Guyana Times - Monday, June 20, 2022

Prisoners P get to see children for Father’s Day 11

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 5045

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

Govt to sign contract for Ogle-Eccles bypass road this week – Edghill …works to commence on widening Grove-to-Timehri road See story on page 9

Page 7

VP to take legal action against businessman in VICE News corruption claim

PRICE

$100 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Guyanese man wanted in US for drug trafficking arrested in Kenya

P11

13 prison P8 officers training to ID mental health issues

…as agency fails to implicate Jagdeo in bribery

Local contractor invests in $300M concrete manufacturing facility Page 3

Region 5 Police to tighten security for dancehall P11 concert

20 persons trained to P13 address water, sanitation, hygiene needs in emergencies

Guyanese contractor Suresh Jagmohan cuts the ribbon with a child to mark the opening of DCSN Manufacturing Inc, a subsidiary of S Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc, in the presence of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal along with India’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr KJ Srinivasa

Exxon, partners to bear full responsibility for decommissioning – EEPGL VP …as agreement being drafted See story on page 2

Region 5 records increase in P8 statutory rape 2 more women die from P15 COVID-19

…35 new cases recorded

2 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Exxon, partners to bear full responsibility for decommissioning – EEPGL VP …as agreement being drafted

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ssuring that an agreement is being drafted to make the decommissioning of their projects in the Stabroek Block decades from now as smooth as possible, an Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) Vice President has made it clear that the Government bears no responsibility for this.

In a recent sit down with the media, EEPGL Vice President and Business Services Manager, Phillip Rietema explained that even in the unlikely event that his company, a subsidiary of US oil giant ExxonMobil, does not profit from its projects, there would still be no liability or debt to Guyana.

“There’s no responsibility to Guyana, the Government of Guyana for our investments. The investments are basically paid by our investors in the projects. And it’s the projects themselves that need to pay back the investment,” the EEPGL Vice President said.

“If for some reason and we think this is unlikely, but if for some reason the projects don’t pay back, there would be no liability, no debt, to the people of

Guyana,” Rietema further explained during the sit down with the media.

As Rietema explained, decommissioning costs (estimated to be about $17 billion) are a very important part of EEPGL’s business and take place between 20 and 30 years into the project cycle. It is therefore important that EEPGL plan for those. This planning includes the oil companies putting aside an amount each year, as well as the drafting and signing of a decommissioning security agreement.

“Under the accounting rules, each year we have to put aside a small amount as we build to that future value. We estimate, using our best information today, what the value will be in 20/30 years’ time. And then what you see in the financial statements is a provision for that amount. ExxonMobil and our co-venturers are responsible for those decommissioning costs.”

“And it is important that overtime, we put the structures in place to ensure that we can pay for those costs.

We have an agreement that is being drafted, called a decommissioning security agreement. And that agree-

ment will set the principles by which the partners will set aside the funds to pay for those decommissioning expenditures and to ensure that all the funds are in place to pay for the costs when they are incurred a couple decades from now,” he also explained.

ExxonMobil is expected to use revenue from its production in order to recoup its capital investment.

This is categorised as “cost oil”. Whatever remains of this is the “profit oil,” which Guyana will have to split between the oil company and its associates.

Decommissioning, on the other hand, is a process consisting of the removal of industrial installations and any relevant structures that have come to the end of their productive life in a certain industry, particularly oil.

Decommissioning is covered under the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) Exxon signed with Guyana.

When it comes to decommissioning at the international level, the main legal international principles not covering decommissioning within the States’ territorial waters, where it is entirely regulated by nation-

Exxon’s Liza Destiny FPSO vessel in the Stabroek Block

al laws, are contained in the 1958 Geneva Convention on the Continental Shelf and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, among others.

There is also a human rights aspect to the decommissioning, especially since there is consideration of the dangerous nature of these activities on the environment and human life. And if decommissioning is not done to standard, it represents a huge risk for the life of the companies involved.

ExxonMobil has said it anticipates at least six projects offshore Guyana will be online by 2027, with de-

velopmental drilling recently starting on the second one, the Liza Phase 2 project. Production has already started in the second phase, with the Liza Unity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in operation.

The third project – the Payara Development – will meanwhile target an estimated resource base of about 600 million oil-equivalent barrels and was at one point considered to be the largest single planned investment in the history of Guyana.

Meanwhile, the Yellowtail development, which will be oil giant

ExxonMobil’s fourth development in Guyana’s waters, will turn out to be the single largest development so far in terms of barrels per day of oil, with a mammoth 250,000 bpd targeted.

The oil rich Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres).

Exxon, through subsidiary EEPGL, is the operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest. (G3)

NEWS

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MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Monday, June 20 – 22:30h – 00:00h and Tuesday, June 21 – 23:00h – 00:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, June 20 – 09:10h – 10:40h and Tuesday, June 21 – 10:15h – 11:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be thundery showers during the day.

Expect partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to North-Westerly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 09:16h and 21:56h reaching maximum heights of 2.36 metres and 2.28 metres.

Low Tide: 15:22h reaching a minimum height of 0.86 metre.

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COMMODITIES Indicators

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Local contractor invests in $300M concrete manufacturing facility

…to offer sustainable option for Guyana’s rapidly-expanding construction sector

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uyanese contractor Suresh Jagmohan has further expanded his services in the construction industry with the establishment of a concrete manufacturing facility that seeks to offer a sustainable and durable option.

DCSN Manufacturing Inc, a subsidiary of S Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc, is a $300 million investment that was undertaken by the renowned contractor and is expected to create between 150 and 200 new jobs for Guyanese.

Recognising the growing demand in the local construction sector, the company has already established asphalt and bitumen plants, and is now venturing into durable concrete products. These include pre-stressed concrete piles and slabs, pre-stressed utility poles, ready-mix concrete and hollow blocks/ pavers.

The company’s Managing Director, Chaitanya Jagmohan, explained at the grand commissioning ceremony at its Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) location on Sunday that DCSN Manufacturing was birthed from the fact that the parent company was awarded the contract for one of the lots in the recently-completed $2.3 billion Mandela Avenue-to-Eccles four-lane concrete highway, and was in need of concrete materials.

“This carriageway has a concrete surface and our lot contractually required the construction of eight prestressed concrete bridges [for which] pretensioned piles and concrete slabs would be needed. We began by requesting quotations from local manufacturers for those items. The availability coupled with the price backed us into the corner of innovation. Here was a business opportunity that matched our engineering strengths,” she noted.

According to the MD, S Jagmohan Construction could not pass up the opportunity it was being presented with hence within three months, and using its 22 years of experience, it conceptualised and constructed the facility that is designed to produce pre-tension and post-tension concrete elements such as posts for deep foundations, slabs for bridge decks, sheet piles for retaining wall structures, precast culverts of rectangular and circular cross sections, utility poles and aashto type vi girders – all within international stan-

Suresh Jagmohan with Ministers Juan Edghill and Collin Croal as well as other officials receiving a demonstration of how the facility works

dards and specifications.

“Our mission at this plant is to produce the highest quality concrete elements using state-of-theart technology to meet our customers’ specifications and requirements. Going forward, we hope to expand and enhance the range of concrete products. In the medium term, we hope to manufacture the full gamut of hollow blocks and pavers as well as provide readymix concrete. It is the hope of management that the opening of this plant helps in the meeting of the demand for durable concrete products in the local market,” the young Jagmohan posited.

Meanwhile, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal said he was pleased

to hear that the niche for such concrete products was created through a road project undertaken by his Ministry. He noted that scores of other projects, including those under other Ministries, have shown that the demand for these materials is there.

“The local market is not always able to supply for the demand that is required. This plant will, therefore, lend critical support for these highway projects through your quality prestressed and precast concrete products...

This investment too will create much-needed jobs and in the long term, will, therefore, reduce, significantly, the expensive importation of similar products to ensure that we are

able to ultimately respond to home construction and infrastructure projects,” Minister Croal posited.

According to the Housing Minister, the Government will continue to introduce policies and investment incentives that make the investment environment both attractive as well as secure, especially for local investors.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, who, in his feature address, pointed out that investments such as these demonstrate the success of the Government in creating the enabling environment for local businesses to venture out into new areas.

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guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 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

Values for constitutional change

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here have been persistent calls for “constitutional reform” and the Government members of the Parliamentary “Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform” have just submitted their proposals on the composition of the Commission that will oversee any overhaul of our Constitution. But in any discussion that will affect the nature of our State and its institutional makeup, we have to ensure that the latter secure the widest possible legitimacy. And for this there is the need for its values to be shared by all our citizens. The meta-values of justice, liberty and equality should be paramount in any scheme of organisation for us, based on our history The philosopher Immanuel Kant succinctly posed the dilemma of establishing a just State back at the end of the 18th century in these terms: “The problem of organising a State, however hard it may seem, can be solved, even for a race of devils, if only they are intelligent. The problem is, given a multitude of rational beings requiring universal laws for their preservation, but each of them is sincerely inclined to exempt himself from them, to establish a Constitution in such a way, although their private intentions conflict, they check each other, with the result that their public conduct is the same as if they had no such intentions.”

All Constitutions accept Kant’s proposal that the solution to the inevitable conflicts in organised human societies lay in the design of appropriate institutions. Kant proposed that institutions, as with all normative behaviour, would have to satisfy the “categorical imperative”: which if followed, would ensure the person(s) behaving in accordance with it, are behaving morally. He defined the categorical imperative: Act only on that maxim whereby thou canst at the same time will that it should become a universal law. Unfortunately, our politicians have always sought to maximise power for their own group, or even more short-sightedly, their own coterie.

The values that have shaped the struggle of all Guyanese above all others are liberty and equality and must become living reality before we can say that we have justice. The institution of slavery was the apotheosis of “unfreedom”. In the words of Orlando Patterson, “The social construction of freedom was made possible by the relation of slavery.

Slavery had to exist before people could even conceive of the idea of freedom as a value, that is to say, find it meaningful and useful, an ideal to be striven for…Slavery immediately made possible something that had never existed before: the absolute, unprotected, unmediated power of life and death of one person over another.” This was the experience of the African slaves during their hundreds of years of enslavement.

The lack of freedom of the indentured servants who replaced the slaves on the plantations was also palpable, even though their legal status was not one of “chattel”.

JS Mill best stated the British Liberal principle of liberty or freedom by emphasising, like Hobbes and Bentham before him, what was labelled “negative liberty” – one is free to the extent that you are not under coercion or compulsion of others – the aspect noted by Orlando Patterson above. This is the freedom that all Guyanese hanker for.

After the British granted independence to us in 1966, the concern over “negative” liberty-freedom waned somewhat but the excesses of the Burnhamite dictatorship brought it right up on the political agenda. In Guyana, our early leaders adopted Marxism as their guiding philosophy, they implicitly assumed the “positive” vision of “freedom” – the need to fulfil one’s human potential. Burnham saw his role as “moulding” the nation and his chosen vehicles were education and discipline. Jagan criticised specifics not the principle. The essence of that dictatorship was that the powers of the State expanded to such an extent that the political and social space left for civil society became vestigial. The contradictions between the “negative” and “positive” visions of freedom became manifest.

The institutions created by the colonial and Burnhamite regimes to secure control over society have not disappeared after 1992. In the upcoming constitutional review, those regimes that still fetter our freedoms must be removed.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir and Human Services Minister, Vindhya Persaud joined the High Commission of India in Guyana in collaboration with Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre to celebrate the 8th International Day of Yoga on Sunday at the Everest Cricket Ground in Georgetown (Indian High Commission photo)

The other pandemic

By Bruce Golding

A

dvances in technology continue to change how we live our lives in many different ways. It has always been doing so, only now at a pace that we could never have imagined. None has impacted the worldwide population more profoundly than the Internet and, more particularly, its offshoot — interactive social media.

It clearly is something of great value.

While the Internet connected the entire world, social media has brought its population into the same conference room, with each of us having his own microphone. And it is free! It is like a toll-free, super highway that allows you to meet up with anybody and everybody anywhere in the world all at the same time.

Social media platforms now boast 4.5 billion users — more than half of the world’s population. Average daily usage per person is 2½ hours. As information minister Robert Nesta Morgan said recently, it has democratised the information and communication landscape.

That can provide immeasurable benefits. It can be a valuable source of real-time information. It can enable us to get a better understanding of each other, to know how other people think and feel, to exchange ideas and concretise solutions to many of the problems that we face. It can offer huge economic opportunities as well.

But it also poses serious dangers.

Rumour and speculation masquerade as information. Facts and falsehoods compete for acceptance. Social media can be used to cause irreparable damage to people’s reputation; invade people’s privacy and expose their most intimate experiences; exploit the most vulnerable, especially children; promote hatred; incite violence; and influence people in harmful ways.

Even before the emergence of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other similar platforms, the Internet posed its own dangers because of some of the content it carried. Those dangers have multiplied several-fold because with these interactive platforms. It is the users — not the providers — who supply the content.

It is they who, with virtually no editorial control, get the ball rolling and keep it rolling.

