Guyana Times - Monday November 29, 2021

Essequibo Coast students no longer have to travel to city for GSA practical P10 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4846

THE BEACON OF TRUTH MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021

Guyana completes 5th, final lift of 1M barrels of oil for 2021 …crude sold by Aramco as per 12-month agreement Page 3

Int’l help needed Tourism in to support Guyana making Guyana’s response a resurgence – to Venezuelan Tourism Minister migrants – UNHCR

PRICE

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

P9 Region 2 pensioner is latest COVID-19 fatality …66 new cases recorded

3 arrested for attempting to bribe cop P2

Page 15

Page 7

Banking sector needs to move to more digital approach – Brassington

Men account for 60.3% of total workers – labour force survey P16 …despite more women being of working age than men

582 CAPE P14 students to receive cash grants

See story on page 8

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas: The Christmas tree standing tall at Rahaman's Park was officially lit on Sunday evening welcoming the festive season (DPI photo)

2 dead, 4 injured in weekend accidents

Page 11

New wells to enhance water access in P14 Moruca for 2022

2 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

3 arrested for attempting to bribe cop T

hree persons including a female were arrested after they attempted to bribe a Police officer to forego investigations against one of them.

This incident transpired at the Golden Grove Police Station at about 17:30h on Saturday.

Reports are that a 37-year-old male was ap-

prehended on two sentence warrants and escorted to the Golden Grove Police Station.

While there, he requested a telephone call to his lawyer, which was facilitated by the Police.

The suspect was visited by the attorney-at-law and shortly afterwards, by a 25-year-old female, who gave him a package.

The detained male then requested to speak to the investigating officer, which was granted. In the presence of another policeman, he gave the investigating officer $700,000 to forego investigation/prosecution against him.

The investigating officer immediately told the male of the offence committed and

The money that has been marked and lodged

cautioned him.

The monies were marked and lodged pending charges.

Police said that the female visitor and another male, 38, were contacted and told of the offence of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony with a Corrupt Transaction with an Agent.

They too were cautioned, arrested and placed in custody pending further investigations and charges.

NEWS

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Monday, Nov 29 – 00:30h – 02:00h and 12:00h – 13:30h and Tuesday, Nov 30 – 01:00h – 02:30 and 13:00h – 14:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, Nov 29 – 12:45h – 14:15h and Tuesday, Nov 30 – 13:15h – 14:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY There will be sunshine during the day. Expect partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East South-Easterly to Northerly between 1.34 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 12:30h reaching a maximum height of 2.34 metres.

Low Tide: 06:28h reaching a minimum height of 0.86 metre.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS H

08 05 12

19 24 25

FREE TICKET

26 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

04 10 19 22 23 LUCKY 3

3

4

1

6

Afternoon Draw

9

2

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

01 04 07 14 16 18 19 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021

02 03 04 07 08 13

06 10 11 12 19

5

6 Afternoon Draw

2X Afternoon Draw

3

5 Evening Draw

2X Evening Draw

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$72.72/barrel

Rough Rice

$258.84/ton

+0.28

London Sugar

$501.40/ton

-1.92

Live Spot Gold

-13.11

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1793.70

$1794.70

Low/High Change

$1780.90 +1.90

$1797.00 +0.11%

Guyana completes 5th, final lift of 1M barrels of oil for 2021 …crude sold by Aramco as per 12-month agreement

G

uyana has officially completed its fifth and final oil lift for the year, with a little over one million barrels of oil being lifted from the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel and sold by Saudi Aramco.

This was confirmed by Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, in an exclusive interview with this publication. In fact, he noted that the Government had been aiming for six lifts this year. However, the problems ExxonMobil experienced with its flash gas compressor on board the Liza Destiny, necessitated that sixth lift being pushed back.

“The fifth lift for 2021 was indeed completed last week. That will be the final lift for the year. We were trying to push ahead to have at least six for 2021, but unfortunately, we had the issue as you know with the flash gas compressor. And we had to ask the company to scale down production, to minimise the flaring.”

“So that caused a setback with the sixth lift.

Nevertheless, we’ve already engaged the company. And we’re expecting that lift early in 2022. Maybe by January, we’ll have that lift,” the Minister assured.

Saudi Aramco, also known as Aramco Trading Limited (ATL), was awarded the contract to market Guyana’s crude earlier in the year. Guyana’s crude lift share was initially market-

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat

The Liza Destiny

ed by Shell Western, after which Hess International marketed Guyana’s crude.

The Minister explained that this latest lift is Aramco’s second for Guyana.

“We have a contractual agreement with Aramco, who is the company marketing our crude, for the next 12 months. So, this is actually their second lift. The first one was in September.

We already received payment, to the tune of over US$80 million. And this is Aramco’s second lift from Liza) Destiny,” Minister Bharrat explained.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). Exxon, through subsidiary Esso Exploration Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), is the operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a whol-

ly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

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

In August, Guyana received payment for its seventh oil lift to the tune of US$79,617,561.87, the largest single oil payment the country has received to date. The Natural Resources Ministry has stated that the aforementioned payment was for 1,047,820 barrels of oil, which was extracted from the Liza Destiny FPSO vessel on July 3, 2021.

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

US$388,777,840. Guyana received its first payment of US$54.9 million for an oil lift dated February 19, 2020. The second lift, on May 21, 2020, was valued at US$35 million; while the third lift, which occurred on August 9, 2020, was worth US$46 million.

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

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

And it has been said that Guyana is likely to end the year with as much as US$600 million in the Natural Resource fund by year end. (G3)

4

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 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

Managing our risks D

ealing with risks has always been part and parcel of the human condition. We are forced to act in a world of uncertainty about whether an event – leading to good or bad outcomes – will occur. As David Hume pointed out centuries ago, we cannot even be absolutely sure that the sun will rise tomorrow even though it has done so for eons.

We can, however, believe that there is a very high probability that it will so rise because of our experience. So, we measure risks in terms of probability and if we are prudent, we take efforts to reduce the probability of unfavourable outcomes to our actions and increase the favourable ones.

Risk management has always been integrally connected with survival strategies ever since early hunters figured out it was better for them to hunt in bands. In commerce, insurance was certainly a major innovation that acted to reduce the dangers of taking risks as was the decision by Governments to allow the formation of corporations as legal “bodies”. The latter allowed risks to be taken by individuals without their personal assets being threatened. Ever since the financial meltdown of 2008 in the developed countries, “Risk Management” has taken on a higher profile since it is now accepted that the crisis was precipitated by financial firms practising extremely loose credit risk management.

Guyanese bankers and businesses should take note.

While those man-made risks have brought us low, newer ones such as global warming have augmented older risks originating from the workings of Mother Nature. The extraordinary rainfall over the last year led to massive losses from floods. On global warming, the recently-concluded COP26 in Glasgow did not actually give much room for optimism. The risks of our coastland, including Georgetown, being inundated from rising seas have increased exponentially.

Not much has changed structurally since the “UN Development Report 2014” honed in on “Risk and Opportunity: Managing risk for Development”. The issue of “risk” was placed at the centre of its efforts to stimulate development in the present aura of doubt and uncertainty that pervades the global recovery efforts. There has been, of course, the discovery of over 10 billion barrels of oil off our shores, but this does not alter the fundamental point about managing risks. In fact, Ghana ignored those lessons after they struck oil in 2007 and are still paying for their precipitate excessive borrowing. We might never be able to know the future, but we can reduce uncertainty about it.

As the report noted, there are “the missed development opportunities that arise when necessary risks are not taken.

Pursuing opportunities requires taking risks, but many people, especially the poor, are often reluctant to do so, because they fear the potential negative consequences.

Failure to act can trap people in poverty, leaving them vulnerable to negative shocks and even less able to pursue opportunities that would otherwise improve their wellbeing.”

With the world becoming ever more interlinked, leaders in every sphere of activity, but especially those at the helm of States, cannot remain passive in the face of burgeoning risks. They have to change from being “crisis fighters” to becoming “proactive and systematic risk managers”. In our own Caricom, while some countries such as Guyana were able to maintain healthy rates of growth even before oil was struck, most of the other members headed in the opposite direction, because they refused to deal with risks posed by their macroeconomic fundamentals such as debt-GDP ratios.

Maybe they will now take the same advice from the UN: “Protecting hard-won development gains by building resilience to risk is essential to achieving prosperity. That is true whether one is grappling with natural disasters, pandemics, financial crises, a wave of crime at the community level, or the severe illness of a household’s chief provider. Risk can never be completely eliminated. But people and institutions can build resilience to risk by applying a balanced approach that includes structural policy measures, community-based prevention, insurance, education, training, and effective regulation.”

President Dr Irfaan Ali and Vice President Barrat Jagdeo received a courtesy visit from Special Adviser at Jain “Deem to Be” University, Dr Vijay Jolly at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive last week. Dr Jolly presented the President with a book titled Modi India Calling (2021) that features hundreds of photographs from India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to 107 countries.

The book is the brainchild of Dr Jolly, who is a senior member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (Office of the President photo)

Scientists sharing Omicron data were heroic. Let’s ensure they don’t regret it

By Jeffrey Barrett

O

ne of the positive experiences during two years of pandemic gloom has been the speed of scientific progress in understanding and treating COVID. Many effective vaccines were launched in less than a year and rapid large-scale trials found a cheap and effective drug, dexamethasone, that saved thousands of lives.

The global scientific community has also carried out “genomic surveillance” – sequencing the genome of the virus to track how it evolves and spreads at an unprecedented level: the public genome database has more than 5.5 million genomes. The great value of that genomic surveillance, underpinned by a commitment to rapid and open sharing of the data by all countries in near-real time, has been seen in the last few days as we’ve learnt of the COVID variant called Omicron.

The surveillance requires a remarkable amount of cooperation between scientists to build compatible laboratory protocols, software systems, and databases. Many of these scientists are not directly paid for this work and do it in addition to their existing jobs.

They are motivated by a belief that sharing data relevant to public health, especially in a pandemic, can help speed up scientific understanding, aid in decision-making and contribute to the next generation of medicines.

This commitment to rapid data sharing has deep roots in genomics. At a 1996 summit in Bermuda, the leaders of the Human Genome Project established a set of principles to

release a new DNA sequence to public databases within 24 hours. This approach departed from the established convention that experimental data only needed to be released when a study was published, months or years later.

Sir John Sulston, founding director of the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “All of this [genome data] should be in the public domain... I think we need a public social welfare attitude to the use of this information.”

That attitude now prevails around the world, as evidenced by the rapid sharing of more than one million Sars-CoV-2 sequences by the Sanger Institute since March 2020.

On November 23, scientists in Botswana uploaded 99 Sars-CoV-2 genome sequences to this database. Like most submissions that day, nearly all the sequences were the dominant Delta variant. But three of them looked different from anything seen before.

Later the same day, an independent team in South Africa uploaded seven nearly identical genomes. These teams noticed that the new variant contained an eye-watering number of mutations in the part of the virus’s genome that encodes the spike protein, which it uses to infect human cells. Most concerningly, nearly half of these mutations had previously been seen in the earlier variants of concern (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta) or predicted in laboratory experiments to increase the virus’s ability to latch on to human cells.

They notified health authorities of their concerns and began an immediate investigation into how widespread this

new variant might be.

