Guyana Times - Monday March 22, 2021

New Suriname airline to begin operations in Guyana

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

Issue No. 4595

THE BEACON OF TRUTH MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

Guyana could tap into US$267M oil revenues to help fund massive transformation – VP Jagdeo ...assures ... assures it will be done with transparency, through National Assembly Page 3

...process ... process underway to have review, repeal the coalition’s NRF Act – AG Nandlall

President urges nation to pray for relatives of slain 10-year-old Page 11

PRICE

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Berbice River family accuses Police of breaking into homes P14

…millions in cash, other items stolen

70-year-old P16 woman is Guyana’s 215th COVID-19 fatality — active cases skyrocket to 930 with 64 new cases on Sunday

Berbice farmer busted with ganja in yard P15

Youth injured after car crashes into truck P12

President Dr Irfaan Ali joins family members to bid farewell to slain 10-year-old Anthony Cort at Sandy's Funeral Home. (Inset is President Ali consoling the mother of the murdered lad)

7 homeless after fire ravages 2 houses in Essequibo Page 2

79-year-old woman perishes in Wakenaam blaze Page 2

Gold dealer executed outside Main Street night spot See story on page 15

Struggling P14 grandmother seeks assistance to provide better life for twins — says mother died after giving birth in 2019

2 NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

7 homeless after fire ravages 2 houses in Essequibo A

fire suspected to be electrical in origin destroyed two houses at Aurora, Old Road, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), on Saturday, leaving at least seven persons homeless.

The fire reportedly started at about 17:00h, resulting in millions of dollars in losses.

As a result of the blaze, a young lady has been hospitalised. Based on reports received, the property was owned by 55-year-old Sherifan Gafoor and at the time it was occupied by her children.

but they never rectified the problem.

“Ah went many times at the office and I complain about that wire… they came to fix it and it still hanging and every time breeze blows the wire sparks,” the woman stated The woman further stated that millions went up in flames and was too devastated to determine her next move. Nevertheless,

One of the houses on fire on Saturday

Sherifan Gafoor and a granddaughter on Sunday

She and her son reportedly lived in the upper flat

of the house while her now hospitalised daughter occupied the lower flat. The sec-

ond house which was not occupied at the time was also destroyed by the inferno.

The devastated woman and her children are now seeking refuge at one of her sister’s place at Adventure.

Gafoor told Guyana Times that she is still shaken by the ordeal.

The tearful woman related that her hard-earned money went up in the flames, explaining that the house was fully furnished with all modern household amenities. She was, however, fast to blame the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) for her devastation.

This is so since the woman related that she would have made several reports to the utility company about faulty wiring hanging in front of her house

the mother of five explained that after the fire started, the fire service at Anna Region was summoned to the scene.

Not only did they turn up late, but the tanks were out of water. As such, she also lashed out at the fire service for the magnitude of destruction.

She said had the firefighters arrived on time and were at least in pos-

session of water, sections of the house could have been saved. As such, villagers formed a bucket brigade to contain the blaze. Although the residents tried, nothing was saved from the two-storey buildings. An investigation has been launched into the incident.

Meanwhile, anyone who wishes to assist the family can contact them on telephone number 685-9976.

79-year-old woman perishes in Wakenaam blaze

S

eventy-nine-yearold Bissoondai also called “Seema” was on Sunday burnt to death after her Zealandia, Wakenaam, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) home went up in flames.

Based on information received, the fire was spotted at about 06:30h. The now dead woman’s son told investigators that he saw his mother alive at about 05:45h. However, another son who lives close by related that at about 06:30h, he saw smoke emanating from the house and rushed to his mother’s aid.

As he arrived, he saw his mother lying on the floor and her body was on fire. A kerosene stove was reportedly seen in the building.

The woman reportedly

The kerosene stove which may have started the fire on Sunday

sustained extensive burns about her body. She was taken to the Wakenaam Cottage Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Her

body is at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.

An investigation has been launched into the fatal fire.

NEWS

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MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, March 22 – 00:30h – 02:00h and 10:00h – 11:30h and Tuesday, March 23 – 01:00h – 02:30h and 12:00h – 13:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, March 22 – 10:00h – 11:30h and Tuesday, March 23 – 11:30h – 13:00h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

Guyana could tap into US$267M oil revenues to help fund massive transformation – VP Jagdeo ...assures it will be done with transparency, through National Assembly ...process underway to have review, repeal the coalition’s NRF Act – AG Nandlall

W

ith over US$267 million in oil revenue earnings currently in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) at the New York Federal Reserve Bank, Guyana could soon access

comes for Government to access the oil revenues offshore, it will be done in a transparent process, whereby the money will be transferred to the Consolidated Fund and debated in the National

WEATHER TODAY

There will be heavy rain and thundery showers during the day. There will be light cloud and light rain showers at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 1.34 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 10:32h and 23:38h reaching maximum heights of 2.1 metres and 2.01 metres.

Low Tide: 16:53h reaching a minimum height of 1.1 metre.

SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS L

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COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$64.53/barrel

+1.94

Rough Rice

$237.06/ton

+0.28

London Sugar

$453.40/ton

-0.57

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1734.10

$1735.10

Low/High Change

$1733.50 -10.80

$1749.00 -0.62%

New York Federal Reserve Bank

these monies as the need arises given the massive economical transformation the country is undergoing.

This is according to Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, during a recent interview.

“All the money, so far, from the sale oil and from the royalties have gone into the [Natural Resource] Fund.

We have not used any money since we got into office from there. There may be need to use the resources in the near future,” Jagdeo posited in response to a question on when Guyana will access the monies in the overseas account.

Earlier this month, the Natural Resources Ministry disclosed that on February 5, 2021, some 997,420 barrels of oil were lifted from Liza Destiny. A sum of US$61 million was paid for that lift.

It was noted that to date, a total of 5,009,797 barrels of oil worth US$246.5 million have been lifted. This sum, added to the royalties the country receives, takes the total in the NRF account to US$267.6 million.

Guyana received its first payment of US$54.9 million for an oil lift dated February 19, 2020. The second lift on May 21, 2020, was valued at US$35 million; while the third lift, which occurred on August 9, 2020, was worth US$46 million. The fourth lift of oil offshore Guyana occurred on December 9, 2020, and came in at US$49.4 million in value.

United States oil giant ExxonMobil as operator, began producing oil on December 20, 2019, in the Stabroek Block. Guyana’s oil revenues are being banked in the New York Federal Reserve, where it is earning interest.

Previously, President Dr Irfaan Ali had said that Guyana’s oil and gas resources would play a critical role in its development, with a portion of the money going towards the development of world-class education, human capacity and healthcare system; reducing energy costs and enhancing the local infrastructure to benefit Guyanese.

Transparent process

However, during the online broadcast, Jagdeo reassured that whenever the time

Assembly.

“The projects for which the monies [will be] used will be debated in Parliament,” he asserted.

While he believes that monies earned from any resource windfall should be saved for inter-generational equity particularly to avoid the Dutch Disease, the Vice President noted that all the revenues cannot be reserved in Guyana’s case now.

“We can’t be saving too much for inter-generational equity now when we have so many pressing needs and so many people who are poor, who need a place to live in, who don’t have good potable water, who need better quality healthcare, and where we have to get education to world-class level. We need to invest our monies in these areas too, as well as other sectors of our economy so that when the oil is gone, we still have a booming economy unlike the other countries,” he stressed.

However, the Vice President went on to reiterate

his Government’s concerns with the current model of the NRF that was put in place by the previous APNU/AFC regime.

“There is a formula there about how the money should be transferred to Government but the formula is archaic…

Apart from the fact that we don’t believe it’s arm’s length enough from the Government and can be subjected to the control of the [Natural Resources] Minister – almost total control – who determines the fiscally sustainable sum, he would set up investments, committee controls, the Central Bank. [With the coalition model] the Minister dominates the Fund when it should be a bit more technically managed so that you don’t have political interference in its use. And that is why so many people like the Norwegian Model because it emphasises this independence from the Government,” Jagdeo outlined.

This has been the position of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) since it was in Opposition.

The NRF Act was passed in the National Assembly after the APNU/AFC Government was toppled by the passage of a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) on December 21, 2018, and it was supposed to be operating in a caretaker mode.

Reviewing NRF Act

At the time, the PPP/C had made it clear that if it gets into office – which it eventually did last year after a tumultuous and prolonged 2020 elections that lasted five months – the party would repeal the coalition’s NRF and amend it to reflect its own position, which is that the Fund should be managed sustainably and at arm’s length from

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Government and politicians.

In fact, this is one of the any promises the party made in its manifesto.

“So, we are working now to change the legislation and the Fund, whenever there is a budgetary gap or there is a project that needs funding, and we make a decision that will we access the Fund, we will do so transparently,” the VP contended.

In fact, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall told Guyana Times on Sunday that Government is now on the hunt for a law firm to help with reviewing the NRF legislation.

“A contract is out right now for consultancy, for a law firm to be retained to work with the Government, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Attorney General Chambers on a number of issues relating to the oil and gas sector including drafting of legislations and reviewing the existing legislation… The contract has been advertised under the Procurement Act and it is out now for tendering,” Nandlall stated.

Government had previously committed to have the restructuring of the NRF Act before the end of 2021.

4

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

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

Dr Cheddi Jagan

T

oday is the birth anniversary of Dr Cheddi Jagan, who was born in 1918 and passed away in 1997. As such, his life spanned some of the epochal events of the 20th Century. Starting with the “Great War” that ended in 1917, it ended with the Far Eastern financial crisis of 1997 as a consequence of capitalism’s latest phase – financialisation.

Jagan would have appreciated the historical bookends as much as the intervening “pages” that saw his native Guyana tossed by global forces like so much flotsam and jetsam in the clash between the contending ideologies of capitalism and communism. The year before his birth – 1917 witnessed two epochal events – giving birth to Cheddi, as it were, since they shaped his life. The first was the end of Indian Indentureship on March 12, by the British that exploited labour as a bridge between slavery and the so-called “free labour” dispensation that still enmeshes our bodies. In slavery, human beings were literally property – “chattel” – with absolutely no rights. Indentured labourers had to provide labour for a fixed period under defined conditions enforced by a penal clause that, in effect, “bound” them to the plantations.

The second event was the Bolshevik October Revolution that saw the monarchy of Russia violently overthrown and replaced by a Communist “dictatorship of the proletariat”.

As the USSR, it presented itself as an alternative to the capitalist world system that had evolved from the mercantilist colonial Empires and of which Guyana, in the “West”, was a part.

Jagan’s parents were both indentured children brought by indentured single mothers to Guyana and experienced first-hand, the exploitative system on Plantation Port Mourant in Berbice. His father was a “Driver”, which would have placed him in the middle strata on the plantation between ordinary workers and the Overseers. But as he recounted in his book “The West on Trial”, he witnessed the wretched conditions of the former as compared with the latter. As Jock Campbell, later Chairman of Bookers and owner of the neighbouring Plantation Albion, noted, the stables of the estate mules were like palaces compared with the logies in which the sugar workers lived.

Jagan’s parents were able to send him to a local private high school and then in 1935 on to Queen’s College in Georgetown to complete his secondary schooling. There he would encounter all the racial and economic prejudices that typified the urban middle class whose children he interacted with. He left for college in the US in 1938 during the Great Depression, which had driven down wages in the sugar belt and precipitated riots across the Caribbean.

In the US, while qualifying to become a dentist, and augmenting the hard-earned money sent by his parents in Guyana, Jagan was influenced by the racism against African-Americans and their lack of democratic freedoms.

His political awareness was sharpened as he married a leftist student nurse, Janet Rosenberg and then returned to Guyana in 1943. Here, WWII had sharpened the contradictions of colonial rule and the Moyne Commission’s Report of 1939, had already recommended opening up of the political space.

The radical Jagan was elected to the Legislature in 1947 under an expanded but still restricted franchise, the same year India and Pakistan won independence, and spurred efforts here to achieve that status. After universal franchise was granted, elections were held in 1953. Under Jagan as Leader and Forbes Burnham as Chairman, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) won overwhelmingly. And the modern period of Guyana’s political history was launched.

Unfortunately, it was a history of betrayal by Burnham as Britain and the US used the bogeyman of Jagan as a “fellow traveller” of communism and Moscow, to oust the PPP from office and install Burnham. The People’s National Congress (PNC) would rig elections and maintain a dictatorship for the next 28 years.

Jagan, to his credit, maintained a democratic alternative and the PPP was returned to office in 1992 after the communist threat collapsed.

His party is back in office upholding his democratic tradition.

The spanking new Police Headquarters at Anna Regina, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). The modern facility was constructed to the tune of over $200 million. As part of the GPF’s Strategic Plan, the building was designed to be more public friendly and will facilitate a domestic violence office, a case management room, witness protection room, an automotive case management system, integrated crime information system, listening room (to reduce confrontation between perps and victims), and offices

The CoI’s other recommendations on the Public Service in Guyana (Part 2) Dear Editor, Many of the 89 recommendations of the Lutchman Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Public Service of Guyana, May 11, 2016, support the creation of a professional and politically neutral public service to provide for efficient and effective service to the national community. The CoI strongly supports the enactment of a Public Service Law for the Public Service as is the case in other Commonwealth countries.

The National Assembly, the Government and the Public Service Ministry should carefully consider the other related CoI recommendations, or declare otherwise; letting the public know why there is no interest in creating and developing a professional and politically neutral public service by a Public Service Act/Law for the national good as called for in the CoI recommendation #1.

