Guyana Times - Monday, June 13, 2022

P12

Barbados distributors want Guyanese products on shelves – GMSA President

… agro-products “major hit” at Bridgetown’s Agro Fest

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

Issue No. 5038

THE BEACON OF TRUTH MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

PRICE

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

Venezuela will eventually have to give up its spurious claims – Greenidge …says Guyana must continue engaging int’l community

$100 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE: Haslington fatal shooting

Cop under close arrest as Police Complaints P2 Authority launches probe

Page 3

Senior Police officials fan out countrywide to build better relationships with the public Page 14

Arrival of 1000 black belly sheep from Barbados expected within 2 months P13

Mother of 3 missing after joining taxi at East La Penitence P10

In response to a community call for social crime prevention interventions, the Guyana Police Force has established a ‘Police Youth Group’ at Onderneeming in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) (GPF Photo)

Ease export restrictions on food items – Guyana advocates at WTO forum APNU happy $5B in AFC staying infrastructural in coalition contracts for till December Reg 3 – Jagdeo …as AFC demands greater role in policymaking Page 9

See story on page 7

Page 11

“Encouraging start” as 153 P15 children aged 5-11 get vaxxed against COVID-19 Technical P16 institutes unprepared to fill oil and gas industry skills gap – Hamilton

2 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Haslington fatal shooting

Cop under close arrest as Police Complaints Authority launches probe

T

he officer who pulled the trigger resulting in the death of 23-yearold Quindon Bacchus has been placed under close arrest as the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) launches a probe into the shooting incident that occurred at Haslington, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Friday.

“The file will be sent to the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (today) to do a thorough investigation of the incident,” Head of the Guyana Police Force’s Communications Unit Mark Ramotar told the media on Sunday.

Bacchus, a father of one of Golden Grove, ECD, was allegedly shot six times about his body following an encounter with Police ranks.

It was reported that on the day in question, ranks were conducting an intelligence-led operation in the Haslington New Scheme area of ECD after receiving some information earlier in the day.

While there, the ranks said, they contacted a 22-year-old construction worker, who provided them with certain information. As a result of the information, the ranks went to Bacchus’ home, where he was seen with a firearm in his possession. He had reportedly intended to sell it to one of the ranks.

The plainclothes rank, who was armed, made arrangements to purchase the firearm from Bacchus, who left and returned with the firearm.

In the process of handing over the firearm to the rank, an alarm was raised. As a result, Bacchus ran in a southern direction and discharged a round in the rank’s direction, and the rank drew his service pistol and returned fire.

Police said Bacchus then ran further south and jumped into a yard, and the rank gave chase.

While the rank was in close proximity to Bacchus,

this publication that Bacchus was murdered by his friend [the cop], and she refuted all claims that her cousin had discharged multiple shots at the Police.

CCTV footage of the incident seen by this publication shows that at the time of the incident, schoolchildren were walking on the road and had to run away when the gunshots were being fired.

Attorney Darren Wade has since met with the family and issued a statement calling on the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to conduct an impartial probe.

Wanted bulletin

Quindon Bacchus

the man allegedly discharged several other rounds towards the rank, and the rank took cover and returned fire, hitting the now-deceased man about his body.

Bacchus reportedly fell to the ground, along with the firearm, which was later identified as a .380 pistol with

a magazine that still had one round.

Police said Bacchus was picked up in a conscious state and escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was seen and examined, but subsequently died.

Linessa Semple, a cousin of the now dead man, had told

Wade said the Police must state whether or not a wanted bullet was issued for Bacchus’ arrest and whether any shells or warheads were recovered from the crime scene as well as the location from which they were retrieved.

“What intelligence/information was in the police’

possession in relation to the victim [and] what standard operation procedure was used before, during and after the shooting,” Wade further questioned.

The Attorney believes the Police must also state what was the trajectory of the bullet and the point of exit and entry of the bullet.

Earlier in the day, before he was shot dead, Bacchus has just seen his three-yearold son who had travelled from Barbados. The father had not seen the child in years.

Meanwhile, family members of the now dead man continue to demand justice, contending that whatever Bacchus’ alleged crime was, he did not deserve such a horrific death.

“My cousin didn’t die at the hospital; he died right there in the scheme… His chest burst up. All we want is justice. He did nothing to deserve that,” the victim’s cousin noted.

NEWS

3

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Monday, June 13 – 02:00h – 03:30h and Tuesday, June 14 – 03:00h – 04:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, June 13 – 15:40h – 17:10h and Tuesday, June 14 – 16:35h – 18:05h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine and light clouds during the day. Expect partly cloudy skies at night.

Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 15:49h reaching a maximum height of 2.64 metres.

Low Tide: 09:20h and 21:35h reaching minimum heights of 0.42 metre and 0.6 metre.

SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2022

LOTTERY NUMBERS A

03 06 09

24 26 27

FREE TICKET

1 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

06 11 19 22 24 LUCKY 3

2

2

1

1

Afternoon Draw

4

2

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

01 02 03 05 15 18 21 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022

02 04 10 12 13 13

01 02 07 16 21

9

5 Afternoon Draw

2X Afternoon Draw

1

3 Evening Draw

2X Evening Draw

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$122.01/barrel

Rough Rice

$295.65/ton

+1.23

London Sugar

$564.30/ton

0.00

Live Spot Gold

-0.87

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1876.20

$1877.20

Low/High Change

$1872.20 +4.00

$1880.40 +0.21%

Venezuela will eventually have to give up its spurious claims – Greenidge …says Guyana must continue engaging int’l community

A

s Guyana continues to remain vigilant and engage the international community on the ongoing border controversy with Venezuela, the Spanish-speaking nation will eventually have to give up its spurious claims to the Essequibo region and a portion of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

This was the view expressed by Carl Greenidge, the country’s advisor on borders and a key agent in the border controversy case currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

During a recent appearance on a social media programme hosted

by Globespan, Greenidge spoke of the likely outcomes as regards the border case before the World Court.

He noted that with the international community watching, Venezuela will have to toe the line.

For its part, Greenidge noted that Guyana has to remember where its interests lie and remain vigilant in safeguarding its sovereignty.

“What we are asking is for the international community to make it very clear to Venezuela, that Venezuela’s fabrications as regards the 1899 agreement and its validity and the consequential actions they are taking,” Greenidge expressed.

“Such as in relation to our land territory and maritime space and the purely fortuitous claims on maritime space, where you happen to have petro-carbons discovered, that the world sees through this and the world is not prepared to sit and allow them to do this.

They [Venezuela] eventually will have to give up,” he added.

According to the advisor on borders, Guyana will have to continue its advocacy at an international level to retain support for its cause. This entails the country paying serious attention to strengthening its diplomatic service, with the requisite people.

“Find people who have linguistic skills, who understand the economies and politics of our neighbours.

Who find out what are the problems of some of those countries, whose support we want. So that when you call on them to render that assistance, they can remember and say well you stood up in the UN or the ACP group of states, for a principle in which we have an interest,” Greenidge said.

He noted too that from a

Guyana’s Advisor on Borders, Carl Greenidge

foreign policy perspective, it is important that Guyana make no enemies and also embrace principles that are consistent with the plight of countries whose support the country’s desires.

It was recently announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Guyana that Venezuela has filed an objection in a bid to delay the substantial hearing of the 1899 Arbitral award case before the ICJ, after refusing to join the proceedings since 2018.

Guyana approached the World Court in 2018 seeking a final and binding judgement to reinforce that the 1899 Arbitral Award remains valid and binding on all parties as well as legal affirmation that Guyana’s Essequibo region, which contains much of the country’s natural resources, belongs to Guyana and not Venezuela.

The Spanish-speaking nation had initially refused to participate in the proceedings and had even challenged the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter. But in December 2020, the ICJ established that it has jurisdiction to hear the substantive case – something which Venezuela did not accept.

Back in March of this year, Guyana had submitted its written arguments for its memorial to the ICJ, which was a requirement by the court following its December 18, 2020, decision that it had the jurisdiction to hear the case against Venezuela.

Guyana moved to the World Court after exhausting all means of negotiation with Venezuela and the failed good offices process between the two South American neighbours.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, in January 2018, decided that the case should be settled by the ICJ after exercising the powers vested in him to decide how the controversy should be settled by the 1966 Geneva Agreement between Guyana, Venezuela, and the United Kingdom.

The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the United Nations Charter in June 1945, and began its activities in April 1946. The Court is composed of 15 Judges elect-

ed for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).

The Spanish-speaking nation is laying claims to more than two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass in Essequibo and a portion of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in which almost 11 billion barrels of oil have been discovered over the past seven years.

Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali has been using his platform at international forums to inform the world about Venezuela’s continued disregard for international norm in pushing its illegal claim to Guyana’s territory.

Simultaneously, Guyana had recommitted to maintaining bilateral relations with Venezuela. In fact, over the past week, Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana Carlos Amador Perez Silva met with various Cabinet Ministers including Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips.

On Tuesday, PM Phillips and the Venezuelan diplomat discussed ways of enhancing bilateral relations between the neighbouring countries.

The Prime Minister indicated that Guyana is ready to improve relations, within the construct of respect for Guyana’s sovereignty.

4

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

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

Broken windows policing

W

hile all societies endure crime, Guyana has, unfortunately, had more than its fair share. As such, it is no surprise that the causes of our crimes and what ought to be done to contain and reduce them continue to be national burning issues. Arising out of a host of studies by foreign and domestic experts, the Police had launched several initiatives over the last few decades, which, unfortunately, have not yet made much of an impact, based on the statistics.

Maybe a different approach towards crime-fighting needs to be taken. Back in 1982, the Harvard sociologist, James Q Wilson, co-authored a paper, “Broken Windows”, which took a contrarian position to the then-received wisdom on crime – which still stubbornly holds sway in Guyana. Maybe, belatedly, the Government ought to look at Wilson’s analysis and the recommendations that flowed out of it.

Up to that point, everyone focused on the "root causes" of crime. Crime would not decrease, it was emphasised, until the social and environmental “causes”: poverty, racism, bad housing, poor education, inequality, etc, were addressed. Not surprisingly, the Police loved the idea since it absolved them from ever reducing crime in absolute terms. Their stock answer to the stubborn, high and growing crime figures was: “it’s society’s fault; society messed them up and “rehabilitation” should be the riposte.

Of recent there have been some proposals to improve the rehabilitative programmes during incarceration and while this is to be encouraged, maybe it is time the pre-emptive “broken windows” alternative be considered. Wilson derived both his inspiration and the name from a widely-observed phenomenon.

"Social psychologists and Police Officers tend to agree," Wilson and Kelling wrote, “that if a window in a building is broken and is left unrepaired, all the rest of the windows will soon be broken.

This is as true in nice neighbourhoods as in rundown ones.”

“Window-breaking” does not necessarily occur on a large scale, because some areas are inhabited by determined “window-breakers” whereas others are populated by window-lovers; rather, one unrepaired broken window is a signal that no one cares, and so breaking more windows costs nothing. (It has always been fun.)” What's true of windows, Kelling and Wilson argued, was also true more generally of "untended" behaviour in a community. Wilson was saying that culture matters.

A stable neighbourhood of families who care for their homes, mind each other's children, and confidently frown on unwanted intruders can change, in a few years or even a few months, to an inhospitable and frightening jungle. A piece of property is abandoned, weeds grow up, a window is smashed. Adults stop scolding rowdy children; the children, emboldened, become rowdier. Families move out, unattached adults move in. Teenagers gather in front of the corner store. The merchant asks them to move; they refuse. Fights occur.

Litter accumulates.

At this point, it is not inevitable that serious crime will flourish, but many residents will think that crime, especially violent crime, is on the rise, and they will modify their behaviour accordingly.

They will use the streets less often, and when on the streets will stay apart from their fellows, moving with averted eyes, silent lips, and hurried steps. "Don't get involved."

In essence, Kelling and Wilson were arguing that minor crimes, if unpunished, led to major crimes and massive social breakdown. The goal of “broken windows” policing is to allow neighbourhoods to police themselves and reduce crime.

The role of Police through this type of “community policing” is to reduce fear through foot patrol, maintaining order, and the judicious use of officers' discretion. In so doing, they would only be responding to the previously-unacknowledged demand in poor and at-risk communities for the same sense of lawfulness enjoyed in wealthy areas. We all know these communities.

While our “community policing” initiatives have adopted their name from “broken windows” policing, they have entirely missed its essence. In the latter months of 2015, then Commander Hicken had adopted what appeared to be a “broken window” model in several at-risk communities. Now that he is the Chief of Police (ag), maybe he should expand the programme in “broken windows” communities across the country.

In this Chunilall Persaud photo, speedboats lie at anchor in Guyana’s largest river, the Essequibo at Parika. The photo is entry number 652 in the Tourism Ministry’s “Snap and Share” 56th Independence Anniversary competition – one of the 56 finalists. Voting for the winner ends tonight at 23:59h (Photo: Tourism Ministry via Facebook)

Should we be flaring, or gainfully exploiting our gas reserves?

Dear Editor, The question asked is: Is Guyana a real place; or a place where real, rational people live, work, and associate with each other?

At first it might appear to be a silly question, but further examination would show that there is strong validity in the statement.

But before I delve into the negatives of the statement, I must first accentuate the positives. Yes, Guyana is a real place; that is, all 83,000 square miles of it, where real, educated people live.

Having established that fact, I must further state that Guyana is also well known for its notorious traits, such as election-rigging, violence in politics, and negative economic growth. Central to the scenario painted above is that this country has become famous for its retrograde thinkers, persons whose thinking power is wrapped in a retrogression of negatives, and people who see things in that narrow, myopic mode of politics and

race. Their constant focus on the darker side of those things makes it difficult for them to create anything of developmental value.

I am talking about men and women who happen to be educated, yet lack the wherewithal to demonstrate an intelligent, positive outlook. So, for too long, this country languished in the doldrums, with no developmental trajectory to boost us up. However, in recent times, it seems that The Almighty has smiled upon us with large oil and gas deposits. We are also thankful that we have oil and a Government that can manage it; so, we are doubly blessed.

On this note, you must realise that we are extracting the crude oil while, at the same time, there is the flaring of the natural gas. In this regard, natural gas is wasted. Now, the Government has devised an economic plan to bring the gas to shore, and utilise its many uses for the development of Guyana.

Immediately, the

Opposition and its lackeys are heightening the negatives about gas to shore.

In the first place, they are up in arms against the Government bringing the gas pipelines to the closed Wales Estate location, saying it would destroy the mangrove ecosystem there.

In another negative move, they contend that it is too expensive a venture to bring the gas to shore, the Opposition Leader himself dogmatically sticking to his limited and opinionated view that it would be more lucrative for the Government to raise the taxes on ExxonMobil while they continue to flare.

For lack of a better word, I readily rubbish Norton's view as the most asinine ever, because what he promulgates is simply this: continue to flare and increase the incidence of global warming, and the whole suffers as a result, instead of profitably utilising the same if it comes to shore. This is among the glaring evidence of an Opposition steeped in back-

wardness.

Concerning the gas to shore, while it might be costly in the initial startup, the long-term benefits far outweigh the cost, and this is what the Government is focusing on. It makes perfect sense to utilise the gas to shore, because the economic advantages it will bring are unparalleled. The transformation in the economy would be phenomenal.

The narrow, myopic view of flaring, on the other hand, brings forth untold damage to the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming.

To this end, I would say go full speed ahead with the implementation of the gasto-shore project, and propel our development to greater heights.

At this point of our development, we cannot entertain the pessimism and retrograde proposals of the Opposition on gas to shore.