While these scientists worked around the clock, the fact that they had shared the sequences with the world as part of their routine process, before they even knew what they were, meant that other scientists, thousands of miles away, could study them as well. Within just a few hours of the sequences being shared, a post was made on the pango designation forum, a corner of the Internet where virus genome experts discuss new sequences and assign name that makes it easier to refer to specific parts of the Sars-CoV-2 family trees.

The mutations in the new variant also alarmed the international scientists. It was quickly dubbed B.1.1.529 and prioritised for further study.

Once additional evidence gathered by the local teams in South Africa had been presented, the World Health Organisation (WHO) made it the fifth variant of concern, Omicron. Just 72 hours had passed since the original discovery. The scientists who sounded the alarm because they are committed to the moral imperative of rapid data sharing knew that in the midst of the pandemic, it would have consequences.

Tulio de Oliveira, one of the leaders of the South African genomics team, announcing the variant, tweeted: “The world should provide support to South Africa and Africa and not discriminate or isolate it! By protecting and supporting it, we will protect the world!”

By the next day, dozens of countries, including the UK, had announced new travel restrictions on countries in southern Africa. Some re-

strictions may have been unavoidable to buy time to understand this new threat, but travel bans come with serious consequences for people and economies in affected countries. Previously, they have delayed, but not prevented, the spread of new variants.

There is some chance in this situation that they may be more effective, precisely because of the excellent work done to share information so rapidly.

Genomic surveillance in India when Delta appeared was less comprehensive and the seriousness of that new variant did not become apparent until weeks after it had been circulating widely, and exported around the world.

While scientists around the world are scrambling to understand Omicron, and national governments are making response plans, we must also find ways to reward the critical early warning provided by South Africa. Less than 25 per cent of South Africans are fully vaccinated, and while that may be due to complicated reasons involving both supply and demand, it is not for us in the rest of the world to determine what would be most helpful. Countries with an abundance of vaccine doses and other resources should offer whatever is asked for by countries now at the front edge of the confrontation with Omicron.

The pandemic has emphasised that we are a single global community and our policy responses must reflect that reality. It would be a disaster if the global response to this heroically open science sent the message that the reward for such bravery is isolation. (The Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 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

Guyana needs its oil to be a blessing Dear Editor, The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is committed to governing Guyana in the interest of all Guyanese as outlined in its 2020 elections manifesto.

Let me remind the APNU/AFC Opposition leaders that continue to spread propaganda across this nation that Guyana’s wealth is for all the people of Guyana, irrespective of their ethnicity.

I urge the current opposition leader and the MP Opposition in the National Assembly to work together with the PPP/C Government towards further strengthening Guyana’s democracy and building a more inclusive nation. As our Government reforms laws in the future that should work to ensure that proceeds of oil revenues benefit the entire population.

The People’s Progressive Party Government has been reiterating this fact since establishing their manifesto during the election campaign and the programmes that they have introduced and reintroduced have, since assuming office on August 2, 2020, focused on making sure Guyanese benefit not only from the oil money but from the development of our nation, the modernisation and expansion of our economic development.

All Government programmes, from the COVID-19 cash grant to the increasing of the cash care programme for chil-

dren and the school uniform programme across Guyana, have benefitted all Guyanese.

Programmes, including those on poverty reduction, the opening up of housing programmes and water systems where they were not there before, the development of Amerindian areas in particular, as well as other villages that were neglected under the previous APNU/ AFC Government, are being developed and at a rapid pace.

During the recent catastrophic floods in Guyana, our Government demonstrated to every Guyanese what a caring Government the PPP/C is. The Guyanese people, during the extreme flood and the difficult times they faced in the many hinterland areas and across this nation have benefited from various cash grants, while the Government has distributed thousands of hampers to communities severely affected, regardless of who voted for the PPP/C or their ethnicity.

What was important and applauded is that every person affected by the flood disaster was able to receive the support they needed to rebuild their lives in the shortest possible time.

The fact will remain the APNU/AFC coalition is guilty of discrimination against their own supporting communities when in office and now while in Opposition they continue to keep hollering about discrimination.

One cannot believe this the same APNU/AFC coalition that was in Government for five years that refused to obey the rule of law.

This the same APNU/ AFC coalition that had trampled on our democracy that caused Guyanese to wait five months for the declaration of the results after a series of attempts by officials at GECOM, who enjoyed the support of members of the APNU/AFC Government, failed to derail the democratic process.

This is the same APNU/ AFC coalition which was responsible for holding Guyana back and continue to spread rumours and propaganda about our Government in an effort to derail economic development. These are the same people that are claiming they do not recognise the elected PPP/C Government as the legitimate Government of Guyana.

One must not forget the same APNU/AFC Government had rampantly discriminated against Guyanese when they dismissed more than 1000 Amerindian Community Service Officers and over 7000 sugar workers.

While thousands more Guyanese lost their jobs, including public servants (approximately 2000) because of either the colour of their skin or their perceived political affiliations.

Many businesses went bankrupt, many established businessmen had to throw

in the towel because of the hardship of taxation they felt under the previous APNU/ AFC Administration.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic has witnessed this in the five years and will not allow that to happen again in our country.

Let me remind the APNU/AFC coalition in Opposition that the PPP/C Government is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals, Article 13 of our Constitution, our PPP/C Government is committed to the constitutional rule of law and participatory democracy, but it cannot be the rules of those (APNU/AFC) who refuse to accept democracy and those (APNU/AFC) who do not accept the will of the people of our country who elected the PPP/C. Our Government will not be bullied by an Opposition that bullied our nation for over five years It is time for APNU/AFC leaders take a mature political position by recognising the PPP/C as the legitimate Government of Guyana, opening up opportunity for dialogue on a number of issues in Guyana.

As Guyanese we all had an opportunity to witness the non-economic growth of the pervious APNU/AFC in the five years they we in office you be the judge What is important is for our people to benefit now they have had a hard five years under the APNU/AFC Administration The 7 per cent increase

to all public servants is one such benefit, despite condemnation by the APNU/ AFC Opposition and the unions, we must be reminded that under the former Administration, although the increase was eight per cent, it was only applicable to those public servants who worked for between $100,000 and $1 million. But this time around, however, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has made a decision to ensure that the increase is across-the-board for all Government workers, and that it is retroactive to January 1, 2021.

This will give some people relief, and there is more

coming. Our Government will do these incrementally, as they watch the economy; as the watch our revenue generation, and watch the impact of COVID-19 on our people of Guyana not forgetting the $400 million set aside by the Government for a special 2021 pay out to be made to frontline workers in the health sector, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our Government has outlined a bright pathway for our future and it is imperative that we all get on board, Guyana needs its oil to be a blessing, not a curse.

Sincerely, David Adams

Another worksite death Dear Editor, Another worksite death, another family in grief.

The latest fatality is of a teen working on a steel structure at a rice mill. It is alleged the teen was employed as a labourer and fell from the high steel structure.

This begs the question, employed as a labourer, should the teen have been at that height, given his employment status, and for which he obviously had no training in, amid claims he had a fear of heights, which, as reported in an online report (News Room, Nov 27) he repeatedly told the employer of “his pho-

bia for heights”? This fear was not taken to be real, it seems, and the lad might have believed, if he did not comply then he would be out of a job, which would be to his family’s detriment.

Is sixteen the legal, employable age?

Are contractors resorting to this type of employees as a means of cheap labour, who are, once employed expected to do any and everything?

My condolences to the grieving family, relatives and friends of the deceased.

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

6

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021

Page

Foundation ◄ Try the taco sauce to see which works better.

Materials:

Multiplying fractions: Reciprocals Multiplying fractions and mixed numbers: Reducing The easiest way to multiply fractions and mixed numbers is to change the mixed number into an improper fraction. Then multiply the fractions just as you normally would.

Example: 2 1/3 x 2/8 Step 1: Change the mixed number into an improper fraction: 7/3 Step 2: Restate the problem: 7/3 x 2/8 Step 3: Multiply the numerators: 7 x 2 = 14 Step 4: Multiply the denominators: 3 x 8 = 24 Step 5: Write the product: 14/24

Lemon Juice Dirty $1 and $5 coins A cup Paper towels Taco sauce (optional)

Instructions:

Put a dirty coin in the cup and cover it with lemon juice.

Wait about five minutes then remove the coin and wipe it off with a paper towel.

REDUCING: You may already know about reducing a fraction. Reducing changes a fraction into its simplest form. For example: 14/24 = 7/12 . To reduce, see if you can divide both the numerator and denominator by the same number. In this case, you were able to divide both 14 and 24 by 2.

When you have an improper fraction, you can reduce it. 14/12 = 7/6 because you were able to divide both 14 and 12 by 2. You can also reduce the fraction part of a mixed number.

5 10/20 = 5 1/2 because both 10 and 20 are divisible by 10.

Does vinegar work?

If you colour the coin with a marker, does it come off?

Does it work with $10 coins? (scienceisfun.org)

Gold Explorer

Exercises: Multiply and reduce if needed

4) 3/8 x 1/4

2) 1/5 x 5/1

5) 3/15 x 4/8

3) 2/6 x 14/24

6) 1/7 x 7/1

The $1 and $5 coins s are made out of copper-plated steel. The copper mixes with oxygen, the same gas that we breathe. This causes something called oxidation and makes the coin look dirty over time. Lemon juice has acid in it that removes the dirty colour or oxidation and makes the coin nice and shiny again!

Extra experiments:

Remember: When you reduce a mixed number, the whole number will always stay the same.

1) 4/4 x 1/4

How it works:

I

magine you are an explorer looking for gold. Write at least 200 words about your travels in South America.

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Int’l help needed to support Guyana’s response to Venezuelan migrants – UNHCR

Warrau migrants receiving medical check up

A UNHCR staff speaking with the Warrau migrants living along a riverbank to assess their needs (UNHCR Photo)

W

ith over 20,000 Venezuelan migrants in remote hinterland areas, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has underscored the need for humanitarian presence and support from the international community to aid with the Government of Guyana’s response to the needs of these communities.

This is according to UNHCR’s Multi-Country Office Representative in Panama, Philippa Candler.

During a recent press briefing in Geneva, she expressed concerns about the difficult conditions of Indigenous Venezuelans in Guyana, some of whom have settled in hard-toreach areas near the border and others in or around the towns of Mabaruma and Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini).

“UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, colleagues and I are worried about the difficult living conditions of Indigenous [Warrau] families from Venezuela who are settled in remote locations across Guyana. Increased humanitarian presence and timely support from the international community is needed to help the Government of Guyana respond to the needs of these communities,” Candler stated.

The UN Refugee Agency representative disclosed that Guyana is currently home to an estimated 24,500 refugees and migrants from Venezuela, including some 2500 Indigenous Warraus.

She noted that some 250 Warraus, half of whom are children, have also found

The UN Refugee Agency helping to deliver aid to the Venezuelan migrants in remote hinterland communities

refuge in Anabisi in northern Guyana since early 2020.

According to Chandler, access to critical services, such as healthcare and education, for these communities is limited. This is further compounded by the fact that the delivery of aid is impeded by remoteness, lack of transport infrastructure and distances.

In fact, it was noted that assessments conducted in October and November among the Warrau refugee and migrant households indicate mounting needs, aggravated by the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Most [Warrau] have only one meal a day or less.

Lacking formal job opportu-

nities, many of them mention resorting to begging, working odd jobs, often in exchange for food, selling handicrafts or depending on humanitarian assistance.