The other recommendations contained in the CoI include: The Public Service Commission (PSC) Concerns were raised about the ability of the PSC to discharge faithfully its constitutional responsibilities. The CoI affirms that the intended independent constitutional status should be preserved and protected as in other Commonwealth States, including Canada whose Public Service Act provides for an Independent Public Service Commission with exclusive authority on employment in the Public Service.

The Commission empha-

sised that it is imperative that the appointment in the Public Service should be based on merit, and should be made by a Commission that is credible and adequately qualified. The CoI in its #6 recommendation, states: “The Public Service Commission should always be constituted with suitably qualified and competent persons of unquestioned integrity who would strive to be fair and impartial in the execution of their duty in consonance with the constitutional prescription that they exercise independent judgement and not be influenced by political and other external or extraneous considerations.”

The authorities should not appoint members of the PSC who have any conflict of interest. This was blatantly disregarded with respect to some members of the PSC in the past, and this should be corrected in all future appointments to the PSC by the Government and the National Assembly in the faithful discharge of their constitutional duties in the public interest.

Recruitment and Selection in the Public Service.

Recommendation #9 calls for the Constitution and other laws to be appropriately amended to empower the Public Service Commission to appoint Permanent Secretaries and Regional Executive Officers to remove direct political appointments to Public Service positions.

Recommendation #10 calls for all appointments to

Public Service positions by open internal and external completions to obtain the best from the labour market.

Recommendation #11 advocated that all appointments by the PSC be based on merit and be free from political influences, and meet the essential qualifications and requirements to be performed.

Contract employment: On contract employment, the CoI noted that: contract employ- ment in the Public Service is done outside the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission; retired at 55 public servants are recruited on lucrative contract terms and conditions; - there is arbitrary use of taxpayers’ money for Public Service employment by the political directorate without regard for the optimum staff required; and - there should, therefore, be forensic personnel audit justification, for every position in the Public Service with suitably qualified, experience and skills required.

The CoI accordingly recommended that: - Contract employment of low level and general staff in the public service should end. However, contract employment in the public service should be restricted to high-level, professional, scarce skills not available in the Public Service, and for project work.

(Recommendations #13 & #14) - There should be a higher retirement age of

60 and 65 for public servants with corresponding higher public service pensions and NIS pensions.

(Recommendation #15) - No public servant who retires from the public service before attaining 65 years should be employed on contract (Recommendation #15) - there should be justification for each staff in each Ministry, office, division, department, and unit with the appropriate organisational structure to be evaluated and determined by human resource and organisational audits.

(Recommendation #16) Training and staff development: The CoI recommended that there should be a high-level representative Committee of Permanent Secretaries to identify, on the basis of merit, candidates to be awarded fellowships and scholarships.

(Recommendation #17) Salary and remuneration commission The CoI recommended, as in the case with Trinidad and Tobago, a Salary and Remuneration Commission be established by law to make periodic recommendations to the National Assembly on remuneration for high level political and public service offices including the President, Vice Presidents, Prime Minister, Ministers, Leader of the Opposition, Members of the National Assembly, Permanent Secretaries, Regional Executive Officers, and Regional Chairpersons.

(Recommendation #57) CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

5

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

Agriculture Ministry remains Domestic violence hotline unbiased in its modus operandi Dear Editor, Although the Ministry of Agriculture has put forward its best efforts to answer questions about the issuance of two sea-bob licences last year, one particular newspaper continues to bombard the Honourable Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha, claiming that his decision to issue the said licences was “an act of corruption”.

At this point, it is unclear what more is expected to be said on the matter. It is clear that the editorial section of this newspaper has taken a special interest in the matter and might even have a vendetta against someone involved in the matter.

Requests were made by the press, stakeholders, and interested parties for information on the matter to be made public. The Honourable Minister and the Fisheries Department made every effort to answer those questions in keeping with the Fisheries Act of Guyana.

In the editorial section of the Friday, March 19, 2021 edition of the Stabroek News, the issuance of these licences was once again criticised.

It must be made clear that since news broke of

the issuance of the said licences, Minister Mustapha and the Ministry’s Fisheries Department have engaged the Guyana Association of Trawler Owner and Seafood Processors (GATOSP) on several occasions.

At the time, the identity of the new licence holder was questioned. The Ministry subsequently made that information available to the public. The individual’s photo was published in some sections of the newspaper, along with his background and experience in the industry.

Although the GATOSP had initially indicated that they were not satisfied with the way the licences were issued or the fact that the licences were issued in the first place, the Ministry had made every effort to assure the GATOSP and the public that the issuance of the two new licences would not threaten the sector or jeopardise Guyana’s Maritime Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. At the time the licences were issued, only 80 other licences were active.

The quota caters for 87 licences.

The editorial stated that the matter has been extensively carried by that particular new outlet. That re-

The CoI’s Other...

FROM PAGE 4

This Commission should also recommend to the National Assembly, the appropriate remuneration for Judges of the High Court and the Court of Appeal, and constitutional offices.

The CoI recommended the resumption of collective bargaining in good faith encounters at negotiations, and conciliation/mediation processes. Failure at these levels to resolve issues in dispute requires reference to a mutually agreed Arbitration Tribunal in keeping with the existing procedures, or as recommended in the CoI, to the National Assembly, based on the recommendations of a Salaries Review Commission for final determination.

(Recommendation #58) The Public Service Appellate Tribunal The CoI recommended that like the Public Service Commission, the Public Service Appellate Tribunal should be appointed with suitably qualified persons with no conflict of interest, to adjudicate on disputes with the Public Service Commission.

(Recommendation #60) The Public Service Ministry The CoI recommended that the Public Service Ministry, and the Public Service Commission should be constituted with professional personnel with high integrity to rebuild trust and confidence in the Public Service.

(Recommendation #73) The acceptance and implementation of the recommendations of the CoI are essential for good governance, transparency, public accountability, and management of the Public Service. The Public Service Ministry and the Public Service Commission are charged to ensure fair employment practices, and developing a professional Public Service to serve the national community fairly and impartially.

These recommendations speak to the removal of conflict of interest at professional and political levels, setting the procedure for the finality of public negotiations, and having the National Assembly setting the remuneration of those in the governing authorities and the remuneration in the Judicial system and other constitutional offices.

The adoption and implementation of these and other recommendations will rebuild confidence and trust in our country for the good of all.

I again invite persons and organisations with interest, to join the discussion and debate these recommendations of the CoI in the Public Service, and call on the Government and the National to take the appropriate actions in the national interest.

Yours sincerely, Samuel J Goolsarran

mains a fact. What also remains a fact is that the editorial in question does not entail any new information on the matter.

The GATOSP has since engaged the Ministry by way of a letter dated February 19, 2021, stating that they will abide by the decision of the Ministry.

Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo was also questioned on the matter and maintained that there must be equity in the industry. The VP also suggested that there should be a periodic review of the issuance of sea-bob licences to avoid a monopoly in the industry.

The author of the piece asserted that when the Ministry was confronted about the issue last November, the licences should have been suspended, as that is what good governance requires. I beg to differ. After concerns were raised, Minister Mustapha met with the GATOSP. He listened to their issues and was determined to come up with a solution that would see the issue being resolved amicably. In my opinion, that is good governance. If Governments rescinded every decision made because a section of the population didn’t agree with it, no pol-

icies would be in place.

I can say with the utmost certainty that within the coming weeks another article will be written on the matter. I am also confident that the writer will make good use of a few journalistic jargons to disguise the reconditioned information, as he did in this piece.

As was previously mentioned in my response, the GATOSP has decided to abide by the decision of the Ministry. The matter should therefore be seen as resolved. The Ministry will continue to engage all stakeholders of the fisheries sector, and all other stakeholders in the agriculture sector as their views and opinions remain of utmost importance to the Ministry as it works towards building a resilient and sustainable agriculture industry.

The Ministry also remains unbiased in its modus operandi and steadfast in its efforts to ensure the Government’s development agenda for the agriculture sector is realised.

Yours truly, Janell Cameron Public Relations Officer Ministry of Agriculture

NDIA clears air on tendering Dear Editor, The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) wishes to clear up issues raised in a letter published in the Kaieteur News newspaper dated Friday, March 19th, 2021, titled “Why was tendering cancelled?” stating that tenders and bids were cancelled without any apparent reason being given.

The NDIA wishes to state that it is not aware that tenders and bids were being cancelled and re-tendered. Further, it is not aware of fully evaluated projects being abandoned.

Notably, the only way

contracts can be cancelled is where: - (1) there is a lack of funds; or (2) there is a change in the scope of the specifications of the work.

The NDIA is not aware that any instruction was given by the Minister to cancel tendering.

Additionally, it is the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) that has the power to approve evaluations and make recommendations to Cabinet for their “No Objection”.

Sincerely, Fredrick Flatts

Dear Editor, Some years ago, requests were made by a local NGO for the suicide helpline to publicly release figures to not only support its contention that the helpline was being widely accessed but also to shore up citizens’ confidence in the helpline and further drive its usage. The request was flatly rejected. However, the recent release of data for use of the domestic violence (DV) hotline corroborates the viability of such a request.

The DV hotline is manned by trained personnel and connected with the Police so that victims can be quickly reached in any part of Guyana and this too is something local NGOs and activists have been agitating for with respect to the suicide helpline.

And as the recent public release and analysis of data reveals, not only is the DV hotline being widely accessed, but public confidence seems to be growing in its efficacy.

On the other hand, feedback from many who had accessed the suicide helpline has been far from positive and the fact that a number of persons over the years have vehemently refused to use the suicide helpline when referred to by a local NGO only highlights the lack of public confidence in that helpline.

So as a suicide-prevention advocate and activist, may I again make the following suggestions: * That the suicide helpline immediately release figures as the DV hotline did and continue to periodically so do; * That information on

training of phone operators, to include emphatic communication, be made public as the DV hotline did; * That phone operators also be trained in immediate steps to mitigate the effects of poisoning as this would increase the chances of recovery for those who ingest poisons; * That the suicide helpline be connected with the Police nationally (who must also be sensitised) to ensure rapid response with respect to calls about suicide ideation or even attempted suicide; * That the suicide helpline be connected with counsellors across Guyana so that immediate clinical professional counselling (as against so-called counsellors who create more damage and even suicide fatalities) can be offered to callers who need same, especially since lives would be at stake; * That, like the DV hotline, the suicide helpline also engage in ongoing and extensive promotions so that citizens across Guyana can know what the numbers are and be able to quickly call when the need arises; * That the suicide helpline administrators clearly and consistently get the message out there that suicide ideation is never a joke and must always be taken seriously even if the individual has expressed such ideation one hundred times.

Far too often loved ones of suicide victims say they thought the victim was joking because he/she had always said he/she would take his/her life.

Sincerely, Annan Boodram

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MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

Page

Foundation ◄

Æsop’s Fables

Question 1

FOR CHILDREN Friday’s answers

30 is a multiple of 3 and a multiple of 5 48 is a multiple of 3 but not a multiple of 5 50 is a multiple of 5 but not a multiple of 3 52 is not a multiple of 3 and not a multiple of 5

Make a Sundial How do you tell time without a watch? Use the sun! The sun can be an accurate time telling device as long as you have the tools to help you. Many ancient peoples used sundials to keep track of time. The earliest sundials we know of are the shadow clocks (circa 1500 BC) that were used in Egyptian and Babylonian astronomy. Show your child how people were able to tell time long before analog, and then digital clocks, appeared on the scene.

What You Need: Straight stick about 2 feet long Pebbles or small sea shells Watch

What You Do: 1. Find a sunny spot and push the stick straight into the grass or earth. If your backyard doesn’t have any grass or earth, fill a small bucket with sand and place your stick into the bucket.

2. Start in the morning when the sun is up. At 7:00 am use a pebble to mark where the shadow of your stick falls. Come back at 8:00am, 9:00am, 10:00am, and so on until there is no more daylight in the day. You may want to mark your pebbles with the time they were placed using chalk.

3. By the end of the day your sundial will be complete. The next time your kid asks what time it is (and the sun is out) point him in the direction of the sundial.

Did You Know?

The length of the shadows will change throughout the year. In the summer the shadows are shorter and the winter the shadows are longer.

The term A.M. stands for "ante meridiem." which means before noon. P.M. stands for "post meridiem" or afternoon. Noon is the time when the sun is at its highest point in the sky.

On a cloudy day you'll be happy to have a digital clock, but a digital clock doesn't give you any clues about the seasons, so both time-telling tools have their uses! (Education.com)

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he pomegranate and apple-tree disputed as to which was the most beautiful.

When their strife was at its height, a bramble from the neighbouring hedge lifted up its voice, and said in a boastful tone: “Pray, my dear friends, in my presence at least cease from such vain disputings.”

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MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

International Day for the Elimination of Racism

Ending racism must be a collaborative effort – UG-UNDP panel discussion — media a “powerful tool” to end racism

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n observance of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination which was observed Sunday, March 21, 2021, the University of Guyana (UG) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held a virtual discussion on race and racism in Guyana.

The webinar was attended by past and current students of the university.

The more than one-hourlong conversation titled: “Countering racism: A youthled conversation” saw youngsters giving their opinions on implicit bias and bigotry. The panellists shared their experiences and that of others on experiencing racism/discrimination in Guyana and the role of the media, which they described as a “powerful tool” in helping to end racism.

Those who took part in Sunday’s panel discussion were physiotherapist and past Vice President of UG’s Student Society Malcolm Wills; past UGSS President Devta Ramroop, and UG students Elton Newton, Junisha Johnny, Deneka Francis, Tameshwar Rajaram, and Ezikel Alleyne.

They agreed that ending racism has to be a collaborative effort between religious organisations, schools, politicians, and other stakeholders.

Newton, who is pursuing

a degree in medical rehabilitation at the tertiary institution, believes that Guyana has already embarked on efforts to combat the scourge of racism by holding discussions.

