During the meeting, discussions were held on investment opportunities in Guyana’s hospitality, real estate, agriculture, eco-tourism, infrastructure and housing sectors.

Additionally, Guyana has also secured an agreement for the establishment of a Guyana Trade Office in Dubai, and has also touted the creation of a new logistics hub for the UAE in Guyana.

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guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 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

Hydro projects

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e are pleased that the Government has secured funding from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) for renewable energy projects.

An announcement by the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) last week stated that funding has been secured from the Bank for the cost of the “Small Hydropower Project”. This is a tangible positive step Government has taken towards clean energy supply in Guyana.

We agree that indeed the hydros are small compared to the impact and capacity of Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP). It is, nonetheless, a step in the right direction as Government seeks to update Guyana’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ahead of the convening of the United Nations COP26 summit.

One project entails the construction of a new 0.5-megawatt (MW) hydropower plant at Kumu, Rupununi, Region Nine while the other is the rehabilitation and upgrade of the Moco Moco hydropower facility, to 0.7 MW. Likewise, as we have repeatedly said, we are also pleased that the Government has commenced efforts to resume the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project as part of its energy mix to ensure that the nation is provided with clean, reliable, and affordable electricity.

From the onset, it should be stated that Guyana would have been in a better position regarding an affordable, reliable supply of electricity if there was bipartisan support for the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, which was proposed by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) some years ago. In fact, had the Amaila project gone through, it would have been in the system since 2017. By now, the problem of constant blackouts would have been a thing of the past.

It could be recalled that the project was not given parliamentary support by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) parties, which had controlled the National Assembly by a one-seat majority at the time. Further, in spite of pleadings from the PPP/C to continue the conversation and ensure the project was restarted, when the APNU/AFC took office in 2015, they moved ahead and killed the project.

However, now that the PPP/C has returned to Government and has a parliamentary majority, it is now certain that such a transformative project would get off the ground. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo earlier this year revealed: “We have started reviewing the documents, etc, to chart a pathway to hydropower development back again, because hydropower is crucial given our capability and capacity of the country, our abundant water resources.”

Amaila was expected to deliver a steady source of clean, renewable energy and was envisioned to meet approximately 90 per cent of Guyana’s domestic energy needs while removing dependency on fossil fuels. The electric plant was proposed to be a 165 MW (installed capacity) hydropower generation facility, located in west-central Guyana, approximately 250 kilometres south-west of Georgetown.

In addition, it would have improved Guyana’s balance of payments by significantly reducing the importation of fuel, significantly reduce end-user costs for electricity and improve reliability of energy supply and generation of clean energy, which would help to encourage economic growth and development by improving regional competitiveness, Private Sector investment and Foreign Direct Investment.

An “objective and facts-based” assessment done by Norconsult, an engineering and design consultancy firm from Norway, had concluded and recommended that “the only realistic path” for Guyana moving towards an emission-free electricity sector and achieving its 2025 Green Agenda commitment was to develop its hydropower potential in general, and maintain the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project in particular.

In spite of assurances from the power company that blackouts will be a thing of the past, over the past couple of years prolonged periods of blackouts have actually increased across the country. Consumers have written several letters to this newspaper expressing their disgust over the situation.

The Government has now taken steps to ensure that citizens are provided with affordable and reliable electricity utilising an energy mix of wind, solar, and hydro. It is also working seriously on an ambitious gas-to-shore energy project, which would see an additional 200 to 250 megawatts of power being provided.

Guyana is currently generating electricity at nearly 17 to 20 US cents per kilowatt-hour; this is among the highest in the Region. On this basis, the Government had promised to reduce the cost of energy in the country by 50 per cent over the next five years.

As we had stated before, energy is one area where there could be a bipartisan approach by politicians, meaning the Opposition and the Government could work together towards finding a lasting solution to Guyana’s electricity problems.

Reengaging Norway to restart the project is indeed a step in the right direction considering the fact that the country is still plagued with blackouts and high cost for electricity. Of importance too is that hydropower is an important part in Guyana’s energy mix in the future, since it is considered to be renewable and environmentally friendly.

The Health Ministry’s Division of Health Sciences Education held its orientation ceremony for the 44th Medex Training Programme at the Ministry’s Annexe located in Kingston, Georgetown. In photo are the 36 persons who were selected from the various regions to commence the four-year training programme for the period of 2021 to 2025

Cricket, glorious cricket! Who will be the 2021 ICC Champions?

Dear Editor, Millions of cricket fans are following the 2021 ICC Cricket World Cup Championship that is presently being played in the UAE. The matches will be played at the three popular venues of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. It will be fun and excitement to see the super 12s battle for supremacy.

Under the present playing conditions, India and Pakistan will be seen as hot favourites to take the title. However, defending champions West Indies will be looking to win their third title, thus winning back-to-back T20 titles.

The pitches will not be favourable to the genuine fast bowlers, hence the spinners will be more effective; and on the slow pitches, the quicker bowlers will have to bowl an immaculate line and length.

The spinners will enjoy big turns, and the bounce and spin will be threatening.

Bowlers will benefit tremendously from superb fielding.

Looking at the various T20s tournaments around the world, it cannot be denied that we will be seeing some superb fielding and fascinating catches.

The game of cricket depends heavily on runs scored in the innings. The batsmen will have to get scores for their team to win matches. Looking at the batsmen in the tournament, spectators and fans can expect to see some exciting batting. The batsmen who will be scoring runs quickly and hitting the ball all over the ground will be the match winners, while the Test match accumulator of runs will have to wait for Test match cricket.

Remember the name Carlos Braithwaite?

Defending champions the West Indies are without him.

It will be interesting to see skipper Kieron Pollard, Andre Russel and Nicholas Pooran

getting runs in the middle order. These three batsmen can score runs very quickly and destroy any bowling attack, if they get going. The West Indies’ early batters Evin Lewis, Lyndel Simmons, Andre Fletcher, along with Shimron Hetmyer and the solid Roston Chase, must play important innings.

The batting, on paper, looks great and threatening. However, the West Indies’ bowling looks feeble, and the world’s number one all-rounder Jason Holder is missing from the squad that will be playing for the defending champions. Oh! The West Indies will regret the non-selection of “Golden boy” Romario Shepherd.

The Australia team at the World Cup looks very strong. Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith are all world class batsmen. The batting all-rounders Mitchel Marsh, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis are all genuine middle-order batsmen.

Their bowling attack include the reputable Pat Cummings, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc, along with spinner Adam Zampa.

New Zealand’s batting line-up will be dangerous, with skipper Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Martin Guptill and Glen Phillips.

The middle-order can be dangerous with Jimmy Neesham and Kyle Jamieson, while the bowling attack looks formidable with Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi.

South Africa, with a reasonable batting line-up that includes Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, and Rassie van der Dussen, can score enough runs for their quality bowling to win matches. Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, the world rated spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, and

Keshav Mahraj can be victorious on the slow pitches.

All eyes will be on team India, which has several world class batsmen and bowlers. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan are all in tremendous form. Allrounders Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thankur are all ready for possible selection. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are all world class fast bowlers.

India will be the team to defeat in this World Cup. England will be under the astute leadership of Eoin Morgan; and Moeen Ali, Jonathan Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan and Jason Roy are aggressive batters. With their bowling lineup including Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid, they have an attack that can win matches.

The team that can create

up-set is the Pakistan mixture of youth and experience.

Babar Azam is world class.

Mohammad Hafeez, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Shoaib Malik, Shadab Khan and the batting all-rounders can be powerful opponents and can score heavily. While their bowling is extremely strong with the likes of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali and the clever bowling all-rounders.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are two teams that should do well in the playing conditions.

However, the “Big” teams are too powerful, and the championship will be punctuated with many upsets, and be full of excitement and thrills.

All eyes are on the lookout for magnificent fielding, superb batting, and clever bowling. This World Cup will certainly produce glorious cricket.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Make your views known as Guyana undergoes 1st EITI validation

Dear Editor, According to a notice on the Guyana EITI (GYEITI) website (www.gyeiti.org), Guyana is undergoing its first validation visit, which started on October 1. The EITI, based in Norway, will give Guyana scores on 3 indicators: stakeholder engagement, transparency, and outcomes and impact, using the scale - not met, partly met, mostly met, fully met, and exceeded. This validation covers oil and gas, mining and quarrying, forestry, and fisheries.

Guyana became an EITI- implementing coun-

try on October 25, 2017, and this is its first EITI validation. Validation will reflect the country’s performance against each of the requirements listed in the latest EITI Standard approved in 2019. According to the validation procedure (See https:// eiti.org/document/2021-eiti-validation-procedure), the GYEITI was asked to share this “Call for Views” from the Guyanese stakeholders.

While this information was not placed in the Guyana newspapers, where it can be seen by all the Guyanese people, it is on the GYEITI website.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Local Content Policy doesn’t If this is the way our first oil money was treated, address root challenges

Dear Editor, The Government’s recently released second draft Local Content legislation looks good on paper, but, in reality, does little to solve the real issues local businesses face every day in Guyana.

Of course, local content is important; but while raising the local content standards may sound nice, it doesn’t actually help make it easier to start or operate a business in Guyana.

Everyone knows there are opportunities in the oil sector.

What’s holding us back can’t be solved by just telling the oil companies to hire locals. Who are they meant to hire?

Many of the needs of this new oil industry are clear: trucking, food service, waste disposal. All these things the locals could dominate, but the size of these needs is not something small companies can

handle right now. Government “targets” won’t change that.

Any businessman or woman can tell you how hard it is to start a new company here.

Electricity is expensive, financing is hard or impossible to come by, and permitting is absurd. If the Government wants businesses to grow enough to work in the oil sector, it needs to address those root causes first.

Businesses, especially small ones, need more access to financing to be able to invest in new machinery and larger office spaces, pay new employees, and train current workers. The reason so many Trinidadians can outcompete us is not skill, it’s that when a Trinidadian company needs to buy more trucks for an opportunity like this, they have access to the capital to do so.

Meanwhile, out of 190 countries studied, Guyana

came in 134th in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report. Addressing the factors that contribute to this rating, especially the high cost of unreliable power, inadequate banking options, and ancient regulations, should be top priority for this Government if it truly wants to see local companies competing to supply the oil industry.

The intention behind these targets is the right one. Local companies deserve a fair shot, but with targets like these alone, too many of the benefits will be going to those who can already stand on their own. Smaller companies need help too. We see the opportunities, and a little help from the Government could help us seize them.

Sincerely, Clement Smith

then heaven help us Dear Editor, Former Finance Minister in the APNU/AFC Government, Winston Jordan, is now flaming fury that the Attorney General has begun investigations into his stewardship of our first oil money.

It all centres around the subject of the $18M ExxonMobil signing bonus, a matter that has resurfaced after its earlier hiatus.

The Government is seeking after the circumstances surrounding the existence, if any or what is left of it. Some of the questions asked are: Where is this money held, and for what purposes?

We are at the point where the present administration is seeking answers for this very same account, with similar questions being asked; only, this time, we are going to get definitive answers through the legal process.

Mr Jordan, for his part, is hopscotching again, telling us about his good reputation as Finance Minister is being tar-

Make your views known as Guyana...

The EITI International Validation Team has already disseminated this information to a list of stakeholders currently in its database of contacts for GYEITI/ Guyana. EITI will be interviewing some of these stakeholders.

GYEITI encourages you to “Please share the call for views as widely as possible.”

The EITI Standard requires that the Government, extractive companies and civil society are fully, actively and effectively engaged in EITI implementation. The Secretariat is seeking views on the following questions: 1. Are the Government, extractive companies and civil society fully, actively and effectively engaged in EITI implementation?

2. Are there any obstacles or barriers to the par-

ticipation of any of these constituencies or their subgroups in EITI implementation?