Most families also do not have access to drinking water, relying instead on rivers for drinking, as well as bathing and defecation,” the UNHCR official highlighted.

She went on to reveal that at least one Warrau child in Anabisi has died and several others were hospitalised, reportedly due to malnutrition and diseases related to poor sanitation conditions. Some, she added however, have since been discharged.

Nevertheless, the UNHCR is on the ground, coordinating with the

Government and humanitarian partners on how to best support the Government-led response.

Chandler noted that the Refugee Agency is assisting with the delivery of food hampers, solar lamps, mosquito nets, water purification tablets provided

by Guyana’s Civil Defence Commission (CDC), and other basic relief items to some 400 Indigenous Warraus from Venezuela living in northern Guyana, including in the Anabisi community.

Only last weekend, a team including several Government Ministers and health workers visited Anabisi to provide critical medical care and assess their needs following reports

of the poor living conditions they were in.

The medical team examined some 20 children, who were treated for skin rashes, upper respiratory and diarrhoeal diseases. Four of the children were taken to the Port Kaituma Regional Hospital for further medical treatment. Another medical team returned the following day to continue examining the migrants.

Health Ministry Dr Frank Anthony, who was part of the visiting team, said in addition to providing healthcare services, measures are being put in place to ensure that the migrants are living in a clean and sanitary environment.

“So, because of the un-

hygienic conditions, they’re using the same water from the river and they’re using the river to wash and do other things there. So, the water is not of good quality and what we were able to do on Sunday, we gave them some what is called jerry cans which have filters in them so when they take the water from the river, they can do some level of filtration… which will help to purify the contaminated water, making it better for them to drink and which will prevent some of the diarrhoeal disease that they are experiencing,” the Minister stated.

Additionally, the CDC had distributed hampers containing essential items and food. (G8)

8 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Banking sector needs to move to more digital approach – Brassington

W

ith Guyana on the cusp of unprecedented economic transformations and major international companies having their eyes set on investing here, there continues to be a push for the country to become more innovative with the use of technology to improve services in both the public and private sectors.

This latest call was made

by Guyanese Economist, Winston Brassington, during a recent webinar hosted by the American Chamber (AmCham) Guyana. He was at the time delivering a presentation on the local banking sector and its projected growth in an oil and gas economy.

However, Brassington, who once headed the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) under the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration, contended that there is a lot of bureaucracy in the banking system that are mostly paper-based at a time when the world is rapidly moving towards a

Economist Winston Brassington

digitalised environment.

“You need to take in original paperwork to the bank.

It takes a fair bit of time, the paperwork. Can we reduce this paperwork and do a lot more via the internet, via the computer – submit documents electronically?

So, embracing the greater use of IT (Information Technology) and digital technology to beat things. It can help to reduce cost and make it more convenient for the [customers],” the economist posited.

Against this backdrop, Brassington pointed to more advanced economies like the United States, saying that customers conduct

similar businesses mostly online and are even able to make wire transfers and cash cheques from their desks.

The Guyanese economist stressed that such level of efficiency should be replicated here.

“We seem to still use a lot of paper in our processes, a lot of manual requirements. The banks say that this is because of AML (Anti-Money Laundering) requirements, knowing the customer and verifying the authenticity, but I think that there is room to move to a more digital approach, a more online approach – an approach that would bring us more in line with one standing banking practice in the US,” Brassington stated.

The current Dr Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C Government has committed to developing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Guyana given the pivotal role it plays in social and economic development.

In fact, the Finance Ministry’s Mid-Year Report disclosed that approxi-

mately $1.2 billion of the $2.3 billion allocated in the 2021 National Budget was expended during the first half of this year to provide continuous connectivity services to Government entities, support for the development and maintenance of ICT infrastructure and for the promotion of ICT literacy.

Further, it was noted that in order to facilitate the strategic development of ICT in Guyana, a National ICT Strategic Plan is currently being developed which will provide a multi-sectoral blueprint that Guyana will utilise to ensure the successful development and deployment of ICT for the betterment of all Guyanese. This will be based on two fundamental pillars; the growth of ICT as an independent dynamic sector and the application of ICT as a cross cutting component in all other sectors to achieve rapid and sustained development.

Meanwhile, only last month Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, who had direct responsibility for the ICT sector, told officials from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Guyana that, “Eliminating the digital divide is a part of development in any country…

COVID has forced accelerated digitisation on the entire world and Guyana cannot afford to be left behind.”

According to the Prime Minister, the ICT access and e-services for Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities project is of extreme importance.

He added that the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the importance of technological advancements and has forced its acceleration.

The e-services project is a collaboration between the Office of the Prime Minister and the UNDP. Prime Minister Phillips said that the “project has the potential of having us achieve the goal of connecting our hinterland, poor and remote communities and we have identified 200 of those communities to be connected and to benefit from everything that comes under the umbrella of e-governance”.

In response, the UNDP Resident Representative, Jairo Valverde, said that once fully implemented, the project will not only be rewarding but will significantly boost the ICT environment across the country.

“The impact of the project will go beyond what we have been able to imagine, because once those communities have the hubs and once the Government’s e-services are developed, it’s going to improve the integration of all Guyana,” Valverde is quoted by DPI as saying. (G8)

Paying the Piper…

A

…and China blurb in the dailies caught your Eyewitness’s eye – the famous Ugandan Entebbe Airport (remember the movie of the daring Israeli rescue of hostages held by Palestinians there?) might end up in Chinese hands.

The way the story is slanted seeks to blame the Chinese for lending the Ugandans US$207 million to modernise the airport (sounds familiar?!)? There’s the possibility that the airport may have to be handed over to the Chinese if the Ugandans can’t service the loan.

But why should the Chinese be blamed for this? The Ugandan loan was made in 2015 and by then, there were numerous reports of other countries taking cheap Chinese loans for developing infrastructure and ending up losing ownership. Weren’t the Ugandans who negotiated the loan grown-a55 men who knew what they were signing??

Reminds one of Raphael Trotman and the Exxon contract, doesn’t it?

Seems the fine print declares that in case of default, arbitration would be under Chinese auspices – and not the more well-known ones in the West. But, really, would a shift in the arbitration venue make a difference? Hey… you borrow money and if you don’t repay, there are consequences! At a personal level, it might range from a Mafia goon breaking your knee caps with a baseball bat to the more institutionalised one where you just lose your house to the bank holding your mortgage!! Heard of “foreclosures”??

It should be no secret that the Chinese – holding US$4 TRILLION in dollar denominated debts piled up by the Americans – are killing any number of birds with their “Belt and Road Initiative”. The latter funds infrastructure – long touted by the World Bank as critical for development but without coughing up the dough. The poor countries get the infrastructure and the Chinese get a means to ship in their goods – not to mention earning greater interest even at 2% than having their money sit at the Fed! The Chinese also never hand over the money since it’s always Chinese companies that do the construction – and even bring in Chinese workers. Some of whom always remain to provide future soft power for the spreading Middle Kingdom!! The problem really lies with ThirdWorld politicians who’ve forgotten several nuggets of folk wisdom. Like “Don’t hang yuh hat where yuh haan cyaan reach!! Meaning know ahead of time whether your cash flow will cover servicing the loan!!

But the offers are always too good to pass? There’s that other saying – “Wha’ sweeten mout’, does hu’t belly”!!

Remember those Black Friday sales? The screaming ads were just hype to get you into the stores. The Chinese loans also have a price. Check the fine print!!

But we Guyanese know all of this, don’t we? …and the Grim Reaper Your Eyewitness knows it ain’t easy living under all the restraints and constraints imposed by the logic of the COVID-19 pandemic. And this has been going on since January 2020!! We all became accustomed to wearing masks and observing social distancing – plus causing a run on sanitiser! But with their gargantuan deep pockets, some of the rich countries – plus some others like India and Russia – were able to come up with vaccines that offered some hope of rolling back the tide.

But at what cost?!! FIVE MILLION, TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND dead and counting! Even our tiny Guyana is approaching 1000 fatalities. And spare a thought for our neighbour Trinidad with over 2000 deaths to achieve the dismal distinction of being the per capita number 1 in the world! But as if all of this wasn’t enough up comes the news that a new, far deadlier variant of the virus has appeared in South Africa and is spreading like wildfire.

Impose restrictions on incoming flights! …for Christmas Even more than Burnham’s de facto ban on flour and dhall, that on apples, grapes and walnuts were felt traumatically when Christmas rolled around.

Your Eyewitness always wondered what fruits Baby Jesus liked! Dates?

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

NEWS

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Region 2 pensioner is latest COVID-19 fatality …66 new cases recorded

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD NOVEMBER 29, 2021 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

66

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

6571 1433 17

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

3

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

19,975

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

17,798

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

37,773

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

35,265

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

398,949

FULLY IMMUNISED

275,126

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

987

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1669

REGION 2

1558

REGION 3

5087

REGION 4

17,734

REGION 5

1409

REGION 6

3228

REGION 7

1781

REGION 8

620

REGION 9

2473

REGION 10

2214

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

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

G

uyana’s COVID-19 death toll has gone up to 987 after another person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus died.

According to the Health Ministry, this latest fatality is a 69-year-old male from Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), who died on November 27, 2021. He was fully vaccinated.

With this, the total number of persons who have died from the pandemic so

far in November is now 60.

Meanwhile, another 66 persons have contracted the deadly virus, taking the total number of active cases in Guyana to 1521. This includes 17 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining 1504 persons in isolation, that is, 71 in home isolation and the other 1433 institutional isolation.

The total number of confirmed cases in the country is now 37,773, of which

17,798 are males and 19,975 are females.

Additionally, there are currently three more persons in institutional quarantine, according to Sunday’s COVID-19 dashboard.

To date, some 35,265 persons have recovered from the life-threatening virus – 24 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.

Moreover, a total of 389,445 persons have been

tested for the novel coronavirus thus far in Guyana.

Of the 66 new cases detected on Sunday, two were from Region One (BarimaWaini), eight cases from the Pomeroon-Supenaam region, seven from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), 19 cases from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), another case from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and a whopping 29 cases from Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

No new cases were recorded in Regions Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) on Sunday.

The Guyana Government launched its COVID-19 vaccination exercise back in February and continues to roll it out

across the various regions in order to achieve herd immunity and reduce the number of COVID-19 infections.

So far, almost 400,000 persons of the adult population have received their first dose of the vaccine and more than 275,000 persons who are 18 years and older are fully immunised.

As it relates to adolescents, just over 20,000 children between the ages of 12 t0 17 are fully vaccinated.

Persons are encouraged to get immunised since the COVID-19 vaccine provides a layer of protection against severe symptoms of COVID-19.

As more people continue to get vaccinated, authorities are urging the public to continue observing all COVID-19 preventative measures, particularly masking in public, social distancing and frequent

hand washing and sanitising.

The measures also include vaccination requirements to access any public building such as restaurants, places of worship, schools as well as Government buildings.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), some 259,502,031 confirmed cases were reported globally along with 5,227,807 deaths.

The WHO also reported on Sunday that in the Region of the Americas, that is, Latin America and the Caribbean, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased to 96,651,425 while the death toll in the region has gone up to 2,388,827.

