Guyana Times - Monday November 30,2020

Banks DIH to solely distribute Morning Glory Rice Cereals Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4485

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

EPA gives Exxon permission for private fibre-optic cable from Liza 1 ...invites comments from public Page 3

See story on page 7

P14

EBD land giveaway

Heath-London now claims NICIL land sale required no permission

– lawyer claims land falls under Deeds Registry Act, not State Lands Act

Sexual Offences Courts 6-day-old baby, record 61 convictions Linden woman die from COVID-19; from 131 cases Page 8

Page 9

PRICE

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Argument over rum leaves 1 critical

P2

Partially-decomposed body of pensioner found in house P13 Armed bandits invade home of Marcus Bisram, escape with $5M P2

Miner brutally murdered while protecting P2 reputed wife from rogue gang

death toll now 151 – 38 new cases recorded in 24 hours

GuySuCo on road to lowest production in 50 years – GAWU Page 11

– specialised courtrooms positively changing how sex crimes are handled

GPL making contingency plans for Christmas power demand – CEO Page 7

...warns there is no guarantee against blackout if equipment malfunctions

Herstelling fatal accident

Businessman offered to offset funeral expenses

– says company has been in contact with family contrary to reports P10

Body of missing Linden teen P11 pulled from lake

2 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Argument over rum Miner brutally murdered while protecting reputed wife from rogue gang leaves 1 critical

A

n argument over who consumed more alcohol has left one man nursing several chop wounds to his body at the Matthews Ridge Hospital.

The incident took place on Saturday at Tiger Creek, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini).

Police investigations revealed that about0 8:40h on the day in question, Cleveland Caslistro, 25, a miner of Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) and another man were consuming alcohol when an argument broke out between them.

The argument, Police stated, centred on who had consumed more alcohol.

However, the argument escalated into a scuffle, and the suspect then whipped out a cutlass from his waist and dealt the victim sever-

al chops to his body and neck.

As a result, Caslistro fell to the ground and started to bleed. The suspect then made good his escape.

The Police were summoned to the scene and, they picked up the injured man and took him to the Matthews Ridge Hospital, where he was admitted in serious condition. The Police are yet to collect statements regarding the chopping incident, but they are making efforts to arrest the suspect who has since gone into hiding.

Only last month, an argument over alcohol at Grant Enterprise, Lower Pomeroon River, Region Two left one man dead and another hospitalised.

Thirty-three-year-old Elon Benjamin, also called “Buck Man”, a labourer of Grant Enterprise, was

stabbed twice to the chest.

It was reported that on October 17, 2020, the suspect and a few friends were imbibing alcohol and about 23:00h, an argument erupted between the suspect and Benjamin over alcohol.

During the argument, the now dead man armed himself with a cutlass and dealt the suspect two blows which resulted in him receiving several chop wounds.

In retaliation, the injured man whipped out a knife from the waist of his pants and stabbed Benjamin twice to his right side.

Benjamin then collapsed to the ground while the suspect fled into the bushes. The matter was reported to the Police. The suspect was contacted by the Police who told him of the accusation to which he admitted.

A

miner was on Friday brutally murdered while protecting his reputed wife from a gang of men at White Water Backdam, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini).

The dead man has been identified as 26-year-old Kevin Allam of Tune Basin, Port Kaituma, NWD. Based on information received, about 17:30h on the day in question, the dead man’s reputed wife was at their shop when the three suspects approached her and held Murdered miner Kevin Allam onto her hair. Upon seetance from the shop where ing this, Allam went to her assistance, but he was one of them whipped out a also attacked and dealt knife and slit his throat. several lashes about his After committing the act, body with a piece of wood. the men reportedly left After Allam fell un- Allam in a pool of blood conscious, the three men and returned to the shop dragged him a short dis- where they relieved his

spouse of a quantity of raw gold.

Guyana Times understands that they did not further harm the woman after she pleaded relentlessly for them to spare her life. After the men left, the Police were contacted and upon arriving at the scene, they saw the motionless body of the miner.

He was subsequently picked up and taken to the Port Kaituma Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His body was taken to the hospital mortuary to await a post-mortem.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Police, acting on information received, travelled to the water front where they arrested the three suspects. The men are expected to be arraigned for the heinous crime.

Armed bandits invade home of Marcus Bisram, escape with $5M

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rmed bandits on Sunday evening invaded the property of former murder accused, Marcus Bisram and reportedly escaped with $5 million in cash.

The bandits also terrorised the US-based Guyanese and other relatives who were at home at the time of the invasion.

Based on reports received, the men entered the property located at No 71 Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), at about 20:00h.

Police sources confirmed that there were at least three men - one of whom was armed with a gun.

However, up to late Sunday evening, Police were at the premises conducting their investigations.

The Division Commander, when contacted, confirmed the robbery but was not in possession of any information at the time since ranks were still at the scene.

Bisram was accused of ordering the death of Fayaz Narinedatt, a carpen-

Marcus Bisram

ter of Number 70 Village, Corentyne, on November 30, 2016.

His death was initially reported as a suspected hit-and-run accident. It was later reported that Bisram made sexual advances to Narinedatt, who objected to the advances.

Bisram was initially charged here in absentia, while five others: Orlando Dickie, Radesh Motie, Diodath Datt, Harri Paul Parsram, and Niran Yacoob have also been committed to stand trial for the murder.

Nevertheless, Bisram was subsequently acquitted for the murder.

NEWS

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, November 30 – 04:00h – 05:30h and Tuesday, December 1 – 04:30h – 06:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

EPA gives Exxon permission for private fibre-optic cable from Liza 1 ...invites comments from public

tablish a foundation for high speed, low latency connectivity of onshore and offshore facilities as they become operational. The link will connect existing EEPGL onshore and offshore facilities to Guyana foundation infrastructure, allowing implementation of digital technology to improve productivity, support remote operations and reliability.”

According to EEPGL, a geophysical survey was conducted earlier in the year to

Monday, November 30 – 16:00h – 17:30h and Tuesday, December 1 – 05:00h – 06:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Expect thundery showers and light rain showers during the day. There will be light rain showers and partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: South South-Easterly to Easterly to East North-Easterly to North-Easterly to North NorthEasterly to Northerly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 16:24h reaching a maximum height of 2.67 metres.

Low Tide: 10:00h and 22:23h reaching minimum heights of 0.67 metre and 0.52 metre.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2020

LOTTERY NUMBERS F

01 05 09

11 15 23

FREE TICKET

20 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

05 06 08 10 12 LUCKY 3

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Afternoon Draw

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Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

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PAY DAY

21 SUPER PAY DAY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020

03 08 11 14 15

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

COMMODITIES Indicators Crude Oil Rough Rice London Sugar

US$ $48.18/barrel $228.06/ton $404.70/ton

Live Spot Gold

Change % -0.89 -0.24 +0.15

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1782.50

$1783.50

Low/High Change

$1779.80 -5.20

$1791.30 -0.29%

Guyana, with oil giant ExxonMobil as the operator, only began producing oil last year in the Stabroek Block, lifting its first million barrels of profit oil from the Liza-1 well in February 2020. Oil tanker Cap Phillippe transported this lift from the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, allowing Guyana to receive its first payment the next month.

The Bank of Guyana’s

such, fell short of the targeted production figures.

According to the report, Guyana was able to produce 12.3 million barrels of oil, at an average of between 65,000 and 75,000 barrels of oil per day.

Guyana’s first oil revenue-based earnings from production in the Liza field, some $11.4 billion, was deposited in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in March of this year. An additional sum of $7.3 billion

Exxon Country Manager Alastair Routledge

E

sso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), Exxon’s subsidiary, is seeking environmental authorisation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to run a fibreoptic cable from its Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel to onshore.

The application, submitted by Exxon Country Manager Alistair Routledge, has, in fact, progressed to the point where the EPA has already deemed the proposed project to not have any environmental impact and as such, has exempted the oil company from submitting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

According to the agency in a notice, “in accordance with Section 11(2) of the Environmental Protection Act, the application for the project listed above has been screened by the agency to assess the potential environmental impacts”.

“It has been determined that the project will not significantly affect the environment nor human health and is therefore exempt from the requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment,” EPA also said.

Nevertheless, the EPA invited persons with a contrary view to lodge an appeal against the agency with the Environmental Assessment Board at its office, within 30 days of the publication of the notice.

EEPGL’s cable will run from the Liza field offshore Guyana to the Ogle beach manhole. The first phase, which was planned for the 2020 fourth quarter, would see civil construction work beginning onshore, followed by a connection to the Liza phase 2 project in 2022 and connection, once approved, to the Payara field.

In its project summary report, Exxon had explained what the cable was meant for. According to the company, the cable will ensure a high-speed data connection between its offshore platform and its office in Georgetown.

“This connection will es-

The planned route of Exxon’s fibre-optic cable network

gather data from the field in order to plan the route.

According to EEPGL, the cable will be plough buried through fishing grounds to protect it from fishing trawlers, while onshore it will be connected at a predetermined site - proposed to be in the vicinity of the Pegasus Hotel.

half-year report, which covers the period up to the end of June 2020, had previously revealed that Guyana produced over 10 million barrels of oil during the first half of 2020.

Production was, however, beset with the problems that came with the COVID-19 pandemic and as

was subsequently deposited, as well as royalty payments.

So far, Guyana has received three cargo lift payments and three royalty payments courtesy of the Liza-1 well. Guyana’s fourth crude lift has, however, been delayed to next month, due to lower than projected production.

4

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

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

Constitutional change as a panacea

O

nce again, as there has been episodically ever since we received the instruments of independence from Britain (which included a Constitution), calls are being sounded for “constitutional changes”. It is opposite to note that these calls began with no other than PM Forbes Burnham, leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC), insisting that the entire independence Constitution be jettisoned and a new one promulgated to fit with his new “cooperative socialist” ideology, introduced in his “Declaration of Sophia” in 1974.

His new Constitution was introduced in 1980, but to the chagrin of most well-meaning Guyanese, it simply gave a legal imprimatur to his compulsions for despotic rule. This was facilitated by his rigging of elections, despite the elaborate constitutional stipulations to supposedly preclude the latter contingency.

Our experience with constitutional change makes the remarks of BR Ambedkar, the architect of India’s Constitution, very prophetic. Delivering his last speech to their National Assembly, inter alia, the great man said, “I feel however good a Constitution may be, it is sure to turn out bad because those who are called to work it, happen to be a bad lot.

“However bad a Constitution may be, it may turn out to be good if those who are called to work it, happen to be a good lot.

The working of a Constitution does not depend wholly upon the nature of the Constitution. The Constitution can provide only the organs of State such as the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary. The factors on which the working of those organs of the State depend are the people and the political parties they will set up as their instruments to carry out their wishes and their politics.”

It is advice that we should take to heart at this time in our history: Constitutions are no panacea for what ails our body politic. Constitutions are obviously necessary to delineate the powers of the institutions that will govern us on behalf of the State to which we have surrendered so many of our rights for our own ultimate security.

But we have to be careful not to fall into the trap that Constitutions will deliver us into any promised land of milk and honey in which the lion will lie down with the lamb. Yes, we should change our Constitution if we, the people, feel it necessary to do so, because we believe that the allocation of powers need to be altered. It is for this reason that all constitutions have built-in amendment procedures.

But we must do so with all due diligence and full awareness that even though necessary, constitutional changes are insufficient to create a harmonious society and there might be necessary preconditions. After the return of democracy in 1992, it was the PNC, which had been removed from office, that demanded constitutional changes to its Constitution through violent protests in the streets of Georgetown.

These were duly enacted in 2001 through the Herdmanston Accord, that was brokered by Caricom and which included some 174 specific changes. It is noteworthy that since 1787, the number of changes made to the United States Constitution by amendments amount to just 27. The first 10 of these amendments are together called the Bill of Rights and are meant to protect the individual citizen from the always-potentially tyrannical State.

In Guyana, it is quite possible that constitutional change might be necessary, but we, as a people, have to consider whether the fault in our concededly-dysfunctional political relations lie in our institutions that are delineated by our Constitution or in the nature of some of the politicians in our midst. Over the last five years, the PNC, under its leader David Granger, has shown itself to be no less cynical about observing the constitutional order than its founder leader, Forbes Burnham. We do not have to count the ways.

No Constitution will help Guyana until the leaders of the PNC decide to follow its dictates.

Safe landing! The Guyana Defence Force successfully completed the second of paratrooping displays on Sunday in observance of its 55th Anniversary. The first chalk of paratroopers consisted of seven ranks while eight ranks comprise the second chalk. The team was led by Free Fall Master, Lieutenant Colonel Lloyd Souvenir, who carried the National Flag

An open letter to the Education Minister Dear Madam, As I write this letter, my mind is tired and my body exhausted from not only moulding the nation’s children, but spending sleepless nights studying to ensure that I’m the best teacher I can be.

