Guyana Times - Monday June 7, 2021

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4671

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

Over 12 companies interested in establishing concrete plants in Guyana − President Ali ...says interest a testament to growing economy See story on page 3

360 mining operations in Region 8 affected by flooding – CDC

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Region 2 to get Govt’s P2 full support to recover from floods – President Ali Teen cyclist P12 critical after being hit by speeding minibus on ECD highway

− driver arrested hours after

Page 15

...families being evacuated to higher ground

Brothers arrested for $5M robbery at Rose Hall P9

A mining camp completely submerged on Sunday in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni)

Money from flaring 4 more fatalities take Page 11 cannot offset COVID death toll to 409 environmental damage – Min Bharrat Page 7

...but can spur employment, hinterland development − 48 new cases recorded in 24h

1 dead, 3 injured in Linden-Soesdyke Highway smash-up Page 16

Only 18 of 329 cases completed P8 at April’s Criminal Assizes Burglar escapes with cash, jewellery from Essequibo Coast P9 home

− 2 other houses burglarised

Victoria man P10 was bludgeoned to death, 1 in custody – Police

2 NEWS Region 2 to get Govt’s full support to recover from floods – President Ali P MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

resident Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday promised residents of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) to put all systems in place to ensure that they not only return to some level of normalcy but become better prepared to deal with flooding, which has affected several parts of the country.

In total, the Head of State visited nine riverine communities along the Pomeroon River – Karawab, St Monica’s Mission, Kabakaburi, Abrams Creek, Siriki, Jacklow, Martin Dale, Marlborough, and Hackney – to assess the impact of rising floodwaters that have been caused by heavy and intense rainfall over the last two weeks.

“We are going to do everything to secure back your

President Dr Irfaan Ali met with Region Two residents on Sunday

“I want to ensure that the different arms of Government are functioning and reaching you.”

The Head of State

Government’s priority is to ensure that affected communities are provided with food, medical supplies, and adequate shelter—since

age and difficulties flooding has caused in other parts of Guyana, called on Guyanese to come together and work for a common purpose and understand the grave implications of the floodwaters.

“I am not here for fun and games. I am not here for laughter. I am not here as a joke. I am here because

that the machines will stay in the region.

“The funds have been approved, the President has agreed, and we will purchase a pontoon with two excavators for the Pomeroon itself that will remain in the Pomeroon.” He reiterated the President’s point that every single farmer will benefit from the Government’s assessment.

“We recognise the importance of the Pomeroon for the agriculture development of our country.”

The Minister also explained that contracts are expected to be awarded soon for drainage throughout some of the communities— and those projects will begin when the floodwaters recede. Community members will also be employed as a means of returning money to their pockets.

“We will continue to monitor the situation, and all the extension officers will be coming back here. I,

ties in Pomeroon by sending health and food hampers as well as water tanks to store clean water.

“I know it is going to be difficult in the next few weeks, and we hope that whatever you are doing, you are doing as a community. Please help each other during these critical times.”

Dharamlall also announced that the Government buildings in the communities would be opened if persons need shelter and that the Government will provide all the necessary resources.

“All we want for you right now is for you to be comfortable, and we will see you through this period.”

Director General of the CDC, Lieutenant Colonel Craig also spoke to the communities. He explained to them the role of the CDC and the works they have accomplished so far in assisting flood-affected communities in the region and across

President Dr Irfaan Ali interacts with residents during his visit

livelihood. We are going to do everything to get you back to the farmland; we are going to do everything to help back the household.”

All hands on deck

Along with listening to the residents and having a first-hand assessment of the area, the President said that his visit was also to ensure that everything that can be done by the different

was accompanied by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha; Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall; Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Godfrey Bess; Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig; Head of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority Lionel

there is more rainfall forecasted for the coming weeks.

“If there is any need in terms of shelter, you have to talk to the CDC now so we can make those arrangements, and we have to ensure that you have access to primary healthcare services that is necessary under flooded conditions.”

The President also noted that while those are the immediate needs, the

President Dr Irfaan Ali addresses residents

the concerns of the people of this country affect me.

Regardless of which community you are from or regardless of any support you have for any other political party.

myself, will be coming back here to work with the community so we can get our farmers to go back to the land. We know that is your livelihood, and you depend

the country.

Meanwhile, President Ali also implored the residents of each community to take their COVID-19 vaccines. He directed the re-

President Dr Irfaan Ali inspects a canal on Sunday President Dr Irfaan Ali on his arrival in one of the villages

arms of his Government is being done.

He stressed that this is not the time for the regional health officials or the Agriculture Department and other Government agencies to be sitting in an office, but a time when they should be out and on the ground providing 24/7 assessment and support for the flood-affected communities.

Wordsworth, and representatives from the region, including the Regional Chairman.

Full assessment

President Ali explained that the CDC and the Ministry of Agriculture are going to do a full assessment after the water recedes.

However, as it stands, the President emphasised, the

Government would also have to assess damages to farms.

“I am here because we care. We know the hurt you are going through, and we have to work together to bring help to you and the community.”

Serious matter

The President, who has witnessed the level of dam-

And I want to say this, the only way we can take things forward in this country is if we exercise some amount of dignity for the situation we are faced with. This is not a laughing situation our country is facing, that is the first thing we have to learn—exercising that dignity.”

To enhance draining and irrigation, it was also announced that the area will benefit from its own pontoon and excavators.

Minister Mustapha said

on it, and we will continue to ensure that we give you the necessary support,” the Minister said.

Full regional and Government support

Also giving an update was Minister Dharamlall, who told residents that they can expect his Ministry’s and the region’s “full support”.

He noted that the Ministry has been working along with the communi-

gional officials to return on Tuesday to carry out a vaccination drive.

Prior to Sunday, President Ali had visited communities in Regions Three, Five, Six, Seven and 10.

During all of his visits, the President has assured flood-affected residents that his Government’s support would be continuous and that the current focus is ensuring that they are safe, secured and out of danger.

NEWS

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MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Monday, June 7 – 02:30h – 04:00h and Tuesday, June 8 – 03:00h – 04:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Over 12 companies interested in establishing concrete plants in Guyana − President Ali

...says interest a testament to growing economy

Monday, June 7 – 14:55h – 16:25h and Tuesday, June 8 – 15:35h – 17:05h.

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be thundery showers during the day. There will be partly cloudy skies at night.

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Winds: Easterly to East North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 14:47h reaching a maximum height of 2.39 metres.

Low Tide: 08:22h and 20:34h reaching minimum heights of 0.76 metre and 0.81 metre.

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President Irfaan Ali

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali has revealed that as many as 20 companies are vying to establish concrete plants, a service that is in demand with the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government’s housing drive and ambitious construction goals.

He made this revelation on Saturday, during his feature address at the opening of Italian company Saipem’s fabrication facility on Water Street, Georgetown.

According to the President, the fact that these companies are interested in setting up operations is also testament to the growth of the economy.

“Already, the growth of cargo coming in to the port is exceeding the port facility. That’s another major area. We have to build a modern facility. Massive investment. Private Sector.

These are the type of transformational things that would create growth.”

“Linking the new town to Georgetown. Creating opportunities around the new town. There must be a reason why about 20 large concrete plants want to establish in Guyana,” the President also said.

But with this in mind, the President questioned what might be holding back local entrepreneurs in other parts of the country from taking advantage of the unfolding opportunities an expanding economy brings.

“What hampers the local chambers of commerce in Region Three to bring together their business leaders and say, lets form a company and do a concrete plant. We have to learn to break down the individual approach to the collective approach.”

“That is how transformation takes place. The scale of development, transformation and investment is completely different from what we’re accustom to. That’s why we have to build a business model that speaks to that scale,” the President said.

With the coming national infrastructural developments, the Government has

said it is working with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to up production of construction aggregates to over one million tonnes for 2021.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration is advancing a number of infrastructural projects aimed at improving the quality of life for all Guyanese.

President Ali has committed to the construction of a new Demerara River Bridge and the new four-lane road from that bridge to Parika, East Bank Essequibo.

Hundreds of communities across the country are expected to see new and improved road networks along with other infrastructural projects.

Through collaboration with the Government of Suriname, the Government here will also be embarking on the construction of the first-ever bridge across the Corentyne River, connecting the two South American nations.

The Ogle to Haags Bosch road project is also in the cards. A massive housing drive is also underway that targets some 5000 homes, for this year. The Government also intends to allocate some 10,000 house lots by end of this year.

There have been some less than smooth attempts to fill this demand for construction materials. It had

There is expected to be a boom in demand for construction materials

previously been reported that foreign company Superior Concrete Inc had set up an illegal concrete plant at Houston Estates on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD). According to the reports, the company had set up operations at Houston without the requisite governmental approvals.

One of the Directors, Richard Austin Shamlin, was given 24 hours to leave Guyana earlier this month.

Shamlin had overstayed his time on his visitor’s visa. He was the second Director to be ordered to leave Guyana.

Shamlin was hostile to Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal when he, along with officials from the CH&PA, went to the location to serve a third contravention order. Further,

Shamlin demanded that the Minister, CH&PA officials and the media leave the premises. However, the Minister ignored him and engaged the media.

The other Director of Superior Concrete Inc, Ian Jones, was instructed by the Immigration Department to depart Guyana by May 19.

In Jones’s case, it was discovered that his service was terminated by his previous employer in the oil sector, but he remained in Guyana on the work permit.

He, too, got into an altercation with housing officials, and according to Croal in his interview with the media, it was Jones who took the first order to desist that was served by housing officials and threw it to the ground in front of them.

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MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

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

PNC’s extreme partisanship A

fter a hiatus, Parliament will be resuming its sittings later this week. For many citizens the prospect does not elicit much enthusiasm, invoking as it does the bitter acrimony that its previous sessions precipitated, by a recalcitrant People’s National Congress (PNC) and its micro-partners in its A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) fig leaf. This followed their desperate rear-guard action to remain in office following their defeat at the March 2, 2020 elections. While the party system has been touted as a facilitator of democracy, in our country there is a danger that the opposite conclusion might be justified if the present attitude of the PNC continues much longer.

In one of the earliest expositions of the dangers of the party system to democratic governance, one of the founding fathers of the US constitutional order, James Madison wrote about the dangers of “factions”. The latter were groups of citizens “actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.” The problem we have in Guyana today stems from the inherent assumption by the PNC political party that have come to represent one of the “factions” in Guyana. Once they are out of office, they insist that their constituency’s rights are automatically racially “adversed” by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

In the workings of the party system to form a government that would steer the ship of state, the party that wins control of the Executive via the polls according to rules established by the Constitution should be allowed to present their programme as the programme of the entire polity. Generally, as occurred on March 2, 2020, such a party would have secured the majority of the votes in the General Elections and in addition to securing the Executive, would have control of the Legislature.

Our Constitution even permits the single party with a plurality of votes at the elections to form the Executive – as occurred in 2011. The PNC and the Alliance For Change (AFC) Opposition parties, which collectively controlled the Legislature, then raised the question of the PPP Government’s “legitimacy”.

They argued that their greater numbers conferred greater legitimacy to them. As late as 2000, there were extensive changes unanimously made to the Constitution by all political parties then, which made it for all intents and purposes, a new constitution compared to its predecessor. These changes, however, left the clause for the party securing the plurality of the votes to assume the Executive.

In 2015, the PNC and the AFC, now a coalition, retained the 33 seats they had garnered, formed the Government and were given legitimacy by the PPP to govern, even though they had filed an election petition contesting the declaration. But here we are in 2021, where the PNC have lost the elections as adjudged by the highest Appellate Court – the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – by a greater majority than they had accumulated in 2015, yet they refuse to concede legitimacy to the PPP Government.

We, therefore, have a situation where extreme party partisanship has reared its ugly head in the refusal by the Opposition political parties to accept the national consensus represented in the Constitutional Articles that are supposed to govern our State. For instance, by constitutional fiat, the Opposition is allowed to Chair the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the primary watchdog for governmental financial probity.

But David Patterson, their nominee, has refused to step aside after he admitted to financial improprieties in office. This will not do.

The Government has reconvened Parliament to debate a motion calling for a vote of the full House to remove Patterson and have another member of the Opposition, without any baggage, to become Chair and allow the PAC to perform its constitutional functions. This PNC’s partisanship becomes even more untenable against the background of their refusal to even accept the rulings of the Judiciary, which has been granted the power to delineate powers between the arms of the State.

If Guyana is to move forward and progress, the Opposition PNC will have to temper their partisanship.

This mind-bending photograph of an orangutan with the sky reflected in water has won first prize in the Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2021 competition (BBC News)

Guyanese in dire need of a break

Dear Editor, There is the popular nursery rhyme, “Rain, rain go away.” Indeed, rain, rain, go away, please don’t stay. Do come back another day, so that the whole of Guyana can play.

When will Guyana get a moment to breathe freely?

History has revealed that the knee was always on Guyana’s neck. With the changing of time, the tide came, sometimes relaxed, sometimes axed.

But the blunt of its fury has always rolled over to follow generation after generation, gathering more moss on its deadly path. The current rainy season is destroying the little that was left from Guyanese misery.

Overwhelmed with the dangerous repercussions of COVID-19 for the past year, the PPP/C Government is still reeling with this pandemic and fighting to overcome its grip. Now comes this devastation with the rainy season, there is a lot of fingers pointing and, recent revelations on unsuspecting miscreants simply add salt to the wound. You can smell salt air.

Can you smell sabotage?

Garbage, blockages, sleeping on the job, poor maintenance, defective job performance, irresponsible workers and the list goes down the line. Is nature acting against the politicians or the people? August 2020 to current, Guyanese were constantly and severely attacked with the perpetration of racial innuendoes from the PNCR party and their surrogates.

The PPP/C government had to deal with this warfare perpetually and Guyanese were tested for their patience and resilience to fan off this cowardice from the PNCR party. Operating in a circus as APNU and AFC, many of their members aban-

doned their membership and resigned in frustration, after seeing the light for themselves. Inheriting a penniless Treasury, the PPP/C Administration had to deploy all their prudent management capabilities, to captain a rudderless ship and guide it safely to the shore.