Recent figures show a total of 7,702,859,718 vaccine doses have been administered worldwide. (G8)

10 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Essequibo Coast students no longer have to travel to city for GSA practical

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inance Minister Dr Ashni Singh continued his outreach in Region Two on Sunday, when he visited the just completed $60 million agro processing and packaging facility located neighbouring the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) Essequibo campus, in Cotton Field, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

The facility is designed to accommodate a small modern processing facility, a laboratory and two classrooms to facilitate learning experiences for students in value-added agricultural production, along with male and female dressing rooms and washrooms, and sani-

tary facilities.

During an interview with Guyana Times, Minister Singh explained that while the project is completed, it still needs to be outfitted with the relevant equipment. Singh added that this step will be completed within the next two months.

Elaborating on the agro processing facility, Singh explained that the main aims are exposing students to the requirements of commercial food processing operations and to the techniques required for the development of new products; producing a variety of products at the food processing facility; demonstrating to students, food

processing as a viable business and making available a facility that small scale producers could use.

"Most importantly, students from the Guyana School of Agriculture will no longer have to travel to Mon Repos, Georgetown, for practical sessions. Also, the facility will also be accessible to small-scale producers who desire to convert their raw produce into a value-added product for the local and regional market,” the Minister explained.

The project was constructed by the Ministry of Finance's Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

The multimillion-dollar agro processing facility

NEWS

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 dead, 4 injured in weekend accidents

The car which slammed into the utility pole

T

wo persons have lost their lives while another was injured in separate accidents over the weekend.

Dead are 49-year-old Euclin Joseph and 28-year-old Rodrigues Anthon. Injured are 20-year-old Joshua Jack; 39-year-old Raymond Joseph of Lot 270 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown; 32-year-old Samantha Andrews of Lot 69 Ogle Street, Triumph, East Coast Demerara, and 32-yearold Lashana Young of Lot 1748 Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Reports are that Joseph was killed after a speeding car, driven by a young Special Constable, lost control and slammed into a utility pole on the Mocha Access Road, East Bank Demerara.

The incident occurred sometime around 15:50h on Saturday.

According to Police reports, the Constable was driving motor car PSS 7652 proceeding west along the southern side of the said road at a fast rate of speed when he lost control of the vehicle and ended up on the southern par-

apet, where the right side collided with a GPL light post.

As a result of the collision, the occupants – Euclin Joseph; Raymond Joseph; Samantha Andrews and Lashana Young – were taken out of the vehicle by Police and public-spirited citizens and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.

Reports are that Joseph was pronounced dead on arrival whilst the rest of the occupants received medical attention.

A breathalyser test was conducted on the driver and no trace of alcohol was found in his breath. He is in custody pending investigations.

Meanwhile, Anthon was killed on Saturday after losing control of his motorcycle and crashing into a concrete culvert on the Strand Public Road, New Amsterdam, Berbice.

Anthon, 28, of Lot 48 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, died at the scene of the accident, which occurred at about 17:30h.

Police have since said that the motorcyclist was proceeding west along the northern side of Strand Public Road,

without a safety helmet and at a fast rate of speed, when he lost control of the motorcycle.

The bike ended up in the northern drain and continued to proceed west, where Anthon collided with a concrete culvert, which is situated on the eastern side of Strand Public Road. He was then thrown off the motorcycle and further collided with a building which is located on the western side of the Strand Public Road.

As a result of the collision, Anthon received injuries about his head and body.

He was picked up in an unconscious condition by public-spirited citizens and escorted to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he was examined by a doctor on duty and pronounced dead on arrival.

Also on Saturday, a young motorcyclist, Joshua Jack of Lot 321 Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara, was left hospitalised with a broken leg after attempting to overtake a motor car but ended up colliding with it. His pillion rider, 19-year-old Neavon Evans

of Lot 73 Victoria Village, also sustained minor injuries from the collision.

Reports are that around 22:30h on Saturday, the two young men were on motorcycle CL 2981 riding along the Hope Public Road, ECD, with motor car PKK 5325 heading in the same eastern direction.

The car’s driver told Police investigators that while in the process of overtaking his motor car, the motorcycle collided with the right-side rear portion of the car.

As a result of the collision, the motorcyclist and pillion rider fell onto the road’s surface and received injuries to their bodies.

They were picked up by public-spirited citizens and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where the motorcyclist was examined by a doctor on duty and later admitted a patient suffering from a broken right leg.

Meanwhile, the pillion rider received injuries about his body and was also kept for observation.

A breathalyser test was conducted on the car’s driver, who also hails from Victoria

The motorcycle which crashed into the concrete culvert

Village, and 0.00% BAC micrograms was found in his system.

A notice of intended prosecution has been served as investigations continue.

According to his aunt, Pamela Sullivan, the young man had just left her home on a test drive after trying to repair the bike.

“He said he would carry it around the other street for a test run but when he meet halfway in Asylum Street we hearing this noise the bike making like he just revving it and then we heard a funny sound and shortly after I was informed by my daughter that my nephew had a crash.

By the time we run out only to find him lying on the road.

He was already dead when we reach out there,” the aunt related.

Anthon worked with the offshore drilling contractor Noble Corporation, which is a subsidiary of ExxonMobil.

His mother, Joyce Anton, explained that her son had

Rodriques Anthon, called “Jamir”

just returned after spending 28 days at work.

“He came off the boat and came straight here. He would come here before he goes home. He lives in Stanleytown with his wife, he married last December. So, whenever he comes home he would come here first because we would keep his bike. So, he collected the bike and when he reached on the road apparently like the bike cut off.”

The grieving mother said Anthon told her that he was going to take the motorcycle to Alexander Street to have someone examine it.

12

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 20

17th Annual Christmas tree

021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

13

light-up at Rahaman's Park (DPI photos)

14 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

582 CAPE students to New wells to enhance water receive cash grants access in Moruca for 2022

I

T

n the first half of 2022, access to potable water in the Moruca sub-region of Region One (Barima-Waini) is set to significantly improve, through the drilling of new wells to serve four villages.

This was announced

by Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal during a meeting on Friday at Manawarin, Region One. The Minister was accompanied by Deputy Regional Executive Officer Shem Cuffy.

The areas slated to benefit are Manawarin, Waramuri, Huradiah and Kweban. This project is under the supervision of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).

Croal stated that these new water systems were planned under the 2021 budget and materials for the well drilling, distribution network and service connections have already been procured to the tune of $40 million.

However, GWI is currently awaiting the arrival of a PAT rig, which has been delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The rig is expected to arrive in the new year, after which drilling will commence.

he Education Ministry last week commenced the distribution of the $19,000 “Because We Care” cash grants to Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) students in the public and private schools. A total of 582 students are registered to receive the grants across the country. This includes 429 in the public schools offering CAPE and 153 from the private schools.

The distribution exercise commenced last Tuesday following the processing, placement and registration of the students. The grants are being uplifted at the individual schools. Like the distribution of the cash grants to other students in the public and private schools, the expenditure is audited live to ensure there is transparency and accountability throughout the process.

According to the Ministry the exercise will continue this week at CAPE public schools across the country while the distribution will commence at private schools in Georgetown on Wednesday.

Earlier this year, the Government restored the “Because We Care” cash grants to parents of children attending both public and

In the area of water, the Minister stated that Community Support Officers (CSOs) are being trained in the maintenance of water systems and prevention of leakages. This is intended to help build skillsets in the communities and promote more sustainable villages.

For 2022, GWI has also proposed the drilling of new wells in several other communities including Santa Rosa, Karaburi, Kamwatta and Santa Cruz.

Several communities and other sub-districts within the region have been benefitting from improved water supply in recent months. Residents in White Water, Region One, can also expect improved access to potable water in the new year.

A number of new wells will be drilled within the Mabaruma sub-region in 2022. After the drilling of these wells, systems including those in Wauna, White Water and Kamwatta will be interconnected.

Under the 2020 Emergency Budget, $130 million was invested in hinterland water service expansion and management.

Under the hinterland water supply programme,

residents of Mabaruma, Barbina and Wanina have since been benefitting from improved hours of service after the upgrading and expansion of the water supply system with the installation of electrical pumps, and servicing of the elevated storage tanks.

This activity, for the first time, provided potable water to the residents of Barimanobo. Additionally, new wells were drilled and water mains and service connections installed, benefitting over 5000 residents of One Mile, Mora, Rincon, Kumaka, Santa Rosa, Shea, Annai, Lethem, Shulinab and Chiung Mouth.

In the 2021 budget, an allocation of approximately $4 billion was set aside to procure equipment and improve and expand the water supply network systems across the country.

Provision for the drilling of new wells along with the upgrading of photovoltaic systems, storage facilities, distribution networks and service connections across Regions One (BarimaWaini), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo).

Animal rights activist holds 2-person run against cruelty to animals

Parents of CAPE students receiving their “Because We Care” cash grants

private schools at the nursery, primary and secondary levels. This benefitted thousands of families by increasing their disposable income as well as providing an invaluable education investment to over 12,000 of the nation’s children. The previous Administration had cut the funding from the project in shortly after tak-

ing office, forcing an added burden for close to half a decade.

During her visits to various regions at that time, Education Minister Priya Manickchand explained that the grant is not only for educational items but it can be used to purchase items that serve children and support them as they continue along their academic jour-

ney.

The Education Minister said that she believes any expenditure in families is a worthwhile investment as it provides a multipronged approach to development. She added that the investment made in the children represents the Government’s commitment to ensure that the future of Guyana is secure.

A

Gobin Harbhajan and Leila Hazel on Saturday’s run

n animal rights activist on Saturday morning held a two-person run on the Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) to bring awareness to the cruelty animals in the region are forced to endure at the hands of unkind persons.

The 22-mile run took place from Number 57 Village to Corriverton and back.

Gobin Harbhajan has for years been speaking out of some of the cruel acts perpetrated on animals from persons burning them alive because they were injured, to the poisoning of cats and dogs that hang around public buildings because of

the availability of food and some being starved to death at animal pounds at Police stations.

On Saturday, he took his advocacy campaign to the Corentyne in the form of a 22-mile run.

“The Animal Act is there and persons can be charged for animal cruelty. We need to enforce the animal cruelty law.”

Harbhajan said that back in the 1970s, Police officers would stop horse-driven carts and remove the saddle from the animal to see if there were bruises and if so, the operator was charged and placed before the court for cruelty to animals.

“No one is doing that anymore,” he added.

Harbhajan has also expressed concern that many times when there is conflict over the ownership of animals; the animal is taken into custody and remains there for months until the matter is resolved.

On many occasions, the animals die because of poor health, starvation and being tied without being able to sit for weeks.

Many, he said, take their unwanted pets and stray them at places where they cannot even find food.

He has also on many occasions related eye-watering stories but he believes that as a people we can do better.

This is not likely to be his only run.

The activist said if a country cannot have an Animal Cruelty Act enforced or persons have no interest in respecting the rights of animals then the country will not be blessed.

“I am calling on the relevant authorities, especially the Guyana Police Force, to enforce the Animal Cruelty Act law. That is the whole purpose of my initiative to do what I am doing today,” the activist of eight years said. (G4)

NEWS

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Tourism in Guyana making a resurgence – Tourism Minister …says eco-tourism market specially catered for COVID pandemic

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fter more than a year of COVID19-influenced shut downs of the hospitality industry, tourism in Guyana is on a resurgence. This was the view of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond.

The Minister was at the time addressing attendees at the 17th annual Christmas tree lightup at Rahaman's Park on

Sunday evening. Minister Walrond noted that she is particularly positioned to witness the return to normalcy in the tourism industry.