Marketing power The social media providers don’t charge you a penny for signing up. They don’t need your money. With 4.5 billion

users they control a powerful, captive market that advertisers relish to sell their goods and services.

And they don’t just bombard you with ads. They target you. They use algorithms to gather specific data about you — the things that you view or interact with which tells them the kind of things that you are interested in. They build a digital profile of you and people like you, and they then sell that information to advertisers whose products and services your profile suggests you may be interested in.

Ever wondered why you are pestered with certain pop-ups?

Several recent studies have shown that social media is having a serious negative and even dangerous effect on the psychology of young children. Children love social media in the same way that — when I was a child — we loved comic books. It is now their pastime of choice.

They are constantly tapping away, sliding screens, completely preoccupied. Their parents hardly know what they are seeing, reading and learning, whether some cultist or paedophile is trying to mess up their heads, or some narcissist is showing them how to get even with other kids who may have offended them, or trying to persuade them that suicide is “cool”.

But it is not just the children who are at risk; it is the entire society. Social media is being used to manipulate people’s minds and take control of their attitudes, behaviour, beliefs, and how they relate to other people.

In a candid interview, a former Facebook president, Sean Parker, stated: “The exploiting of vulnerability in human psychology…the investors and creators understood this consciously, and we did it anyway.” This is corroborated by another former Facebook executive, Chamath Palihapitiya, who helped to develop the platform and who acknowledged that, “We kind of knew that bad things could happen,” and that “bad actors can now manipulate large swaths of people to do anything they want”.

The most pernicious thing about it is that it is done for profit. Social media platforms encourage what is called edgy or sensational posts that immediately attract the interest of other users who jump in either to view it or to add their own posts to it. The algorithm flags it and spreads it all over the platform for the more people who view it and, the longer the time they spend viewing all the follow-up posts, the bigger the market for advertisements —

that is where the social media providers make their ton-loads of money. Last year, Facebook made US$39 billion in profits.

Regulating social media Social media providers have found themselves increasingly on the defensive as the damage done by unbridled traffic becomes more evident, including cybercrime, radicalisation, interference with elections, as well as its influence in the commission of heinous crimes such as mass killings.

To temper public backlash they have created filters and algorithms designed to shut out postings deemed to be undesirable and even misleading, as was done in the case of some anti-vaccine rants relating to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Twitter even took the decision to permanently shut down Donald Trump’s account because of his “big lie” about the outcome of the US presidential elections.

But can a behemoth be relied on to regulate its own behaviour? And, is each of them to be left to apply its own separate rules to itself?

If not, who is to set those rules, and how would they legally and technically be applied? It cannot be left to each country devising its own rules. That would produce an unmanageable cobweb and most countries do not have the technical capacity to enforce them anyway.

The European Union has taken the lead in imposing far-reaching regulations regarding privacy and data protection. Its size and clout have made them work. The secretary general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, insists that we must go much further and has included in his Roadmap for Digital Cooperation, the proposal for a global regulatory framework for the use of content surveillance technologies to prevent harmful usage.

This would obviously require an international convention that would have to find comfort with the right to freedom of expression — a tall hurdle to surmount — but he correctly sees social media, in spite of all its usefulness, as a potential tool for human rights violation.

Technology is capable of fixing the problems that it creates, but it is political will that must force it to do so.

Unfortunately, international conventions take many years to come into being. In the meantime, public clamour is the only weapon we have. (Jamaica Observer) (Bruce Golding served as Jamaica’s eighth prime minister from September 11, 2007 to October 23, 2011.)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

5

News

Think outside the box – Hamilton urges women pursuing BIT programmes …as female trainee uses new skill to build boat

The boat that was donated to labour officers

W

omen are being encouraged to participate in more non-traditional training programmes offered by the Labour Ministry’s Board of Industrial Training (BIT).

Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton is pushing to ensure women are participating in the free technical programmes being offered by BIT. According to a DPI report, there has been reduction in the number of cosmetology programmes being

offered in various areas, as a way of encouraging women to “think outside the box”.

Six women and three men hailing from Wakapao village graduated from BIT’s solar installation training programme, in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

The females are utilising the skills attained to help enhance their communities.

The participants from that programme retrofitted their community centre with so-

lar lights, and put in the electrical wiring to ensure community members can use the centre at nights.

At the graduation ceremony at the Anna Regina Regional Labour Office, Region Two on Friday, the Minister highlighted that 52 per cent of the population are women, as he reiterated Government’s commitment to upskill both men and women for opportunities that exist in the country.

“I have put an embar-

Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton hands over a certificate to one of the BIT graduates

go in some places across this country on cosmetology because there is only so many you can give. I have put an embargo because I want to direct women into jobs where real money exists…every programme that we run, women have to permanently be placed in them and women, you have to

The “care” continues by the PPP/C Dear Editor, Thanks to the current Administration for this most important and much-needed intervention. It is that “Persons with permanent disabilities (are set) to receive lifetime assistance from the Government.” This headline must have really been received, by both the disabled community and Guyanese at large. Let me quickly mention a few things concerning the place this kind of governmental input rally has in our society.

First, we need to know that disability is part of being human. Let it be appreciated that almost all of us will temporarily or permanently experience disability at some point in our life. In fact, over 1 billion people, that is, about 15 per cent of the global population, are currently experiencing some form of disability.

Worse yet is the fact that this number is increasing because of population ageing and an increase in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases.

Thus, Guyana is on the right band wagon.

The news I got from the press is that “Persons living with permanent disabilities, HIV, cancer, or any other lifelong incurable or untreatable disease, will now automatically qualify for public assistance for the rest of their lives”. This timely news, from the Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud, was made public at the commissioning of a new wing at the

Night Shelter in La Penitence, Georgetown. I like the removal of red tapes and bureaucracy, couched in the explanation of the Minister. She detailed that “All persons, all living with a permanent disability, will be able to access public assistance without any need to qualify, any needs test; it’s all automatic access to public assistance.”

This is not something in the making too, as she added that “… the initiative would take immediate effect across the country, including for those diagnosed with cancer and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The ‘for life’ factor is so vital, as many of those in the ‘Community of the Disabled’ were, and are still victims of ‘little or no income’. Also, as mentioned before, there will be an ease in accessing the provision, as the disabled community will not have to go before the Board of Guardians. The process is automatic, and all one has to do is to register with the National Commission on Disability (NCD). Then from there, registrants will be added to the Register for Public Assistance.

The second thing to note is that the Government is really manifesting a commitment to make the “One Guyana” motto a reality. Usually, many think of just the political arena here.

And indeed, that is important.

But we must remember that many care little for politics and simply want to overcome challenges and have a ‘full and meaningful life’. So, my

mind goes back to what happened just a while back. We are still in ‘appreciation mode’ for the one-off cash grant of $100,000 for every child living with a disability. When he announced it, President Irfaan Ali did explain that the Administration was very cognisant of the many hardships parents and guardians of persons with disabilities, especially children, normally face.

If we add the COVID-19 pandemic and other global shocks, such as natural disasters and the current Russia-Ukraine war, then we have a really bad situation on hand. For example, as the President explained, “With the increases of gas prices that are bringing tremendous hardship globally, we have been supporting every single group…and today we want to give every single child with a disability, a cash

grant of $100,000 this year.”

These acts of necessary ‘caretaking’ transcend political grand-standing, and we must heap accolades on the People’s Progressive Party/Civic for doing the right thing.

Let us bear in mind that people’s environment has a huge effect on the experience and extent of disability. Inaccessible environments create barriers that often hinder the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in society on an equal basis with others. Progress on improving social participation can be made by addressing these barriers and facilitating persons with disabilities in their day to day lives. This is exactly what is beginning to unfold in Guyana.

Sincerely, H Singh

How could this have happened?

Dear Editor, It baffles that a wrong body is given and not recognised, in the burial mix up. How could it not have been recognised from receipt of the body at the funeral home to burial, nowhere along the funeral process the mix up was realised?

It is said post-mortem does not bring back the

dead, but one will have to be done at the funeral home to determine how this mix up happened and ensure that weaknesses in the system are corrected thus avoiding another heartbreaking occurrence.

My condolences to both grieving parties.

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

think outside of the box. Do not let people guide you only to do hair and nails, you could do more than that,” Hamilton is quoted by DPI as saying.

While in the region, Hamilton visited St Monica Mission to receive a boat that was made by several women who were participants of a boat construction programme. The boat will aid labour officers to commute the riverine communities in Region Two to deliver ministerial services.

Meanwhile, Kelcia Miguel, who assisted in the construction of the boat, expressed eagerness to apply her newly acquired skills.

“I feel really excited because now I could go about

and say I know certain skills and techniques about boat building because being in the boat building programme, I have learned certain things.”

She further encouraged women to take part in more technical programmes.

“I think that the Government should get females involved in jobs that men can because we can do same thing that men can do if we put our self or if the Government give us the opportunity to do it. I would like women to participate in these projects more because we have the ability to do it.”

The Ministry will soon be introducing joinery in the logging community of St Monica.

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

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MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

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MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

VP to take legal action against businessman in VICE News corruption claim …as US news agency fails to implicate Jagdeo in bribery

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n the wake of the airing of a VICE News feature titled “Guyana for Sale” that contains allegations against Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, sources indicate that legal action is likely to be taken against the parties involved in Chinese businessman Su Zhi Rong being caught on camera by the news agency making these allegations.

Social media commentary on an episode on Guyana by United States-based media outlet, VICE News, which aired on Sunday evening, was dismissed by senior officials within the Government since the interview was released on February 5, 2022.

The full interview was aired February 5 following the two-hour interview with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo by a journalist of VICE Media Group, which was conducted on February 1, 2022.

In the interview aired on Sunday by Showtime television network, which is now only 16 minutes, Su Zhi Rong, who operates in Guyana, claimed to be close friends with Guyana’s Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo.

In the same breath, however, he also made clear in the undercover interview that Jagdeo does not take bribes. In the preview released ahead of the full airing, Su Zhi Rong is also heard referring to Jagdeo saying, “his hands are very clean.”

At no point in the full recording of the episode did VICE News present any evidence of wrongdoing or corruption on Jagdeo’s part. In the full recording, however, Su Zhi Rong was recorded using Jagdeo’s name in trying to negotiate a payment from the undercover VICE operator posing as a Chinese in-

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during the interview with the VICE journalist, Isobel Yeung on February 1, 2022

vestor.

When the Vice President was visited at his house by Su Zhi Rong and the undercover VICE crew (the journalist posed as the secretary of the undercover investor), Jagdeo in the secretly recorded conversation did specify that he can assist with investment deals but made it clear that he will not get involved in any financial dealings.

“No no, I’m not getting involved with business… my thing is that I’m in Government. So, I assist from the Government side.

That’s it,” Jagdeo said, after which Su Zhi Rong spoke to the Chinese ‘investor’ in Mandarin to further solicit the bribe, so that the Vice President could not realise that he was being used.

Persons falsely using Jagdeo’s name to solicit money from investors is nothing new and in fact Jagdeo had cause to publicly warn investors during a press conference last month, not to fall for this scam.

During his press conference, Jagdeo had given a recent example of someone being arrested right at Office of

the President, for this very offence. The Vice President recalled that the man, who was a complete stranger to him, took a photo next to him and then later used this photo to collect money from companies on the false promise that he knew Jagdeo and could act as a liaison between them and the Vice President.

“He then showed up here, because my secretary called and arranged a meeting. He showed up with another person he was conning, bringing to the meeting. And he was arrested right here,” Jagdeo had said.

“So, this is going on, it has become almost like an industry, where people claim they are representing companies and I don’t know what they are representing to these people. So, if anyone is stupid enough to lose your money by thinking you will get any preferences, because someone arranged a meeting with some policymaker, it’s your loss.”

Interview

In February, the Vice President in response to the interview had said: “I help a

lot of people but without consideration… I see lots of companies, but is not for money or a bribe… She asked me about the laws we are changing to help the contractors… she then went on to say that Su said we have changed the Constitution of Guyana so we can give them contracts… I don’t know that I have the power to change the Constitution of Guyana to give contracts to people.”

The Media Group has been on a downward spiral in recent years and is clearly trying desperately to survive by inventing “exposés” of corruption in developing countries to feed the old colonial narratives in its North American markets.

In May 8, 2019, Disney had told investors that it had

wiped out US$353 million of the money it had previously put into VICE. A month later, on June 10, 2019, HBO cancelled Vice News Tonight, putting an end to its seven-year relationship with VICE. A year later, the downward spiral continued when VICE laid off 155 employees in May 2020. Finally, in August 2021, they launched a new wave of layoffs, reflecting the youth-culture media company’s ongoing financial struggles and need to realign toward profitable areas of the business — amid a broader shift toward video and visual content.

During the interview, after asking innocuous questions about the policies of the Government on investment in light of the massive oil find, the reporter suddenly alleged that based on “information” she had received, a Chinese logger named “Su” claimed that the only way to do business in Guyana was to pay incentives.

These allegations were immediately rebutted. The reporter’s line of questioning suggested that Guyana was taking financial incentives from the Chinese hence most of the contracts that are being awarded were given to Chinese contractors.