The establishment of a legally elected PPP/C party with a legitimate President, paved the way for the establishment of friendly international relationship once again. Guyana found itself enjoying favourable concessions and immediate help poured in to assist in the reduction of a burdensome situation.

From 2015 to 2020, Guyana has suffered from increased taxes to the small man getting smaller and the middle man getting fingered. Dishonesty, lies, deceits, tongue twisting and indignity riled as the rooster with Granger at the helm. Thanks to the PNCR Administration, the ultimate masquerade in sheep’s clothing, Guyana had to pay for all of that party’s corruption, collusion, financial misappropriations, raping of the Treasury and bankrupting the economy of the country once again.

The little savings left from the former PPP/C Administration was not only eaten, but the rogues dug deeper holes for their successor to first fill.

It was bacchanal time to make up overnight from an absence of 23 years. Guyanese were once again devastated and had to be suppressed with a poverty level as standard living. Dictatorship surfaced to allow a NCM to be moved, a GECOM Chairman to be illegally appointed, an election date to be delayed, an election process to be derailed, major court battles to be ensued, flagrant and glaring attempts to rig the election and the rights of Guyanese to be trampled on and taken away. Of Course,

the PNCR party hugged all credits for these negativities.

At the end of the day, Guyanese were saved further embarrassment and disgrace, when the entire international community strongly objected to Granger and his cabal from looting an election, in particular the USA. By the stroke of luck and the US sanctions, Granger was booted out and ordered to step aside or else!

Grudgingly and angrily, the PNCR demitted office involuntarily and there began a campaign of retribution and retaliation for all Guyanese to suffer pain and anxiety, and, to become disgruntled with the PNCR’s callous and devious agenda.

While 1992 to 2015 brought a number of relief measures to Guyana through the legitimate installation of the PPP/C party, again with the assistance of the US Government, Guyanese were short changed because of the demonic attributes of the devilish PNCR party. After 28 years of dictatorship from Burnham and Hoyte’s presidency, Guyana was brought down to the gutters and laid ruined, discarded and disposed to the scavengers.

Only because of the astute management from a trustworthy and patriotic PPP/C Government, they were able to pull Guyana back from the jaws of death and resuscitated life back into a dying economy and allowed Guyanese to thrive in their strides.

Progress and prosperity slowly began to shape the future of Guyana and people’s life style was augmented by a caring Administration who truly worked with the people’s interest at heart. But again, the rollercoaster took its flattened curve as complacency stepped in and a degree of negativity slowly creeped in to rupture a puncture.

A Donald Ramotar-led

presidency saw a PPP/C minority Government in power, losing control of their dominancy with the PNCR stifling all projects, blocking all proposals and dismantling growth. An inflated balloon became inflamed with too much air and the bottom of the bucket dropped out as the AFC party made inroads to many hometowns and took advantage of misconceptions and deceptions. The PPP/C was strangled and victory was narrowly wrenched from their strong hold. Again, Guyanese were left at the mercy of the demonic PNCR party.

During the premiership of Cheddi Jagan, Guyana was on the verge of a transition but as luckless Guyanese, Jagan was perceived to be a politician with policies not in the best interest of England and not amicable with Americans.

The PPP ruled under the colonial masters’ dictates and they were a governing party without power.

They did manage to institute many changes which brought some measure of relief to the Guyanese population who began to gradually stride from colonialism to an independent state. But the deviousness of a radical and crafty Burnham spoiled the party and racial segregation was induced as the British introduced a first past the post to replace a PR system. The UF joined forces with the PNC as the UK and USA ensured that Jagan was ousted from power. Guyana never survived any lengthy period without some form of antagonism, internally and externally. Guyanese always suffered from brute force and ignorance from one source to another and are in dire need of a break. When will they enjoy that dream?

Yours respectfully, Jai Lall

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MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

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Kwakwani floodwaters: It is really bad Dear Editor, Floods impact on both individuals and communities, and have social, economic, and environmental consequences. The consequences of floods, both negative and positive, vary greatly depending on the location, duration, depth and speed, as well as the extent of flooding, and the vulnerability, value of the natural and constructed environments they affect. The persistent flooding in Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) and several other areas around Region 10 has forced the local authorities to intensify the mobilisation of support for flood-affected residents in the area.

With water levels now rising more than eight-nine feet in some areas, several houses in the community of Kwakwani have been completely covered, leaving residents counting extensive loses.

The flood can easily be compared to a similar event that occurred in 50s/60s, which forced early bauxite operation and management in the community to move to higher ground, while similar flooding in the past was responsibility for bauxite operation relo-

cation from where it was to where it is presently located in Kwakwani.

As most people are well aware, the immediate impacts of flooding may include loss of human life, damage to property, destruction of crops, loss of livestock, and deterioration of health conditions owing to water-borne diseases. As communication links and infrastructure such as power plants, roads and bridges are damaged and disrupted, some economic activities may come to a standstill, people are forced to leave their homes and normal life is disrupted.

Similarly, disruption to industry can lead to loss of livelihoods. Damage to infrastructure also causes long-term impacts, such as disruptions to supplies of clean water, wastewater treatment, electricity, transport, communication, education and healthcare.

Loss of livelihoods, reduction in purchasing power and loss of land value in the floodplains can leave communities economically vulnerable.

Floods can also traumatise victims and their families for long periods of time.

The loss of a home has deep impacts, especially on chil-

dren. Displacement from one’s home, loss of property and disruption to business and social affairs can cause continuing stress. For some people the psychological impacts can be long lasting. Flooding in key agricultural production areas can lead to widespread damage to crops and fencing and loss of livestock.

Crop losses through rain damage, waterlogged soils, and delays in harvesting are further intensified by transport problems due to flooded roads and damaged infrastructure.

The flow-on effects of reduced agricultural production can often impact well outside the production area as food prices increase due to shortages in supply. On the other hand, flood events can result in long-term benefits to agricultural production by recharging water resource storages, especially in drier, inland areas, and by rejuvenating soil fertility by silt deposition.

Damage to public infrastructure affects a far greater proportion of the population than those whose homes or businesses are directly inundated by the flood. In particular, flood damage to roads, rail networks and key trans-

port hubs, such as shipping ports, can have significant impacts on regional and national economies. Flooding of urban areas can result in significant damage to private property, including homes and businesses.

Losses occur due to damage to both the structure and contents of buildings Floods have significant consequence for the environment. In many natural systems, floods play an important role in maintaining key ecosystem functions and biodiversity. They link the river with the land surrounding it, recharge groundwater systems, fill wetlands, increase the connectivity between aquatic habitats, and move both sediment and nutrients around the landscape, and into the marine environment. For many species, floods trigger breeding events, migration, and dispersal. These natural systems are resilient to the effects of all but the largest floods. The environmental benefits of flooding can also help the economy through things such as increased fish production, recharge of groundwater resources, and maintenance of recreational environments.

Areas that have been highly modified by human activity tend to suffer more

deleterious effects from flooding. Floods tend to further degrade already degraded systems. Removal of vegetation in and around rivers, increased channel size, dams, levee bank and catchment clearing all work to degrade the hill-slopes, rivers and floodplains, and increase the erosion and transfer of both sediment and nutrients.

While cycling of sediments and nutrients is essential to a healthy system, too much sediment and nutrient entering a waterway has negative impacts on downstream water quality. Other negative effects include loss of habitat, dispersal of weed species, the release of pollutants, lower fish production, loss of wetlands function, and loss of recreational areas.

Many of our coastal resources, including fish and other forms of marine production, are dependent on the nutrients supplied from the land during floods. The negative effects of floodwaters on coastal marine environments are mainly due to the introduction of excess sediment and nutrients, and pollutants such as chemicals, heavy metals and debris. These can degrade aquatic habitats, lower water quality, reduce coastal production, and

contaminate coastal food resources. Most recently His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, joined by Minister Edghill journeyed to the severely-affected community of Kwakwani. Prime Minister, Hon Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips along with several Cabinet Ministers recently visited Region 10 and assessed the damage done by floodwaters and helped to deliver hundreds of food and sanitation hampers to residents of Upper Demerara-Berbice (Region 10). The PPP/C Government has recognised the flood as a disaster since several communities were affected across the country. In Kwakwani it is really bad.

Our Government’s short-term intention is to provide relief for the affected areas and communities, Government’s priority at the moment is to save lives and livelihood; to provide shelter, food and medical supplies, and to ensure that the water recedes quickly off of the land.

His Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali promised to work along with the residents to find solutions to their current plight.

Sincerely, David Adams

Keep retired, ex-policemen away Why is Vincent Alexander from Police Service Commission peeved over the soon-to-be

Dear Editor, With all of the hullabaloo concerning the Police Service Commission (PSC), it also underscored the need for this body to be staffed with civilians and other law enforcement professionals but not retired or ex-policemen since persons coming out of this service may act vindictively and prejudicially against lawmen or women who they would have interacted with during their terms of service in the Guyana Police Force and may have an axe to grind.

The retired policemen should only be advisors and not members of the Commission.

However, the PSC Chair, Mr Paul Slowe, has revealed himself along with his chosen biases based on his actions and inaction.

This entire matter stemmed from legal proceedings filed in the High Court

by Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus, who complained that he is being bypassed for promotion to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, even though he was recommended for promotion by the Commissioner of Police.

Investigations would reveal that when Slowe was the Commander in Berbice, he had issues with Brutus.

In response to Mr Slowe’s recent tirade against President Dr Irfaan Ali, Slowe placed himself under

the microscope and has revealed his known innate biases rather than his self-proclaimed independence and professionalism.

The President has rejected Slowe’s accusation of “interfering” and so now he has to produce evidence to back his claim. Then he has to find further proof that the charges against him, of fraud and sexual assault, are untrue.

Additionally, we have learned that Mr Slowe has publicly aligned himself with opposition Members of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul and Roysdale Forde, attorneys Khemraj Ramjattan, Raphael Trotman, Geeta ChandanEdmond and Amanda Walton Desir to institute proceedings against the Government of Guyana.

To accuse President Ali of trying to influence him in favouring certain offices of the Police Force when Slowe’s term as PSC Chairman ends in August 2021 is ludicrous. Why would the President need to do any such things when it is the President that appoints the Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioners of Police which are the most senior ranks of the Force?

The PSC is responsible for the promotion of gazetted ranks up to Assistant Commissioner of Police, which all fall under the Deputy Commissioners and

Top Cop. Back in July 2018, then Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo did inform former President David Granger FROM that he had hang-ups PAGEre4 garding Paul Slowe’s possible appointment to head the Police Service Commission.

Jagdeo actually said that Slowe “… had ‘baggage’ which may cause him to be biased in carrying out his duties.”

It seems that Vice President Jagdeo was accurately far-sighted, and had his warnings been heeded

by Former President David Granger, maybe the present charges of fraud and sexual molestation would not have been hanging over the head of Slowe.

In trying to besmirch the Head of State early in his Presidency, Mr Slowe’s anger stemmed from him being charged with eight others (retired senior ranks) jointly for fraud by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for an alleged conspiracy to defraud the GPF of some $10 million.

Mr Slowe should get up and face his conscience and look deep within, he knows the truth of this matter, but like many others who would rather spew venom to distract the public from the real issues, he continues to fight a losing battle.

Sincerely, Halim Khan

removal of the rigging trio?

Dear Editor, As reported in the media, PNC-appointed Commissioner Vincent Alexander is worried stiff that three of his party comrades will be removed from GECOM. And for wellknown reasons he should be worried, because it brings to an end a well thought out rigging cabal to which Alexander has close connections and the removal of the trio certainly marks a grave setback for the rigging crew.

No more can he rely on his compadres to carry out the plans of the PNC through the instrumentalities of that closely knit group. Their dismantlement brings that illegal criminal gangsterism to its final resting place.

The point I am making is, what are we going to do with them, seeing this was a public display of naked fraud? Should we look the other way and say it did not happen, what is it? So, I pose the question to Vincent Alexander, what should the people of Guyana do with a group of individuals who wanted to deny them their human rights to choose who governs them, how sayest thou? I guess Lowenfield and friends can do a good job at Congress Place with that rigging stunt of theirs, but certainly not as a public offi-

cer, being paid from the public purse, I guarantee you that is not going to happen.

So, it is high time to get rid of them.

Now, as a flash back I would urge us to take a careful look at the tell-tale workings of the rigging apparatus. It all began more than a decade ago when those who are opposed to the holding of a free and fair electoral process, slowly and insidiously began to piece together their diabolical plot. It had as its prime target, the CEO of the day, Mr Gocool Boodhoo.

Here we have a man who blazed a trail of impeccable record up until this point, so to bring him down there was no better way than to sully his career by pinning on him a fraudulently transaction in the falsification of the figures of that election.

It was a well thought out plan to remove him - at least so it seems - by those who were making out an airtight position to get Boodhoo out of the way. So, paint him as that fraud figure who wanted to fix the figures for the PPP/C, and eureka, it worked, they did get Boodhoo out.

No sooner had they gotten Boodhoo out than they began to pull apart all those whom they perceive as too keen, or those who would

look into the inner workings of the Commission. As a consequence, the information technology guy got axed as well as many others. It was a remodelling of the GECOM Secretariat to suit the intents and purposes to to carry out the functions of the PNC rigging cabal.

So, my question is, with such an egregious deed as what they claim was Boodhoo’s role, why didn’t they push for his incarceration? That is the question I posed to a diehard supporter of the PNC party. That supporter responded that his party is very humane, that is why they did not incarcerate Boodhoo, he wryly opined that altruism got the better of them! But an in-depth look into the events shows that this was not the case, all that the PNC wanted was a silent takeover, so that they can work at perfecting their diabolical plot undetected.

So, there you have the real reason behind Alexander’s frustration at the imminent removal of Lowenfield and company. He is hopping mad that their rigging machinery has crashed, never again to raise its ugly head.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

6

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

Page

Foundation ◄

Questions 1

Friday’s answers

On Seeing the Elgin Marbles

By John Keats

T

he first recorded Olympics occurred in 776 BCE. Part of a festival honouring Zeus, it was one of four Pan Hellenic (all-Greek) Games held in ancient Greece, each honouring a different Greek god.