For instance, she noted that hotels are returning to full bookings and business is returning to lodges.

According to the Minister, tourist guides are also steadily returning to action as the number of visitors in-

creases.

“As the Minister of Tourism, I see people coming back out. I’ve been travelling across the country.

All the different regions.

And you’re seeing engagement. Tourists, lodges, houses are being opened.”

“Hotels are booked up.

I see tour guides engaged.

You could hardly find a boat captain. You have to book them weeks in ad-

Young explorer conquers Amazon's uncharted jungle route in Guyana satellites had never been able to penetrate the dense jungle.

In the darkness the team encountered pumas and wild boars.

However, travelling as a group, they were less at risk from larger animals but constantly vigilant for poisonous snakes and insects.

"My snake gaiters protected me from a deadly bite from a labaria pit viper," she told the Daily Mail. Her team was subjected to stings

I

t took Lucy Shepherd 50 days to cut her way through 400km of unmapped Amazon rainforest. The 29-year-old explorer from Suffolk, England, forged a new path through what has been called one of the “last remaining unexplored wildernesses”.

She said that the route through Guyana's Kanuku Mountains was "dangerous but unbelievably rewarding."

Crossing from East to West, Shepherd and her team of four local men forged a new route through the jungle for the Scientific Exploration Society.

Seventeen of the 50 days were spent in pitch black darkness, due to the dense jungle canopy.

Without any maps of the region, the team had to forage for food with a bow and arrow. They were the first to traverse the previously unexplored region of the Amazon Rainforest However, she refused the assertion that her team "conquered" the jungle.

"Every living thing has a defence mechanism in the jungle, so don't try to fight it," she told National Geographic UK. "You need to be able to go with the flow." The young British adventurer was due to complete the journey with boyfriend and adventure photographer Tim Taylor.

The duo had completed previous expeditions together, however, Shepherd decided against the arrangement when picking her team.

"He wanted to go. I just

Expedition leader Lucy Shepherd, 29, took 50 days to forge a new path through the Amazon jungle. Photo / Lucy Shepherd, Eliza Brown Instagram

felt in order to get the best relationship with the guys I had to do this alone," she said in an interview with The Times. Accompanied by four Indigenous Amerindian guides, she was reliant on the knowledge and experience of her team. However, until now, the traverse had never been completed by Guyanese or foreign explorer. With only partial map coverage using charts from the 1970s, some of the journey was truly in uncharted territory. Parts of the route were navigated blind, due to the fact that even mapping

from jungle wasps and bad skin infections.

"We were so far from rescue and moments like this were chilling and I'm so thankful we got through."

Departing on September 24, the team emerged unscathed at the Western edge of the Kanukus on Wednesday, November 13.

"No one thought it was possible or that we would even come back," she said.

"Throughout it all, I'm proud that I kept my cool and smile - even when it got super-brutal." (New Zeeland Herald)

vance, sometimes months.

So, we’re definitely seeing a resurgence, a reboot of the tourism sector. Guyanese are indeed resilient,” Walrond said.

She further noted that Guyana, with its wide expanse of savannahs and its lush, untouched rainforests teeming with flora and fauna, is uniquely equipped to offer tourism that will decrease the risk of COVID-19 infection of tourists.

“Our tourism product, which is eco-tourism, is particularly tailored for the COVID-19 pandemic environment. Because we are in wide open spaces like this, with lots of ventilation.

And once again, we have to learn to listen and trust in the science.”

“The science says you’re not likely to be infected when its open spaces… and we are able to encourage people to come visit our interior locations and experience Guyana’s tourism product. Because it is catered for your small groups and it’s in wide open spaces,” the Minister said.

November 2021 is Tourism Awareness Month and Government has been making commitments to facilitate the return to normalcy in the tourism sector. To mark the start of the month, acting Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Karnrul Baksh had announced the launch of the agency’s Tourist and Tourist Service Provider App which will

Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond

allow travellers to be updated on the travel protocols and key information as well as a tracking feature.

In the same vein of innovation, he said that the GTA has collaborated with the Bureau of Statistics to launch the digitised visitor exit motivation survey, which will be piloted at the Eugene F Correia International Airport. “l believe these will be excellent additions to our efforts to provide safe tourism experiences and reinvent the way travellers’ experiences are handled,” he had noted.

Also, he said that the GTA has collaborated with conditionally approved tour operators and lodges and resorts to provide special tour packages during this month. In urging Guyanese to check out the packages, he added, “Guyana’s tourism sector has immense po-

tential, which is only just being realised.”

He nevertheless expressed confidence that through a consistent level of multi-sectoral and highly integrated stakeholder collaboration, the country’s tourism sector will reach new heights.

Baksh added that through the Government’s robust COVID-19 vaccination campaign, Guyana will certainly solidify efforts to offer safe tourism experiences to travellers.

The GTA Director noted too that during this month, stakeholders will recognise the growth of the sector amidst the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the remarkable resilience and leadership that have been demonstrated and just how much of a stringent, yet coordinated approach, was necessary for recovery. (G3)

16 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Men account for 60.3% of total workers – labour force survey …despite more women being of working age than men

D

espite the reports indicating that there are more women who are of the working age than men, the Guyana Labour Force Survey (GLFS) has found that men account for 60.3 per cent of all workers.

This is according to the GLFS 2021 first quarter report, which noted that the rate of men employed effectively reversed the fact that working age women outnumber men. According to the survey, women were found to account for 38.7 per cent when it comes to participation in the labour force.

The participation rate in urban areas was also skewed. For instance, men were found in the report to account for 53.2 per cent of participation in the labour force in urban areas and 50.3 per cent in rural.

When it comes to youths, the report also found that in the first quarter of the year, 35.9 per cent of youth between the ages of 15 to 24 were not gainfully employed.

They were not taking part in education, employment or training.

Generally, the employment-to-population ratio was found to be 43.2 per cent. Again, the statistics were skewed in the context of gender, with the ratio of employed men to population 56.3 per cent and women at 31.3 per cent.

The overall unemployment rate for the first quarter of the year was 15.6 per cent.

While this is higher than previous years, Guyana also had to deal with the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This slowdown was particularly evident in the non-oil economy.

Many Guyanese have felt the effects of COVID-19 on an economic level, with businesses closing their doors, layoffs and a slowdown in the circulation of money. This was compounded by the political paralysis Guyana found itself in from the elections in March 2020 until President Dr Irfaan Ali was sworn in on August 2 last year, as the previous Government refused to concede defeat.

When COVID first arrived in Guyana earli-

er this year, the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government had taken steps ranging from closing its borders to mandating that only essential businesses open their doors.

During its five-month extension in office, the former Government did not provide any economic stimulus for the remaining businesses which remained open. Guyana did not have a budget since the last one was passed in November of 2018, until September 2020 when the PPP passed its emergency budget.

The first quarter of 2020 had pegged youth unemployment at a rate of 30.2 per cent.

This was according to a Bureau of Statistics report. According to published data, the overall unemployment rate within the reporting period was 12.8 per cent. Meanwhile, in rural communities, there was a higher unemployment rate among women.

“The rural unemployed population represents the

The Bureau of Statistics compiled the GLFS

vast majority of the total unemployed for the first quarter of 2020 and the unemployment rate for women appears to be high-

er than that for men. The rural unemployed population represents the vast majority of the total unemployed for the first quar-

ter of 2020 and the unemployment rate for women appears to be higher than that for men,” the Bureau highlighted. (G3)

5 Peshmerga killed in ISIL attack in Iraq’s Diyala

Major review of Jamaica’s Constitution to begin in 2022

P

rime Minister Andrew Holness has announced that there will be a comprehensive review of Jamaica's Constitution beginning in 2022.

He made the announcement during his address at the Jamaica Labour Party's 78th annual conference which was held virtually from 10 satellite locations due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In making the case for the review, the prime minister noted that the pandemic has exposed gaps in the law and these must be rectified.

“I have asked the minister of justice and the attorney general to advise me on the process of reviewing the Constitution. We do intend to start next year, the process for constitutional review and the necessary re-

forms that may flow from that,” Holness said.

In the meantime, he said the government intends to take several bills to the Parliament, including the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill, which he said, has been “bouncing around for 10 years”.

The bill, which will establish professional codes and standards for teachers, will be brought to the Parliament in early 2022.

According to the prime minister, education “has suffered in the pandemic and it has also suffered reputational damage and I don't feel good about that”. He said the Teaching Council Bill will restore not just dignity in education but also the outcomes of education.

Additionally, he said the government will also table the full regulations under

the Road Traffic Act to bring effect to the parent legislation which was passed by the Parliament in 2018 and thus “begin the much desired process of bringing order to our roads”.

Holness noted that apart from murders, “the next big complaint is the indiscipline on our roads. That legislation will carry us one step further to bringing order to our roads,” he stated.

And the prime minister said the government will also bring the new MOCA regulations, which he noted, are part of efforts to strengthen the anti-corruption framework.

The last major review of Jamaica's independence Constitution of 1962 came in 2010 with major amendments to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

(Jamaica Observer)

F

ive Peshmerga fighters were killed in an attack by the ISIL (ISIS) armed group in northern Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said on Sunday.

The attack – which also wounded four Peshmerga – took place in Diyala province on Saturday night.

A Peshmerga source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Al Jazeera the four fighters were wounded

by ISIL sniper fire.

The five Peshmerga killed were in a convoy on their way to attend to the wounded when they hit

a roadside bomb planted by the armed group.

Ambushing those who rush to the scene to help injured fighters is a common tactic utilised by ISIL. “The Peshmerga responded heavily and everything is under control now,” the Peshmerga ministry wrote in a statement.

After the attack, Nechirvan Barzani, president of the KRG, offered his condolences and called for further regional cooperation to defeat remnants of the armed group.

“I am deeply saddened by the news of the martyrdom

of a group of Peshmerga heroes last night while they were providing assistance to their colleagues in the Kolajo region,” said Barzani in a statement.

ISIL took a swath of land in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Following a series of bloody offensives against it, the group lost its territorial control and was effectively defeated in 2017.

However, having changed its strategies, ISIL still poses a threat in several provinces in Iraq with hit-and-run attacks, kidnappings, and roadside bombs.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

NEWS

17

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

South Africa's President 13 test positive for Omicron after calls for lifting of S Africa-Netherlands flights Omicron travel bans

Cyril Ramaphosa

S

outh Africa's president has condemned travel bans enacted against his country and its neighbours over the new coronavirus variant Omicron.

Cyril Ramaphosa said he was "deeply disappointed" by the action, which he described as unjustified, and called for the bans to be urgently lifted.

The UK, EU and US are among those who have imposed travel bans.

Omicron has been classed as a "variant of concern". Early evidence suggests it has a higher re-infection risk.

The heavily mutated variant was detected in South Africa earlier this month and then reported to the World Health Organization (WHO)

last Wednesday.

The variant is responsible for most of the infections found in South Africa's most populated province, Gauteng, over the last two weeks, and is now present in all other provinces in the country. The WHO has warned against countries hastily imposing travel restrictions, saying they should look to a "risk-based and scientific approach".

However, numerous bans have been introduced in recent days amid concerns over the variant. In his speech on Sunday, Mr Ramaphosa said there was no scientific basis for the travel bans and that southern Africa was the victim of unfair discrimination. He also argued that the bans would not be effective in preventing the spread of

the variant.