There are many teachers in training at the Cyril Potter College of Education, just like myself, who have spent a ragged two years where we learned to be expert jugglers in the teaching profession.

Nevertheless, the pandemic came, and what was supposed to be a two-year programme has been extended. For over five months, teacher trainees seemed to have been forgotten not only by the Government, but the administration of the Cyril Potter College of Education, I must commend you for your initiative, Honorable Minister, in getting the ball rolling in ensuring that we (CPCE trainees) were once again placed on the road to completion.

However, while most institutions spent those five months crafting and implementing innovative ways to continue

their educational programmes, alas the incomplete and unsure approach of CPCE administrative body has resulted in the confusion and frustration of myself and colleagues.

Many of us have ourselves and families to provide for, and the problem is not our ability to reach the goal, it’s that the goalpost keeps moving. Every time the CPCE administrative body is struck with a bright idea, it’s passed on to us, regardless of the impossibility.

We were asked to complete five weeks of work in one week, most of us did so, somehow.

We were informed that there would be no final exams, only coursework so we diligently began to complete those assigned by our lecturers.

Halfway through the semester, we were informed that the coursework was changed by the CPCE administrative body and those we had already completed had to be disregarded for this new ‘standardised’ set. We buckled down and began again. We were then informed of a new dimension of final teaching practice more

than halfway through the final term, and although we were given December 4 as the end of semester deadline, we are yet to receive the instructions and training as to what is required for final teaching practice.

Furthermore, the administration has once again arbitrarily decided to send ‘final assessments’ for all courses, examinable and non-examinable alike despite previous assurances that no exams would be written.

Honourable Minister, this poorly coordinated and inconsiderate approach by the CPCE administrative body has placed us in a mental, physical and financial distress. While much consideration is being given to students from nursery to university, are we not students also? Are we not deserving of empathy and support? How much more will be thrown at us?

How many more times will the goalpost be shifted? How much longer must we languish in uncertainty as to the end of the programme?

Honourable Minister Manickchand, on behalf of myself and colleagues,

we would recommend your intervention and that you direct the administrative body to use their initial solution and that is the coursework which we were assigned.

We beg you, Honourable Minister, to help us because we are human too and only want a fair opportunity to complete what we have started and graduate this year as we were assured!

Minister, I would also recommend that a new administrative body be created for the College and that the body comprise of young and vibrant members, who are able to adapt to the changing learning environment and introduce innovative teaching methods that can be passed on to the students. Our country has a lot of well trained (up to the Master’s stage) young members and it is about time these minds be put to use in helping to mould trainee teachers like myself and others minds so that we can bring the best to the teaching profession and our nation’s children.

Yours truly, Randy Mangru

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

5

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

The importance of Kartik Snaan In the Hindu calendar, “Kartik”, the 8th lunar month is truly significant and is compounded with reverences of auspiciousness. Kartik Snaan is one of the much respected and religious events which is observed by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. Kartik Snaan (maasam) is a onemonth observance and would have commenced on October 31 and culminate on November 30, the Purnima tithi timing being Nov 29, 12:48h to Nov 30 at 14:59h.

This one month of sacrifice, as is customary in India, many would venture on pilgrimages to go visit the holy rivers and the ceremony begins with Kartika Shudda Padyami, ie praying to Lord Shiva to receive his blessings so that the sustenance of strength and will power is maintained to pursue their goal.

Several references citing the holiness of this month are mentioned in several Hindu scriptures and Puranas, including Padma Purana, Skanda Purana and Naarad Purana.

Karthikeya is the son of Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati.

Snaan means bath. The benefits of taking snaan in the Kartik month is equivalent to taking 1000 Ganga Snan and over 100 Magha Snan. It is a popular belief that by taking a holy dip in the month of Kartik and by offering donations, one gets freedom from all his/her committed sins. Bathing in the holy rivers during the month of Kartik does not have only religious significance, it is scientific too. After the rainy season, when the sky becomes clear and sun rays fall on Earth directly, the envi-

Members of the hindu Community performing Puja at the Kitty Seawall

ronment becomes compatible to the human body.

Many stories unfold during this time and one of the more popular ones refer to Vasista telling King Janaka about the glories of Kartik Snaan. During the month of Kartik, Surya Bhagwan enters into Tulsa rasi and remains for a month. In this month, Ganga Mata turns into “Drava Roopa,” (liquid form), and spreads into all, oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, streams and water bodies of the world. Lord Vishnu resides in these water bodies during this Kartik maasam, hence, those who perform snaan in these water bodies will be blessed with prosperity, happiness and health as well. Lord Krishna himself narrated the glories and rituals of Kartik Snan to his wife, Satyabhama.

The month of November is so eventful for the Hindus, having celebrated Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdasi, Diwali, Goverdhan Puja and Bhai Duj. During this month, daan (donation to charity), teerath ratra (visit to Holy shrines), Kartik Snaan (bathing in holy

rivers), Havan Yagh (performing religious service), Japa (meditation), Kirtan/ Bhajans (singing religious songs) and recital of Holy Granthis yield enormous benefits.

Kartik Snaan bears much significance: Ahoi Vrat – on the 8th day, parents fast for the welfare of their children.

Mothers especially seek the protection of their children. For the Vaishno devotees, Tulsi Mata is worshipped and a diya is lit daily for the entire month.

Karva Chauth – married ladies observe fast for the well-being of their husbands. The fast is not broken until sundown when Chandra Devta is seen.

There is the popular story of Veeravati that explains the power of fasting.

Shiva’s Bhakti – Lord Shiva took the form of Tripurantaka to destroy the demon Tripura to make Earth a safe place again.

Kartik Purnima Thousands of diyas are lit and set afloat to worship Mother Ganga. It is believed that the Devas and Devis descend to earth in Varanasi during this time.

Satnarayan Puja is performed as this is the most auspicious full moon.

Kartik Snaan - Devotees flock to the Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati Triveni rivers to cleanse themselves.

Lord Vishnu – According to the Hindu scriptures,

it is believed that during the month of Kartik, Lord Vishnu incarnated in the ‘Matysa’ (fish) form in order to restore the Vedas.

Sikhism – The birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, is also celebrated on Kartik Purnima as per the Hindu Lunar Calendar. This is a reminder festival that all his devotees should remember the teachings that he emphasised upon and should live in the right and ethical way in life.

Jainism – Thousands of Jains flock to the foothills of Shatrunjay Hills of Palitana on the day Of Kartik Purnima. To undertake the auspicious yatra (journey). They make this 216 km rough journey in order to pay homage to Lord Adinath temple atop the hill. Jains believe that Lord Adinath, the first Tirthankara, sanctified the hills by visiting it to deliver his first sermon.

Kartik Snaan is very important in the life of a Hindu and has to do more with merely taking a dip in the ocean and cleansing the outer body. In as much as the outer body is cleansed primarily, this now leads inwardly to the mental body to remove the nega-

tive qualities of hate, anger, jealousy, envy, greed etc, the elements which act as a barrier, preventing us to follow the path of spiritual development.

In the US, it coincides with Thanksgiving Day, a day set aside to give thanks for all of our virtues and show appreciation and consideration for being blessed to enjoy so much happiness and bliss in so many different, respective forms. In this year of a pandemic, many of our loved ones have departed and are no longer with us, physically. It is a time to remember them and offer a prayer on their behalf. This Kartik Snaan is a time to pay attention and render a helping hand to those in need. The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha made a pertinent appeal to only use biodegradable items when offering reverence at the seaside. All have to be conscious of the environment and play an active and responsible role. Let us do what is only right and stay safe by practicing and observing all the required protocols of COVID-19.

Sincerely, Jai Lall

6

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

Page

Foundation ◄

U

Changing from metric units to customary units

Æsop’s Fables

FOR CHILDREN

se the chart below to help you convert metric units to customary units. The values may not be exact in all cases but approximations.

Length Liquid volume Weight 1 millimetre = 0.039 inch 1 centimetre = 0.394 inch 1 metre = 39.37 inches 1 kilometre = 0.621 mile

1 litre = 1.056 quarts 1 kilolitre = 263.2 gallons

Example:

6 metres = how many feet?

Step 1: Find metres on the chart above: 1 metre = 39.37 inches Step 2: Multiply 6 x 39.37 = 236.22 inches.

Step 3: Divide the number of inches by 12 to find feet: 236.22 ÷12 = 19.685 feet So 6 metres = 19.685 feet.

Exercises: Calculate

1) Which is larger, a 4-litre bottle of Coca Cola or a 4-quart bottle of ginger beer?

2) A man weighs 79 kilograms. How many pounds is that?

3) The weight limit on a bridge is 12,000 kilograms. How many tonnes is that?

1 gram = 0.035 ounce 1 kilogram = 2.205 pounds

4) Which is more expensive: $1000 per gallon gas or $175 per litre kerosene?

5) Which is shorter: the 100-yard dash or the 100-metre sprint?

6) The Police said your mom was travelling at a speed of 100 miles per hour. How many kilometres per hour is that?

If the speed limit is 55 miles per hour, how many kilometres per hour faster was your mom travelling?

Friday’s answers

1) 6ft = 1.83m 2) 0.5gal = 1.893l 3) 1200lb = 544.8kg 4) 100yd = 91.4m 5) 200oz = 5670g 6) 450m = 724.05km

A

n old lion, whose teeth and claws were so worn that it was not so easy for him to get food as in his younger days, pretended that he was sick. He took care to let all his neighbours know about it, and then lay down in his cave to wait for visitors. And when they came to offer him their sympathy, he ate them up one by one.

The fox came too, but he was very cautious about it.

Standing at a safe distance from the cave, he inquired politely after the lion's health. The lion replied that he was very ill indeed, and asked the fox to step in for a moment. But Master Fox very wisely stayed outside, thanking the lion very kindly for the invitation.

"I should be glad to do as you ask," he added, "but I have noticed that there are many footprints leading into your cave and none coming out. Pray tell me, how do your visitors find their way out again?"

WORD SEARCH Fossil Hunters

Now it is your turn to hunt for fossil-bearing rocks and the stories they hold!

Find the underlined words in the text above in the word search. Words may go up,

down, or diagonally.

When you finish, write down the unused letters in order in the spaces below to reveal a hidden message!

PALEONTOLOGIST

SANDSTONE

FOSSILS

MARINE

PLANTS

SHALE

ANIMALS

LIMESTONE

SEDIMENTARY

SHELLS

TIME

BONES

CLAY

ROCK

ANCIENT

NEWS

EBD land giveaway

7

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Heath-London now claims NICIL land sale required no permission – lawyer claims land falls under Deeds Registry Act, not State Lands Act

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ttorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, who represents former National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Head Colvin Heath-London, is now contending that the lands which have landed his client in hot water were not State lands and so did not require the permission of NICIL to effect the sale.

In a statement, Hughes contended that because the lands transferred by NICIL were held in transport, they could not be considered State lands subject to the State Lands Act Cap 62:01, which requires permission from NICIL before the land can be sold to a third party.

As such, the lawyer contended that his client did nothing wrong in not seek-

ing NICIL’s permission before the sale of the lands. Instead, Hughes was of the view that these lands are subject to Deeds Registry Act Chapter 5:01, since they are held by transport.

“NICIL entered into leases with various entities which expressly conferred on the lessee the right to transfer their interest without the written permission of NICIL. It also entered into leases with various persons which either required their permission to transfer to a third party and some which did not contain that provision,” Hughes said.

“There is no law which requires State corporations or State companies to include in any lease of property held by transport by them, a provision that the written permission of NICIL be first ob-

tained.”

It was only last week that Hughes in a statement had contended that HeathLondon had received permission from former NICIL Chief Executive Officer Horace James, now deceased, to amend lease transactions by removing the provision prohibiting the subletting of land without permission.

The Board minutes and other documents Hughes had cited to back up this claim were, however, subsequently disavowed by the NICIL Board. According to the NICIL Board, the documents which were used in support of Heath-London were forgeries, for which no records existed.

Money

Another claim made by Hughes in his statement was

GPL making contingency plans for Christmas power demand – CEO ...warns there is no guarantee against blackout if equipment malfunctions

G

uyanese were on Sunday inundated with simultaneous power outages, driving many to social media to vent. And while the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) is making every effort to ensure a blackout-free Christmas, there is no guarantee against power outages if equipment goes down, as was the case on Sunday.