Let this country move forward.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

5

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

Volatile situation in schools requires appropriate pre-emptive interventions Dear Editor, When the situation in any school reaches the point where teachers have to abandon classes in protest, there is dire need for intervention by the authorities, parents and teachers in a tripartite arrangement. Are we heading for copycat situations in the USA where students take guns and other weapons to school and some of them use them? This situation needs to be addressed urgently.

Region Two, where I live, has seven secondary schools and one cannot envisage teachers being scared of students en masse and deserting the school. Is this an urban, inner-city problem where the culture and socialisation are different from rural areas?

Whatever it may be, it is a scary problem that needs attention. (Mind you, everywhere has model students who do not pose problems and this is not about them).

I have taught for 12 years in Guyana, 18 in Belize, one in Grand Turk (T&CI), one in USA, and 5 in Canada at primary, secondary and tertiary level institutions, and never encountered a situation as happened in Georgetown last week where teachers had to abandon classes in protesting students’ behaviour. My experience has exposed me to the best schools where students are highly competitive to the ones with at-risk students with behavioural problems

who are poor, from single-parent families and gang-affiliated, but teachers and administrators, including myself, are always in control. We need different many-pronged approaches to control new and emerging problems, rather than chalk and talk and corporal punishment, both of which are outdated.

In a letter of mine, published in the newspapers of July 11, 2015, titled Please Revamp and Modernise the Education System, Dr Roopnarine, one of the nine suggestions I made was, “Appoint trained counsellors in all schools for behavioural and vocational guidance.

Staff should also get counselling when necessary.”

Counselling referral forms should be filled out and given to the counsellor who should make the necessary intervention, including parent meetings. Counsellors should be proactive and check with teachers to become cognisant of issues that need addressing.

Additionally, have proper security, including abled security guards, surveillance cameras and screen students as they enter the school compound. Also, do not permit cell phones in classrooms as this leads to various issues including cheating at tests/exams. Liaise with the Police for quick responses when summoned. When I taught at RESA (Rockford

Environmental Science Academy) in Illinois, USA, there was a Police officer in the school for students that the teachers could not handle, and a room called the “Think Tank” where such students were kept and supervised till their parents arrived.

Moreover, have co-curricular activities (aka extra-curricular activities) such as clubs – chess, table tennis, volleyball, cricket, football, dominoes, debating, choir, art & craft, etc – and make it mandatory for students to be a member of at least one club, for several years, as part of the credits for graduation. Many of us learned to play chess and other games in school clubs and some of us could not wait for the dismissal bell to run out and take our place on the volleyball court, while others kicked footballs, etc. These activities are for both physical and physical conditioning, as well as life skills.

For effective influence, invite religious and community leaders to deliver motivational speeches to the students regularly. Instil in them that other people are poor, hungry and suffering and that they should make optimum use of their opportunity. Invite also role models, rehabilitated drug addicts and ex-convicts, and single parents who succeeded to share their experiences in an effort to inspire students.

Furthermore, have remedial classes for struggling students and use various methodologies for achievement.

Differentiated Instruction, the Multiple Intelligences approaches to learning, and the taxonomy of cognitive learning (recall, application, evaluation, etc) should be implemented by all teachers, some of whom need professional development. We cannot discount the fact that there are late developers, change in family circumstances, change in attitude and other factors that can cause students to improve academically and behaviourally.

There should be alternative/positive discipline. In Belize, students are issued with a Demerit/Merit Card on which demerits are crossed off, on one side, whenever there is a specific infraction, for example, no homework or disruptive in class. Five demerits result in detention, 15 in a suspension (which can be in-school), 25 which is the maximum can lead to expulsion after the school board meets. In between, there are counselling and parent conferences in an effort to modify undesirable practices/behaviours. On the obverse side of the card, students are given merits, which are also marked off and rewarded for accumulated merits with gifts, certificates, etc. The merits/demerits of each student is recorded in a notebook by the home-

A phantom and his deliberate lies Dear Editor, I am a firm believer in presenting facts in my letters and my conclusions are based on facts rather than fiction and Quixotic rantings. I have seen how easy it is for a person to write a letter to the press on happenings that never existed at events, malign peoples’ character, and expect people who were not present to believe their deliberate lies, since only a few present will know the truth.

I am writing in response to another letter captioned, “Aren’t sugar workers allowed to provide political support as they see fit?” in the Kaieteur News dated June 11, 2022. Yes, every citizen is entitled to support whichever political party they so choose but they must not be misled or deceived in doing so. Unfortunately, the basis of this letter is not grounded on incidents that he claimed occurred.

On June 3, 2022, the Vice President met with residents of Hampshire, the meeting was held in the Hampshire South area and was fairly well-attended. The residents raised issues of garbage, drains, street lights, and flood relief but at no point in time did anyone raise any issues relating to conditions at GuySuCo, more specifically

wages and salaries. I visited the area and met with some of the residents who attended that meeting and were totally shocked when I showed them a letter written by one Surendra Drepaul but not only did they refute the accusations he cast upon Vice President Jagdeo but they do not know any former employee and GAWU member by that name.

One showed me a video of the said meeting and was shocked by the claims the letter writer made. I even spoke to the GAWU’S Field Secretary at Albion Estate and he cannot recall any person by that name. This man is a phantom it appears and what he wrote about is sheer fantasy and a figment of his warped imaginations. The media was there and surely the journalists present would have reported such issues. But the pertinent question is: Why did ‘Surendra Drepaul’ not engage the Vice President there and then and probably make a video as evidence? This is the cell phone age. In addition, his letter is devoid of any specific question posed by sugar workers and which is not compatible when someone is reporting what he witnessed or was part of. He could not have done so because the incidents he mentioned never

happened. Undoubtedly, it is apparent that the few AFC mischief-makers are beginning to wriggle out of the woodwork.

‘Drepaul’ could not resist using the usual modus operandi of the AFC and the APNU of attacking the Vice President since they cannot match his sharp intellect and par excellence statesmanship. The VC is definitely a threat to their existence and has effectively disrupted their bid to rig the 2020 elections. Imagine this phantom accused the Vice President of spreading “lies” and “stooping to such lows”.

I did not respond to this in my previous letter because I knew that Jagdeo will never make such statements for he is above that and that was the reason why I dealt with what the PPP/C Government has done to keep sugar from the guillotine as I did not see any mention of this in the phantom’s letter.

I am reiterating that sugar workers must not be misled again as they did in 2015 when the coalition promised 20 per cent wages increase and not to close any sugar estate. It is my sacred and patriotic duty as the son of a cane cutter and a former cane cutter myself to advise my colleagues against forgetting what the PPP has

done for them and the country as a whole. From 2020 to now, the Government has pumped $15.5 billion into GuySuCo to ensure not only that it survives but that it becomes viable once again.

In my letter, I simply focused on the statement he made that “losing the support of sugar workers may be permanent next time”.

I am sure that the parents of this writer would have taught him not only to “never curse the bridge” but also to speak the truth at all times. Let me advise him that that bridge is the PPP and some ill-informed sugar workers must never curse it.

‘Drepaul’ tried a low blow to attack me personally but he should have followed all the letters I have written and TV programmes that I hosted and he would have realised that since the AFC colluded with the PNC to make this country ungovernable and to stymie socio-economic development after the 2011 General Elections, I have relentlessly fought the AFC and I am gratified that I have won my war against them and will continue to do so to ensure that the AFC stays as ‘dead meat’.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

room teacher in case there is loss or damage to the card.

Implement a zero-tolerance policy for bullying (which can lead to fatal retaliation and mental issues) and gang affiliation such as signs, tattoos, and association. Convene regular Parents’ Day in which parents, some lacking parenting skills, meet and are involved in good parenting practices such as monitoring and guiding their children. From experience, I know that parents of delinquent students hard-

ly ever attend these sessions, but some do and it is worth the effort.

We as guardians of our children cannot sit idly by and see that they go astray, then throw up our hands in resignation, belly-up, and point fingers when we need to act responsibly.

We have to be proactive instead of continuing to be reactive.

Sincerely, Karan Chand, Educationist

If you can vote like a boss, then work towards becoming a boss by getting employed today!

Dear Editor, Youths no longer can complain about not having a job.

The PPP/C Government is making it easy for them to find and keep a job either temporarily or permanently.

They are going to every region and declaring that the Government is committed to creating jobs for young people.

I want to say seize the opportunity to become employed and get valuable experience once it comes your way.

Do not listen to the politicians because most of them are employed or have businesses to fend for their families while many young people are surviving off of the strength of their parents or otherwise.

You must be the change you want to see in this world!

It starts with a simple application process with little or no academic qualifications and the possibilities are endless.

I think the Government

is doing the right thing with this entrepreneurial and job drive for young people.

This can help Guyana to bolster the economy, therefore stimulating and expanding the economic growth rates.

Any responsible adult will tell you the same. When it comes to education and supporting programmes to bolster youths and their development, politics have to take a back seat for me because I know the struggle to find meaningful employment before in Guyana.

I know the struggle to have bills to pay and live in Guyana so I implore young people of working age to take this golden opportunity offered by the PPP Government.

If you can vote like a boss then you must work towards becoming your boss by getting employed today!

Yours truly, Alvin Hamilton

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 14:32 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00

(Sign on) Inspirational Time Cartoons Evening News (RB) Cartoons Stop Suffering Stay Woke MasterChef Junior House Hunter Renovation Paternity Court Divorce Court Indian Movie - Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) No Good Nick S1 E4 Indian Soaps Richie Rich S2 E9 Inspector Gadget S2 E5 The Young & The Restless Monday Night Giveaways with DJ Stress The Evening News Love & Laughter NBA Finals Game 5

23:30 Whose Line Is It Anyway? S13 E7 00:00 Sign off

6

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

Page

Foundation

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

National Grade 6 Assessment 2020 Mathematics Paper 1

National Grade 6 Assessment 2020 English Language Paper 1

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

$5B in infrastructural contracts for Reg 3 – Jagdeo

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo in Region Three

R

egion Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) will be the recipient of $5 billion in infrastructural contracts from the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government, which is seeking to fix the region’s drainage and flooding woes.

This was revealed by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, during a recent Cabinet outreach to the region. He was accompanied by a number of other Ministers including Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha.

“We have awarded a number of contracts. We have awarded two contracts, with pumping capabilities, about $1.3 billion worth of contracts have been awarded. And they have two huge pumps there, in each of these locations, with capabilities of 240 cubic per second of water. So those would make a big difference here.”

“At Beeline, we’re now working to build a bigger

bridge across the road and open up the sluices there. Put in two major new sluice doors there. And then at Patentia, we’re working to expand capabilities there too,” Jagdeo further explained to the residents.

He noted that during previous consultations with farmers, they had said that the YR area is in need of drainage as well. According to Jagdeo, all of this goes towards improving the region’s drainage, which is constantly tested whenever there is heavy rainfall.

“Combined, this will be in excess of $5 billion of infrastructural works, right here in this end, to improve drainage. And already we’ve awarded about $1.3 billion of that. That would help in a major way, to solve the flooding issues we have in these areas,” Jagdeo said.

Guyana is presently in the midst of persistent rainfall that has caused flooding in several parts of the country. One of the worst-hit ar-

eas was Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), where persons continue to be severely affected by flooding as a result of the continuous rainfall in recent days coupled with the nearby rivers in Brazil overtopping into the Takutu river.

Referencing the 2021 countrywide floods that wiped out farms and resulted in millions of dollars in losses, the Hydrometeorological Office had urged farmers earlier this year to prepare themselves to encounter torrential downpours during the May-June season.

Flooding was so bad last year that on June 9, 2021, President Dr Irfaan Ali had declared flooding in the country a level two disaster. All ten administrative regions across the country had experienced flooding, with Regions 10, Seven, Six, Five, and Two being considered the most impacted areas.

During last year’s floods, several communities in Region Three were hard hit by floods. This had prompted Minister Mustapha to visit flood-hit communities and the Government had also deployed pumps from other locations to assist the sluices.

In 2021, the PPP/C Government had also embarked on ground works for the construction of replicas of the Hope Canal in at least three other regions across Guyana, to aid with drainage and irrigation and water management in those areas.

The Hope Canal, or Northern Relief Channel, which is located at Hope/ Dochfour, East Coast Demerara, is a multi-component channel that allows excess water from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) to be drained into the Atlantic Ocean via an eight-door sluice, so as to avoid overflow-

Residents at Canal #1

ing and possible flooding.

President Ali has said the Hope Canal was instrumental in preventing massive flooding along the East Coast of Demerara during the unprecedented May-June floods, and has announced that similar infrastructure would be constructed in other regions to curb devastating floods.

These include Regions Three, Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The $3.6 billion Hope Canal channel, which was conceptualised under the Bharrat Jagdeo-led Government, was constructed following the 2005 floods, when excessive rainfall compounded by a breach in the

embankment had resulted in Regions Four (DemeraraMahaica) and Five (MahaicaBerbice) experiencing massive flooding, causing significant damage to agricultural and residential areas. After several delays, the project became operational in 2016.

8 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

24 of 354 cases completed at April Demerara Criminal Assizes

T

he April Demerara Criminal Assizes commenced on the fifth day of that month with a total of 354 cases listed to be heard and ended on June 6.

Of these cases, only 24 were completed – 15 of them were presented at the Demerara High Court while the other nine were noll prosequi by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Justices Sandil Kissoon, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, and Jo-Ann Barlow sat during this Assizes.

Of the 15 matters presented, seven were for the offence of murder and eight for sexual offences. There were two formal verdicts of not guilty, three guilty verdicts by jury, five not guilty verdicts, and eight guilty pleas. A total of 18 accused persons appeared in these matters.

Senior State Counsel Lisa Cave in association with State Counsel Latifah Elliot and State Counsel Marissa Edwards completed four cases for the

The High Court in Demerara

offence of murder before Justice Barlow.

In one case, the trial Judge upheld a no-case submission and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty. In another two cases, the accused both pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter and were respectively sentenced to six years and seven months’ imprisonment and six years and four months’ imprisonment. And in the one other case, there were three accused persons indicted together. The jury acquitted all three with verdicts of not guilty for

the capital offence of murder and the lesser count of manslaughter. Meanwhile, in the Sexual Offences Court, State Counsel Caressa Henry, State Counsel Cicelia Corbin, and State Counsel Paneeta Persaud prosecuted eight matters before Justice Sewnarine- Beharry. In two of these matters the accused were found not guilty by jury verdicts. In another three matters, the jury returned guilty verdicts for the accused, and while one was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment, the other two are awaiting their sentence. In the

other three cases, the accused all pleaded guilty as charged. One accused was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment after the court made deductions for time spent on remand. The other two accused are awaiting sentencing. Senior State Counsel Abigail Gibbs together with State Counsel Muntaz Ali and State Counsel Taneisha Saygon completed three cases for the offence of murder before Justice Kissoon. In one case, the trial Judge ruled that the prosecution was not in a position to establish a prima facie case against the accused person and as such directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty. In the two other cases, the accused both pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter; they are awaiting sentencing. In addition, the nine cases nolle prosequi were for sexual offences in which the complainants submitted written statements of their desire not to proceed with the matters.

6 get bail over marijuana found in Mahdia-bound minibus

T

Charged: Nelvern Isaacs

he driver of a minibus and five passengers, who were initially charged and remanded to prison for drug trafficking, have been each released on $60,000 bail. Charged are the bus driver, Nelvern Isaacs, 40, of Supply, East Bank Demerara (EBD); Mervin Reddock of Lodge Housing Scheme, Georgetown; Devon Gomes of Station

Charged: Devon Gomes

Street, Kitty, Georgetown; Edward Evans of Uitvlugt Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara (WCD); Keron Tyrell of Wismar, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice); and Mahendra Ballsarran of North East Grove, EBD. Gomes, who was represented by Attorney-at-Law Bernard Da Silva, along with his co-accused were granted $60,000 bail. Their trial begins on June 23 at 10:00h.