The Vice President had previously said that he knew ‘Su’, who was a tenant at his property, but he cannot re-

spond to questions on hearsay that either the reporter or the claimed informant could have concocted.

He said that if there is evidence that ‘Su’ was using his name for financial gain then he will have to take legal actions against the businessman.

On February 9, the Chinese Embassy based in Georgetown, Guyana, slammed the distortion of the facts on Guyana’s bilateral relations with China, making it clear that relations with the two countries, inclusive of business relations, are founded on the law and international practices.

According to the statement from the Chinese Embassy, which is headed

by Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Guo Haiyan, “ChinaGuyana friendly cooperation, featuring equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness, and benefits for the people, is in accordance with the interests of the two countries and two peoples, not against any third party, nor should it be influenced by a third party.”

From a business perspective, Haiyan was adamant that Chinese companies operational in Guyana adhere to all applicable laws. From a foreign policy perspective, she also expressed China’s appreciation for Guyana’s support for the One China principle.

8 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Region 5 records increase in statutory rape

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egional Commander for Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Senior Superintendent Kurleigh Simon has revealed that the region has seen an increase in statutory rape for this year.

Commander Simon made the revelation during a recent episode of “Police and You”.

The Commander noted that so far, statutory rape is a major crime that his district is currently battling.

“When we look at other serious crimes, murders, robberies, burglary, break and enter and larceny, those figures are actually in the negative but contrastingly, we have a 300 per cent increase in rape,” he said.

As of May 31 last year,

Region Five Regional Commander Kurleigh Simon

Commander Simon said there had been only three reported cases of rape in the region. However, in the

same period for this year, there have been 12 reported cases, tripling the numbers this year.

“The issue continues to be children below the age of consent being involved in sexual activity, of those 12 reported cases, 10 are of a statutory nature, meaning the female is below the stipulated age of consent,” the Commander said.

He said of the reported cases of statutory rape, seven include both the male and females who were teenagers.

To curb further increases in these cases, the Commander said they have been engaging several communities with the help of the Schools Welfare Department, Rights of the Child Commission, and the

Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“Every month we have a representative going around with the Rights of the Child Commission to various areas in the region to have those engagements.”

The Commander also called on parents to properly guide their children in the right direction. He noted many of these cases are only reported to Police when it is brought to the parents’ attention that their child/children are involved in sexual activities.

“I could only appeal to parents to be more vigilant with their children and ask that the wider community take on that responsibility of giving good guidance,” the Commander said. (G9)

13 prison officers trained to ID mental health issues

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The prison officers who graduated from the course

hirteen ranks from the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) on Sunday graduated from mental health training. The graduation was held after the ranks completed a fiveday mental health training course under the guidance of Senior Psychologist, Dr Balogun Osunbiyi.

At the simple graduation ceremony, Director of Prisons (ag), Nicklon Elliot said the GPS not only aims to build the capacity of prisoners but is also ensuring that the staff is exposed to training. He said this will help to promote greater efficacy within the prison service.

“Based on the current budgetary allocations for training, same has been utilised to ensure that staff is exposed to not only institutional training but at the technical level so that they

Psychologist, Dr Balogun Osunbiyi

can offer more support and guidance to prisoners, he said.

Meanwhile, in an invited comment, Dr Osunbiyi said the participants are now better prepared to identify and deal with mental health challenges among the prison population.

“In particular, this training course addresses the signs and procedures

Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot

of mental health issues among the inmates, suicide prevention and self-harm within the incarcerated population, special needs, including gender (the mental health of women prisoners) and age (the mental health of young offenders), among other pressing issues,” Dr Osunbiyi related.

Meanwhile, some 250 ranks have been trained

for the year from 19 completed courses, both external and internal. Among the completed courses were: Human Rights, Prison Management, and Supervisory Management.

Additionally, the Prison Service said some 275 ranks have so far been identified for further training for the second half of the year. (G9)

Sowing the wind… …and reaping the (PNC) whirlwind

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t’s interesting how pithy yet so profound so many Biblical sayings are!! Your Eyewitness hopes he doesn’t come off sounding arrogant or anything!! But, after all, those books were written thousands of years ago and they can still hit you square between the eyes!!

What does that tell us about mankind?? That we won’t change…or we CAN’T change?? Whatever the answer, that Biblical expression, “Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind” came to your Eyewitness’s mind when he read that Pres Ali committed to convening an INTERNATIONAL CoI to review the 2020 elections!!

Now we know the PNC’s been jumping up and down and screaming bloody murder that the PPP Govt’s unwilling to have the “truth” come out on the elections!! Talk about taking your doody and daubing it on someone else’s bamsie!! Well, they’ll soon be reaping THAT whirlwind!! After the PNC’s case in the Courts was thrown because for the simple threshold matter that service hadn’t been effected on the man in the middle – Granger himself!! – how could the PPP be blamed??

Does the PNC want the PPP to coach the PNC’s battery of newly-minted Senior Counsels how to conduct a simple, elementary matter like “service”?? Jeez!! Hey!! You sow the wind and you reap the whirlwind!! And this time they were blown right out of the Courts!!

Then the PNC Commish in GECOM tried to harass the Chair to use her casting vote to have the Commission conduct a review of the case of the Mingoed Elections.

But he knew full well that such a review – which would include assessing the credibility of evidence – is outside the GECOM’s remit!! So why’d he do it?? For the same reason the PNC had agreed for ID cards to allow folks to vote in the 1997 elections!! But when they lost, they ran to the Courts crying that the Constitution doesn’t permit the use of IDs for that purpose!! And the same Claudette Singh – sitting as a Judge – ruled that the election was void!! They want the same thing to happen here!! Well, Claudette didn’t fall for their trick and pointed out their false premise!! No wind planted here!!

And we arrive at President Ali’s Solomonic decision on the International CoI. Here, he’ll be picking individuals who the PNC can’t say are biased – which is what they’ve even done with local Judges who’ve ruled against the PPP! Then Prezzie’ll be setting the terms of reference on what every Guyanese wants to verify – HOW DID MINGO FUDGE THE SOPS??!!The CoI will be able to demand the PNC produce their SoPs – which they claim show them winning!!

They can run…but they can’t hide from the whirlwind!! …in Ukraine In politics, one gotta be careful about making very precise predictions. Even for no other reason because of ergodicity in the real world – we can NEVER know all the variables when human beings are concerned!! With, say, colliding atoms, we may – but not with colliding humans – as in the war in Ukraine!! Yet, with all his experience, Pres Biden boasted of driving Russian President Vladimir Putin from power, destroying Russia’s capacity to make war and halving the size of the Russian economy after the latter invaded Ukraine!!

Now everyone concedes your Eyewitness was right – this ain’t gonna happen. Not because your Eyewitness likes Putin or anything – that has absolutely nothing to do with it!! Very brutally, some of Biden’s advisors badly miscalculated the strength of Ukraine’s defenders and the weakness of Russia’s capacities! So, what’ll happen now?

Well…what happens in ANY war when one side concedes that they ain’t gonna win – they negotiate. So, we’ll be back to what was offered at the beginning.

Russia’s gonna demand strategic depth!! And get it! …on “handouts” The WPA wants to give away the granddaddy of handouts – $1 million annually to every Guyanese family!!

So, what happens when the oil runs out in 20 or 30 years and we have no infrastructure or jobs?

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

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Govt to sign contract for Ogle-Eccles bypass road this week – Edghill …works to commence on widening Grove-to-Timehri road

An artist’s impression of the road link, showing the connectors from Ogle to Diamond

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ublic Works Minister Juan Edghill has disclosed that the Guyana Government will soon be signing the contract for the much-anticipated four-lane Ogle, East Coast Demerara, to Eccles, East Bank Demerara bypass road project.

He made this disclosure while delivering the feature address on Sunday at the commissioning of a concrete plant – DCSN Manufacturing Inc, which is a subsidiary of renowned S Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc and specialises in durable concrete products made with pre-stressed concrete.

According to Edghill, this bypass road will be a critical link for accessing the country’s two international airports – the Eugene F Correia International Airport in Ogle and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Timehri, EBD. “On Friday of this week, we’ll be signing the contract for the new four-lane highway that will eventually link the Ogle International Airport with the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

People coming from Berbice, heading to the airport would no longer have to come through Georgetown.”

“There’ll be a four lane… that four-lane will be passing [through] in the back lands; it will be opening up new lands and all of us who traverse the back lands, will know to get a four lane in, we have to cross those waterways so we will need bridges,” Edghill posited.

According to the Public Works Minister, those bridges can be built using the products manufac-

tured by the Guyanese company. This sentiment was also shared by Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr K J Srinivasa.

Last month, Guyana Times reported that the Indian Exim Bank, which is funding the project, has already given its approval for India-based Ashoka Buildcon Limited to construct the road but the Guyana Government was awaiting “official” confirmation.

At the time, Edghill had related to this publication that once the confirmation comes, the contract would be signed. He noted that Government is “ready and eager” to start the bypass road project.

It was announced in January of this year that Ashoka Buildcon Limited won the contract to construct the road, ahead of two other Indian companies. Ashoka has built a number of bridges and roads. According to the company’s website, it even built a bridge in 38 days, namely the Mandve Bridge near Pandharpur, India. The company said the bridge was supposed to be built in 12 months.

In February 2021, the Government of India had approved the new scope of works for the redesigned bypass road project that would link the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) at Ogle to Haags Bosch in Eccles, on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD).

The Diamond-Ogle bypass project will see the construction of some 26 kilometres of road linking two of the country’s main thoroughfares. This new road link will also be connected to key communities in Georgetown

and along the East Bank of Demerara. These include Diamond, Mocha and Eccles – all on the East Bank – and Aubrey Barker Road in Georgetown. These connections will prove crucial in diverting traffic.

RITES Limited, an engineering consultancy company based in India, had undertaken a 10-month design consultancy, which produced a Detailed Project Report (DPR) outlining the draft final design of the bypass road. It is this report which recommended a four-lane highway as most feasible.

Road design

Rajendra Sothwal, a senior engineer with RITES Limited, had previously said the bypass road would include a metal beam barrier, concrete crash barrier, traffic signs and impact attenuators that reduce damage to infrastructure, pavement markings, highway lighting, a raised median that will reduce headlight glare.

Back in 2015, the Indian Government had provided a US$50 million Line of Credit (LOC) for the road link that was initially slated for Ogle to Diamond, EBD. However, the project cost was driven up to over $208 million by the previous A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government and the project languished under them.

However, when the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government took office in 2020, it redesigned the project into two phases to fit the LOC – first from Ogle to Haags Bosch road in Eccles, which is about 48-50 per cent of the project, and then from Eccles to Diamond – in or-

der to fit the US$50 million LOC. The Guyana Government will be undertaking another phase by extending the road from Diamond all the way to Timehri.

Meanwhile, this bypass road project falls in line with the Dr Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C Government’s “comprehensive highway development plan.”

This plan includes the alternative four-lane highway from Mandela Avenue to Eccles, which was completed in April to the tune of $2.3 billion.

That road is now being extended from Eccles to Great Diamond. Upon completion, the new road will be linked to the Mandela to Eccles four-lane highway and is expected to further reduce traffic congestion along the East Bank Demerara corridor.

Contracts to the tune of $13.3 billion were awarded to 12 contractors last December to construct the extended four-lane road. It has been reported the road will be further extended to Craig, EBD, in order to al-

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill

leviate the bottlenecks between Diamond and Grove on the East Bank.

In addition to this, Minister Edghill on Sunday disclosed that Government will also be upgrading and expanding the two-lane road from Grove (at the entrance to Diamond Housing Scheme) to all the way to Timehri before the end of this year.

“We are going to be doing a major upgrade from Diamond to Timehri in 2022.

You know what that mean,

you imagine a road being upgraded between Diamond and Timehri – we’re talking about strictly night work.

Even in a slack time, between Diamond and Craig and Hope, the traffic is so enormous. We have to start doing things differently… that things cannot remain the same,” the Public Works Minister contended.

Some $2.1 billion was set aside in Budget 2022 for the widening and paving of the East Bank highway from Grove to Timehri. (G8)

10 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Companies being incentivised to lay fibre-optic cables countrywide – Jagdeo …as additional 1000 jobs launched in Region 5

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n an effort to boost Information and Communication Technology (ICT) access countrywide, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has been encouraging and incentivising companies to lay fibre-optic cables across the country.

This is according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who was at the time addressing residents during a meeting at the Community Centre Ground in Paradise, Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), on Saturday. At the time, he was meeting with beneficiaries of the Government’s part-time jobs initiative, which was extended to cater for an additional 1000 persons in the region.

“Right now, if anyone wants to build a factory or a call centre here, like we’re now building one in Essequibo Coast, we’ll build the factory shell and then have people operate the factory. So, then

they can create the jobs.

And in this region too, that is a business,” the Vice President said.

According to Jagdeo, potential investors can apply to the Government to receive the support of the State. The Vice President noted that the aim was to diversify the job market, including by introducing more ICT investments.