This is according to GPL Chief Executive Officer Albert Gordon. In an interview with this publication, he noted that it is hard to rule out the possibility of outages when pieces of equipment go down.

However, he was confident that their medium to long term plans would adequately address the power outages.

“But our medium-term plans address that. But based on what we’ve done so far, widespread outages can be avoided. We still have a few issues that pop up here and there, but most persons were brought back (on power grid).”

“As you know, our issues relate to inadequate generating capacity. And so, as you know also, we have plans to improve capacity. In the short term, we’re kicking in our emergency capacity before Christmas. But we also have the significant increase in baseload capacity in the form of the 46 to 45 megawatts at Garden of Eden coming online

by April next year.”

“That will make a significant dent in the shortfall in the generating capacity. And then we are doing some work on the grid system… and we have some other short-term plans that will be implemented before Christmas.”

According to Gordon, the Power Purchase Agreement that GPL has with the Giftland Mall is one of their short-term options currently in use, but he cautioned that with the current levels of power offered, it is not enough.

“They have been contrib-

Inside GPL’s Kingston, Georgetown power plant

uting to the supply of the grid already, because they can go to a maximum of five megawatts. And we do need a significant amount of additional capacity. But it adds to the supply, but it’s not sufficient.”

On Sunday, GPL acknowledged power outages experienced by customers connected to the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS). For instance, GPL noted that persons in Regions Four, Five and Six experienced power outages due to a partial shutdown of the system. According to GPL, two of their power plants in Kingston went down.

The power company also noted the power outages suffered by customers in the environs of Houston to Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara. This time, the service interruption was attributed to a line fault. In all of its notices, GPL assured that it was working assiduously to fix the problem and return normalcy.

Earlier this month, five generators expected to be operationalised by April next year had arrived in Guyana for the new Garden of Eden dual firepower plant on the East Bank of Demerara – which is currently under construction by Finnish company, Wartsila.

The Government has been

working to build the Guyana Power and Light’s capacity to generate power using renewable energy (natural gas), with the ongoing construction of the 46.5-megawatt power plant.

The entire set for the plant is pegged at $10 billion. This is an additional cost to the plant, which has a price tag of US$50 million. When completed and commissioned, the engines will be capable of using both heavy fuel oil (HFO) and the natural gas being piped in from offshore Guyana.

Government is currently purchasing power from the Giftland Mall in order to satisfy the current demand until the plant is operationalised. According to information received, an average of US$46,000 will be paid per month for power from Giftland.

This would translate to some $9.9 million per month.

In addition, GPL will be paying for fuel at around $25.6 million per month. In total, this would work out to approximately $35.5 million per month.

The Giftland Mall currently has a system that produces 6.7 megawatts of electricity, 5 megawatts of which is HFO [heavy fuel oil] fuelled.

However, it only uses 1.6 megawatts during prime operations.

that the State did not lose money by these transactions.

According to him, the companies which sold the land they leased to third parties, merely transferred the lease to the person buying the land.

“The lessee (tenant) did not “buy” any land, they merely entered into a lease with NICIL for twenty years and are obliged to pay the rent for the entire period unless the lease was terminated.

The lessee (tenant), therefore, could not “sell” the property as they did not own the property. All the lessee (tenant) held was a lease to the property for a period of 20 years or such period stated in the lease,” Hughes said.

“When the lessee (tenant) entered into an agreement with a third party to “sell” their interest in the lease, they could only “sell” or dispose of what they had obtained from NICIL which is the remaining time of the lease. For example, they could not pass transport of the property to a third party because they did not own the transport. NICIL remains the owners by transport of all the properties under investigation.”

Avalon Jagnandan, proprietor of Life 1 Pharms Incorporated,

Former National Industrial and Commercial Investments (NICIL) Head Colvin HeathLondon

and Eddie Doolall, of A-Z Pharmaceutical Medical Supplies and Equipment Inc, were able to sublease several acres of land at Peters Hall, EBD, by way of Deed of Assignment, to a Chinese national of Lot 43 Wellington Street, Georgetown, for just $100.

The State Lands Act of Guyana stipulates that when State lands are leased, the lease must state that the lessee must not part with possession without the consent of the landlord (the State), or shall not assign the interest in the lease without the con-

sent of the landlord. If the lessee acts in contravention of that clause, then the State reserves the right to step in and repossess the lands.

However, in the case of the two agreements at Peters Hall, PNC member and Attorney-at-Law James Bond in drafting the lease agreements, changed that to state: “the lessee may assign, sublet, grant any licenses or otherwise part with the possession and/or purpose and/or dispose of the whole or any part of the demised property or any building or other erection at any time standing thereon or any right or privilege in relation thereto conferred by this agreement.”

Heath-London, as Chief Executive Officer of NICIL, presided over all of this at the time. Heath-London, Bond and the two businessmen have already been questioned by the police in relation to the flipping of the lands.

Both businessmen, in their statements to Police, implicated Bond as the person who arranged the sale of the lands. Both men have similar stories of being told by Bond to apply to NICIL for the land, after which a buyer was found

by Bond, who is currently out on $200,000 bail.

8 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sexual Offences Courts record 61 convictions from 131 cases

— specialised courtrooms positively changing how sex crimes are handled

The Sexual Offences Courtroom in Suddie, Essequibo

G

uyana was the first in the Caribbean to establish a specialised courtroom for the handling of sexual offences cas-

es. On November 13, 2017, the Sexual Offences Court in Georgetown was launched.

Two years later, in 2019, similar courtrooms in Berbice

The Sexual Offences Courtroom in New Amsterdam, Berbice

and Essequibo were established.

To mark the third anniversary of the Sexual Offences Court in Georgetown, the

Judiciary of Guyana released statistics covering the courts in each county. According to the information, from 2017 to present, 131 sexual offences cases have been tried in all three counties.

Convictions totalled 61 with 47 guilty verdicts and 12 guilty pleas. There were 40 not guilty verdicts, 18 hung juries, 18 acquittals and four aborted cases.

In some cases, the accused who appeared before the court was indicted for more than one count of the offence, thus having a conviction for a count or counts and or an acquittal or acquittals for the other.

Sentences for such convictions ranged from the minimum of four years’ imprisonment to the maximum of a life sentence. The offences for which trials were conducted included rape, rape of a child under 16, sexual activity with a child family member and carnal knowledge.

The total number of cases for each offence is as follows: rape 34; rape of a child under 16, 56; sexual activity with a child family member 35; and carnal knowledge, four.

From 2017-2020 the victims in the above categories were predominantly females, accounting for 122 and the remaining nine were males.

The ages of the victims ranged from one-year-old being the youngest to 77 years old being the oldest.

The Sexual Offences Court in Georgetown has seen the bulk of these cases, followed by Berbice and then Essequibo.

However, the idea of having a Sexual Offences Court in all three counties came about due to the significant increase of sexual offences cases being heard before the courts.

The Judiciary noted that it realised the need to have a resolution of these sensitive matters in a safe atmosphere for its survivors while ensuring fair but speedy trials.

In 2010, the Sexual Offences Act was enacted and as its long title suggests, it is an Act to reform and consolidate the laws relating to sexual offences and to provide for related matters. The Act made provisions for the establishment of a Sexual Offences Court and thus the first specialised court was delivered to Guyanese in 2017.

TURN TO PAGE 13

More cars...

Y

...than bigan seeds our Eyewitness’s eye was caught by the headline that since 2013 – a mere SEVEN YEARS – more than 100,000 vehicles were registered in our dear Mudland!! But he wasn’t surprised – and not just because he’d noticed we were already at “PZZ” registrations for cars. But more so for the simple reason that in that time he’d (as they say pedantically!) performatively experienced that exponential increase since he had to drive into Georgetown every working day. And it was more of a BATTLE than a drive: a battle in which no holds were barred by those who entered the fray to get from point A to point B! Your humble Eyewitness has had reason to visit quite a few countries on several continents – including all the three “worlds – first, second and third! – and he’s got to concede that our Guyanese drivers are in a class by themselves. The closest are the drivers in Lagos, who hurl their cars into the roundabouts like rockets trying to get a boost from a planetary system for interstellar travel! What distinguishes our drivers is their uncouth insistence to “bore” into lines.

So here’d be your law-abiding Eyewitness, getting into the inevitable queue at whatever junction you can think of, and inevitably there would be some wise guys who’d manoeuvre around on the sidewalk – or whatever space available – to get ahead. The expression “road rage” doesn’t even begin to describe your Eyewitness’s anger at these miscreants. Smoke literally steams from his ears! It’s a good thing he’s not a licensed or unlicensed gun holder!

Now there’s no question that our road-building programme hasn’t kept up with our car importation enthusiasm. But that’s the price we’ve had to pay for the success ushered in by the PPP Administrations since 1992, isn’t it? If Roosevelt’s motto to get America out of its Great Depression was “A chicken in every pot”, it would seem that for the PPP to get Guyana out of the PNC’s Great Destruction, theirs was “A car in every driveway”! And this became the new reality...we’re suffering from a surfeit of economic expansion after the great downturn between 1970 and 1990.

But lucky for us, help’s on the way. With the PPP back in the saddle – this time with a new, can-do President – they’ve committed to a massive infrastructural programme that’s anchored with roads and highways.

There’s the East Bank-East Coast Demerara bypass; the new West Bank road from the new DHB to Parika, and, of course, the Highway to Brazil.

But even with all these new roads, we’ll still have the challenge of what do we do with our uncivilised drivers.

Your Eyewitness suggests a return to horse whipping? ...more development While we might be focusing on the utilitarian benefits of every family having a car to take them to wherever they want to go, there are other salutary effects from the increase in car ownership. And they go far beyond the burgeoning American snob effect of “keeping up with the Harilalls and Joneses” – with the latest model in the driveway every year. Well, we’ve already gotten around to celebrating Thanksgiving, haven’t we?

Anyhow, what your Eyewitness had in mind was all the employment opportunities opened up by the explosion in vehicles. Have you noticed the corresponding increase in wash bays? Or the explosion in gas stations – with the now de rigueur convenience store? Then, especially since we’re importing mostly reconditioned vehicles, the increase in mechanic shops? And body shops to rectify the damage wrought by our above-mentioned uncivilised drivers? How about taxi stands? Even in the so-called poorest villages, folks don’t walk any longer from the back street to the Public Road. They call a taxi!!

It’s called progress! ...for the PNC One unremarked phenomenon of the PNC’s five years at the helm wasn’t just the land giveaways that are hitting the news right now.

There were the giveaways of top-tier cars to all party apparatchiks!

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

9 6-day-old baby, Linden woman die from COVID-19; death toll now 151 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– 38 new cases recorded in 24 hours

A

baby boy, who was born just six days ago and a 31-year-old female are Guyana’s latest COVID-19 fatalities thus taking the death toll to 151.

The infant from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) is the youngest to die from the life-threatening virus. The 31-year-old female however resided in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

They both died while seeking care at a medical facility.

“The MOH expresses sincerest condolences to the family of the deceased and will make every effort to provide all the necessary support during this difficult time to render any assistance needed,” a statement said.

Meanwhile, 38 new cases

three new cases in Region One (Barima-Waini), four in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), 27 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), six in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

There are still 123 cases in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), 398 in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), 40 in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) and 379 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

On Saturday, the Civil Defence Commission handed over 335 food hampers and the same amount of cleaning hampers to the villages of Orealla and Siparuta, Region Six. Some 720 bot-

Members of the Civil Defence Commission at Siparuta on Saturday

were detected as of Sunday.

This brings the total positives up to 5376 – 2776 of which are males and 2600 females.

There are three persons in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 75 in institutional isolation, 782 in home isolation and 43 in institutional quarantine. A total of 4346 persons have recovered from the virus.

A breakdown showed

tles of Vitamin C supplements were also delivered to the communities, in light of cases emerging in the communities.

Though separated, Orealla is in control of Siparuta village. The area has recently experienced a surge in COVID-19 infections, resulting in a decision to lock down both communities.

From the CDC, Captain

Hubern Collins shared that they will continue to lead the COVID-19 relief response to people across the country.

Residents were asked to ensure that they observe the national measures and other protocols to keep themselves safe.

This includes the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 10), which are in effect until today. This order emphasises, among other things, the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 2311166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.

health.gov.gy.

The World Health Organisation has created a special website to publish updated statistics of the novel coronavirus, which gives a credible representation of the situation. It also

classifies the data according to each region.

The WHO has said that most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring spe-

cial treatment. Older people and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.