On April 13, Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officers conducted an intelligence-led opera-

The parcels of marijuana that were found inside the bus

tion that resulted in the interception of a minibus destined for Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), carrying passengers and food supplies. The bus was stopped at Yarrowkabra village, Linden-Soesdyke Highway. A subsequent search of the minibus resulted in the discovery of parcels of suspected Cannabis sativa concealed in pieces of sponge and the arrest of six persons.

The drug had a total weight of 19.593 kilograms with a street value of approximately $6 million.

Remembering… …Rodney on Burnham’s dictatorship

T

oday’s the 42nd anniversary of the assassination of our greatest historian Walter Rodney, who lived his aphorism that the point is not to just analyse the world but to change it. The official CoI, which Granger tried to block, determined that Burnham conspired to assassinate him. While Rodney mocked Burnham – as “King Kong”, “Fat Boy” and “Kabaka”, he was actually assassinated for stripping away Burnham’s mystique: Read his words!

“The Burnham dictatorship has masked and camouflaged itself. It would prefer that its vices be hidden from the public. Why is this? Men in the past have boasted of being dictators….like Idi Amin. (But) The world has come to shun racist regimes…and all dictatorial governments. This climate of international opinion offers the first explanation as to why the Burnham dictatorship prefers to remain disguised.

“The Burnham dictatorship presents itself as its own opposite…as a democracy….(like) Hitler who subverted German bourgeois democracy in the 1930s. Burnham has taken a similar road to power – subverting the democratic system of which he was part in 1953. Hitler had a mad wish to rule the world. For this reason, he is generally described as a megalomaniac. Hitler’s megalomania was backed by the powerful German economy and the might of the German army. Burnham’s megalomania is closer to comedy and farce. It takes the form of wearing a General’s uniform and hoping that the army will conquer his own people.

“Like all classic dictatorships, that which exists in Guyana has fostered the cult of the personality. The minority PNC regime has used all manner of tricks and gimmicks to make the “Comrade Leader” appear to be a demi-god. (Like) on the exercise books of school children, the face of the reigning English Monarch was simply replaced by that of the Prime Minister. (There is also) the highly personalised nature of the dictatorship.

The dictator and his cronies make it their business to hire and fire….(via) the state control over the economy was the main weapon used to keep people in line. (or) who to prosecute in the courts…

“Burnham encourages around himself individuals who are weak or corrupt, because he then exercises vicious control over them….On the international scene, Burnham could never be a powerful force. But he has proved crafty and cunning in achieving his ends within Guyana. An old woman at Bourda shouted at a recent political meeting that “Burnham mek Satan cry!”

“The Burnham dictatorship crept up upon Guyanese people like a thief in the night. His violations of human rights were frequent, but they were sufficiently gradual that many persons did not realise what was going on until it was too late.”

People’s Power; No Dictator!! …to “Expose the Burnham Dictatorship” “We have said before that the Burnham dictatorship would prefer to hide under the disguise of being a democracy. Elections have not been abolished; instead they have been rigged in such a way as to become a complete mockery of the most fundamental of rights – the right to self-determination and free choice of one’s government. The rigged elections of 1968 and 1973 and the amazing referendum fraud of July 1978 all indicate that Guyanese people have not chosen the PNC clique.

The regime holds power by armed force. Guyanese are finding from their own experience that the dictatorship hates to be reminded that it is a dictatorship. To expose the dictatorship, the first step is to denounce the government as illegal and illegitimate.”

“Psychologically, the domination of the dictator has to be rejected. The population must learn to despise the falsehoods which surround the man; they must refuse to accept that he has any halo of greatness around him.”

“They must remove any confusion in their own minds and see the dictator clearly for what he is: a villain and a monster, the principal enemy of the people.” …Burnham’s touch “Our language (describing Burnham) must express not only ridicule but anger and disgust. Guyana has seen the “Burnham Touch” – anything he touches turns to shit!”

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

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

NEWS

9

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ease export restrictions on food items – Guyana advocates at WTO forum gotiations, the inclusion of language on special and differential treatment for economies, the definition of fish, and the issues required for WTO reform,” an information note from the Foreign Affairs Ministry stated.

Guyana’s advocacy for easing of restrictions on food exports mirrors its efforts in Caricom to advance regional food security.

While chairing the Caricom Special Ministerial Task Force on food production

Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd in Geneva, Switzerland

G

uyana has used its platform at the Twelfth Session of the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), to advocate on behalf of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) for small and developing States and the easing of export restrictions on food items, among other things.

Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Hugh Todd is presently at the conference which is being held from June 12 to 15 in Geneva, Switzerland.

In his address to delegates on Sunday, Todd spoke of the need for an agriculture reform programme that safeguards developing States and their economies.

“We support a future work programme for negotiations on agriculture that safeguards flexibilities for small vulnerable economies and least developed members. The agriculture reform programme should ensure that our countries can continue giving support to our food systems for enhanced food security and income generation,” he noted.

“It should not require any reduction in our domestic support entitlements or our bound tariffs. Further, as part of a positive outcome on food security at MC12, WTO Members should pledge to temper or eliminate the practice of imposing export restrictions on food items, including food purchased for humanitarian purposes by the World Food Programme,” Todd further

said.

Stressing the need for tangible outcomes, the Foreign Affairs Minister noted that negotiations on fisheries subsidies have been 20 years in the making. He further stressed that such an agreement must not punish small and vulnerable economies, which have not contributed to overcapacity and overfishing.

“The WTO must play its part in comprehensive responses to global pandemics. In so doing, there should be recognition of the strengths and weaknesses of individual WTO Members to participate in the global response,” Minister Todd explained.

“This means that highly resourced members should commit to sharing that capacity with lesser-endowed Members. This includes finding a way to provide equitable access to patented supplies, as and when needed, without undermining the incentives provided for innovation by the intellectually property system,” he added.

Todd also chaired a meeting of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) caucus in his capacity of the Caricom Spokesperson on WTO Issues. The meeting updated Caricom delegations on the latest developments and helped to refine the regional bloc’s positions on the issues of fisheries, agriculture agreement, WTO reform, and E-Commerce.

“During the meeting, Caricom Member States reaffirmed their commitment to the need for an agreement on fisheries ne-

and food security, Guyana hosted the recently concluded Agri-Investment Forum and Expo.

President Dr Irfaan Ali has said that in the next four years, with the assistance of more diversified crops, Guyana would aim to reduce Caricom’s food import bill by 25 per cent. To this end, the President had made a comprehensive presentation to regional heads on food security strategies during Caricom’s 33rd Inter-Sessional Meeting in

March.

Months after assuming office, President Ali had charged the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry to assess and address the hurdles related to exporting food and agricultural products to markets within the Region. As such, concerns about barriers to trade in some Caricom markets were raised with the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) earlier this year.

The Ministry subsequently formed a National Working Group on Barriers to Trade against Exports from Guyana. According to the assessment on market access by the Working Group, most of the challenges found were related to technical measures including sanitary and phytosanitary measures. It also found several technical and administrative regulations that were all hampering the export of Guyanese products.

10 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mother of 3 missing East La Penitence man arrested after joining taxi at with 1410g suspected cannabis East La Penitence A

Missing woman: Kayren Felix

A

25-year-old mother of three has been missing since June 4 after she went to meet a man she met on social media.

The woman, who has been identified as Kayren Felix, was last seen entering a taxi at East La Penitence, Georgetown – after meeting the man.

The woman’s sister, Elizabeth Felix, in an interview with another section of the media, said she had accompanied her sister to the man’s house and subsequently left.

“The last time I saw her

was on Saturday evening.

We both went to a friend of hers but I leave and went away. She called about half an hour later and tell me that she will be leaving just now to come to the park. I told her that I was about to go to the park from where I was, so I am going to reach her there,” the sister related.

The woman's sister said when she arrived at the minibus park, Kayren was not there and all calls made to her phone were futile.

After waiting for some time, the woman said her sister

never showed up. She said after her sister did not return home, she went to the Police and made a missing person’s report.

“He [the friend] claimed that he put her in a vehicle, a yellow wagon an hour after I leave…we get footage from the gas station showing us, yes indeed, he bring her out, but we didn't get to see if he stopped the car or she stopped the car,” the sister related.

Based on the CCTV footage seen by the family, after the woman was placed into the car, the friend was seen walking away. The family was unable to get the car’s registration number due to poor lighting in the area.

“I am going to go there and I am going beg and ask anyone who can show me the footage so that I can get the number plate for the car.

The man said they go out to stop a bus, but when he put out he hand, a car stopped,” the sister explained.

The woman said upon questioning the man, she was told that it was the first time he met her sister in person. The family is asking anyone who might have knowledge of the woman’s whereabouts to contact the nearest Police station.

2 8 - y e a r - o l d man from East La Penitence, Georgetown, was arrested on Sunday morning after he was caught with 1410 grams of suspected marijuana.

The discovery was made sometime around 09:00h at an unfinished house in Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara.

Acting on information received, Police said ranks went to Den Amstel, where contact was made with the male suspect who was found standing next to a table.

The table had a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis along with a bulky black haversack.

One of the ranks, identified himself to the suspect as a policeman dressed in plain clothing, and in the presence of the other ranks told the suspect of his suspicion.

They then carried out further searches, and inside the black haversack which was on the table were two transparent plastic bags each containing a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The 28-year-old man was cautioned, arrested and escorted to the Leonora Police Station, where the suspected narcotic was weighed in his presence.

The suspect was placed into custody pending charges.

Ganja found during Police intelligenceled operation at Bagotville, 1 arrested

The narcotics found during the operation

P

olice ranks on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD) on Saturday arrested one person during an intelligence-led operation which unearthed a quantity of marijuana.

Acting on information received, the officers went to a stand in front of an abandoned Chinese supermarket located at Bagotville junction, WBD. While there, they conducted a search on a 36-yearold miner during which they found three transparent zip lock bags in his left-side

pocket. The bags contained a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The suspect was arrested and escorted to the La Grange Police Station along with the narcotics, which was weighed and amounted to 10.7 grams.

The miner was placed in custody pending investigation.

Meanwhile, a search was also conducted inside the abandoned Chinese supermarket, where a bulky black transparent plastic bag

which contained 28 zip lock plastic bags containing more cannabis was found hanging on a wood.

The ranks further searched the back of the building and found another bulky green transparent plastic bag hanging on a nail, and when opened, it contained a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The suspected narcotics were then taken to the La Grange Police Station, where it was weighed and amounted to 282 grams.

NEWS

11

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU happy AFC staying in coalition till December …as AFC demands greater role in policymaking

T

he People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is pleased with the Alliance For Change’s (AFC) decision to stay within the coalition until the expiry of the Cummingsburg Accord later this year.

“APNU lauds the decision of the delegates at yesterday’s National Conference to recommit to the APNU+AFC coalition ideal,” the Aubrey Nortonled party expressed in a statement on Sunday.

It added that the AFC’s decision to remain in the coalition will “add impetus” to the parties’ “joint efforts” to win the next national election.

The AFC on Saturday held its National Executive Conference (NEC) where its members, after much debate, voted to stick with the APNU despite several concerns.

A total of 285 delegates and 50 observers were in attendance in six locations across Guyana and two overseas for the conference.

One of the first matters on the agenda was whether the AFC should remain in the coalition.

The issue was discussed under the party’s “Way Forward” document which was put to vote, with the AFC eventually deciding to stay in a revised coalition or parliamentary cooperation.

Opposition Norton

Leader

Aubrey

It was discussed whether the AFC can “stay in a revised political alliance with APNU, whether coalition or a parliamentary cooperation agreement but the AFC must demand and secure a firm agreement and structure for it to have a greater influence on policy positions and political action within the alliance while maintaining its independence and rebranding and regaining its identity. This option will require political maturity and pragmatism on the part of APNU, which may not be forthcoming”.

It was noted that in keeping with the vote, AFC will remain in an alliance with APNU until the expiration of the Cummingsburg Accord in December 2022, when it will be reviewed.

The AFC had joined hands with the APNU to contest the 2015 General

and Regional Elections and the coalition subsequently won. The parties signed the Cummingsburg Accord, which outlined the parliamentary seats and ministerial portfolios for AFC and APNU members, respectively.

However, APNU, led by former President David Granger, had been accused of continuously violating the Accord. The party announced in 2020 that it would be reviewing the Accord.

On December 24, 2019, after much back and forth between APNU and the AFC, a revised Cummingsburg Accord was signed, but the full details were never released to the public.

Collaboration

Meanwhile, the APNU has also expressed congratulations to the newly-elected members of the AFC’s hierarchy, noting that it is looking forward to continued collaboration between the two sides.

AFC’s Leader Khemraj Ramjattan was re-elected to that position, winning against his only contender for the post, David Patterson, who previously served as General Secretary.

His position has now been taken over by Sherod Duncan while the party’s Vice Chairpersonship went to Cathy Hughes.

“We specially wish to congratulate Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan for retaining his position as Party Leader. Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Aubrey C. Norton, has already called Mr Ramjattan to offer his personal congratulations,” APNU noted in its statement.

“Our compliments also extend to Cathy Hughes (as the newly-elected Chair), to ‘Ricky’ Ramsaroop (as the newly-elected Vice-Chair), to Sherod Duncan (as the newly-elected General Secretary), and to the AFC’s entire new National Executive Council. APNU looks forward to collaborating with Leader Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan and the party’s entire new executive in a spirit of cooperation, consensus, and mutual respect,” APNU added.

Fallout

One of the most recent fallouts between the APNU and the AFC dates back to September 2020 regarding the election of the Chair and Vice Chair for the Region Four Regional Democratic Council (RDC) whereby the AFC was snubbed for the position of Vice Chair despite a previous agreement between the two sides.

The move had resulted in Patterson resigning as General Secretary of the party but he had subsequently flipflopped on that position.

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

“The Alliance For Change behaved honourably and with integrity and would have upheld the Accord and Addendum.

The party also noted the responses offered by the Leader of APNU as to the reasons why the similar provision was not upheld by APNU,” the AFC said in its statement…The NEC was of the strong view, that a fundamental breach of the Accord was committed, as such a committee has been established to provide guidance and recommendations to the party on the continued effectiveness of the Accord as well as a review of the mechanisms to effect any future agreements,” the AFC had said in a statement in October 2020, following a meeting with the APNU on the matter.

Since it came into office after joining forces with

the APNU in 2015, the minority AFC has been criticised for the submissive role it has been playing to the APNU. Decisions the former Government made, such as the closure of sugar estates, which put thousands of sugar workers out of jobs, were passed unchallenged and even supported by the AFC. This is despite the AFC retaining the Agriculture Ministry.

This passive relationship with APNU was cited by former AFC parliamentarian Charrandas Persaud, as one of the reasons he voted for the NoConfidence Motion that brought down the APNU/ AFC Government in 2018.

In addition, there has been the former Government’s strategic reallocation of responsibilities away from Ministries that were headed by AFC officials, to other Ministries.

This has included removing oil and gas from the former Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and citizenship from the former Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan.

There is also the fact that despite the Cummingsburg Accord containing stipulations that should have seen the former Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo being vested with the responsibility for chairing Cabinet and domestic issues, the former APNU Government never honoured this.

12 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 13,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Barbados distributors want Guyanese products on shelves – GMSA President …agro-products “major hit” at Bridgetown’s Agro Fest

GMSA President Rafeek Khan with one of the Guyanese exhibitors who was sold out at Agro Fest

T

he participation of over 50 Guyanese exhibitors at last month’s Agro Fest in Bridgetown, Barbados, has yielded positive feedback with at least eight Barbados distributors looking to have local products on the shelves of the island state.