"The only thing the prohibition on travel will do is to further damage the economies of the affected countries and undermine their ability to respond to, and recover from, the pandemic," he said.

He called on countries with bans in place to "urgently reverse their decisions... before any further damage is done to our economies".

Mr Ramaphosa described the emergence of the Omicron variant as a wakeup call for the world regarding vaccine inequality warning that until everyone was vaccinated, more variants were inevitable.

There are no vaccine shortages in South Africa itself, and Mr Ramaphosa urged more people to get jabbed, saying that remained the best way to fight the virus.

A previous statement by the South African foreign ministry on Saturday also strongly criticised the travel bans, saying the country was being punished - instead of applauded - for discovering Omicron.

Omicron has now been detected in a number of countries around the world, including the UK, Germany, Australia and Israel. (BBC)

T

Passengers arriving from South Africa were held for several hours so tests could be conducted

he new coronavirus variant Omicron has been detected in 13 people who arrived in the Dutch capital Amsterdam on two flights from South Africa.

They are among 61 passengers who tested positive for coronavirus.

It comes as tighter restrictions come into force in the Netherlands, amid record Covid cases and concerns over the new variant.

This includes early closing times for hospitality and cultural venues, and limits on home gatherings.

Omicron was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by South Africa on Wednesday, and early ev-

idence suggests it has a higher re-infection risk. It has been categorised by the WHO as a "variant of concern".

But after many countries around the world restrict travel from southern African countries over the variant, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called for the bans to be urgently lifted.

The new coronavirus variant Omicron has been detected in 13 people who arrived in the Dutch capital Amsterdam on two flights from South Africa.

They are among 61 passengers who tested positive for coronavirus.

It comes as tighter restrictions come into force in

the Netherlands, amid record Covid cases and concerns over the new variant.

This includes early closing times for hospitality and cultural venues, and limits on home gatherings.

Omicron was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by South Africa on Wednesday, and early evidence suggests it has a higher re-infection risk. It has been categorised by the WHO as a "variant of concern".

But after many countries around the world restrict travel from southern African countries over the variant, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called for the bans to be urgently lifted. (BBC)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021

Regional

Venezuelan President Maduro brands High turnout boosts EU electoral observers “spies” Opposition hopes as V polls close in Honduras

Xiomara Castro, presidential candidate of the Liberty and Refoundation Party (LIBRE), casts her vote during the general elections in Catacamas, Honduras, November 28, 2021

H

ondurans voting in what electoral officials said were “massive” numbers on Sunday boosted Opposition hopes of ending a dozen years of National Party rule and possibly paving the way for leftist Xiomara Castro to win the presidency.

If she wins, Opposition standard-bearer Castro would become the first female President in Honduras

and mark the left’s return to power for the first time since her husband, former President Manuel Zelaya, was deposed in a 2009 coup.

As polls closed, the electoral council said more than 2.7 million voters had already cast ballots, a figure the council described as a “massive turnout”, but with more votes yet to be counted.

Council President Kelvin

Aguirre said it had already surpassed total turnout four years ago.

He added that voters still in line could vote, in a contest marked by efforts from the conservative ruling party to shake off numerous corruption scandals while attacking Castro as a dangerous radical.

Long lines could be seen at many polling places across the capital. Nationwide, some 5.2 million Hondurans are eligible to vote.

For months, Castro has sought to unify the Opposition to outgoing President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who has denied accusations of having ties to powerful gangs, despite an open investigation in the United States allegedly linking him to drug trafficking.

After tying up with the 2017 runner-up, a popular TV host, most polls have reinforced her front-runner status. (Excerpt from Reuters)

e n e z u e l a ’ s President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday denounced members of the European Union (EU) electoral observation mission who monitored voting last weekend as “spies,” and accused them of looking to “stain” the regional elections on their preliminary report.

Local and regional elections enjoyed better conditions than during previous voting, the EU mission said on Tuesday, though they raised concerns about arbitrary bans on candidates for administrative reasons, delays in opening voting centres, and “extended use of State re-

sources in the campaign”.

“They looked to stain the electoral process (in a report) and they couldn’t.

A delegation of spies – they weren’t observers – wandered freely around the country, spying on the country’s social, economic and political life,” Maduro said during a broadcast on state television.

The mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Voting last weekend was the first time in 15 years that the EU sent a mission to observe Venezuelan elections. The team included 1000 observers who monitored voting in 22 out of 23 elections

and the full report will be presented in two months.

In this election, Opposition politicians contested votes for the first time since 2017. However, they were roundly beaten, picking up just three out of 23 governorships and 117 mayoral positions, with the ruling party winning 210 mayoral races.

Several mayoral races had yet to be called, and one governor’s office – in Barinas state, a Chavismo stronghold – has not been called either.

“The European Union couldn’t stain the electoral process, it was impeccable, beautiful,” Maduro said.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Barbados gets own tartan

Anyone found with illegal gun should be given death penalty – Holness

P

Prime Minister Andrew Holness

rime Minister Andrew Holness says he believes that criminals convicted for illegal possession of a firearm should be

put to death for their sentence.

Holness made the announcement during his address at Sunday’s Jamaica Labour Party’s 78th first virtual annual conference.

“Anyone found with a gun [that is illegal] should start with the death penalty,” Holness stressed.

“That’s how strongly I feel about it...that’s how serious we should treat it.”

Adding that there needs to be stiffer penalties for those who import weapons, [those] who provide the weapons to the “killers” [and] who use them to intimidate people, Holness reiter-

ated, “they should start at the highest level [the death penalty]. They shouldn’t get automatic plea bargaining.

Those who perpetrate this should face the most severe consequence.”

According to the Prime Minister, the argument presented by some people who go on to receive relatively light sentences after successfully arguing that the gun is for their defence, must be rejected.

“We must have a movement to disarm Jamaica of illegal guns,” he declared.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Curbing travel over Omicron coronavirus variant of little use – Mexican health official

M

exico’s Deputy Health Secretary said measures such as restricting travel or closing borders are of little use in response to the emergence of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.

Hugo Lopez Gatell, who has been the face of the Mexican Government’s response to the pandemic, said some of the measures other countries have taken are “disproportionate” to what the existing scientific evidence shows.

“It has not been shown

to be more virulent or to evade the immune response induced by vaccines,” he said in a Twitter post on Saturday.

“Travel restrictions or border closures are not very useful measures. They affect the economy and well-being of people.”

The discovery of the variant has sparked global concern, a wave of bans on travellers from southern Africa and a plunge in financial markets as investors fear the new variant will halt the global recovery from the

nearly two-year-old pandemic.

The World Health Organization has classified Omicron – first detected in South Africa – as a variant “of concern” though has cautioned countries not to hastily impose travel curbs, saying they should take a “scientific and risk-based approach”.

Since the pandemic began, Mexico has reported more than 3.8 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 293,000 deaths.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Designer Robert Guibal and Jo Smith looking at an item made from the Barbados tartan (Picture by Shanice King)

B

arbados now has an officially registered tartan, the first in the Caribbean.

A delegation from Scotland was here for a week, cementing ties in education, business and trade.

At Hilton Barbados last week, founder of the Renfrewshire Business

Network, Jo Smith, said there were many similarities between Scotland and Barbados and the visit was a successful one.

Both the visit and the tartan were made possible by Shane Thomas, a Barbadian flying Barbados’ Flag high in Scotland.

The tartan, a specially

designed Scottish fabric, was created by designer Robert Guibal, with strict instructions from Thomas to use only Barbados’ three national colours, although tartans are usually made with four colours.

Guibal said it took months but he was pleased with the finished product.

(Nation News)

Political parties pledge to tackle climate change in Tobago

I

t’s election season in Tobago – a season when political parties promise sunny days ahead.

Amid the campaign for the December 6 polls, the People’s National Movement (PNM) and Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) have discussed plans to revive tourism and boost the economy, which has been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis recently announced TT$50 million in relief for those whose revenue have been affected by COVID-19.

PDP leader Watson Duke has also offered his

bag of goodies with a promise of an ex-gratia payment for all THA workers before Christmas, if elected into power.

But while the pandemic has hit Tobagonians’ pockets owing to the restrictions taken to limit the spread of the virus, the impact of climate change could prove even more disastrous in the near future.

Earlier this month, world leaders were at COP26, a climate change conference, in Scotland discussing plans to reduce carbon emissions and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, ideally, by 2030.

Warmer ocean temperatures have been fuelling storms which saw a record 30 named in the Atlantic in 2020.

Tobagonians will recall the devastation of Tropical Storm Karen which hit the island on September 22, 2019. Karen’s rage left Tobago battling landslides, damaged roads, flooding, and damaged boats, amounting to TT$24 million in destruction.

The picturesque Pigeon Point has not been spared the effects of climate change, losing almost 25 feet of shoreline to coastal erosion over the last two decades. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS OPEC postpones technical meetings to evaluate Omicron impact – sources

O

PEC and its allies have postponed technical meetings to later this week, giving themselves more time to assess the impact of the new Omicron coronavirus variant on oil demand and prices, according to OPEC+ sources and documents.

Oil prices crashed together with other financial markets on Friday by more than 10 per cent, their largest one-day drop since April 2020, as the new variant spooked investors and added to concerns that a supply surplus could swell in the first quarter.

Friday's fall was exacerbated by low liquidity due to a US public holiday.

Before Friday, OPEC had already predicted the surplus would grow steeply after the United States and other major consumers decided to released oil stocks to help cool down prices.

OPEC and allies known as OPEC+ have move their joint technical committee to Wednesday from today, according to the documents. OPEC would hold a meeting the same day.

A joint ministerial monitoring committee will meet on Thursday instead of Tuesday, the documents showed, OPEC+ will also meet the same day, when a policy decision will likely be announced.

"We need more time to understand what this new variant is and if we need to overreact or not," one OPEC+ source said.

OPEC+ has been releasing 400,000 barrels per day of oil per month while winding down its record cuts from last year, when it cut production by as much as 10 million bpd to address lower demand caused by the virus lockdowns.

OPEC+ has some 3.8 million bpd of cuts still in place and some analysts have suggested the group could pause with the increases after the release of stocks and possible repercussions for demand from new lockdowns to contain the new variant. (Excerpt from Reuters)

COVID: Australia woman charged after setting fire in quarantine hotel

A

31-year-old woman in Australia has been charged with arson after a fire destroyed part of a COVID-19 quarantine hotel in Cairns, Queensland.

It is alleged she lit a fire under a bed in the room she had been sharing with two children on Sunday morning.

More than 160 people were evacuated as fire took hold in the 11-storey Pacific Hotel. No-one was injured.

It came as Australia confirmed two cases of the new coronavirus variant which is prompting new restrictions.

Omicron was first reported by South Africa, and has been classified as "of concern" by the World Health Organisation (WHO) with early evidence suggesting a higher re-infection risk.

The government in Canberra has announced a suspension of flights from

South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, the Seychelles, Malawi, and Mozambique. NonAustralians who have been in those countries in the past two weeks are now banned from entering Australia.

Australians have spent 20 months under some of the world's strictest border rules, in an effort to keep out COVID. It is not clear whether the new variant will mean a roll-back of some relaxations that began early this month.

A surge in vaccinations has allowed some Australian states to end their strategy of eliminating all cases.