10 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Herstelling fatal accident

Businessman offered to offset funeral expenses — says company has been in contact with family contrary to reports

O

ne day after Guyana Times reported the family of 57-year-old Bridgemohan Persaud who was killed in an accident on November 21, 2020 is calling for justice, the businessman whose truck was involved in the accident confirmed that his company, GuyAmerica Construction has offered to take care of the funeral expenses.

In the previous article, the family claimed that no one from the construction company visited the home to offer condolences, but this accusation is false.

A video seen by this publication on Sunday revealed that workers and seniors official of the company visited Persaud’s home and met with his family shortly after the fatal accident.

In addition, the dead man’s son Yateshar Persaud has been in constant contact with the owner of the company who offered $250,000 to offset funeral expenses.

“Reading what was reported by the son is quite disturbing … we have been with the family in ev-

Dead: Bridgemohan Persaud

never returned to collect it,” the businessman stated.

Further, Guyana Times understands that the son requested $4 million from the driver of the truck that was involved in the accident to settle the matter. The driver has already been charged for causing death by dangerous driving and has been released on $200,000 bail.

On this note, the businessman explained that the Police have to carry out

The cheque that was written to cover funeral expenses

ery step of the way… we have offered to pay for the funeral expenses and he even turned up at my office with his ID card so that the cheque could be written … the cheque is written and he

their investigations to determine who was at fault.

He noted, “We want justice to be served as well… it is not easy to lose someone in an accident, but we want

the Police to conduct a thorough investigation, which will determine who was at fault.”

A Police source on Sunday explained that the cycle that the man was riding at the time of the accident was not equipped with brakes, and more so, the

handle of the cycle came into contact with the rear wheel of the truck that was coming out of the “overhead tank street” at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

“It is not a case as if the motor vehicle hit in from the front, the story that was

told by the family is completely the opposite of what actually took place,” the source stated.

Persaud, of Lot 84 Farm Squatting Area, EBD, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital shortly after the accident.

Security officer in breach of COVID-19 curfew busted with gun, ammo

A

security officer and his colleagues were taken into Police custody on Saturday evening after he was found to be in possession of an unlicensed firearm and matching ammunition while breaching the COVID-19 curfew at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

According to information received, about 23:20h on the night in question, a team of Police ranks were on mobile patrol when they observed persons consuming alcohol at a service station in the area.

At that time, a Toyota Allion motor car was parked with a female seated in the front passenger seat while several men were seated on a bench nearby.

As such, the Police approached and instructed them to return to their respective homes while cautioning them about flouting the COVID-19 guidelines.

However, one of the men, a 46-year-old security officer of Park Street, Enterprise, ECD, walked towards that car and opened one of the rear doors.

He was observed removing an object, which appeared to be a firearm and

The firearm and live rounds retrieved by Police ranks

disposing of same.

Ranks immediately searched the area and recovered a 9mm pistol and 12 live rounds of matching ammunition. The officer was told of the offence and taken to the Vigilance Police Station. He was charged for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, and was expected to make his court appearance today.

Only on Sunday, a 36-year-old businessman of James and Garnett Streets, Albouystown, Georgetown was taken into custody after he was found with a

9mm Taurus pistol and 16 live rounds of matching ammunition. The illegal items were discovered resting on the cover of a barrel in the businessman’s bedroom.

This comes on the heels of the discovery of several firearms at DeVeldt Village, Berbice River, by Police last week during a ganja eradication exercise. They include one double-barrel 12-gauge shotgun, one 20-gauge shotgun, one .32 shotgun, and two OPS air guns along with nine 12-gauge, one 20-gauge and five .32 cartridges.

NEWS

11

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GuySuCo on road to lowest production in 50 years – GAWU

W

hile the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) last week revealed that it might miss its revised 90,000 tonnes of sugar production target owing to the inclement weather, the sugar workers’ union believes that whether the Corporation achieves this or not, production would still be the lowest in the past 50 years.

General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural & General Workers Union (GAWU), Seepaul Narine told Guyana Times that the Union stands by its statement issued in September where it related that the sugar corporation would be recording its lowest production in recent times.

“Even if they were to make the 90,000 tonnes, it would still be the lowest in like 50 years or so. We had predicted that they would have made about 78-80,000 tonnes but it appears that they would go closer to the 90,000 which is good because at least they are able to do a little better than we originally thought. If they were to achieve 90,000 it would still be a lower number,” Narine said.

Early last week, Chief Executive Officer of GuySuCo, Sasenarine Singh related that unprece-

Singh had said.

However, he had indicated that the sugar workers are working beyond the call of duty to ensure that as much sugar is produced as is possible. Singh had related that due to the rains, the Corporation lost the opportunity to produce almost $354 million in sugar across the three functional estates – Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, and Rose Hall and Blairmont in Berbice.

“This is a serious situation because that is $354 million that we could have

ation is heart-rending since it affected the approximately 8800 sugar workers, but we have accepted it and we are planning for 2021, to ensure that we do not lose the available opportunity days,” he noted.

In September, GAWU had estimated 2020 production to be just about 77,778 tonnes of sugar. It had said that the Corporation’s major problem continues to be the lack of quality canes in its fields, adding that while more canes are produced, the quality is poor resulting in more canes being uti-

been using to invest in the sugar industry and pursue the 2021 plan. So, this situ-

lised to produce a tonne of sugar.

“It seems to us that there

GAWU General Secretary Seepaul Narine

dented rainfall at the beginning of November caused the Corporation to have delayed harvesting and grinding, which would result in them missing their target.

“Even if the weather going forward is good, it would be difficult for GuySuCo to surpass 90,000 tonnes in 2020. That was a real possibility at the end of September 2020, and after the November rains, it blew away that opportunity and we have at best three weeks left. So far, we have about 80,670 tonnes of sugar produced, and we are pushing to have (90,000) by the end of the three weeks (remaining for the crop),”

A sugar worker in one of the estates

is really no effort by the Corporation’s leadership to aggressively and meaningfully address the challenges. Rather it appears that the laidback attitude has taken grip in the organisation’s structure because the perennial whipping boys such as strikes and bad weather are the identified causes for non-achievement of targets at end of crops.

Clearly, as the data bears out, the problem is much more fundamental and there appears no emphasis to meaningfully address those realities but rather to engage in a vicious cycle which serves to push the industry further down the path of unsustainability,” the Union had related in a statement.

Since then, the leadership of the sugar corporation has changed.

Back in 2016, the for-

mer APNU/AFC closed the Wales Estate, and, the following year, shut down the Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates, putting over 7000 sugar workers on the breadline. The downsizing of the sugar industry saw only the Uitvlugt, Blairmont and Albion estates being in operation. The assets of the closed estates were put under the control of the Special Purpose Unit of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) for divestment.

The Corporation is eyeing the reopening of Enmore and Rose Hall Estates by 2022. It is expected that the Rose Hall factory would be the first to become operational, while the Skeldon factory would be returned to operation by 2023. The Wales factory would be divested.

GEA awards winners of 2020 art competition

The winners of the GEA art competition

First-place winner Devanjali Ramkellawan receives her trophy from Prime Minister Mark Phillips

T

he Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) held an award ceremony for the winners of its recently concluded Art Competition on Saturday evening at the Herdmanston Lodge. The competition was held under the theme “My Vision for a Smart City/Town in Guyana in the Year 2040” and aimed at creating interest among young people about a sustainable energy

future for the country.

The competition was launched in March 2020 and a total of forty-three (43) entries were received from students across Guyana. In addition to the first, second and third place entries, 10 additional pieces were selected for inclusion in the design of the Agency’s 2021 calendar.

Head of the Energy and Energy Statistics Division-

GEA Shevon Wood stated that the intention of the agency is to encourage dialogue about alternative energy, energy conservation and efficiency and promote the principles of sustainable development.

She indicated that she was pleased with the number of entries received during the competition and was impressed with the level of creativity.

She also stated that the GEA will continue to promote such activities among youths as it continues to utilise various platforms to bring awareness to energy and energy-related issues.

Further, she added that the

GEA plans to launch another art competition in 2021 and as such encouraged more participation.

Visual Arts Coordinator, Unit of Allied Arts, Ministry of Education, Regina Torrington congratulated the participants while adding that the competition played an integral role in the development of confidence and nurturing talents in students.

She also stated that the participants who were able to present a modern image of the town or city of choice, include elements of renewable energy and show clearly how these would benefit the town or city were select-

ed as finalists.

In addition, Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips congratulated the awardees for participating in the competition and encouraged the attendees to utilise energy in a smart and efficient manner.

Nevertheless, copping the first-place prize was Devanjali Ramkellawan of Abram Zuil Secondary School while the second-place prize was awarded to Ntini August and Shakira Rahaman copped the third prize.

The ten others whose paintings were selected were Emille Outram,

Maitri Vathada, Nerissa August, Arantxa English, Teanna Mentore, Michael Hing, Lathica Kandavel, Ema Gangadin, Kathryn Hamilton, and Annie Joseph.

Ramkellawan after receiving her trophy and monetary award stated that the competition was a challenging but rewarding experience.

“It was a good opportunity for the participants to express their views for the future.”

At the event, the “Green My Life” Booklet was also launched and is available for download on GEA’s website: www.gea.gov.gy.

12 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ganja found at officers’ quarters

No evidence linking 2nd prison officer to drug bust O ne of the two prison officers attached to the Lusignan penitentiary, East Coast Demerara (ECD) who were initially arrested following the discovery of ganja was released from Police custody.

This was confirmed in a press release on Saturday which stated that based on investigations, there was no evidence linking that warden to the drug, but the other officer – Quincy Jemmott, was arraigned for the crime.

The illegal substance was unearthed in a cupboard at the Prison Officers’ Quarters at Lusignan.

The release added that

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

stance for rogue members of law enforcement agencies and has pledged to “contin-

large transparent zip lock bags. This had led to the arrest of the two officers, but on November 16, 34-yearold Jemmott, of Schoonord, West Bank Demerara (WBD), was arraigned for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking when he appeared at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of $150,000.

He is set to return to court on March 21, 2021.

Minister Benn had recently disclosed that assisting inmates to smuggle contraband and other corrupted practices at the penitentia-

penitentiaries – the latest of which was the escape of two murder accused from the Lusignan Prison’s Holding Bay. Benn shared his concerns over the level of corruption among prison officers and inmates, which he said has resulted in frequent checks. In most cases, the prison wardens are enabling prisoners to smuggle

contraband into the prisons.

“The issues of people escaping from the prisons has to do with poor administrative issues at the prison.

There is corruption at the level of the prison officers.

We have been firing prison officers for smuggling ganja, rum, vodka, whiskey, cigarette. There are issues of them making knives there, and so searches have to be

conducted,” he was quoted as saying.

During previous checks at the penitentiaries, improvised weapons, cellphones, alcohol, and other illegal items were found and seized. In July, the confiscation of contraband led an inmate to set fire to the Lusignan Prison – burning the entire structure to the ground.

Body of missing Linden teen pulled from lake

The area where the teenager drowned

O

The Lusignan Prison

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn was briefed on the situation by Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels.

The Ministry has since reiterated its zero-tolerance

ue to support every effort to root out those elements from the system”.

It was reported that 894 grams of marijuana was found hidden in a cupboard under a sink wrapped in two

ries have resulted in the dismissal of several prison officers.

This is after he was questioned about the frequent jailbreaks across the

ne day after a 15-year-old male student of the Wisburg Secondary School disappeared after plunging into the Blue Lake at Wisroc, his body was recovered on Sunday.

The discovery was made about 10:00h.

The teen, who resided at Prosville, Wismar, Linden, reportedly went to the area to swim with his 17-yearold sister, but did not resur-

face after going into the lake at approximately 17:30h on Saturday.

According to Police, the teen left his home at approximately 16:30h with his sister and other relatives to a have a swim and while in the water he encountered difficulties and subsequently went under.

A relative who observed the teenager going under water reportedly made efforts to rescue him, but was

unsuccessful. An alarm was raised and residents formed a search party, but that too was not successful in locating the body.

As it got darker, the search was abandoned, but the team reassembled on Sunday and continued their search. It was during that search the teen’s body was spotted and pulled to land. The body was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) Mortuary to await a post-mortem.

Services still accessible during Leonora Hospital retrofitting – Health Minister …can also be accessed temporarily at nearby centres

A

series of SMART upgrades will be soon rolled out at the Leonora Cottage Hospital on the West Coast of Demerara but the public can still access services offered at the facility.

This was clarified by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony during the latest COVID-19 update, where he noted that the works will be carried out in phases, allowing other sections of the hospital to operate uninterruptedly. In some cases, the services will be temporarily shifted to a nearby health centre until the works are completed.