The games were held at Olympia, a religious sanctuary near the west coast of Greece. For more than a thousand years, the Olympic games took place every four years in August without a single cancellation. The last recorded Olympics were in 393 BCE. The following year the emperor Theodosius banned the worship of all but God. The games, which were also a way to help men keep fit for war, were at first made up of only short foot races. Men competed in the nude. Even when other events were added, there were no team sports.

No medals were awarded. The winner (there were no second or third place winners) was given a wreath of olive leaves. These were cut from a sacred tree that stood behind the temple of Zeus at Olympia.

Women were not allowed to compete and married women were not even allowed to attend the games. A separate women’s festival, the Heraia, was held in honour of Hera, wife of Zeus. At the

height of their popularity, 20,000– 40,000 people attended the games.

The event was so prestigious that the city-states of ancient Greece observed a special truce, during which all hostilities were suspended for a month before the games. Men could train and spectators could make their journeys in peace. Merchants also came to the games to sell food and other wares.

In 1894, a French nobleman, the Baron Pierre de Coubertin, proposed that the games be revived. Two years later the first modern Olympic games were held in Athens. Since 1924, both winter and summer games have been played at designated sites all over the world.

Imagine you are the Baron, how would have you gone about reviving the games?

(Adapted from startwithabook.org)

My spirit is too weak—mortality Weighs heavily on me like unwilling sleep, And each imagined pinnacle and steep Of godlike hardship tells me I must die Like a sick eagle looking at the sky.

Yet ’tis a gentle luxury to weep That I have not the cloudy winds to keep Fresh for the opening of the morning’s eye.

Such dim-conceived glories of the brain Bring round the heart an undescribable feud; So do these wonders a most dizzy pain, That mingles Grecian grandeur with the rude Wasting of old time— with a billowy main— A sun—a shadow of a magnitude.

Notes: Lord Elgin made an expedition to the Parthenon in Greece, returning with a significant number of marble statues and friezes, which he subsequently sold to the British Museum in 1816.

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

4 more fatalities take COVID death toll to 409 − 48 new cases recorded in 24h

G

uyana has recorded four more deaths from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to the Health Ministry on Sunday.

These latest fatalities are a 45-year-old female from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), who died on Wednesday last; a 51-yearold female from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), who died on Thursday, while the other two deaths – a 68-year-old male from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and an 82-year-old female from Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) – were recorded on Friday last.

The Ministry explained that these patients were admitted with COVID-19 like symptoms but died while receiving care at various medical institutions across the country. Samples were taken at the time of admission and subsequently returned as positives.

With these, the total number of deaths from the pandemic in Guyana has gone up to 409. So far, the death toll for the month of June is at 11. May became the deadliest month with 99 fatalities since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus here last year after surpassing April’s 66 COVID-19 deaths.

Meanwhile, new statistics provided by the Health Ministry on Sunday showed that another 48 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 from some 841 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.

This now takes the total number of confirmed cases in Guyana to 17,665 – 8725 males and 8940 females.

However, 1882 of these are currently active cases.

This includes 20 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining 1862 persons in isolation, that is, 103 in institutional isolation and the other 1759

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD JUNE 06 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

in home isolation.

Additionally, there are six persons in institutional quarantine.

Some 15,374 persons have recovered from the life-threatening virus thus far – 24 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.

To date, 161,186 persons have been tested for the novel coronavirus in Guyana.

Of the 48 new cases detected on Sunday, four were from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); a whopping 30 cases from the Demerara-Mahaica region; one from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), two cases from Region Six, eight from Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) and the other three cases from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

There were no new cases recorded in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Seven and Eight (PotaroSiparuni) in the last 24 hours, according to Sunday’s dashboard.

The Guyana Government launched its COVID-19 vaccination exercise back in February and is aggressively rolling it out in the various regions in order to achieve heard immunity. Only last week, the vaccination campaign reached the milestone of immunising some 200,000

persons with their first dose of the COVID-19 jab.

So far, over 207,000 persons in the adult population have received their first dose of the vaccine. Fully immunised persons in the country stand at 73,000.

A study was recently done using immunised persons from different age groups in the country, whereby over 50 per cent did not display any side effects. Between the 18 to 29 age group, there was 17.9 per cent of persons reporting some form of side effects; with 18.7 per cent for the 30 to 39 age group; 11.7 per cent for the 40 to 49 age group; and 15 per cent for the 50 to 59.

Persons are encouraged to get immunised since the COVID-19 vaccine gives full protection against death.

In fact, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has disclosed that none of the persons who have died after testing positive for the novel coronavirus had their full vaccination.

Meanwhile, as more people continue to get vaccinated, authorities are urging the public to continue observing all COVID-19 preventative measures, particularly masking in public, social distancing and frequent hand washing and sanitising. The measures also include a 22:30h (10:30 pm) to 04:00h (4 am) national curfew.

48 103

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

1759

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

20

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

6

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

8940

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

8725

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

17,665

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

15,374

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED FULLY IMMUNISED

207,000 73,000

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

409

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2022 REGION 1

1145

REGION 2

484

REGION 3

2060

REGION 4

8358

REGION 5

596

REGION 6

1194

REGION 7

1224

REGION 8

369

REGION 9

1000

REGION 10

1235

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

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

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of Sunday, some 172,630,637 confirmed cases were reported globally along

with 3,718,683 deaths.

The WHO also reported on Sunday that in the Region of the Americas, that is, Latin America and the Caribbean,

the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased to 68,369,827 while the death toll in the region has gone up to 1,794,865.

8 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Only 18 of 329 cases completed at April’s Criminal Assizes

E

ighteen out of 329 matters listed to be heard in the April session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes were disposed of, according to a statement from the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The session, which commenced on April 6, 2021, came to an end on May 31, 2021, and was presided over by Justices Brassington Reynolds and Sandil Kissoon.

Of these 18 matters, the DPP presented 17 at the High Court in Demerara, while the other was nolle prosequi. Of the 17 cases presented, 11 were for murder and the remaining six were for sexual offences.

In these 17 cases, there were five guilty pleas, six convictions, four not guilty verdicts by jury, and two formal verdicts of not guilty.

The DPP prosecuted eight matters before Justice Reynolds. Of these eight matters, two were

Life...

O

for murder. In one of these cases, the accused pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. In the other one, the jury found the accused guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter and he was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.

Before the same Judge, six cases for sexual offences were presented. In

news@guyanatimesgy.com

three of these cases, the accused were acquitted, while the other three accused were all found unanimously guilty.

Two of them were sentenced to 20 and 18 years, respectively, while the other one will be sentenced on June 17, 2021. Nine cases for murder were presented before Justice Kissoon.

In one of these cases, Justice Kissoon upheld a no-case submission and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty. In another matter, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.

In four other cases, the accused all pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter. In two of these cases, one accused had two separate trials.

In the first trial, he was indicted for murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment, and will serve 30 years before being eligible for parole. In the other trial for which he was indicted on three counts, namely murder, attempt to commit murder, and dis-

charging a loaded firearm, he was again sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and 20 years each on the latter counts.

The 20-year sentences will run concurrently.

The other two accused were respectively sentenced to life imprisonment and 15 years' imprisonment. The one sentenced to life will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years. In another trial in which two accused were jointly indicted, the trial Judge upheld a no-case submission for one of the accused, while his co-accused was found guilty by a jury.

He will be sentenced on June 9, 2021. While in another trial, the accused who was indicted on three counts of murder was found unanimously guilty on all counts and will be sentenced on June 16, 2021. One matter is pending. The DPP nolle prosequi one matter because the complainant in a written statement indicated she did not wish to proceed.

...after the flood K...OK... your Eyewitness concedes it may be a tad premature to speak about life after the flood.

But he knows from his Sunday School catechisms that even after the great flood of Noah, the waters had to recede. And as a matter of fact, he’s aware that Noah didn’t wait till that blessed moment to make plans on survival: he built that Ark and stocked it with animals to ensure the continuity of life. And the Great Flood of Genesis mightn’t be such a hyperbolic metaphor to describe our plight – since the meteorological crystal balls are predicting that our rains will extend into August!!

But what lots of folks gloss over when talking about Noah’s flood, is that a whole lotta plants and animals had to have perished under the deluge. And that’s what we’ll first have to confront in Guyana. Already we heard about scads of cattle perishing out in Kokerite Savannah in Berbice and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Cattle in the Rupununi? Chickens in Black Bush? Can you imagine what happened to all the other smaller animals like rats that live in the ground and underbrush of the thousands of square miles that are under water?

The carcasses of these dead animals, of course, will lead to all sorts of water-borne diseases infecting the already beleaguered and hapless residents battling the rising waters. In the 2005 floods that were restricted to the coastland – and thus more heavily reported on – leptospirosis that spread from rats became a new killer disease. Then, of course, there will be the bacterial and other germ-caused diseases that will inflict those persons who’re forced to be immersed up to their chins for hours at a stretch in the putrid waters.

The point of it all is that there will have to be one big clean-up after the waters recede. This is number one.

After that? NOTHING!! That’s right...absolutely nothing will be done!! Your Eyewitness predicts everyone will go back to doing EXACTLY what they were doing before... just like after 2005. Forget all the talk about moving inland, building houses on higher stilts or foundations, cleaning canals, enforcing laws on dumping garbage, etc, etc. All the talk we heard – and are continuing to hear – about the aforementioned is just that: TALK!! Which, apart from adding to global warming with the hot air spewed, will never get translated into action.

So, what will life be after the flood? The same lifeand-death struggle between the political parties – led by the PNC, which will never accept it lost the elections – come hell or high water.

We’re in the midst of the “high water” and the PNC is girding its loins to give us the “hell”! ...with the PNC narratives Yes...the PNC doesn’t have a “narrative” – singular – but any number of “narratives” from the various factions jostling to displace Granger and the Corbin faction that foisted the Sanctimonious Gangster on them. When he was preening around town with his vacuous smile and dropping on his knees at the drop of a hat, he was declared to be a “strategic genius” who’d establish a thousand-year Wakanda in its Caribbean Lebensraum!

But after he was ignominiously voted out by the people at the polls – and booted out by the international community when he tried to do a “Burnham rig”, he’s every former PNC myrmidon’s favourite punching bag!

The common wail is that he didn’t stare down the US and the West – as they like to believe Burnham did back in the day. They feign amnesia on Jagan’s inability to be as politically adroit and pragmatic as his present successors!

One young stripling is calling for a local Idi Amin!! ...with COVID-19 After witnessing the ebb and flow of the evermutating COVID-19 virus returning in “waves” - some becoming “tsunamis” like in the US and China – folks are finally realising we’ll be dealing with this threat for a long time!

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

NEWS

9

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Burglar escapes with cash, jewellery from Essequibo Coast home − 2 other houses burglarised

The window with the missing louvre panes

A

lone burglar reportedly escaped with a quantity of gold jewellery and a sum of cash after he broke into a house at Columbia Back, Essequibo Coast, Region

Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), on Saturday evening.

Based on reports received, the house is occupied by a 56-year-old housewife, her husband and their 3-year-old grandson.

However, the couple retired to bed at about 21:30h but after some time, the woman was awakened by a noise in the house.

As such, she woke up her husband and they went to enquire during which they noticed the silhouette of a male in the dark and screamed for help.

This reportedly startled the intruder, who made good his escape through a window. As they switched on the lights in the house, they discovered that a wardrobe was broken into and four gold chains, one gold band, three pairs of gold bangles and

Brothers arrested for $5M robbery at Rose Hall

T

One of the empty glass cases in the store

he Police have arrested two brothers in connection with a $5 million robbery committed on the A&S Store at Rose Hall Town, Berbice, between Thursday evening and Friday morning.

Police stated that the owner of the business, Amirah Hamid, reportedly closed the door to the business at about 18:30h on Thursday evening. However, she reportedly opened the business on Friday at about 08:15h and observed a metal door at the back of the building open.

As she looked closer, she realised that the door was wrenched open. This prompted her to make checks in the store, where she observed several highend phones along with electronic devices and money missing.

She immediately raised an alarm and the Police were summoned. A relative of the businesswoman told Guyana Times that after the bandit removed the articles, they reportedly used Methylated Spirits to wipe off any visible fingerprints.

In addition, she related that the burglars escaped with 12 iPhone 12s valued $2.4 million, five iPhone 12 Pro Max valued $1.6 million, 35 Samsung Galaxy cell phones valued $1.5 million, one Digi Tronic tablet valued $65,000 and $20,000 in cash.

However, based on in-

The metal door wrenched open

that

was

formation received, Police conducted a search on the home of one of the suspects in Williamsburg Village, Corentyne, Berbice, on Saturday and he led ranks to a location where he hid several mobile phones in relation to the robbery.

As such, 23 cell phones were recovered and have been lodged as evidence.

Further investigations led to the arrest of another male. The phones were all identified by the businesswoman. The duo remains in custody assisting with investigations.

A Police source told Guyana Times that the duo is known to the Police since they were previously charged and remanded to prison for similar offences.

The kitchen cupboards that were searched

$20,000 in cash were missing.

They also discovered that several louvre panes from a window were missing. A report was subsequently made at the Anna Regina Police Station and an investigation was launched.

Meanwhile, at least two other houses were broken into in the same area, suspectedly by the same perpetrator. One woman explained that when she woke up on Saturday evening, she saw her kitchen cupboards ransacked and thought it was her son who was looking for something.

When I called meh son and ask him, he said no, he wasn’t looking for anything… when I continue to look around, I see some eatables in the fridge and so missing… things like chocolates and so… so the person who went in the house proper help he self… then I see one of the windows open…”, the woman added.

The opened window of one of the houses that were broken into

She nevertheless stated that the burglar did not get anything substantial.

“In fact, I had an anklet in a purse and that is what he took… but like after he nah get nothing here, he went to the other house where he did the same thing… Went through a window and tek what he wanted.”

The Police are investigating these incidents.

10 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Victoria man was bludgeoned to death, 1 in custody – Police

F

orty-two-year-old Woodrow John Lepps, who was on Monday last found dead in an abandoned building at Victoria, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was bludgeoned to death.