“Because ICT is a good industry, to occupy a lot of young people who may not want to go into agriculture.

Now, we have been incentivising people to lay fibre-optic cables across the country, to bring in greater capacity and to lay them across.

“That means greater bandwidth and high-speed Internet across the communities. Because if you’re going to run a programme like that, you need quality infrastructure on the ICT side. So, we’re working at getting that going.”

During a previous visit to Region Five earlier this

month, Jagdeo had said that the Administration was now targeting 10,000 persons to provide with part-time jobs. The Vice President had also emphasised that the initiative was meant to provide people with extra income while they seek to improve themselves.

Jagdeo had announced at the time that over 1000 persons would benefit from the programme in Region Five. But countrywide, the number of persons expected to benefit has risen from the 8000 quoted earlier this year, to 10,000.

According to the Vice President, these 10,000 persons will be expected to make full use of the programme. He had explained that it was designed in a way to minimise the need for persons to travel far distances.

“This initiative is to give people an opportunity to get an income, while they are studying or looking at something else. And

there’s going to be 10,000 Guyanese. In this room, we probably have 200 people.

So, imagine what 10,000 looks like. So, 10,000 of our people working through this programme.

“So, I hope that all of you make full use of this programme. This is not free money. You have to work for 10 months. But we will ensure that you’re placed in an area that minimises you having to travel and all of that. So, when we designed the programme, we designed it in a manner where you can be placed in Government facilities close to you and even private facilities that perform a social function.”

An example Jagdeo pro-

vided of these was day-care facilities. Jagdeo also noted that from the time they were employed, these persons would become employees of the Government.

Persons in Region Five registered for the jobs and signed their contracts to begin work during the Vice President’s visit.

Jagdeo also explained that pre-COVID, Guyana lost some 35,000 jobs under the previous Government, while heavy taxation and the unconscionable shutdown of the sugar industry imposed undue hardships on citizens. An estimated 50,000 jobs overall had been lost.

The situation was exacerbated when the pandemic

hit and the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) shut down the country, resulting in the loss of another 35,000 to 40,000 jobs. In light of this inherited situation, the VP explained to the crowd that the Government has put mechanisms in place to reduce the economic impacts on Guyanese.

In the period leading up to the March 2020 General and Regional Elections, the now ruling PPP/C while on the campaign trail had promised to create 50,000 jobs during its five-year term. The Party had promised that sugar workers would have gotten back their jobs.

Previously, Jagdeo had said that there was a lack of skilled labour and Government was putting things in place to address this. This is being done by offering training for persons. The former Head of State pointed out that while there was a labour shortage in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), Region Five and Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) have a shortage of skilled labour.

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MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyanese man wanted in US for drug trafficking arrested in Kenya

Prisoners get to see children for Father’s Day

Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot

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C

The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), in Kenya

Guyanese man was arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), in Kenya after he was accused of trafficking illegal drugs.

Reports coming out of the country stated that the man was arrested and deported to the United States of America (USA) to face justice.

The man was identified as Christopher Richard Spencer and was deported on Saturday night, the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation reported.

It was reported that Spencer was wanted by the

US Government for drug-related charges, and was arrested shortly after arrival in the country from Sao Paulo, in Southeastern Brazil.

In 2015, Spencer allegedly smuggled 1.5 kilograms of cocaine through a piece of shoe luggage, leading to his arrest in 2016. He was subsequently taken to court but released on pre-trial conditions.

However, according to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Spencer later violated the conditions and a warrant of arrest was issued on March 17, 2017.

“Again, he violat-

Christopher Richard Spencer who was arrested for drug trafficking

ed pre-trial conditions of non-appearance and change of address without reporting, and another warrant was issued on March 19, 2018,” the report stated The suspect reportedly remained on the run until he was arrested Friday morning at the airport.

hildren of prisoners were last week given a rare opportunity to see their fathers through the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), “Father’s Day Bonding Visits” initiative. This was leading up to Father’s Day which was celebrated on Sunday last.

The children along with other family members were privileged to have a meal with their loved ones and shared some time with them, a privilege that the inmates were hoping to receive.

For most imprisoned fathers, a day like Father’s Day is harder for them as they’re spending time separated from their children and other loved ones.

According to the Prison Service, Father’s Day pro-

The inmates who were given the opportunity to see their children

duces a complicated mix of emotions for the fathers who are imprisoned.

“These sad realities highlight the importance of Father’s Day in prison – an opportunity to re-solidify the bond between parent and child each year. And although it is a uniquely difficult time for many incarcerated fathers as they confront their limited role as caregivers, the day is celebrated nonetheless,” GPS said.

Director of Prisons (ag), Nicklon Elliot joined several of the inmates at the Lusignan Prison for lunch and alluded to the fact that

fathers are important in the lives of children. “… it is moments like these that we are reminded of how important maintaining these relationships are to the health and rehabilitation of both prisoners and family members. In fact, when offenders remain connected to their families, it not only helps their children but also protects the rest of us, reducing recidivism,” he said.

The Prison Director further posited that family preservation is a priority in the prison system’s correctional approach. (G9)

Region 5 Police to tighten security for dancehall concert

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lmost a month after pandemonium broke out at the National Park in Georgetown when gunshots were discharged during the dancehall concert dubbed “Baderation”, and hundreds of patrons had to run for cover, Regional Commander of Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) Kurleigh Simon said his ranks will be tightening the security for the upcoming “Skillibeng” show in their district.

The Jamaican artist Emwah Warmington known as “Skillibeng” is

“We have already established that they will be a no weapon policy irrespective of who you are. We are also going to put systems in place for persons who are carrying a licensed firearm, to have those firearms secured at a convenient location where they can be retrieved after the event…” he explained.

Just last month during the Baderation concert, persons were seen running Region Five Regional Commander Kurleigh Simon

Jamaican artist Emwah Warmington known as “Skillibeng”

expected to perform in Berbice on August 14.

According to Simon, he is working along with the promoters of the event to see how many ranks he will need for the event. “…we will have to see if we will have to draw additional ranks…maybe to ask for additional ranks from out of the region to help us police that event… our sanitisation of the region will also commence way before.”

The Commander said

he has taken note of the last public event [the Baderation show] and is working very hard not to have the same thing happen in his region.

“We have taken notes and we are putting systems in place to ensure that the region is policed before, during, and after that particular event,” he said.

He encouraged persons who are planning to attend this event with weapons not to, since there will be a no weapon policy.

for their lives as bottles were thrown in the air and guns were fired, resulting in some patrons receiving injuries, and several persons were robbed.

At the time, Jamaica dancehall artist Kevaun Douglas, known as “Skeng”, was on stage performing one of his popular tunes, “Protocol”.

Following this unruly episode, Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton

Hicken had a meeting with the organisers of the show at the Guyana Police Force Headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown, and several issues regarding the breach of security and subsequent discharge of gunshots at the concert were discussed.

Recommendations were also made for strict compliance prior to the hosting of any other such event in the future.

Following that meeting,

Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn announced that “artistes like Skeng” will be banned from performing at public events in Guyana.

This was due to concerns that the artiste might have influenced the partygoers’ violent behaviour at the concert. The Minister also disclosed that these artistes will only be able to perform in enclosed places if possible. (G9)

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MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Life skills important as Guyana focuses on oil and gas – Humanitarian Mission ...120 graduate with life skills

The graduating class

Some of the work by the graduates

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ife skills today are just as important as they were a decade ago, even in an emerging nation like Guyana, which is now a rising oil and gas producer. This is according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc, Suresh Sugrim.

Sugrim said recently that even as Guyana was placing much emphasis on agriculture, a vacuum in life skills was developing.

The CEO was at the time speaking with <<<Guyana Times>>> following a graduation exercise for more than 100 individuals who completed courses in over 10 skill areas.

According to Sugrim, the skills learnt can also be incorporated into the oil and gas industry, but more importantly, they offer the beneficiaries the opportunity to become self-employed and also save mon-

ey by doing things for themselves.

Recently, 120 persons successfully completed courses in life skills; electronic repairs; electrical installation level 1; sewing; cooking; cake decoration; information technology; cosmetology; hair, facial care and make-up; nails and balloon decor.

Delivering the keynote address at the graduation ceremony, which was held at the University of

Guyana Tain Campus auditorium, Sugrim called on

the females to act in ways that would be supportive

of the family.

“Stand up and break the generational gap of being housewives,” he said, noting that the attainment of skill is an opening that all genders should take advantage of since it aids in breaking the generational gaps such as poverty.

The CEO also touched on what he referred to as a high level of domestic violence, and urged persons to speak out.

Many graduates were thankful for their achievements and took the opportunity to thank the donors and the Mission for giving them the opportunity to gain these skills.

TURN TO PAGE 15

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MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

20 persons trained to address water, sanitation, hygiene needs in emergencies

Participants with their certificates at the end of the WaSH in Emergency training at the Civil Defence Commission headquarters, Georgetown

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he capacity of personnel in key sectors to prepare for and respond to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) needs during disasters has been strengthened following a WaSH in Emergency training exercise co-organised by the Health Ministry in collaboration with the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and UNICEF. The two-day activity focused on key areas inclusive of standardised WaSH preparedness and response plans, contingency planning, WaSH sector coordination; and identified key WaSH preparedness actions for the main crises in Guyana, among other topics.

A release from UNICEF stated that in delivering remarks Wednesday to commence the workshop, UNICEF Representative, Irfan Akhtar highlighted the vital role of clean water, basic toilets, and good hygiene practices in giving every child a healthier start in life. In addition, he em-

phasised the importance of emergency preparedness, noting that with climate change, extreme weather events such as floods and droughts have increased in frequency and intensity, further impacting access to WaSH services, particularly for the most vulnerable populations. He noted too that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical role of WaSH services in preventing and controlling both epidemic and endemic diseases.

“UNICEF is committed to continue to support our partners not only in development, but in preparing for and responding to emergency situations and reaching the most vulnerable children and families…This workshop is one step towards strengthening the coordination mechanism and improving our preparedness for any emergency response,” Akhtar is quoted as saying.

Better response

Highlighting that WaSH

services are usually the first affected in an emergency, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Narine Singh said that the training would prepare the relevant agencies to respond better. "In all emergencies, whether they’re manmade or natural disasters, if we can predict them, we can prepare for them, and we can handle them," he said while urging the participants to apply the knowledge gained to enhance their organisations’ preparedness and response systems.

CDC Director General (ag) Major Loring Benons urged investment in WaSH services to ensure everyone has access to safe and potable water and basic sanitation. "WaSH is the first line of defence against COVID-19 and so many other diseases…without WaSH, we are vulnerable," he observed.

Meanwhile, WaSH Coordination Committee Lead at the Health Ministry, Abbigail Liverpool noted that WaSH is a critical com-

UNICEF multi-country WaSH in Emergency Preparedness Consultant for the Caribbean, Jainil Didaraly making a presentation during the WaSH in Emergency training

ponent of health, adding that it contributes significantly to the burden of diseases of public health importance, resulting in more than 3.3 per cent of the global deaths and 4.6 per cent of the disability-adjusted life years. She further stated that disasters and emergencies exacerbate the impacts of the WaSH-related disease burden.

Noting the Committee's role as a coordinating body for WaSH activities, Liverpool highlighted that the Committee, which is being strengthened with UNICEF support, identified training as a priority. Other functions of the Committee include supporting national capacity building for emergency preparedness and

planning; planning and implementing sector response strategies; and identifying capacity gaps and addressing them during non-emergency. Notably, harmonising approaches and a common strategy for WaSH actors aligned with the disaster response plans, avoiding duplication of resources/activities between the multiple actors when an emergency hits and addressing the gaps to ensure the most vulnerable are assisted, were also identified as priority.

Participants at the workshop included representatives from the CDC; Guyana Water Incorporated; the Health Emergency Operations Centre; the Environmental

Health Unit; the Standards and Technical Services Unit (Health Ministry); the Guyana Red Cross Society, the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown, the Housing and Water Ministry; the Education Ministry and UNICEF. UNICEF multi-country WaSH in Emergency Preparedness Consultant for the Caribbean, Jainil Didaraly, led the interactive sessions while several agencies also made presentations.

In moving forward, partners will elaborate a dedicated WaSH preparedness and response plan for Guyana to be added as an annex of the National Disaster Risk Management Plan and harmonise a WaSH Rapid Assessment Tool for Guyana’s WaSH sector. In addition, the Committee will organise a workshop in the coming months on the contextualisation of emergency SPHERE standards for the Guyana WaSH sector as a result of this impactful training.

WaSH is a programmatic priority for UNICEF in Guyana, with a key goal in the Country Programme for 2022-2026 being to ensure that every child, including adolescents, has access to safe, resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services and lives in a safe and sustainable climate and environment.

14 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 20,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Celebration of International Day of Yoga 2022 in Guyana

The High Commission of India in Guyana in collaboration with Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre organised celebrations of the eighth International Day of Yoga in Guyana on Sunday at the Everest Cricket Ground in Georgetown.