“Discussions like this are really important. You need to continue doing them, not just at the university level but you need to start early like in the primary schools. You can do community outreaches, community discussions. You also have to get organisations involved like the churches, mosques, and temples.”

Sharing his views, Alleyne, a chemistry major at UG, stated, “For anything to be accomplished, you must lead by example.” On this note, he pointed out that the Government and parents should lead the way in this regard. For her part, Johnny said she believes that just like with domestic violence, a hotline needs to be created to report incidents of racism.

“So that you can report any incident of racism you may have seen or you would have experienced. We have a commission, but I feel that something proper must be done or to form a new body.

[In doing so] people will know that they will have consequences to face and I think it would put a great stop to racism.”

“We need to start from our leaders, our leaders need to show a leadership role and

Devta Ramroop

help us in combating racism.

Because I think if our leaders don’t, I don’t think anyone else will. We as the youths should empower others not to show racism,” Ramjaram, a budding cardiovascular surgeon shared.

Francis stressed that penalties showed be imposed on persons who perpetuate racism.

“For the persons who are being racist, they should be given a fine. Something that is there so that they know I cannot keep doing this; this is going to be detrimental to my image,” the aspiring marine biologist said, adding that persons in public office and other places who spread racism should be fired.

Francis also encouraged persons who might have experienced racism to share

their experiences via social media platforms.

Meanwhile, UN Resident Coordinator for Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka pointed out that being able to have such open conversation is important towards ending racism, not only in Guyana but around the world.

“It is people that need to shape the values of the society. At the end of the day all of this, racism, gender equality, prejudice, discrimination relates to the basic principles of human rights that every individual regardless of [their] race or gender or religion or sex or political affiliation [are entitled to].”

According to Tanaka, all individuals should be equally valued and respected. She noted that such conversations are essential to educating the populace on how to stand up for these human rights. The UN Resident Coordinator pledged that she will continue working with UG to continue discussions like these.

Vice-Chancellor of UG, Professor Paloma MohamedMartin disclosed that UG will be crafting guidelines to help the media on reporting on race. She promised that more conversations like this will be held.

General The UN Assembly resolution 2142 (XXI) adopted on October 26, 1966, proclaimed March 21 as the International Day

Malcolm Wills

Tameshwar Rajaram

for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to be commemorated annually. On that day, in 1960, Police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws".

Proclaiming the day in 1966 which signifies the struggle to end the policy of apartheid in South Africa, the General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination.

8 NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC files submissions ahead of next month’s election petition hearing

…maintains Section 22 of ELA, Order 60 unconstitutional

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etitioners Claudette Thorne and Heston Bostwick have laid over submissions in Petition #88, the surviving election petition which they have filed on behalf of the APNU/ AFC challenging the results of the March 2020 General and Regional Elections.

The submissions are in response to those filed

by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, and Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield.

In this case, Thorne and Bostwick are seeking to vitiate the results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections on the ground that Section 22 of the Election Law (Amendment) Act (ELA) and Order 60 of 2020 are unconstitutional. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) used Section 22 of the ELA, together with Article 162 of the Constitution to amend the procedure used in the Representation of the People Act to facilitate a National Recount of all ballots under Order 60 of 2020.

The petitioners, through their lawyers led by Roysdale Forde, SC, have submitted that the election results came after there were egregious departures from the legislative framework that touched and concerned the proper parties to make declarations for the respective electoral districts, the conduct of re-

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC

counts, the breaking of seals and reopening of ballot boxes and ultimately the declaration of the final results.

While Jagdeo, Nandlall, and Lowenfield argue that there was no evidence that the results were affected by Order 60 and thus the elections/recount does not fall to be considered as a sham or a travesty, the petitioners maintain that this case does not require evidence. In doing so, they have placed reliance on the case of Morgan v Simpson in which Lord Denning, MR, among other things, said: “Collating all the cases together, I suggest that the law can be stated in these propositions: (1) If the elections were conducted so badly that it was not substantially in accordance with the law as to elections, the election is vitiated, irrespective of whether the result was affected or not [...]”

They, therefore, contend that the March 2, 2020 elections fall within the above category. “The instant case falls within such a category so long as there is proof of substantial departure from the electoral laws even if the result was affected so that the elections ought to be vitiated. Therefore, the instant case does not require evidence that the results of the elections were affected.”

In their submissions, the petitioners further argue that the travesty about the entire March 2020 election process was the egregious breaches of the Constitution in respect of the tampering with ballot boxes once they were sealed, the counting and recounting of ballots, the personnel employed to do so and the use of non-statutory documents to record and report results.

They extended their arguments to the conduct of the National Recount. They submitted that political parties participated in the recount process which is in breach of Article 161B of the Constitution which makes it clear that political agents ought to not influence the lawful conduct and management of elections.

“In all the circumstances, the petitioners submit that the unconstitutionality of Section 22 and Order 60 mark a clear departure from the democratic prin-

Rigging and Rolling...

Y Roysdale Forde, SC

ciples which ought to govern elections and the declaration of results such that the 2 March 2020 Elections was a sham and a travesty to the ordinary Guyanese man/woman. Order 60 was a codification of that sham and travesty which ought never to be sanctioned by any court of law acting in obedience to the rule of law,” Thorne and Bostwick stressed.

As such, the petitioners submitted that Jagdeo, Nandlall and Lowenfield have not demonstrated any real arguments in favour of the constitutionality of Section 22 and Order 60.

Against this backdrop, they are asking the High Court to vitiate the results of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections as it was substantially not in compliance with the law in relation to the conduct of the elections.

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC, has fixed April 7, 2021, to begin hearing submissions in Petition #88.

In keeping with an order handed down by the Chief Justice, the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, has handed over all Statements of Poll (SoPs) and Statements of Recount (SoRs) to the Registrar of the High Court for safekeeping.

...in the PNC our Eyewitness has been doing yeoman service by keeping you, Dear Readers, in the loop about the goings-on inside the PNC. After unleashing terror on the Guyanese nation every decade or so when they don’t get their way, it’s in all our interest at signs of restiveness from that quarter. Forewarned is forearmed and all that!

Especially when it could be a stiff forearm, with a knife coming your way.

Well, as he last reported, there’s simmering resentment bubbling – more like those volcanoes-about-to-explode resentment – against the leadership style of David Granger. The said “style” being to remain in hiding and incommunicado for months on end in his brother’s house at Pearl, EBD. In the meantime, to the anxiety, angst, and anger of PNC supporters, the PPP hasn’t been resting on its laurels after Granger accept the voters’ March 2 verdict.

What raised their ire even further was the said Granger had persuaded them that they’d been robbed by the cunning and treacherous PPP! Why, they’re pleading with arms raised to the heavens, would Granger now leave them hanging and dangling in the wind?

So all sorts of petitions are being figuratively nailed at the gate at Pearl (NOT the Pearly Gates!) demanding that the occupant Granger must go! Of what use is a Sanctimonious Gangster when he wouldn’t even drop to his knees praying for his arch enemy to be impaled?

Anyhow, your Eyewitness was told that the discontented were mustering their troops to mount an attack against Granger at the PNC Congress that’s constitutionally due (by the PNC’s constitution, that is) before the end of this year.

It’s obvious that Granger must’ve gotten wind about the plot (not too difficult since even a rank outsider as your Eyewitness got the news!) since his handmaiden (the term is used merely nominally!) General Secretary Anna Ally just (virtuously) announced that because of COVID 19, the Congress mightn’t be held!! The leadership (read Granger) doesn’t want to expose the membership to dangers. At the last Congress – which was rigged to usher in Granger – gunshots were fired. Granger mightn't only be talking about COVID-19, but Glock 19s!

The problem with anyone trying to remove Granger is that the PNC has a long albeit inglorious history of rigging and it all begins with controlling the voting mechanisms.

Just as he showed when the national elections were on the cards, Granger would’ve already placed his minions and myrmidons in place to ensure the votes are cooked just the way he wants them to be!

There’s gonna be no palace coup or putsch in the PNC at any Congress.

Challengers will have to launch a new PNC. ...on election or constitutional reform?

The head of the EU Observer Mission just presented their Report on our record-breaking elections (for length to declaration of results and possibly for chutzpah in rigging!) to some stakeholders, including the Government and Opposition. Your Eyewitness is amazed at how shameless Harmon has to be to read the stinging indictment by the team and still have a smile on his face! He shoulda been hanging his head in shame. Today there will be a large gathering at the ACCC to discuss the Report.

But what’s very troubling is that some are trying to drag in constitutional change to introduce “power sharing” into electoral reform – which the Government agrees to – and which will need SOME constitutional change. But the two are NOT equivalent and mustn’t be conflated.

Our Constitution already has the necessary provisions to ensure that a Government can be formed by the majority – as is required by democratic norms.

Don’t try to fix something that’s not broken – just to get the PNC into Government. ...against Jagan It’s a tribute to Jagan – whose birthday is today – that even though Burnham and his PNC rigged elections for 28 years with the backing of the West, he stuck to democracy to effect regime change.

Bravo, Dr Jagan!

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

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MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

10 NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police assure protection for residents of Herstelling, Little Diamond – robberies, vandalism raised during meeting

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obberies, noise nuisance, vandalism, and lack of firearms for Community Policing Group (CPG) members were among several issues raised at a public meeting on Saturday hosted Police Commander of 4B, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Siwnarine.

The meeting was reportedly organised by Chairman of Herstelling Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Punit Jaigopaul and was held at Farm, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

During the meeting, a teacher attached to the Covent Garden Secondary School raised the issue of former students of the institution attacking and robbing them.

Another resident also

Police Commander 4B Senior Superintendent Siwnarine addressing a concern at the meeting

vented her concern of yougsters driving motorcycles in the community, thus creating a lot of noise. According to the resident, the noise nuisance issue is prevalent on weekends. On this note,

Mahendra

the resident recommended that street lights are erected in strategic areas within the NDC. The issue of vandalism of properties was also raised.

One such instance occurred

about a week ago and despite the matter being reported, the Police are dragging their feet on the issue.

An attorney who is part of the Community Policing Group (CPG) stated the need for a relationship between the residents and the group.

The CPG is presently equipped with three motorcycles that were donated by the Home Affairs Ministry.

A pick-up truck that was assigned to the division for CPG purposes is not accessible.

In addition, approval for the group to be given firearms is yet to be explored.

The NDC Chairman, Jaigopaul, addressed the issues that falls within the ambit of the NDC. He promised to resuscitate the CPG within the coming weeks,

Senior Superintendent Mahendra Siwnarine in discussion with residents

and to make the vehicle accessible when it is repaired.

He also related that the NDC will be holding monthly meetings until residents are satisfied.

Meanwhile, Police Commander Siwnarine took note of all the concerns raised while at the same time, took the opportunity to

clear up any misconceptions and issues brought against the Guyana Police Force.

As such, he directed the ranks in his division to deal with issues raised at the meeting and assured residents that his team will work with residents and build trust in those communities.

NEWS

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MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

President urges nation to pray for relatives of slain 10-year-old

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resident Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday joined family members to bid farewell to slain 10-year-old Antony Cort at Sandy’s Funeral

President Ali bidding his farewell to the 10-year-old

Dead: Antony Cort

Home. The young lad was shot dead during a home invasion on March 11 in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

The President was joined by Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd.

Apart from consoling the mother and other relatives of the dead lad, the

Head of State related: “As a nation, let us come together and pray for this family who tragically lost their loved one and for all of the other families who have also lost loved ones in this pandemic.”

Hours after the lad was shot and killed, the President visited his home and assured the grieving mother that he would do everything in his power to bring the perpetrators to justice. A swift investigation into the murder led to the arrest and arraignment of a 16-year-old for the murder.

The Police had stated

that the teenage suspect was picked up days after the shooting and based on the evidence against him, detectives made an application at the high court to further detain him after the expiration of the 72hour detention period.

The teen, however, made his appearance on Friday at the Sparandaam Magistrate’s Court where the indictable charge was read to him. He was remanded to prison. In addition, the Police stated that they are still on the hunt for two other suspects.

Cort was killed by armed men who invad-

ed his aunt’s property.

Reports are that the child and his mother were assisting his aunt to prepare for her birthday party two houses away from their residence.

However, whilst there, two males wearing face masks and armed with handguns invaded the property of the 44-yearold businesswoman.

Police said that the 10-year-old was in the upper flat of the home in the company of a cousin playing video games.

The bandits reportedly rushed into the home, held the occupants at gunpoint and relieved them of two cell phones, two gold bands, two gold rings, one gold chain, and $80,000 in cash.

According to Police, the bandits then ordered the victims into the upper flat of the house. As they made their way into the upper flat, the now dead lad exited a bedroom. It was at that time one of the bandits discharged a round, hitting the child in his left upper shoulder.

The perpetrators panicked, jumped a zinc fence and fled the scene.

Emergency Medical

President Irfaan Ali and Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn in discussion with the dead lad’s mother on Sunday

Technicians (EMTs) subsequently responded to reports of the tragedy and pronounced the child dead

at the scene.

Police recovered a .9mm spent shell near the child’s body.

12 NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Motorcycle duo escapes with minibus after driver stopped to urinate

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57-year-old of Republic Drive Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was relieved of his minibus on Saturday evening after he stopped to urinate at Crane Village, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

The minibus bearing registration number BPP 4529 was hijacked by two men at about 22:00h. Based on reports received, Rodwell Clarke went to Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), to drop off his passengers and on his way home, he reportedly stopped to urinate while leaving the engine of the bus running.

The man reportedly told Police that as he was urinating, he heard a loud noise coming from the back of his minibus and as he went to investigate, he was confronted by two men on a motorcycle.