This was according to Regional Commander Khali Pareshram during a telephone interview with Guyana Times. He further explained that a post-mortem performed on the body, proved that he died from a blunt trauma to the head.

The Commander also said that one person, a man of unsound mind, was arrested and was subsequently taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital for medical treat-

The abandoned building where the man was found

ment. “That investigation is still in progress,” the Commander revealed.

The discovery of Lepps’s body was made in the old school building on Monday last with a gaping wound to the head.

Following the discovery, Lepps’s relatives told detectives that he did odd jobs for persons in the community. The now dead man reportedly visited his foster sister, Rita Lepps, at her Belfield, ECD home one day prior to his demise to collect his breakfast as he usually would, and left.

However, the following day, the dead man’s sister said she received information that her broth-

er was found dead in the abandoned building where he would usually stay.

Upon her arrival at the scene, she explained that her brother’s body was lying in the building with a wound to his head and there were bloodstains on the walls.

The dead man’s sister alleged that her brother might have had an argument with someone and was beaten to death.

However, in a report days after the incident occurred, Police had stated that the man suffered from epilepsy. However, his family insisted that he was murdered by someone in the community.

The probe continues.

NEWS

11

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Money from flaring cannot offset environmental damage – Min Bharrat ...but can spur employment, hinterland development

W

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat

ith oil giant ExxonMobil currently paying for every cubic foot of gas it flares in its operations offshore Guyana, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat said that the money cannot offset the environmental damage, but can go towards doing some good, including creating employment.

This comes after Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would have modified the Environmental Permit for the Liza-1 Development Project to include, among other things, a fee of US$30 per tonne of excess carbon emissions that is flared.

In an interview with Guyana Times, the Minister acknowledged that the money Guyana gets from Exxon’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) cannot undo the environmental damage.

“As you’re aware with the flaring issue, now it is actually bringing in a fee.

We’re charging Exxon a fee for flaring offshore. That would have started May 26.

That permit was updated

by EPA on May 12. Exxon applied for a 36-day period to get the flash gas compressor fixed. And the flaring minimised to a very low level.”

“I know that cannot offset the carbon emissions and the damages to the environment, but at least we are bringing something back into Guyana.

Something we can use in other areas, maybe in forestry or other sectors, to do some offset and maybe have alternative means of economic employment.

Especially in the hinterland communities,” the Minister suggested.

Based on the amended environmental permit, EEPGL will have to pay the Guyana Government in excess of US$1.3 million for excess flaring of gas at its Liza-1 operations in the Stabroek Block offshore.

During a recent press conference, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed that the oil major has since applied to continue flaring for a 36-day period. He explained that this application takes effect from May

26, hence Exxon will have to pay for the excess flaring from that day, for the next 36 days. Based on calculations, the Vice President disclosed that this 36-day flaring will rack up a fee of some US$1.3 million.

Exxon has come under fire over its increased flaring activities in recent years with environmentalists up in arms over its harmful effects on the environment. Earlier this year, the company had sent its gas compressor for repairs in Germany after it developed technical issues resulting in increased flaring.

But after being reinstalled in April, technical issues were still encountered, forcing the company to significantly drop production.

It was reported that ExxonMobil’s oil production had plummeted to 30,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) in mid-April, as the gas compressor that had been in Germany for much of February being repaired after developing technical issues, once again failed.

The oil giant had explained that other problems in the discharge silencer were detected during the final testing phase of the reinstalled flash gas compressor on board the Liza Destiny FPSO vessel.

It was explained that a team from SBM Offshore, MAN Energy Solutions and ExxonMobil are on site to assess repairs, supported by engineering experts in Europe and the United States of America (USA).

Nevertheless, in a subsequent update on April 21, Exxon had said production was back up to 110,000 bpd accompanied by a flare level of below 15 million cubic

square feet of gas per day.

Meanwhile, it was announced a few days ago that after weeks of repairs following recurring technical issues, the newly upgraded flash gas compression system onboard the Liza Destiny vessel was returned to Guyana and was being reinstalled.

The third stage dis-

The Liza Destiny FPSO

charge silencer, a key component of the flash gas compression system for the Liza Destiny, has had to be

upgraded. Additionally, a redesigned third stage discharge venturi had to also be manufactured.

12 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Teen cyclist critical after being hit by speeding minibus on ECD highway − driver arrested hours after

A

teenager is currently in a critical at the Georgetown Public Hospital after he was hit by a minibus along the Mon Repose Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Saturday evening. The injured lad is 16-yeawr-old Vishwanauth Doodnauth of Lot 126 Dr Miller Street, Triumph, ECD. According to the police, Doodnauth, and his younger brother were on separate bicycles riding along the Mon Repos Public Road when he was struck by the minibus which was reportedly speeding. As a result of the collision, the teenager fell onto the roadway and sustained injured about his body.

The minibus stopped and several persons exited to render assistance but while doing so, the driver sped away.

The teenager was picked up in an unconscious condition by public-spirited citizens and taken to GPHC where he was admitted a patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) suffering from Intracranial Hemorrhage (bleeding in the skull).

Checks were made in the Mon Repos area with the description given to the police and the said minibus was found on the Mon Repos Public Road with damages consistent with the accident.

However, on Sunday, the owner of the minibus, Quincy Trotman, 37, of Doch Four Housing Scheme ECD turned up at the Beterverwagting Police Station where he identified himself as the driver of the at the time of the accident.

As such, he was arrested is assisting Police in their investigations.

Nevertheless, at the home

injured teen and his younger brother since they were babies. However, she added that the teen’s mother was able to see him and was told that his condition has not improved.

“Since last night [ Saturday night], he hasn’t regained consciousness, he is not responding anything”, the tearful woman cried.

Meanwhile, prior to

the man’s arrest, the family provided recording to the Guyana Times of a telephone conversation between them and an unknown person who is calming to be a doctor.

The person on the other end of the call was heard identifying himself as a doctor at the Georgetown Public Hospital who was seeking the interest of the teen.

In the recording the man was heard telling the teen’s relatives that due to the extent of his injury, he had to be transferred to a private hospital.

The man further told the injured teen’s grandmother that they would not have to worry, about any money, because “the family on the other side will take care of it”.

“They want to offer you grandson private medical care at a hospital. Is that something the family would be open to? We got to move quickly to let him get the best care as possible”, the person said in the recording. This the family, believes is a hoax and would be presenting the recording to the police for them to investigate.

Brothers on trial for Brazilian’s murder …Boat captain denies manslaughter charge Injured: Vishwanauth Doodnauth

of the teenager on Sunday, his family recalled that young man and his younger brother were heading home after dropping off a friend at Jango Town, Mon Repose when the incident occurred.

The injured youth’s younger brother who was with him at the time revealed that as they were crossing the road, the minibus was nowhere in sight. He said the minibus appeared out of nowhere and slammed into his brother with a force.

After the teen fell to the ground, he panicked, picked up his bicycle and rode home to inform his relatives. He said he does not know what occurred after that.

Meanwhile, the teen’s grandmother Hansrajie Jagrup said after hearing about the accident, she went to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was not allowed to see him.

The woman explained that she and her husband have been taking care of the now

Murder accused: Fidel and Phillip Williams

T

wo brothers, Phillip and Fidel Williams, are currently on trial before Justice Navindra Singh and a jury at the High Court in Essequibo for murder. Together, they have been indicted for the February 9, 2016 murder of Brazilian national, Naldinho DeCosta Souza which occurred at Fish Creek, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

They both pleaded not guilty.

Reports are Souza’s throat was slit when he was attacked by four men.

Following investigations, a wanted bulletin was issued for Fidel Williams, who was implicated in the murder by his close relative.

When Fidel Williams was

Dead: Ryan De Freitas

Manslaughter accused: Tyrone Da Silva

caught by lawmen, he reportedly confessed to being one of the four men who was in-

volved in the incident.

In another case before the same Judge, boat captain Tyrone Da Silva was indicted by State Prosecutor Tiffini Lyken for manslaughter over the unlawful killing of Ryan De Freitas who died in a boat collision at Grant, Lower Pomeroon River, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

A 12-member jury has been empanelled to hear the case which will see some 11 witnesses testifying on behalf of the prosecution. The accused killer, who has pleaded not guilty to the charge, is being represented by Attorneyat-Law Lachmi Dindayal.

According to reports, the

Dead: Naldinho DeCosta Souza

now dead man, who was 28 years old at the time of the accident, was a passenger in a wooden boat powered by a 200hp Yamaha outboard engine that was heading to Port Kaituma. That boat collided with a similar boat that was heading to Charity, Essequibo Coast.

It was reported that Da Silva was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. De Freitas was tossed out of the boat following the collision on August 31, 2016. His body was later fished out of the river. His cause of death was given as multiple injuries.

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MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“It was humbling to see their smiles even in a tough situation” – Human Services and Social Security Ministry − CDC dispatches additional supplies to Region 7

(From left) President Irfaan Ali; CDC Director General, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha led a flood assessment team to Region Seven

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ven as flooding across Guyana has caused severe devastation and suffering to residents, Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud has taken note that the situation has moved Guyanese to come together and support each other.

On her visit to Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), and other badly-affected areas over the weekend, Minister Persaud and a team from her Ministry saw first-hand, the dire circumstances that people are enduring.

“What I’ve seen here is devastation and people are very resilient as they try to cope with the floods. They need to be supported over the long term to rebuild and recover from what has disrupted their lives and displaced many of them. I am humbled by their spirit in face of this great difficulty and deeply concerned by how badly the lives of families, the elderly and children have been affected. It was heart-breaking,” Minister Persaud expressed.

The Government Ministers have been on the ground across the country since the beginning of the rainy season, intervening and providing as much assistance as possible.

The team took hampers into Kwakwani, along with a quantity of long boots, baby and feminine care packages, mattresses, and pillows. They then made their way to Patentia, West Bank Demerara (WBD), where the team went from house to house to distribute 500 food hampers, along with mattresses and pillows for those who are severely affected.

Other areas such as Vriesland and Two fields were also provided for.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Shannielle Hoosein-Outar was also on the trip, along with her deputy Anjanie Ramlall, Principal Personnel Officer Rafael Boodhoo, and other staff from the Ministry.

“It broke my heart to see how people are suffering. The flood has result-

ed in persons losing their homes, some have relocated and some remain trying to salvage what remains,” Hoosein-Outar said, adding, “While we know that they made need much more at the moment, it was beautiful to see them smile even

Residents paddling through several feet of floodwaters in Region Seven

went to them. Some residents indicated that it’s the first time they would have received a flood relief hamper while some others indicated that it’s the first time they received one in their hand from a Minister of Government,” Boodhoo added.

Minister Persaud interacting with residents of Kwakwani

though they are in such a tough situation.”

She mentioned also that the Ministry is very grateful that many companies have donated. “It really is amazing to see what a great outcome we have when we all work together.” Boodhoo observed that many people in Kwakwani were removed from their homes, forced to sleep under makeshift tents, and in some cases, had their rations and belongings all destroyed by the floods.

“While visiting some of the homes in the affected waterfront area, our boat was floating above their fences and right up to their verandas, where parents and children were both eagerly awaiting our arrival. It was truly devastating to witness. But there was a glimmer of hope in the smiles we saw as Minister Persaud interacted with them; we could see the relief in their eyes and we made a promise to continue our support to ease their suffering,” he expressed.

While at Patentia, Boodhoo reflected that the team walked to every house to deliver packages of relief to every household.

“Residents were eagerly awaiting our arrival and we asked them not to come into the floodwaters; we

The Human Services Ministry has every intention to continue to support the affected communities.

Minister Persaud has expressed gratitude to her tireless and dedicated staff and to the members of the community and community leaders who volunteered with the Ministry.

More relief for Region 7

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) dispatched additional supplies for distribution to flood-affected residents in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) communities. This followed an extensive flood assessment of the areas which was done recently.

In Waramadong, over 200 farms have been impacted, five houses are inundated and residents have been relocated to higher ground. Residents indicated that there is a shortage of cleaning supplies, medicine, and chlorine tablets.

In Jawalla, over 150 farms and over 60 households have been affected, with seven families being relocated to safer living quarters.

One house was reported to have collapsed due to the floodwaters.

Quebanang, another village in the region, has a total of 86 affect-

ed households. Additionally, five Government buildings are inundated. In Kako, 120 farms and 12 houses have been flooded. Residents who are concerned about water-borne diseases have requested mosquito nets, rain boots, and water tanks.

An assessment of Chinoweng and Wax Creek found that 132 farms and 98 farms, respectively, were destroyed by floodwaters.

However, no family was required to be relocated. In Abbou, a small mining community in the region, three houses were flooded but no residents had to be relocated. In other mining areas such as Imbaimadai, Ominik, and Kambora, at least 20 mining camps have been flooded, forcing miners to relocate to higher ground.

Several pieces of equipment were damaged and fuel and ration destroyed in floodwaters. Additionally, 11 homes were inundated while farming communities suffered major losses. In Kamarang, 15 households were flooded with 71 farms destroyed. Institutions in-

Houses in Kwakwani are inundated forcing residents to evacuate

cluding schools, churches, and multi-purpose halls have been identified as possible shelters should the need arise.

Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai, who was part of the assessment teams in Region Seven, has pledged the Government's support to the affected communities.

President Dr Irfaan Ali along with Director General of the CDC, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, visited several villages on Saturday where they assured residents that additional supplies would be sent.

On Sunday, the CDC dispatched a total of 800 food and cleaning hampers,

200 pairs of long boots, two drums of gasoline, 500 mosquito nets, 10 tarpaulins, and a quantity of face masks and water purification tablets. Regional authorities are working in tandem with the CDC and Central Government to ensure that relief supplies are dispatched to the affected areas.

Region Seven, similar to other regions across Guyana, continues to experience flooding due to consistent rainfall and the overtopping of creeks and rivers. All impacted areas are being closely monitored by the CDC, which is prepared to provide support where needed.

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MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Linden roads suffer massive erosion

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esidents of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) are presently seeking assistance from the relevant authorities to save several eroded sections of the main access road which leads to the Dakoura Water Site at Wismar.