The Secretariat is seeking views on the following questions related to industry engagement: 3. Are oil, gas and mining companies participating actively in the work of the multi-stakeholder group, and providing or disclosing the data requested by the EITI? 4. Is there an enabling environment for company participation in the EITI? The Secretariat is seeking views on the following questions related to civil society engagement: 5. Are civil society organisations able to engage in public debate related to the EITI process and express opinions about the EITI process without restraint, coer-

cion or reprisal?

6. Are civil society representatives able to operate freely in relation to the EITI process?

7. Are civil society representatives able to communicate and cooperate with each other regarding the EITI process?

8. Are civil society representatives able to be fully, actively and effectively engaged in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the EITI process?

9. Are civil society representatives able to speak

nished by the present Government, and much of what we will term as hot air.

We - and I use the term we, meaning the People of Guyana - would like to know about the whereabouts of the $18M. This is not a private account of Jordan’s, nor is it that of the PPP/C either; we, the people of this country, are seeking knowledge of our affairs; or, simply put, we have every right to know.

We want to know in clear and transparent terms what took place as it regards our sovereign wealth.

This, again I say, is not some convoluted discussion of one’s qualification to lead a ministry or some back-and-forth between the Coalition and the PPP/C party; this is a matter for all Guyanese.

Like I said, if this is the way our first oil money was treated, then heaven help us if that party continued to be in power.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

FROM PAGE 4

freely on transparency and natural resource governance issues, and ensure that the EITI contributes to public debate?

The Oil and Gas Governance Network (OGGN) would like to encourage you to send your viewpoints and opinions right away on transparency and stakeholder engagement to the EITI Validation Team (please copy all): Ida J. Krog (IJKrog@eiti.org); Alex Gordy (AGordy@eiti.org); Francisco Paris (FParis@ eiti.org); and Emmanuel Burgoa (eburgoa@eiti.org)

Sincerely, Dr Jerry Jailall for

Oil and Gas Governance Network (www.oggn.org)

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

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H

ave you ever seen or heard of the movies The Mummy or The Mummy Returns?

Mummies have always played a part in nightmares for Western cultures, but in ancient Egypt, mummification was a serious religious ritual. They believed that preserving human remains was necessary so that the previous owner could enjoy the fruits of the afterlife. In this project, you will learn about the rituals and science of mummification by mummifying a hot dog.

Foundation hot dog on top of the baking soda. Cover the hot dog with more baking soda, as shown in Figure 2 below. Make sure that you have at least 2.5 cm of baking soda on top of the hot dog, and baking soda along the sides of it. The hot dog must be completely covered with baking soda.

Figure 2. Preparing to mummify the hot dog.

When you are done preparing the hot dog, there should be at least 2.5 cm of baking soda below it and 2.5 cm of baking soda on top of it.

Materials and equipment

• Disposable gloves (3 pairs) • Paper towels (3) • Meat hot dog, standard size • Ruler, metric • Piece of string or yarn (at least 10 cm long) • Kitchen scale • Airtight plastic storage box with lid that is longer, wider, and several centimetres deeper than the hot dog. It will probably need to be at least 20 cm long x 10 cm wide x 10 cm deep.

• Baking soda (enough to fill the box twice, probably at least 6 pounds). You will want to use a new, unopened box each time so you may want to use smaller boxes, such as 8 oz or 1 lb boxes.

• Lab notebook

Experimental procedure

1. Put on one pair of the gloves and place a paper towel on your work surface. Place the hot dog on top of the paper towel and the ruler next to it. Measure the length of the hot dog (in centimetres [cm]) and record the number in your lab notebook in a data table like Table 1 below, in the row for 0 days.

2. Take the piece of string and wrap it around the middle of the hot dog to measure the distance around the middle. You are measuring the circumference of the hot dog. Make a mark on the string where the end of the string meets up with itself. Lay the string along the ruler to measure the distance from the end of the string to the mark (in centimetres). This is the circumference of your hot dog. Write the value down in the data table in your lab notebook.

3. Measure the weight of the hot dog on the kitchen scale. Record this value (in grams [g]) in your data table.

4. Now prepare for the mummification process. The purpose of this process is to desiccate and preserve the hot dog. Put at least 2.5 cm of baking soda (from a new, unopened box) in the bottom of the storage box. Lay the

5.

Seal the box with the lid and put the box in an indoor shady location, away from heating and cooling vents, where it will not be disturbed.

Note the date that you started the process in your lab notebook. Do not disturb it for one week - no peeking!

6.

After one week, check on your hot dog.

Put on a new pair of disposable gloves and take the hot dog out of the baking soda. Gently tap and dust all of the baking soda off of the hot dog and into a trash can. Place the hot dog on a paper towel and measure the length and the circumference of the hot dog. Use the kitchen scale and weigh the hot dog. Record the data in the data table in your lab notebook, in the row for 7 days.

7.

Observe the hot dog. It may look similar to the one in Figure 3 below. Has the colour of the hot dog changed? Does it smell?

How did the hot dog change after a week in the baking soda? Record your observations in the data table in your lab notebook and then set the hot dog aside on a paper towel.

8.

Now discard the old baking soda and clean out your box. Make sure you dry it thoroughly. Repeat step 4 using fresh baking soda and the same hot dog.

9.

Seal the box with the lid and put the box

back where it was before. Keep the hot dog in the box for one more week, for a total of 14 days of mummification. At the end of the 14th day, take the hot dog out of the baking soda and repeat steps 6 and 7, but this time record the data in the row for 14 days.

10. How, if at all, did the hot dog change from the 7th day to the 14th day? If it changed, then on day 7 the hot dog may have only been partially mummified. How did the hot dog change from the 1st day to the 14th day?

Figure 3. On the left is the partially mummified hot dog.

Note the difference in colour between the partially mummified hot dog and the fresh hot dog on the right.

11.

Plot your data. You should make three line graphs: one to show the changes in length, another to show changes in circumference, and finally, one to show the change in weight. On each of these graphs label the x-axis "Day" and then the y-axes "Length (in cm)," "Circumference (in cm)," or "Weight (in g)." If you would like to learn more about graphing, or would like to make your graphs online, check out the following website: Create a Graph.

12. Analyse your graphs. How did the weight, length, and circumference of the hot dog change over time? Why do you think this is? Do these data agree with the observations you made?

By Claude Mckay Bananas ripe and green, and ginger-root, Cocoa in pods and alligator pears, And tangerines and mangoes and grape fruit, Fit for the highest prize at parish fairs, Set in the window, bringing memories Of fruit-trees laden by low-singing rills, And dewy dawns, and mystical blue skies In benediction over nun-like hills.

My eyes grew dim, and I could no more gaze; A wave of longing through my body swept, And, hungry for the old, familiar ways, I turned aside and bowed my head and wept.

Table 1. In your lab notebook, create a data table like this one to record your results in.

(Michelle Maranowski, PhD, Science Buddies)

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana's oil revenue could total US$600M by year end – Min Bharrat ...another 1M barrels’ lift set for November

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat

N

atural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat believes that if the Brent crude price continues to hover around US$85 per barrel, Guyana could get about US$150 million for its last two oil lifts this year.

These were his sentiments during an interview with OilNOW, during which he related that Guyana’s fourth oil lift was awarded to Aramco Trading Limited (ATL) late in September. He added that another lift of one million barrels of sweet Liza crude is set for November.

“Soon we will receive payment for the last lift we had with Aramco Trading Limited, and we have another next month. Based on oil prices now, which is between US$84 to US$85, if it remains…then we can comfortably get US$150M between the two lifts,” he told

OilNOW. The Minister added, “With this projection, we are definitely closing the year with almost US$600M in the Natural Resources Fund (NRF), and then you add royalties to that and it is even more possible, and this is from Liza Destiny alone.”

He explained that the Government is pleased with the performance of the sector amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On this note, he expressed his excitement with the other ExxonMobil projects, such as the Liza Phase Two and Payara, which are

hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone reservoirs. It is located approximately 3.7 miles (6 kilometres) east of Turbot-1, and was drilled in 5,928 feet (1,807 metres) of water by the Noble Tom Madden.

Then back in September, the US oil giant announced that it found 220 feet (67 metres) of high-quality oil in the Pinktail well offshore Guyana. It was stated that the Pintail discovery, which was drilled by the Noble Sam Croft drill ship, is 21.7 miles southeast of the Liza Phase 1 project.

Additionally, Exxon

The Noble Tom Madden offshore Guyana

Liza Destiny

soon to come on stream.

Earlier in the month, ExxonMobil made another find in the Cataback-1 well, which brings the total significant discoveries to more than 20 within the Stabroek Block.

The Cataback-1 well, the oil company stated, encountered 243 feet (74 metres) of net pay in high quality

was able to successfully appraise the Turbot-1 and 2 wells, where oil was previously found. In the case of the Turbot-2 well, drilling encountered 43 feet (13 metres) of net pay, separate from the oil previously encountered in the Turbot-1 well.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square

kilometres). Exxon, through subsidiary Esso Exploration Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), is the operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

Guyana, with US oil giant ExxonMobil as the operator, began producing oil on December 20, 2019 in the Stabroek Block. Guyana’s oil revenues are being banked in the New York Federal Reserve Bank, where they are earning interest.

In August, Guyana received payment for its seventh oil lift to the tune of US$79,617,561.87, the largest single oil payment the country has received to date.

The Natural Resources Ministry has stated that the aforementioned payment was for 1,047,820 barrels of oil, which was extracted from the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel on July 3, 2021.

The seventh oil lift brings the country’s oil extraction to a grand total of 7,056,262 barrels, and accumulative earnings to

US$388,777,840.

Guyana received its first payment of US$54.9 million for an oil lift dated February 19, 2020. The second lift, on May 21, 2020, was valued at US$35 million; while the third lift, which occurred on August 9, 2020, was worth US$46 million.

The fourth lift of oil offshore Guyana occurred on December 9, 2020 and came in at US$49.4 million in value. And on February 5, 2021, some 997,420 barrels of oil were lifted from Liza Destiny. A sum of US$61 million was paid for that lift.

During the 31st Sitting of the National Assembly, subject Minister Vickram Bharrat had reported that this amount plus royalties put the total in Guyana’s Natural Resources Fund (NRF) at US$436 million, which remains untouched.

8 NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2nd man arraigned for murder of Kaneville gold miner

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25-year-old man of Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD) is the second person to be charged with the murder of gold miner Nelson Thomas.

Seon Caesar, called ‘Ratty’, appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrates’ Courts, and was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that on September 9, 2021, at Kaneville, EBD, he murdered 36-year-old Nelson Thomas, called ‘Rambo’.

The murder accused has been remanded to prison until November 9, 2021.

Last month, Leroy Griffith was arraigned for Thomas’s murder, and was remanded to prison until October 26. He, too, was not required to plead

Murder accused Seon Caesar

Dead: Nelson Thomas

to the indictable charge.

Thomas, called “Nelo,” was found dead at around 21:30h on September 9 near his Lot 1010 Kaneville, EBD residence. His body bore stab

wounds.

At the time of his demise, he had just returned home from the interior, where he worked as a gold miner, to register the birth of his new-

born baby. Following his return, Police said, the man left his home at around 19:00h to visit an uncle in the same community.

Later, he went to a barbershop, where he would usually socialise with friends. He was returning home when he was ambushed and stabbed by a man during an attempted robbery.

After the incident, a resident reportedly heard someone calling for him, and upon checking, he saw Thomas lying motionless on the eastern side of his yard under a shed, with his body covered in blood.

The injured man was transported to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

ss

Heard it on the grapevine...

Y

…about Harmon our Eyewitness had wondered why Opposition Leader “Lil Joe Harmon” had appointed Roysdale Forde to act in his stead back in early September.

He also was supposed to be taking a break, like his boss David Granger, leader of the PNC. Now, your Eyewitness had thought it more than passing strange that the two big guns of the Opposition would suddenly drop out of sight - especially when the situation was so tense within and without their party. What was going on?