Clarke reportedly asked the men the reason for them being that close to the minibus and it was then the pillion rider ran to the driver’s seat and fled the scene.

His accomplice followed the minibus. With the assistance of the public, a Police report was made and an investigation was launched.

Up to the press time, the minibus was not found.

Earlier in the month, a 53-year-old man of Hadfield Street, Georgetown, was arrested shortly after he and three others allegedly robbed an East Bank Demerara (EBD) resident of his motorcycle at D’Urban Park.

It was reported that the victim was robbed of the motorcycle bearing registration number CK 4912 that is valued at 250,000 along with a mobile phone and $1500 in cash.

Based on information received, the victim was riding his motorcycle at a slow rate along Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, and came to a

stop at the traffic light at the junction of Homestretch Avenue and Vlissengen Road.

It was at that time, one of the perpetrators jumped onto his motorcycle and de-

manded that he ride to D’Urban Park, to which he complied out of fear. Upon reaching the Park, he was confronted by three other men, who relieved him of the abovementioned articles.

After the robbery, the victim reportedly raised an alarm and was able to draw the attention of a Police Mobile Unit. Swift action by the ranks led to the arrest of the main perpetrator.

Youth injured after car crashes into truck

A

21-year-old man was injured after the car he was driving slammed head-on into a truck along the Versailles Public Road, West Bank Demerara (WBD), in the wee hours of Sunday.

The inured young man has been identified as Navindra Persaud of La Parfaite Harmonie, WBD. The accident reportedly took place at about 03:15h.

According to Police, the motor car was speeding along the roadway and as the young man attempted to overtake another vehicle, he ended up in the path of the lorry, which was proceeding in the opposite direction. This resulted in a head-on collision.

The driver of the car was seriously injured and was picked up by the Police

and public-spirited persons in an unconscious state and taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) where he was treated and admitted a patient A breathalyser test was conducted on the driver of the truck but there was no trace of alcohol in his system. An investigation has been launched into the accident.

Only a week ago, 24-yearold Oneisha Stellingburg of Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden, was rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex following an accident along

the Moblissa Public Road, Linden-Soesdyke Highway.

It was reported that the young woman was speeding along the highway when she lost control of the vehicle which topped several times before coming to a halt.

The young driver was pulled from the wreckage in an unconscious state and taken to hospital where she was treated for severe head injuries. However, owing to the severity of the injuries, she was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was admitted.

NEWS

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MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Region 2 to administer 1000 AstraZeneca vaccines by month-end – RHO — says Region 2 has 13 active cases

Regional Health Officer, Dr Ranjeev Singh

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cores of elderly people in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) showed up on Sunday at the Suddie Health Centre to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

While the process was slow, Regional Health Officer Dr Ranjeev Singh called on major stakeholders to play their part during the roll out of the immunisation process.

Dr Singh pointed out that the region has 13 ac-

Goolab Caimraj takes the AstraZeneca vaccine on Sunday

tive COVID-19 cases and he believes that once persons take the vaccine, the numbers will go down.

While speaking with the media on Sunday, Dr Singh related that the region’s vaccination team is aiming to immunise 1000 persons by the end of March. He said as such, the programme has intensified in the region and targets persons living with chronic illnesses and those who are over 60 years old.

“So with us vaccinating 1000 people, it is going to be an achievement for the region… we are striving to have the entire region immunised so that we can be COVID free and as such, I am urging our population to come out.”

As the programme continues, several sites have been earmarked for persons to visit in order to receive the jabs.

These include Suddie

New Suriname airline to begin operations in Guyana

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ith the aim of further expanding the local aviation sector, the Guyana Government has approved Suriname airline Fly All Ways to operate from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to several locations in the region.

This is according to Public Works Minister Juan Edghill during a press conference on Friday at the CJIA, where he inspected the ongoing expansion works. He disclosed that the airline will be operating to three locations from Guyana.

“A few days Cabinet approved an additional airline to operate out of Guyana. Fly All Ways out of Suriname will be operating the Suriname route, the Barbados route and Curacao route out of the

Cheddi Jagan International Airport,” the Minister noted.

Edghill further related that with increased investor interest and massive transformation taking place in Guyana, Government anticipates more airlines coming to operate here.

“We are happy that traffic at CJIA, even in a COVID environment has been building and coming along, and we want to get to a stage where we’re opened back up full blast for business,” the Public Works Minister posited.

Further, given the expectation that travels to and from Guyana will pick up as more COVID-19 vaccines become available around the world, Minister Edghill revealed that he had reached out to his colleague Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, for every

category of staff at the country’s main port of entry to be inoculated.

TURN TO PAGE 15

The elderly gathered at the Suddie Health Centre to receive their vaccines

Health Centre, Charity Oscar Joseph Hospital, and Anna Regina Health Centre.

On Sunday, the elderly were very excited to receive their first dose of the Covishield-AstraZeneca vaccine at the Suddie Health Centre.

Harrychan Sookdeo of Maria Lodge, Essequibo Coast, related that he wants to make sure he protects himself and his loved ones.

“You know COVID is real and many people are dying… I want to be able

to live so I think the best choice is to take the vaccine” Sookdeo said.

Another elder, Goolab Caimraj of Zorg Village stated that he was satisfied at the manner in which the vaccine was administered.

He said that the process was quite easy and he was happy to take the dose.

As such, Caimraj is urging his fellow Essequibians to come out in their numbers to take the vaccine. The region received 1600 vaccines, of which 800 persons were

already vaccinated.

The second dose of the vaccine will be given 12 weeks after taking the first dose. The CovishieldAstraZenca vaccine is safe and effective at preventing COVID-19.

It has an average of about 63 per cent efficacy after the first dose.

Persons who take the vaccines are still advised to wear masks, avoid crowds, sanitise and practice social distancing.

14 NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Berbice River family accuses Police of breaking into homes …millions in cash, other items stolen

A

Inside the houses that were robbed

Berbice River family has accused Police ranks of breaking into their homes and carting off with over 10 million in cash along with a quantity of jewellery, outboard engines and other valuables.

The incident reportedly took place at Wuruni, Berbice River, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraUpper Berbice), on Saturday.

Based on information received, the houses are owned by five sibling and at the time, no one was at home. The sixth house, Guyana Times understands, was ransacked in the presence of a young lady.

Carline Osborn told this pub-

lication that the suspected Police officers invaded the homes of five of her siblings. She noted that the over 30 officers arrived in the community in two boats and carried out the attack.

She explained that some family members were at her father’s birthday celebration.

“When we came back, to our surprise all of the doors were kicked opened some windows burst open, the locks on the wardrobe were wrenched off, all the chairs were turned over and we even found a puzzling cup on the bed that was ripped open. All the gold that my nephews, nieces and sisters-in-law had, were gone,” the

woman said as she described the shocking scene.

She noted that her sister-inlaw did not remove all of her daily revenue from the shop but as she checked, only a few $20 and $50 notes were found.

“There are five houses nearby and they went into all of the houses. They climb through the window to go into my brother’s house because they couldn’t open the locks so they go through the louvres and then opened the door and they empty a barrel that my aunt sent for my sister-in-law, all of the drawers in the kitchen were pulled out and they throw everything down from all of the shelves.”

Struggling grandmother seeks assistance to provide better life for twins – says mother died after giving birth in 2019

F

ollowing the death of their mother in 2019, the grandmother of two girls (twins) who were left in her care, is now seeking assistance to raise them as she faces financial constraints.

Elaine Smith, 52, of Bar Street Kitty, Georgetown, took to social media on Friday to vent her frustration of the struggle she has been facing taking care of the two girls. As such, she is seeking Government’s assistance to give her granddaughters a better life.

“I watched my daughter suffer and died in front of my eyes; I won’t let the same thing happen to the twins…. Yesterday (Friday) I got so hysterical I went straight to Facebook and I put up my story. I never ever say anything but after watching my grandchildren, I swallowed my pride and I put my story out there,” she said.

Smith explained that she has been the sole provider of the twins since their mother passed in July 2019.

She told Guyana Times during a telephone interview that her daughter, Alicene Adams, 34, had been hospitalised during her seven-month pregnancy after she began experiencing complications.

She explained that during the time, Adams was solely dependent on the oxygen machine for survival. However, on January 4, 2019, while in hospital, Adams was disconnected from the machine and went to the washroom, where she collapsed.

Smith recounted that the twins were immediately birthed via C-section.

However, after the birth of the twins, Adams’ health deteriorated.

Osborn related that on Sunday she checked to see if the matter would have been reported on the Guyana Police Force’s Facebook page but surprisingly, nothing was there.

The boat that was allegedly used by the perpetrators “They did not post anything. They receipts to show for these things. normally post things when they They carry away the three enfind things where they go. Nothing gines, a mattress and a generator.” was posted today (Sunday).”

According to Osborne, her As a result, family members brothers are gold miners and it started their own investigation was only a few days prior to the and received information that the robbery, they sent out monies to persons who carried out the opera- their families. tion were off duty Police ranks.

“Two of my sisters-in-law have According to Osborn, some of small businesses. They took all the invaders are said to be Police of their money. Jewellery belongofficers from Central Police Station ing to 13 adults and six children in New Amsterdam, Region Six were all stolen… It is a lot of gold (East Berbice-Corentyne), while because each of the children, they others are said to be from Region have rings and they have bands 10. and they have chains.”

“When we call, we were told According to the woman, that they don’t know about that. sheets, blankets and other stuff They also carried away three boat were also removed. Up to press engines; one is a brand new en- time, the Police did not send out gine and two others that my broth- any release about the incident aler’s wife had purchased. We have though the matter was reported.

Foiled Republic Bank robbery

Magistrate to rule on nocase submission on April 14

C

The two-year-old twins

The grandmother stated that her daughter became crippled, fully blind and spent the next three months in the hospital.

She was, however, discharged in March 2019 in a vegetative state and was unable to care for her five children including her twins.

“She got brain dead, she got blind, couldn’t speak anymore, couldn’t move anymore and I watched my daughter suffer for six months…. My daughter turned a vegetable,” Smith recounted.

Smith further stated that from the beginning of her daughter’s illness, she had placed her life on hold to care for her.

She also noted that during this time, she had reached out to the then APNU/AFC Government for assistance but never got a response.

Despite having no support, Smith remained committed to caring for her daughter until she took her last breath at home in July 2019.

“I watched my daughter die home… I called for help and by the time the medical people arrived, they told me that my daughter was [no] more,” she explained.

Since then, the twins, who are now two years old,

have been under Smith’s care while their other 3 siblings - who are 16, 15 and 10 - currently reside with their father.

Meanwhile, she told this publication that she is unable to work and practically takes care of the two children permanently.

Smith added that necessities such as milk and diapers have been hard to come by.

“Sometimes I watch them for hours with their pampers bulky, but you can’t change it often because you don’t have a lot.

Right now, I’m trying to potty train them to save on the pampers.”

In addition, she noted that with limited funds at her disposal, she is unable to pay her bills on time.

“Even my phone cut off.

I can’t even pay the $8000 and I call them and explained and they still can’t put it on,” she said.

“Right now, financial assistance, foodstuff, pampers anything would help us.

Whatever I get, I will take. I just want to help my grandchildren to live a better life.

Whatever it is I will accept.”

Persons who are desirous of assisting the twins can contact their grandmother Elaine Smith on 645-2269 or 611-9688.

ome April 14, 2021, Senior Magistrate Leron Daly will deliver his ruling on no-case submissions made by the defence on behalf of the four men who were accused of attempting to carry out a daring robbery at Republic Bank’s Water, Street, Georgetown branch on July 4, 2017.

Those charged are former Police Constables Anfernee Blackman of Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown and Gladston George of Princes Street, Lodge, Georgetown; former Republic Bank employee Shawn Grimmond of Kitty, Georgetown; and Keron Saunders of Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

They were each released on $500,000 bail pending the hearing and determination of the matter. Another former employee of the bank, Jamal Haynes was also slapped with charges for attempting to commit a robbery and illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.

He was sentenced to a total of six years’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the charges at his first court appearance in July 2017.

During the attempted robbery, 23-year-old Elton Wray, an agronomist, was shot dead by the Police.

He was a beneficiary of a Government of Guyana scholarship to China and graduated with a degree in agronomy. At the time of his death, he was serving his second year of the five-year obligatory contract.

It was reported that Haynes and Grimmond knew that businesses would

Shawn Grimmond

Keron Saunders

Gladston George (white) and Anfernee Blackman

have deposited substantial amounts of cash into the chutes through night deposits. As such, a plan was hatched for the robbers to grab that money which would have been emptied into a canister by a female employee.

However, things went awry when their accomplices broke into the bank without knowing that they had received a text message from Grimmond who was already at work informing them to hold off since the employee who was supposed to open the canister was not

at work.

After receiving reports of the robbery, Police responded promptly. The bandits engaged the officers in a shootout which resulted in the death of Wray. Haynes was also shot as he attempted to evade the lawmen.

Saunders subsequently surrendered and was taken into Police custody.

The others were all implicated in the robbery by Haynes and were later arrested. Police said that three high-powered pistols were recovered from the crime scene.

NEWS

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MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Minister Walrond reaffirms commitment to Region 10 tourism development

Berbice farmer busted with ganja in yard

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Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond and members of the Region 10 Tourism Committee on Friday

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ourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond has reaffirmed Government’s commitment to the development of the tourism sector in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The Minister on Friday met with members of the Region 10 Tourism Committee (RTTC) at her office, where numerous areas of focus were discussed.