This is according to President of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services

mostly in agro-processed products that were displayed by the Association’s membership.

Spices, coconut products and a variety of sauces are some of the key products being sought, he explained while adding that a local furniture manufacturer also received excellent feedback.

“But in terms of the agro-processing products,

to the sale of all the products they took. At the close of the event the second day, 98 per cent of products were sold and committed. They didn’t mark it down cheap to get rid of the products. They went there and they sold their products.”

“It's important to highlight though, while companies went there to do business to business engagement – to find distributors, to find investors, to find dealers for their products – what ended up happening eventually, without actually planning

Barbadians flocked the Guyana Pavilion to check out local products

In addition, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) also participated in the expo and received tremendous feedback for its finished sugar product. The Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) was there as well representing many of the smaller companies/businesses that could not attend the event.

According to the GMSA Head, efforts would be un-

range from the agriculture and agro-processing sector to housing and the extractive sector, specifically forestry and quarrying products.

“We also have quarry people who wants to send sand and stones to Barbados. We want to bring limestone to Guyana. So, there's a wide array of products and services, I must say as well, that we could perhaps be exchanging between the two

Barbadians enjoying the Guyana-made furniture displayed at the exhibition

Association (GMSA), Rafeek Khan.

Under the theme “Greening Together Ah Caribbean Thing,” Agro Fest 2022 was held in Queens Park, Bridgetown, from May 28-29. The event saw a total of 150 delegates from Guyana participating, of which 55 were exhibitors including 35 members of the GMSA ranging from a variety of sectors.

During an interview with Guyana Times on the outcome of the event, Khan disclosed that agro-processed products were a “major hit” amongst consumers in Barbadian.

In fact, he disclosed that just two weeks after the expo, several supermarket dealers and distributors from Barbados have already reached out to have Guyanese products on their shelves.

“Of those 35 persons who exhibited their products in Barbados from the GMSA, at least eight potential distributors are seeking to get their products on their shelves.”

“I think right now those companies are going through their thought process in terms of capacity building, their pricing, their compliance and be able to build up capacity to be able to ship to Barbados.”

According to the GMSA President, the interests were

definitely those who have exhibited those type of products in an excellent way.”

Presentation of Guyanese products

Khan said the GMSA is extremely pleased with the efforts put in by the exhibitors to package and present their products, especially the agro-processing products, in an enticing way to attract interest from the Barbadian consumers as well as potential business.

He explained that the recently held UncappeD Marketplace held on April 30 to May 1 and the inaugural Agro-Invest Forum and Expo hosted from May 19-21 in Guyana played a critical role in preparing businesses for participation in regional events.

Khan noted that following those two events, they were able to identify the key companies who were “kind of ready” for the export market and help position them to take the next step.

With the assistance of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), the GMSA shipped a 40-feet container with local products for the exhibition in Bridgetown.

“Together we worked and presented the products with the exhibitors… On the first open day, I would guess to say at least 30 per cent of the persons were committed

President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Mia Mottley toured the Guyana Pavilion following the formal opening ceremony of Agro Fest 2022

it, is that the consumers of Barbados were able to engage with these business owners from Guyana to understand their products even more.”

Khan pointed out that a distributor can talk about a product but no one can do that better than the manufacturer or maker.

“So, those 55 exhibitors who were there, they told their stories and they demonstrated their products. They got the feedback on the pricing, quality and whatever else. So, there were lessons to learn, what to do next in preparing their products with packaging, labelling, quality, pricing, positioning in the marketplace and so on.

These companies had an excellent opportunity to learn and understand the consumer before they prepare to get into engagements in business for more mass distribution and marketing, which is important.”

because the wider segment of our membership are made up of those areas so we can be comfortable in taking the next step in engagement of business [in those sectors].”

As it is, Khan contended that Guyana produces a lot that can be sold to Barbados, as well as other countries.

In fact, he revealed that currently, Guyana is importing more from Bridgetown than it is selling there.

“So, more to follow on what products we can actually get from Barbados at a competitive rate because Barbados is expensive. So, I'm not too sure what are some of the key products that we can perhaps be competitive in our market space.

But there'll be more products that we'll be send that I can think of.”

In the same breath, he noted that there are a lot of areas in the services sector that Guyana can tap into from Barbados’ expertise. Already, the Guyana Government is seeking Barbados’ help to train professionals in the local hospitality sector.

The GMSA President believes there is scope to expand this.

“The service end is where they are going to be trans-

dertaken to see how those businesses can tap into and benefit from the opportunities coming out of Barbados.

Trade logistics

Nevertheless, following that overwhelming experience and consequent feedback, the GMSA President said the Association is now following up by working on addressing some non-tariff barriers such as logistics, freight cost to Barbados and consolidation.

Khan went on to note that the St Barnabas Accord, which was signed by President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley to create one domestic space between the two countries in areas across multiple sectors, has several key components that the GMSA wants to work on to implement this year.

Already, the Association has identified those priority areas from the Accord that

Barbadians checking out Guyanese products at last month’s exhibition

countries.”

“So, as we go forward, we're going to be proposing to the Government of Guyana from the GMSA that we identify the key elements of the Accord that we can execute this year… There are going to be other elements of the Accord that will, of course, come on board but those are the ones that we feel comfortable with and I'm saying that

ferring [from Barbados] here and when I say service it’s the hospitality, the tourism, the architecture, the engineering, the professional services.

So, it’ll be those consultancy, tourism type of services they can bring to Guyana that are non-tangible goods.”

“We're going to be sending a lot of goods there and they are going to be bringing a lot of skills here.”

NEWS

13

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Arrival of 1000 black belly Capoey residents complain bitterly about deplorable access road sheep from Barbados expected within 2 months

Black belly sheep

T

he Agriculture Ministry is currently putting safe and adequate transportation mechanisms in place for the 1000 Barbados black belly sheep, which are expected to land on Guyana’s shores within two months.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Saturday told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that Guyana and Barbados advanced talks on the initiative, during the Minister’s recent visit to the Barbadian State just over two weeks ago for Agro Fest 2022.

“We will try to get sufficient transportation to bring 1000 of the animals to Guyana. I can’t give a time stamp, but I am hoping that very shortly, within a month or two they can be available to Guyana,” he explained.

Zulfikar noted that Barbados’ Prime Minister,

Mia Mottley, has instructed the Bajan Minister of Agriculture and his team to ensure that the small ruminant animals are sent at the earliest.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali launched the Black Belly Sheep Project in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) on March 27, as his Administration moves to intensify Guyana’s agriculture programme.

Farmers have already been assured that the Government will give full support to the industry to prepare their fields for the initiative.

Already, 78 farmers have signalled their interest in the project and have signed up, making about 1325 acres of their land available.

The world import value on mutton and mutton products is US$8 billion. Caricom alone imports 7900 tonnes of mutton at US$48 million an-

nually. The four major markets in the region are the Bahamas, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.

From 2016 to 2019, the industry has grown in Caricom from US$36 million to close to US$48 million.

Guyana is looking to expand its local production above 7000 tonnes at the end of a five-year period.

The approach will require a capital investment of over $231.8 billion (US$175 million) and approximately 25,000 acres of land. The expected earning is estimated at over $8.6 billion (US$43 million) annually.

“We have right within our arm’s reach a market that can generate a value of US$48 million.

And who supplies Caricom right now? Australia and New Zealand. With the cost of freight and logistics cost increases, it is becoming more and more expensive, that is why this is a low hanging fruit, Caricom is right within our arm’s reach,” the President emphasised.

The Administration wants 20 per cent of the sheep farms to be led by women and 35 per cent of young people below the age of 35 involved. Government in its 2022 budget earmarked $28.7 billion to ensure the rapid growth and development of Guyana’s agriculture sector.

The deplorable access road at Capoey Compound

R

esidents of Capoey Compound, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), are seriously concerned about the deplorable state of the access road and are calling on authorities to have it fixed so as to prevent further damages.

According to residents, the heavy downpours during recent times have worsened the condition of the road.

This is further compounded by the constant traversing of heavy-duty trucks and tractors on the already deplorable thoroughfare.

During a recent visit to Capoey Compound, residents complained bitterly about the situation to this publication.

One of the residents,

Madodrie Jaigobin, told Guyana Times that after shopping at the supermarket, she is forced to walk in the street with her heavy bags because the hire car and taxi drivers, being concerned about damages to their vehicles, are refusing to drive on the road.

“It is very difficult to walk in the street with heavy bags and them car men nah does want drop us in the street because of its terrible state,” Jaigobin said Like many residents, Jaigobin believes that heavy-duty trucks are a major contributing factor to the current state of the road.

“We the resident of Capoey Compound need our street to be fix… we deserve

better. It’s not the first and second time we complaining about the road; it’s overbearing now. It’s not just small holes but if you look is huge, huge holes on this street right through. We deserve a better dam here,” she contended.

Another resident, Pream Premodeep told this newspaper that while the regional officials are aware of the situation in the community, to his knowledge, no attempt has been made recently to repair the deplorable road.

He added that some minor works were done earlier this year where the holes were filled with sand and stones. However, these were substandard as the road began to erode a few weeks after.

Residents also said that the large potholes and depressions are causing damages to their vehicles thus incurring additional expenses.

“This road; it damaging my car bumper every day when I have to pass and come through this road here. It is worse here when it floods,” another resident stated.

He noted that the terrible state of the road has seen him having to regularly fix scratches and dents on his vehicle.

14 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 13,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Senior Police officials fan out countrywide to build better relationships with the public

Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton Hicken during his outreach in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara)

O

ver the weekend, senior Police officials fanned out across the country to build better relationships with the public.

Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton Hicken visited Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) while Commander of Region Four – East Bank Demerara, Denise Griffith hosted a community outreach and Deputy Commissioner of Operations (ag) Ravindradat Budram launched a Police Youth Group in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

On Saturday, the Top Cop met with residents of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD), where he addressed a number of their concerns with respect to crime and policing.

During the exercise, Hicken emphasised the need for unity and partnership between the Police and communities, assuring that the

Guyana Police Force (GPF) is continuously developing its internal capacity to meet the demands of the citizens.

He noted too that the GPF is going through a phase of modernisation and therefore, persons can look forward to improvements at all Police stations countrywide.

Moreover, the Top Cop urged residents to play their part to eradicate crime from their communities.

"You do not need crime in your community. As such, you must do everything in your power to ensure that you mitigate against crime in your community," Hicken urged.

"If you see something, say something," he added.

He also contended that citizens must have easy access to the Police Commissioner and all Divisional Commanders.

“This is not a Police Force

where you could not have spoken to the Commissioner, this is not a Police Force where you don't have contact with the Commander…this is a Police Force where the doors are always open and the community is the GPF's eyes and ears,” Hicken stated.

Meanwhile, after listening to residents’ concerns about crime in the area, the Top Cop instructed that a vehicle be assigned to the La Parfaite Harmonie Police Station to aid in patrol duties during the evening.

"We want you to enjoy a peaceful community, we want to have communities where everyone can live together and not live in fear of each other," he explained.

Instructions were also passed on to Divisional Commander Mahendra Siwnarine to establish no less than ten community policing groups within La

Parfaite Harmonie. In fact, the Commander was given up to June 17 to ensure this is done.

Moreover, the Top Cop also assured the residents that “no haphazard behaviour” would be accepted from members of the Police Force. He contended that under his leadership, ethical standards will be maintained in the Force.

Region Four outreach

Meanwhile, the EBD Commander on Sunday held a community outreach at Soesdyke where scores of residents attended and several of their concerns were addressed.

One such issue is that of noise nuisance, which, the Police Commander contended, will not be tolerated in her Division.

During the interactive session, Commander Griffith reminded the residents that

the community needs the Police just as much as the Police needs them.

She also underscored the importance of having the adults in the community guide the youths down better paths.

Youth Group

This topic was the focus of the outreach held by Deputy Commissioner Budram when he met with residents of Region Two under the Social Crime Prevention Initiative.

Accompanied by Commander Shivpersaud Bacchus and other ranks of the Division, Budhram on Saturday held an outreach at Onderneeming on the Essequibo Coast.

During this programme, the Deputy Commissioner engaged residents, key stakeholders from Government and nongovernmental organisations, youths and members of the business community.

Budhram also deliberat-

ed on the Force's stance on "Community-based Policing" with emphasis particularly on social crime prevention intervention.

"Youths play a pivotal role in society and is equally important to the development of an economy," Budhram said. “It is with this in mind that the Guyana Police Force continues to effortlessly protect the youths from crime and criminal elements that may want to present themselves as an opportunity to create juvenile delinquents,” it was explained.

As a result, a Police Youth Group with a membership of 40 youths ranging from the age of 6 to 16, was immediately established and launched at the exercise.

Budhram told the gathering that the youths will be engaged meaningfully on a weekly basis.

Moreover, a number of activities were outlined as part of a “Calendar of Activities” for the new group.

Close to 300 apply for Govt’s home construction assistance – Minister Croal

C

lose to 300 persons have already registered for the Government’s Home Construction Assistance Programme, which provides assistance to Guyanese to access finances to construct their homes.

This was revealed by Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal, during a recent interview with reporters.

According to a DPI report, he said that of the 300 persons who registered since applications opened on May 30, some 100 persons were pre-approved by the banks for financing to build their homes.

“It means that they [registered persons] will eventually move to the pre-approval stage. For some of them, they may be short of a particular document to show to the bank. Some instantaneously got their approval on the spot,” Minister Croal explained.

The Minister said that the programme extends to persons who own lands acquired through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) or privately.

He clarified that “It is not for structures that are in progress, it is for persons who

A prospective homeowner applying for the Construction Assistance Programme at the exercise in Linden

have their lands, and have difficulties getting that startup to build.”

Minister Croal further explained that it is important that the applicant shows ownership of the land, since it will be used as the equity to the bank.

“What they do, is for example if five per cent works out to $500,000, then that amount goes towards the overall cost for the mort-

gage…In essence, you can have zero and get the financing to build your home.”

Under the Home Construction Assistance Programme, applicants can select one of three categories of units available. These are two-bedroom flat units costing $7 million, three-bedroom flat units for $9 million and three-bedroom elevated units at $12 million.

The programme is the

brainchild of President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali. It seeks to accelerate the Government’s housing drive, while also addressing challenges faced by Guyanese families who have acquired Government or private lands but are unable to build their homes, due to inaccessibility to financing and issues with contractors.

Applications for the programme officially opened

on May 30 at the Ministry’s Head Office on Brickdam, Georgetown and a number of persons have capitalised on the opportunity. It was then taken to Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) last week and over 60 persons were registered.

The programme is expected to be launched in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on June 14.

On May 16, the Head of State announced a series of new measures to boost the housing and construction sector including the establishment of a Home Construction Assistance Facility and the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on specific construction materials.

Under the assistance facility, President Ali had explained that Government will support the applicant through the process of applying for bank financing, to meet the cost of constructing the home and would also look at helping in the initial phase of construction by releasing resources to expedite the construction process and help in bringing the banks and the homeowners together so that persons own their own homes faster.

“The Government will also undertake the construction of home on behalf of the applicant and deliver to the applicant a complete home in accordance with the option selected. We expect that this measure will help drastically accelerate the capacity of Guyanese families to own and occupy their own home and house lots they’ve already owned or that they have been allocated but on which they are currently having difficulties managing the complex process of homeownership and also having access to financing,” he stated.

The Guyanese leader contended that his Administration has recognised that there is a great need in society for prospective homeowners to have a one-stop or a comprehensive solution to take away the burden of going through the bank.