“How we have sorted out the construction, it would be in a phased arrangement so when we disrupt one section, some services can still continue while construction is ongoing. Services will be interrupted but people will still be able to access services whether at the actual Leonora site or a nearby site,” Dr Anthony shared.

It is reported that the Diamond Hospital and Leonora Cottage Hospital are among five health facilities to be upgraded to SMART hospitals. The other facilities are Mabaruma and Lethem Regional Hospitals,

which many Caribbean nations are vulnerable. The “SMART Hospital” concept refers to a health facility which is both safe and utilises green technology.

The Health Minister said this will make the hospital

Leonora Cottage Hospital

and the Paramakatoi Health Centre.

The United Kingdomfunded project is designed to help reduce mortality, morbidity and economic losses from natural disasters, to

more “climate-resilient” and energy-efficient.

“In terms of what we will be doing there, we will be making the facility more climate-resilient, meaning that to prevent it from being

flooded and also, to make it more energy-efficient. The way that we’re looking at energy efficiency is to utilise the solar panels to make sure we have a good battery bank and most appliances of the hospital would now be run using this solar energy.”

Hospitals and other health facilities embracing this concept must provide standard and efficient healthcare before, during, and even immediately after the event of any natural or man-made disaster.

Last Thursday, the second series of SMART upgrades was launched.

President Irfaan Ali was present at the ceremony and pledged Government’s commitment to investing in hospitals. He noted that the struggles facing health workers would also be addressed.

“We are investing in all the hospitals. All the hospitals will see upgrades and improvements within the next few years. All the facil-

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

ities will see a tremendous transformation. It is aimed at decentralising services with the aim that we empower local and regional authorities to do more in the management of the facilities. It is about building capacity, and reaching the unreached,” the President had said.

He had added, “Many times, people have to decide as to whether they take

$1000 and pay the transportation cost to go GPHC or whether they take the $1000 and buy food for their children. When we invest in these facilities of bringing healthcare to the people, we are reaching the unreached.

It helps us to reduce the cost of access to healthcare and it makes healthcare truly what PAHO and WHO wants it to be – a universal right.”

13 Housing sector in Lethem set for major transformation – Min Croal NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

...2021 Budget being crafted to facilitate drive

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he housing sector in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo), is set for a major transformation as the Housing and Water Ministry kick-starts its plan for its 2021 programme.

Subject Minister, Collin Croal during an outreach in the region noted that the objective is to create a housing plan that suits the regional landscape while ensuring that it projects the image of a developed region.

“Our vision here is that we want to ensure that we provide an opportunity, especially for our young people, to go on to own their own homes, to ensure that

seeking employment in the central location and because of the expected expansion here in the Lethem for a business community and other opportunities.”

For this reason, the Surveying Department of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is charting Poke Bridge, Lethem, for a new housing area.

Also, following recent discussions with the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, the Minister said, consideration is being given to develop Culvert City – Phase Three.

“What this means for you here in Region Nine is that

said.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that since the regional demand is land for construction, this will be the main area of focus.

However, there are longterm plans to construct housing units, although the prospects are unclear at this point until the surveys are done.

Croal noted that he is hopeful that the land will soon be within the purview of the CH&PA and infrastructure works such as land clearing and road networks can follow to start allocations.

He further added that

Staff from the Region Nine housing office making final checks as residents prepare to collect their titles

they will be able to start their family in a different environment.”

This is important, he added, as the town “is growing because persons are

by the middle of December, in our planning, we will be made aware where we will be embarking on our next area or project of housing allocations,” Minister Croal

persons must have access to basic utility services and Housing will be collaborating with the Guyana Water Incorporated and Guyana Power and Light company

Sexual Offences Courts...

FROM PAGE 8

The Sexual Offences Courtroom in Georgetown, Demerara

The Georgetown Sexual Offences Court, the oldest and blueprint for the two other courts in Berbice and Essequibo, was opened by Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards on November 13, 2017.

The Judiciary, upon recognising that victims can be re-victimised through a trial, took necessary steps to protect sexual offences survivors and to avoid second-

ary victimisation of persons.

The court was outfitted with a special measures room from which survivors can testify via video link to the court without fear or intimidation from the accused or anyone in the courtrooms.

Apart from this survivor protection detail, the courtroom was equipped with a recording system for faster production of transcripts and monitors for video conferencing. On May 5 and September

16, 2019, the Judiciary officially opened the Berbice and Essequibo Sexual Offences Courts respectively.

The courts were established through a collaboration between the Supreme Court of Judicature Guyana, UNICEF, Social Protection Ministry and the Jurist Project, all long-standing partners of the court.

Funding for these modern, survivor-friendly courtrooms was donated by UNICEF.

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal addressing residents of Lethem

to ensure these services are in place.

While housing in Lethem is projected to cost less than that on the coastland, it is still expected to provide some of the same spin-off benefits such as job creation.

The Minister noted that the difference in soil type plays a major role in the services needed.

Further, Government incentives in the recent budget, including the removal of value-added tax from construction material

is expected to make homeownership easier.

There are currently six housing schemes under CH&PA’s purview in Region Nine: Old Culvert City, Old Lethem, Tabatinga, New Culvert City and an area called Physical Development – Phase One and Phase Two. Minister Croal highlighted that Region Nine currently has 557 active land applicants in the CH&PA system and the initiative is also geared at reducing this backlog.

from the lower flat, thus forcing her to investigate.

As she gained entry into the man’s apartment, she found him lying on this bed in a nude state. She immediately raised an alarm and the police were contacted.

The woman told investigators that the man suffered from several medical complications.

The body was examined but there were no marks of violence. It was escorted to Baileys Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem.

Partially decomposed body of pensioner found in house

T

he partly decomposed body of 76-year-old Bharrat Mandroo of Lot 31 Sheet Anchor, East Canje, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), was on Sunday discovered in his home.

The discovery was made by his niece Omwatie, who lives in the upper flat of the building.

According to the woman, the man was last seen alive on Wednesday, but after not seeing him since, she thought something was amiss.

However, on Sunday, a stench was emanating

14 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mackenzie High alumni group donates 50 tablets to school to donate while thanking those who have contributed thus far.

The Real 90’s Crew is a social media group which is made up of local and overseas-based past MHS students and others. Campbell related that the group was initiated by former student Matthew Brian, who was also present for the donation.

“We were saying to ourselves, ‘how can we extend ourselves beyond the social realm’ and with that we were like ok we are going to partner with our school and in doing that I came and spoke with the Head Teacher. We spoke extensively and that was a cata-

Members of the alumni at the handing over ceremony

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he Mackenzie High School (MHS), Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), has benefitted from 50 electronic tablets donated by the alumni group, the Real 90’s Crew.

Alumni group member Tricia Campbell, who was present at the handing over ceremony, said this was one of two projects that were undertaken at the school for this year.

“It was in our plan for 2020, that we would undertake two projects. The first project, we did paint of our

main buildings...and then this would have been our second project,” Campbell stated.

She explained that initially, the donation was supposed to consist of a backpack and school supplies but due to online classes, it was decided that the electronics would be better.

“Because children weren’t going to come to school, and so we had to meet the need that is relevant and the relevancy is to have access to the internet. Also, to have a device to

use. So the group came together and we just projected 50 and with that projection, we were able to obtain 65...This is a big initiative, we’re proud that the 90’s Crew could be able to partner with the Ministry of Education to ensure that there’s continuity in learning,” Campbell emphasised.

Further, she stated that the donation will assist especially the fifth formers and teachers.

However, Campbell related that the group is hoping to procure more electronic tablets

lyst to push us,” Campbell said.

The group also donated framed memorabilia photos of past Head Teachers of the MHS. Campbell said the response to the donations has been overwhelming.

“It’s overwhelming. The students are grateful, the teachers are grateful. The Head Teacher, in particular, has extended his gratitude...and indeed we feel grateful that persons can receive what we have to give,” she noted.

Meanwhile, Head Teacher of the school Haslyn Small expressed that the gesture was a welcome one while thanking the donors on behalf of the school’s ad-

ministration. Small said the tablets will assist greatly since teachers and students are presently involved in online classes.

“I trust that such gestures of goodwill will continue, not only from the 90’s Crew but from other groups that are interested in donating to Mackenzie High School, to realise the goals and dreams of Mackenzie High. The students are overwhelmed, especially in this pandemic...There are a number of students who haven’t been able to access the online programme, so this gesture with the tablets will help some of those students that are more vulnerable,” Small related.

Banks DIH to solely distribute Morning Glory Rice Cereals

L

ocal beverage and fast-food giant Banks DIH signed an agreement with Morning Glory Inc (MGI) and the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) to become the sole distributor of the locally-produced Morning Glory Rice Cereals.

The announcement was made by IAST on Sunday via a statement to the media.

IAST said that the growing success of Morning Glory Rice Cereals in the Guyanese market caught the attention of Banks Sales and Marketing Executive, Carlton Joao and it resulted in a tour of the facility in Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast.

Joao was reportedly impressed by the plant, its safety and quality protocols and the professionalism of the staff.

Banks already has a partnership with IAST which sees the company using the locally produced Pakaraima Flavours Sundried Tomato Ketchup and Salad Dressings in its Demico fast-food chain and the OMG Restaurant.

The Institute noted that with the existing partnership and the fact that Banks DIH has one of the most comprehensive distribution networks in the country, the decision to partner with it for the distribution of the rice cereals was one that was “easy.”

Chairman of Banks DIH Clifford Reis lamented on the fact that the company has a focus on maximising Guyana’s potential by engaging local people, productive capacity and local resources.

“We are delighted to deepen our partnership with the Institute of Applied Science and Technology by proudly distributing another of

the Institute’s innovative products: The Morning Glory brand of rice cereals, which are now produced by Morning Glory Inc. The emphasis of adding value to local agricultural commodities through agro-processing aligns well both at a philosophical level and as a commercial focus for Banks DIH Ltd. Morning Glory Rice Cereals are superior products, equal to and in many cases superior to the imported cereal on local supermarket shelves,” he was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, IAST’s Marketing Head Raveena Mangal said: “Securing Banks DIH Limited as the distributor for Morning Glory Rice Cereals is transformative for our young company. Banks is a venerated food and beverage producer in Guyana.

To be associated with the Banks brand and to pass their strict requirements for quality and competitiveness is a source of deep pride for Morning Glory staff. Morning Glory is more than just a nutritious, high-quality product – it is a superlative example of Guyanese innovation, Guyanese ability, Guyanese skill and Guyanese pride – Is We

Own! The success of Morning Glory underscores and showcases the pivotal role our national science and technology institutions can play in our country’s beckoning future.”

The Morning Glory brand of cereals is manufactured at a state-ofthe-art facility in Anna Regina. The project was funded by the Government of Guyana through an initiative led by President Irfaan Ali back in 2014 while he was the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce. The sod was turned for the facility by former President Donald Ramotar, and Dr Ali in March of 2015.

The products and manufacturing process were developed by the Institute of Applied Science and Technology, which also spearheaded the construction of the facility, procured the equipment and operationalised the plant.

The plant has been operational since late 2017 and produces two varieties of the popular rice cereals: Original and Jaggy the Jaguar Rice Krunch. Both products are available in 225g and 500g packets.

Since late 2017, the Morning Glory products have steadily increased their market share and in the process, Morning Glory has become a household name in Guyana. The Morning Glory Rice Cereals are manufactured using greater than 99.5 per cent locally sourced materials and are nutritionally augmented by a vitamin cocktail which is specifically designed for the Caribbean diet.

The Morning Glory Rice Cereal won the 2019 Guyana National Bureau of Standards National Quality Award and Green Initiative Award for AgroProcessing.

15 Guyana has exceeded target for HIV testing – UNAIDS NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…says COVID-19 will cause the Caribbean to miss key targets

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orld Aids Day will be observed tomorrow, December 1, 2020. In a statement to mark the occasion, UNAIDS said that Guyana has exceeded the target for testing, with 94 per cent of people living with HIV diagnosed.

Barbados, on the other hand, has reached the target. Haiti has gotten 98 per cent of diagnosed people on treatment.

Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago have achieved viral suppression among at least 90 per cent of people living with HIV who are on treatment.

Reacting to the accomplishment, UNAIDS Caribbean Sub-regional Office Director, Dr James Guwani said: “This shows that within the region there is the capacity to deploy the

people, policies and programmes to end AIDS.” Notwithstanding this, UNAIDS said that the Caribbean will not meet the Fast Track targets set for the end of this year. In a report titled, “Prevailing against pandemics by putting people at the centre,” UNAIDS noted that while the global response to AIDS was off track before the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid spread of coronavirus has created additional setbacks.