But unvaccinated travellers are obliged to quarantine for 14 days in hotels in the country. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Omicron variant detected in more countries as scientists race to find answers

T

he Omicron coronavirus variant spread around the world on Sunday, with new cases found in the Netherlands, Denmark and Australia even as more countries imposed travel restriction to try to seal themselves off.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it is not yet clear whether Omicron, first detected in Southern Africa, is more transmissible than other variants, or if it causes more severe disease.

WHO said understanding the level of severity of Omicron "will take days to several weeks".

The detection of Omicron triggered global alarm as governments around the world scrambled to impose new travel restriction and markets sold-off, fearing the variant could resist vaccinations and upend a

People walk inside Schiphol Airport after Dutch health authorities said that 61 people who arrived in Amsterdam on flights from South Africa tested positive for COVID-19, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 27, 2021

nascent economic reopening after a two-year global pandemic.

In its statement, the WHO said it was working with technical experts to understand the potential impact of the variant on

existing countermeasures against COVID-19, including vaccines.

Britain said it will convene an urgent meeting of G7 Health Ministers today to discuss the developments.

Omicron, dubbed a "variant of concern" last week by the WHO that is potentially more contagious than previous variants, has now been detected in Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands and South Africa.

A South African doctor who was one of the first to suspect a different coronavirus strain said on Sunday that symptoms of Omicron were so far mild and could be treated at home.

Dr Angelique Coetzee, chair of South African Medical Association, told Reuters that unlike with Delta, so far patients have not reported loss of smell or taste and there has been no major drop in oxygen levels with the new variant.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Lithuania says Belarus Ethiopian Govt forces will keep testing West, in control of Chifra urges NATO rethink – State media

Ethiopian soldiers seen during a training session in November

Lithuanian, President Gitanas Nauseda visits troops deployed at the Belarus border in Druskininkai, Lithuania November 22, 2021

L

ithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Sunday that the NATO military alliance needed to adjust its stance towards Belarus, whose military, he said, was becoming more integrated with Russian armed forces.

Nauseda told a news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Vilnius that he was worried by the "total military integration" of Belarus into Russian military structures.

"This brings new challenges to NATO, and NATO should accordingly adapt its plans, strategy and tactic, to be ready to respond," he said.

Nauseda also said Belarus would keep testing the unity of the west after thousands of migrants arrived on the European Union's eastern frontiers.

Humanitarian agencies

say at least 13 migrants have died at the Polish border after crossing from Belarus.

The EU says the crisis was engineered by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko and is part of a "hybrid war" Minsk is waging in retaliation for EU sanctions imposed in response to Lukashenko's crushing of protests against his disputed re-election last year.

Von der Leyen said Lithuania had been responding in a "humane and firm way" to the crisis and the European Union continued to support it, with 200 million euros (US$226.3 million) in EU funds to be given to Latvia, Lithuania and Poland for border control this year and next.

Stoltenberg said the leaders had also discussed Russia's "unexplained and unjustified" military buildup near Ukraine. (Excerpt from Reuters)

E

thiopia’s State-run broadcaster has said government forces were in control of the town of Chifra in Afar region, their first major seizure since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said earlier this week he would head to the front lines to lead federal troops against fighters from the northern Tigray region.

Tens of thousands of people have died and millions displaced since the war between Ethiopian federal and allied troops, and the Tigrayan forces, broke out in November 2020. The conflict has also caused a massive humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people facing famine.

The Tigrayan forces captured Chifra, on the border between the northern Afar and Amhara regions, after fighting intensified last month.

“Ethiopian Defense Forces and Afar Special Forces have controlled Chifra,” the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation said on its Twitter account on Sunday, without provid-

ing further details.

There was no immediate comment by the Tigrayan forces.

Much of northern Ethiopia is under a communications blackout and access for journalists is heavily restricted, making battlefield claims difficult to corroborate. Al Jazeera, however, was able to gain exclusive access to Chifra, the first international news organisation to do so.

Reporting from “the heart” of the town, Al Jazeera Arabic’s correspondent Mohammed Taha Tewekel said the Tigrayan forces “were driven out of this strategic area” by pro-government militia from the Afar region, but also noted “gunfire could be heard from all directions” for hours.

Chifra is west of the town of Mille, which Tigrayan forces have been trying to capture for weeks, because it lies along the highway linking landlocked Ethiopia to Djibouti, the Horn of Africa’s main port. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

20

MONDAY , NOVEMBER 29, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS

DILBERT

(April 20May 20)

Dive in and get things done. Your energy and wit will draw others to your side and encourage opportunities that allow you to use your skills to your liking. Negotiations look promising.

Uncertainty will make you nervous about your future.

Don't overreact or take on something you cannot handle.

Be realistic and patient, and analyze every situation you face. Keep the peace.

Expand your interests, GEMINI skills and knowledge to fit (May 21- trends. Work to develop a June 20) plan that helps you use your talents to drum up interest in something you want to pursue.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Keep your personal and professional problems separate. Letting your emotions get in the way will ruin your concentration and stand between you and what you are trying to achieve.

Connect with someone who can offer clarity regarding a situation that perplexes you.

Speak up, ask direct questions and find out where you stand.

Anger and impulse won't solve anything.

Live up to your word.

Uncertainty and inconsistency will make others question your ability to get things done. Concentrate on self-improvement.

Romance is favored.

If you want to make changes at home or to how you live, be prepared to do the labor yourself. Minimize expenses to fit your budget. Call on people who can help you get things done.

Pay attention to what's going on at home and the changes that others make. Reach out to people you can rely on to help you get what you want.

Change the way you approach someone for best results.

Keep the momentum SAGITTARIUS flowing. Procrastination will (Nov. 23stand between you and your Dec. 21) destination. Position yourself for success. If you feel passionate, follow through with your plans.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

SATURDAY'S WORD -- TALISMAN

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

Stay on target. Don't let your mind wander. Use your imagination to create, not to confuse. Execute your plans with precision, ingenuity and savvy. Ride the wave of success.

Choose intellect over brawn. Communication is the path to success. Explain your thoughts and feelings, and you'll captivate your audience. Don't let change stand between you and what you want.

Two wrongdoings won't make things right. Take a (Feb. 20- moment to adjust to what March 20) others do or say. How you handle matters will determine your success. You may have to make some lastminute adjustments.

PISCES

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2021

21

Crucial fifties from Iyer and Saha set NZ 284 target

D

– Ashwin strikes early to make New Zealand's final-day task tougher

ebutant Shreyas Iyer followed up his 105 in the first innings with 65 to help India set New Zealand a target of 284 in the first Test in Kanpur.

He was well-supported by Wriddhiman Saha, who struck an unbeaten 61 after being off the field with a stiff neck on day three.

In the morning session, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, and Ajaz Patel had reduced India to 51 for 5, but Iyer and R Ashwin eased the hosts' nerves with a 52-run stand for the sixth wicket. Then, Iyer and Saha added 64 for the seventh wicket to take India's lead past 200.

Iyer was caught down the leg side off Southee in the last over before tea, but Saha and Axar Patel dashed any hopes New Zealand might have had of keeping the target under 250. The two added 67 in 20.4 overs in an unbroken eighth-wicket stand without showing any urgency until the very end.

India finally declared on 234 for 7, and in the four overs possible before bad light forced stumps, Ashwin dismissed Will Young lbw with the one that kept low.

Had Young opted for the review in time, he would have survived as replays showed the ball was spinning past leg stump.

Saha kept wicket at the start of New Zealand's second

India successfully appeal

innings, but was substituted

by KS Bharat after only two overs.

Earlier, it was surprising to see Kane Williamson starting with batting all-rounder Rachin Ravindra after lunch, with India placed precariously on 84 for 5. To his credit, Ravindra was tidy, but didn't pose much of a threat. From the other end, Southee's short-ball ploy against Ashwin didn't quite come off either.

It was Jamieson who eventually broke the stand, with Ashwin chopping one onto his stumps, but by then India's lead had crossed 150.

Meanwhile, Iyer showed great maturity, playing the ball late on a slow pitch and picking up the majority of his runs in the third-man region.

He brought up his half-century off 109 balls, becoming the first India batter – and 16th

overall – to score a hundred and a fifty in his first Test.

Saha stuck around with

in a comfortable position.

With India starting the day on 14 for 1, Cheteshwar Pujara and Mayank Agarwal were offered some freebies on the pads as Jamieson and Southee bowled straight with a catching short midwicket in place. While Agarwal struggled, Pujara made good use of the opportunities and moved to 22 off 32 balls.

However, Jamieson then banged one short, and even though the ball was angling down the leg side, Pujara ended up fending at it and gloved it to the wicketkeeper.

The on-field umpire ruled it

Wriddhiman Saha struck an unbeaten fifty

Iyer and even hit William Somerville for a four and a six off successive deliveries, the first of those shots bursting through Henry Nicholls' fingers at midwicket. Iyer looked to bat more freely after his half-century. While he couldn't add too many to his tally, his knock had put India

not out, but New Zealand got the decision overturned on review.

Ajinkya Rahane had scored a valuable 35 in the first innings, but on Sunday he didn't look comfortable at the crease. He opened his account off his 14th ball with a

four off Ajaz, but the left-arm spinner trapped him lbw on the very next ball with the one that went on with the arm.

Coming back for his second spell of the day, Southee drew the outside edge of Iyer's bat straightaway, but the ball went for four through the gap between the wicketkeeper and a wide first slip.

That prompted New Zealand to have a more conventional slip cordon, and soon there was another opportunity. In Southee's next over, Agarwal edged an outswinger to sec-

ond slip, where Tom Latham took a tumbling catch to his left.

Two balls later, Southee jolted India further by dismissing Ravindra Jadeja lbw from around the wicket. With half the side back in the pavilion and it not being clear then if Saha would bat, India's lead of 100 looked paltry.

Iyer and Ashwin, though, eased some of the pressure by hitting four fours in the next three overs and played out the rest of the first session without further damage.

(ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD India 2nd Innings Mayank Agarwal c Latham b Southee 17 Shubman Gill b Jamieson 1 Cheteshwar Pujara c † Blundell b Jamieson 22 Ajinkya Rahane (c) lbw b Patel 4 Shreyas Iyer c †Blundell b Southee

65 Ravindra Jadeja lbw b Southee 0 Ravichandran Ashwin b Jamieson 32 Wriddhiman Saha † not out 61 Axar Patel not out 28 Extras (b 3, lb 1) 4 TOTAL (81 Ov, RR: 2.88) 234/7d Did not bat: Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Shubman Gill, 1.1 ov), 2-32 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 11.1 ov), 3-41 (Ajinkya Rahane, 14.5 ov), 4-51 (Mayank Agarwal, 19.2 ov), 5-51

(Ravindra Jadeja, 19.4 ov), 6-103 (Ravichandran Ashwin, 39.2 ov), 7-167 (Shreyas Iyer, 60.2 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Tim Southee 22-2-75-3 Kyle Jamieson 17-6-40-3 Ajaz Patel 17-3-60-1 Rachin Ravindra 9-3-17-0 William Somerville 16-2-38-0 NEW ZEALAND 2ND INNINGS (TARGET: 284 RUNS) Tom Latham not out 2 Will Young lbw b Ashwin 2 William Somerville not out 0 Extras 0 TOTAL (4 Ov, RR: 1.00) 4/1 Yet to bat: Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell †, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Will Young, 2.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Ravichandran Ashwin 2-0-3-1 Axar Patel 2-1-1-0

BCB completes 3rd social skills seminar at Albion …10 more youths receive educational grants from Patron Fund

T

he Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday successfully completed the third of four social skills seminars for youths at the Albion Ground as it presses ahead with its off-thefield cricket developmental programme.