Meanwhile, the other measure announced by the President was the removal of VAT on sheetrock and concrete boards until the market stabilises. Already, the Aliled Government has removed VAT on a wide range of basic construction materials including cement.

NEWS

15

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Encouraging start” as 153 children aged 5-11 get vaxxed against COVID-19

…plan already in place to access 60,000 more doses of paediatric vaccines

A

s Government begins the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for the 5-11 age group, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said once the immunisation drive proves successful, plans are already in place to access 60,000 more doses to meet the local demand.

Guyana on June 6, 2022, received a shipment of 52,800 doses of the specially-formulated Pfizer vaccines for this age group of children, a donation from the Government of Spain.

Following this donation, the Government organised a vaccination drive at the National Cultural Centre tarmac on Saturday where parents brought out their children to get the jabs.

A total of 153 children within the 5-11 age cohort got vaccinated at the event.

Health Advisor Dr Leslie Ramsammy, in an invited comment, noted that this figure is an “encouraging start”.

“We will plan more outreaches through drivethroughs, in schools, through house-to-house campaigns and through health centres,” Dr Ramsammy told this publication on Sunday.

In fact, he said authorities will be targeting the Line Path Primary School

A child getting vaxxed during the immunisation drive at the National Cultural Centre on Saturday

in Skeldon, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) today.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media on the sidelines of the vaccination drive on Saturday, the Health Minister said based on the response to this shipment of vaccines, the Government has a backup plan in place to access another 60,000 doses.

“This was an event we were planning for a long time; we had anticipated that we would have been able to access these vaccines for a while now, but

there were lots of challenges, getting vaccines for this age group because, there is a global shortage of these types of vaccines. We were, however, very pleased when we approached the Government of Spain that they readily agreed to donate these paediatric doses to us,” the Health Minister explained.

He noted that permission slips will be given out to schools through a collaboration with the Ministry of Education, and schools with

a larger percentage of parents agreeing to have their children vaccinated will be visited.

At the event, Dr Ramsammy had told the media that no child will be left behind in this campaign.

“The fact of the matter is, COVID is not over. Too many of us believe that COVID has come, did its thing and has left, it has not left, and indeed what the world is finding is the emergence of newer variants, some of which have learnt to

escape the vaccine, and if we don’t take advantage now of vaccinating our children our elderly, and all persons from five and above we are creating the platform for new variants,” Dr Ramsammy said.

Guyana is one of the first countries in this region to acquire the Pfizer vaccines, for children 5-11 years. The Ministry of Health is urging parents and guardians to make use of this opportunity to get their children vaccinated.

In March 2022, authorities had expressed concerns about the potential wastage of these vaccines, if parents do not consent to their children receiving the jabs.

This was in light of the low vaccination uptake for the 1218 age cohort.

“Vaccines are available and it is astonishing that you have something that could help reduce the severity of COVID and we still have hesitancy where parents are not allowing their children to come forward and get vaccinated,” the Health Minister had bemoaned.

He added, “if the vaccination rates that we’re seeing in the 12 to 17 age group, it’s not really encouraging because we have these vaccines right now and yet we have some amount

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony

of hesitancy and parents are not bringing their children for the 12 to 17. So, when we get the vaccines for the 11 to 5, I hope that we will get parents bringing out their children, because the Government is investing substantial sums of money to be able to acquire these vaccines.”

It was recently noted that while the majority of the confirmed COVID-19 cases are adults, one-third of the 65,272 cases recorded as of June 6 are among children.

In March 2022, it was revealed that some 10,078 persons under the age of 19 were infected with COVID since the start of the pandemic – representing 15 per cent of total cases detected in the country.

Order of Malta Embassy recognised for humanitarian work in Guyana – to expand services across country

H

aving recently been recognised for its humanitarian work here, the Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta in Guyana is now looking to take its services to more people across the country.

During the Spring pilgrimage to Lourdes in France last month, The Embassy of the Order of Malta in Guyana received international recognition, a release from the organisation stated. Additionally, a mass was held on May 4 to pray for the sick in Guyana.

Since 2017, the Embassy of the Order of Malta has been doing its part to support a range of issues here in the country including, but not limited to, migrant healthcare as well as educational support.

“Our focus is truly humanitarian, in assisting refugees and other displaced persons in most places in the world,” it stated.

In the area of healthcare, the medical mission has been supporting migrants and displaced persons by supplying critically needed healthcare services. This is done through St Joseph Mercy Hospital in Georgetown, as part of the Blessed Gerard Paediatric Mission.

Additionally, a medical doctor would visit Port Kaituma in Region One (Barima-Waini), to take care of the needs of residents of that community and contiguous areas, as well as the

A child receiving a check-up at of the Embassy’s medical outreaches

Venezuelan migrants. Apart from the range of healthcare services offered, vitamins are also distributed.

The Fund for Forgotten People – a British-American foundation – approved a grant for the first years of support in 2019/2020, and has now greenlighted a second one to allow for the continuation of this project in Port Kaituma.

Medical Outreaches comprising doctors and the St Joseph Mercy Hospital Mobile Clinic have been ongoing in three regions: Regions One, Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

Now, the Embassy disclosed that it will be expanded in the coming year to include Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

The Order of Malta in Guyana also collaborates with the St John Ambulance Brigade which is headed by its Chairman and Councillor, Vibart Parvattan. The St John’s Ambulance Brigade promotes the training and education in first aid to all age groups.

Meanwhile, in the education field, the Embassy, through private funding, has hired two special needs teachers. These special needs teach-

Members of the Embassy of the Order of Malta in Guyana with children from Cristel’s Academy of Excellence

ers are based in two locations – the special needs home for children at Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, and Cristel’s Academy of Excellence, in La Parfait Harmonie, on the West Bank of Demerara.

A further sponsorship programme ensures that children who are resident in orphanages and who have outstanding academic results are awarded scholarships.

Such students are recommended by their school principals.

Malteser is the worldwide relief agency of the Order of Malta for humanitarian aid.

Through Malteser, the Sovereign Order has been in

the forefront globally in assisting Ukrainians at the Polish, Hungarian and Slovakian Borders. Funding accounts have been have set up in the Malteser Magazine for donations. As the war escalated in Ukraine, the Order of Malta responded by organising buses to transport families across the borders and assist them to get settled through its volunteer programmes in those countries.

Globally, in 2018, two million patients were treated in medical facilities through the support of the Order of Malta.

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta, officially the Sovereign Military

Hospitaller Order of Saint John, of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, commonly known as the Order of Malta, Malta Order or Knights of Malta. It is a Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of a military, chivalric and noble nature. It was founded

by Blessed Gerard in 1048 in Jerusalem. The Order of Malta has ambassadors in over 112 countries across the world and is the oldest medical mission in the world.

The Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta in Guyana is headed by Ambassador Viscount Roland Donin de Rosiere KM.

16 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GPF conducts site visits in Regions 1, 2 & 9 to establish new Zara centres

Deputy Police Commissioner (Administration) Calvin Brutus and his team conducting site visits across the regions to identify a suitable location for new Zara Computer Centres and Skills Training Centres

D

e p u t y Commissioner of Administration (acting) Calvin Brutus and a Police delegation on Saturday made site visits to several divisional headquarters in an effort to find a suitable plot of land or building to house a Zara Computer Training Centre and a Skills Training Centre.

The team conducted inspections at Mabaruma in Region One (BarimaWaini), Charity in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), and Lethem in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

Brutus and his team were also slated to conduct a similar visit to Mahdia in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) but were unable to do so due to time constraints and a very tight schedule given the distance that had to be trav-

elled.

"Our visit here…even though short, is a significant one in that we are planning to do multiple things at one visit in a short time. In fact, we can refer to this visit as more of a reconnaissance mission because between now and August, myself and the Commissioner will be back here to spend a day meeting with the officials and meeting with the youths and addressing other security matters,” Brutus told scores of persons at a meeting in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) in Mabaruma.

Brutus further told the meeting that the Police Force wishes to accelerate its collaboration with all stakeholders in society, to provide security to help develop the nation and to encourage investors based

on Guyana’s security landscape to be willing to come and invest in the country, which brings with it the obvious spin-off benefits such as employment, further development, and the injection of foreign direct investment – cash and other resources.

As the premier law enforcement agency in Guyana, Brutus said the Police Force is setting out boldly to achieve this level of collaboration and partnership with stakeholders in society. “[Our] visit is premised on (finding) a location for the Zara Computer Training Centre and a Skills Training Centre.

We’re trying to do both in one building, as we’re doing in other parts of the country. We are trying to put the computer centre at the top and use the bottom area of the building to train

youths and other members of the community, whether they are school dropouts, or single mothers/parents,” Brutus explained.

He noted that the skills training programmes in the various regions will be centrally managed by the newly-established Community Relations Department headed by Woman Superintendent Crystal Robinson. Some of the skills training will be done in areas such as cosmetology, barbering, welding, and masonry.

Brutus said after persons would have completed the skills training, “if they wish to go off on their own then we (Police Force) can assist them through partnership arrangements".

He alluded to the fact that some persons are already undergoing skills training and have indicated that they will be “going

off and branching out on their own” after completion.

Out of the batch currently in training, some have decided to team up and open a business that does cosmetology and barbering, Brutus explained.

“We have already secured the equipment for them where, upon graduation, we will provide the kit to them and then link them to IPED and other agencies and persons for small loans to assist them if they are renting somewhere, to start in getting their business up and running,” he posited.

Underscoring the importance of establishing the Zara Computer Training Centres across Guyana, Brutus said these facilities will offer computer studies and PC repairs.

“We are in contact with our overseas partners to

have the centres Microsoft certified so we can issue certificates in the future,” he posited.

Brutus also noted that, through partnerships, the Force will be offering five subjects (Mathematics, English, EDPM, Principles of Accounts and Integrated Science), free of cost, as well as lessons and assistance to do School-Based Assessments (SBAs), and more.

Among those accompanying Brutus during his inspection visits were GPF Community Relations Department Head, GPF IT Department Head Jermaine Johnson, GPF Construction Department Head ASP Mahendra Singh, and the Coordinator of Guyana Police Force Zara Computer Centres, Sergeant Gladwin Hanover.

MV Malali to assist MV Sabanto Technical institutes unprepared to fill oil and gas industry skills gap – Hamilton on Parika-Supenaam route

L

W

ith the MV Kanawan currently in dry dock for maintenance, the MV Malali has been dispatched to support the MV Sabanto in plying the Parika-Supenaam route.

The MV Kanawan was docked for five weeks of maintenance, commencing June 1.

In the meantime, the MV Sabanto was the only vessel plying the route but was struggling to keep up with the demand of passengers.

As a result, a decision was taken to deploy the MV Malali to assist.

This was disclosed by General Manager of the Transport and Harbours Department, Marcelene Merchant, according to a report from the Department of Public Information (DPI).

“The addition of the vessel will ensure the smooth movement of people and goods, especially that of farmers who depend on the vessel to support their livelihood. It is also a commitment made by Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan

The MV Sabanto

Edghill, who had assured that as the need arises, systems will be put in place to assist the MV Sabanto,” the report noted.

“The five o’clock schedule will be kept and the boat will be moving up and down the river in what is called a touch and go manner… should there be required additional support, we will have to use one of the side docking vessels either the MV Malali or the MV Makouria, especially to help with trucks and peo-

ple if they are moving paddy or other heavy crops, one of those vessels would also be assisting,” the Minister had stated back in May. Notwithstanding, the MV Sabanto has been making regular round trips with the first departure being at 05:00h and the final trip at 09:30h the latest. However, on a few occasions, the MV Sabanto departed at 21:00h and after midnight to ensure persons and businesses were not affected by the modified operations.

abour Minister Joseph Hamilton has called on technical institutions across the country to rethink their roles and functionality to support Government’s effort to create a skilled workforce.

This call comes after reviewing annual reports of the institutions, which Minister Hamilton said, shows their unpreparedness to fill the skill gap needed in the oil and gas industry.

He explained that in 2021, one of the country’s most prominent technical institutions only trained eight welders and fabricators expending some $4.1 million, while over $20 million was expended to train 15 heavy-duty equipment operators (HDEO).

The Minister said that the institution’s training output is quite startling for Government, since it hopes to ensure citizens take advantage of the job opportunities emerging from the oil and gas industry.

“So, in my view, technical institutions will need to rethink their roles and functionality in today’s society or is it that we are still in the

Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton

same place the colonial masters left us, or are we innovating to deal with the skill gap that we have because the data I saw does not suggest that to me,” Minister Hamilton noted.

The situation cannot continue, Minister Hamilton said as he urged relevant stakeholders to partner with Government to aid in the betterment of Guyana’s people.

This is also in keeping

with Government’s manifesto promise to create 50,000 jobs.

Since assuming office in August 2020, the PPP/C Administration reshaped the Labour Ministry and by extension, the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) to better serve its people. This included broadening BIT’s reach to increase the number of persons trained, as well as the programmes offered to accommodate the needs of the labour market.

BIT, in 2021, trained over 3000 people in the areas of small engine repairs, shade house farming, refrigeration and air conditioner repairs, introduction to photovoltaic systems solar installation, maintenance and repairs, electrical installation and computer repairs among others.

It hopes to train 4000 young people for 2022. In this year’s national budget, $420.5 million was earmarked to equip 1000 people with the necessary skills to be employed in the oil and gas industry. This will see the certification of welders, stevedores, heavy-duty vehicle operators, and others.

17 Active COVID cases at 972 with 33 new infections S GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ome 33 more persons have tested positive for the novel coronavirus within a 24-hour period, according to the Health Ministry on Sunday.

This now takes the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Guyana to 65,892.

Consequently, active cases have gone up to 972 of which two are patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining persons are in isolation, that is, 32 in institutional isolation and the other 938 persons in home isolation.

Additionally, three more persons are currently in institutional quarantine.

The country’s COVID-19 death toll remains at 1239, while the number of recoveries from the life-threatening virus increased to 63,681 – 79 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Guyana over two years ago, a total 645,092 tests have been conducted countrywide and of this, some 30,285 males and 35,607 females were found to be positive.

Of the 33 new cases recorded on Sunday, eight were from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), four more from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 19 cases from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) and the remaining two cases from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

There were no new cas-

es in the other six regions across the country within the reporting 24-hour period.

This declining trend in COVID-19 cases earlier this year had resulted in the Guyana Government, back in March, removing most restrictions as the country moves to recover from the pandemic and return to normalcy.

But while mandates such as masking in public and social distancing are no longer in place, health authorities are still encouraging persons to continue these practices as well as to get vaccinated, and for those who are qualified to get their booster shots, in order to add a layer of protection against the virus.

This plea has been reiterated in recent weeks as authorities observe a rise in COVID-19 cases, which they have attributed to the possible presence of the BA.2 subvariant of the Omicron strain here.

Latest figures show that so far, some 442,814 or 86.3 per cent of adults have taken a first dose, while some 342,486 or 66.8 per cent of persons 18 years and over are fully vaccinated.

For adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, just over 34,800 or 47.7 per cent of them have received their first dose and of that, some 25,500 of them got a second shot.

In terms of booster shots, in excess of 66,000 persons have returned for their third dose thus far and some

are even going for a second booster.

“We’re getting a few people who are coming but generally we would like to see more people come for their booster doses because we’ve done relatively well with the primary doses… We’re now seeing persons coming for their second booster dose,” Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said last week.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Health Ministry rolled out vaccination for children aged 5 to 11. During that exercise, some 153 first doses of the Pfizer jab were administered to young children.

Also at the vaccine drive, 17 first doses and six second doses were given out to adolescents who turned up at the event. Some 28 booster shots were also administered to that age cohort on Saturday. For adults, two booster shots were distributed.