“Modelling of the pandemic’s long-term impact on the HIV response shows that globally there could be at least 123,000 additional new HIV infections and 69,000 additional AIDSrelated deaths between 2020 and 2022.”

According to UNAIDS, insufficient investment and

action on HIV and other pandemics left the world exposed to COVID-19. It noted that had health systems and social safety nets been even stronger, the world would have been better positioned to slow the spread of COVID-19 and withstand its impact.

“COVID-19 has shown that investments in health save lives but also provide a foundation for strong economies. Health and HIV programmes must be fully funded, both in times of plenty and in times of economic crisis.”

According to UNAIDS, at the end of 2019, an esti-

mated 330,000 people were living with HIV in the region. Overall, it added that the Caribbean adult HIV prevalence was 1.1 per cent last year. In 2019, 77 per cent of people living with HIV in the Caribbean knew their status.

This compares to the worldwide average of 80 per cent. Eighty-one per cent of diagnosed Caribbean people were on treatment last year, while 80 per cent of those on antiretroviral therapy were virally suppressed.

The global average was significantly higher, at 88 per cent.

Some countries have

achieved elements of the 90–90–90 targets (90 per cent of people living with HIV aware of their HIV status, 90 per cent of diagnosed people on antiretroviral treatment, and 90 per cent of those on treatment virally suppressed). Barbados has reached the target for testing while Guyana has exceeded it with 94 per cent of people living with HIV diagnosed.

“Deaths due to AIDS have decreased by 37 per cent since 2010. Total antiretroviral treatment coverage for the region was 6371 per cent for women and 56 per cent for men. New HIV infections have decreased by 29 per cent in the region since 2010. Onethird of new HIV infections in the Caribbean in 2019 were among young people ages 15-24,” UNAIDS noted.

While most Caribbean countries have been able to sustain HIV treatment access during COVID-19, it pointed out that there are concerns that other branches of the AIDS response have suffered. “We need innovative strategies to ensure we do not lose ground around HIV testing and prevention because of COVID19,” said Dr Guwani.

UNAIDS is collaborating with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP), President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and Caribbean Med Labs Foundation (CMLF) on an advocacy strategy in support of HIV self-testing.

The initiative will be launched today.

Young Guyanese duo creates COVID-19 contact tracing app …seeking assistance from Health Ministry to have it launched

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ocal software engineers, Nicholas Seetaram and Satesh Persaud have teamed up to create an app that can notify persons when they have come into contact with someone who has been tested positive for COVID-19. These two talented young men are now hoping to collaborate with the Health Ministry to have it launched.

During a recent interview with Guyana Times, the duo explained that the application aims to assist the Ministry with contact tracing for COVID-19. According to 23-year-old Seetaram and 21-year-old Persaud,

would have to request to use it because Google and Apple would not give local developers like us permission. Only the Ministry of Health would get that permission.”

They related that the idea to create such an app came about when they saw an advertisement from the Health Ministry stating that it wanted to outsource the COVID-19 contract tracing app. “And we decided that we can build this because we are local developers,” they added.

For it to work, persons need to have the app downloaded on their phones.

Once this is done, the ex-

periodically checks all the random IDs associated with positive COVID-19 cases against its own list. If there’s a match, you will receive a COVID-19 exposure notification, with further instructions from your public health authority on how to keep you and the people around you safe,” it explained.

In giving a scenario, Persaud explained, “Let’s say three persons are in a room and all three of them had a screening for COVID-19. What the app does is generates a unique number for each person. And when the three of us are near each other, the app will ex-

and you have probably been exposed to the coronavirus.

Therefore, the app can notify you and tell you that you have been exposed to the disease at such a date and time and you can trace back to where you might have been exposed.”

“Our app will be connecting to a server that we created and our server will be linked to the Ministry’s server. Let’s say you went to the Ministry and you tested positive. The Ministry would update your information on their end. Let’s say you provided them with your phone number, what happens now is that you get an SMS noti-

fight against COVID-19. In this regard, Seetaram and Persaud believe that their creation will bring positive benefits to Guyana.

“Beat COVID” also boosts

they created the mobile app called “Beat COVID” using the exposure tracking software that was launched earlier this year by Apple and Google.

Seetaram said, “We have not launched it as yet. The Ministry of Health needs to give us approval because we are using a component from Google and Apple. So, for us to use the component that Google and Apple built earlier this year, which is the exposure notification component, the Health Ministry

posure notification system will generate a random ID for each device. According to Google, to help ensure these random IDs can’t be used to identify a person or their location, they change every 10-20 minutes. According to Google, your phone and the phones in close proximity will work in the background to exchange these privacy-preserving random IDs via Bluetooth.

“You do not need to have the app open for this process to take place. Your phone

change the numbers among us. So that is how I would know I was near to you, but I do not know who you are. I just have a random number.

Later if Nicholas [Seetaram] goes and tests positive, his random number will be sent to my phone and my phone will check to see if I was near to this random number. And it would then indicate that I was near this random number at some point in time.”

Seetaram shared: “Let’s say we are in an environment with a lot of people,

fication right away from the app stating that you have tested positive and if you would like to upload your random number.”

“The app would periodically check for new cases, new numbers and it would periodically download these new numbers. Then run a match to see if you were near to this person. It has to connect to the internet for that to happen,” the duo added.

Many countries around the world have been utilising similar applications in their

some secondary functions which include advising the user what they should do if they come into contact with COVID-19 positive persons.

It features a COVID-19 self-assessment tool which allows people to determine if they might need COVID-19 testing. It also provides information on how to protect yourself and your family from the disease.

With the hope of having the app up and running soon, they have requested

Nicholas Seetaram and Satesh Persaud

a meeting with health officials. They, are, however, still waiting on a response.

Providing that the response is positive, Seetaram and Persaud said that they will take it from there.

In the meantime, they are working on adding the final touches to the application.

“Majority of the developed countries have this app. We believe our mobile app can strongly augment manual contact tracing and help return our country to normalcy. The app guarantees a high level of security and privacy for anyone using it and does not collect any personally identifiable information or the location of its users. We have already built the foundation on the part to trace COVID-19. Now it is just for the Health Ministry to give us the approval to start working alongside them,” the duo related.

Apart from “Beat COVID” which was built in under one month, the duo is currently working on another app that can track the location of persons in home isolation.

“If they leave their house, the Ministry would know. That is the next app we are working on. These persons would have to have the app on their phones. If they leave their house a notification will be sent to the Ministry.”

Once launched, both applications will be free and available across all mobile operating systems.

16 NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Smuggling of migrants

Haitians move to High Court seeking release from protective custody

H

aitians move to High Court seeking release from protective custody A representative for 26 Haitians who reportedly entered Guyana illegally and are being held pending deportation, has moved to the High Court seeking their release from State custody.

The Home Affairs Ministry had said that the Haitians are being held in protective custody as it is suspected that they are victims of human trafficking.

Those in custody are 10 males, nine females and seven children (two boys and five girls).

President of the Association of Haitian Nationals in Guyana, Kesnel Toussaint, through Attorney-at-Law Darren Wade, has filed Habeas Corpus proceedings, asking the court to release his countrymen as they are being held unlawfully. Toussaint argued that their continued detention violates their fundamental right to liberty.

In court documents seen by this publication, Toussaint said that the group of Haitians arrived in Guyana on November 7, 2020, and were granted six months’ stay. According to him, they were subsequently arrested by armed Police ranks at the Linden Highway and taken to CID Headquarters where they were processed and legal status ascertained.

Despite this, Toussaint said that his countrymen are still detained and are being kept at a State facility in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) where they are not allowed to interact with visitors. He stated that on November 19 and November 24, 2020, Attorneys-at-Law Kean Trotman and John Lindner, respectively, visited the location to see the Haitians but was denied entry.

The President of the Association of Haitian Nationals in Guyana added that Trotman was only able to speak to a few of them through a fence. In an affidavit, he said, “The detainees are kept under armed guard. I have seen a video on social media circulating with the detainees complaining that they are being held under inhumane conditions. My countrymen’s detention is unlawful and a contravention of their fundamental rights.”

According to court documents, some of the Haitians were staying at a hotel in Georgetown. Their lawyer, Darren Wade, when contacted, said that the matter came up on Friday before High Court Judge Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

According to Wade, he argued that “It is unlawful to have persons in custody in excess of 72 hours, along with it being a violation of their constitutional rights.”

The lawyer said that State

A group of Haitians spotted in Guyana last year

Counsel Pritima Kissoon was asked by the Judge whether the detainees were granted a six-month stay and whether they were taken before a Magistrate on charges for illegal entry.

However, Wade informed that Kissoon indicated that she was not in a position to indicate this to the court. Wade added that he informed the Judge that they were not taken before a Magistrate for a deportation order to be issued.

Further, Wade said he complained to the Judge that the Haitians were not being allowed access to counsel. “I contended that every additional minute of the detainees’ continued incarceration is the continued violation of their constitutionals rights.”

Justice SewnarineBeharry will hand down her ruling in the matter on December 3, 2020.

Following their detention, the Home Affairs Ministry said that it had teamed up with the Guyana Police Force to investigate the suspected human trafficking involving the Haitian nationals.

They were arrested in two separate Police operations – in a minibus along the Mabura Trail, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), and in a city hotel. They were detained by Police after it was discovered that they had entered the country illegally via Suriname.

Police also related that they were en route to neighbouring Brazil at the time of interception.

Following their arrest, the foreign nationals were taken to CID Headquarters, where they were interrogated and face possible prosecution and deportation.

During the investigation, five persons were arrested.

Back in 2019, former Citizenship Minister, Winston Felix had revealed that between January to July 2019, some 7000 Haitian nationals were unaccounted for. While the issue of foreign nationals overstaying their time in the country is not a new one, the numbers have significantly increased since 2015.

In 2013, 188 Haitians arrived in Guyana with 99 departures; and in 2014, 227 arrived, and 113 departed. But in 2015, there were 770 arrivals and only 136 departures; in 2016, 722 arrivals with 451 departures; in 2017, 3515 arrivals and 291 departures; and in 2018, 1237 arrivals with only 85 departures.

While the former Government has long contended that the immigrants may be leaving Guyana illegally for Brazil, Suriname and French Guiana, there was no concrete move by them to monitor the situation or attempt to put a stop to the illegal movement of people.

These numbers of unaccounted Haitians had raised major concerns, es-

pecially for the then parliamentary Opposition, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic – which had alleged that there might be a people-smuggling racket.

Felix had also stated that those unaccounted Haitians might be leaving through the “backtrack” (unauthorised ports) to go to other counties.

Furthermore, he had explained that the legislative adjustment to Schedule II of the Immigration Act, Cap 14:02, might be another reason for the influx of Haitians into Guyana.

The Act was amended to include Haiti as a beneficiary to the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), which facilitates free movement within the region and automatic entry and stay of six months in Caricom countries.

Before the amendment, the Act had facilitated the six-month automatic stay to other Caricom member states including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Montserrat, Grenada, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, except for Haiti, whose nationals had required a visa and were only allowed to stay for up to 90 days or three months.

Since then, Haitians no longer need a visa to travel to Guyana and are afforded the same treatment and welcome that other Caricom nationals enjoy.

We desperately need a dialysis centre in Linden – pensioner

By Lakhram Bhagirat

A

t 72 years Phillip Bynoe dures the long arduous journey from

old, enand his

home in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), all the way to the capital city of Georgetown in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) for dialysis three

times per week.

For even the healthiest person, travelling such long distances would take a toll on your body so imagine an elderly, not so healthy per-

son having to make that journey of about 108 kilometres.

Bynoe started dialysis in 2018 – one year after his chronic renal failure diagnosis and ever since he has been advocating for the establishment of a dialysis unit in the mining town.

The father of seven moved to Linden in 1971 from Corriverton, Berbice, after he was assigned to a teaching post there. Ever since, he established roots there and built his family in the communities of Amelia’s Ward and Silvercity and today he is retired and operates a small business.

“My condition is known as chronic kidney disease and I was diagnosed with that condition in 2017. I did not pay much attention to it as I should have. That caused the disease to progress and I was stricken in 2018 and I came to this hospital – at that time I could hardly breathe, I couldn’t consume anything, I was vomiting all the time – and I was told I have to do dialysis.

“At my age, I couldn’t have a kidney transplant

Phillip Bynoe’s blood being purified by the dialysis machine

– I had many kidneys but they said it was too dangerous to risk kidney transplant – so in the circumstances I had to do dialysis.

I started dialysis since then up to the present time I do dialysis three times a week for four hours each session,” the pensioner said.