These included tourism investments within the region, with key focus on communities such as Rockstone, Great

Falls, Kwakwani and other riverine areas; access to financial support by way of grants for start-up tourist groups; promoting the the region’s tourism prospects and products beyond Guyana; training in tour guiding, hospitality and customer care; rehabilitation of the Linden Heritage Museum and support for the Linden Town Week (LTW) of activities, Rockstone Fish Festival, Linden Riverfront Festival as well as Tourism Awareness Month.

The Minister also reaf-

firmed her Ministry’s support for activities and initiatives which stimulate sustainable economic development within the region.

Representing the RTTC at the meeting were Regional Member of Parliament (MP) and RTTC Chairman Devin Sears; Secretary, Adrian Boston; Diaspora, Sports and Entertainment Sub-Committee Chairman Lawrence Simon and Public Relations Committee Member Kady Sears.

farmer of Bloomfield Village, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), was on Saturday arrested after he was busted with a quantity of marijuana in his yard.

Police stated that during an operation, they swooped down on the home of the 34-year-old farmer to search for narcotics, arms, ammunitions, stolen articles and wanted persons.

During the raid, a Police rank went into the yard and made checks and a white and black bulky plastic was found about 30 feet away from the house.

Upon checking, a quantity of marijuana was unearthed.

The farmer was cautioned and told of the offence but he

The ganja that was found in the man’s yard

did not claim ownership.

He along with the marijuana were escorted to the Whim Police Station where he was placed into custody.

The drug was weighed in his presence and amounted to 232 grams. An investigation has been launched.

Just recently Delon Rose, 28, was handed a two-year jail sentence after he was found trafficking 1048 grams (two pounds) of marijuana.

Reports are in January 2021; Police ranks stopped a minibus and conducted a search on its passengers and their personal belongings.

The vehicle was en route to Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). During the search on the vehicle, Police unearthed 30 bags containing cannabis in a five-gallon bucket. Rose admitted to owning the drug, and was arrested and charged.

Paint thief gets 6-month imprisonment New Suriname airline...

– 2 others remanded to prison for similar offences

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olex Williams, who appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday, was sentenced to six months on a simple larceny charge.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on March 14, 2021, he stole one water pump valued $25,000 and one hand saw valued $3500 along with one bucket of paint valued $12,000 belonging to Robert.

Also appearing before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly

was Winston John, also known as “Black Boy” of Laine Avenue, Georgetown.

Police stated that on January 9, 2021, at James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, John allegedly stole two and a half packs of Digicel phone cards along with 40 pieces of GTT phone cards valued $8000, property of Audrey.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of $30,000. He is set to return to

court on May 14, 2021.

Meanwhile, Clive Bobb also found himself before the court on Friday and was remanded to prison on a break and enter and larceny charge.

The charge alleged that between March 15 and March 16, 2021, at North Road, Georgetown, he stole six windows valued $180,000 along with 1 steel grill valued $60,000, property of Nigel.

Bobb pleaded guilty. The matter was adjourned to May 20, 2021.

Gold dealer executed outside Main Street night spot

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opular gold dealer and close associate of Roger Khan, Ricardo Fagundes, also called "Paper Shorts", was on Sunday evening executed at a popular night spot on Main Street, Georgetown.

Fagundes, of Lot 25 Sandy Babb Street, Georgetown, was reportedly standing in front of the night spot when the shooter walked up to him and pumped several bullets into his body.

He reportedly dropped to the ground and died almost immediately. Guyana Times was told that after the shooting, the suspect fled the scene in a waiting motor car.

Fagundes is no stranger to the law. In 2017, Fagundes, who is a former employee of embattled gold dealer Saddiqi “Bobby” Rasul, was arrested by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) in massive money laundering scheme.

It was reported that during raids by SOCU, a number of vehicles were seized including a jet ski, three luxury motorbikes, cellphones and a large cache of ammunition.

The raids were conducted in light of the money laundering investigation that

Dead: Ricardo Fagundes also called "Paper Shorts" was launched against Rasul and alleged corruption with the Guyana Gold Board.

It was reported that the company, R Mining Inc made several transactions with the Gold Board – R Mining Inc and SSS Minerals Trading Enterprises.

SSS Minerals Trading Enterprises is licensed to buy gold from miners and sell to the Gold Board, but based on records at hand, the bulk of the gold sold was from R Mining, which was only supposed to be engaged in mining activities.

It was also reported that

by using R Mining Inc, Rasul was exempted from paying taxes amounting to some $100 million for the months the transactions were done.

This is according to sources from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

It was further reported that during the transaction period (SeptemberNovember), Rasul’s companies sold 31,790 ounces of gold to the Gold Board, valued $7.67 billion.

After the revelation, the Natural Resources Ministry has ordered an investigation into the members of the new Board of Directors of the Gold Board.

Rasul had reportedly robbed and conned several gold dealers of hundreds of millions of dollars.

He presently has several lawsuits pending from clients that he took money from to purchase gold, but instead, fraudulently converted it to his own use.

One of the biggest frauds, however, was in relation to him collecting $956 million from a local bank after depositing six bounced cheques between March 21 and 24, 2017 in the amounts of $290 million, $96 million, $138 million, $89 million, $298 million, and $45 million.

“I have been asked by the Board [of Directors of the CJIA] through the Chief Executive Officer (Ramesh Ghir) and representation is being made for the vaccination of all the staff of the airport because they are really frontline workers as well.

So, my engagement with the Minister of Health and the letter that has already been transmitted, will very well see in the very shortest possible time, all the staff, which will include immigration, customs, handlers and all the staff at the airport being vaccinated,” he added.

Meanwhile, the addition of this new airline from

Suriname comes on the heels of an Open Skies Agreement that Guyana inked with Suriname in December last year.

The historic pact will allow for easier travel between the two neighbouring States, thus further connecting the countries and their citizens, while also improving production and economic growth between the two.

The Public Works Ministry had said too that the agreement will release restrictions on aircraft time and restrictions on aircraft cargo among others.

Given that Suriname has good connectivity to Europe

FROM PAGE 13

and the Dutch Caribbean and Guyana is connected to the Caribbean and North America, the airlines operating in both countries are expected benefit from traffic and growth opportunities.

Guyana currently has several airlines operating to various international routes, with the most recent being JetBlue, which started flights here from the United States in December 2020.

Additionally, talks are ongoing with other airlines that have expressed interest in operating in Guyana including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Canada’s West Jet Airlines among others.

16 NEWS 70-Y-O woman is Guyana’s 215th COVID-19 fatality MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

— active cases skyrocket to 930 with 64 new cases on Sunday

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nother person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has died, the Ministry of Health reported on Sunday. This now takes the death toll to 215.

The latest fatality is a 70-year-old female from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), who died on Saturday while receiving care at a medical facility.

Over the past week, Guyana recorded seven COVID-19 deaths. These include: two men – a 70-yearold from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and a 50-year-old from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) – who died on Friday; three more males, two of whom were 66 years old and from Region Four, and a 42-year-old from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) all died on Wednesday; then a 66-year-old female from the Demerara-Mahaica region became Guyana’s 209th fatality after she died on Tuesday, and an 89-year-old female from Region Three, who died on Monday, was the country’s first COVID-19 death last week.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry also reported on Sunday that 64 more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Guyana.

According to statistics provided by the Ministry, the total number of confirmed cases now stand at 9649 – 4938 males and 4711 females. Alarmingly, of the positive cases, 930 are currently active.

This includes 12 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining 918 persons in isolation, that is, 57 in institutional isolation and the other 867 in home isolation.

Additionally, there are also 13 persons in institutional quarantine.

Some 8498 persons have recovered from the life-threatening virus in the country to date – nine more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.

A total of 82,106 persons have been tested thus far for the novel coronavirus in Guyana.

Of the 64 new cases recorded on Sunday, five were detected in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); a whopping 43 cases in the Demerara-Mahaica region; one in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); 12 in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni region; one in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo)

and two cases in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The figures in the other four regions – Region One (Barima-Waini), Region

Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) and Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) – remained the same.

In order to curb the spread of the virus and reduce the country’s death toll from the pandemic, Guyana rolled out its vaccination campaign last week and has thus far inoculated more than 15,500.

The exercise started with 3000 doses of OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine donated by the Barbados Government. These were given to frontline medical workers.

Then Guyana received 20,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from China, followed by a whopping 80,000 doses of the AstraZeneca jab from the Indian Government.

Another 104,000 doses are expected through the COVAX mechanism and within the next two weeks, an additional 50,000 doses of the Russian-developed Sputnik vaccine will reach Guyana’s shores.

Elderly persons and those with comorbidities along with members of the Joint Services and teachers are currently being vaccinated.

Meanwhile, health authorities are reminding all Guyanese to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No

15), which were extended for this month and will be in effect until March 31, 2021.

Among these measures is the 22:30h (10 pm) to 04:00h (4 am) national curfew which remains intact.

Restaurants and places of worship continue to operate at 40 per cent capacity. Gyms are to operate at 50 per cent capacity while sporting events are only permitted with approval from the Health Minister.

The order further emphasises the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others, and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of Sunday, some 122,524,424 confirmed cases were reported globally along with 2,703,620 deaths.

The World Health Organisation 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 53,937,714 while the death toll in the region has gone up to 1,299,243.

Police in Region 1 receive COVID-19 vaccines health workers and the elderly mainly because they are considered to be the most at risk.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips reiterated earlier this month that this vaccination campaign is part of Phase Two of the PPP/C Government’s plan to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The first phase dealt

with the emergency measures put in place to fortify the health system to deal with not only the spread but the tracing and treatment of infected persons.

The Government has already received 103,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, the latest being a batch of 80,000 AstraZeneca vaccines from India. It received

20,000 doses of Sinopharm from the People’s Republic of China and 3000 of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from Barbados.

The Government is awaiting a consignment of 104,000 vaccines through the COVAX mechanism, and 149,000 doses under a Caricom-African Union purchase agreement.

Siblings granted bail for assaulting each other Police Commander of Region One Superintendent K Mandall and other ranks taking the COVID-19 vaccine

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egional Commander for Region One (Barima-Waini), Superintendent K Mandall and ranks of the Mabaruma Police Station in Region One (Barima-Waini) received their COVID-19 vaccinations on Saturday.

They all received their COVID-19 vaccine at the Mabaruma Hospital by the regional health team. In a statement on Saturday, Police said the ranks were sensitised about the benefits of taking the vaccine, the possible side effects and the date they should return to take the second dose.

“They were given reading material on the said COVID-19 vaccine and paracetamol tablets to drink every 8 hours. In ad-

dition, the ranks were encouraged to sensitise their colleagues and members of the public on the importance of preventing death and hospitalisation due to COVID-19 by taking the vaccine whenever it is available for them,” the statement read.

So far, there were no side effects and all the ranks who took the said vaccine are well. Also, “those taking the vaccine will continually be monitored”.

The Government’s vaccination programme targets frontline workers,

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ayne Wilson and Tiesha Wilson, both of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly and were granted bail on assault charges.

It is alleged that on March 15, 2021, at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Tiesha Wilson made use of abusive language towards Wayne Wilson. It was further stated that on the same day, she also made use of threatening language towards him.

Meanwhile, Wayne was charged with assault. It is alleged that on March 15, at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he unlawfully assaulted Teisha Wilson so as to cause her actual bodily harm. Furthermore, on March 15, he also made use of abusive language to-

wards her.

In stating the facts of the case, the Police prosecutor explained that on the day in question at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Wayne and Tiesha had breached the peace bond.

Tiesha was granted bail in the sum of $5000 per charge while Wayne was placed on $15,000 bail for the assault charge and $5000 bail for his latter charge. The siblings are set to return to court on April 21, 2021.

Meanwhile, Monifah Hackett of East La Penitence, Georgetown, also made a court appearance to answer to the charge of unlawful wounding.

Police stated that in November 2020 at Tucville, Georgetown, she unlawfully and maliciously wound-

ed Police Sergeant Clive Clarke.

Further, the Police prosecutor stated that on the day in question, Hackett allegedly took a metal spade and dealt the Sergeant one blow to the right side of his face. Hackett pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of $30,000.

The matter has since been adjourned to April 22.

Also appearing before Magistrate Daly for an unlawfully wounding charge was Denzil Benjamin. The charge read to him by the Senior Magistrate stated that between March 12 and March 14, at Brickdam, Georgetown, he unlawfully wounded Shane Davidson.

Benjamin was granted bail in the sum of $30,000.

The matter has been adjourned to May 21.

NEWS

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MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

UN agencies, experts call on Latin America and Caribbean to unite visions ahead of food summit

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t a side event to the Forum of the Countries on Sustainable Development 2021, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, Alicia Bárcena, urged the Region to act with a single voice to promote healthier, more sustainable and more equitable food systems.

The region of Latin America and the Caribbean must unite visions and take a single voice to the United Nations Food Systems Summit, which will be held

in September of this year, with the aim of implementing bold, new measures to advance on achievement of the 2030 Agenda’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UN authorities in the region and international experts indicated last week while meeting in the framework of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development 2021.

The side event to the Forum entitled “Latin

ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena

America and the Caribbean on the road towards the United Nations Food Systems Summit” was organised jointly by the

Economic Commission Latin America and Caribbean (ECLAC) the Regional Office Latin America and

for the and for the

Canadian Michael Kovrig, accused by China of spying, faces trial

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he second of two Canadians detained in China for more than two years, Michael Kovrig, was due to face trial today for alleged espionage, days after the United States raised its concerns over the cases during tense US-China talks in Alaska.

China arrested Kovrig, a former diplomat, and

fellow Canadian Michael Spavor in December 2018, soon after Canadian Police detained Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer of Chinese tech company Huawei Technologies, on a US warrant.