According to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recent figures, some 532,201,219 confirmed cases were reported globally along with 6,305,358 deaths.

In the Region of the Americas, that is, Latin America and the Caribbean, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased to 158,983,746 while the death toll in the region has gone up to 2,748,938.

As it relates to vaccination against COVID-19, WHO also reported that a total of 11,854,673,610 doses have been administered worldwide.

JUNE 12, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

33

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

32

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

938

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

2

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

3

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

35,607

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

30,285

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

65,892

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

63,681

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

2531

REGION 2

2717

REGION 3

8295

REGION 4

32,765

REGION 5

2461

REGION 6

6175

REGION 7

2454

REGION 8

886

REGION 9

4070

REGION 10

3538

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

442,212 341,831 1239

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.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

Regional

Jamaica appointed vice president Under US sanctions, Iran and Venezuela sign of 77th UN General Assembly

Jamaican Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Brian Wallace

J

amaica has been elected as one of three Vice Presidents of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States.

The country will be represented by Jamaican Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Brian Wallace – New York and by Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kamina Johnson Smith during the

High-Level Segment of the 77th Session in September 2022.

The Foreign Affairs Minister congratulated Wallace, noting that “the election of Jamaica to this post at this time bears special significance as it comes as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade celebrates 60 years of Jamaican diplomacy”.

“It is also most befitting as the permanent mission of Jamaica to the United Nations was among the first diplomatic missions estab-

lished by the Government of Jamaica upon attaining independence in 1962.

“The Ministry continues to ensure the elaboration of Jamaica’s interests within the multilateral system towards the promotion of international peace and security, the attainment of sustainable development and the defence of dignity for all, which ultimately contribute to the realisation of Jamaica’s growth and development objectives.

“It is within this context that Jamaica has, in recent times, been at the forefront of several key international processes, including Financing for Development, climate change, human rights, the elimination of racism and discrimination of all kinds, and the pursuit of reparations for slavery and the slave trade. The post of vice presidency for the 77th Session will provide us with the opportunity to further highlight, advance and build consensus around these important issues”, said Johnson Smith.

(Excerpt from CMC)

20-year cooperation pact

I

ran and Venezuela, oil producers grappling with crippling US sanctions, signed a 20-year cooperation plan in Tehran on Saturday, with the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader saying the allies would continue to resist pressure from Washington.

The signing ceremony, carried by Iranian State TV, was overseen by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro and took place at the Saadabad Palace in north Tehran.

The plan includes coop-

eration in the fields of oil, petrochemicals, defence, agriculture, tourism, and culture.

It also includes repair of Venezuelan refineries and the export of technical and engineering services.

“Venezuela has shown exemplary resistance against sanctions and threats from enemies and Imperialists,” Iran’s Raisi said. “The 20year cooperation document is testimony to the will of the two countries to develop ties.

“Sanctions and threats against the Iranian na-

Sargassum seaweed impacting beaches in Caribbean

Sargassum is a brown free-floating seaweed which is customarily not harmful and its movements depend solely on ocean currents.

Found only in the Atlantic Ocean, it provides refuge for migratory species and serves as essential habitat for several species of fish and invertebrates.

Disappearance of pair in Brazil’s Amazon may involve ‘fish mafia’

A

main line of Police investigation into the disappearance of a British Journalist and an Indigenous official in the Amazon points to an international network that pays poor fishermen to fish illegally in Brazil’s second-largest Indigenous territory, authorities said.

Freelance Journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous official Bruno Pereira were last seen on the morning of June 5 near the Javari Valley Indigenous Territory, which sits in an area the size of Portugal bordering Peru and Colombia.

The two men were in the Sao Rafael community and were returning by boat to the nearby city of Atalaia

do Norte, but never arrived.

Police said on Saturday that they were still analysing human matter found in the area where the pair disappeared.

Police are also investigating a scheme run by local businessmen, who pay fishermen to enter the Javari Valley, catch fish, and deliver it to them.

One of the most valuable targets is the world’s largest freshwater fish with scales, the arapaima. It weighs up to 200 kilograms and can reach three metres in length.

The fish is sold in nearby cities, including Leticia in Colombia, Tabatinga in Brazil, and Iquitos in Peru.

An illegal fishing trip to the vast Javari Valley lasts

around one month, according to Manoel Felipe, a local historian and teacher who also served as a councilman.

“The fishermen’s financiers are Colombians,” Felipe said.

“In Leticia, everybody was angry with Bruno [Pereira]. This is not a little game. It’s possible they sent a gunman to kill him.”

The only known suspect in the disappearances is fisherman Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira, also known as Pelado, who is under arrest.

He denies any wrongdoing and said military Police tortured him to try to get a confession, his family told the Associated Press.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Sargassum seaweed blankets the inlet at River Bay, St Lucy.

(Picture by Jameel Springer)

B

eaches in Jamaica and Barbados are experiencing an increase in Sargassum seaweed, which is expected to continue over the next few months.

According to Jamaican National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), the influx is now widely

considered to be part of the “new normal” facing the wider Caribbean.

The agency says that several beaches in the eastern parishes of St Mary, Portland, St Thomas, and the central parish of St Catherine are currently being heavily impacted by an influx of Sargassum.

T

In a statement on Sunday, the OPM said Rowley will be staying in California.

“Dr Rowley is scheduled to undergo routine medical testing in the coming weeks which includes cardiac and prostate analysis.”

Senior Government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Rowley was in good health, and the tests he would undergo were ones he has done in the past.

In March 2019, Rowley went to California for heart tests, after a plaque buildup was found in one of his arteries in an earlier check-up in 2016. The 2016

visit included tests for prostate cancer, for which he was given a clean bill of health. Rowley got another clean bill of health from tests done in 2019.

He previously said the doctors in California had been treating him for nearly three decades. Rowley did not go to California for any medical check-ups over the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last January, Rowley was warded briefly at the West Shore Private Medical Hospital, Cocorite, after complaining of discomfort. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Sargassum also plays an essential role in beach nourishment, while also providing an element of shoreline stability and in the last decade, massive quantities have impacted several Caribbean Islands.

Warmer ocean temperatures, as well as the availability of increased nutrients discharged from rivers, continue to contribute to the increase in the seaweed. (CMC)

Antiguan Health Ministry seeking to get more AstraZeneca jabs

T&T PM stays in US for medical check-up

he Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister has remained in the United States for a routine medical check-up.

Dr Rowley, 73, left TT on June 6 to attend the Ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, California. The summit ended on Friday.

Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)Stuart Young were part of the delegation which Rowley led.

Browne and Young were scheduled to return home late Sunday night.

tion over the past 40-plus years have been numerous, but the Iranian nation has turned these sanctions into an opportunity for the country’s progress,” he said.

Maduro said through an interpreter that a weekly flight from Caracas to Tehran would begin on July 18.

In a meeting with Maduro, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed Iran would continue to back Venezuela in the face of US pressure, according to state media. (Excerpt from Reuters)

The country’s first allotment of COVID jabs from the COVAX programme arrived in April last year

H

ealth officials say they are sourcing additional supplies of the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine after local stocks ran out.

Residents wishing to get a jab or booster can still take

advantage of other vaccines currently in the country.

They are Pfizer, Sinopharm, and Johnson and Johnson.

Vaccines are available at the Multiple Purpose Centre along with public health centres on Mondays

to Thursdays.

The Health Ministry also has special weekend vaccination drives. Information can be found on the Ministry’s Facebook page.

Antigua and Barbuda welcomed its first shipment of COVID jabs into the country on February 11, 2021.

The 5000 AstraZeneca doses arrived as a gift from Dominica.

Subsequent shipments have included 40,000 AstraZeneca doses gifted by India on March 1, before the first allotment via the global COVAX programme landed in April last year.

Just over 62,000 people in the twin-island nation are now said to be fully vaccinated. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS US gasoline average price tops $5 per gallon in historic first

T

he price of US gasoline averaged more than US$5 a gallon for the first time on Saturday, data from the AAA showed, extending a surge in fuel costs that is driving rising inflation.

The national average price for regular unleaded gas rose to US$5.004 a gallon on June 11 from US$4.986 a day earlier, AAA data showed.

High gasoline prices are a headache for President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats as they struggle to maintain their slim control of Congress with midterm elections coming up in November.

Biden has pulled on numerous levers to try to lower prices, including a record release of barrels from US strategic reserves, waivers on rules for producing summer gasoline, and leaning on major OPEC countries to boost output.

Yet fuel prices have been surging around the world due to a combination of rebounding demand, sanctions on oil producer Russia after its invasion of Ukraine and a squeeze on refining capacity.

US road travel, however, has remained relatively strong, just a couple of percentage points below pre-pandemic levels, even as prices have risen.

Still, economists expect demand may start to decline if prices remain above US$5 a barrel for a sustained period.

Adjusting for inflation, the US gasoline average is still approximately 8 per cent below June 2008 highs around US$5.41 a gallon, according to US Energy Department figures.

Consumer spending has so far remained resilient even with inflation running at its highest level in more than four decades, with household balance sheets shored up by pandemic relief programmes and a tight job market that has fuelled strong wage gains, especially for lower-income workers.

Gasoline product supplied, a proxy for demand, was 9.2 million barrels per day last week, according to the US Energy Information Administration, broadly in line with five-year seasonal averages.

The high prices for drivers come as major oil-and-gas companies post bumper profits. Shell reported a record quarter in May and Chevron Corp and BP have posted their best numbers in a decade.

Other majors, including Exxon Mobil and TotalEnergies, as well as US independent shale operators, reported strong figures that have spurred share repurchases and dividend investments.

Numerous companies have said they will avoid excessive investment to boost output due to investors’ desires to hold the line on spending, rather than respond to US$100-plus barrel prices that have persisted for months.

Refiners have been struggling to rebuild inventories which have dwindled, especially on the US East Coast, reflecting exports to Europe where buyers are weaning themselves off of Russian oil.

Currently, refiners are utilising about 94 per cent of their capacity, but overall US refining capacity has fallen, with at least five oilprocessing plants shutting during the pandemic.

That has left the United States structurally short of refining capacity for the first time in decades, analysts said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Russia destroys bridge over Ukrainian river, cutting escape route

R

ussian forces have blown up a bridge linking the embattled Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk to another city across the river, cutting off a possible evacuation route for civilians, local officials said on Sunday.

Sievierodonetsk has become the epicentre of the battle for control over Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. Parts of the city have been pulverised in some of the bloodiest fighting since the Kremlin unleashed its invasion on Feb 24.

"The key tactical goal of the occupiers has not changed: they are pressing in Sievierodonetsk, severe fighting is ongoing there - literally for every metre," Ukrainian President

Ukrainian service members fire a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system, near the town of Lysychansk, Luhansk region, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine June 12, 2022

Volodymyr Zelenskiysaid in his nightly video address, adding that Russia's military was trying to deploy reserve forces to the Donbas.

Ukrainian and Russian forces were still fighting street-by-street there on Sunday, the governor of

Luhansk province, Serhiy Gaidai, said.

Russian forces have taken most of the city but Ukrainian troops remain in control of an industrial area and the Azot chemical plant where hundreds of civilians are sheltering.

US gun control: Cross-party group of Senators agree limited safety measures

A

cross-party group of US Senators have agreed a framework for potential legislation on gun safety, following a spate of mass shootings.

This would include support for tougher checks for buyers aged under 21 and cracking down on illegal gun purchases.

Crucially, the proposals are supported by 10 Republicans, meaning they have the numbers to be voted into law.

President Joe Biden said the plans were "steps in the right direction", but they fall far short of what he called for.

Previous attempts to tighten gun laws failed to get the required support in Congress.

Tens of thousands of protesters rallied across the US on Saturday to call for stricter gun laws in the wake of two mass shootings.

"Today, we are announcing a common sense, bipartisan proposal to protect America's children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country," the Senate group said in a statement.

"Families are scared, and it is our duty to come together and get something done that will help restore their sense of safety and security in their communities."

The Senators also called for increased investment in mental health services and school

safety resources, as well as including domestic violence convictions and restraining orders in the national background check database for people buying firearms.

President Biden urged lawmakers to pass the proposals quickly, while making clear that they did not go as far as

S

and an investigation is under way, the local Public Security Bureau said in a Weibo post.

Discussion of the assault dominated Chinese social media on Saturday, taking up the top six places of Weibo's most-discussed topics. In a brief online commentary, state television called for the suspects to be severely punished.

But following other recent high-profile cases of the mistreatment of women, a widely shared WeChat post on Saturday took issue with the initial official framing of the assault as a simple act of violence.

China Women's News, published by the All-China Women's Federation, said in a commentary on Saturday that "there can only, and must only, be zero tolerance for such vicious cases of serious violations of women's rights and interests." (Excerpt from Reuters)

A

n overladen ship crammed with thousands of sheep sank on Sunday in Sudan’s Red Sea port of Suakin, drowning most animals on board but with all crew surviving.

The livestock vessel was exporting the animals from Sudan to Saudi Arabia when it sank after several thousand more animals were loaded on board than it was meant to carry.

“The ship, Badr 1, sank during the early hours of Sunday morning,” a senior Sudanese port official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It was carrying 15,800 sheep, which was beyond its load limits.”

The official said the ship was supposed to carry only 9000 sheep.

Another official, who said all crew were rescued, raised concerns over the economic and environmental impact of the accident.

“The sunken ship will af-

fect the port’s operation,” the official said. “It will also likely have an environmental impact due to the death of the large number of animals carried by the ship.”

Omar al-Khalifa, head of the national exporters’ association, said the ship took several hours to sink at the pier – a window that meant it “could have been rescued”.

The total value of the lost livestock was US$4 million, said Saleh Selim, the head of the association’s livestock division, confirming also that the sheep were loaded onto the vessel at Suakin port.

He said livestock owners recovered only around 700 sheep “but they were found very ill and we don’t expect them to live long”.

Sudan remains gripped by a chronic economic crisis, which has deepened following last year’s military coup led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

he wanted.

The President has pushed for far bigger reforms – including a ban on assault rifles, which were used in the Texas and Buffalo mass shootings – or at least an increase in the age at which they can be purchased. (Excerpt from BBC News)

WTO Chief warns of rocky road to deals amid “polycrisis”

“Could have been Footage of women's beating rescued”: 15,000 sheep sparks outrage in China drown in Sudan port

urveillance footage of men assaulting women at a restaurant in the northeastern city of Tangshan has unleashed a flood of outrage on Chinese social media, prompting state media calls for punishment and renewing a debate over the treatment of women.

The graphic video, which has gone viral on China's Weibo social media platform, shows a man approaching a table at a barbecue restaurant and touching a woman around 2:40 am local time on Friday, then striking her after she pushes him away.

In the ensuing brawl, a group of men are seeing brutally attacking the woman and her dining partners.

Local Police said two women had sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were being treated in hospital.

All nine suspects involved in the case had been arrested as of Saturday afternoon

But the Russians had destroyed a bridge over the Siverskyi Donets River linking Sievierodonetsk with its twin city of Lysychansk, Gaidai said.

That left just one of three bridges still standing.

"If after new shelling the bridge collapses, the city will truly be cut off. There will be no way of leaving Sievierodonetsk in a vehicle," Gaidai said, noting the lack of a cease-fire agreement and no agreed evacuation corridors.

The head of the Sievierodonetsk administration said a little more than a third of the city remained under the control of Ukrainian forces, with about two thirds in Russian hands.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala attends a news conference ahead of the Ministerial Conference (MC12) in Geneva, Switzerland, June 12, 2022

W

orld Trade Organisation chief Ngozi OkonjoIweala expressed cautious optimism on Sunday that more than 100 Trade Ministers meeting in Geneva would achieve one or two global deals this week, but warned the path there would be bumpy and rocky.