Dialysis causes a lot of financial burden on the families since one session runs a tab of about $12,00015,000. So, three times per week amounts to just about $45,000 for just one week and kidney failure patients have to take dialysis until

they can do a transplant or until the end of their lives.

The dialysis process is filtering and purifying the blood – functions of the kidney – via a machine. It helps to keep your fluids and electrolytes when the kidneys cannot perform their functions.

In addition to dialysis costs, kidney failure patients have to endure the costs of supplements because the dialysis process does not just filter the toxins from the blood but also the good nutrients as well.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

NEWS

17

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

HEALTH TIPS

Chronic kidney disease (renal failure) Part- 1 sis or kidney transplantation creates a huge financial burden for the majority of the people who need it.

In another 112 countries, many people cannot afford treatment at all, resulting in the death of over 1 million people annually from untreated kidney failure * Chronic kidney disease can be treated. With early diagnosis and treatment, it is possible to slow or stop the progression of kidney disease.

Dr Tariq Jagnarine Family Medicine, Endocrinology/Diabetes

C

hronic kidney disease (CKD) is a slow and progressive loss of kidney function over a period of several years, eventually leading to permanent kidney failure. Chronic kidney disease, also known as chronic renal failure, chronic renal disease, or chronic kidney failure, is much more widespread than people realise; it often goes undetected and undiagnosed until the disease is well advanced. It is not unusual for people to realise they have chronic kidney failure only when their kidney function is down to 25 per cent of normal. As kidney failure advances and the organ’s function is severely impaired, dangerous levels of waste and fluid can rapidly build up in the body.

Treatment is aimed at stopping or slowing down the progression of the disease by controlling its underlying cause. * Over 10 per cent of the population worldwide is affected by chronic kidney disease, and millions die each year because they do not have access to affordable treatment. * In people aged 65 through 74 worldwide, it is estimated that one in five men, and one in four women, have CKD. * According to the latest WHO data published in 2018, kidney disease deaths in Guyana reached 147 or 2.47 per cent of total deaths and the 10th leading cause of death. * Over 2 million people worldwide currently receive treatment with dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive, yet this number may only represent 10 per cent of people who actually need treatment to live. * It is estimated that the number of cases of kidney failure will increase disproportionately in developing countries, where the number of elderly people is increasing. * In middle-income countries, treatment with dialy-

RISK FACTORS

The following conditions or situations are linked to a higher risk of developing kidney disease: * A family history of kidney disease * Age – chronic kidney disease is much more common among people over 60 * Atherosclerosis * Bladder obstruction * Chronic glomerulonephritis * Congenital kidney disease (kidney disease which is present at birth) * Diabetes – one of the most common risk factors * Hypertension * Lupus erythematosus * Overexposure to some toxins * Sickle cell disease * Some medications

CAUSES

Kidneys carry out the complex system of filtration in our bodies – excess waste and fluid material are removed from the blood and excreted from the body.

In most cases, kidneys can eliminate most waste materials that our body produces. However, if the blood flow to the kidneys is affected, or they are not working properly because of damage or disease, or if urine outflow is obstructed, problems with filtration and excretion can occur.

In most cases, progressive kidney damage is the result of a chronic disease (a long-term disease), such as: * Diabetes – chronic kidney disease is linked to diabetes types 1 and 2. If the patient’s diabetes is not well controlled, excess sugar (glucose) can accumulate in the blood. Kidney disease is not common during the first 10 years of diabetes; it more commonly occurs 1525 years after diagnosis of diabetes. * Hypertension (high blood pressure) – high blood pressure can damage the glomeruli – parts of the kidney involved in filtering waste products. * Obstructed urine flow – if urine flow is blocked it can back up into the kidney from the bladder (vesicoureteral reflux). Blocked urine flow increases pres-

sure on the kidneys and undermines their function.

Possible causes include an enlarged prostate, kidney stones, or a tumour. * Kidney diseases – including polycystic kidney disease, pyelonephritis, or glomerulonephritis. * Kidney artery stenosis – the renal artery narrows or is blocked before it enters the kidney. * Certain toxins – including fuels, solvents (such as carbon tetrachloride), and lead (and lead-based paint, pipes, and soldering materials). Even some types of jewellery have toxins, which can lead to chronic kidney failure. * Fetal developmental problem – if the kidneys do not develop properly in the unborn baby while it is developing in the womb. * Systemic lupus erythematosus – an autoimmune disease. The body’s own immune system attacks the kidneys as though they were foreign tissue. * Malaria and yellow fever – known to cause impaired kidney function. * Some medications – overuse of, NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, aspirin, diclofenac, etc), some antibiotics, * Illegal substance abuse – such as heroin or cocaine. * Injury – a sharp blow or physical injury to the kidney(s).

STAGES OF KIDNEY DISEASE

Changes in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) can assess how advanced the kidney disease is. In the UK, and many other countries, kidney disease stages are classified as follows: Stage 1 – GFR rate is normal (>90ml/min).

However, evidence of kidney disease has been detected, such as protein in the urine, blood, and other biological markers.

Stage 2 – GFR rate is lower than 60-89ml/min, and evidence of kidney disease has been detected.

Stage 3 – GFR rate is lower than 30-59ml/min, regardless of whether evidence of kidney disease has been detected. It can have 2 subtypes of 3A and 3B Stage 4 – GRF rate is lower than 30ml/min, regardless of whether evidence of kidney disease has been detected.

Stage 5 – GFR rate is lower than 15ml/min. Renal failure has occurred.

The majority of patients with chronic kidney disease rarely progress beyond Stage 2. It is important for kidney disease to be diagnosed and treated early for serious damage to be prevented. Patients

with diabetes should have an annual test, which measures microalbuminuria (small amounts of protein) in urine. This test can detect early diabetic nephropathy (early kidney damage linked to diabetes). Along with frequent check of GFR every 6 months.

SYMPTOMS

Chronic kidney disease rarely shows symptoms until the later stages, so screening is recommended for those who are at risk.

Chronic kidney failure, as opposed to acute kidney failure, is a slow and gradually progressive disease. Even if one kidney stops functioning, the other can carry out normal functions. It is not usually until the disease is fairly well advanced and the condition has become severe that signs and symptoms are noticeable; by which time most of the damage is irreversible. It is important that people who are at high risk of developing kidney

disease have their kidney functions regularly checked.

Early detection can significantly help prevent serious kidney damage.

The most common signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease include: * * Anaemia * Blood in urine * Dark urine * Decreased mental alertness * Decreased urine output * Oedema – swollen feet, hands, and ankles (face if oedema is severe) * Fatigue (tiredness) * Hypertension (high blood pressure) * Insomnia * Itchy skin, can become persistent * Loss of appetite * Male inability to get or maintain an erection (erectile dysfunction) * More frequent urination, especially at night * Muscle cramps * Muscle twitches

* Nausea * Pain on the side or mid to lower back * Panting (shortness of breath) * Protein in urine * Sudden change in bodyweight * Unexplained headaches Patients with chronic kidney disease generally experience progressive loss of kidney function and are at risk for end-stage renal disease. The rate of progression depends on age, the underlying diagnosis, the implementation and success of secondary preventive measures, and the individual patient. Timely initiation of chronic renal replacement therapy is imperative to prevent the uremic complications of CKD that can lead to significant morbidity and death.

Next week’s article will discuss how someone can be diagnosed with CKD, treatment options and possible complications

Linden desperately need...

So, they would have to make sure they get the right vitamins and supplements and then they would have to pay transportation costs because most of the country’s dialysis units are centrally located in Georgetown.

For retired Bynoe, it is the combined effort of his children and the little income from his business that makes him able to afford his supplements and pay for dialysis sessions.

However, it also takes a mental toll on him as well but he would just look at the bigger picture of him being able to be with his family a bit longer.

“When your kidney fails you have to get dialysis and if you skip one week you are a dead person. There are thousands of Guyanese who are walking around apparently healthy but may have stage 3 or stage 4 kidney failure and they don’t know it. Many times, they might find they can’t eat, breathe properly when they are sick and they try home remedies and then they would die without a proper diagnosis,” he said.

Bynoe is cognisant of the fact that he is not the

only patient with a story but he is hopeful that changes can be made to better facilitate patients like himself.

“I am not the only person from Linden that do dialysis and what happens is that you travel to come from Linden and then you travel to go back to Linden after dialysis. Many doctors or dialysis patient would tell you that after dialysis you are weakened and to endure that trip to Linden after dialysis is not a good thing. Given the condition of the LindenSoesdyke Highway, it is not recommended at all but we endure it because we have to. One of the things I want to really implore the Government to do is to have a top-notch dialysis centre at Linden,” he said.

He added that his current dialysis centre is one of the top-notch ones and petitioned the former Government to set up a unit at the Mackenzie Hospital in Linden but instead another firm was given it but to date, they have not set it up.

“The quality and professionalism of the staff, the nurses, the way they deal

FROM PAGE 16

with patients and the sanitation and hygiene which are critical for dialysis for patients here is the best.

It is the key. I personally, because of the dangers of the highway, I was pushing for this particular centre put up a proposal to the Government for under a unit. They [the Government] did not have to spend no money, they just had to provide the location and this centre visited the location at the Mackenzie Hospital, they made some recommendations as to what was to happen and what must be done but by some other means, another dialysis centre signed an MoU with the former Government.

“But for me, I would not use the centre even if it is free because of my concern about the sanitisation and hygiene process. My plea is for the Government – whatever arrangement they have with the other dialysis centre – is to have a look and whatever is possible go public by tender and get the best centre and let them do something to have them establish a centre in Linden,” Bynoe said from his dialysis bed.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

Regional

Brazil: Voters elect Mayors amid Argentine authorities seize files from surge in COVID-19 cases, violence Maradona’s doctor in probe of death

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B

razilian voters in 57 cities including 18 state capitals returned to the polls for runoff mayoral elections on Sunday amid a surge in cases of COVID-19 and violence involving assassinations and attacks on candidates.

Shaken by the world’s second deadliest coronavirus outbreak and a deep economic crisis, Brazilians largely voted for experienced politicians from traditional parties.

Voters in São Paulo re-elected centre-right Mayor Bruno Covas for a new four-year term in Brazil’s largest city and financial hub. He defeated leftist opponent Guilherme Boulos, who said he tested positive for COVID-19 48 hours before polls opened.

Covas’ win boosts São Paulo Governor João Doria, a potentially strong adversary for far-right President Jair Bolsonaro who plans to seek re-election in 2022.

Bolsonaro’s candidate for Mayor of the country’s biggest city came in fourth in first-round voting.

In Brazil’s second biggest city, centrist Eduardo Paes was elected in Rio de Janeiro instead of right-

Brazil has registered more than 6.3 million total confirmed coronavirus cases, while deaths surpassed 172,000 this weekend

wing Evangelical bishop Marcelo Crivella, who was running for re-election and was backed by Bolsonaro.

Paes had served two terms as Rio Mayor between 2009 and 2016. Crivella lost in Bolsonaro’s own home patch, where the now President served as congressman for 28 years.

In two months of campaigning leading up to the first round of voting on November 15, there were 200 murders, attempted murders or assaults committed on candidates, according to Brazilian electoral authority TSE. Sunday’s voting con-

firmed advances by centre and centre-right parties at the expense of candidates supported by Bolsonaro, which could complicate his re-election.

It also marked the first time since 1985 that the Workers Party (PT) of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva failed to secure the mayorship of a capital city.

Brazil, a socially unequal and politically divided nation, has registered more than 6.3 million total confirmed coronavirus cases, while deaths surpassed 172,000 this weekend.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Cubans who disappeared from Cayman Islands rescued by Mexican Navy

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ourteen Cubans who disappeared from the Cayman Islands late last week have been found in Mexico.

According to a press release issued by the Customs

and Border Control Service in this British Overseas territory, on Friday, officials lost track of the Cuban migrants.

The Cubans were reportedly located at sea by the

Mexican Navy after which they were taken to a naval base where they received medical attention.

The Cubans have requested political asylum in Mexico. (CMC)

rgentine justice officials on Sunday seized medical files from the doctor of Diego Maradona as part of their investigation into the recent death of the soccer star.

Maradona died at age 60 on Wednesday after a heart attack.

The search was requested by Prosecutors in the rich Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro. The Prosecutor’s office said in a statement that no charges had been brought against the doctor, Leopoldo Luque, or anyone else, but the probe would continue.

“We have started to analyse the material that was

taken” from Luque’s home and office, the statement said. It did not provide information on what prompted the probe.

“They took the clinical files,” Luque told reporters.

“There was no medical error,” Luque said, adding that he was not responsible for the death of the soccer player who catapulted to international fame and semi-divine status at home after leading the Argentine team that won the 1986 World Cup. In later years, Maradona struggled with substance abuse issues.