Beijing insists the detentions are not linked to the arrest of Meng, who remains under house arrest in Vancouver as she fights

extradition to the United States.

On Friday, Spavor, a businessman, underwent trial behind closed doors in a court in the north-eastern city of Dandong, which said it will set a date later for a verdict.

Canadian and other diplomats were not allowed to attend Spavor’s trial on what China said were na-

tional security grounds, a lack of transparency that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called “completely unacceptable”.

Observers have said the likely convictions of the two men could ultimately facilitate a diplomatic agreement whereby they are released and sent back to Canada. (Excerpt from Reuters)

COVID-19: Miami Beach imposes emergency curfew over spring break chaos

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state of emergency has been declared in the US city of Miami Beach over concerns that large crowds gathering for spring break pose a coronavirus risk.

A 20:00-06:00 curfew has been announced in the island city that will remain in effect until at least April 12.

Traffic restrictions are in place during the curfew, while businesses in the busy South Beach area must close.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said thousands of tourists had brought "chaos and disorder" to the city.

"It feels like a rock con-

cert, wall-to-wall people over blocks and blocks," Gelber told CNN. "If you're coming here to go crazy, go somewhere else."

Spring break is a holiday period for schools and universities in the US that usually takes place in March or April. It attracts thousands of students to Florida and other warm-weather destinations around the country.

Officials warned tourists to "vacation responsibly or be arrested" prior to the holiday period, and a county-wide midnight coronavirus curfew was already in place due to the pandemic.

But the Miami Beach

area was thronged with revellers over the weekend, and many did not appear to be wearing masks or socially distancing.

One city official described South Beach, which includes the world-famous

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At least 249 people have now been killed since the coup, according to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group

a group setting up a barricade in the central town of Monywa, a doctor there said as a community group issued a call on Facebook for blood donors.

Bárcena emphasized that while we are all part of food systems, not all of us participate in them under equal conditions. She also announced that a pre-summit would take place in Rome, on July 19-21, 2021.

“The United Nations Food Systems Summit invites us to reflect on these issues. On our lifestyles. On our role as consumers. To reformulate our relationship to the environment,” she stated.

ECLAC’s highest authority indicated that it was necessary to give greater impetus to new production models, and she highlighted the development of the bioeconomy, for example, as a way to increase sustainability and inclusion in food systems, improving management and the use of resources, waste and by-products all along the food supply chain.

“Latin America and the Caribbean needs to articulate a single voice ahead of the Food Systems Summit.

Our region, which is an abundant food producer, must be capable of promoting and consolidating healthier, more sustainable and more equitable food systems,” Bárcena stressed.

(Excerpt from ECLAC)

Nawal El Saadawi, Egyptian author and women’s rights icon, dies

A city official said the measures would help keep residents and visitors safe over the holiday period

Ocean Drive, as being "overwhelmed" by crowds on Saturday.

"You couldn't see pavement and you couldn't see grass," city manager Raul Aguila said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Myanmar protesters defiant as 2 more killed, pressure on junta grows

emonstrators in Myanmar maintained their dogged opposition to military rule on Sunday despite a rising death toll, with two more people killed as the junta appeared equally determined to resist growing pressure to compromise.

The country has been in turmoil since the military overthrew an elected Government led by Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, bringing an end to 10 years of tentative democratic reform.

One man was shot dead and several were wounded when Police opened fire on

Caribbean of FAO, in collaboration with the Office of UN Regional Commissions in New York.

In this regional conversation on Food Systems – the objective of which was to raise awareness and promote Latin American and Caribbean stakeholder engagement in the dialogue processes of the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) – the participants included Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary; Julio Berdegué, FAO’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean; David Nabarro, Senior Advisor to the UNFSS dialogue process; and Jamie Morrison, Director of the Food Systems and Food Safety Division of FAO, along with representatives of the Latin American Federation of Food Markets – FLAMA; Consumers International, Confederation of Family Farm Producer Organisations of the expanded MERCOSUR – COPROFAM; the Network of Indigenous Youth of Latin America and the Caribbean and the Caricom Private Sector Organisation (CPSO).

In her welcome remarks,

Later, one person was killed and several were wounded when security forces fired on a crowd in the second city of Mandalay, the Myanmar Now news portal

reported.

At least 249 people have now been killed since the coup, according to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group.

The violence has forced many citizens to think up novel ways to express their rejection of a return to army rule.

“Failure of the military regime, our cause our cause ... federal democracy, our cause our cause,” one crowd chanted as the sky was beginning to brighten and birds called from trees lining deserted streets during a dawn protest. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Nawal El Saadawi wrote more than 55 books over the course of her life [File: Reuters]

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orld-renowned Egyptian author Nawal El Saadawi, an outspoken champion of women’s rights in the Arab world, has died at the age of 89, her family said.

El Saadawi passed away in a Cairo hospital after suffering a long illness, her daughter, Mona Helmy, said on Sunday.

Born in the village of Kafir Tahla in 1931, El Saadawi rose to prominence in 1972 with her taboo-breaking book, Women and Sex, but she shot to fame with her widely translated novel Women at Point Zero in 1975.

With more than 55 books to her name, she was briefly jailed by late President Anwar Sadat and also con-

demned by Al-Azhar, the highest Sunni Muslim authority in Egypt.

“I write in Arabic. All my books are in Arabic and then they are translated. My role is to change my people,” El Saadawi, who faced many death threats throughout her life, said.

On her troubles with the Government, El Saadawi had said: “Sadat put me in prison along with some other men. Under [longtime President Hosni] Mubarak, I’ve been ‘greylisted’.

Although there is no official order banning me, I can’t appear in the national media – it’s an unwritten rule.

There is no chance for people like me to be heard by the people.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

Regional

COVID: Chile hospitals almost full IDB supports Belize in ensuring timely COVID-19 C vaccine accessibility hile’s vaccination rate is the third highest in the world, according to some experts, but that hasn’t stopped another resurgence in COVID-19.

Infection rates are currently higher there than at any point in the pandemic.

Almost all hospital beds in the country are full and a new lockdown is being imposed in the capital Santiago.

More than 8.5 million vaccine doses have been administered in the country of 19 million people, accord-

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COVID-19 rates are rising in Chile

ing to Oxford University’s COVID tracker. But officials say new variants and a relaxation of restrictions has led to the resurgence in cas-

es.

In total, Chile has recorded 925,089 cases and 22,180 deaths from COVID-19.

(BBC News)

PNM Tobago tells PDP follow the law or else talks are off

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ollow the law otherwise, talks are off.”

The Tobago Council of the People’s National Movement (PNM) sounded that warning to the Progressive Democratic Patriots(PDP) on Sunday, in response to the PDP’s leader Watson Duke’s March 20 statement on Facebook that all deals, on the power-sharing arrangement between the two parties, are off.

The island council’s leader Tracy DavidsonCelestine told Guardian Media,” Given that all deals are off the table ... we await the passage of (either) bill to trigger the next elections.”

The Tobago House of

Assembly (Amendment) Act (2021) was passed in Parliament and assented to by President PaulaMae Weekes, giving the Elections and Boundaries Commissions (EBC) 90 days to complete its findings on the increased electoral districts from 12 to 15.

The Constitution (Amendment) Tobago SelfGovernment) Bill, 2018, requiring a three-fifths majority, is yet to reach Parliament’s floor.

However, DavidsonCelestine said the PNM was willing to continue talks with the PDP if the party was willing to follow the Tobago House of Assembly’s Act #40 0f 1996.

“We will not allow the PDP leader Watson Duke to

bully us. If he isn’t prepared to accept the law, then he makes it difficult for us to move forward. His public rants are not encouraging and clearly what the PDP is attempting to do is to create a parallel Executive Council which doesn’t augur well for the good governance of the island.”

She added: “His recent statements also indicate that he now wishes to go back to the House to do something that we have not succeeded in doing up to this point. Duke must understand that if we don’t operate within the mechanism afforded to us, that the THA operations will be brought into chaos.” (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

he Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) says it is supporting Belize’s health sector in ensuring timely COVID-19 vaccine accessibility to the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Member State.

The Washington-based financial institution said it has approved the first hybrid sovereign guarantee operation, with an investment loan and a guarantee for Belize.

“The US$2.1 million guarantee will provide support for interventions to contain the transmission of the virus by increasing and facilitating ac-

cess to COVID-19 vaccines,” the IDB said.

“Specifically, it will consist of the issuance of a sovereign guarantee to cover the purchase of the committed doses of COVID-19 vaccines, channelled through ‘Gavi’ Alliance’s COVAX Facility,” it added.

In addition, the IDB said the investment portion, which consists of US$2.8 million, will facilitate vaccine accessibility.

The IDB said this component would finance investments for the National COVID-19 Vaccine

Introduction Plan involving activities to strengthen logistics of conservation (storage and cold chain management); distribution and deployment of vaccines (transportation and application), and it will support facility readiness, stock tracking, and vaccination registry.

Besides, the IDB said the component would include the development and execution of a public information campaign regarding the vaccine and its benefits in order to encourage demand among the population. (CMC)

Brazil’s Bolsonaro calls Governors “tyrants” over lockdowns

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razilian President Jair Bolsonaro has described as “tyrants” State Governors and Mayors who have imposed lockdowns to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Addressing supporters at his birthday celebrations in Brasilia, he said his Government had done all it could and it was now time to reopen the economy.

Last week, the country’s leading health institute Fiocruz warned of a historic collapse of Brazil’s health service.

It said Intensive Care Units (ICU) in hospitals were running out of capacity.

Bolsonaro, who was 66 on Sunday, has consistently op-

posed quarantine measures, arguing that the collateral damage to the economy would be worse than the effects of the virus itself.

Earlier this month, the President told Brazilians to “stop whining” about the pandemic.

Bolsonaro’s handling of the outbreak has triggered widespread criticism both at home and abroad.

Brazil has the world’s second-highest number of COVID-19-related deaths – only behind the US. More than 294,000 people have died since the start of the pandemic, with nearly 12 million confirmed infections, according to America’s Johns Hopkins University.

In a separate development, Brazil’s Health Ministry said on Sunday it was lifting its requirement for local authorities to reserve half their vaccine stockpiles for second doses.

Outgoing Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello said the aim was to get at least one vaccine dose to the maximum number of people as fast as possible, according to the AFP news agency.

Brazil has been struggling with the rollout of its vaccination programme across the vast country. So far, it has been using the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine and China’s CoronaVac, both of which require two jabs.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Caribbean nationals held in suspected human smuggling activity Indian High Commissioner

hits Rowley on ‘personal attack’ in vaccines row

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The US Coast Guard intercepted 15 Caribbean nationals

he United States Coast Guard law enforcement teams have interdicted several Caribbean nationals in a suspected human smuggling venture off the south coast of Florida.

According to Coast Guard officials, the suspects – two Bahamians, seven Jamaicans, two Haitians, and four Dominican Republic nationals, were nabbed last Wednesday in a 29-foot vessel about five miles off West Palm Beach, Florida.

“Some passengers were brought ashore for fur-

ther investigation of potential criminal charges

by Homeland Security Investigations and the remaining passengers were repatriated to the Bahamas Friday,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.

The US Coast Guard said a CBP AMO aircraft notified Coast Guard Station Miami watchstanders of the suspected smuggling vessel about 00:20h.

“Wednesday’s case spotlights the great work done every day by Air and Marine and our DHS part-

ners,” said John Priddy, Executive Director of the AMO Southeast Region.

“With our integrated operations, we get the job done and protect our homeland.”

Since October 1, 2020, the US Coast Guard said crews have interdicted 78 Bahamians, eight Jamaicans, 182 Haitians and 194 Dominican Republicans compared to fiscal year 2020, October 1, 2019-September 30, 2020, in which crews interdicted 194 Bahamians, four Jamaicans, 418 Haitians and 1117 Dominican Republicans. (CMC)

ndian High Commissioner Arun Kumar Sahu has hit back at the Prime Minister over his remarks on Sahu’s lack of communication to the Trinidad and Tobago Government on the availability of Covid-19 vaccines from India.

“I don’t think it is in the pale of diplomatic decency to personally attack a resident High Commissioner,” Sahu said in an e-mail issued to the media by his office on Friday.

The High Commissioner’s statement follows Dr Rowley’s report on Government’s efforts to obtain vaccines in the televised forum Conversations with the Prime Minister in St Joseph on Thursday.

The Prime Minister said the Government communicated directly with India and there was no confirmation of 500,000 vaccines being available to Caricom, as had been reported. He said the country was not invited to be part of any free vaccine distribution programme.

Two weeks ago,

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at a Conversations with the PM forum on Thursday evening in Mt Lambert where he admitted not knowing when T&T will get its COVID vaccines

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar accused the Government of not positioning TT to receive some of the 500,000 vaccines sent by India to countries in the Region.

A spat between Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne and Persad-Bissessar followed after she wrote to India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on behalf of T&T requesting a donation of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines.

As of March 18, vaccine Maitri had been distributed to 71 countries. But there has been no word on whether or not India would be sending any vaccine gifts to T&T after Persad-Bissessar’s letter.

The Prime Minister added that he was clueless as to when T&T will receive its ordered batch of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX facility. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Saudi Aramco's profits slide nearly 45% after lower oil demand

T

he oil giant Saudi Aramco has announced that its profits fell sharply last year as lockdowns around the world curbed demand for oil.

Earnings in 2020 fell by nearly 45 per cent compared with 2019.

Saudi Aramco, one of the largest companies in the world, still made a profit of US$49 billion (£35 billion) however and said shareholders would still receive dividends totalling US$75 billion.

Aramco's largest shareholder is the Saudi Government.

The firm said it had been "one of the most challenging years in recent history".