Well, your Eyewitness just heard that, while Granger remained holed up at Pearl, Harmon had jetted off to GHANA!! That’s right, Ghana!! Said it was a “Roots” journey. You know, going back to the place from where, as Brother Bob said, “Old pirates, yes, they rob I/ Sold I to the merchant ships/ Minutes after they took I/ From the bottomless pit.” He said he visited the “door of no return” in Ghana - the door through which the slaves from the Gold Coast - as Ghana was then called - passed through to board the Middle Passage’s ships of horror.

So what was it? In the middle of a fierce political struggle, when his leadership was being pilloried by some impatient upstarts, he had an existential crisis?

These things do happen, you know. You wake up every morning to one crisis or another swirling, and pretty soon you get dizzy! A visit to the motherland - the cradle, so to speak - can be therapeutic. But listening to some of the conversations from his base when the news broke revealed they were more cynical about the trip.

They wondered whether it was a coincidence that right after Lil Joe hopped over to Ghana in secret, VP Jagdeo did the same! Could something be afoot? We know that in Guyana, Pres Ali’s PPP Govt has stubbornly refused to consult Harmon as the Opposition Leader, unless he recognises that the former is legitimately and legally in place. There was then a stalemate. So, was this some sort of effort by Ghana - after all, their President had visited Guyana not so long ago - to broker a deal between the PPP and PNC? Or, even more insidiously, to broker a deal with Lil Joe?? Now, for that to happen, you need some face-toface meetings; you can’t keep these sorts of assignations a secret in gossipy Guyana! Your Eyewitness could imagine Joe’s constituents crooning the Lou Rawls classic: “Ooh, I bet you're wonderin' how I knew/ 'Bout your plans to make me blue/ With some other guy you knew before/ It took me by surprise I must say/ When I found out yesterday/ Don'tcha know that I /Heard it through the grapevine” Yes…the grapevine!! …a change is gonna come Well, President Ali’s been in office for more than a year. He’s had an opportunity to evaluate the team they put together to take our country finally into the 21st century. In that time, he’s met several world leaders and interacted with their “sherpas” - as the staff who arrange these meetings are called. This would be especially true on this last trip to Dubai, which is a modern miracle that - as was explained in this space yesterday - was created out of a village of sixty huts made of palm leaves after 1945!

He would’ve seen the commitment and the knowhow necessary to achieve that dream - or any other dream.

He has to’ve started looking around and evaluating his team for the job ahead. If your Eyewitness from the outside can see that several of them are lacking, surely, he - with his more intense interactions - would’ve concluded the same by now.

The time has come to start making some changes.

That alone will motivate the slackers! …PNC Congress before Xmas?

This newspaper quoted a “source” saying that the PNC Congress to finally elect a new leader will come off on Dec 11.

Somehow, your Eyewitness doesn’t see this happening. All the ducks aren’t in a row!

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

NEWS

9

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Harmon to contest for PNCR leadership

Joseph Harmon

David Granger

Aubrey Norton

Richard Van West-Charles

Volda Lawrence

pposition Leader Joseph Harmon has announced his intention to contest for leadership of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNC/R).

He will be running against other party stalwarts Aubrey Norton and Dr Richard Van West-Charles.

The announcement was made on Harmon’s Facebook Page on Wednesday, when he updated his cover photo with a poster which reads “Joseph Harmon…Candidate for Party Leader-PNCR”. On the poster, Harmon also promised “Leadership with a vision and compassion”.

While Norton and

Charles have confirmed that they will be running for the top post, current Leader David Granger has repeatedly dodged the question on whether he would run for re-election.

Granger, however, had announced that he has taken a leave of absence from the Party effective September 1, but he did not indicate for how long.

Norton, who had challenged for leadership of the party and lost to Granger in 2014, now says there is need for a new political culture.

Charles, the son-in-law of Party Founder Forbes Burnham, is currently com-

ing in for much criticism after it was discovered that, as head of GWI, he spent over $85M in parties over a twoyear period. The former CEO has since justified the spending by claiming that it was an “investment” in staff.

Party Chairperson and current acting Leader Volda Lawrence also did not indicate whether she would contest the election. Lawrence is currently before the courts on a number of electoral

fraud-related charges.

Reports indicate that the PNC’s long-overdue biennial congress has been set for December 11, with November 11 set for the nomination of the candidates.

PNC’s last biennial congress was in 2018, when Granger was returned unopposed as Leader of the party.

In total, Granger led the party into three General and Regional Elections –

2011, 2015 and 2020; the latter two in coalition with the Alliance For Change as the APNU/AFC. He also led the coalition through two Local Government Elections in 2016 and 2018, while in Government between 2015 and 2020.

Additionally, Granger was elected PNCR Leader consecutively at the party’s 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Biennial Delegates’ Congresses.

O

Granger, who left office in August 2020, after a fivemonth battle in Guyana for democracy to prevail, has been facing pressure from within the party, and has suffered a sharp drop in popularity, over the loss of the 2020 General and Regional Elections after just one term in office.

Admitting that he is aware of this pressure during a PNC-organised programme, Granger had contended that he is not afraid of a leadership challenge.

Following the loss at the 2020 polls, the PNC-led APNU faction of the coalition has been falling apart, as two of the five parties that constituted the partnership resigned, citing the dictatorial nature of the PNCR. Several senior and longstanding party members have also left the PNCR, blaming Granger for the fallout within the party, after he had handpicked the list of Opposition Members of Parliament and excluded seasoned party leaders.

TURN TO PAGE 11

10 NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sophia woman killed after motorcycle NRG Holdings Inc donates $5M for birding study crashed into reversing truck

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woman of Sophia, Greater Georgetown was on Wednesday killed after the motorcycle on which she was travelling crashed into a reversing truck on the access road of the Eccles Industrial Site, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The dead woman has been identified as 37-yearold Roxanne Daniels.

Based on reports received, motor lorry GAB 332, owned by RK Concrete Guyana Incorporated, was at the time being driven by a 41-year-old man of Eccles New Housing Scheme. As the truck was reversing

along the road at Eccles Industrial Site, the rear portion collided with motor cycle CJ 4871, owned and driven by 48-yearold Maxwell Thomas of Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara (WBD). Daniels was reportedly the pillion rider of the motorcycle.

As a result of the collision, both the motor cyclist and the pillion rider fell on the roadway and sustained injuries about their bodies.

They both were picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where Daniels was pronounced dead on arrival.

Thomas, on the other hand, was examined by a doctor on duty, treated, and referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he has been admitted, suffering from a fractured right leg and other injuries. His condition is regarded as critical.

Meanwhile, the fatal accident was reported to the Police, resulting in both the lorry and the motorcycle being lodged as investigations continue. A breathalyzer test was conducted on the driver of the lorry, but there was no trace of alcohol in his system. He remains in custody, pending charges.

N

RG Holdings Incorporated, the Guyanese consortium that is developing the massive Port of Vreed-enHoop Project, has provided $5 million to the Guyana Marine Conservation Society to fund a birding study.

The donation was received by the Conservation Society on October 15, and according to that organisation’s President, Annette Arjoon-Martins, the funds will play an important role in the preservation of Guyana’s blue carbon assets.

She described the initia-

The NRG Holdings Inc-funded birding study is currently underway in Region One

tive as an “invaluable contribution of $5,000,000 by NRG Holdings to enable the much-needed birding study of the Barima-Mora Passage Mangrove Forests, where the largest and most intact mangrove ecosystems in Guyana exist.”

“The blue carbon assets of this area are immense and in a time of climate change, where our carbon sinks are of immense value, your support will enable scientific research, which will play a very important role in its preservation,” ArjoonMartins said.

One of the partners within the consortium, Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer stated that the developers were keen on facilitating and ensuring the protection of Guyana’s flora and fauna and the environment as a whole for future generations.

“We recognise that data is important to the protection of the eco-system and, by extension, the livelihoods of many Guyanese. We are, therefore, happy to support this project, which is import-

ant at so many levels.”

In addition, ArjoonMartins also lauded the developers for allowing two young female marine scientists to participate in a recent environmental assessment conducted by Jan de Nul, the company that will be constructing the port facility at Vreed-en-Hoop. “…This allows them to complement their academic qualifications with actual offshore and other relevant field experiences, and to further build their capacity,” the Guyana Marine Conservation Society President noted.

NRG Holdings Inc is a 100-per cent Guyaneseowned consortium comprising Hadi’s World Incorporated, National Hardware Limited and ZRN Investments Incorporated.

Their Port of Vreed-en-Hoop project, which will see an investment of up to US$600 million, will occupy some 400 hectares of coastal land.

It is expected to be a catalyst for employment and business opportunities for locals.

Kildonan man busted with ganja during Police patrol

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The ganja that was found on the young man

man was arrested on Wednesday after he was found with 9 grams of cannabis in his possession at Kildonan Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

The Police have said that on Wednesday, at about 20:40h, a party of Policemen was on mobile patrol duty when, in the vicinity of Kildonan Village Corentyne, they observed the 26-yearold suspect sitting on a

bench.

They conducted a search on his person, and unearthed one transparent plastic bag with what appeared to be ganja. He was told of the offence committed, cautioned, arrested and escorted to the Whim Police Station, where the suspected cannabis was weighed in his presence and amounted to 9 grams.

Charges are expected to be laid shortly.

11 CDB President cites sustainable energy transition as a necessity for Caribbean development NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– lays out 5 priorities for way forward

P

resident of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr Gene Leon, has cited the transition to sustainable energy as a critical imperative for regional development.

“Our development in the region must be seen from a holistic perspective, and perhaps more than anywhere else in the world, a sustainable energy transition is one of our most important transgenerational obligations,” Dr Leon stated at the Turks and Caicos Energy Forum in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, on Thursday.

Although alternative forms of energy - especially solar, wind, and ocean resources - are in unlimited supply in the region, the Caribbean is one of the most energy import-dependent regions in the world, with the CDB’s 19 borrowing member states deriving more than 90 per cent of their commercial energy supply from imported petroleum. At the same time, the price of electricity in the region is among the highest in the world, having averaged US$0.28 per kilowatt hour in 2019.

The high cost for electric-

ity generation has a negative impact on the region’s economic and social development, as it increases import bills, worsens terms of trade, erodes competitiveness, and stymies investment by the business community. High electricity costs also affect economically-disadvantaged people, who spend a greater share of their disposable income on energy.

To make the transition to sustainable energy a reality, the CDB President has laid out five priorities for the way forward, which are: improving energy efficiency; diversifying energy sources; incentivising the private sector; investing in strategic partnerships; and using innovative, flexible, and affordable financing instruments.

Dr Leon highlighted that, for most countries, a priority is to eliminate waste and losses in energy usage, even with petroleum as the current fuel source. Therefore, proven technology needs to be upgraded and adapted, while implementing relevant performance standards, regulatory instruments, and appropriate incentives and disincentives could entrench and bolster the much-need-

Body of unidentified man found at Craig

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he body of a so-far-unidentified man was discovered at Good Success Dam, Craig, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Monday at about 15:00h.

Police have reported that at the time of the discovery, the body was in a trench, facing downwards, and was in a partial state of decomposition. The body was clad in a multi-coloured shirt and dark coloured pants.

The body was pulled from the trench, and no visible marks of violence were evident thereon. The body has been escorted to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home to await identification and PME. The Guyana Police Force has since launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the demise of

the body.

On Tuesday last, Police reported that a so-far-unidentified man was on Monday found floating at the Vergenoegen foreshore, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), and he is suspected to have drowned. The Leonora Police Station had received a report from an unknown caller at about 14:30h, who informed them that the body of a man was seen floating at the Vergenoegen foreshore.

Police ranks went to the location and found the man’s body, clad in a red short pants, floating face downwards.

The body was retrieved from the water and checked for marks of violence, during which it was observed that parts of the skin on the face had been removed.

Harmon to contest...

The division further widened after some members of the PNCR’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) criticised Granger in July for adding two new “shell” parties to the APNU, and accusing him for wanting to run the party as a “oneman show”. Arising out of that situation was a NoConfidence Motion brought against Granger by the party’s Georgetown district.