NEWS

15

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 more women die from COVID-19 T

wo more persons who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have died, according to the Health Ministry on Sunday.

The latest fatalities are a 30-year-old female from Region Three (Essequibo Islands–West Demerara) and a 46-year-old female from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). They both died on June 18 and while the older woman was fully vaccinated, the younger one was unvaccinated.

The total number of deaths from the coronavirus in Guyana has now gone up to 1247.

Meanwhile, the Ministry also reported on Sunday that some 35 new COVID-19 cases were recorded within the previous 24-hour period.

This now takes the total number of confirmed cases in Guyana to 66,491, of which only 897 are currently active cases. These include two patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remain-

ing persons in isolation – 28 in institutional isolation and the other 867 in home isolation.

Another six persons are also in institutional quarantine.

To date, some 64,347 persons have recovered from the life-threatening virus in the country – 45 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Guyana over two years ago, a total 651,912 tests have been conducted countrywide and of this, some 30,519 males and 35,972 females were found to be positive.

Of the 35 new cases recorded on Sunday, one was from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), five from Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara, 22 from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) and the remaining seven from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

There were no new cases recorded in the other six

regions across the country within the reporting 24hour period.

After a prolonged period of declining cases, the Guyana Government, back in March, removed most restrictions as the country moves to recover from the pandemic and return to normalcy. But in recent weeks, there have a spike in COVID cases here, which health authorities have attributed to the BA.2 subvariant of the Omicron strain.

Therefore, persons have been urged to continue taking precautionary measures such as masking in public and vaccination, especially for those who are qualified to get their booster shots as an added layer of protection against the virus.

The latest figures show that so far, more than 443,177 or 86.4 per cent of adults have taken a first dose, while some 342,918 or 66.8 per cent are fully vaccinated. In addition, approximately 67,514 persons have returned for their

Life skills important...

FROM PAGE 12

third-dose booster shots thus far.

For adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, just over 34,833 or 47.8 per cent have received their first dose, and of that number, some 25,532 or 35 per cent are fully immunised.

In the 5 to 11 age group, for which the Health Ministry has started ad-

ministering vaccines just over a week ago, some 688 children have been inoculated.

According to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) recent figures, some 535,863,950 confirmed cases were reported globally along with 6,314,972 deaths.

In the Region of the

Americas, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased to 160,251,921 while the death toll has gone up to 2,752,954.

As it relates to vaccination against COVID-19, the WHO also reported that a total of 11,902,271,619 doses have been administered worldwide. (G8)

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD JUNE 19, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

35

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

28

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

867

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

2

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

6

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

35,972

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

30,519

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

66,491

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

64,347

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

2540

REGION 2

2805

REGION 3

8355

REGION 4

33,020

REGION 5

2462

REGION 6

6330

REGION 7

2467

REGION 8

886

REGION 9

4072

REGION 10

3554

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

442,395 342,021 1247

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.

One of the graduates, a retired teacher having served in the profession for some 36-years; Zita Adrian who topped the sewing class, pointed out that someone is never too old to learn something new and that attaining this skill was due to her mother’s love for sewing. She urged others to take up other classes available at the Mission since she will be doing so come the next batch of enrollment.

The Humanitarian

Mission was initiated in 2005 as a non-profit organization aimed at helping the underprivileged to break the vicious cycle of poverty through the power of education and empowerment in Guyana.

In more than a decade of our operation, through your kindness and generosity of our donors, it has accomplished a fully equipped training center to support our activities, in Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East

Berbice/Corentyne).

The facility is being used for imparting vocational training and education to the community to help us break the cycle of poverty.

Meanwhile, in the coming months, the Mission will be offering courses in partnership with the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).

Among those courses are electrical installation, welding and fabrication, mechanics and AC and refrigeration repairs. (G4)

16 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“We are taking the reins of our future” – young people declare at historic Commonwealth Youth Forum

Y

oung people are critical to the post-pandemic recovery and for addressing the serious social, economic and environmental challenges that are now facing countries, young leaders have said.

Hundreds of youths from all corners of the Commonwealth came together for the opening of the Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) in Kigali, Rwanda on Sunday, which kicked off with an electrifying and inspiring performance from the Rwandan performing arts and media company, Mashirika.

Held ahead of the main Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the three-day forum is a unique opportunity for young leaders to bring policy recommendations to their Governments – asserting their role in shaping the future of the Commonwealth.

This year’s forum focuses on the adverse impacts of climate change, conflict and COVID-19, which disproportionately hit young people by cutting employment, training, and education opportunities. Approximately 60 per cent of the unemployed in Commonwealth countries are young people. With the World Bank warning of a looming global recession, it has never been more important to ensure that young people are prioritised in Commonwealth policies.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Chair of the CYF task force and Chair of the Rwanda National Youth Council, Alodie Iradukunda, said: “As the Chairperson of the Rwandan National Youth Council, I have had the opportunity to witness the will and drive that young people have in building our future. I am in awe of the spirit of service and duty that prevailed more than ever throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

Young people across the

Chair of the Commonwealth Youth Council, Kim Allen (left)

the rule of law, technology, skills, innovation, sustainability, health, and trade. It will also include the launch of an historic collaboration between the Commonwealth and the world’s largest youth organisations to cre-

ate the Commonwealth Alliance for Quality Youth Leadership.

This meeting was supported by the Government of Rwanda and coordinated by an International Youth Task Force, made up of 21 young people from around

the Commonwealth, cochaired by Darrion Narine of Trinidad and Tobago and Alodie Iradukunda of Rwanda. It is supported by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Government of Rwanda.

Local contractor invests...

Commonwealth played an integral role in the handling of this crisis, demonstrating yet again the great value that lies within the drive and brilliance of young people. I am here to reassure our leaders that we have not waited to be called upon. We understand what is at stake when it comes to the numerous issues that our world faces today.”

Newly-appointed Chair of the Commonwealth Youth Council, Kim Allen echoed these sentiments.

He said: “Today's challenges and issues are more complex than decades ago.

The world is slowly coming out of the pandemic, a crisis that affected our lives in many ways. Climate change, loss of biodiversity, hate and discrimination, economic turmoil resulting in high unemployment rates, the digital divide, mental health, inequalities in education and health, conflicts, and political instability, to name a few, all happen due to human actions and certain situations beyond our control. Amid these challenges arise the opportunities to create a positive change.

Fellow youth delegates and partners, your creativity, skillsets and abilities are needed to drive the change we want. Now is the time to act. We have to progress the efforts taken in the past through strategic and transformational approaches.”

Delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony, Rwanda’s Minister

of Youth and Culture, Rosemary Mbabazi, praised the commitment, ingenuity, and hard work of the youth. She said: “I encourage you to build networks that will turn into the markets needed for your innovations, create innovations that respond to and solve challenges for our communities. I am sure you will leave here with more knowledge and transformed mindsets.”

Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary General, Dr Arjoon Suddhoo repeated the call for young people to be included in policy decisions across the Commonwealth.

He said: “Given the huge potential and ingenious proclivity of our young people, we simply cannot afford to exclude young people from the development agenda or equate youthfulness with inexperience and ignorance. This dangerous and damaging discrimination will hold all of us back from achieving our full potential.”

During the forum, young people will agree to a set of policy recommendations which will be recorded and presented to Heads of Government in a Youth Declaration on the final day of the forum.

They will also have an opportunity to meet Heads of Governments during an intergenerational dialogue.

This year’s forum will address thematic areas such as governance and

FROM PAGE 3

DCSN Manufacturing Inc. located at Little Diamond, EBD

“We send a clear signal; we will continue to provide an enabling environment for the buoyant development of our private sector. We will continue to create that environment that instills confidence gives hope that people can see opportunities to invest.”

“We don't want our capital to be moving to foreign jurisdictions. We want our capital to be invested in Guyana for the development of Guyana and while you do that, everybody must have predictable circumstances to ensure good rate of return…

All of us should be deeply appreciated with the swiftness as well as how comprehensive that action has been with the local content legislation to protect our local people. Guyana is open for business; Guyana is open for investment. Guyana’s future is bright, let's start thinking 2040, 2030 and 2050. We can’t stay small; we can keep suffering. We can keep doing the same thing over and over again. Engineering architecture, manufacturing, new skill sets must take on a

new dimension and we all got to play a part of it,” he stated.

In the same breath, however, the Public Works Minister urge local companies to partner with foreign investors coming here and learn from their expertise so that together, Guyana can be developed to international standards.

Moreover, Edghill outlined the importance of having a local supply of these in-demand concrete products.

He pointed to various major road process across the country that would need materials for concrete bridges to be constructed.

The Public Works Minister contended that if the capacity is not there then there would be shortages in the country thus holding up and delaying major projects in the construction industry and the infrastructure development programme.

“For those of us who don't understand the complexities of these [materials], if you have prestressed and precast concrete that you're building with, you get things done

faster. Because if you have to cast bridges and cast-in-situ, you have to wait at least 21 to 28 days before you could use it. But once you're able to get it prestressed, in seven days you’re got to go… We have to start doing things differently and… we have to understand that things cannot remain the same,” the Public Works Minister asserted.

Also speaking at the commissioning ceremony was Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr K.J Srinivasa, who lauded DCSN Manufacturing Inc. for sourcing the equipment for the concrete from India. He stated that Indian contractors working on projects in Guyana can be able to source concrete materials from the company locally, which will not only save cost but time as well.

Meanwhile, key private sector officials similarly commended the construction company for taking up the mantle and not enhancing the supply chain for Guyana’s manufacturing and construction needs but doing so in a sustainable manner. (G8)

NEWS

17

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FAO Council endorses new 10-year strategies on climate change, science & innovation … will guide agency’s work in these areas until 2031

T

he Council of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has endorsed two thematic strategies that will guide the agency’s work on climate change and on science, technology, and innovation over the next decade.

The strategies are designed to drive the implementation of FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-31, which steers FAO’s efforts to transform agrifood systems and promote a food-secure world for all, as envisioned by the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

They were endorsed last Monday and Tuesday in Rome by the 170th session of FAO’s executive body, at a time of rising hunger numbers and growing threats to global food security.

"These two strategies are the extraordinary result of our collective efforts," FAO Director General QU Dongyu told the Council.

"The Strategy on Climate Change will guide FAO in providing strengthened support to members in their ambitions to address climate change in agrifood systems, and in the implementation of the Paris Agreement," the Director General said. "The Strategy on Science and Innovation will benefit the billions of small-scale producers and their families who are urgently in need of the best available science, technologies and innovation to play their part in transforming our agrifood systems."

The two thematic strategies deal with the entire

global agrifood system, which covers the journey of food from farm to table – including when it is grown, fished, harvested, processed, packaged, transported, distributed, traded, bought, prepared, eaten and disposed of.

Agrifood systems also encompass non-food products, such as forestry and aquaculture, including the sustainable management and conservation of related ecosystems, as well as all the activities, investments, and choices that play a part in getting us these food and agricultural products we need.

Climate change

Resilient and productive land and aquatic ecosystems are the foundations of sustainable agrifood systems.

The latest scientific evidence from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms the unequivocal and unprecedented climate risks that the planet is facing from intensifying heatwaves, heavy precipitation and droughts, fires and tropical cyclones.

Increasing weather and climate extreme events have already caused economic damage and exposed millions of people to acute food insecurity and reduced water security. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are at particular risk due to warming ocean temperatures, ocean acidification, and rising sea levels.

Given the already tangible impact of extreme weather events on food security, nutrition, and poverty, “the

urgency to address climate change has significantly increased”, the Council was told.

Global agrifood systems are responsible for about a third of total greenhouse gas emissions and are one of the major victims of climate change. The FAO Strategy on Climate Change 2022-2031 presents them as part of the solution.

Agrifood systems are envisioned to be sustainable, inclusive, resilient, and adaptive to climate change and its impacts, contributing to low-emission economies while providing sufficient, safe and nutritious foods for healthy diets, as well as other agricultural products and services, for present and future generations, leaving no one behind.

The strategy aims to address a broad range of interlinked challenges, including the loss of biodiversity, desertification, land and environmental degradation, the need for accessible, renewable energy, and food and water security.

It is organised under three pillars: i) global and regional levels (strengthening global and regional climate policy and governance); ii) Country level (developing countries’ capacities for climate action); iii) local level (scaling up climate action on the ground).

Its guiding principles include empowering and engaging farmers, livestock keepers, fishers, aquaculturists, Indigenous People and forest-dependent people, embracing both tradition-

The 170th session of the FAO Council at FAO Headquarters in Rome © FAO/Alessia Pierdomenico

al good practices and innovations, and building on science-based evidence.

The strategy is informed by science, prioritises innovative solutions and inclusiveness, and recognises the importance of scaling up both finance and investment.

Science and innovation

FAO sees science and innovation as a powerful engine to transform agrifood systems and end hunger and malnutrition. But it needs to be accompanied by strong institutions, good governance, political will, enabling regulatory frameworks, and effective measures to promote equity among its actors.