The Director General from Nigeria said the world had changed since the WTO's last ministerial conference nearly five years ago.

"I wish I could say for better. It has certainly become more complicated," she told a news conference before the June 12-15 meeting, listing

the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and major food and energy crises as pieces of a "polycrisis".

As a sign of divisions among the WTO's 164 members, some 30-40 nations walked out when the Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov took to the floor.

Earlier, Trade Ministers from the European Union and 29 other WTO members met with Ukraine to express their solidarity and support and wish to alleviate food supply problems.

Speaking to Ministers at the opening, the WTO Chief urged them to "show the world that the WTO can step up to the plate" and achieve agreements on subjects such as reducing fishing subsidies, boosting access to COVID-19 vaccines, addressing food security and setting a course for reform of the WTO itself.

"What remains to be decided requires political will - and I know you have it - to get us over the finish line," she said.

She also cautioned ministers to recognise that compromises are never perfect. The WTO's 164 members take decisions by consensus, meaning a single member can block progress, and negotiations often last years. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

Focus on money, health and contracts. Go over every detail before putting together a strategy that prompts you to work alongside positive people who are trying to make a difference.

(March 21-April 19)

DILBERT (April 20-May 20)

Keep your intentions to yourself.

Spend time working toward your goal behind closed doors. Beware tempting offers from someone coaxing you to make an unnecessary change. Concentrate on personal growth.

Set things up the way you want, then carry on until you are satisfied. Trust in your ability to see the big picture, and utilize your strengths to get ahead. Don’t share secrets.

(May 21-June 20)

PEANUTS

(June 21-July 22)

Being modest will spare you from taking on too much or overspending.

You’ll make new acquaintances and gain insight into what you can do to help others if you make a positive contribution to a cause.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Act on your intentions. Take the plunge by letting others know how you feel and what you plan to do next. A change will help you visualize the best way to proceed.

Don’t let your ego get in the way.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Sign up for and participate in activities geared toward spending time with people you find uplifting and mentally stimulating. Share your feelings and prioritize physical fitness.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Sign up for a course or talk to an expert about something that interests you.

The information you pick up will help you choose a better future. Investments or home improvements are featured.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Take the path that intrigues you.

Refuse to let anyone burden you with responsibilities that don’t belong to you. A change in a meaningful relationship is apparent.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Make a difference, focus on positive change and don’t get involved with people who play games or use manipulative tactics. Live life your way and seek out like-minded people.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Work quietly on your own until you get things done to your specification.

Walk away from extreme temptations. A change at home will bring you closer to the people you love. Challenge yourself.

SATURDAY'S -- TENACITY

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Sit tight until you research your next move. Don’t feel threatened by what others do or say. Keep your feet firmly planted and your mind on what’s important to you. Finish what you start.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Implement change that makes you look and feel your best. Discuss your ideas with someone who can help you turn your thoughts into something concrete and lucrative. Don’t let anyone lead you astray.

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

21

2nd T20I, Cuttack, South Africa tour of India

H

einrich Klaasen, who was brought into the South African XI as an injury replacement for Quinton de Kock, anchored South Africa's chase of 149, with a career-best 81, to give them a 2-0 lead in the fivematch series. On a pitch that was challenging to most batters, Klaasen batted as though it was a different surface. He took on the Indian spinners and turned what started as a tough chase into a doddle at the end.

South Africa were in early trouble thanks to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who found swing and took three wickets in the powerplay to leave them struggling on 29 for 3

– their second-lowest powerplay score against India. In the process, Bhuvneshwar became India's third-highest T20 International wicket-taker, four behind Jasprit Bumrah and six adrift of Yuzvendra Chahal. He returned to bowl a fourth over, and claim a fourth wicket, but with the result all but sealed in South Africa's favour.

South Africa's fourth-wicket pair of Temba Bavuma and Klaasen took the chase by the scruff of the neck and scored 64 runs in 41 balls between them.

Klaasen was the more attacking of the two and continued in that vein when Bavuma was dismissed, eclipsing David Miller at the end.

SCOREBOARD INDIA INNINGS (20 overs maximum) Ruturaj Gaikwad c Maharaj b Rabada 1 Ishan Kishan c van der Dussen b Nortje 34 Shreyas Iyer c †Klaasen b Pretorius 40 Rishabh Pant (c)† c van der Dussen b Maharaj 5 Hardik Pandya b Parnell 9 Axar Patel b Nortje 10 Dinesh Karthik not out 30 Harshal Patel not out 12 Extras (lb 1, w 6) 7 TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.40) 148/6 Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Ruturaj Gaikwad, 0.5 ov), 2-48 (Ishan Kishan, 6.4 ov), 3-68 (Rishabh Pant, 9.1 ov), 4-90 (Hardik Pandya, 12.4 ov), 5-98 (Shreyas Iyer, 13.5 ov), 6-112 (Axar Patel, 16.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Kagiso Rabada 4-0-15-1 Wayne Parnell 4-0-23-1 Anrich Nortje 4-0-36-2 Dwaine Pretorius 4-0-40-1 Tabraiz Shamsi 2-0-21-0 Keshav Maharaj 2-0-12-1

SOUTH AFRICA INNINGS (Target: 149 runs from 20 overs) Temba Bavuma (c) b Chahal 35 Reeza Hendricks b Kumar 4 Dwaine Pretorius c Avesh Khan b Kumar 4 Rassie van der Dussen b Kumar 1 Heinrich Klaasen † c sub (Ravi Bishnoi) b HV Patel 81 David Miller not out 20 Wayne Parnell b Kumar 1 Kagiso Rabada not out 0 Extras (lb 1, w 2) 3 TOTAL 18.2 Ov (RR: 8.12) 149/6 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Reeza Hendricks, 0.6 ov), 2-13 (Dwaine Pretorius, 2.5 ov), 3-29 (Rassie van der Dussen, 5.3 ov), 4-93 (Temba Bavuma, 12.2 ov), 5-144 (Heinrich Klaasen, 16.6 ov), 6-147 (Wayne Parnell, 17.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-0-13-4 Avesh Khan 3-0-17-0 Hardik Pandya 3-0-31-0 Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-49-1 Harshal Patel 3-0-17-1 Axar Patel 1-0-19-0 Shreyas Iyer 0.2-0-2-0

None of India's batters could push on in that fashion. Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer made 34 and 40 respectively, but India's middle order was squeezed by a disciplined and crafty South African attack. Bavuma used all four seam options for their full quota of overs, with the spinners only bowling two overs each. The quicks relied on taking their pace off, like Wayne Parnell and Dwaine Pretorius, or firing in short balls with extra gas, like Anrich Nortje.

It was not until Dinesh Karthik and Harshal Patel came together for the seventh wicket that India applied some pressure on South Africa's attack. They put on 36 runs in three overs to push India's total over 140 but not beyond it being their third lowest in T20Is against South Africa at home.

Spin strategy on show

After using left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj to open the bowling in Delhi, Bavuma held back the slower bowlers until the ninth over in Cuttack. Tabraiz Shamsi started well, but Shreyas Iyer took him on in the last two balls of his opening over, which went for 10, before Rishabh Pant tried to do the same against Maharaj.

Pant stepped down the track to Maharaj's first ball, which he delivered wide of offstump (so wide it would have been called such if Pant didn't hit it), and gave himself space to carve it over point. But Pant had given himself too much room and ended up slicing the ball to Rassie van

der Dussen on the deep-point boundary.

Welcome back, DK

Karthik had waited almost 1200 days since he last played a T20I on February 27, 2019 to represent India again, on June 6, 2022, but he only faced two balls for one run and Hardik Pandya refused the opportunity to give him more of the strike. He had more time today when he came in to bat in the 14th over, but his finishing skills were kept quiet with nine runs from the first 16 balls he faced.

India had eight deliveries left in their innings when Karthik decided he could not hang around anymore. He pulled a short ball from Nortje, unconvincingly, to fine leg for four and then got the chance to face an extra delivery when Nortje bowled a wide.

Nortje sent down a legcutter and Karthik opened the face of the bat to steer it wide of short third man for four more. In the final over, he pushed India towards 150 with successive sixes off Pretorius to finish on 30 not out off 21 balls.

Bhuvneshwar gets the early breakthroughs

In high humidity, the prematch talk was all about swing, but it was not until Bhuvneshwar got the ball in his hands that we saw it move considerably. He got shape away from the righthander straightaway and then surprised Reeza Hendricks with a massive inswinger that cut him in half. Before Hendricks had time

to figure out whether he would approach the inswinger on the front or back foot, Bhuvneshwar bowled him with one that nipped in and took out his offstump.

In his next over, Bhuvneshwar tried the short ball against pinchhitter Dwaine Pretorius and then tossed in the knuckle ball.

Pretorius swung across the line and miscued it to backward square leg where Avesh Khan took the catch. South Africa were reduced to 13 for 2 in three overs. Bhuvneshwar was brought back, from the other end to bowl the last over in the powerplay. He set van der Dussen up with two balls that straightened and a third that nipped in, kept low, beat his drive, and found the offstump.

there and was responsible for 15 of the 23 runs scored in Chahal's final over, including two massive sixes, over long-on and deep square-leg that went swirling into the 45,000-strong crowd.

(ESPNcricinfo)

All hail, Heinrich

Klaasen was brought into the XI as the wicket-keeping replacement for de Kock, but proved himself as a worthy batting substitute too. With South Africa on 29 for 3 in the powerplay and the required run rate already above 8.5 an over, Klaasen took on the aggressor role, and targeted India's spinners. He took on Chahal and Axar Patel and was not afraid to make room for himself and swing hard.

Klaasen scored 26 of the 32 runs that South Africa clocked up in the 11th and 12th overs, which took the required rate down to 7.5 an over and broke the back of the chase. But he wasn't done

Heinrich Klaasen was the Player of the Match

Joe Root, Ollie Pope fulfil Captain's decree of positivity

"T

hat's what I'm talking about!" Ben Stokes might well have said watching Ollie Pope and Joe Root follow his captain's decree for England to be "even more positive" than they were in victory at Lord's.

While Root's second century in as many Test innings was almost expected given his rich run of form and the batting-friendly Trent Bridge pitch, it was no less eyecatching for its intent, fluency, and importance to England's task of closing in on New Zealand's huge firstinnings 553.

By stumps, England had added 383 runs on the third day, reducing the deficit to 80 runs with Root unbeaten on 163.

But it was Pope's ton – his second in Tests and first on home soil, coming in just his third innings at number three – that grabbed a big chunk of the headlines on a good-news day for the hosts.

Stokes himself snatched back some of the attention with his positive – or downright aggressive – innings of 46 off just 33 balls, and opener Alex Lees wrote a little thinkpiece of his own by reaching h i s maiden Te s t

Root and Pope dominated New Zealand

fifty in his ninth innings before falling after a loose shot for 67.

Pope's innings vindicated the new England regime's bold call to promote him to number three.

Despite never having batted above number four in First-Class cricket before last week's first Test at Lord's, Pope told ESPNcricinfo last month: "I've always seen myself as a top-order batter in red-ball cricket." His inexperience in the position and scores of 7 and 10 from his first two outings fuelled doubts over the decision to promote him.

He answered those doubts on Sunday with an assured knock that included 13 fours and three sixes.

He had pressed the accelerator on the second evening: after facing 45 balls for his first 11 runs, he raced to 37 from 56 as he twice pulled Matt Henry for six. He should have been gone shortly afterwards, but Daryl Mitchell dropped a slip catch off Trent Boult, just one instance in a rash of fielding errors by both teams.

Pope went on to raise his fifty by stumps and went to lunch on the third day unbeaten on 84 after Lees took a more attacking role through the morning session. He cruised towards his ton after the break; however, whipping Boult through midwicket for four and moving to 98 with a late back-cut off Henry which bounced over gully for another boundary.

He raised his

ton with a push to deep cover off Henry's next ball and a sprint, which was punctuated by a brief hesitation before he saw Root – head-down, steaming back for the second run – and continued on his way, celebrating with clenched fists and a fired-up look on his face before receiving a warm embrace from Root.

Root brought up back-toback centuries after his matchwinning 115 not out in the first Test. This one was the fastest of his Test career, which now boasts 27 tons in all, coming off just 116 deliveries.

Pope fell to the seventh ball after tea. Having paused for running repairs at the end of the first over when his pad strap snapped while he dived to complete a quick single, he tried to pull a Boult short ball but sent a top-edge sailing into the air and Henry, running in from fine leg, took an excellent catch diving forward. His dismissal ended a 187-run stand with Root.

Root set out at a rapid rate reaching 35 not out off just 43 balls by lunch, which included seven fours and a second life on 27 when his attempted cut off Boult resulted in a top-edge flying high and through Tim Southee's hands at second slip.

Root brought up his fifty from just 56 deliveries – his fastest in Tests – with a flick off Henry to the rope through midwicket and his hundred with an under-edged cut off Mitchell, although the manner in which he reached the milestone

didn't matter given some of his stroke play, like his straight-driven four off Southee after he had passed 150 that was greeted by a sea of footwear held aloft by the crowd singing: "Shoes off if you love Joe Root."

Jonny Bairstow's dismissal for 8 shortly after Pope departed came as New Zealand had their appeal for caught behind turned down and reviewed, with replays showing Boult's delivery, which cut back in off the seam brushing Bairstow's glove on its way through to Tom Blundell. It meant that in eight Test innings since his century in the first Test against West Indies in March, Bairstow has failed to reach 30.

It also brought Stokes to the crease and he plundered six fours and two sixes before he mistimed a slog-sweep to the offspin of debutant Michael Bracewell and was caught by Boult.

Lees had finally reached fifty in his ninth England innings, having acknowledged before this Test that he could do with a "good score".

Some fluid drives off the front foot as he amassed 11 boundaries were a case in point after he had come into this week with 171 Test runs and a highest score of 31.

Having been dropped by Mitchell on 12 during the second evening, there's no doubt, however, that his dismissal driving at a Henry delivery well outside off stump and edging to slip – where Mitchell held on this time – wasn't quite what he had in mind.

Ben Foakes, who joined Root in an unbroken stand of 120 as England won the first Test by five wickets, was also the beneficiary of a fielding mistake on 9 after he top-edged Southee to deep square leg, where Will Young dropped a sitter.

In more bad news for New Zealand, strike bowler Kyle Jamieson left the field midway through the evening session suffering "sharp pain" in his lower back and did not return. By the close, Foakes remained united with Root, their latest partnership worth 68 so far. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS Alex Lees c Mitchell b Henry 67 Zak Crawley c †Blundell b Boult 4 Ollie Pope c Henry b Boult 145 Joe Root not out 163 Jonny Bairstow c †Blundell b Boult 8 Ben Stokes (c) c Boult b Bracewell 46 Ben Foakes † not out 24 Extras(b 12, lb 3, w 1) 16 TOTAL 114 Ov (RR: 4.14) 473/5 Wickets: 1-6 (Zak Crawley, 1.6

ov), 2-147 (Alex Lees, 41.4 ov), 3-334 (Ollie Pope, 83.1 ov), 4-344 (Jonny Bairstow, 85.3 ov), 5-405 (Ben Stokes, 94.5 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Tim Southee 28-1-119-0 Trent Boult 26.3-5-89-3 Matt Henry 27-5-128-1 Kyle Jamieson 16.3-3-66-0 Michael Bracewell 14-2-48-1 Daryl Mitchell 2-0-8-0

22

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

Pakistan clean sweep series as Shadab Khan’s all-round brilliance outshines Pooran’s four-for

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CLASSIFIED ADS ACCOMMODATIONS Aracari Hotel, West Bank Demerara (Versailles – between Harbor Bridge and Vreed-en-Hoop) – AirConditioned Comfort. Amenities include TV, Restaurant, Bar, Swimming Pool, Jacuzzi, Gym. Free Parking, Free WiFi. Spend 7 nights and get 1 Free. Rates from $65 US. Breakfast included. Long term rates available. Phone: 264-2946-9. www. aracariresort.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

F

Imam-ul-Haq was awarded the Player of the Series for his 199 runs

or once, Pakistan lost the top order early despite an 85-run opening stand between Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq.

also suspended by an unexpected dust storm on a hot day in Multan, leading two overs being sliced off the contest.

looked fairly comfortable.