The PNCR Leader, during a subsequent edition of his weekly programme in July, acknowledged that there might be some oppo-

FROM PAGE 9

sition towards him within the party. At the time, he claimed to be unaware of any NCM against him within the PNC. “Right now, I don’t discount the fact that there might be some opposition to me,” Granger had contended.

But amid this internal power struggle, there has been mounting pressure for the party to host its biennial congress for new leadership to elected. But the PNCR Leader has cited COVID-19 as the reason behind the delays.

ed shift towards more energy-efficient approaches.

Citing a study by CDB and the Inter-American Development Bank, which established that renewable energy could generate 50 to 100 times peak domestic electricity demand, the CDB President emphasised that the region needs to diversify its energy sources.

In the Eastern Caribbean, the geothermal energy resource potential far exceeds domestic demand. There are also emerging opportunities for using renewable energy to produce ammonia and green hydrogen, which could be a key fuel of the future.

Dr Leon has called for encouraging and incentivising the private sector to support the transition to sustainable energy. “With limited fiscal space available to governments, the private sector must play a leading role

President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr Gene Leon

in driving this transition.

There is more than enough room for households; small private investors; private utility companies; and large, private, independent power producers to invest in various sustainable energy tran-

sition projects with an expectation of reasonable returns, while simultaneously supporting common sustainability goals,” the CDB head has said.

The CDB President has urged governments to facilitate the participation of the private sector through appropriate enabling frameworks that are inclusive, supportive, and consultative.

Noting that strategic partnerships and financing instruments are essential for the transition, Dr Leon said, “Financing this transition will require resources, and we have to devise innovative and flexible financing arrangements, while adopting appropriate regulatory frameworks to crowd in investments from our private sector and leverage relevant technical and financial resources from our strategic partnerships”.

Such financing options could include public-private partnerships, feed-in-tariffs, as well as renewable energy auctions. There is also a role for private equity capital for larger investments; innovative instruments, such as the energy service companies model; and on-bill instruments that target micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and households.

The CDB official underscored that the CDB is well placed to leverage partnerships to access relevant technical and financial resources to support energy transition.

The Bank also stands ready to provide technical assistance in the form of advisory support for the establishment of public-private partnership policy and regulatory frameworks, as well as relevant capacity strengthening, the CDB President concluded.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

14 NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

7-month-old baby among 6 COVID deaths – toll now jumps to 887, 74 new cases reported

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he Health Ministry on Thursday announced that a seven-monthold baby is among six more persons who died from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), thus taking the death toll to a whopping 887.

The patients were admitted with COVID-19-like symptoms, and died while receiving care at medical institutions. Samples taken at the time of admission subsequently returned positive results.

16,458 males and 18,342 females were positive.

A region-by-region breakdown of new cases shows three persons tested positive in Region One (BarimaWaini); 11 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 10 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 24 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); 46 in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); two in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne); two in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 21 in Region

you need to do. I know people have become very complacent these days, but unless you do the basics, you are not going to avoid the infection,” Dr Anthony stressed.

It has been about one year since the airports were given the greenlight to reopen and there have been 69 imported infections.

For persons travelling, he clarified, “Our policy has been that if you’re travelling overseas, you need to go and get your own PCR or antigen test done. The Government’s

SEX

AGE

REGION

DATE OF DEATH

VACCINATION STATUS

Male

64

East Berbice-Corentyne

October 08

Unvaccinated

Male

7 Months

Barima-Waini

October 17

Female

68

Mahaica-Demerara

October 20

Unvaccinated

Female

46

East Berbice-Corentyne

October 20

Unvaccinated

Male

42

Demerara-Mahaica

October 20

Unvaccinated

Female

35

Demerara-Mahaica

October 21

Unvaccinated

UnvaccinatedNew statistics provided by the Ministry showed that 74 more positive cases were detected within the course of one day – raising the total confirmed positive cases to 34,800.

There are 21 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 109 in institutional isolation, 3411 in home isolation and 887 in institutional quarantine. Since the coronavirus reached local shores, 334,392 individuals were tested – of which

10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

There were no new cases in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) and Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

Meanwhile, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has reiterated his calls for persons to get vaccinated.

“People need to go get vaccinated. People need to take the precautions, wear masks, keep their distance, sanitise. These are the common things. It’s things that

resources, we’re focused on making sure that people who need to be diagnosed with COVID that we use it for that purpose. So, we’re not using it for travel purposes.”

In Guyana, 375,640 adults or 73.2 per cent have received a first-dose COVID-19 vaccine while 235,081 or 45.8 per cent are completely vaccinated.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional informa-

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD OCTOBER 21, 2021 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

74

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

109 3411 21

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

6

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

18,342

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

16,458

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

34,800

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

30,372

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

375,640

FULLY IMMUNISED

235,081

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

887

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1581

REGION 2

1382

REGION 3

4747

REGION 4

16,613

REGION 5

1239

REGION 6

2487

REGION 7

1725

REGION 8

546

REGION 9

2439

REGION 10

2041

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

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

tion, contact the COVID-19 Hotline on 231-1166, 2267480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov. gy.

All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures which emphasise: correct and consistent use

of a face mask when leaving your home, maintaining six feet of physical distance from others, and good hand hygiene.

59 to be conferred with degrees at TAU’s 9th graduation exercise

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Campus of the Texila American University at Providence, EBD

exila American University (TAU) will host its ninth annual graduation ceremony today at its main campus at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

During the special ceremony, the university will celebrate the graduation of 59 students across various disciplines.

TAU’s guest of honour for the occasion is Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud. TAU’s Founder and Chancellor Saju Bhaskar, and its Executive Vice President Chitra Laksmi, will deliver remarks.

Since commencing operations in 2011, TAU has served as a beacon of worldclass medical education and medical research for Guyana

and the region.

TAU Founder and Chancellor noted, “TAU remains committed to excellence in higher education, research, and innovation in the medical field. Our graduands are a prime example of these principles, as many of them have achieved placement in residency programmes both locally and abroad, and we know that they are equipped for success.”

This year, TAU will confer the Doctor of Medicine Degree on 28 students, the Master of Business Administration degree on four students, the Bachelor of Nursing in Science degree on three students, and the Bachelor of Public Health degree on 25 candidates in absentia.

TAU said it has acquired a reputation for its cutting-edge facilities and medical curriculum, and its diverse student body continues to expand. TAU is the only private university in the Caribbean region to offer a postgraduate medicine programme.

TAU Guyana offers a series of programmes that are recognised by the National Accreditation Council, including undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, business and management, and information technology. Plans are underway to expand TAU’s programme offerings as the university commits to meeting the needs of Guyana’s growing economy.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NGSA 2021 Region 6 analysis

More needs to be done to improve students’ performance in Science, Maths – Region 6 Chairman

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n light of the poor performance in Mathematics and Science at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), Region Six Chairman David Armogan says more needs to be done to improve students’ performance in those subject areas, especially as emphasis is being placed nationally on careers based on science and technology.

“We are not doing badly in English and Social Studies, but the two main areas that we need to focus on in this Region for students to acquire a good base, for them to progress in areas that are required for national development, (are) Science and Mathematics. We have got to do more work in those areas,”

the Region Six Chairman has noted.

The NGSA 2021 results for Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne) show that the Region has been consistently improving in English when compared with the two previous years. However, Science and Mathematics have shown no improvement over the same period, and remain consistently low.

Statistics showed that 1,697 students in Region Six wrote the exams this year, and of that number, 62 percent, or 1018, attained at least half of the attainable marks in English. This compares with 57 percent last year and 52 percent in 2019.

Conversely, only 33 percent of the students attained

Region Six Chairman David Armogan

the pass rate in mathematics this year, as against 35 percent last year and 38 percent in 2019. The results for science were not much differ-

ent, with 39 percent passes this year, 41 percent last year, and 37 percent in 2019.

“It is consistent, but low.

With 39 percent in the sciences when we are trying to push Mathematics and Science in the schools, then those two performances will have to be improved, because we are moving into oil and gas production and moving into science and technology; Mathematics and Sciences (are) the way forward for the development of any country, and we need to improve in these two areas,” Armogan has said.

In the other subject areas, Social Studies had a 54 percent pass rate. The top 11 students in the Region were awarded places at Queen’s

College. Armogan thought that commendable, while noting that the children were not in physical classrooms.

“When you look at that, and have to factor it in as a consideration, one can say that the results were virtually the same over the last three years,” he said.

About 50 percent of the students in the Region who sat the exams attained at least 50 percent of the obtainable marks. Armogan is of the belief that many parents have not been supporting the educational development of their children.

Armogan noted that it is not only the system that is not performing as expected, but parents themselves are not living up to what is ex-

pected of them in terms of responsibility to their children.

“The responsibility for a child’s development does not only rest with a teacher.

The teacher can only do so much with a couple of hours in school, and, for this year, they haven’t done much. So, the onus would have been on parents. A lot of responsibility has to be borne by parents to ensure that their children do the work at home and to make sure that they have study time. Parents have to take the education of their children very seriously,” he declared.

In 2019, 1700 persons sat the exams in Region Six. In 2020, 1827 persons sat the exams; while, in 2021, 1667 persons have sat the exams.

Marriott Guyana committed to providing top-notch service to hospitality sector – will accommodate 7 cooks for internship programme

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he Marriott Guyana is committed to providing top-notch services to the hospitality sector, and being the pioneer in hospitality, it is committed to ensuring professionals in the hospitality and tourism sector are given the opportunity to learn, experience, and grow in the industry.

Since the Marriott Guyana Hotel commenced operating six years ago, the team has provided growth and first-class service to its customers. Employees are consistently trained with the skill set to execute service and “the art of hosting”.

With this being said, the Guyana Marriott Hotel has accommodated an average of 45 people through its internship programme, giving them the opportunity to work alongside experts in

the industry.

The goal of this programme is to pass knowledge down from decades of experience gathered by the Marriott family.

Working with local talent has supplemented the hotel’s goal of contributing to the growth of the region’s tourism and hospitality sector. Sixty per cent of the property’s chefs are trained by the Carnegie School of Home Economics, and, most recently, they have accommodated a six-week internship programme for young professionals with the Education Ministry.

“Marriott Guyana’s mission is to support the local community,” General Manager of Marriott Guyana, Eduardo Reple, has said. “Marriott Guyana’s goal is to train and develop

The Marriott Hotel kitchen team

local talent; give them a career opportunity; exposure to other hotels within the group, so they can benchmark other successful operations in the region with ours, and slowly replace the existing expat team of directors, managers, and supervisors with local talent,” he added.

Policemen charged for raping 21-year-old in Lethem

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wo serving members of the Guyana Police Force were on Thursday arraigned before Magistrate Allan Wilson at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court on a joint charge of rape, committed on a 21-year-old female between August 5 and 6, 2021 at

Industrial Site Tabatinga, Central Lethem.

Rellon D’Andrade, 30, of Phoenix Park, West Bank Demerara (WBD) and Terrence Hamilton, 22, of ‘E’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown were arrested on October 20, and have been charged with rape,

Contrary to Section 3 (3) of the Sexual (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:03.

The men were not required to plead to the charge, and have been placed on bail in the sum of $75,000 each.

The two policemen will return to court on December 12

Fisherman allegedly drowns at No 63 Beach

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he lifeless body of 47-year-old Persaud Vanryck of No 64 Village, Corentyne Berbice was on Thursday pulled from the Atlantic Ocean at the foreshore of the No 63 Beach, Corentyne Berbice. The Police have said that the victim’s 17-year-old son found his lifeless body floating next to his seine at about midday. The late Vanryck had left his home at about 9:00h to retrieve his seine, but never returned, prompting his son to make checks for him.

Upon the discovery, the fisherman’s body was taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A post-mortem is expected soonest.

No marks of violence were found on the body, the Police have said.

Marriott Guyana has a longstanding partnership with the Carnegie School of Home Economics, a technical culinary service and housekeeping school associated with the Education Ministry. Over the years, this relationship has contributed to the transfer of technical on-the-job experi-

ence and skills in the areas of different operational disciplines.