Numerous sections of the road which also leads to developing communities such as Block 56 Kularu are presently impassable to vehicles.

Residents recently formed a self-help team with the aim of fixing the

situation but are in need of urgent assistance from the region.

Some sections of the road which is mainly utilised by heavy-duty vehicles are affected and as such, residents have erected signs warning motorists and pedestrians of the dangers while using the roadway.

Only recently, Environmental Engineer Samuel Wright had cited the importance of protecting the area around the Dakoura watershed – the main source of water on the Wismar shore.

The eroded sections of the road at Dakoura

NA Psychiatric Hospital fire

1 patient remains on the run; 5 recaptured

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olice in Berbice are on the hunt for a patient of the Psychiatric Hospital in New Amsterdam who escaped from the facility on Saturday evening after a fire broke out. Initially, six patients had escaped but the Police have managed to recapture five, who were immediately handed over to the institution.

It was reported that a fire broke out at the hospital on Saturday evening following a fight among three of the 31 male patients housed in the Chalet 4 Male Admission Ward.

As a result, the matron along with the supervisor and two male nurses went to the area and upon their arrival, they saw smoke emanating from inside of the ward and heard patients

inhalation.

As a result, 11 patients were taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital for treatment.

Not too long ago a patient was murdered and another patient injured after some patients ripped out the iron bars to the windows of the ward and began attacking each other.

The dead man has been identified as Rohan Satish

Firefighters at the National Psychiatric Hospital (NPH) at Fort Canje, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), on Saturday evening

shouting for help.

The Police and the Guyana Fire Service were summoned and arrived in a timely manner, thus resulting in the firefighters extinguishing the small blaze without having to enter the building.

This publication was informed that during the fire, the staff members were taken to a safe place as violence erupted in the ward.

A second fire was started, again by the patients, resulting in some of the patients suffering from smoke

Sunthgulm of Canefield, East Canje, while the injured person is Steve Roberts, also of the same village.

The sister of the murdered man explained that her brother attended a clinic at the National Psychiatric Hospital because he was epileptic and had injured himself on May 21.

He was then taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital

and subsequently admitted a patient at the Psychiatric Hospital.

Two days later, on May 23, the family received news that he was injured. This publication understands that he received a stab to his neck, lacerations to his head, and his forehead was badly swollen.

Sunthgulm died whilst receiving care at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Digicel pays CSEC fees for students of Sophia Night School

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s students around the world including those in Guyana are finding it hard to pay for examinations and tuitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Digicel Guyana has brought smiles to the faces of the students of the Sophia Night School by paying their fees for the upcoming Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

Over thirty students will benefit from this partnership between Digicel and the Sophia Night School.

The goal of the CSEC programme is to provide young adults who were unable to graduate from high school with the opportunity of completing their CSEC examinations. In addition, three laptops were donated to be used by students without a device to attend virtual classes.

The Sophia Community Development Association’s Coordinator, Orin Nelson,

Sophia Community Development Association Coordinator Orin Nelson (centre), and Programme Director Leroy Adolphus (left) accept the donation from Digicel Chief Commercial Officer Simone Pierre

and Programme Director Leroy Adolphus accepted the donation at Digicel’s headquarters in Kingston.

Chief Commercial Officer of Digicel, Simone Pierre speaking with some of the students, noted that education opens the door to numerous opportunities. She urged them to study hard since these exams could be the stepping stone to attending the University of

Guyana.

One of students commented how grateful she was for the unexpected refund as she is a single mother “getting this money back is such a surprise and will go a far way for my son, thank you Digicel for this you made us very happy”.

The Sophia Community Development Association (SOCDA) is a community-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that provides programmes and activities aimed at promoting youth empowerment and education as vehicles or mechanisms for overcoming or reducing the prevalence of crime and violence in the Sophia community and its surrounding environs. Digicel is pleased to be part of this joint effort with SOCDA in making over thirty students’ wishes of completing their CSEC examinations a reality.

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MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

360 mining operations in Region 8 affected by flooding – CDC

...families being evacuated to higher ground

The water level in this river is the highest experienced in years

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epresentatives of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Health Ministry, Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) conducted flood assessments in several communities in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) over the weekend.

An assessment conducted in Sub-District 2, Mahdia, found that sever-

al homes, farms, roads and mining equipment have been destroyed by floodwaters.

Tumatumari Hill Foot to Two Miles is flooded, making it difficult for vehicles to traverse. Food prices have hiked due to shortages and access to drinking water is a major concern, with water harvesting being a challenge in hard-to-reach communities.

In addition, in Tumatumari, five households with a total of 21 persons were independently evacuated to the homes of relatives who reside on higher ground.

The team also assessed the flood impact at El Paso which is home to approximately 35 families (160 persons).

Five households (16 persons) which are located on

the water front were severely impacted by floodwater which rose to about 15 feet.

This resulted in contamination of drinking water, damage to food, household items, boats and engines among other things. As a result, families were relocated to higher ground. Those who reside on the hills experienced flash floods, but water has since receded.

Among the immediate needs of the affected households are food and cleaning hampers, drinking water, water tanks, life jackets, mattresses and kerosene.

The CDC is currently working with the RDC to address these immediate needs.

During a meeting between the CDC, RDC and GGMC to discuss the impact of the flood on mining operations, it was noted that af-

One of the overtopping rivers in Region 8

District 2 at Mabura, Kanawaruk, Mahdia, Issano and Miniaha Landing have been disrupted as a result of flooding.

CDC’s Preparedness and Response Manager, Major Salim October said the team discovered that the bridg-

Exxon spent over $8.5B on local suppliers in 1st quarter of 2021 – number of Guyanese suppliers climbed to 2600

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xxonMobil’s Country President, Alastair Routledge, has revealed that for the first quarter of 2021 alone, Exxon spent over $8.5 billion on local suppliers – a figure that has skyrocketed since last year.

Routledge recalled that Exxon’s efforts to support local content was established even before the start of oil production in the Liza Phase one. He also cited what has been spent on local content for the year already.

“We support local businesses. One of the major initiatives that we started back in 2017, before the first project in fact, was the Centre for Local Development. That was before our first project and has been incredibly successful. And we continue to invest and support them.”

“To date, more than 2600 Guyanese and over 600 local suppliers are supporting the development of Guyana’s resources. And in this first quarter of 2021 alone, more than $8.5 billion was spent with those suppliers.”

Routledge also made reference to the Greater Guyana initiative. As part of its local content mandate, ExxonMobil Guyana, along with its Stabroek Block partners, had announced it would be making a GYD$20 billion or (US$100 million) investment in Guyanese over the next 10 years.

Routledge had said in February that the investment was aimed at expanding local capacity-building efforts and promoting sustainable economic develop-

ExxonMobil Country President Alastair Routledge

ment in Guyana. According to him, Exxon and its partners remain committed to the initiative.

“As a further note of ExxonMobil, Hess and CNNOC’s commitment to the country, earlier this year we announced the commitment of US$100 million to the Greater Guyana initiative, for the development of the economy. For investing in people and education.

As we heard earlier, education is key for lifting the economy and creating a sustainable economy for the future,” Routledge said.

The Greater Guyana investment is fully funded by the Stabroek Block operating partners and is not cost recoverable. Routledge had explained at the virtual launch that the initiative started with months of discussions with key stakeholders in order to gain an understanding of the existing capacity and the areas where these funds could make a difference as part of Guyana’s transformative journey.

He had also explained that Exxon and its offshore

co-venturers will choose capacity-building projects to fund in consultation with local, regional, and national stakeholders. These programmes are expected to be aligned with the country’s overall development objectives.

Third-party experts including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) will be enlisted to implement initiatives and assess the programme’s effectiveness.

Already, three local entities – the University of Guyana, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council and the Centre for Local Business Development – have received funds and are carrying out programmes as part of the Greater Guyana Initiative.

The Greater Guyana Initiative will see the Centre for Local Business Development being transitioned into a long-term centre of excellence for the broader industry. More than 2500 Guyanese companies are registered with the centre, which was established by the co-venturers in 2017 with the mission of supporting local businesses to become globally competitive.

The initiative will also seek opportunities to expand existing support and advance higher education programmes at the University of Guyana. Through the Initiative, UG has already benefited from projects such as campus safety, telecommunications equipment enhancement and hosting visiting professors and experts.

A miner interacts with members of the assessment team

fected miners in the mining district from Potaro Mouth to Koribrung and Kaiteur had moved to Mahdia.

Approximately 360 mining operations in Sub-

es at Mowasi Landing and White Water have been washed away while others are damaged.

Major October said there

is evidence that some mining camps were abandoned and the assessment team was told that equipment are submerged in floodwaters.

Some miners who remained in the area were in the process of pumping water from the land in preparation to recommence operation as early as today.

Among the request from miners are cleaning supplies, treated mosquito nets, face masks and malaria medication. The Health Ministry has embarked on a mission to deliver COVID-19 vaccines, malaria tests and treated mosquito nets to miners.

Monitoring and assessment in Sub-District 2 will continue with the assessment moving to Sub-District 1 to assess the impact of the flood in those communities.

Information reaching the team indicated that areas of concern include Paramakatoi which has approximately 10 families and Mountain Foot which has approximately 140 residents. Reports are that the trail between Paramakatoi to Kato is impassable.

16 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

1 dead, 3 injured in Linden-Soesdyke Highway smash-up

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The car that allegedly collided with the minibus

ne person is dead while three others are injured following a three-vehicle collision at Long Creek, Linden-Soesdyke Highway on Sunday evening.

The dead man has only been identified as “Papers Man”

who sold papers along the highway and in some interior locations.

Based on reports received, the accident involved a minibus driven by the now dead man and two motor cars – a Toyota Corolla and a Carina

The bus that was driven by the now dead man

212.

Guyana Times was told that the two motor cars were heading to the mining town of Linden while the minibus was heading in the opposite direction. However, in the vicinity of Long Creek, the

white Corolla motor car was reportedly driving in the middle of the road when it collided with the minibus.

As a result, the minibus toppled several times and, in the process, collided with the other car. The driver of the

The Carina 212 motor car that was hit by the toppling minibus

minibus was reportedly flung out of the vehicle and landed on the roadway where he died almost instantly.

The drivers and occupants of the motor cars were pulled from the wreckage and rushed to the Linden

Hospital Complex where they were treated and admitted patients. Their conditions are regarded as stable.

An investigation was launched by members of the Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force.

First World countries should help preserve forests in developing states as carbon sinks – renewable energy specialist

By Vahnu Manikchand

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ith most of the global mitigation efforts to combat climate change geared towards decarbonising energy, little focus is placed on forests as a carbon sink but according to United States Renewable Energy Specialist, Jeffrey Logan, developed countries need to play a greater role in assisting emerging economies to preserve their forests.

Logan, who is an Associate Director of Energy, Policy, and Analysis of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI) at the University of Colorado, USA, was one of the presenters during a recent three-week Virtual Report Tour (VRT) on “Combatting the Climate Crisis Through US Innovation” sponsored by the US Department of State’s Foreign Press Centers.

In response to questions from Guyana Times on the important role of forests in combatting the climate crisis, Logan posited that for

US Renewable Energy Expert Jeffrey Logan

countries like Guyana, it’s neighbour Brazil – both of which are part of the Amazon Rainforest and the Guiana Shield – and even Indonesia, forests are an extremely important part of the carbon calculus.

“There are a growing number of carbon offsets available to investors around the world that want to help preserve forests in emerging economies.

Unfortunately, the rules are often somewhat unclear even if the goal is clear: developed countries should help developing countries to preserve their forests as carbon sinks as this is a

win-win for both parties if done properly,” he stated.

However, the renewable energy expert pointed out that often, developing countries may not be as transparent as the international community would prefer in stating their forest preservation metrics. In fact, he pointed to Brazil, where he noted that deforestation is probably the most important single driver of incremental carbon dioxide emissions.

But Logan, who works mainly on zero-carbon energy options, contended that there are new satellite-based technologies that can keep very accurate accounting of what forests are being protected and what might not be.

“This is probably especially true for countries like Brazil that have enormous tracts of land that absorb carbon dioxide, but are being removed sometimes at a rate that does not coincide with the Nationally Determined Contributions.

Anyway, it is a complex issue from a diplomatic perspective, and one that the global community probably needs to put much more attention on in order to reach better consensus… The world needs better cooperation on this issue, in my view,” the renewable energy expert asserted.

A similar position is held

by Guyana’s Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who recently lobbied the US to ensure that forests do not lose any ground in the mitigation solutions proposed at the upcoming 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow, United Kingdom, this November.

During a Ministerial Roundtable hosted by US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, on the side lines of President Joe Biden’s Leaders’ Summit on Climate in April, participants, which included Guyana were invited to share their views ahead of COP26 and according to Jagdeo, he used the opportunity to focus mainly on forests, which tend to lose a lot of ground in the global context of climate mitigation efforts. “[Forests] don’t get the same type of attention because forests are in developing countries mainly and so [the developed countries] are busy working on retrofitting buildings or mitigation solutions that deal with decarbonising energy but not forests… and that is why up to now the EU (European Union) trading emission scheme does not allow forests as an offset… And forests contribute 20 per cent of greenhouse gases. So, I was saying to [Special Envoy Kerry] that I hope in the final outcome of the summit that forests don’t lose this position,” the Vice President recently explained to Guyana Times.

Jagdeo’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) saw Guyana being paid some US$250 million from the Kingdom of Norway following the 2009 pact. Funds are still remaining from that deal and have been redirected towards the local renewable

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

energy sector.

The agreement, which covered a five-year period, was not renewed under the previous APNU/AFC coalition, and so, the current PPP/C Administration is now renegotiating a new deal with Norway under a revised LCDS programme.

According to Jagdeo, those discussions are still ongoing.

Meanwhile, President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced during a press conference back in April that Guyana has signed a letter of intent to market Guyana’s carbon credit through a credit contract.

This new deal was inked with US-based non-profit organisation (NGO), Emergent Finance Accelerated Inc, which will look for markets to sell Guyana’s carbon credit through a credit contract. President Ali said this arrangement has the potential of earning Guyana millions of US dollars annually.