Important strides have been made in a range of scientific and technological fields,

including in biotechnology, data analytics, and nuclear techniques in food and agriculture. Public-private partnerships are on the rise in research and development. At the same time, market concentration has heightened concerns about unequal access to resources and knowledge, both between countries and within social groups.

The challenges in harnessing science and innovation for agrifood systems range from underinvestment in research, to gaps in using science and evidence for decision-making.

The FAO Science and Innovation Strategy focuses on three pillars: i) Strengthening science and evidence-based decision-making; ii) supporting

innovation and technology at regional and country level; iii) serving embers better by reinforcing FAO’s capacities.

Achieving the strategy's vision means that all countries have access to the science and innovation they need to overcome the complex social, economic and environmental challenges facing their agrifood systems.

Achieving this vision in a globally equitable, inclusive and sustainable manner requires the active involvement of under-represented stakeholders – such as women and youth.

The two thematic strategies will be operationalised through action plans and are due to receive a mid-term review by the Council five years after their adoption. (FAO)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

Regional

Uncertainty reigns as Mexican marine arrested over killing of 2 fellow marines, civilian Colombia votes

A flyer depicting images of Colombian presidential candidates Gustavo Petro and Rodolfo Hernandez [File: Luisa Gonzalez/ Reuters]

P

olls have closed in Colombia, where voters turned out on Sunday to elect their next President, choosing between a leftist former guerrilla who is pushing profound social change and an eccentric construction magnate who has promised to fight corruption.

The national registrar has told local media he expects preliminary results by 21:00h local time.

Candidates Gustavo

Petro, once a member of the M-19 rebels, and Rodolfo Hernandez, who first gathered support through TikTok videos, were technically tied in polling.

Petro, a former Mayor of capital Bogota and current Senator, has pledged to fight inequality with free university education, pension reforms, and high taxes on unproductive land.

His proposals – especially a ban on new oil projects

– have startled some investors, though he has promised to respect current contracts.

“We’re one step from achieving the real change we have waited for all our lives,” Petro wrote on Twitter.

“There are no doubts, only certainty. We are going to make history.”

Petro, who is making his third presidential bid, would be Colombia’s first leftist president, adding the Andean nation to a list of Latin American countries that have elected progressives in recent years.

Petro, 62, said he was tortured by the military when he was detained for his involvement with the guerrillas and his potential victory has high-ranking armed forces officials bracing for change.

Hernandez, who served as mayor of Bucaramanga, was a surprise contender in the run-off and has promised to shrink Government and to finance social programmes by stopping corruption.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Ecuador declares force majeure for oil, state of exception over protests

E

cuador’s Stateowned oil company Petroecuador declared force majeure late on Saturday over the impact of protests against the Government’s social and economic policies in the Andean country, while President Guillermo Lasso tried to clamp down on unrest.

The oil company declared force majeure for its exploration, exploitation, transport and commerce sectors – halting exports – after protesters entered oil fields, affecting output, it said in a statement.

The move followed Lasso’s decision to declare

a state of exception in three provinces late on Friday, in a bid to calm protests called

by Indigenous groups rejecting the Government’s economic policies.

The state of exception will last for 30 days in the provinces of Imbabura, Cotopaxi, and Pichincha –- areas that include capital city Quito – which have seen greater violence amid protests, with attacks on flower farms and damage to infrastructure, while Police Officers have also been detained by protesters.

Curfews in Quito will run from 22:00h until 05:00 from Saturday, Lasso said late on Friday, while gath-

erings will be banned all day in the affected provinces. He did not say how long the measures would last.

“I called for dialogue and the answer was more violence, there is no intention to find solutions,” Lasso said in a televised broadcast.

Indigenous groups launched protests on Monday, with demonstrators blocking roads across the country in opposition to Lasso’s social and economic policies, demanding gasoline price freezes, a halt to further mining and oil projects, and more time for small farmers to pay their bank loans. (Excerpt from Reuters)

A

Mexican marine was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of shooting dead two of his comrades and a woman at a military installation in the north of the country, the Navy said.

The two marines and the

woman, a civilian, were shot during the early hours of Sunday morning at a naval station in Mulege, a coastal town on the Sea of Cortes in the state of Baja California Sur, the Navy said in a statement.

Brazilian Police: 8 suspects linked to murder of British Journalist and Indigenous expert

E

ight people are now suspects in the murders of British Journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, Police say.

Three suspects have already been arrested.

But five more people who allegedly helped hide their bodies have now been identified, Police told reporters.

Brazilian Federal Police on Saturday said they had arrested a third suspect in the murder of British Journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira in the Amazon rainforest nearly two weeks ago.

Jeferson da Silva Lima surrendered himself at a Police station in Atalaia do Norte in the remote Javari Valley bordering Peru and Colombia.

A forensic exam carried out on human remains found in the region confirmed on Saturday that they belonged to Pereira. The remains of Phillips had been identified on Friday.

Phillips, a freelance re-

Protesters in Brazil calling for justice for British Journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira

porter who had written for the Guardian and the Washington Post, was doing research for a book on the trip with Pereira, a former Head of isolated and recently-contacted tribes at federal Indigenous affairs agency Funai.

They vanished on June 5 while travelling together through the region by boat.

The Police have so far arrested Amarildo da Costa Oliveira, a fisherman who confessed to killing the two

“T

and then gave a detailed statement to the Police about how they were connected and the illegal activities that they have been involved in since 2012.

On January 17 this year, almost two years after he barely survived another attempt on his life – in July 2020 – after being shot nine times, Greenidge left for the UK with several death threats still hanging over his head. There were two other attempts to kill him, he claimed.

He later filed for asylum through the United Kingdom Home Office of

Visas and Immigration with the help of Harpreet Ghai, a specialist lawyer with expertise in immigration and asylum cases.

But on May 26, five months after filing for asylum, his claim was rejected.

The UK Home Office felt the majority of the information that Greenidge gave about the threats made on his life by a gang leader and his members was not convincing enough.

He has since appealed that decision and the case is now set for July 13.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

men, and his brother, Oseney da Costa, who was taken into custody earlier this week.

Federal Police said on Friday that the killers acted alone, which local Indigenous group Univaja disputed, saying it had repeatedly told officials about a criminal organisation operating in the Javari Valley, a wild region that has lured cocaine smugglers, as well as illegal hunters and fishers. (Excerpt from Reuters and BBC News)

Jamaica to update national drug policy – Chang

They want me dead – alleged T&T whistleblower hey want me dead!”

That was the shocking declaration by Calvin Greenidge, 32, who alleged that he had to flee Trinidad and Tobago after several attempts were made to kill him over the last five years by a wellknown gangster with connections to a high-ranking Government Minister.

Greenidge, who fled to the United Kingdom (UK) for safety, said his troubles started after he spoke openly about the connection between the Government Minister and the gangster,

The Navy did not explain what had prompted the attack and said the matter was under investigation. The statement did not name the suspect, give his rank, or identify the victims.

(Reuters)

National Security Minister, Dr Horace Chang

N

ational Security Minister, Dr Horace Chang, says the Government is taking the necessary steps to implement an updated National Policy and Plan of Action for Drug Control.

“This updated National Drug Plan will provide the framework for all counter drug activities. These include institutional strengthening, demand and supply reduction, international cooperation, and overall control measures,” Chang out-

lined.

He was speaking at the recent two-day training workshop on the Monitoring and Evaluation of National Drug Policies, Strategies, and Plans at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

The workshop was hosted by the Organisation of American States (OAS)/ Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), the Ministry of National Security and the National Council on Drug

Abuse.

“We have prioritised investment in developing data-driven policies and practices, legislative reform, capacity building and acquisition of required equipment, tools and software coupled with the implementation of alternative programmes”, Chang shared.

He told the workshop that the establishment of Special Investigative Units by the Narcotics Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) had been successful in disrupting and dismantling narcotic organisations involved in the drugs flow between Jamaica and drug consumer countries.

“The review and amendment of the legislation is critical to anti-drug efforts, which includes the enhancement and strengthening of Jamaica’s Anti-Money Laundering/ Counter Financing of Terrorism Legal Framework and Information/data sharing mechanisms that are available to law enforcement operatives,” said Chang.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS May crude oil processing rises y/y, but supply risks loom

C

rude oil throughput by Indian refiners rose in May from a relatively low base last year, but concerns loomed over supply amid rapid demand growth in the world's third biggest oil consumer.

Indian refiners' crude oil throughput in May rose about 19 per cent year-on-year to 5.34 million barrels per day (22.64 million tonnes), provisional Government data showed on Friday.

Natural gas output rose 6.4 per cent year on year to 2.91 billion cubic metres, while overall crude production increased 4.5 per cent to about 623,000 barrels per day (2.55 million tonnes), the data showed.

Preliminary data released on Wednesday showed demand rose at a rapid pace in the first two weeks of June, as concerns grew over supply. The Government played down the concerns, saying unprecedented demand growth has created some temporary logistics issues in more remote places.

Data last week showed India's fuel consumption jumped about 23.8 per cent in May. Refinitiv analyst Ehsan Ul Haq said the uptick in production was merely a recovery, following a "number of production delays earlier this year" while COVID-19 hampered production last year.

May crude production by Oil India Ltd was about 4 per cent less than the target, Friday's release from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said, attributing the dip to “Less than planned contribution” from oil wells and "local disturbance and miscreants activities in main producing area."

But the recovery may be short-lived as production problems persist, compounded by mature oilfields and the lack of drilling while India's dependence on foreign oil increases, with "the trend unlikely to be reversed," Ul Haq added.

Russia became India's second biggest supplier of oil in May, pushing Saudi Arabia into third place but still behind Iraq which remains No 1, data from trade sources showed earlier this week. (Excerpt from The Economic Times)

Russia advances in battle for eastern Ukraine city as NATO warns of long war

R

ussia said on Sunday it seized a village near Ukraine's industrial city of Sievierodonetsk, a prime target in Moscow's campaign to control the country's east, as the head of NATO predicted the war could last for years.

Russia's Defence Ministry said it had won Metyolkine, a settlement of fewer than 800 people before the war began.

Russian state news agency TASS reported that many Ukrainian fighters had surrendered there.

Ukraine's military said Russia had "partial success" in the area, which is about six kilometers (four miles) southeast of Sievierdonetsk.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said sup-

A man removes debris at a local market following recent shelling in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict in Donetsk, Ukraine June 19, 2022

plying state-of-the-art weaponry to Ukrainian troops would boost the chance of freeing its eastern region of Donbas from Russian control, Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported.

After failing to take the

capital Kyiv early in the war, Russian forces have focused on trying to take complete control of the Donbas, parts of which were already held by Russian-backed separatists before the Feb 24 invasion.

"We must prepare for

the fact that it could take years. We must not let up in supporting Ukraine," Stoltenberg was quoted as saying.

Russia said on Sunday its offensive to win Sievierdonetsk itself was proceeding successfully.

Luhansk Governor Serhiy Gaidai told Ukrainian TV that fighting made evacuations from the city impossible, but that "all Russian claims that they control the town are a lie. They control the main part of the town, but not the whole town."

Among the communities around Sievierdonestk, Gaidai told Ukraine TV that a Russian attack on Toshkivka, 35 km (20 miles) south, "had a degree of success." (Excerpt from Reuters)

“It’s hell”: Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh rally to “go home”

T

ens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh staged demonstrations to demand repatriation back to Myanmar, where they fled a brutal military crackdown five years ago.

Simultaneous marches and rallies were allowed to be held on Sunday, a day before World Refugee Day, despite a ban on rallies since a 100,000-strong protest in August 2019.

The “Bari Cholo” (Let’s

Go Home) campaign involved 23 Rohingya camps, 21 in Ukhiam and two in Teknaf Upazila, a Government official told Bangladesh’s newspaper The Daily Star.

Almost a million Rohingya are confined to bamboo and tarpaulin shacks in 34 squalid camps in the southeastern part of the country, with no work, poor sanitation and little access to education.

“We don’t want to stay

in the camps. Being refugees is not easy. It’s hell.

Enough is enough. Let’s go home,” Rohingya community leader Sayed Ullah said in a speech at one rally.

Police said thousands of refugees, including young children, joined the marches, standing on roads and alleys with placards that read “Enough is Enough!

Let’s Go Home”.

A widow who lives in a Rohingya camp in Ukhia, who identified herself as

high temperatures, strong winds and low humidity, some respite came on Sunday with dropping temperatures that allowed for about 650 firefighters, supported by water-dumping aircraft, to establish a perimeter around the fire that started in Zamora’s Sierra de la Culebra.

Authorities warned there was still danger that an unfavourable shift in weather could revive the blaze that has already caused the evacuation of 18 villages.

Authorities said gusting winds of up to 70kmph (43mph) that changed course erratically, combined with temperatures near 40C, made it very tough for fire crews to fight the blazes.

There have been no reports of lives lost, but in central-north Navarra authorities have evacuated some 15 small villages as a precaution. High temperatures in the area are not expected to drop until Wednesday.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

rench President Emmanuel Macron and his allies on Sunday lost their absolute majority in the National Assembly and with it control of the reform agenda, a crushing outcome for the newly re-elected President.