In 2021, Marriott Guyana was able to have an average of seven students every six months undergoing an in-depth practical threemonth internship. Thirtythree per cent of Marriott Guyana’s kitchen team graduated from Carnegie School of Home Economics.

Additionally, 19 per cent of the property’s cooks were recruited from previous internship programmes, and were offered permanent positions.

“Inside Marriott International, our talents have access to resources to continue their formation in different hospitality areas,” Reple stated, while noting that, “As part of our people-first culture, we want

personal growth to be an essential part of every associate’s career path, which is why Marriott International offers ongoing training to all associates through our Associates Opportunity Program. Personal Growth (PGO) helps associates channel their desire to grow personally and professionally. Our Digital Learning Zone, the cornerstone of our Personal Growth Program, is a personalised learning platform that serves as a central access point to all Marriott learning content, and enables professional growth and development.”

For more details on the hotel’s internship programme, contact the Human Resource Department, Marriott Guyana, on telephone number 231-2480.

16 NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

300 St Cuthbert’s Mission residents receive access to water for 1st time – as expanded water system commissioned

ects are completed, that the impact and purpose which it was intended for is achieved.

I have already engaged the GWI team on some matters that still need resolving,” Minister Rodrigues said.

She added that mechanisms were needed to ensure that the system was maintained to extend its longevity.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Andre Ally explained this year’s work programme would include a sum of $344 million being expended across the hinterland regions to provide potable water.

“It speaks towards Indigenous areas in Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine; drilling of new wells, up-

grade of water systems, installation of photovoltaic pumps, extension of water distribution networks, etc. I think we are edging to having this goal achieved of everyone having the same level of potable water access.

Of course, in the hinterland communities, it’s a lot more difficult, but everyone lives pretty far away and usually,

it’s for a very small number of residents.”

St Cuthbert’s Mission Toshao Timothy Andrews added, “St Cuthbert’s will be able to enjoy a better life with water accessible in almost every household possible with the new water system. I commend our community for being generous and patient through this period of time.”

GTT to introduce e-billing in 2022

Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues commissioning the water system with other officials

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n expanded water system for the community of St Cuthbert’s Mission, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) will now see 300 residents benefiting from access to potable water for the first time.

The expansion of the system, a project undertaken by Government and executed by the Guyana Water Inc (GWI), was completed to the tune of $8.1 million and would benefit 700 persons within the village.

Among the works done were setting up new connections, upgrading the distribution system via leaks repair and rehabilitation. At the commissioning ceremony, Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues said these works materialised after it was pointed out by residents that the system was in disrepair.

“I did witness, first hand, the deplorable state that the water system was in and during that visit, I promised the community that I would send in a team that would do an evaluation first of all to figure out what the problem is and then we would know how to proceed,” Rodrigues noted.

A decision was taken to revamp the existing well and supply system, expanding the reach of service. Now, 95 per cent of households are connected to the water network.

“Thirty-five per cent of the community was receiving access to the water system and after the completion of the project, 90 per cent of the community now receives potable water. That is a remarkable achievement for the mission…It is important that when these proj-

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s GTT continues to realise its mission of being a 21st-century customer-centric organisation, the company has announced the move to send detailed bills for landline, DSL, and Fibre service via email, Whatsapp, and MyGTT by January 2022.

GTT has said it aims to provide billing and communications services in a secure, convenient, and eco-friendly manner.

Until the end of December 2021, GTT will be contacting over 60,000 customers that are currently receiving their bills by post. These customers will be given the option to receive their bills electronically, or to continue receiving them via mail.

Landline customers who also have Fibre or DSL services and receive an email bill already will receive their bill for the landline services by both e-mail and post up to December 2021. They will then receive their detailed

GTT CEO Damian Blackburn

landline bill via e-mail after this date, unless they opt to continue to receive their bill by post.

Customers who have landline-only services with the company will receive an additional form on which to indicate their desire to receive a detailed bill by post.

GTT will be facilitating the return postage of these forms free of charge. Customers can also request detailed paper bills by calling 0488 or visiting www.gtt.co.gy.

Customers can also visit any of GTT’s retail stores to make the request. These detailed bills requested by cus-

tomers would be presented to customers free of charge.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Dela Britton, has commended the initiative taken by GTT to explore new options for consumers as those relate to the disbursement of detailed bills in a user-friendly format, and in keeping with the requirements of the Consumer Protection Regulations of the Telecommunications Act 2016.

The Commission said it recognises that GTT must embrace the use of technology to provide efficient service, but, at the same time, is mindful that consumers must receive complete, detailed information regarding their bills, whether by post or electronically. The PUC underscored the importance of accurate, verifiable, sufficient information, free of charge and via an optional medium for consumers.

GTT CEO Damian Blackburn has said, “Our company is committed to achieving its mission to be a 21st-century customer-centric organisation. We believe this process will result in the delivery of bills to custom-

PUC Chairman Dela Britton

ers in a secure, convenient, and eco-friendly manner. We are also aware that there are customers who would prefer to receive their detailed bill by post, and we will be meeting the needs of these customers, as required by the PUC.” Blackburn highlighted that education about billing alternatives and awareness is key to the adoption of safer, more convenient, and eco-friendly communication to bridge the digital divide.

GTT has since assured that it would be working closely with the PUC to ensure the needs of its customers are met.

NEWS

17

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PSAT Chairman should have recused himself from hearing complaint filed by niece – CoA rules

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he Guyana Court of Appeal has ruled that the Chairman of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal (PSAT), Justice (retired) Nandram Kissoon, should have recused himself from hearing a complaint filed by his niece, former Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Prithima Kissoon.

Prithima Kissoon is now serving as Public Trustee and Official Receiver at the Legal Affairs Ministry. Her appointment as DSG within the Attorney General’s Chambers was terminated on August 31, 2017, and as a consequence, she pursued several remedies, one of which is an appeal to the PSAT against the decision of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to fire her.

The PSAT is a statutory body created under the Public Service Appellate Act, Cap 27:01, to hear appeals against decisions of the various service commissions affecting employees.

Guyana’s Attorney General in 2019, Basil Williams, had filed an appeal against a decision of Justice Kissoon not to recuse himself from hearing the appeal filed by his niece. The PSAT Chairman had concluded that, should a fair-minded and well-informed person reasonably find that there is a real possibility of bias, the principle of necessity mandated that he preside over the proceedings.

He reasoned that his disqualification would result in the lack of quorum for the tribunal, and with there being no other tribunal of the same nature, or an alternate member to preside in event

Justice (ret'd) Nandram Kissoon

of a recusal, there cannot be a properly constituted tribunal without him.

Proceedings for judicial review were consequently filed in the High Court to question this decision. While High Court Judge Fidela Corbin-Lincoln found that there was a real danger of bias in Justice Kissoon continuing in the proceedings, she ruled that based on the doctrine of necessity, the reasons as put forward by the PSAT were not so unreasonable or irrational or made in bad faith.

Justice Corbin-Lincoln held that judicial review proceedings, not being an appeal on the merits of the PSAT decision, she would not substitute her own view for that of the tribunal. Considering this, she ruled that Justice Kissoon can preside over the matter filed by his niece.

Solicitor General Nigel Hawke, on behalf of the Attorney General, filed an appeal against Justice Corbin-Lincoln’s ruling with the Court of Appeal. In so doing, Hawke argued that

the judge erred in her ruling, and underscored the importance of fairness for good and proper judicial administration.

He contended that, for this reason, an uncle presiding over a matter concerning his niece cannot advance good public administration. He highlighted the fact that the trial Judge expressed the view that no reasonable tribunal could have concluded that there was no apparent bias in the circumstances of this case, but yet the Chairman was given the green light to continue the hearing.

Automatic disqualification

Citing various legal authorities and the facts of the case, the Court of Appeal held, “We are of the view that the relationship between the Chairman and Ms. Kissoon ought to lead to the automatic disqualification of him sitting in the proceedings of the PSAT appeal.”

The Appellate Court said that the fair-minded observer would conclude that family ties give rise to a real possibility of bias. The Judges pointed out that, however noble were the intentions of Justice Kissoon, and the argument that he is not actuated by bias, it is felt that he could be unconsciously influenced.

“While it has been suggested that he has no pecuniary interest in the proceedings, the public perception of the possibility of unconscious bias is the key,” the Appeal Court held. In the instant case, the court noted that the Bangalore Principles on Judicial Conduct may be relevant.

Berbice man remanded for assaulting wife

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asdeo Bhola, also called “Orvo”, of No. 47 Village Corentyne, Berbice, was on Wednesday remanded to prison after appearing before Magistrate Alex Moore at the No. 51 Village Magistrate’s Court to answer charges of causing actual bodily harm, unlawful wounding, and provoking a breach of the peace.

The 53-year-old pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

He was reportedly arrested on Saturday, October 16, 2021 for these offences, committed against Savitri Bhola, 40, of No. 47 Village Corentyne, Berbice.

He has been remanded to prison, and will make his next court appearance on November 3, 2021.

Basdeo Bhola had a cutlass in his hands when he was arrested

Public Trustee and Official Receiver Prithima Kissoon

The Appellate Court said that the Bangalore Principles on Judicial Conduct clearly spell out ethical standards and prin-

ciples for judicial officers.

Specifically, it referred to the rule that a Judge should disqualify him or herself from participating in any proceedings where the Judge or a member of the Judge’s family has an economic interest in the outcome of the matter in controversy.

According to the Court of Appeal, in the proceedings in the High Court from which this appeal arises, the trial Judge, on a finding of bias, ought to have considered that the continuation of the case before the presently constituted PSAT would render it unfair.

The court said that consideration should have been given as well to other alternatives that were available, and which did not require

the invocation of the rule of necessity. Having regard to all the circumstances, the Appellate Court said consideration can be given to a new Chairman being appointed specifically for hearing Ms. Kissoon’s matter.

In the end, the Appeal Court said Ms. Kissoon may consider presenting a case for judicial review in the High Court. The Attorney General’s appeal was allowed, and each party was ordered to bear his/her own cost.

Presiding over this matter were Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards; Justice of Appeal Dawn Gregory, and additional Judge of the High Court, Diana Insanally.

18 NEWS Govt declines deadline extension for CJIA works T FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

he Government of Guyana has declined a request by China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for an extension of the deadline to complete ongoing works at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

Shortly after taking office last year, the Dr Irfaan Ali-led Government had entered into an agreement with the contractor for additional works to be carried out at the airport. Having missed several timelines already, it was agreed that these works would be completed by December 31, 2021.

However, CHEC officials who are overseeing the modernisation works at the CJIA recently wrote Government, requesting a deadline extension to April 2022. But during a recent visit to inspect the works at CJIA, Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, indicated that Government would not be entertaining any such request.

“We’re not discussing any extension…right now, we’re not discussing that. I want to make sure that just cause is shown, and try your best as a company – you have 120 workers here – to ensure that you push the work… We’re not agreeing to [the April extension] right now, we’ll have to discuss that,” the Minister indicated to the contractor on Wednesday.

According to Indar, the engineers will be leaving by mid-November, and they will

Ongoing construction works at the CJIA (DPI photo)

have to do a certificate of completion to show the progress of the works. At that time, he noted, Government would look at the remaining works to be done before giving any further consideration to a deadline extension.

“At that point, we will know exactly what [is the] percentage completion, what are the issues, and then we will have that discussion.

But not now,” the Minister contended.

However, while the works were expected to be completed by year end, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill had said last month that, with challenges in the shipping industry due to the global pandemic, this may not be realised. In fact, the Ministry’s Project Manager, Carissa Goodings, explained that the contractor’s request for a deadline extension was as a result of two major causes of delay, including freight. The other relates to underground

utilities that were encountered, hence hindering the progression of works.

Back in December, the Public Works Ministry had entered into an agreement with CHEC for the contractor to undertake some US$9 million in additional works to further extend the airport at no cost to the State.