Pooran, who had before Sunday bowled just three balls in ODI cricket, brought himself on, and in his third

Pakistan’s win now places them in fourth place in the ICC Super League points table

bowled out early.

But Shadab and Khushdil Shah strung together an 84-run partnership, coming either side of a

most none. When the players returned, the sixth-wicket pair upped the tempo, and though Khushdil never quite moved into top gear as he is

SCOREBOARD

A dust storm in Multan forced West Indies players to wear masks

It thrust significant responsibility on the middle order, with Shadab Khan stepping up to the mark, as his 78ball 86 helped Pakistan to a defensible 269.

West Indies Captain Nicholas Pooran was the surprise architect of the hosts' middle-order collapse, getting significant spin and bounce as his first four One-Day International (ODI) wickets left Pakistan tottering at 117 for 5. The game was

Pakistan chose to bat first, with a more cautious Zaman prioritising time at the crease over his trademark truculence. The first third of the innings was spent with the two turning the strike over and minimising risk, and aside from an early drop from Shai Hope that reprieved Imam, the openers

Akeal Hosein scored 60 and bagged 1-43

over, yorked Fakhar to provide his side with the breakthrough. Following that, Hayden Walsh Jr stunned Multan next over by trapping Babar Azam in front, with a successful West Indian review sending him back for 1.

Three further quickfire strikes from Pooran – including two in three balls – dismissed Imam, Mohammad Haris and Mohammad Rizwan, as Pakistan suddenly looked vulnerable to being

WI skipper Nicholas Pooran bagged 4-48

PAKISTAN INNINGS (48 overs maximum) Fakhar Zaman b Pooran 35 Imam-ul-Haq c †Hope b Pooran 62 Babar Azam (c)lbw b Walsh 1 Mohammad Rizwan †c †Hope b Pooran 11 Mohammad Haris c Hosein b Pooran 0 Khushdil Shah b Hosein 34 Shadab Khan b Seales 86 Mohammad Nawaz c Hosein b Paul 8 Mohammad Wasim b Paul 6 Hasan Ali not out 8 Shahnawaz Dahani not out 4 Extras (b 1, lb 2, nb 2, w 9) 14 TOTAL 48 Ov (RR: 5.60) 269/9 Fall of wickets: 1-85 (Fakhar Zaman, 16.4 ov), 2-88 (Babar Azam, 17.2 ov), 3-113 (Imam-ul-Haq, 22.3 ov), 4-113 (Mohammad Haris, 22.5 ov), 5-117 (Mohammad Rizwan, 24.4 ov), 6-201 (Khushdil Shah, 39.4 ov), 7-217 (Mohammad Nawaz, 42.6 ov), 8-257 (Mohammad Wasim, 46.4 ov), 9-263 (Shadab Khan, 47.1 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Jayden Seales 6-1-39-1 Keemo Paul 9-0-57-2 Romario Shepherd 3-0-13-0 Hayden Walsh 10-0-66-1 Nicholas Pooran 10-0-48-4 Akeal Hosein 10-0-43-1 WEST INDIES INNINGS (Target: 270 runs from 48 overs) Shai Hope † c Khushdil Shah b Hasan Ali 21

dust storm that briefly reduced visibility at the ground to al-

Shadab Khan bagged 4-62 and scored 86 to be awarded the Player of the Series

Kyle Mayers c Imam-ul-Haq b Shahnawaz Dahani 5 Shamarh Brooks b Mohammad Wasim 18 Keacy Carty st Mohammad Haris b Shadab Khan 33 Nicholas Pooran (c)c Khushdil Shah b Mohammad Nawaz 11 Rovman Powell c Fakhar Zaman b Shadab Khan 10 Akeal Hosein st Mohammad Haris b Shadab Khan 60 Keemo Paul c Mohammad Haris b Mohammad Nawaz 21 Romario Shepherd c Babar Azam b Hasan Ali 16 Hayden Walsh lbw b Shadab Khan 3 Jayden Seales not out 0 Extras (b 8, lb 4, nb 1, w 5) 18 TOTAL 37.2 Ov (RR: 5.78) 216 Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Kyle Mayers, 3.2 ov), 2-52 (Shai Hope, 9.5 ov), 3-52 (Shamarh Brooks, 10.3 ov), 4-69 (Nicholas Pooran, 15.1 ov), 5-93 (Rovman Powell, 20.3 ov), 6-129 (Keacy Carty, 24.4 ov), 7-155 (Keemo Paul, 27.3 ov), 8-204 (Akeal Hosein, 34.2 ov), 9-216 (Hayden Walsh, 36.4 ov), 10-216 (Romario Shepherd, 37.2 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Hasan Ali 5.2-0-29-2 Shahnawaz Dahani 6-0-36-1 Mohammad Wasim 7-1-21-1 Mohammad Nawaz 10-1-56-2 Shadab Khan 9-1-62-4

so lethally capable of, it was Shadab who was having the more telling impact on the innings.

And when Akeal Hosein breached Khushdil's defences, the responsibility on Shadab only rose; and so did he to the occasion.

He brought up his half-century the following over, shepherding the strike with the responsibility of a frontline batter and the artistry of a modern deathovers game management specialist. Shadab found regular boundaries, and for a brief time, might have entertained thoughts of a maiden international hundred before a perfect yorker breached his defence as he tried to lap it over fine leg.

However, by then he had 86, and against a West Indies batting line-up reeling from the second game, Pakistan's spin-bowling attack took the momentum and kept it, ending the visitors’ innings at 216-10. (ESPNcricinfo)

Restaurant for Rent – West Bank Demerara (at Aracari Resort, Versailles – between Harbor Bridge and Vreed-en-Hoop). Turn Key Business. Covid-19 Reduced Capacity 60; furnished and equipped.

Phone 264-2946; 626-5290

ENTERTAINMENT Swimming Pool Family Fun & Picnic – Crystal Clear Pool. Kids and Adult Sections. Very Safe. Aracari Resort : West Bank Demerara (Versailles, Vreed-en-Hoop)- Every Weekend.

DJ Music. Groups and Excursions welcome. Phone: 264-2946-9.

FOR SALE Wholesale Chicken $420 per lb. Wholesale Liver $220 per lb. Wholesale Gizzard $220 per lb. Wholesale Foot $220 per lb.

Contact: 603-2777 or 638-3666.

Mitsubishi 3 stage Crane Canter.

Equipped with a 4m51 engine coupled to 5 speed manual gearbox.

Tray measuring 12ft length was reconstructed with greenheart.

Truck is in excellent condition and maintenance on point. $4,300,000 million negotiable. contact 638 – 4755 or 671 – 8445.

HOUSE FOR SALE Fully concrete Top and Bottom, 24 x 42 - + 8 FT Extention, 4 12x12 Rooms, $30 Million neg. Contact: 692-7305 or +1 646 972 9267.

TO RENT Office Space for rent, 3200 Sq Feet – West Bank Demerara (at Aracari Resort, Versailles – between Harbour Bridge and Vreed-enHoop). Phone 264-2946; 626-5290.

VACANCY Vacancy exists for a competent lorry driver between ages 35 – 45 years old, with minimum of 5 years’ experience. Driver should also possess experience operation crane, good communication skills and basic fundamentals of delivery cargo to various customers Interested persons are asked to make contact with us on telephone number 500 – 1415, 638 – 4577 or 671 – 8445.

WANTED Male & Female to work in Factory.

Apply to RP’s Enterprise, Area ‘K’, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara.

Tel: 220-2818.

Looking for an honest and reliable Babysitter/Tutor for a toddler and infant. Must be well spoken and should have at least 3 subjects CXC including English and Maths. Must be able to work without supervision and work flexible hours when needed. Call 622-6297 for more info.

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

that chase, Guyana were 54-2 in 14.2 overs. Many cricket pundits were surprised by the Guyana batting line-up; the reactive nature of the team prompted a change of batting line-up in the match against Jamaica.

That did not work for the Guyanese as the Jamaicans rolled over them. The top order collapsed this time, being reduced to 36-5 in 10.4 overs. While the surface at Providence is slow, the shot

Shabika Gajnabi is among the youngest and brightest prospects in the Caribbean

By Brandon Corlette

T

he state of women's cricket in Guyana continues to be reflected in the senior national female team’s performance.

In the ongoing Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women's T20 Blaze tournament that is

suffered defeats against Barbados and Jamaica, and one match was abandoned owing to rain.

Guyana have never won a women's regional title, and the main reasons for that are the lack of team preparation for long periods and lack of consistent female cricket in

23

time female cricket coach, that will not solve the problem of the poor level of female cricket in Guyana. Until the female cricketers have a structure in place where the potential national players are training together on a longterm basis, more female competitions being played locally, and more players are being rewarded financially, the senior regional women's championships will continue to elude the Guyanese.

women's inter-county tourney, Berbice continue to win year after year.

While the Berbice side is stacked with raw talent, with the likes of Shemaine Campbelle, Shabika Gajnabi, Tremayne Smartt, Sheneta Grimmond and young Ashmini Munisar, Demerara

Tremayne Smartt, a veteran and coach, continues to shine for Guyana (Brandon Corlette photos)

The Guyanese have a lot to think about

being played in Guyana, the home team’s chances of winning the T20 Blaze title are impossible. The Guyanese

Guyana. With the exception of cricket in Berbice, what is the level of female cricket in Guyana? Have a look at the

have some good players as well. Kaysia Schultz, CherryAnn Fraser and Mandy Mangru, who represent

Demerara at the inter-county, are all recognised players.

Despite all these big names in female cricket in Guyana, the team's collective performance remains poor.

In the first match, which Guyana lost to Barbados by seven runs, their failure to chase down 87 was evidence of the reactive nature of the cricket in Guyana, and not the pro-active nature.

Imagine having a total of 87 runs from 120 balls to overhaul, and the top order came out with no proper plan. In

IPL rights value breaks record on auction day 1, US$13.44M per match bid so far

selection from senior players was questionable. Guyana made only 90-6 in the Jamaica game, but that proved insufficient as Jamaica won by seven wickets.

While the new Guyana Cricket Board opted for a full-

Guyana will now be playing for pride today and Tuesday. Their next opponents are Leeward Islands and Windward Islands respectively, and both of those matches will be played from 19:00h (7pm).

T20 Blaze: Trinidad and Tobago beat Leeward Islands by 36 runs

– matches continue at Providence today

– in terms of value per match, the T20 tournament is now behind only the NFL

A

n Indian Premier League (IPL) game is now worth a record INR 105 crore (US$13.44 million) making it – in terms of value per match – the second-most lucrative sporting product in the entire world, behind only the NFL (US$35.07 million*). This figure may actually rise considering the e-auction for the T20 tournament’s media rights, which began on Sunday, continues.

The combined sum bid so far is INR 38,850 crore (US$4.97 billion) – that is INR 21,090 crore (US$2.7 billion) for Package A (TV rights for India sub-continent) and INR 17,760 crore (US$2.27 billion) for Package B (digital for India subcontinent); it is already 2.38 times or 138 per cent higher than the 2018-22 IPL rights deal, bagged by Star India in 2017 for US$2.55 billion.

These numbers are based on there being 74 games per season in the next fiveyear rights cycle starting in 2023. As it stands, the IPL

The value of a single match in the IPL is now more than the value of a single match in the Premier League © Arjun Singh/BCCI

has overtaken the Premier League, whose value per match, as per the 2022-25 rights, is listed at US$11.34 million**.

Doing away with the process of closed bids, the IPL put its media rights up for sale for the first time through an e-auction. In an e-auction, bids are filed through an online portal managed by an independent company. The highest bids across all categories are flashed on screen – simultaneously and live – but names of the bidders are not disclosed to ensure rivals don’t bump up prices.

For this auction, the IPL set a minimum base price

for each of the four categories and asked bidders to list their price on a per match basis. For Package A, the per match base price is INR 49 crore (US$6.3 million). For Package B, it is INR 33 crore (US$4.2 million) per match.

For Package C, it is INR 16 crore (US$2.05 million) per match. For Package D, it is INR 3 crore (US$390,000).

On Sunday, Packages A and B went up for bidding simultaneously with all the key bidders among a final list of seven keenly contesting. The highest bid for Package A was INR 57 crore (US$7.29 million) – 16.3 per cent higher than the base price set by IPL. The high-

est bid for Package B was INR 48 crore (US$6.14 million), 45.4 per cent higher than the base price.

The combined figure – INR 105 crore ($13.44 million) – is already 93.6 per cent higher than the per match value in the previous IPL rights deal (INR 54.23 crore – US6.94 million).

The bidders – DisneyStar, Sony, Viacom-Reliance, Zee, Fun Asia, Super Sport and Times Internet – will resume the auction on Tuesday at 11:00h IST. As per the rules set by IPL, the winner of Package A has the right to compete for the digital rights by locking horns with the highest bidder in Package B. The auction process will continue till one of them drops out. Once the highest bidder for Packages A and B are determined, the auction process for Packages C and D will commence.

All USD values are approximations where 1 USD = 78 INR * As per a Forbes report based on the NFL rights deal of 2021. (ESPNcricinfo)

T

Trinidad and Tobago got the better of Leeward Islands

rinidad and Tobago earned their first win of the tournament in a nervous battle with the Leeward Islands.

After being sent in to bat first, Trinidad and Tobago were staring a batting collapse head on at Providence. At one stage, they were 36-5, their entire top order back in the dugout courtesy of Tiffany Thorpe and Rozel Liburd, who picked up two wickets each.

However, a 53-run sixth-wicket partnership between LeeAnn Kirby and debutante Djenaba Joseph, resuscitated the innings. This partnership ensured their total crossed 100, giving their bowlers a decent target to defend. Kirby was run out for 26 off 25 balls (3x4) and Joseph ended on 23 off 44 balls (2x4). Thorpe had figures of 4-0-10-2 while Liburd had 4-014-2.

Jenison Richards and interim Captain Saneldo Willett were the only Leeward Islands players to reach double figures as the Trinidad and Tobago bowlers were consistent in their line and lengths. Richards struck two fours on her way to a 32ball 24, while Willett also struck two fours in her score of 19.

Spinners Karishma Ramharack 4-1-4-3 and Steffie Soogrim 4-0-17-2, had the Leewards caught firmly in their web, as they led Trinidad and Tobago to victory.

Match Schedule Round 4 – today, Monday, June 13 Jamaica v Barbados at 10am (9am Jamaica Time) Windward Islands v Trinidad and Tobago at 2:30pm (1:30pm Jamaica Time) Leeward Islands v Guyana at 7pm (6pm Jamaica Time)

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2022

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

Page 23

Guyana’s women's team are still in search of first win

IPL rights value breaks record on auction day 1, US$13.44M per match bid so far See story on page 23

– in terms of value per match, the T20 tournament is now behind only the NFL

Pakistan clean sweep series as Shadab Khan’s all-round brilliance outshines Pooran’s four-for

Page 22 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.