For sure, Macron's centrist Ensemble! alliance were set to end up with the most seats in Sunday's election, followed by the leftwing Nupes bloc headed by the hard left veteran JeanLuc Melenchon, initial projections showed.

But Macron and his allies would fall well short of the absolute majority they would need to control Parliament, and Ministers and close aides acknowledged that, saying they would now have to reach out to others beyond their alliance to govern the country.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire called the outcome a "democratic shock" and said they would reach out to all pro-Europeans to help govern the country.

Rabeya, said her community was grateful to Bangladesh for its hospitality. “But we want to go back to our homeland. We want to return to our birthplace as soon as possible,” she said.

Previous repatriation attempts have failed with Rohingya refusing to go home until Myanmar gives the largely Muslim minority guarantees of rights and security. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Fina bars transgender Germany battle Macron loses absolute swimmers from women's Spain, wildfires amid unusual majority in Parliament elite events if they went heatwave in Europe in “democratic shock” through male puberty

F

ina, swimming's world governing body, has voted to stop transgender athletes from competing in women's elite races if they have gone through any part of the process of male puberty.

Fina will also aim to establish an “open” category at competitions for swimmers whose gender identity is different than their birth sex.

The new policy, which was passed with 71 per cent of the vote from 152 Fina members, was described as "only a first step towards full inclusion" for transgender athletes.

The 34-page policy document says that male-to-female transgender athletes are still eligible to compete in the women's category "provided they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 [which marks the start of physical development], or before age 12, whichever is later".

The decision was made during an extraordinary gen-

eral congress at the ongoing World Championships in Budapest.

It means that transgender American college swimmer Lia Thomas, who has expressed a desire to compete for a place at the Olympics, would be blocked from participating in the female category.

Earlier Fina members heard a report from a transgender task force made up of leading figures from the world of medicine, law and sport.

"Fina's approach in drafting this policy was comprehensive, science-based and inclusive, and, importantly, Fina's approach emphasised competitive fairness," said Brent Nowicki, the governing body's executive director.

Fina President Husain AlMusallam said the organisation was trying to "protect the rights of our athletes to compete" but also "protect competitive fairness". (Excerpt from BBC News)

F

irefighters in Spain and Germany are struggling to contain wildfires amid a heatwave in Western Europe, unusual for this time of year.

The worst damage in Spain has been in the northwest province of Zamora where more than 25,000 hectares (61,000 acres) have been consumed by flames, regional authorities said on Sunday. German officials said residents of three villages near Berlin were ordered to leave their homes on Sunday because of an approaching wildfire.

Experts have linked this abnormally hot period for Europe to climate change.

Mercury rose above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in many Spanish cities throughout the week – such temperatures that are usually expected in August.

A lack of rainfall this year, combined with gusting winds, has also produced the conditions for the fires.

Following three days of

F

"The rout of the presidential party is complete and there is no clear majority in sight," Melenchon told cheering supporters.

United behind him, leftwing parties were seen on course to triple their score from the last legislative election, in 2017, but they failed to secure the outright win Melenchon had hoped for.

If confirmed, a hung Parliament would open up a period of political uncertainty that would require a degree of power-sharing among parties not experienced in France in recent decades, or political paralysis and even possibly repeat elections.

Rachida Dati, from the conservative Les Republicains, called the result "a bitter failure" for Macron and said he should name a new Prime Minister.

There is no set script in France for how things will now unfold as Macron and Ensemble will seek to find a way forward to avoid paralysis. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

A noncommittal attitude will stop you from being dragged into or blamed for something that isn't your responsibility. Observe what others do and protect your position and reputation.

(March 21-April 19) Keep your eye on situations without interfering. Knowing what others are up to will help you make better decisions for yourself. Be secretive regarding your intentions.

DILBERT (April 20-May 20)

Leave nothing unsaid or undone.

Trust in what you know, and use your skills and experience to your financial benefit. Take nothing for granted. Keep your eye on what others do.

(May 21-June 20) It's OK to be colorful and share your stories if you are truthful and mindful of others. Everyone won't appreciate a lifestyle or image change you make.

Romance is favored.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Learn as you go. Refuse to be a victim of someone's mistake. Don't join something if you have doubts. Concentrate on what you know you can do, and be wise regarding commitments and compromises.

(July 23-Aug. 22) You'll gravitate toward unusual people and proposals. Gather facts and figures before you participate in a joint venture. A business partnership could be problematic.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) An emotional incident will cause concern. Take responsibility and handle matters involving a friend, relative or peer. Discipline and patience will pay off, so don't rush into anything.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) You can have fun and express yourself without overspending. Follow a creative path that helps ease stress and offers a view of what's possible. A change of heart will entice you.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Emotional situations will be challenging and confusing. Take your time, and don't let anyone pressure you into something you aren't ready to pursue.

Keep an open mind and learn all you can.

You'll gain perspective regarding finances. You can think big, but when risks are involved, do your research and leave nothing to chance. Trust your instincts and lower your living expenses.

SATURDAY'S WORD -- STONILY

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Put your energy into something concrete. Being a hard worker will get you further than will following someone.

Don't be a lackey; take control and do whatever furthers your interests.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Emotions will flare up over domestic issues. Choose your words wisely and take care of unfinished business before tackling something new. A change someone makes will be to your advantage.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

21

M

ax Verstappen claimed his fifth win in the last six races at the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix, withstanding a late onslaught from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, as Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton took his second podium of the season in P3.

Verstappen was looking well-placed for a comfortable victory over Sainz at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve when a safety car was called on Lap 49 of 70, after Yuki Tsunoda hit the Turn 2 barriers after exiting the pits.

Racing resumed with 16 laps remaining, Verstappen holding off the attacks of the fresher-tyred Sainz to claim his sixth victory of the season, and his 26th overall, as Sainz took his fifth podium of the year – although the Spaniard’s wait for his first victory continues.

Hamilton had been scathing in his assessment of the

Max Verstappen claimed his fifth win in the last six races

Max Verstappen claimed his fifth win in the last six races

Mercedes W13 on Friday, but the car looked handy on race day in Canada, as the seven-time champion completed the podium, his first rostrum appearance since the Bahrain season opener.

George Russell backed up his teammate in P4, while Charles Leclerc was able to

recover to P5 for Ferrari, having started 19th after a raft of power unit element changes.

FORMULA 1 AWS GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2022

Top 5 Race results Position T i m e Points 1 Max Verstappen Red

Women's Super50: Rain spoils Guyana-Trinidad clash

T

Bull Racing 1:36:21.757 25 2 Carlos Sainz Ferrari +0.993s 19 3 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +7.006s 15 4 George Russell Mercedes +12.313s 12 5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari

+15.168s 10 Despite starting P2 after a sensational qualifying on Saturday, Fernando Alonso finished a frustrated P7 behind his Alpine teammate Esteban Ocon, as Valtteri Bottas led home his Alfa Romeo teammate Zhou Guanyu for P8, Zhou taking his second-ever points score. Home hero Lance Stroll rounded out the top 10 for Aston Martin.

A slow stop for Daniel Ricciardo contributed to him finishing just outside the points in P11 for McLaren, ahead of the Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel, with Alex Albon taking 13th for Williams.

Pierre Gasly encountered problems early on and

was left to come home 14th for AlphaTauri, ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris – who also had a slow stop; Williams' Nicholas Latifi and Haas's Kevin Magnussen, the Dane dropping from P5 on the grid to P17 after a tough day in Canada.

Tsunoda was joined by Haas's Mick Schumacher and Red Bull's Sergio Perez in the retirements category, both Schumacher and Perez pulling up at Turn 8 early doors with technical issues.

For Verstappen, though, there were no such problems, as he further stretched his lead at the top of the standings, with what was his first-ever Montreal podium.

(F1)

CONCACAF Championships

U-20 Reggae Boyz strike late to secure dramatic 1-1 draw against Costa Rica

The groundsmen worked hard, but the rain had the final say (Brandon Corlette photo)

he highly-anticipated Guyana versus Trinidad and Tobago match in the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Super50 tournament was abandoned without a ball being bowled owing to heavy rain at Providence.

Guyana are yet to play a match in the Super50 leg, after finishing fourth in the T20 Blaze.

This is the second time rain had the final say in a Guyana and Trinidad contest at Providence this season. Guyana will now focus on the winless Leeward Islands team on Tuesday.

In the previous match, Barbados became the first team to book a semi-final spot in the CG United Women’s Super50 Cup after they defeated Jamaica by

11 runs via the DuckworthLewis-Stern method, in a rain-affected match.

After two lengthy rain stoppages, the match was reduced to 32 overs per side.

Barbados were all out in 31.4 overs for 121. Kyshona Knight led the batting with a valiant 50, which came off 75 balls and included six boundaries. Together with Hayley Matthews, she posted a 57-run partnership before Matthews fell for 16 off 20 balls with three fours. Bowling for Jamaica, Captain Stafanie Taylor had the best figures of 5.4-1-13-3 followed by Jodi-Ann Brown with 5-020-2.

Set a revised target of 117 for victory, Jamaica looked set to achieve the runs with ease, thanks to a

few partnerships throughout their innings. Rashada Williams and Natasha McLean opened with 17 runs together, then came the highest partnership of 38 between Williams and Taylor, before the Captain was bowled by Shakera Selman for 13. Williams soldiered on, but was dismissed for 29 (41 balls, 5x4) and Chinelle Henry remained stranded on 28 not out (37 balls, 1x4,1x6) before the rains came and ended the match. At that stage, Jamaica were 106-9 in 25.3 overs.

The tournament is expected to continue today with Jamaica taking on Windward Islands from 09:30h local time at Providence.

Jamaica drew 1-1 against Costa Rica

A

late penalty from Jahmari Clarke saw Jamaica’s U-20 Reggae Boyz secure a 1-1 come-from-behind draw and share of the points against Costa Rica in Group D of the CONCACAF Under-20 Championships, in Honduras, on Saturday.

After a scoreless first half, which saw both teams unable to take advantage of limited opportunities to find the back of the net, Dorian Rodríguez gave Costa Rica the advantage with a wellplaced header in the 58th

minute.

The Jamaicans missed a golden opportunity to get back on level terms when Julián González brought down livewire substitute Chad James in the area.

Duncan Mckenzie, however, missed the resulting penalty, with Costa Rica custodian Bayron Mora diving sharply to his left to stop the effort.

Los Ticos seemed destined for all three points, but Andrey Salmerón’s 87th-minute shot came crashing back off the cross-

bar as the Jamaicans held on. In a hefty chunk of time added on, however, Clarke was wrestled to the ground

by Brandon Calderón for another penalty. This time the forward did make use of the advantage, sending Mora the wrong way to bring the team back on level terms, only just seconds before the final whistle.

In the day’s other encounter, Cuba scored a 1-0 win over Canada in Group E. Kevin Martín got the winning goal in the 42nd minute. (Sportsmax)

22

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana Harpy Eagles contracts: Performance matters, Singh surprised after being thrown into draft

By Brandon Corlette

A

fter scoring 262 runs at an average of 52 and emerging as one of the leading batsmen for Guyana Harpy Eagles in the recent West Indies Four-Day championships, Vishaul Singh was not in the protected 13 for contracted players. He was thrown into the draft for the Professional Cricket League (PCL) 2022-2023 season on Friday last, and he was left surprised, perhaps of the fact that he was not contacted after doing well.

In a recent interview, Singh expressed his disappointment and spoke about the fact that he was not informed by anyone about being in the draft, until the day of the PCL draft.

"It was very disappointing and a very disappointed feeling for me. If it was the end for me, I was not too sure. If I was not protected, I would still be

Vishaul Singh scored 262 runs from four matches this season, batting in six innings

playing for Guyana. I always want to represent Guyana, but it was disappointing (not being a protected player), but it was not the end of the road for me, I am still committed to helping the Guyana Harpy Eagles franchise in any way possible," the 33-year-old said.

Singh has nine First-Class centuries (Brandon Corlette photos)

"I was not contacted by anybody, so I was not told anything from any of the selectors or the franchise, why I was not in the protected 13. Even if, I was not aware of anything, one day before the draft."

The left-handed batsman, who played three Test matches for the West Indies in 2017, said he always would want to play for his home franchise, but he was willing to explore new opportunities.

"It is a franchise system, and I am fully aware of that, but if I had to go to another franchise, I would be disappointed to leave my home franchise. However, I would be happy to explore something new and give my all for my franchise," Singh noted.

While many cricket pundits and Journalists were calling for the senior players to be replaced by youngsters, the youngsters have not scored runs heavily in the local matches, and Singh, who is a senior man, has performed at the First-Class level. Singh

Diamond League: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce equals her own 2022 world's best time in Paris

S

helly-Ann FraserPryce equalled her 2022 world's best time to win the 100 metres at the Diamond League meet in

has only been beaten by four other women in history.

Fraser-Pryce added: "Physically, I was good too.

Running 10.6, only a few

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce equals her own record

Paris.

Jamaica's two-time Olympic champion powered to victory in 10.67 seconds as Britain's Daryll Neita finished second after clocking a season's best 10.99.