The new works involve an extension of the airport’s boarding corridor in order to accommodate two more passenger boarding bridges, providing the airport with a total of six boarding bridges capable of servicing aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Dreamliner, the AirBus and similar trans-Atlantic aircraft.

It would also see the terminal building being extended to provide accommodation for additional commercial space, such as food courts and duty-free shops. The extended building would feature a modern airport façade

Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar inspecting ongoing works at the CJIA (DPI photo)

covering the full length of the departure terminal.

In the agreement, CHEC further agreed to rectify and complete all outstanding remedial works within prescribed timelines.

According to Minister Indar, there were over 1500 defects discovered at the time, but the contractor had undertaken to correct 800 of these. Currently, these remedial works are about 88 per cent completed.

The visit of the Minister within the Public Works Ministry to the airport was prompted by several complaints received about delays of the ongoing works.

In fact, apart from the expansion works, there are also delays with another project being undertaken at the CJIA - the construction of a

new building to house offices for airlines and other support agencies.

That $513.3 million contract was awarded to CALCO Construction in August. The Minister would be meeting with the company’s representatives sometime today to iron out the issues.

Despite these, however, Minister Indar is confident that the CJIA expansion project would be completed.

“When we first came into Government, we had a lot of reservation, but constant discussions with the contractor, meetings, inspections, we have [project managers and supervisors]… so a lot of work and energy went into getting it moving along… It’s not going the speed that you would like it go, but it is going, it is progressing,” he as-

serted.

The CJIA Modernisation Project was supposed to have been completed since December 31, 2018 under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

The Granger-led APNU/ AFC Administration had settled for a denigrated design while paying more than the allocated US$150 million.

The CJIA, in its downgraded design expansion, had four less air passenger boarding bridges for arrivals and departures than the initial eight; a 450-seat departure area; escalators and elevators in addition to an incomplete extended runway, which was supposed to measure 400 and 690 metres at the respective ends.

Bosai workers protest for wage/salary increases

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number of employees attached to the Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated downed tools on Thursday over what they described as “unsatisfactory” acrossthe-board wage and salary increases.

The employees claim the company had agreed to pay a 5.5 percent increase, which is a decrease from last year, which saw them taking home 6.5 percent. The employees have dubbed the move as unfair, calling for between 8.5 and 10 percent increase.

“We are out here today to strike over our wages and salaries’ increases. Management has made a decision that they’re not going to move from the present position they’re at, which is 5.5 percent for this year…workers think that is unfair, because, right through, we would have worked during the pandemic. So, we were looking for 10 percent, but management decided they’re going to give us 5.5 percent,” an employee noted, as he stood outside the compound of the company’s northern gate holding a placard.

According to the employee, the decision to decrease the percentage of wage increase this year is unfair, more so since the cost of living in the country has skyrocketed.

Bosai workers took to the streets on Thursday

“The cost of living gone up 14 per cent. We’re asking for 10 percent because we would have worked very hard…because Bosai never shut down during the pandemic. We worked every day, once we’re scheduled to work. It’s unfair for management to make a rash decision like this, and not moving from where they are”, he continued.

The protestor added that while employees are also seeking improvements on allowances, the company usually would not make any major adjustments in that regard.

Another employee, Cecil

Boston, related that the workers are only willing to settle for an increase of between 7.5 and 8.5 percent, in addition to other benefits which are presently on the negotiation table.

“We work under strenuous conditions…hazardous conditions, especially when we have to work night shift. We work for 12 hours, sometimes 14 hours…working under these conditions for the amount of money that we’re receiving now is totally ridiculous…the price for everything is going up, but your money is not going up… Collectively, overall,

we need our expectations to be met…5.5 percent still not good enough,” he stressed.

Protesting employee Colin Adams also shared similar sentiments.

“The situation is a bad situation…At the moment, we’re at 5.5 percent for this year and 6.5 percent for next year…we’re asking for 10 percent this year and 10 percent next year.

If we can’t get that, 8.5 is the lowest we’re going”, he said.

Adams related that those negotiations commenced since April 1, and there has been back-and-

forth since then.

“The company start at zero percent and the Union start at 20 percent.

Yesterday (Wednesday) was the last meeting, and it was at 5.5 and 6.5 percent respectively for this year and next year, but the Union is at 10 percent this year and 10 percent next year”, he said.

He admitted, however, that employees were not confident at securing a 10 percent increase, but would settle for 8.5 percent.

“We’re not confident about getting 10 percent, being realistic, but we still

have to fight…at least we want something better than 5.5 percent”.

Employees are also seeking allowances such as night premium, snack benefits, out-of-town allowances, leave allowances, and improved working conditions such as more secure employment benefits for contract workers and improved working equipment and tools, among other things.

The workers’ union and company representatives met for discussions at the company’s Mackenzie, Linden location during Thursday’s protest.

NEWS

19

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Health education is going to be one of your primary functions” – Health Minister tells nurses …as 44th Medex programme kicks off

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he Health Ministry on Thursday held the orientation ceremony for the first batch of students enrolled in the 44th Medical Extension (Medex) programme for the year 20212025.

The orientation saw a total of 36 students who would be trained as Alternative Pathway Medex - students that do not have a medical educational background.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, in addressing the students, informed them, “You are joining the Ministry of Health in a very interesting time, because, in the next couple of years, we are going to unroll a lot of developments in the health sector infrastructure developments.

We are going to look at how we improve imaging, meaning, the new techniques that can be used to diagnose disease conditions.”

Dr Anthony revealed that health education would be one of these students’ main duties as Medexes.

“A lot of people in our communities, they have different notions of how you get

Minister Dr Frank Anthony and three male nurses in discussions

diseases and why you get it.

And therefore, there’s a big role for health education, because some of the traditional concepts that people harbour do not necessarily coincide with what we know now in science, and we have to help them to understand. And so you will have a very important role to play in helping people to understand these concepts.

“So, health education is going to be one of your primary functions,” the Minister told the students.

Dr. Anthony explained

that the courses the students would be engaged in over the next four years would be relevant and necessary in equipping them with the knowledge to educate citizens. He urged them to pay keen attention to their tutors, and encouraged them to read in order to understand the concepts that would be taught.

He highlighted the fact that with the help of the internet, the concepts have been made easier to understand, since there are simplified videos on YouTube, and other various ways in which

The nurses who were selected for the programme

the concepts are being put over so that they are easily understood.

“Before, you just had to read a book and look at a diagram and say this is it. Now you have the internet, where you can go and YouTube and look at how these things are explained. And by using these audio-visual methods, you can have a better understanding of many of these concepts,” the Minister noted.

Further, the Minister told the students they would be playing a pivotal role in the

improvement of primary care throughout the ten administrative regions.

“We want to see primary care improved in Guyana.

And when we think about primary care, maybe we think of the levels of services that we want to offer… We, as the Ministry, we want to make sure that we can improve primary care,” Dr. Anthony stated.

In addressing the students that are from far-flung Amerindian communities, and making reference to the language barrier that is ex-

pected to occur within those communities, Dr. Anthony said the students would be trained in English. However, “when you get back in the community and the people are speaking Akawaio or Wai-Wai or Wapishan, sometimes you would need to translate it and break it down, so that you can communicate with that person in the most appropriate way, so that they can understand.”

He pointed out that the people would be more receptive of the message once it is properly explained to them.

GPF, UG sign MoA to refine, develop new programmes for members of force

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he Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Thursday signed an important and historic Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the University of Guyana (UG) to refine existing programmes and develop new ones that specifically cater for members of the Force.

The MoA was signed during a simple ceremony held at the University’s Turkeyen Campus.

Acting Deputy Police Commissioner with responsibility for administration, Calvin Brutus and UG’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Paloma Mohamed-Martin signed the MoA, which was finalised after much discussion and deliberation from both parties.

The MoA underscores the GPF’s continuous and unwavering support and show of commitment to the development of its ranks through education and training.

Brutus, in brief remarks, said the signing of the MoA marked a very significant moment in our country’s history as it was the first of its kind between the GPF and UG. The MoA is scheduled to last for a period of five years, with the option of renewal.

According to Brutus, this MoA came about owing to “the need for us to develop modules for our Policemen and women, to ensure that we deliver on our mandate in keeping with contemporary best practices for the Police in our country”.

He also alluded to Guyana’s globally recognised and blossoming oil and gas industry, which has made critical the need for us to have an educated and much better-equipped

ment to enter the Guyana Police Force,” he said. “This Memorandum of Agreement is intended to address the various levels and to develop our ranks from that sound prima-

Acting Deputy Police Commissioner with responsibility for administration, Calvin Brutus and UG’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Paloma Mohamed-Martin after the signing of the MoA

Police Force to meet the myriad challenges that will come along with rapid development, infrastructural expansion, and the influx of investors and new businesses.

He pointed out that the anticipated expansion of our population was expected to bring new challenges for the Police Force, thus the need to be prepared.

“We recognise that based on our recruitment policy, there is that burning need not only for development at the tertiary levels, but also at the lower levels because of the sound primary education require-

ry education level in the shortest possible time…depending on their ability to learn, the University will deliver that knowledge to them up to the level that is required to meet our demands to provide security for our nation.”

The MoA caters for a range of programmes to be developed, with a few others to be refined. “Most will have to be developed and it entails a lot of work, but we are certain that the University of Guyana possess capable resource personnel to do that in the shortest possible time and we have no doubt about this, hence our

partnership today,” Brutus asserted.

Part of the MoA has to do with accreditation of the Police Training College. “Our college is just by name, but the substance and the standard is not there. Our intention under this agreement is to ensure that we will be able to achieve this mandate, which is to have our college accredited in the shortest possible time, as well as train our instructors to deliver the professional part of the programme,” he stated.

Brutus noted that all the programmes currently being done in a haphazard way would be fashioned into accredited programmes for the Police Force, “at the end of which our Policemen and women who choose to leave us after they are developed will be able to go into the world and acquire respectable jobs with the qualification they would have earned within the organisation”.

He said the GPF had no issue with such ranks/officers leaving, providing that it was within their contractual obligations. He said the Police Force would also be proud to be part of their development as Guyanese.

Brutus also extended, on behalf of the Police Force, appreciation to the University, specifically Vice Chancellor Mohamed-Martin, for her patience and support during the discussions leading up to the signing of the MoA.

Acting Deputy Police Commissioner with responsibility for administration, Calvin Brutus and UG’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Paloma Mohamed-Martin along with other officials

Dr Mohamed-Martin expressed satisfaction with the arrangement since it comes in a wide national strategic context. According to her, this strategic context will allow for more transparency and a more service-oriented Police Force with diversified service across the country.

She believes the MoA allows for a more focused and accelerated path for the reformation plan of the Police Force and the University is very happy to walk this path with the GPF. Other aspects such as public perception survey of the Police Force, recruitment strategy that will diversify against the different levels of skill-sets and a technologically-driven force will

be seen coming out from this MoA in the future.

“The Police Force is really taking on a very cutting edge, very focused, a very dynamic path despite all the challenges they have been having and we’re very happy to be working with the Police Force,” Dr Mohamed-Martin said.

Also in attendance at the signing ceremony were Assistant Superintendent Nicola Kendell, Officerin-Charge of the Strategic Planning Unit; Assistant Superintendent Bharat Persaud, Deputy Finance Officer; Police Legal Advisor Mandel Moore; and Head of the Police Corporate Communications Unit, Mark Ramotar.

20

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Pay attention to how you look and present yourself to others. An offer will have more benefits than you anticipate, and your negotiation skills will help you get what you want. Don't be shy.

Let your work speak for you. Putting pressure on someone who isn't going to budge is a waste of time. Focus on your accomplishments and on presenting what you have to offer with enthusiasm.

Take care of business, and show everyone your skills, intelligence and capability. Refuse to let anyone put you down or steal your thunder. Mix business with pleasure, and you'll make an exciting connection that could influence your future.

Take your time, observe what others do and say, and make adjustments that will help you reach your objective. Let your creative imagination lead the way, and you'll discover what brings you joy.