Over the course of last year, the price of oil fell by a fifth as countries halted travel, closed down industries and restricted many day-to-day activities, reducing demand for energy and fuel.

Other big oil and gas firms such as Royal Dutch Shell and BP also saw profits plummet. Exxon Mobil, the largest US energy company, posted its first annual loss.

The oil price has recovered slightly since December to US$64.53 for a barrel of Brent Crude as the vaccine rollout gets under way.

"We are seeing a pick-up in demand in Asia and also positive signs elsewhere," said Saudi Aramco's chief executive, Amin Nasser. "We expect this to continue as governments and authorities around the world reopen economies."

However, Aramco faces other challenges. It has suffered two recent drone attacks on its installations because of Saudi involvement in the war in Yemen; one last Friday started a fire at an oil refinery in Riyadh.

Nasser said the refinery was back on stream within a few hours and that the firm had emergency response plans in place to deal with such attacks. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Khamenei says US promises have no credibility for Iran

I

ran does not trust US promises on lifting sanctions and will only return to its commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal once Washington fully removes the measures, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday.

The Administration of US President Joe Biden is exploring ways to restore the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran signed with major world powers, but which was abandoned in 2018 by President Donald Trump, who reimposed sanctions. Iran retaliated by breaching the terms of the accord in a step-bystep response.

The United States and the other Western powers that signed up to the 2015 deal appear to be at odds with Tehran over which side should return to the accord first, making it unlikely that US sanctions which have crippled Iran’s economy can be quickly removed.

“We trusted America at the time of (former US President Barack) Obama and fulfilled our commitments. But they didn’t. The Americans said on paper that sanctions will be lifted, but they didn’t lift sanctions in practice,” Khamenei said in a speech on state TV. “Their promises have no credibility for us.”

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks live on television after casting his ballot in the Iranian presidential election in Tehran, June 12, 2009

“On paper, they said the sanctions were lifted but they told any company that wanted to sign a contract with us that this was dangerous and risky. They scared away investors,” Khamenei said.

“The Americans must lift all sanctions. We will verify it and if sanctions are ... really cancelled, we will return to our obligations without any problems,” Khamenei said.

“We have a lot of patience and we are not in a hurry.”

Khamenei, who has the final say in matters of state, said Iranian planners should act on a worst-case scenario that sanctions would not be lifted soon. (Excerpt from Reuters)

19

Around the World

Several killed in Govt attack on hospital in northwest Syria

A

rtillery shelling has killed six civilians, including a child when it hit a surgical hospital in rebel-held northwest Syria, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has said in a statement.

The attack on Sunday in the town of Atareb has also wounded 16 civilians including five health staff, the IRC said. The hospital is now out of service.

The attack came despite a Russian-Turkish ceasefire in force since March 2020, covering the wider rebel-held stronghold in northwest Syria.

Turkey’s Defence Ministry and a war monitor earlier reported that Syrian Government artillery fire hit the hospital’s main entrance inside a cave.

“Although SAMS shared the hospital’s coordinates through the UN’s notification system, it came under attack and has now been damaged so severely that it can no longer be used,” Rehana Zawar, the IRC’s country director for northwest Syria said in a statement.

“This is the fifth attack on health care that has been recorded so far this year, and brings the total number of attacks on health care since January 2019 to 118.

“Health facilities are protected under international law and should be safe havens in times of crisis, but after 10 years of war this is not the case in Syria.

Since the start of the conflict, Physicians for Human

Syrian mourners pray during a funeral in the village of Atareb in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo

Rights have documented close to 600 attacks on health care,” Zawar said.

Al Jazeera’s Adham Abu Hussam, reporting from

neighbouring rebel-held Idlib province, said that the hospital used to serve some 100,000 people in the area.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Icelandic volcano subsiding COVID: Masks and social after 1st eruption in 900 years distancing “could last years”

A

volcano that spewed glowing red lava near Iceland’s capital Reykjavik after awakening for the first time in 900 years appeared to be subsiding and posing no danger to people, experts said.

Streams of red lava bubbled and flowed out of a fissure in a valley in Geldingadalur, close to Mount Fagradalsfjall on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwestern Iceland.

The eruption occurred on Friday about 20:45 GMT, lighting up the night sky with a crimson glow as hundreds of small earthquakes shook the area.

Iceland’s Keflavik International Airport and the small fishing port of Grindavik are just a few kilometres away, but the zone is uninhabited and the eruption did not present any danger to the public.

“The eruption is considered small at this stage and the volcanic activity has somewhat decreased since yester-

day evening,” the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), which monitors seismic activity, said in a statement on Saturday.

IMO earthquake hazards coordinator Kristin Jonsdottir said it was “very likely the eruption will last for the next few days”.

Sigurdur Kristmundsson, a 54-year-old Grindavik port official, told AFP news agency that locals were exhilarated by the eruption.

“Nobody is in danger or anything like that. So I think people are excited and not afraid of it.”

In 2010, an eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland sent clouds of ash and dust into the atmosphere, interrupting air travel between Europe and North America because of concerns the material could damage jet engines.

More than 100,000 flights were grounded, stranding millions of passengers. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

P

eople may need to wear face coverings and socially distance for several years until we return to normality, a leading epidemiologist has predicted.

Mary Ramsay, the head of immunisation at Public Health England, said basic measures could be in place until other countries successfully roll out jabs.

She also said a return of big spectator events required careful monitoring and clear instructions about staying safe. The Defence Secretary has not ruled out the foreign holiday ban being extended.

Ben Wallace told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that booking a break abroad now would be "premature" and "potentially risky".

The UK set another record for the number of coronavirus vaccine doses given in a single day on Saturday, with 844,285 jabs.

Dr Ramsay said restrictions such as face coverings in crowded places and social distancing had become accepted by many and still allowed the economy to function.

Warning it was "very important that we do not relax too quickly", Dr Ramsay said any circulating virus would inevitably pick on those who are vulnerable.

"We have to look very carefully before any of these restrictions are lifted," she said.

A group of government scientific advisers said last month that "maintaining a baseline of policies which reduce transmission" will be necessary for some time to come.

Those experts said these could include continuing testand-trace, self-isolation, and public messaging that encourages "voluntary actions to reduce risks". (Excerpt from BBC News)

Australia floods: Thousands to be evacuated as downpours worsen

T

housands of Australians are set to be evacuated from their homes as severe flooding in the Sydney area worsens.

Days of torrential downpours across large areas of New South Wales state have caused rivers and dams to overflow, damaging homes.

The state's premier said the weather system that has caused the worst floods in decades was not going away and people should take it seriously.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has offered funds for those forced to flee.

Forecasters predict that the Hawkesbury river, north-west of Sydney, will reach its highest level since

Towns on the New South Wales coast like Port Macquarie have been badly affected

a devastating flood in 1961 today.

And the Warragamba Dam, Sydney's main water source, has been overflowing for the first time in years.

On Sunday a young couple in New South Wales saw

their house swept away by flash floods on what should have been their wedding day.

Shocked neighbours filmed the uprooted three-bedroom cottage bobbing along the Manning riv-

er after it burst its banks following heavy rain.

Seven emergency shelters have opened across the state.

Waters are not expected to subside until Thursday.

About 1000 people in western Sydney have been forced to leave their homes.

Several thousand more in the Hawkesbury-Nepean valley could be evacuated in the coming days, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

Roads and bridges have been cut off and more than 100 schools have been closed.

Flights have been suspended at Newcastle airport, which is 117km (72 miles) north of Sydney. (Excerpt from BBC News)

20

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

A passionate approach to life, love and learning will (March 21lead to opportunity. Choose April 19) to do what’s best for you instead of helping someone get ahead. Physical fitness will encourage better health.

ARIES

Refuse to let your emotions step in when discipline (April 20is required. You’ll discover a May 20) reason to pause before you start something new. Discuss your ideas with important people in your life.

TAURUS

DILBERT

Educate yourself and GEMINI (May 21- make personal adjustments before you make a major deciJune 20) sion. An opportunity is worthwhile only if it’s something that will improve your life.

Choose peace of mind over money.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Personal planning will lead to better health, greater confidence and enthusiastic support from someone who shares your mindset. Incorporate physical fitness and a nutritious diet into your everyday routine.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Stop pondering what to do and take a leap of faith. Let your heart lead the way, and allow the people you know and trust to help you reach your destination. Share with someone special.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Refuse to let an emotional incident hinder your efficiency. Focus on what you need to achieve, not on what someone does or says.

Personal growth will help you let go of detrimental old habits.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SUDOKU

Express your feelings and clear up any uncertainty. Use your imagination, and be descriptive regarding your plans, but don’t be misleading. Take better care of your health and emotional well-being.

Try doing things differently, and you will discover things about yourself that will help you get ahead. Tidy up loose ends and indulge in something that brings you peace of mind.

Less talk and more action SAGITTARIUS will help you get where you (Nov. 23want to go. Put a little musDec. 21) cle behind your dreams, and you’ll achieve what you set out to do. Self-improvement will enhance your appearance.

Protect

your

physical

CAPRICORN and emotional health. It’s (Dec. 22essential to take a break Jan. 19) and assess your situa-

tion before you bring about change. Don’t get angry if someone has other ideas about the future.

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

A creative outlet will ease stress. Spend time with someone who shares your passion. A solid plan for major progress will develop.

Added discipline will get you where you want to go.

PISCES A change will help you get (Feb. 20- on with your life. Consider the March 20) things that make you happy and pursue them. Surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you. It’s time for new beginnings.

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

21

LeBron James injures ankle in defeat by Atlanta Hawks L

eBron James will be "out indefinitely" after sustaining a high right ankle sprain in the Los Angeles Lakers' 9994 defeat by the Atlanta Hawks. James, 36, cried out after rolling his ankle in the second quarter on Saturday and had to leave the game.

The Lakers are already without injured forward Anthony Davis, who starred alongside James in leading them to the NBA title last year.

"I'm hurt inside and out right n o w , " J a m e s said on social media.

"Nothing angers and saddens me more than not being available to and for my team-

mates.

The road back from recovery begins now – back soon like I never left."

Fourtime

NBA champion James was injured in a collision with Solomon Hill as the Hawks forward dived for a loose ball and landed on James' leg. After going down and clutching his ankle, James briefly returned to hit a three-pointer, but soon had to limp back to the locker room, knocking over a chair in frustration on his way.

The Lakers later confirmed he had a high right ankle sprain and would be "out indefinitely". Lakers players Montrezl Harrell and Dennis

Schroder criticised Hill f o r an "unnecessary play", but Hill responded on social media by saying he "would never disrespect the game

and take a player out purposely" and that he was "praying for a speedy recovery" for James.

The Lakers struggled in James' absence as John Collins' 27 points led the Hawks to their eighth straight victory, taking them to joint fourth with the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference.

The Lakers, who are third in the Western Conference behind the Utah Jazz, now face a run of games

without their two biggest stars, with Davis having already missed 14 successive games owing to a calf injury with him not expected to return until April.

Elsewhere, Eastern Conference leaders the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Sacramento Kings 129-105, despite the absence of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

Simmons was ruled out late on with a sore left knee,

while Embiid is still out with a bone bruise in his left knee. Tobias Harris hit 29 points and Shake Milton added 28 to see off the Kings.

Two-time reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 points and 15 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the San Antonio Spurs 120-113.

The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Golden State Warriors 111-103, while the Los Angeles Clippers eased past the Charlotte Hornets 125-98.

(BBC Sport)

Arsenal come from 3-0 down to rescue point in West Ham thriller

Archer to miss India ODIs and start of IPL season, ECB confirms

J

ofra Archer will miss England's One-Day International (ODI) series in India and the early stages of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed.

As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Archer's elbow injury has become a growing concern for the England management over the course of the tour to India, and will be investigated further by the ECB's medical team when he returns to the United Kingdom.

It is understood that Archer's IPL franchise, Rajasthan Royals, remain optimistic about the possibility of him featuring for them this season, but have accounted for him missing at least the first few matches of the league phase. The tournament starts on April 9.

"Jofra's elbow issue has deteriorated over the course of the T20I series and made it increasingly difficult for him to maintain performance levels," an ECB statement said.

"He has been deemed unfit for selection for the ODI series that features matches on 23, 26 and 28 March.

"The ECB medical team will assess the player and, together with Jofra, develop

a treatment plan and a return-to-play schedule in due course. As a consequence, Jofra will miss the start of this year's Indian Premier League."

England have named a 14-man squad for the ODI series, featuring nine of the squad that won the World Cup in 2019. Joe Root and Chris Woakes both flew home after the Test series and have not returned to India.

Matt Parkinson, the 24-year-old leg-spinner who won two caps in South Africa in February 2020, may be given an opportunity as the only player to have been with the England camp throughout their winter schedule in Sri Lanka and India, while his Lancashire team-mate Liam Livingstone is in line to make his ODI debut.

Root's absence leaves England needing to reshuffle their batting order, while Sam Billings will be given another opportunity to impress after making his maiden international hundred in their most recent ODI series against Australia in September.

Captain Eoin Morgan hinted ahead of the T20I series that he would use the 50-over leg of the tour to look at fringe players, and Reece Topley, the tall left-arm seamer, is

likely to be handed chances at some stage.

Jake Ball, Chris Jordan, and Dawid Malan will remain with the squad as reserves in case of injury or illness.

England travelled to Pune from Ahmedabad on Sunday, ahead of the first ODI on Tuesday. (ESPNcricinfo) Alexandre Lacazette's late header rescued a point for Arsenal

A

Jofra Archer

rsenal came from three goals down to rescue a point in a stunning game against London rivals West Ham in the Premier League.