A total of 50 youths, including four females, attended the seminar, which was conducted by four graduates of the University of Guyana Social Work Class and Levi Nedd of GuySuCo. To date, a total of 140 students have benefited from the seminars.

The first seminar was held at the New Amsterdam Secondary School for youths in New Amsterdam and the second at the Fort Wellington School for the West Berbice area. BCB President Hilbert Foster,

in declaring the six-hour seminar open, urged the attentive youth cricketers to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them by his administration, as never before in the history of Guyana has a cricket board been so pro-active.

The BCB President disclosed that the hosting of the seminars was the idea of BCB Patron, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat and was funded under the Patron Fund. The CWI Director informed the youths that he was confident that all Berbician cricketers would now not only excel on the field but off the field as sports ambassadors of the county. The BCB, he stated, would be there every step of the way in their personal development while

providing opportunities for them to fulfil their potential on the field. Foster disclosed that the objective of his board was to produce a total of 10 more players for the West Indies at all levels over the next two to three years.

The students were involved in several lectures on a series of topics including life skills, leadership, table etiquette, basic mannerisms, public speaking, time management, how to behave at a public ceremony, and the importance of education and discipline.

The BCB President also spoke to the youths at the conclusion of the seminar, noting the need to remain focused while rejecting the evil world of Satan. Each of the cricketers received a Certificate of Participation from the BCB and would

The participants of the seminar poses with their certificates and lecturers after the end of the seminar

also be involved in a oneday mini cricket academy as part of their development.

Meanwhile, another 10 youths received an educational grant from the

BCB under its Patron Trust Fund. Those receiving $10,000 each were Shiv Harripersaud, Deon Sital, Kumar Deopersaud, Trisha Hardat, DeShawn Govindan, Priya Mahadeo,

Dharshanie Subramanie, S Daniels, R Ramnauth, and B Chapelle. A total of 37 youth cricketers benefited from $400,000 overall under the Fund, compliments of Minister Bharrat.

22

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

WI v SL Test: Brathwaite reveals batting blueprint on Galle turner

Kraigg Brathwaite

D

efend a lot. Be clear on whether you're playing back or forward. And stick around for a couple of sessions. This is West Indies' batting game plan for the second Test according to Captain Kraigg Brathwaite.

With the surface for the second Test expected to be even more spin-friendly than the first, West Indies' batters’ technique and application seem set for another major examination.

"The plan is to be clear in what you want to do.

Believe that you can do it, and do it for long periods," Brathwaite said. "We've got to have the discipline and the fight to do it for 50 overs – more than two sessions, or three sessions.

"We had a lot of discussions. One important thing is that you've got to defend a lot of balls. Having a straight bat is one thing we discussed. That's very important. And sweeping as well – especially the offspinner. It's just about being clear and confident about whether you're play-

ing forward or back."

West Indies' only half-centurions in the first Test were Nkrumah Bonner and Joshua Da Silva, who put up a 100run stand in the second innings, rescuing the side from 18 for 6. Brathwaite said the remainder of the batters had drawn inspiration from that partnership.

"Bonner and Josh showed that when you have a solid defence, if you put the effort and energy in, you'll be successful. Sometimes when doubt

Man City beat West Ham in wintery Ethiad

West Indies are looking to bounce back after a heavy first Test defeat

comes in, you can slip up a bit. Just trust that defence.

When the bad balls come, you get runs. It's important to have that clarity, as to what you want to do here.

"In terms of how they were able to manoeuvre different balls, they were a very good example for us.

As a batting group, it was good to see, and something to learn from."

West Indies have had a mixed 2021. They began

with an excellent 2-0 victory in Bangladesh, before drawing two Tests at home against Sri Lanka. Their worst series was the 2-0 defeat at South Africa's hands at home, before drawing a home series against Pakistan 1-1. Brathwaite outlined the importance of the next match: if they beat Sri Lanka, they would have won more matches in 2021 than they've lost.

"To be honest we

showed good progress in 2021. It was not a good series against South Africa, but we bounced back decent against Pakistan. In Bangladesh, we won that series 2-0. Winning this game will be very crucial from a points perspective for the Test Championship.

As a team, we've made some strides. Once the group stays together and keeps building, that's crucial." (ESPNcricinfo)

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anchester City midfield pair Ilkay Gundogan and Fernandino were on target as Pep Guardiola's Premier League superiority over West Ham continued.

City have now won 10 out of 11 top-flight meetings with the Hammers under the Spaniard. In a game played in a snow-storm before halftime, skipper Gundogan provided the decisive moment after 33 minutes when he turned home a deflected Riyad Mahrez effort at the far-post.

It was the Germany midfielder's third goal of the season – and his second in four league games – and was followed up in the final minute

by Fernandinho, who had only been introduced three minutes earlier, to tie the game up.

The veteran Brazilian had not scored a Premier

T

League goal since October 2018, but found the target from the edge of the box.

Manuel Lanzini pulled one back with the final kick of the game, which cost Ederson his 100th clean sheet in all competitions, but did nothing to prevent City moving back into second spot, six points clear of the Hammers.

The Londoners remain fourth despite suffering successive Premier League defeats for the first time since April. The second half was delayed by almost 10 minutes so snow could be cleared from the pitch.

Guardiola should offer special thanks to head groundsman Lee Jackson and his team for this latest victory. As half-time approached with heavy snow falling on a pitch already covered in it, there was a real fear the game might not

reach its conclusion.

Yet Jackson and his colleagues got to work and with the aid of a half-time interval extended by referee Michael Oliver by five minutes, and the surface was clear again when the game restarted, by which time the snow had stopped. Jackson's reward was an effective home display, even if it was some way short of show-stopper.

West Ham keeper Lucasz Fabianski denied Gundogan a second and Bernardo Silva's excellent chipped finish counted for nothing thanks to an offside flag.

And Ederson, whose only significant save was turning away a fierce Declan Rice shot, was denied his personal milestone with a goal out of virtually nothing from Lanzini, when West Ham had no time to even think about an equaliser.

(BBC Sport)

he Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) has received an official notice of a possible Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Anti -Doping Rules (ADR) by Carlos Petterson-Griffith.

This is as a result of tests conducted during the 18th NAPF/ FESUPO Pan-American Regional Powerlifting Championships held in Orlando, Florida, USA, August 18-21, 2021.

The process to resolve the issue of an ADRV commences with an official

FOR SALE notice, with various dates for the submission of requested information and a full determination of all the related issues.

The athlete is obliged to comply with the requirements of the process and is obligated to comply with the outcome.

As a consequence, the athlete will not participate in the upcoming South American Championships and the GAPLF National Seniors.

The GAPLF has engaged the athlete and will continue to do so throughout the process.

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23 We have not forgotten about Sinclair, says Harper MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021

al teams,” Harper said in a recent media briefing.

The West have included left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein, along with Hayden Walsh Jr as specialist spinner for the Pakistan tour, while Roston Chase will offer valuable support in the spin department.

By Brandon Corlette

O

ff-spinner Kevin Sinclair has not been selected to the West Indies white-ball squads to tour Pakistan in December.

Sinclair, who last played for the West Indies in June 2021 against South Africa, has not been getting opportunities, especially at the regional level.

Sinclair played only three matches in the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for the Guyana Amazon Warriors. Cricket West Indies (CWI) Lead Selector Roger Harper said West Indies have not forgotten about the 22-year-old Guyanese as it relates to selection to the West

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CWI Lead Selector Roger Harper

ing forward.”

In the 2021 CPL, Sinclair had returns of 0-14, 0-11 and 1-31 with the ball. Harper said that the youngster who played six T20 Internationals for the West Indies, has a lot of potential and the selection panel is observing him.

Full Squads

One-Day International squad to Pakistan: Kieron Pollard (Captain); Shai Hope (Vice Captain); Darren Bravo; Shamarh Brooks; Roston Chase; Justin Greaves; Akeal Hosein; Alzarri Joseph; Gudakesh Motie; Anderson Phillip; Nicholas Pooran; Raymon Reifer; Romario Flashback: Sinclair gets his cap from Chris Gayle

Gudakesh Motie; Romario Shepherd; Odean Smith; Oshane Thomas and Hayden Walsh Jr.

Notes

Jason Holder is being rested for this tour due to workload management. Fabian Allen and Obed McCoy are un-

available owing to injury and rehabilitation. Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Russell, and Lendl Simmons are unavailable owing to personal reasons.

TOUR SCHEDULE

December 13 – 1st T20I, Karachi

December Karachi December Karachi December Karachi December Karachi December Karachi

14 – 2nd T20I, 16 – 3rd T20I, 18 – 1st ODI, 20 – 2nd ODI, 22 – 3rd ODI,

Minister Hamilton kicks off Region 7 exhibition football Indies team.

“Sinclair, you would have known, was involved in the home series, played a few games, but I think from his perspective and a West Indies cricketing perspective, he did not have enough opportunities at the CPL to really stake a proper claim for himself mov-

“We certainly have not forgotten about him. He is someone we still think have a lot of potential and someone we can look at going forward. We still have our eyes on him and observing him closely. Players of that nature we would like to see them have greater opportunities at regional level and stake a claim for region-

Shepherd; Odean Smith and Hayden Walsh Jr. T20 International squad to Pakistan: Kieron Pollard (Captain); Nicholas Pooran (Vice Captain); Darren Bravo; Roston Chase; Sheldon Cottrell; Dominic Drakes; Shai Hope; Akeal Hosein; Brandon King; Kyle Mayers;

$2.6M pumped into Golden Fleece Sports Ground

Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton in action

L W

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh makes the presentation to Golden Fleece Sports Club members

hile on an outreach on Sunday in Region Two, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for finance, Dr Ashni Singh, on Sunday handed over a grass cutter and materials to construct a fence at the Golden Fleece Sports Ground.

The materials include wood, tar, chain-link, paint, and cement. The in-

vestment costs $2.6 million.

Added to that, Minister Singh also committed to assisting the community to upgrade the sanitary block, level and compact the ground, and paint the pavilion.

The slasher, which costs $800,000, will be used to aid in the clearance and maintenance of the playground and will be made available

for use by other grounds across the Essequibo Coast, while the building materials, which total $1,874,210, will be used for the construction of a chain-link perimeter fence measuring 300 metres around the playground.

Overall, this project will provide improved facilities for club members and youths across the Essequibo Coast.

abour Minister Joseph Hamilton, MP, kicked off the ball to open an exhibition football match series in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) on Saturday.

The two-day event, at the Bartica Community Centre Ground, saw River's View going up against Potaro Strikers. The visiting team, Pouderoyen, West Coast Demerara, played against Rising Stars.

Minister Hamilton said that he was pleased to be present at the exhibition game and spoke of Government's commitment to the development of sports in Guyana.

Currently, there are eight football clubs under the Bartica Football

Association (BFA). BFA is a member of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).

BFA President Alden Marslowe said that the clubs consisted of junior and senior players and the Association was pushing to include a women's club.

Also present at the event were Region Seven Prime Ministerial Representative Ewrin Ward, Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Tourism Board Chairman Stephen Belle and Bartica Mayor Gifford Marshal.

(DPI)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021

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

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