Concentrate on what matters to you. Don't let the changes someone makes interfere with your train of thought or what you are pursuing. How well you perform and what you produce will be what count.

Expand your mind. Sign up for seminars, networking events, online presentations or anything else that will connect you to people you can learn from or count on for insight and knowledge.

Knowledge is power, and the more you know about and understand what's going on, the easier it will be to get others to see things your way. Set a budget and say no to temptation.

An unexpected change will take you by surprise. It's better to be part of the solution than to be left behind.

Listen carefully and make valid suggestions. You'll gain the respect of others.

Say no to temptation and SAGITTARIUS risky offers. Sage advice will (Nov. 23come from someone who has Dec. 21) known you a long time. You'll come up with a plan that can help boost your income.

Romance is encouraged.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

Spend more time at home nurturing relationships and making positive changes. Be innovative, put a budget in place and gather input from loved ones. Everything will go according to plan.

Refuse to let an emotional incident slow you down or ruin your plans. Dedicate your time and money to something that will satisfy you and make a difference.

Make a romantic gesture.

Examine the way you earn or handle your money, (Feb. 20and you'll come up with a March 20) way to save. Be careful how you treat others; an inconsiderate gesture will cause trouble. Mindfulness is key.

PISCES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

21

Scotland and Bangladesh join giants in Super 12

Scotland celebrating their Super 12 achievement

seeing Scotland home at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman, denying their hosts a chance to compete at the highest level.

Berrington clubbed Khawar Ali for a pair of sixes in the 14th over to ease Scotland's nerves and take them into three figures, and the same batsman lashed a four and another maximum off consecutive balls from

S

cotland are heading to the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup after swatting aside Oman to earn a crushing eight-wicket win in their final Group B game.

After limiting Oman to 122 all out, Scotland coasted to victory with three overs to spare. Captain Kyle Coetzer hit three sixes in a 28-ball innings of 41, with Matthew Cross (26no) and Richie Berrington (31no)

Extras (lb 3, nb 1) 4 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 6.10) 122 Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Jatinder Singh, 0.2 ov), 2-13 (Kashyap Prajapati, 2.5 ov), 3-51 (Aqib Ilyas, 9.3 ov), 4-79 (Mohammad Nadeem, 12.3 ov), 5-93 (Sandeep Goud, 14.5 ov), 6-96 (Naseem Khushi, 15.4 ov), 7-105 (Suraj Kumar, 17.4 ov), 8-117 (Zeeshan Maqsood, 19.3 ov), 9-118 (Bilal Khan, 19.4 ov), 10122 (Fayyaz Butt, 19.6 ov)

Bangladesh have sealed their spot in the Super 12s

CWI thanks Sandals for support of WI cricket …principal sponsorship arrangement comes to a close

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) has thanked Sandals Resorts International for their contribution to West Indies cricket as principal partner during the last four years.

Sandals became CWI’s principal partner, enjoying branding rights across all West Indies Men’s, Women’s and age-group teams in 2017, a partnership extended by a further year during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CWI partnership with Sandals was part of the incredible legacy of the late Sandals Chairman Gordon “Butch” Stewart, who was a lifelong supporter of West Indies cricket, and who made sure that the Sandals brand stood proudly on the shirts of all West Indian cricketers continuously over the past four years.

CWI paid tribute earlier this year to the loss of the iconic Gordon Stewart, whose passing was closely followed by the loss of

SCOREBOARD OMAN INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) Aqib Ilyas c Munsey b Leask 37 Jatinder Singh run out (Watt/†Cross) 0 Kashyap Prajapati c Munsey b Sharif 3 Mohammad Nadeem c Berrington b Watt 25 Zeeshan Maqsood (c) c MacLeod b Davey 34 Sandeep Goud c Greaves b Sharif 5 Naseem Khushi c MacLeod b Leask 2 Suraj Kumar † c Wheal b Davey 4 Fayyaz Butt c Greaves b Davey 7 Bilal Khan run out (MacLeod/Davey) 1 Khawar Ali not out 0

his senior management colleague David Roper, himself also a Sandals-based West Indies cricket stalwart. It was Mr. Roper who coordinated the varying commercial relationships with West Indies cricket for more than two decades at home and abroad.

Sandals’ financial contribution through the most recent four-year period of commercial sponsorship provided much-needed capital to CWI for investing in players and tournaments across all formats of the game. Sandals had also previously entered into shorter-term sponsorships with CWI on a number of specific tours to the United Kingdom (UK), one of the major tourism markets, where Sandals received significant return on investment from its partnership with West Indies cricket. Sandals was the first-ever West Indies sponsor to have its logo across the chest of the Test teams.

“Over the course of many

years, CWI and Sandals were able to achieve many positives, including the fact that it was CWI and the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) who, one year ago, jointly led the resumption of international cricket at all levels following the initial pandemic shutdown.

Sandals’ encouragement and support for that historic CWI decision to tour the UK was much appreciated”, said CWI CEO Johnny Grave.

“Global sports and tourism have suffered badly from the unprecedented healthbased crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reduced Caribbean travel and hospitality revenues immensely. In spite of those setbacks, we were still able to encourage Sandals to extend their sponsorship for a further year. That extended period has now come to an end, and we want to again thank Sandals and its Board for their immense contribution and long-standing support of West Indies cricket.”

Mohammad Nadeem to seal a resounding success.

Bangladesh earlier also made sure of their place in the Super 12 round, as they thrashed Papua New Guinea by 84 runs, making 181-7 before bowling out their opponents for 97.

Mahmudullah made 50 for Bangladesh, while Shakib Al Hasan weighed in with 46, before taking 4-9 with the ball.

Papua New Guinea were reduced at one stage to 297, making a Bangladesh victory a formality.

Scotland go through as group winners with a 100 per cent record, having beaten Bangladesh earlier in the campaign, and will tackle India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan and either Sri Lanka, Ireland or Namibia in Group Two as the elite sides enter the competition. Bangladesh must face Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies and the Group A winners, who are almost certain to be Sri Lanka.

The Super 12 group action gets under way on Saturday as Australia face South Africa in Abu Dhabi.

(Sportsmax)

BOWLING Brad Wheal Josh Davey Safyaan Sharif Mark Watt Chris Greaves Michael Leask

O-M-R-W 3-0-24-0 4-0-25-3 4-0-25-2 4-0-23-1 2-0-9-0 3-0-13-2

SCOTLAND INNINGS (TARGET: 123 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) George Munsey c Jatinder Singh b Fayyaz Butt 20 Kyle Coetzer (c) b Khawar Ali 41 Matthew Cross † not out 26 Richie Berrington not out 31 Extras (nb 1, w 4) TOTAL (17 Ov, RR: 7.23) 123/2 Did not bat: Calum MacLeod, Michael Leask, Chris Greaves, Mark Watt, Josh Davey, Safyaan Sharif, Brad Wheal Fall of wickets: 1-33 (George Munsey, 4.4 ov), 2-75 (Kyle Coetzer, 9.6 ov) BOWLING Bilal Khan Fayyaz Butt Aqib Ilyas Zeeshan Maqsood Khawar Ali Mohammad Nadeem

5

O-M-R-W 3-0-15-0 3-0-26-1 2-0-14-0 3-0-19-0 4-0-27-1 2-0-22-0

SCOREBOARD BANGLADESH INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) Mohammad Naim c Bau b Morea 0 Liton Das c Bau b Vala 29 Shakib Al Hasan c Amini b Vala 46 Mushfiqur Rahim c Hiri b Atai 5 Mahmudullah (c) c Soper b Ravu 50 Afif Hossain c Ravu b Morea 21 Nurul Hasan †c Bau b Ravu 0 Mohammad Saifuddin not out 19 Mahedi Hasan not out 2 Extras (lb 1, nb 2, w 6) 9 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 9.05) 181/7 Did not bat: Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Mohammad Naim, 0.2 ov), 2-50 (Liton Das, 7.1 ov), 3-72 (Mushfiqur Rahim, 10.2 ov), 4-101 (Shakib Al Hasan, 13.4 ov), 5-144 (Mahmudullah, 17.2 ov), 6-153 (Nurul Hasan, 17.6 ov), 7-161 (Afif Hossain, 18.6 ov) BOWLING Kabua Morea Damien Ravu Chad Soper Sese Bau Assad Vala Charles Amini Simon Atai

O-M-R-W 4-0-26-2 4-0-40-2 4-0-53-0 2-0-20-0 3-0-26-2 2-0-9-0 1-0-6-1

PAPUA NEW GUINEA INNINGS (TARGET: 182 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS)

Lega Siaka lbw b Mohammad Saifuddin 5 Assad Vala (c)c †Nurul Hasan b Taskin Ahmed 6 Charles Amini c Mohammad Naim b Shakib Al Hasan 1 Sese Bau c Mohammad Naim b Shakib Al Hasan 7 Simon Atai c Mahedi Hasan b Shakib Al Hasan 0 Hiri Hiri c †Nurul Hasan b Shakib Al Hasan 8 Norman Vanua c Mushfiqur Rahim b Mahedi Hasan 0 Kiplin Doriga †not out 46 Chad Soper b Mohammad Saifuddin 11 Kabua Morea run out (Afif Hossain/†Nurul Hasan) 3 Damien Ravu c †Nurul Hasan b Taskin Ahmed 5 Extras (lb 1, nb 1, w 3) 5 TOTAL (19.3 Ov, RR: 4.97) 97 Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Lega Siaka, 2.3 ov), 2-13 (Assad Vala, 3.2 ov), 3-13 (Charles Amini, 4.1 ov), 4-14 (Simon Atai, 4.4 ov), 5-24 (Sese Bau, 8.5 ov), 6-24 (Norman Vanua, 9.2 ov), 7-29 (Hiri Hiri, 10.3 ov), 8-54 (Chad Soper, 14.5 ov), 9-80 (Kabua Morea, 17.4 ov), 10-97 (Damien Ravu, 19.3 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Mohammad Saifuddin 4-0-21-2 Mustafizur Rahman 4-0-34-0 Taskin Ahmed 3.3-1-12-2 Shakib Al Hasan 4-0-9-4 Mahedi Hasan 4-0-20-1

22 Can the West Indies overcome recent form to defend their title?

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

…Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran's form, and Andre Russell's fitness will be key for them

A

played for them nearly six years ago) and leaving Jason Holder out.

Despite all that, West Indies will be playing for something bigger than themselves. They've confirmed they will continue to gesture in support of anti-racism, and will take a knee before each game.

Big picture

s the defending champions and the only team to hold this title twice, West Indies should be favourites to win the ICC T20 World Cup, but they come into this tournament in worse shape than either of the previous two they won. Since their 2016 triumph, West Indies hold a win-loss ratio of 0.666, which means they're losing two out of every three games they play. No other team in the Super 12 is doing that badly, with most losing once in every two matches, if that.

There's always an argument to be made that pre-tournament form counts for less than we think it does, especially when it comes to West Indies, especially since their recent record is at least partly down to not always having their best players available. But at an event where teams have to win at least three group matches to progress to the semi-final, emerging victorious every third game, as West Indies have been doing, simply won't be enough.

West Indies will need to reel off strong performances successively, and there are also questions over whether they have the personnel to do that. Their squad includes two of the five players who have appeared at every T20 World Cup to date - Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo - and there's a debate over Gayle's inclusion because of his recent

Recent form

West Indies are the reigning T20 champions

Fairly average. West Indies lost 3-2 in a seesaw series to South

is sixth in the world, while Simmons is their next most successful batter.

Shimron Hetmyer will have to operate as the glue between those in the lineup whose form has come under the microscope - Gayle and Pooran - and the pressure on Hetmyer may grow.

Lower in the order, Roston Chase, who has never played a T20I but topped the CPL run charts, will play an important all-round role, while Kieron Pollard's finishing could prove decisive.

Bowling

form.

Sir Curtly Ambrose doesn't think Gayle should be an automatic pick, resulting in Gayle lashing out and Sir Viv Richards coming to Ambrose's defence.