A carbon credit is a tradable permit or certificate that allows the holder of the credit the right to emit a tonne of carbon dioxide or an equivalent of another greenhouse gas.

The Head of State had explained that the NGO will be looking for markets

for the carbon credit. He said there is a base price of US$10 per unit and even if the company is able to secure a higher price for the unit, all the revenue comes to the country, excluding the operational costs.

Only recently, on the observance of World Environment Day, UN Resident Coordinator in Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka, lauded Guyana’s efforts so far to combat the climate crisis.

“Guyana has been a trailblazer and good practices of mitigating carbon emission from forests loss and land degradation and innovating financing schemes under the Low Carbon Development Strategy and opportunities are expanding as our new challenges with the nascent but fast evolving oil sector.

The Government’s plan to invest in low carbon development, economic diversification, job creation and human resources are critical drivers (sources), even the SDGs,” she said.

According to Tanaka, Guyana’s approach to expand the Low Carbon Development Strategy, adopt a system of payments for environmental ecosystem services and incentivise good environmental performance by the Private Sector are innovative initiatives.

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Recreate, Re-imagine, Restore – UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

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eaders in global politics, science, communities, religion and culture joined hands on Friday to officially kick off the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration – a rallying call for the protection and revival of millions of hectares of ecosystems all around the world for the benefit of people and nature.

Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, the Decade on Restoration – which runs from 2021 to 2030 – was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in a 2019 resolution.

The launch took the form of a high-level virtual gala with the participation, alongside the Heads of UNEP and FAO and UN Secretary General António Guterres; of Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, which hosted World Environment Day on June 5 this year; Pope Francis; Félix-Antoine

QU Dongyu, noting that the increasing pressure on the world's natural resources is affecting the well-being of 40 per cent of the global population, called for a change of mindset.

"Business as usual is not an option!" he underscored.

"We need to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide, including our farmlands and forests; our rivers

Children in Marovovonana, Madagascar

Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chair of the African Union; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley.

Among other global figures who spoke were goodwill ambassadors, advocates, youth representatives, scientists, and CEOs. "By restoring ecosystems, we can drive a transformation that will contribute to the achievement of all the Sustainable

Development Goals. The task is monumental. We need to replant and protect our forests. We need to clean up our rivers and seas.

And we need to green our cities," the UN Secretary General said in his message. "Accomplishing these things will not only safeguard the planet's resources. It will create millions of new jobs by 2030, generate returns of over US$7 trillion every year and help eliminate poverty and hunger."

FAO Director General

Shekau "killed himself instantly by detonating an explosive".

"God has judged him by sending him to heaven," he said, according to a transcript from the AFP news agency.

When reports of Shekau's death in a clash circulated last month, the Nigerian army said it would investigate.

Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima told the BBC the Army was looking into what happened, but that it would not issue a statement until it got definitive proof.

One Journalist with close links to security agencies said that Shekau died

when Iswap attacked Boko Haram positions in the Sambisa forest, north-east Nigeria.

He has been reported dead numerous times before only to resurface.

Shekau took over Boko Haram after its founder Muhammad Yusuf was killed by Police in 2009.

Since then, more than 40,000 people have been killed and over two million displaced from their homes in the deadly insurgency in north-east Nigeria.

Over the past decade, Boko Haram militants have been most active in the region.

Iswap broke away from Boko Haram in 2016.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

The message adds that anyone wishing to send gifts is asked to "support or learn more about" organisations working for women and girls.

They have not released any photos of their daughter.

The Prince of Wales, Prince Harry's father, and the Duchess of Cornwall

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tweeted: "Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie on the arrival of baby Lilibet Diana. Wishing them all well at this special time."

And the Duke of Duchess and Cambridge said: "We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili." (Excerpt from BBC News)

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he Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced the birth of their second child, a baby girl.

Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on Friday morning in a hospital in Santa Barbara, California.

Both mother and child are healthy and well, the couple said in a statement.

Buckingham Palace said: "The Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been informed and are delighted with the news."

Prince Harry and Meghan said they named their second child Lilibet after the Royal Family's nickname for the Queen, the baby's great-grandmother.

Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honour her "beloved late grandmother", the Princess of Wales, the statement said.

Lilibet was born at 11:40am local time, weighed 7 lbs 11oz and is now "settling in at home".

She is the Queen's 11th great-grandchild and is eighth in line to the throne.

It means Prince Andrew, who was born as second in line in 1960, moves down to ninth place.

In a message of thanks on the couple's Archewell website, they said: "On June 4, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili.

"She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we've felt from across the globe.

"Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family."

Boko Haram leader is dead, say rival militant group

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he leader of the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has killed himself, a rival militant group said in an audio recording.

In the audio, obtained by news agencies, the Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) said Shekau died detonating explosives on himself after a battle between the two groups.

Shekau was reported dead last month and has been reported killed before.

Neither Boko Haram nor the Nigerian Government have confirmed his death.

In the undated audio recording, a voice thought to be that of Iswap leader Abu Musab al-Barnawi said

covery from the pandemic, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said businesses and the financial sector must reform operations and financial flows so that they restore – and not destroy – the natural world.

She urged individuals to rethink their choices where possible and raise their voices for restoration and a sustainable future. (Excerpt from FAO)

Peru votes in closely-fought presidential runoff with Andean nation divided eru's presidential election went down to the wire on Sunday as millions chose between two candidates espousing clashing ideologies in a close runoff that has deeply divided voters along class and geographical lines.

Opinion polls show the race a statistical dead heat, with conservative Keiko Fujimori, who had earlier trailed leftist Pedro Castillo, pulling slightly ahead at the end of campaigning. Both have pledged vastly different remedies for rescuing Peru from the economic doldrums brought on by the COVID-19 crisis.

Fujimori, 46, the daughter of jailed former President Alberto Fujimori, has pledged to follow the free-market model and maintain economic stability in the world’s second-largest copper producer.

Castillo, 51, a teacher, union leader and son of peasant farmers, has promised to redraft the country's constitution to strengthen the role of the State, take a larger portion of profits from mining firms and nationalise key industries.

But with neither candidate having a clear lead in the polls, hints of possible electoral challenges by both camps and a deep mistrust of the political class generated by decades of corruption and instability could pose problems after the election.

Voting in the Lima dis-

Prince Harry and Meghan announce birth of baby girl

and oceans. More efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems can help restore ecosystems and safeguard sustainable food production, leaving no one behind," he added.

Stressing that in order to save our marine and terrestrial ecosystems, Governments must ensure COVID-19 stimulus packages contribute to a sustainable and equitable re-

A voter walks from a voting booth after voting in a run-off presidential election between right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori and socialist Pedro Castillo, in Lima, Peru, June 6, 2021

trict of Surco on Sunday afternoon, Fujimori noted a handful of allegations of doctored voting papers discovered in the capital and the country´s interior.

"We know that there have been incidents today.

We hope that the electoral bodies will take action on the matter and sanctions will be issued accordingly," she said. "I also expect our party officials to be on their guard."

She praised the "grannies and grandpas" turning out to vote against a backdrop of a second wave of COVID-19 hitting the coun-

try and a slow start to the vaccination campaign.

Castillo voted earlier in the day in his rural heartland of the northern Peruvian Andes, accompanied by a crowd of supporters chanting: "Yes we can!"

He previously warned against fraud in the election and said he would "be the first to summon the people" if he saw evidence of foul play.

But he told crowds on Sunday he would respect the result, and hoped Peruvians would unify behind the successful candidate. (Excerpt from Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

Regional

Mexicans vote in midterm El Salvador plans to make Bitcoin legal tender elections seen as referendum on President E

M

exicans headed to the polls on Sunday to vote for a new Lower House of Congress, State Governors and local lawmakers, in a race seen as a referendum on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s policies and shakeup of Mexico’s institutions.

All 500 seats in the Lower House, 15 state governorships and thousands of local leadership positions are up for grabs, with some 93.5 million Mexicans eligible to vote.

The election has been tinged by the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine rollout, as well as record criminal violence, with 91 politicians killed in this election cycle, according to security consultancy Etellekt.

Since taking office in 2018 after a landslide victory, Lopez Obrador has expanded the role of the State in the energy industry and radically cut back on the cost of Government to channel resources to the poor and his priority infrastructure

An indigenous Zapotec man casts his vote at a polling station during the mid-term elections in the rural village of San Bartolome Quialana, in Oaxaca state, Mexico, June 6, 2021

projects.

In the process, he has eroded institutional checks and balances and frequently criticised autonomous bodies, including the Bank of Mexico, prompting critics to sound the alarm about a dangerous centralisation of power.

Though voters tend to criticise his government’s record on job creation and fighting crime, they are more sceptical of Mexico’s former

rulers, now in Opposition.

Lopez Obrador has also benefited from the vaccine rollout.

"I stand by my president. They've attacked him a lot, but I see that he's doing things right ... I'm voting for (the ruling) MORENA party across the board," said 36-year-old Luis Dominguez in the small municipality of Cuaxomulco in the southeastern state of Tlaxcala.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

said only 10.77 per cent of the population had received first doses of coronavirus vaccines as of Friday across Brazil.

The Senate commission in late April launched its investigation into far-right President Jair Bolsonaro’s handling of the pandemic, which has killed more than 472,000 people across the South American nation, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Meanwhile, the country has had 39,637 new cases of the novel coronavirus reported in the past 24 hours, and 873 deaths from COVID-19,

the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

The numbers reflect a weekend drop in registered cases and deaths. On a rolling seven-day average, Brazil is reporting more than 1,800 deaths a day.

The South American country has now registered 16,947,062 cases since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen to 473,404, according to Ministry data, in the world's third worst outbreak outside the United States and India, and its second-deadliest.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera and Reuters)

Brazil COVID inquiry staffers urge postponing Copa America

S

taff members of a Brazilian Senate inquiry into the country’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic have called for the upcoming Copa America football tournament to be postponed, citing low vaccination rates and risks of spreading the virus. Brazil was unexpectedly chosen last week to host the Copa America by the South American Football Confederation despite its high coronavirus infection and death toll.

In a letter to the country’s football team on Sunday, the Senate commission staffers

l Salvador's President says he will make the Bitcoin cryptocurrency legal tender in the country.

If his plan is backed

by Congress, the Central American country would be first in the world to formally adopt the digital currency.

It would be used alongside the US dollar, El Salvador's official currency.

President Nayib Bukele says Bitcoin will make it easier for Salvadorans living abroad to send payments home.

"In the short term, this will generate jobs and help provide financial inclusion to thousands outside the formal economy," Bukele told a Bitcoin conference in Florida, adding that it could also boost investment to the country.

He said he would send the legislation to Congress

C

Colombian President Iván Duque has been criticised for refusing to condemn Police brutality against protesters

Strike Committee, but talks were expected to resume on Sunday.

In a statement, the President said he would ask Congress to approve measures to modernise the Police, with the creation of a new human rights directorate and more officer

training. A new complaints system would also be set up, along with disciplinary standards for officers.

The law will be proposed on the first day of the next legislative session in July, said Duque.

He added that the Government was also work-

keep close ties to their place of birth, sending back more than US$4 billion each year.

Current services can charge fees for such transfers, which can take days to arrive and sometimes need to be picked up in person, according to the announcement.

"This will improve lives and the future of millions," Bukele said.

He did not give more details about how the policy would work. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Rowley looking to reopen T&T borders

T

he Trinidad and Tobago Government on Saturday said it hoped to re-open the borders within the next four to six weeks as the country acquired more vaccines to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has so far killed 556 and infected 25, 801 others here.

Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, speaking at a news conference said that discussions would be held with officials of the Stateowned Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) regarding the resumption of scheduled flights from the country’s two main international airports.

The airline was virtually grounded since the borders were closed in March last year.

“Just as we were in midMarch (this year) to do something about the border closure, we had that discus-

Colombia unrest: President Duque pledges police reform after protests

olombian President Iván Duque has vowed to modernise the country's Police and increase oversight of officers.

It comes after weeks of street protests and widespread allegations of human rights abuses.

More than 60 people have died in clashes with security forces, with at least three officers facing murder charges.

The violence has sparked international outcry and calls for an independent investigation into the deaths.

Last week, negotiations stalled between President Duque's Government and an umbrella group of protesters called the National

next week.

Should it pass, the move would open up financial services to the 70 per cent of Salvadorans who do not have bank accounts, the President said.

El Salvador's economy relies heavily on remittances, or money sent home from abroad, which make up around 20 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

More than two million Salvadorans live outside the country, but they continue to

ing on a law to establish a criteria for the legitimate use of force by Police.

The President's announcement comes as a delegation from the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) arrives in Colombia to assess the recent unrest.

Demonstrations began on April 28 against a now-withdrawn set of tax reforms. But the protests have escalated into a broad anti-Government movement, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets, and demands being made for reform of health and education, among other issues.(Excerpt from BBC News)

Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley

sion yesterday and I hope to get a better result this time,” Dr Rowley said, noting that a team, including the Ministers of Health and National Security and CAL representatives would meet next week.

“In the coming days,

probably on Tuesday, the team….would meet with Caribbean Airlines because it is the Government’s position that within the next four to six weeks we would do away with the border closure arrangement and exemption system because as we vaccinate and as vaccination has been accelerated in North America in particular, the situation is different now.

“The populations of North America and the Caribbean can now more easily mix and we are better able to manage people coming into the country and I look forward to the day when nobody will have to ask permission to come home,” Rowley said.

(Excerpt from CMC)

Cruise ships return to Barbados

B

arbados is preparing to welcome back cruise ships to its shores from today, with all passengers on board being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

This was disclosed by Tourism Minister Lisa Cummins on Saturday.

“We are preparing…to welcome back for the first time in over 15 months cruise ships to Barbados. We have the Celebrity Millennium that will be making a transit call on Barbados on Monday.

She will arrive in Barbados at approximately 11 (local time) in the morning.

“It has been over a year of discussions, negotiations, and engagement at the level of the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), the European Union (EU) healthy sail guidelines, working through the Americas Crews Task Force, …chaired by the

President and CEO of Royal Caribbean, Michael Bailey, and Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados.”