"The goal is always to be on top technically, then the lap times follow," said Fraser-Pryce, 35.

She ran the same time in Nairobi in May, which

sprinters can achieve that."

Britain's Cindy Sember came in third in the women's 100m hurdles as Nigerian Tobi Amusan triumphed with a new African record of 12.41.

Ukraine claimed a clean sweep in the women's high jump as Yaroslava Mahuchikh came first with a jump of 2.01m, Iryna Gerashchenko (1.98m) sec-

ond and Yuliya Levchenko (1.95m) third.

Britain's Elizabeth Bird just missed out on a topthree finish as she came fourth in the women's 3000m steeplechase.

South Africa's Luxolo Adams was a surprise winner in the men's 200m as he crossed the line in 19.82 to hold off the challenge of Alexander Ogando, who finished second, while Canadian Olympic gold medallist Andre de Grasse was fourth.

NFL-bound Devon Allen, who ran the third quickest men's 110m hurdles time in history at the New York Grand Prix earlier this month, continued his fine form with victory in the French capital.

Allen, 27, is to pursue an NFL career after earning a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in April. (BBC Sport)

said it is the performance that matters.

"A lot of people say a lot of things. At the end of the day, I think it is performance that matters. Cricket West Indies have a performance scheme in place, so I guess the performance, and the grading criteria, has to guide. Regardless of the age, once you are performing, that is what should matter," Singh said.

Prior to the restart of the Four-Day season, the collective batting of the Harpy Eagles team was inconsistent.

When asked if he had to prove a point upon the resumption of the tournament, Singh said: "I did not feel like I needed to prove a point."

"At this point in my career, I have done a lot for the Guyana franchise, being one of the main players and main contributors over the years and very much to our success.

I did not need to prove a point to anybody. I want to prove a point to myself: keep performing at the high level so I can give my franchise the very best once they believe in me and select me to out and rep-

resent," Singh disclosed.

The middle-order batsman, who is a man of principles, was perhaps looking to be treated with more respect from the Guyana Harpy Eagles franchise and selectors. "Experience is priceless.

I think I have a lot of cricket more in me. Giving thanks to God that I am healthy, I am fit and I could still continue to perform, I will give my all for the franchise. Life after cricket is coaching for me. I am currently finishing off the level three course. Once that is finished, I can get certified. I always offer myself to the coach and the franchise to assist whenever I can," Singh added.

The long-standing servant of Guyana cricket has nine centuries and 19 half-centuries to his name with 4247 First-Class runs in 80 matches, averaging 34. After playing four matches this season, he had scores of 93, 24, 08, 18, 100* and 19. That century was a counter-attacking one against Jamaica, where he started the innings with a reverse sweep that went into the boundary.

Hard-working Adams delighted to be contracted with Guyana Harpy Eagles

T

wenty-nine-yearold Essequibian leftarm spinner Antony Adams is a happy man after he was picked up in the draft on Friday last by the Guyana Harpy Eagles. The disciplined and hard-working cricketer said being rewarded with a contract was a great feeling, given how hard he has worked over the years.

"I am grateful to God for anything," Adams said.

While it was difficult for Adams to play ahead of Test spinners Gudakesh Motie and Veerasammy Permaul, he never gave up. He continued to take wickets by the bundle at the local level.

Antony Adams (Brandon Corlette photo)

"Well, I never liked the thought of giving up and I know my ability and what I am capable of doing so, knowing that is what kept me going," Adams said.

With both Permaul and Motie now in and around the West Indies set-up, Adams strongly believes that he is very close to playing in the Guyana Harpy Eagles’ starting XI. "I feel very close, because, over the years, these guys have been doing well at the regional level, especially Permaul, and now they're being rewarded; and with them moving up to West Indies, this gives players like myself the opportunity to represent Guyana," Adams explained.

Since left-arm spinners are in large numbers in Guyana and in the Caribbean to an extent, Adams said he would defend and take wickets with the ball. He also noted that he has been working hard and improving on his batting. Adams, who also leads Essequibo’s teams, credited his experience as a coach, which aided in improving his leadership skills.

"Well, I recently started back doing some coaching on the Essequibo coast. Also, I was asked by the President of the Essequibo Cricket Board, Mr Singh to work with the U-17 males, so this gives me an opportunity to help in the development of the youths and my coaching skills," Adams said. (Brandon Corlette)

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MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

J

ohn Campbell's unbeaten 58 helped West Indies take a 1-0 lead in Antigua after beating Bangladesh by 7 wickets in the opening Test of the twomatch series. Needing just 35 more on the fourth morning – after having already lost three wickets to Khaled Ahmed inside four overs the previous evening in a chase

of 84 – the overnight unbeaten pair of Campbell and Jermaine Blackwood took just seven overs to polish off the target.

Campbell did the bulk of the scoring in the 30-minute session – hitting all five boundaries West Indies picked up on the fourth morning. He raised the fourth-wicket fifty stand with the second

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

of those boundary hits, and a third Test half-century of his own with the last one. Off the last ball of the same over, Campbell tonked one high over the long-on fence to seal the game in style. Blackwood, unbeaten on 17 the previous evening, finished with 26 while Kemar Roach was adjudged Player of the Match.

This is West Indies' third

Blood, sweat, tears… and skills: Roach's formula for success

Kemar Roach picked up his 10th five-wicket haul

K

emar Roach is a great West Indian fast bowler.

Courtney Walsh had touched on the label when he was approaching his 200th Test wicket in 2020.

When Roach completed his five-for against Bangladesh on the third afternoon in Antigua, he equalled Michael Holding's 249 Test wickets, and became only the fourth West Indian to take 50 wickets at a single venue. Roach's numbers are – even when you consider the bigger picture of West Indies' fast bowling history – impressive.

It is even more telling when you realise that Roach has never been part of one of those magnificent pace collectives that his team are known for.

Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder are superb operators, but the trio has played only 23 Tests together. Like in this game, Roach has often had to lead an attack of youngsters.

Four out of his five wickets on Saturday were of frontline batters. Roach had Litton Das and Mahmudul Hasan Joy caught behind around the firsthour mark on the third day. An in-form batter and another who had been battling for 150-plus deliveries suddenly couldn't help pushing outside their off stump. That's the genius of Roach. He keeps it simple. He keeps it tight. And he keeps on going until his discipline alone just wears you out.

Bangladesh managed to recover a little bit – and even push into the lead – with fifties from Shakib Al Hasan and Nurul Hasan. It had been 36.5 overs since the last wicket.

West Indies knew they needed something special and guess

who they turned to?

Roach, now armed with the second new ball, cleaned up Shakib, Nurul, and for good measure Ebadot Hossain as well to pick up his 10th Test five-for.

In a post-match discussion with the TV commentators, Roach said that the plan was to bowl a bit wider of off stump, into the grassy patches that were there on the pitch, to generate movement.

"I had a conversation with the bowling coach Roddy [Estwick], who thought that we were bowling a little bit too straight [on the second evening]," he said. "The pitch was a bit easier. He wanted us to bowl on the fifth stump; let the green spots in the pitch do the work. I thought we did that pretty well.

"The edges carried to the slips quite nicely. It was definitely the plan. Definitely, we did what was needed. The results showed. I am very proud of the team for putting up the good fight."

Roach added that West Indies didn't panic when Shakib and Nurul were putting together the only century stand in the match.

"They played well. We were a bit sloppy," he said. "There were some tired bodies, but the guys stuck at the task. We knew that in international cricket, teams will bat well at some stage. There will be a partnership, so it is about keeping that body language and attitude.

"We saw the ball got pretty soft after lunch, so we tried to be as patient as possible. Shakib batted well despite being a little injured; but he manoeuvred the ball well. [Nurul] Hasan batted well. We knew this was a newball wicket. Once we get the new ball, we knew something was going to happen."

I love my stats. I look at my stats every night. Even if I am not playing – Roach West Indies then needed only 35 more runs to win the Antigua Test. Roach was the one who bowled them into that position and so it felt like a

good time to reflect on a career that has seen a lot of ups and downs. It actually began in lessthan-ideal circumstances back in 2009 when West Indies had to play with a second-string squad against Bangladesh, because the first-choice players were involved in a pay dispute with the board.

"I am proud, man; [Particularly considering] how [my career] started obviously.

I came into the team under very difficult conditions," Roach said. "Then obviously to build a career and get amongst the greats is always a good feeling.

I love my stats. I look at my stats every night. Even if I am not playing. So, it is good to be up there with all the fantastic names."

Roach also touched upon how he had to break his bowling down to scratch and build it back up again after an ankle problem in 2014. "I lost pace due to injury, so I had to improve on my skills," he said.

"There was a lot of hard work; lot of consistent bowling to get where you want to be in your career. Blood, sweat and tears.

It is good to go out there and see the results."

A key part of his skillset now is the threat he poses to lefthanders by coming around the wicket. "It started in England in 2017," Roach said. "I remember we struggled a bit in the first Test. Roddy asked us to change the angle – to come around the wicket – in the next day when we hit the nets. He told us to get that shape on the ball. I have got a lot of wickets from it. I have bowled better to lefthanders. I am pretty happy with how it is going so far."

A lot of great West Indies fast bowlers had other great West Indies fast bowlers around them. Roach hasn't had that luxury. He has clawed his way up to greatness almost entirely on his own. And he has no plans of slowing down. A self-confessed stat nut, Roach is targeting the 300-wicket mark and if he gets there, even the traditionalists who have a hard time looking past the glory days will have to sit up and take notice. (ESPNcricinfo)

23

SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES 2ND INNINGS (Target: 84 runs) Kraigg Brathwaite (c) c †Nurul Hasan b Khaled Ahmed 1 John Campbell not out 58 Raymon Reifer c †Nurul Hasan b Khaled Ahmed 2 Nkrumah Bonner b Khaled Ahmed 0 Jermaine Blackwood not out 26 Extras(lb 1) 1

win in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Championship, taking them to 42 points while Bangladesh now have seven defeats against their name. The two

TOTAL 22 Ov (RR: 4.00) 88/3 Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Kraigg Brathwaite, 1.1 ov), 2-3 (Raymon Reifer, 1.5 ov), 3-9 (Nkrumah Bonner, 3.5 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Mustafizur Rahman 4-1-7-0 Khaled Ahmed 8-0-27-3 Mehidy Hasan Miraz 3-2-10-0 Ebadot Hossain 4-0-30-0 Shakib Al Hasan 2-0-3-0 Najmul Hossain Shanto 1-0-10-0

teams, however, stay put in their respective sixth and ninth spots in the points table.

The second and final Test of the series will get under-

way on Friday, June 24 at St Lucia. The Test series will be followed by three T20 Internationals (T20Is) and as many One Day Internationals (ODIs).

Beaton among 5 newly-contracted Guyana Harpy Eagles players

F

The Guyana Harpy Eagles

ormer West Indies fast bowler Ronsford Beaton has been rewarded with a Professional Cricket League (PCL) contract with the Guyana Harpy Eagles for the 20222023 season. In addition to Beaton, the other players who were given contracts for the first time under this new Harpy Eagles franchise are Demetri Cameron, Tevin Imlach, Akshaya Persaud, and Antony Adams.

The man from Essequibo, Beaton, returned to the senior Guyana team at the recent West Indies championships, but did not feature in a single match. From last season, when the Guyana team was under the Guyana Jaguars brand, Christopher Barnwell, Kevlon Anderson, Keon Joseph, Shimron Hetmyer, and Romario Shepherd missed out on contracts for varying reasons.

Hetmyer and Shepherd may be given West Indies central contracts, and they would play for Guyana Harpy Eagles once they are available.

A shocking revelation came when the Guyana Harpy Eagles protected 13 players heading into the draft, but Vishaul Singh, one of the men who had a good season for the

Harpy Eagles, was thrown into Players in Category A get a the draft. However, Singh and monthly remuneration of Adams were the players picked US$2666, those in Category up by Guyana in the PCL draft. B get US$2000, those in The 15 contracted players Category C get US$1500 and who were picked for Guyana those in Development get Harpy Eagles for the 2022- US$1000.

2023 season are: Tagenarine The second contracted Chanderpaul, Gudakesh Motie, category is the play-for-pay, Keemo Paul, Veerasammy wherein players are paid on a Permaul, Chandrapaul per-match basis. All regional Hemraj, Tevin Imlach, Akshaya players across both categories Persaud, Nial Smith, Demetri are paid US$1600 per match, Cameron, Anthony Bramble, which is separate from all the Kevin Sinclair, Leon Johnson, allowances they get, including Ronsford Beaton, Vishaul per diem. These figures were used in the past as Singh, and Antony Adams. per previous reports.

These players will (Brandon Corlette) firstly focus on the Regional Super50 tournament that is set for later this year, followed by the West Indies Four-Day championships.

According to reports, the championships will return to 10 rounds, as opposed to the five rounds played in the previous edition.

In the past, these contracted players were split across four categories: A, B, C and Development.

Ronsford Beaton (Brandon Corlette photos)

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

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

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