A p a r t from the concerns around Gayle, West Indies will also be worried about N i c h o l a s Pooran's lack of runs, and the gamble they took by including Ravi Rampaul on the CPL form (he last

Africa, b e a t an und e r strength Australian side 4-1, and then lost the only match that was not rained out in a four-game series to Pakistan.

Batting

Much responsibility will rest on the shoulders of the opening pair of Evin Lewis and either Lendl S i m m o n s or Andre Fletcher.

Lewis is West Indies' highest T20I run scorer in 2021, and

Left-arm seamer Obed McCoy has been one of the finds of the year for West Indies, after establishing himself in the shortest format side over the last few months and becoming their leading bowler this year.

He will have the experience of Bravo and Andre Russell to draw on, which gives West Indies a strong pace attack, albeit without Holder.

It remains to be seen whether they have enough in the spin department.

Legspinner Hayden Walsh is their frontline slower bowler, with the rest of the duties falling to allrounders Fabian Allen, Chase and perhaps even Gayle.

Player to watch

Chris Gayle is the batter who made T20, and T20 is the format that made Chris Gayle, which is big enough a reason to watch him. But if you need another, at 42,

Puerto Rico thumps Lady Jags with "not-so-friendly" 6-1

A glimpse of the action between the Guyanese and Puerto Rican women

I

n their first outing since onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the Lady Jags came off a bit rusty, losing 6-1 to

Puerto Rico in a friendly on Wednesday night.

The Lady Jags are in Puerto Rico for an encampment exercise which

consisted of two friendlies, t h e next of which will come on Saturday night.

In competing against

the hosts at the Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, the Puerto Rican Women’s National Team made light work of the Lady Jags. The first goal came of the boots of Jojo Cotto in the 14th.

Karina Socarras Villalonga made it a 3-0 affair by halftime with a brace in the 28th and 35th minutes.

In the second segment, Madison Cox carried the score to 4-0 with a strike in the 47th. However, Guyana’s Annalisa Vincent looked to spur a comeback with a goal of her own in the 59th, but it was a little too late.

A goal each from Karish Rivera and Nickolette Driesse took Puerto Rico’s tally to six before the final whistle.

The next friendly is scheduled for the José Antonio Figueroa Freyre Central American Stadium in Mayagüez on Saturday, October 23.

The Lady Jags’ time in Puerto Rico was supposed to be followed by

their participation in the CONCACAF Women’s Qualifiers, beginning in November. However, the tournament has since been postponed to the 2022 Women’s window in February.

The local ladies’ first game in that tournament will now be contested on February 16, against the ladies of Dominica. Guyana has been drawn in Group F, with Trinidad and Tobago, Nicaragua, Dominica and Turks and Caicos Islands.

After group stage play, wherein each nation would play two matches at home and two matches away, the top finisher in each of the groups would advance to the CONCACAF Women’s Championship, joining the top two ranked Concacaf nations (USA and Canada), who have received a bye straight to the Women’s Championships, which will be played in July 2022. The Women’s Championships is the gateway tournament to the FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Gayle is the oldest player in this tournament, and although he may not like the suggestion, it could well be his last T20 World Cup. Age alone will not decide if Gayle plays in another major competition. Form has to have a say, and it's not looking too good on that front. Gayle played just two matches for Punjab Kings in the second half of the IPL before leaving the bubble to refresh himself ahead of the T20 World Cup. Before that, he scored 165 runs in 9 innings in the CPL (average 18.33), with a top score of 42, and has just one half-century in T20I cricket in 26 innings dating back to March 2016.

Key question

How fit is Russell? He only played in three of Kolkata Knight Riders' ten games in the second half of the IPL, as he had picked up a hamstring injury. Add that to the chronic knee issue that has hampered him in the past, and it seems only reasonable to be concerned that Russell may not be available as much as West Indies need him to be at this tournament.

If that's the case, it's going to affect multiple areas of their game. Russell's batting allows West Indies to bat down to No. 9, and in his absence, they've often found themselves a bowling option short.

Despite having Pollard and Allen in their ranks, Russell is a two-in-one that West Indies cannot do without for a tournament this important, and they'll hope he is fully fit and stays that way for the next month.

Likely XI

1 Evin Lewis, 2 Andre Fletcher/Lendl Simmons, 3 Chris Gayle, 4 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 5 Kieron Pollard (capt), 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Fabian Allen, 9 Dwayne Bravo, 10 Obed McCoy, 11 Oshane Thomas/Hayden Walsh Jr. (ESPNCricinfo)

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

Sinclair backs West Indies to successfully defend title

G

uyana and West Indies cricketer Kevin Sinclair is backing the West Indies to successfully defend the title at the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) T20 World Cup. West Indies will open their campaign against the in-form England on Saturday, October 23.

Speaking on the Berbice-based Cricket Show, Sinclair said he is eager to see the men in maroon in action, and he is backing them to win a third World T20 trophy.

"Give your best shot! We are double time champions, and good luck to them. I am eager to see them in action and (see them) crush some people," Sinclair said.

The off-spinner who played six T20 Internationals for West Indies also had a message for the fans. "Continue to support West Indies, whether young or old is on the team!

Continue to support them! And I know they think some faces should be there, but that is life. Keep supporting, and the best is yet to come for the team," Sinclair added.

Despite suffering defeats against Pakistan and Afghanistan, West Indies remain favourites to many, having both the experience and big game players who tasted World Cup glory before.

GOA to fund training camp, $100K grant for Pan Am-bound boxers

West Indies Match Schedule October 23: v England in Dubai (6pm UAE Time, 10am Eastern Caribbean/9am Jamaica) October 26: v South Africa in

Patrick Harvey

Travis Inverary

WEST INDIES’ FULL SQUAD

Kieron Pollard (Captain), Nicholas Pooran (Vice Captain), Dwayne Bravo, Roston Chase, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr. Travelling Reserves: Darren Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder and Gudakesh Motie

ICC T20 World Cup Schedule

Dubai (2pm UAE Time, 6am Eastern Caribbean/5am Jamaica) October 29: v B2 in Sharjah (2pm UAE Time, 8am Eastern Caribbean/7am Jamaica) November 4: v A1, in Abu Dhabi (6pm UAE Time, 10am Eastern Caribbean/9am Jamaica) November 6: v Australia in Abu Dhabi (2pm UAE Time, 6am Eastern Caribbean/5am Jamaica)

SEMI-FINALS

November 10: Group 1 winner v Group 1 second in Abu Dhabi (6pm UAE Time, 10am Eastern Caribbean/9am Jamaica) November 11: Group B winner v Group A second in Dubai (6pm UAE Time, 10am Eastern Caribbean/9am Jamaica)

FINAL

November 14: Final in Dubai (6pm UAE Time, 10am Eastern Caribbean/9am Jamaica)

West Indies women set for short tour of Pakistan …ahead of ICC World Cup qualifiers

GBA President Steve Ninvalle

T

hree Guyanese youth boxers have secured places in the forthcoming Pan American Junior Games, bringing to 8 the number in Guyana’s contingent to the Games.

In order to get the boxing team prepared, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) has committed to funding a local training programme. Following discussions with the relevant stakeholders, the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) on Thursday morning announced that Alesha Jackman, Travis Inverary and Patrick Harvey have been able to secure places at the first-ever Junior Pan American Games, which begin next month.

In order to ensure that these three boxers are adequately prepared for the multisport event, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) has come on board with the necessary financial assistance to run a local camp.

In addition, the boxers will be given Gy$100,000 for their own use.

Speaking about this cash assistance, GBA President Steve Ninvalle verbalised appreciation to the GOA for its

support.

“I would honestly want to extend gratitude to the Executives of the Guyana Olympic Association and Mr Juman-Yassin. The $100,000 is not what the GOA would be giving for the training programme, this is for each boxer that is going, and I don’t know if Mr. Yassin has taken a leaf from what has happened in the Olympics. Because at the Olympics, we would’ve given some money to them, but I think it’s a very good gesture that each and every athlete can now look forward to these things, which I think more or less cushions some of the effects, frustrations, hardships that they would have,” the GBA boss shared.

He continued, “I can’t remember this ever happening with a junior team, but we want to extend gratitude to you, Mr. Yassin.”

During the press briefing, Ninvalle also revealed that he has extended invitations to youth boxers from Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados to join the Guyanese camp. Ninvalle disclosed, “We’ve spoken with Trinidad, we’re also speaking with Barbados at this time, to see if they will want to join our camp that we’re having, and this is the precursor to… because Guyana is one of the best countries in the Caribbean as it relates to boxing.”

On the other side of the microphone was GOA President K.A. Juman-Yassin, who expressed contentment at being part of the initiative.

“Steve, happy to be associated with, and I look forward to a very successful local training programme in Guyana,” Yassin responded.

Ninvalle has also shared his

K.A. Juman Yassin

expectation for the trio at the Cali Games.

“The Junior Pan Am Games is much more important to me, because it tells of our nursery, and these are the boxers who, in the next 6, 7, or 8 years, or maybe the next four years, will be guiding our elite and our senior teams. So, there’s much expectation from them,” Ninvalle stated.

The training programme will be as diverse as possible, with a decision being taken to decentralise the training venues. Ninvalle informed, “We have met with our technical team, being our Coaches Commission, and that is being worked out as it is. There are a number of facilities, not only in Georgetown, because of the fact that the training will not only be centred in Region 4 alone.”

Aside from the boxers, the GOA last week injected US$8000 into Miguel Wong’s Pan Am journey, inclusive of training. Also on Guyana’s Junior Pan Am team is swimmer Aleka Persaud, badminton players Priyanna Ramdhani and Akili Haynes, and table tennis player Jonathan Van Lange.

(Jemima Holmes)

The West Indies women are scheduled for a three-match ODI tour of Pakistan

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) today confirmed that the West Indies Women are set to tour Pakistan for three OneDay International matches from November 8 to 14.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed all the tour logistics, and has submitted detailed medical and security plans to CWI for final review.

The West Indies Women are due to arrive in Pakistan on November 1 for the ODI series that is scheduled to be played at the National Stadium in Karachi.

This will be the West Indies Women’s third bilateral series in 2021, after hosting Pakistan and South Africa in the Caribbean this summer.

The West Indies players are currently in Antigua for a high-performance training camp as part of the team’s preparation for the upcoming Cricket World Cup qualifiers.

CWI CEO Johnny Grave has said: “This reciprocal tour to Pakistan is an important part of our preparation plans ahead of the World Cup qualifying tournament that is scheduled to take place in Zimbabwe in mid-November. This tour to Pakistan will give the team the chance to play in different conditions compared to the Caribbean, and have more high-level competitive cricket ahead of aiming to secure one of the three qualifying spots available for the Women’s

Cricket World Cup next year.

“The security plan arranged by the PCB is the same high level that the West Indies Men’s and Women’s teams received when they last toured Pakistan in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Independent security advisors Eastern Star International (ESI) have confirmed to both CWI and WIPA that they are satisfied that the risk is manageable, and can be mitigated to an acceptable level of safety.

We will now take a final recommendation to our Board of Directors before the Selection Panel confirms the squad.”

The West Indies Women will travel directly to Zimbabwe after the ODI Series for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers, from November 21 to December 5. They will be one of ten teams, along with Pakistan, aiming to secure one of three qualifying places for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand in February 2022.

The West Indies Women last toured Pakistan in January 2019 for three (3) T20 Internationals in Karachi. (CWI)

FULL MATCH SCHEDULE

1st ODI – November 8 at National Stadium, Karachi 2nd ODI – November 11 at National Stadium, Karachi 3rd ODI – November 14 at National Stadium, Karachi

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

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

Sinclair backs

See story on page 23

West Indies

to successfully defend title

GOA to fund training camp, $100K grant for Pan Am-bound boxers Page 23

Page 22

Can the West Indies overcome recent form to defend their title?

…Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran's form, and Andre Russell's fitness will be key for them 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.