Cummins pointed out that a number of protocols were in place and all passengers were required to have a valid negative PCR test three days prior to arrival.

“There is testing that is going to be taking place on board the ships that will make sure that people are continually kept safe, but there are multiple different scenarios, and we want to spend some time just talking you through what that looks like. So, everybody's comfortable that we have been robust and rigorous in the assessment of what the parameters need to be, what the risk is going to be, what risks are going to be posed, and what measures need to be put in place,” she stated.

(Excerpt from CMC)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Peak oil demand may be 10 years away

T

he world is past peak coal consumption and may reach peak oil consumption within the next ten years, Alexei Kudrin, the head of the Russian Accounts Chamber, told media last week.

The official noted Russia will need to learn to rely less on oil export revenues over these next ten years. Otherwise, Kudrin added, this will become a serious problem in 20 years.

Meanwhile, investments are necessary now to diversify the Russian economy away from oil, Kudrin said, noting steps being made in that direction, specifically in the digitalisation of the economy and in science and innovation.

"Maybe we should have started working in that direction a bit sooner," the official said.

The remarks of the Accounts Chamber's head echo earlier comments made by Russia's Deputy Financial Minister.

"The peak of consumption may have already passed," Vladimir Kolychev told Bloomberg in an interview last year.

"The risk is rising in the longer term."

Russia has been paying more attention to the prospect of peak oil demand recently, with the head of the energy committee at the Russian Parliament, the Duma, saying in April that "Everything that can be produced should be produced while there is still demand to sell it."

Like other large oil exporters, Russia will be seeking to monetise as much of its oil and gas resources as quickly as it can.

Russia is one of the three biggest oil exporters in the world, alongside Saudi Arabia and the United States. It has enough oil to keep producing at current rates at least until 2080, with enough gas reserves to last for another 103 years. And the state is pouring billions—$110 billion to be precise—into developing new oil reserves in eastern Siberia to tap 100 million tons of new crude annually. That's about a fifth of the country's annual output in 2019. (Excerpt from Oilprice.com)

UK Minister says Delta variant 40% more transmissible

T

he Delta variant of the coronavirus is estimated to be 40 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant that caused the previous wave of infections in the United Kingdom, Britain’s Health Minister has said.

People who have received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine should be equally protected against either variant, he added.

The Delta variant, which was first detected in India, is now the dominant strain in the UK, according to Public Health England figures.

It was the Alpha variant, which was initially detected in the UK, that forced Britain into lockdown in January.

Hancock said the 40 per cent figure came from the

Government body of scientific advisers, SAGE. Concerns are mounting over whether the emergence of the Delta variant threatens the Government’s provi-

sional June 21 deadline for lifting virus restrictions.

Hancock acknowledged that the Delta variant “does make the calculation more difficult for June 21”.

Public Health England said last month that research showed double vaccination was similarly effective against both the Alpha and Delta variants.

“The best scientific advice I have at this stage is that, after one jab, it’s not quite as effective against the new Delta variant, but after both jabs, it is,” Hancock told the BBC. So far hospitalisations are “broadly flat”, with very few people hospitalised after receiving both vaccine doses, he added.

The UK has so far given more than 27 million people two doses – more than 50 per cent of adults – while more than 40 million have had one dose. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Netanyahu made his sweeping accusation at a time when Israel's domestic security chief has warned publicly about the prospect of political violence.

"We are witnessing the greatest election fraud in the history of the country, in my opinion in the history of any democracy," Netanyahu said in comments to legislators from his right-wing Likud party.

He focused his allegations on a broken campaign promise from Bennett, who had pledged not to partner with left-wing, centrist and

Arab parties.

On Wednesday, Bennett announced with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid that they had formed a governing coalition with factions from across the political spectrum following an inconclusive March 23 election, Israel's fourth in two years.

Under a rotation deal, Bennett will serve first as Prime Minister, followed by Lapid.

No date has been set for a vote in Parliament to approve the new Government.

In a televised speech,

Bennett called on Yariv Levin, Parliament's Speaker and a Netanyahu loyalist, not to try to buy time to encourage members of the new coalition to defect, and said he should hold the vote on Wednesday.

There was no immediate comment from Levin.

Netanyahu's tenure has been clouded by a corruption trial, in which he has denied any wrongdoing, but he has won praise at home and abroad for Israel's quick rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Hancock said the 40 per cent figure came from the Government body of scientific advisors, SAGE

Netanyahu alleges Israeli election fraud, accuses rival of duplicity

P

rime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday a newly formed Israeli coalition that is poised to unseat him was the result of "the greatest election fraud" in the history of democracy.

Hours after Netanyahu's comments, Naftali Bennett, a nationalist set to replace him as Prime Minister, called on Israel's longest-serving leader not to leave "scorched earth" behind and accept that "people are allowed to establish a Government - even if you don't head it".

Turkey President Erdogan vows Budapest protest against China's to solve “sea snot” outbreak Fudan University campus

T

u r k e y ' s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised to save the country's shores from "sea snot" building up in its waters.

A thick, slimy layer of the mucus-like matter is spreading along the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul, damaging marine life and the fishing industry.

Experts blame pollution and climate change.

"Hopefully, we will save our seas from this mucilage calamity," President Erdogan said.

"Sea snot", or marine mucilage, is a naturally-occurring green sludge that forms when algae is overloaded with nutrients as a result of hot weather and water pollution.

It was first found in Turkey in 2007 but has also been discovered in the Aegean Sea near Greece.

Turkey's recent outbreak along large areas of the Sea of Marmara, which connects the Black Sea to the Aegean

T

Fishing boats are being covered by sea snot

Sea, is believed to be the biggest in history and is causing havoc for local communities.

President Erdogan blamed untreated sewage being dumped into the sea, as well as rising temperatures, and urged officials to investigate.

"My fear is, if this expands to Black Sea... the trouble will be enormous. We need to take this step without delay," he said.

His Government has dispatched a 300-strong team to inspect potential sources of pollution.

Boats travelling through

the Sea of Marmara have to navigate the grey sludge, and some fishermen are being prevented from working as it clogs up their motors and nets.

Divers have reported that large numbers of fish and other species are dying from suffocation.

Professor Bayram Ozturk of the Turkish Marine Research warned such problems would continue unless there was fresh investment to treat and purify waste water being pumped out of Istanbul. (Excerpt from BBC News)

housands of people marched through Budapest to protest against plans to open a Chinese university campus in the Hungarian capital.

Opponents of the project say it will undercut the country's own higher education and increase the influence of China's Communist authorities.

The right-wing Government of PM Viktor Orban has close ties with Beijing.

Earlier this month, Hungary blocked an EU statement criticising China's treatment of Hong Kong.

On Saturday, demonstrators opposing the plan to build China's Fudan University campus in Budapest marched through the city's streets to the Parliament Building.

"Orban and [his rightwing party] Fidesz portray themselves as anti-communists, but in reality, the communists are their friends," university student Szonja Radics, who was at the march, told AFP news agency.

Protesters gathered in front of the Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest ahead of an address by the city's Mayor

Another student demonstrator, named only as Patrik, said that any Government funds planned for the Fudan University project should instead be used "to improve our own universities", Reuters reported.

The construction of the Fudan University campus in Budapest is estimated to cost about US$1.8 billion (£1.2 billion). This is more than the Orban Government spent on its entire higher-education system in 2019.

Some US$1.5 billion of the costs will be provided by

a loan from a Chinese bank, documents obtained by Direkt36, a Hungarian investigative-journalism outlet, showed.

Around two thirds of Hungarians do not support the Chinese university, according to liberal think tank Republikon Institute.

The campus is also opposed by Mayor of Budapest Gergely Karacsony, who announced earlier this week that he was naming streets in the area after the victims of China's human rights violations. (Excerpt from BBC News)

20

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Discipline and hard work will pay off. Play by the rules, verify the information you receive and don't apply force when you encounter a problem. Look for solid solutions that accommodate everyone's needs.

Consider adjustments TAURUS that will make your life easi(April 20- er. Stop putting everyone first, May 20) and start focusing on what you want to do. A personal change will boost your confidence and popularity.

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

Take care of your responsibilities first. Refuse to let anyone or anything sidetrack you. Follow through with your plans, and put everything in place for what you want to achieve this week.

Observe, learn and update your image. Keeping up with trends will help you position yourself to excel. Expand your interests. Find alternative ways to socialize with people who have something to offer.

Aim to stabilize your situLEO ation. Take the most appeal(July 23ing path, not the one someone Aug. 22) wants you to follow. Use your intelligence to make things work out in your favor.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Listen carefully, and don't dismiss what others are capable of doing. Recognize your options and be proactive when bringing about changes that will improve your life and meaningful relationships.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

You'll pick up information and new skills quickly. Gravitate toward settings that are conducive to learning and stimulating your mind.

Stabilize your life. Eliminate anything that doesn't suit your needs.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Formulate changes based on what makes you happy.

Focus on health and well-being, better relationships with friends and relatives, and physical improvements that build confidence.

Don't believe everything SAGITTARIUS you hear. Question anyone (Nov. 23who is promising the imposDec. 21) sible. Concentrate on what you can do to lower your overhead. Too much of anything will weigh you down.

Don't labor over what you

CAPRICORN can't change. Give your undi(Dec. 22vided attention to what you Jan. 19) can do to excel. Make changes

SATURDAY'S WORD - DOMICAL

at home that will add to your comfort and convenience. Be passionate and demonstrative.

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

Control your emotions to offset a negative response. Pick your battles wisely, and stay focused on what's important to you. Use your intelligence to navigate your way through dicey situations.

Rethink what you are doing with your life, then con(Feb. 20sider your options. Choose March 20) what's worthwhile, and walk away from situations that make you anxious. Work to make your life more stable.

PISCES

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

21

French Open 2021: Federer pulls out of Roland Garros tournament

R

oger Federer has withdrawn from the French Open to protect his body despite reaching the fourth round.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion took the decision the day after a gruelling third-round win over Dominik Koepfer.

"After two knee surgeries and over a year of rehabilitation, it's important that I listen to my body and make sure I don't push myself too quickly on my road to recovery," Federer, 39, said.

He had been due to face Italian ninth seed Matteo Berrettini today.

"After discussions with my team, I've decided I will need to pull out of Roland Garros today," Federer said in a statement released by French Open

organisers.

"I am thrilled to have gotten three matches under my belt. There is no greater feeling than being back on court."

F e d e r e r, who won the French Open in 2009, had two knee surgeries last year and had played only three matches in 16 months before arriving in Paris.

He has made no secret that his priority for this year is Wimbledon, which starts on June 28.

Saturday's match against Koepfer was a lengthy encounter that finished at 00:43 local time and Federer occasionally looked uncomfortable, lacking fluency in a 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 victory.

He had already suggested straight after the match that a withdrawal could be on the cards if he felt there would be too much risk to his knee.

Federer's decision was supported by former world number one and three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray.

Replying to a Twitter user who claimed Federer's withdrawal was "disrespectful" to the rest of the draw, the Briton said: "In basketball, football etc... players are given reduced minutes to build up their fitness.

"In tennis you don't have that luxury of just

That Grand Slam offers Federer his best chance to add to his 20 major singles titles, with his game perfectly suited to the surface and with him perhaps harbouring a sense of unfinished business after falling agonisingly short of a ninth title there in 2019 when he failed to convert two championship points against Novak Djokovic.

World number two Daniil Medvedev backed Federer's chances at the All England Club.

"We all know that a Grand Slam is still a goal for him. I think Wimbledon always is even when he will be 50 years old," the Russian said.

"It's a great chance for him. He wants to do his best to prepare."

Roger Federer hit 63 unforced errors to 51 winners and had his serve broken in four games

playing a set in [your] first match then two sets the next and building up that way.

"To me it makes sense to be reactive based on how your body feels, length of matches, etc. Sensible decision from him."

Before heading to Paris this year, Federer was open about his aims – playing there was about gathering match practice to get himself in the best condition for the grass-court season, and most importantly, Wimbledon.

Was this Federer's last French Open?

The Swiss, who turns 40 in August, had not played many times at Roland Garros in recent years, sitting out three successive editions from 2016 because of injury and a wish to manage his workload.

He returned in 2019, reaching the semi-finals, but missed last year's tournament while recovering from knee surgery.

Federer has given no clue as to whether this will be his final Roland Garros appearance – and he could yet be tempted to say 'goodbye' properly after his third-round match was played in front of empty stands late at night.

The stadium was eerily quiet because of a curfew relating to coronavirus restrictions and for a player used to being watched by packed courts while winning the sport's biggest prizes, this did not feel like an appropriate Paris farewell. (BBC Sport)

WTC final will be a test of captaincy NBA play-offs: Kevin for Kane and Virat – Mike Hesson Durant stars as

D

Brooklyn Nets beat Milwaukee Bucks

espite producing top-quality performances on the international stage, an International Cricket Council (ICC) title has eluded New Zealand cricket for over two decades now. New Zealand's only ICC crown came in the form of the Champions Trophy, which they won beating India in 2000. They have made the summit clashes of the last two One-Day International (ODI) World Cups – 2015 and 2019 – but failed to cross the final hurdle.

The upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against India in Southampton offers another chance for the Black Caps to win a major title. In a chat with TOI, former New Zealand Coach Mike Hesson spoke on the WTC final, how the two teams are placed, and more. Below are excerpts from that conversation: How do you assess the two teams for the WTC final?

They are even. The fact that it's being played in a neutral venue makes the WTC final an even contest. I think both sides are going to be at their strongest which is great.

Assuming there are no injuries in the next couple of weeks ---both sides will be in full strength and we are in for an exciting Test match.

Which will be the big battles of the WTC final?

I am keen to see how India's top order fares against the swinging ball. The ball does a bit in Southampton and as the cross breeze comes into play -- it can be a challenge for the batsmen. How the Indian top order plays the NZ pacers could decide the outcome of the WTC final.

With just a Champions Trophy to their name, do you feel this is a good chance for NZ to add another ICC crown to the cabinet?

We are in our third final after the 2015 ODI World Cup followed by the 2019 WC in England. The Black Caps are a top-quality side who have played quality cricket for a long period of time. It's a huge moment for both sides. Whoever wins the WTC final will be worthy champions.