The Hammers raced into a three-goal lead at London Stadium through Jesse Lingard, Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek, who touched in a Michail Antonio header.

The visitors gave themselves hope when an Alexandre Lacazette effort went in off Soucek for an own goal just before half-time.

West Ham defender Craig Dawson turned in Arsenal full-back Calum Chambers' low cross for another own goal in the 61st minute. And Lacazette completed the comeback with a thump-

ing header from Nicolas Pepe's cross, before both sides had late chances to win the game.

The result leaves the Hammers two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in fifth, while Arsenal move above Aston Villa into ninth.

Lacazette inspires comeback after desperate opening

Arsenal were second best in the first half and looked almost certain to lose further ground in the race for European places after a frantic opening.

At 3-0 down, they looked a beaten side, but Lacazette inspired Mikel Arteta's side to a point, hitting a volley which took a deflection off Soucek for Arsenal's

opener. Lacazette saw his dinked attempt cleared off the line by Issa Diop seconds after the restart as the Gunners dominated in the second period.

After Dawson turned in Chambers' cross to further cut the deficit, the France striker rose highest to level the game late on. A defeat would have opened up a 10-point gap between the two sides and arguably end Arsenal's hopes of qualifying for a European competition through a top-six finish.

And while questions will be asked about their poor first-half performance, Arteta will take heart from his side's superb reaction against a disciplined West Ham. (BBC Sport)

22

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MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

BCB/Kevin Sinclair U-17 countywide tournament...

Rose Hall Canje clinical, Port Mourant trounce Rose Hall Town

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R

ose Hall Canje continued to announce themselves impressively in Berbice cricket, registering back-to-back wins in the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Kevin Sinclair Under-17 tournament.

Port Mourant also defeated rivals Rose Hall Town on Saturday.

Rose Hall Town v Port Mourant

In the match reduced to 47 overs and played at the Area H Ground, Port Mourant recorded a 59-run win on the back of solid performances from Mark Ramaleo and Salim Khan. Batting first, Port Mourant racked up 252-

Mark Ramaleo and Salim Khan

7 in 47 overs after the first ball was bowled off at 10:00h.

The lads from Port Mourant lost an early wicket at 29-1, but West Indies youth player Rampertab Ramnauth and Khan added 72 runs for the second wicket.

Ramnauth scored 49, inclusive of five fours and two sixes while Khan made 58, which was decorated with four boundaries. Ramaleo was the star with the bat, hitting an unbeaten 72, which was laced with eight fours. He also featured in a 77-run stand with Khan for the third wicket.

A total of 46 extras pushed Port Mourant to a big score of 252-7 when 47 overs had expired. Captain of the Rose Hall Town team, Christopher

Deerop claimed 3-31 in nine overs while off-spinner Matthew Pottoya was economical with 1-21 in 10 overs.

In reply, Rose Hall Town managed only 193-9 in 47 overs, with former Port Mourant player Romesh Bharrat scoring a fighting 57, which featured two fours. The little lad showed great determination, batting for a majority of the innings. Only Pottoya (16); Nyron Hicks (15) and Romesh Paras (14) offered any support as extras yielded 60 runs.

Khan returned with the ball and claimed 3-23 in 10 overs while Romel Boodwah had 3-43 as the Port Mourant fielders dropped multiple catches.

Sanjay Algoo hit 152 for Rose Hall Canje

Rose Hall Canje in backto-back wins

Rose Hall Canje J's Supermarket U-17 team defeated Tucber Park by nine wickets. Batting first, Tucber Park made 83 all out in 23.3 overs with Isai Thorne wreaking havoc with 4-20. He was supported by Romario Ramdeholl (26) and Sanjay Algoo (2-20).

Ravishkar Sobhai (25) and Delon Hendore (15) were the top-scorers for Tucber Park.

In reply, Rose Hall Canje cruised to 87-1 in 15.3 overs, with Avishkar Persaud hitting an unbeaten 37 and Zadeen LaRose scoring 22.

Algoo was unbeaten on 10.

Earlier in the week, Rose Hall Canje recorded a huge 318-run win over Kendall Union, scoring their second 400+ total in the season. Rose Hall Canje racked up 4097 from 50 overs, with Algoo hitting 152, including nine fours and six maximums.

Thorne struck 95, which featured eight fours and six sixes, while Andrew Benneth made 61.

Rahul Victor (2-63) and Ganesh Harris (2-86) were the wicket-takers for Kendall Union.

In reply, Kendall Union made 91 all out.

Harris’s 57 was insufficient as Avishkar Persaud (2-13) and Travon Wharton (2-17) led a collective team effort in the 318-run win.

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Messi celebrates Barca record appearance with 2 goals

2237230-1

(Ext 55)

NOW!

L

Lionel Messi (second right)

ionel Messi celebrated a record-breaking 768th appearance for Barcelona with two goals as the Spanish giants thrashed Real Sociedad 6-1 in La Liga.

The Argentina forward, 33, moved one game clear of former midfielder Xavi's total as Barca closed the gap on leaders Atletico Madrid to four points.

Antoine Griezmann opened the scoring, Sergino Dest scored twice, and Ousmane Dembele also found the net.

Messi has now scored 23 league goals so far this season. At 5-0 down, Ander

Barrenetxea did manage to find a consolation goal for Sociedad with arguably the strike of the night, but it was far too late for Imanol Alguacil's side to stage a fightback at the Anoeta Stadium.

Messi did not disappoint on his history-making night, showing the same energy and enthusiasm he has done throughout his career for the Catalan club.

His first major act was to turn provider for American Dest to score his first goal for Barcelona. The threaded through-ball also took Messi's assist tally up to eight for the 2020-21 season. After

testing Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro twice in the first half, Messi finally grabbed a well-deserved reward during the second half by poking home Barca's fourth.

The icing on the cake for Messi came on 89 minutes when the Argentine's good link-up play with left-back Jordi Alba resulted in a second goal on his special night.

As much as the three points were a welcome birthday gift for boss Ronald Koeman, Barca still trail league leaders Atletico Madrid in the race to become champions.

Earlier on Sunday, Diego Simeone's men beat Alaves

1-0, thanks to Luis Suarez's 500th career goal and a late Jan Oblak penalty save.

The history man adds to his records

The king of the Nou Camp will become a free agent this summer when his contract expires, but his statistics for the famous club may never be beaten. Thanks to his double against Sociedad, Messi has extended his tally as Barca's record goalscorer to 663 goals in all competitions.

When it comes to La Liga's all-time top scorer, he is out in front with 467 goals. That's

156 more than closest rival Cristiano Ronaldo's 311 for Real Madrid.

He has also chalked up at least 20 goals in La Liga in 13 consecutive seasons, the highest record in the competition. Less than three months into 2021, Messi has already scored 15 goals in the 12 games he has played. And with another El Clasico on the horizon following the international break, the playmaker will be looking to top up his tally of 26 goals in all competitions against rivals Real Madrid – the most any player has scored in the fixture.

(BBC Sport)

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Holder 5-for gives West Indies opening day honours J

ason Holder and Kemar Roach combined to pick up eight wickets between them, as the West Indies found themselves in control at stumps on Day One of the first Test versus Sri Lanka in Antigua.

The home side was 13 for no loss at the close of play, in arrears by 156.

When the final session commenced, Sri Lanka were precariously placed at 129 for 5. However, with Lahiru Thirimanne at the crease, the visitors would have hoped to accumulate a respectable score.

Thirimanne also shared a timely association of 58 for the sixth wicket with Niroshan Dickwella. Dickwella in particular played with positive intent, flashing at a few deliveries outside the off-stump.

However, he tried o n e

23

then bowled wobble seam to castle Dhananjaya de Silva. Roach also sent Pathum Nissanka back to the hut, with the Test debutant edging it to Holder. Even though the track offered some assistance for seamers, Sri Lanka ended up with a below par total.

Meanwhile, the home Lahiru Thirimanne sets side would be pleased off for a run on his way to with the discipline of reaching a half-century their seamers. (cricbuzz)

SCOREBOARD Kemar Roach bowled well after lunch shot too many and fell to Holder, edging a delivery that was bowled in the channel outside t h e

Rahkeem Cornwall celebrates with his team-mates

off-stump.

Dickwella's wicket triggered a collapse with Sri Lanka losing their last four wickets for the addition of just 19 more runs. After playing a gritty hand of 70, Thirimanne inside-edged Holder onto the stumps. The wicket also turned out to be Holder's 200th First-Class scalp.

The all-rounder then ran through the lower order by dismissing the trio of Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, and Lasith Embuldeniya to pick up a five-for. Roach also played his part in West Indies' fine show with the ball, ending up with a three-for.

In the opening two sessions, too, the West Indies bowlers had mostly bowled with untiring discipline to leave Sri Lanka in a spot of

bother. After the home side won the toss and opted to field, Roach used the roundthe-wicket angle and found nifty movement to trouble both the openers. He even forced Thirimanne to edge one past the third-slip fielder followed by tempting Dimuth Karunaratne to crack one towards point where Jermaine Blackwood dropped the chance.

Fortunately for the West Indies, in the next over, Rahkeem Cornwall dismissed Karunaratne.

Thirimanne and Oshada Fernando then were involved in a mix-up, with the latter being dismissed run out. Sri Lanka slid further when Holder sent Chandimal back to the pavilion on the brink of the lunch break.

Roach, who was luckless in the morning session,

Sri Lanka 1st Innings Dimuth Karunaratne (c) c Campbell b Cornwall 12 Lahiru Thirimanne 70 b Holder Oshada Fernando run out (Brathwaite) 4 Dinesh Chandimal c † Da Silva b Holder 4 Dhananjaya de Silva b Roach 13 Pathum Nissanka c Holder b Roach 9 Niroshan Dickwella † c Cornwall b Holder 32 Suranga Lakmal c Brathwaite b Holder 3 Dushmantha Chameera b Roach 2 Lasith Embuldeniya lbw b Holder 3 Vishwa Fernando not out 1 Extras (b 4, lb 6, nb 1, w 5) 16 TOTAL (69.4 Ov, RR: 2.42) 169 Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Dimuth Karunaratne, 10.4 ov), 2-29 (Oshada Fernando, 15.1 ov), 3-54 (Dinesh Chandimal, 26.1 ov), 4-76 (Dhananjaya de Silva, 34.4 ov), 5-92 (Pathum Nissanka, 38.3 ov), 6-150

(Niroshan Dickwella, 59.6 ov), 7-160 (Lahiru Thirimanne, 63.6 ov), 8-163 (Suranga Lakmal, 65.1 ov), 9-164 (Dushmantha Chameera, 66.1 ov), 10-169 (Lasith Embuldeniya, 69.4 ov) O-M-R-W BOWLING Kemar Roach 16-2-47-3 Shannon Gabriel 9-2-22-0 Rahkeem Cornwall 1-6-25-1 Alzarri Joseph 11-2-32-0 Jason Holder 17.4-6-27-5 Kyle Mayers 2-0-6-0 WEST INDIES 1ST INNINGS Kraigg Brathwaite (c)not out 3 John Campbell not out 7 Extras (lb 1, nb 2) 3 TOTAL (13 Ov, RR: 1.00) 13 Yet to bat: Nkrumah Bonner, Kyle Mayers, Jermaine Blackwood, Joshua Da Silva †, Jason Holder, Rahkeem Cornwall, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel BOWLING O-M-R-W Suranga Lakmal 6-1-7-0 Vishwa Fernando 4-3-2-0 Dushmantha Chameera 2-1-2-0 1-0-1-0 Lasith Embuldeniya

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Baldeo's century, Hicks’ heroics seal victory for RHT Tigers

The winning Rose Hall Town Tigers Story and photos by Brandon Corlette

I

t was some clean ball striking from Balchand Baldeo and Delbert Hicks as the Rose Hall Town (RHT) Tigers won their first Second-Division title.

Playing at Area H Ground against Chesney on Sunday, it was the Tigers who clinched the Berbice

Cricket Board (BCB) Premium Asphalt T&R Construction 2019 T20 championship in a 10-wicket win.

Player of the match, Baldeo struck a scintillating unbeaten 116 while the veteran Hicks slammed an undefeated 77 in pursuit of 196 in 20 overs. Earlier, Chesney were asked to bat first and posted 195-2 in 20 overs, with Youardan

Delbert Hicks cuts loose for the Tigers early

Gurdayal hitting an unbeaten 99, laced with six maximums and two fours.

He was supported by Imran Khan, the former Stanford T20 cricketer, who struck 43. Saif Latchana made 25 and the aggressive Naresh Kisson made a fourball 17. Bowling for the Tigers, Therbhuwan Jagdeo claimed 1-23 in his four overs while Leroy Bristol had 1-29 in his full quota.

Chesney had a slow start, scoring 32 in their power play, but finished with 114 runs in their last 10 overs in the fairly small ground. In response, the right-handed Baldeo and the classy left-handed Hicks took the Chesney men to the cleaners. The onslaught began with Hicks, who fearlessly took Khan for 24 in the first over of the chase as Tigers ended the power

play on 82-0.

Hicks kept the heat on as Baldeo slowly came out of his shell and dominated the bowling. He slammed five sixes and nine fours in his brilliant 116 while the dangerous Hicks struck six maximums and five fours in his unbeaten 77, sealing the match with a six off the jaded Khan, who bowled seven balls that yielded 30 runs.

Tigers ended on 201-0 in

16.1 overs of power hitting and the occasional touch.

The match was played under strict COVID-19 guidelines and this final marked the 18th completed by the BCB thus far.

The winning team were awarded a cheque and a trophy while the Player of the Match was awarded a medal and a cheque. The runners-up also received a cheque and a trophy.

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021

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