Having worked with both Virat Kohli (as director of cricket operations in RCB) and with Kane Williamson closely, how do you assess their leadership styles?

Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson

Both are very good leaders and yes, both are different in styles of captaincy. The players want to follow which is a great sign for any leader. Kane is more of a slow-burn in the sense that he likes to put pressure over a period of time.

Virat, on the other hand, is constantly looking for ways to put his side in the driver's seat. The WTC final will be a test of captaincy for both Kane and Virat. As the wicket changes from day to day, it will be interesting to see how both Kane and Virat make those little tweaks in their strategies to stay ahead of the game.

With ICC saying that a draw game would mean the title would be shared, do you reckon that would be the just result?

I do. I think the fact that they have a reserve day is good.

If after five tough days of cricket, there isn't a winner, then I am happy to say that a draw will be a good result.

Do you feel the WTC final could have been a best-ofthree final?

In this edition, we only have one final. It will be interesting to see if ICC does opt for the best-of-three final in the future.

It will depend on a lot of factors such as venue, playing conditions, and even time. (TNN)

Kevin Durant (right) stepped up for the Brooklyn Nets after they lost James Harden (left) in the opening minute to injury

K

evin Durant scored 29 points as the Brooklyn Nets overcame an early James Harden injury to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-107 in Game One of their NBA play-off Eastern Conference semi-final.

Harden had to be replaced with a hamstring issue in the opening minute. Kyrie Irving added 25 points, while Joe Harris hit five of their 15 three-pointers.

Victory came despite a dominant show by Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who top-scored with 34 points, shooting 16 baskets from 24 attempts in New York.

Former Net Brook Lopez added 19 points and Jrue Holiday contributed 17, despite the Bucks finishing with six baskets from 30 attempts from behind the arc. The Nets will be hoping Harden can recover in time for the second game in the seven-match series, which takes place in Brooklyn today. (BBC Sport)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

Holder hoping to target AB, Faf and Amla-less Proteas batting F

ormer Captain Jason Holder is hoping West Indies can exploit a South Africa in transition when the two teams meet in the two-Test rubber starting in St Lucia next Thursday, and believes runs will be key if the home side are to notch their first series win over the tourists in nearly three decades.

The Proteas are currently going through a rebuilding phase, having lost the likes of veteran batsmen AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis all to retirement, along with pace spearhead Dale Steyn, who has also quit the longest format.

Holder said the loss of the experienced trio had resulted in a “big hole” in South Africa’s batting lineup, leaving the series to be determined by which team produced the superior batting effort.

“I think it will be a hardfought series,” said Holder, the top-ranked all-rounder in Tests.

“I think South Africa is in a transitionary phase where their bowling attack is very, very solid, but [the loss of] AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla [and] Faf du Plessis have probably left a big hole in their experienced batting line-up.

“They’ve got a few youngsters coming in trying to make their mark as well and likewise with us. I think this series will be won by the side that puts the runs on

Faf du Plessis

the board.”

He continued: “I think both bowling attacks are very, very solid. Our bowling attack in the Caribbean has proven to be one of the best bowling attacks.

“South Africa’s bowling attack … also does a really outstanding job for them, so it pretty much balances off itself in terms of the bowling line-ups.

“My take is that this series will be won by the team who makes the most runs.”

West Indies have struggled against South Africa since that nation’s re-admission to international cricket, winning just two of their 27 Tests inside the last 22 years. The Caribbean side last faced South Africa in

Hashim Amla

Ab Devillers

a Test series seven years ago, when they lost 2-0 in a three-match series after suffering heavy losses at Cape Town and Centurion.

Holder endured a rough tour, claiming only three wickets from 51 overs in two Tests. And on their last tour of the Caribbean nearly 12 years ago, the visitors beat West Indies 2-0 in another three-Test rubber with defeats at Bridgetown and Port of Spain.

With the two sides having not met in recent times and West Indies making an unbeaten start to the year, Holder said the upcoming series would be a critical one for West Indies.

“This series is a very big one and a very import-

ant one for us,” the 29-yearold pointed out. “I played against South Africa in my second and third Test matches. It was down in South Africa last time and we haven’t played them since then, so I’m really looking forward to this series.

“It’s obviously a big series for us. South Africa are a very, very good cricket side. We’re looking forward to it and I’m personally looking forward to it.”

Holder was on Thursday named in a 17-man provisional squad for the series, with selectors expected to further trim the squad to 13 today.

The Barbadian was rested for the camp which has been underway in St Lucia for the last three weeks, and took no part in the four-day inter-squad match which ended Thursday, after arriving last weekend and undergoing COVID-19 quarantine.

One of West Indies’ most consistent performers with bat and ball in recent years, Holder said he was looking forward again to making a key contribution.

“One of the things that I pride myself in doing is enjoying what I am doing, and making sure I contribute positively in every facet of the game,” said Holder.

“Obviously I’m an all-rounder and I’m asked to make runs and take wickets, so for me, it’s whatever I can do to help the team win cricket games.” (CMC)

Perez beats Vettel to Baku victory after Verstappen crashes out from lead

M

ax Verstappen looked set to take his first-ever Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory before he crashed out from the lead with just five laps to go – giving Sergio Perez a second career victory, as Lewis Hamilton locked up on the penultimate lap to finish 15th in a hugely-dramatic race in Baku.

For the first time this season, Charles Leclerc led away from pole, but he was passed for the lead by Lewis Hamilton with no need for DRS, so strong was the tow, on Lap 2.

Verstappen then swept by the Ferrari man on Lap 7.

Verstappen took the lead after a crucial sequence of pit stops, Hamilton starting that sequence on Lap 12 with a slow switch for hards thanks to traffic in the pit lane.

Verstappen pitted a lap later and emerged first, followed

by Perez who split the championship rivals. And the Dutchman seemed to have victory in the bag, mastering a Lap 35 Safety Car restart after Lance Stroll's terrifying

accident, when the Aston Martin driver's left-rear tyre appeared to give way on the pit straight.

That was until Verstappen himself, comfortably in the lead on Lap 47, spun and crashed after an apparent tyre issue of his own. Unhurt, but shaken, his crash triggered the Safety Car, which turned into a red flag that suspended the race on Lap 48. The race resumed with a standing start 35 minutes later on Lap 50, giving us two laps of flatout action, the field all having switched tyres during the stoppage.

Perez would lead Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Pierre Gasly and Leclerc off the line for the re-start. Hamilton got away well, his nose seemingly ahead of Perez's, but the Briton locked-up heavily and went into the Turn 1 run-off.

He finished 15th, leaving Perez in the lead, Vettel second and Gasly – having held off a charging Leclerc in the final laps – to take the final podium place.

Vettel started 11th, but finished a brilliant second as he pitted 18 laps later than anyone else, and emerged sixth. On the re-start after Stroll's crash, he took P4 off Leclerc and Gasly, and was promoted to the podium by Verstappen's retirement.

Leclerc finished fourth as his Lap 10 undercut attempt on Gasly did not pay off. While he tried to wrestle P3 off the Frenchman after the final re-start, his efforts were in vain and the Ferrari driver finished fourth.

Lando Norris shrugged off a three-place penalty and undercut his rivals having started P9 to take fifth ahead of Fernando Alonso, both movers in that final re-start, while AlphaTauri's rookie Yuki Tsunoda started seventh and finished there having pitted early on Lap 9.

Rounding out the top 10 was Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in P8 – who bounced back on hard tyres after a huge Lap 11 lock-up that left him as low as 15th; Daniel Ricciardo, up to ninth from 13th and Kimi Raikkonen's Alfa Romeo in P10.

But the headline story was Verstappen's retirement from the lead, and Hamilton's shocking late lock-up that cost him a shot at re-taking the championship lead after this astonishing Azerbaijan Grand Prix finish. (F1)

Serena Williams has won the French Open singles title three times – in 2002, 2013 and 2015

I

n an absorbing match, 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams was outmuscled by Kazakh Elena Rybakina, who will now seek to take advantage of an open women's draw.

The American tried to lift her level, but instead became the latest top-10 seed to depart the women's singles.

Her next chance to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles comes at Wimbledon from June 28.

"It was definitely close," Williams said. "There is literally a point here, a point there, that could change the whole course of the match.

"I'm not winning those points – they could literally change everything."

Questions about how long she can keep competing at Grand Slams are inevitable, but the 39-year-old is not giving much away. "I'm definitely not thinking about it at all," she said. "I'm definitely thinking just about other things, but not about that."

(BBC Sport)

23

Hetmyer hopeful of contributing MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

on and off the field in PSL

W

est Indies middle-order batsman Shimron Hetmyer is all set to make his debut in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after getting picked as a replacement player for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) leg, starting on June 9.

Hetmyer's Multan Sultans will play on Thursday, June 10. "I am excited to join up with the Multan Sultans and to experience the PSL for the first time. It is a very competitive league and with a lot of very good local talent. It is a good opportunity to experience the conditions in the UAE and I am hopeful I can help contribute to the team on and off the field," Hetmyer said.

Recently, 13 players were either replaced/ added to the existing six PSL squads ahead of

the tournament’s resumption in Abu Dhabi later this month via a virtual draft. Hetmyer, who has featured in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Indian Premier League (IPL) so far in franchise cricket, was picked up by Multan Sultans, as a replacement player.

Multan also picked up another West Indies hard-hitting batsman, Johnson Charles, who was part of the victorious West Indies World T20 side in 2016.

Hetmyer was blanked for his home team’s recent series against Sri Lanka after failing to meet Cricket West Indies (CWI) minimum fitness requirements. Despite losing his central contract with CWI, the 24-year-old Guyanese left-hander was included in the 18-man West

Indies provisional squad for the back-toback-to-back home series against South Africa, Australia and Pakistan starting later this month.

Hetmyer was also omitted from the 30-man squad selected to participate in a three-week high performance camp in St Lucia in preparation for the two-Test series against South Africa starting on June 10 in the Caribbean.

Hetmyer has a total of 86 T20 matches under his belt with 1669 runs at an average of 25.67. He has a career strike-rate of 132.88 with one century and nine half-centuries. He recently featured in the IPL for Capitals where he displayed form with the bat.

The sixth edition of the PSL was suspended in March after 14 games, when seven individuals, including six players, tested positive for COVID-19.

"There was a consensus between the PCB [Pakistan Cricket Board] and the franchises that it was imperative to complete the remaining matches in 2021 so that we have a clean 2022 for PSL 7," PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said in a statement.

"Our priority was always to deliver the complete tournament in Pakistan. However, due to extenuating circumstances, we had to shift from that thinking for the remaining matches," Khan added.

The move follows the Indian cricket board's decision to complete this year's IPL in the United Arab Emirates after a devastating second wave of COVID-19 in India suspended the tournament last month.

Grant-Stuart calling on Ninvalle, Yassin for assistance to Paralympics

The PSL will resume with Lahore Qalandars taking on Islamabad United in the 15th game of the tournament.

“Give Evin a go” − former WI wicketkeeper Hendricks would love to see Lewis in Test opener spot

F

N

Walter Grant-Stuart

ewly-crowned 2021 national masters road race champion Walter Grant-Stuart is calling on the newly-appointed Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle and President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), KA Juman-Yassin to support his Paralympics journey.

Grant-Stuart is one of Guyana’s most gifted cyclists, and he is set to depart these shores for Tokyo, Japan to participate in the Paralympics scheduled to be held from August 24 to September 5,

2021.

"I would like to send out a message to the GOA and the newly-appointed Sports Director to help me to get to the high-level training camp to be at full fitness for the Paralympics," GrantStuart said.

During an earlier interview with Guyana Times Sport, Grant-Stuart said he was also seeking assistance from the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF).

He said it was a big thing for him to put on the Guyana uniform and get the opportunity to win the

Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle

President of Guyana Olympic Association, KA Juman-Yassin

gold medal and hear the national anthem.

The national champion, who works at the Fire Service and is Guyana's only differently-abled cyclist, displayed great skill at recent races.

While plying his trade overseas, the hard-working cyclist won in Canada, rode sixth in Italy, ninth in Belgium and fifth in the Netherlands. In the PanAmerican Championships in Peru, Grant-Stuart finished in sixth place.

With all his experience and adding the right ingredients, Grant-Stuart will be going for gold in the Paralympics. He is expect-

ed to leave on August 19 and ride his first race on September 1.

The Summer Paralympics, whose 16th edition was postponed from last year owing to the coronavirus pandemic, is an major international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities held every four years.

It is governed by the International Paralympic Committee.

Athletes are scheduled to compete in 22 sports.

(Brandon Corlette)

ormer West Indies wicketkeeper Jackie Hendricks believes Cricket West Indies (CWI) selectors should consider looking at hard-hitting left-hander Evin Lewis as a Test team opener.

The 29-year-old Trinidad-born batsman, who idolises another big hitting left-hander, Chris Gayle, has had some success in the shorter formats of the game, but, unlike Gayle, is yet to play a Test match for the West Indies.

Lewis has scored 1791 runs in 54 One-Day International (ODI) matches, at an average of 37.31, with a high score of 176. In 35 T20 Internationals, the batsman has managed 989 runs with a strike rate of 155.74 and an impressive high score of 125.

The batsman, who also has 1229 runs in 22 First-Class cricket matches, and a century scored while representing the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the regional four-day competition, has not played the format since 2017.

“I’ve always thought the selectors were a little short-sighted for not given him a go in the Test matches,” Hendricks told the Mason and Guest Radio programme.

“I’ve been impressed with how he plays in the 50 overs. He is not a real hitter, he plays his shots very well, he always gets into position and so on. So, I’m disappointed that he is not thought about for the team,” he added.

Recently, there have been calls for the selectors to consider widening the pool of available Test players but considering some of the players that do very well in the shorter formats. (Sportsmax)

Evin Lewis

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

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

Holder

hoping to target AB, Faf and Amla-less Proteas batting See story on page 23

Grant-Stuart calling on Ninvalle, Yassin for assistance to Paralympics See story on page 23

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Kevin Durant stars as Brooklyn Nets beat Milwaukee Bucks

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