“Diego was tired, tired of being

T&T Govt deports 160 more Venezuelans

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he swift deportation of 160 Venezuelans by the National Security Ministry late Saturday came on the cusp of a planned meeting between Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley and Venezuela’s President, Nicolás Maduro. The deportation also follows the fiasco last week in which 27 Venezuelans, including 16 minors, were escorted back to Venezuela on the order of this Government last Sunday, only to return two days later.

That incident, which has attracted international headlines, prompted Maduro to request a meeting with the T&T Government to address matters of “security, human

mobility, crime, and drug trafficking” .according to a tweet posted by Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza four days ago.

The time and details of that meeting are yet to be ironed out.

National Security Minister Stuart Young in a media release on Saturday stated that it had come to his attention, via a media report, that certain lawyers approached a High Court Judge, ex-parte, and that the Judge made certain orders pertaining to some Venezuelans who are in T&T illegally.

Young said the State was not represented at this hearing and he has spoken to

C

ommunist-run Cuba over the weekend launched an all-out rhetorical assault through State-run media on a rare protest that took place Friday for freedom of expression, branding it part of an ongoing effort by the United States to create an uprising.

The Friday stakeout around the Culture Ministry of around 300 creatives was sparked by authorities’ crackdown on the San Isidro Movement of dissident artists and activists that formed two years ago to protest curbs on freedom of expression.

The protest ended before dawn on Saturday only after officials met with 30 of the demonstrators and agreed to continue talking and to urgently review the case of a detained member of the San Isidro crew and a rapper sentenced this month to eight months in jail on charges of contempt.

It also agreed to ensure in-

Attorney General Faris AlRawi for this particular matter to be appropriately addressed.

On Saturday morning, Attorney Jerome Riley and others, from Criston J Williams and Company, representing migrants at court, applied for judicial review to stop the order of deportation.

Riley said Justice Avason Quinlan-Williams granted the stay of the 19 migrants.

However, there was confusion over whether the 19 had been granted a stay.

Al-Rawi said the State was in the dark over the motion filed and no matter has been served on the AG’s office. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Barbados open for foreign investment, says Minister

I Cuban Government backtracks on deal with protesters

‘Maradona’”, Luque said.

The player’s lawyer, Matias Moria, on Thursday said he would ask for a full investigation of the circumstances of the soccer legend’s death, criticising what he said was a slow response by emergency service.

“The ambulance took more than half an hour to arrive, which was criminal idiocy,” Matias said on Thursday in a Twitter post.

Luque said faster ambulance service would not have saved Maradona’s life. “You would have needed medical equipment at his house, including a respirator,” he told reporters. (Reuters)

nternational Business and Industry Minister Ronald Toppin says Barbados is keen to welcome new foreign investment despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and monitoring by international bodies.

Last week, he issued an invitation to Scotland businesses to invest in Barbados, adding the hope was that some of the digital nomads here on a Barbados Welcome Stamp

Barbadian International Business and Industry Minister Ronald Toppin

visa would eventually transition to become business owners here.

He was speaking at the opening of a virtual Scotland trade mission.

Toppin said the 12-month Welcome Stamp “has proven to be very popular with the international business community and is a signal that Barbados is so much more than a leisure destination”.

(Nation News)

ECLAC says persistence of violence against women, girls in the Caribbean “troubling” People gather in front of the Culture Ministry to show solidarity with dissident artists and to demand a dialogue over limits on freedom of expression, in Havana, Cuba, November 27, 2020

dependent artists in the future were not harassed.

But just hours later the Government called in the top US diplomat on the island, Chargé D’affairesTimothy Zúñiga-Brown, for a scolding over “grave interference in Cuba’s internal affairs” as State television ran a 90-minute special attacking the rapper and other dissident artists and broadcasting visuals of their interactions with US diplomats and Miami exiles.

“Sovereign Cuba accepts no interference ... The revolutionary ones will fight back,” President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in one of a series of Twitter posts accusing the San Isidro Movement of being a “reality show” on social media created by “US imperialists”.

Diaz-Canel said much the same at a pro-Government rally Sunday of a few thousand young people.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

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he Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has described as “troubling” the persistence of gender-based violence against women and girls in the region and high rates of femicide or feminicide.

Femicide or feminicide is a sex-based hate crime term, defined broadly as the intentional killing of females (women or girls) because of their gender.

According to the latest official data reported to ECLAC’s Gender Equality Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean (GEO), in 2019, 4,640 cas-

es of femicide were recorded in 24 countries (18 in Latin America and six in the Caribbean).

“The situation of women and girls has been aggravated under confinement and the restrictions on movement ordered by countries in the face of COVID-19, which limited their access to support networks and assistance-related services,” said ECLAC in a document published in the framework of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which is commemorated each year on November 25 and which launches 16 days of activism through to December

10, which is International Human Rights Day. “Gender violence occurs systematically in our region,” said Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary. “It knows no borders, affecting women and girls of all ages, and taking place in all types of spaces: in workplaces, in the context of political and community participation, on transportation and in the street, in schools and educational centres, in cyberspace and — without a doubt — within homes.

“This is what we in the United Nations system have called a ‘shadow pandemic,” she added. (Excerpt from CMC)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

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19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Israel's Paz Oil swings to 3rd quarter loss on refining margin drop

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srael’s Paz Oil swung to a loss in the third quarter, with the coronavirus pandemic leading to a sharp decline in oil prices and demand that hit refining margins.

Paz, Israel’s largest distributor of refined oil products, said on Sunday it lost an adjusted 8 million shekels (US$2.4 million) in the July to September period, down from a net profit of 128 million a year prior. Revenue slipped 41 per cent to 1.87 billion shekels.

Profit was also impacted by an impairment charge due to the decrease in the value of the Paz Ashdod Refinery’s assets of about 201 million shekels.

Paz said that in July and August there was a gradual recovery in fuel consumption for transportation fuels at fuelling stations, but it was halted with a second nationwide lockdown that began in September.

Fuel consumption now stands at over 90 per cent of the normal rate and continues to grow as those restrictions on the economy are eased.

During the quarter, non-binding offers were submitted to the company regarding the potential sale of its Ashdod Refinery operations as the company studies options for splitting the activity of the refinery or further development of the refinery activity, Paz said.

It said it signed in the third quarter a deal to buy the Super Yuda supermarket chain in Tel Aviv to expand further into retail, while investing in green energy company Gencell.

Earlier this month Chairman Avraham Bigger said he would step down at the end of the year. He will be replaced by Harel Locker, who begins his term on Jan 1. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Fauci warns of “surge upon surge” of COVID-19 in coming weeks

Afghanistan car bombing kills at least 30 security force personnel

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car bombing in Afghanistan’s central province of Ghazni killed at least 30 Afghan security force members on Sunday, officials said, and casualties could increase given the intensity and location of the blast.

Baz Mohammad Hemat, director of the provincial hospital in Ghazni, said 30 bodies and 24 injured people had been transported there.

“All of the victims are security personnel,” he said.

The blast targeted a compound of the public protection force, a wing of the Afghan security forces, local officials said. It damaged civilian residences around the compound, and there could be more casualties from

there, they said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian confirmed that there had been a car bomb blast but did not provide further information on the target or possible casualties.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, when contacted by Reuters, did not confirm or deny responsibility.

Afghanistan has seen a

spate of car bombings over the last few months, despite peace talks being underway between negotiation teams of the insurgent Taliban and the Government in the Qatari capital of Doha.

Violence in the country, at war for two decades, remains unacceptably high, foreign governments and institutions say, calling for an immediate ceasefire between the Afghan Government and Taliban.

Another bombing on Sunday, in the eastern province of Zabul, targeting a top provincial official, killed at least one person and injured 23, said Gul Islam Syaal, the spokesman for the province’s governor. (Excerpt from Reuters)

nearing 45 degrees.

Temperatures are expected to cross 40 degrees for a second straight day on Sunday while the Bureau of Meteorology has predicted a five or six-day heatwave for parts of northern New South Wales and southeast Queensland.

The predictions for soaring temperatures prompted the Australian Energy Market Operator to say demand may exceed supply in New South Wales on Sunday afternoon.

Australia has been experiencing hotter and longer summers with last season dubbed the “Black Summer” by Prime Minister Scott Morrison due to unusually prolonged and intense bushfires that burned nearly 12 million hectares (30 million acres), killed 33 people and an estimated one billion animals.

The Rural Fire Service issued a total fire ban for most of eastern and northeastern New South Wales for Sunday, saying there

was a “very high to severe fire danger forecast” as hot, gusty winds exacerbate dry conditions.

Last summer’s prolonged bush fire season was fuelled by three years of drought but this year the risk is from grasslands after the prolific growth of vegetation helped by good rains in early spring.

Australia’s fire season usually runs from late southern hemisphere spring through summer.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Afghan National Army soldiers keep watch outside of a military compound after a car bomb blast on the outskirts of Ghazni city, Afghanistan November 29, 2020

Severe fire danger for Australia as temperatures smash records

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arts of Australia, including Sydney, sweltered through the hottest November night on record with temperatures likely to stay high on Sunday, prompting authorities to issue a total fire ban.

In Sydney, temperatures surpassed 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) on Saturday while swathes of western New South Wales, South Australia and northern Victoria baked through even higher temperatures

Canada bans mass exports of prescription drugs

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Dr Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has warned of a “surge upon a surge” of infections in coming weeks

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op US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci, a member of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force, has warned that residents should brace for a “surge upon a surge” of infections following the Thanksgiving holiday.

Fauci, speaking shortly after the US holiday, which saw the highest rate of travel in the US since the first major outbreak, said on Sunday, “There almost certainly is going to be an uptick because of what has happened with the travel.”

Speaking on CNN, he added: “We may see a surge upon a surge” in two or three weeks. “We don’t want to frighten people, but that’s the reality.”

The US has seen a new surge in infections and hospitalisations as the cold months set in. On Friday, new daily cases surpassed 200,000 for the first time during the outbreak. To date, more than 13.2 mil-

lion COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in the US, with at least 266,000 deaths.

Admiral Brett Giroir, who oversees US coronavirus testing, also told CNN on Sunday that “hospitalisations are peaking right now at about 95,000” in the US. “About 20 per cent of all people in the hospital have COVID, so this is a really dangerous time,” he said.

The health officials’ comments came as US news media reported that the first shipments of Pfizer and BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine – one of the first to claim high effectiveness, along with a Moderna product – had arrived in the US from a Pfizer lab in Belgium.

The company is using charter flights to pre-position vaccine for quick distribution once it receives US approval, which is expected as early as December 10, the Wall Street Journal reported. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

anada has banned the export of some prescription medicines in order to prevent a shortage in the country.

The decision is in response to a US plan that would allow for drugs to be imported from Canada to make them cheaper for Americans.

Although prescription drug prices in Canada are higher than some nations, they are cheaper than the US. A number of Canada's drug suppliers had warned that the plan, implemented

by President Trump, would cause shortages.

The pandemic has already increased demands for some medicines, according to the

A US rule change will allow American pharmacists to import drugs intended for the Canadian market

AFP news agency.

A statement from Canada's Health Ministry said the country sources 68 per cent of its drugs from overseas and therefore it was important to avoid any disruptions to supplies.

"Companies will now also

be required to provide information to assess existing or potential shortages when requested, and within 24 hours if there is a serious or imminent health risk," the statement said.

Trump signed an executive order in July to allow for the

legal importation of cheaper drugs from Canada.

A month later, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was happy to help other nations with their supplies if possible but his priority was protecting the needs of Canadians.

Drugmakers have faced intense criticism from US politicians - including Trump - as well as insurance companies and patients' groups over the high cost of new medicines and price hikes in some older generic drugs.

President-elect Joe Biden has previously spoken of potentially importing drugs to bring down costs. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Tigray forces claim to have shot down Ethiopian plane, taken town

R

ebellious forces from Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray said they had shot down a military plane and retaken a town from federal forces on Sunday, a day after the Prime Minister announced federal troops had taken over the regional capital and military operations were complete.

There was no immediate comment from the

Government or the military on the claims made by Debretsion Gebremichael, leader of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in text messages to Reuters.

Claims from all sides are difficult to verify since phone and internet links to Tigray have been down and access tightly controlled since the fighting began on Nov 4.

Prime Minister Abiy

Ahmed’s Government has been trying to quell a rebellion by the TPLF, a powerful ethnically-based party that dominated the Central Government from 1991 until Abiy came to power in 2018.

Thousands of people are believed to have been killed and nearly 44,000 have fled to Sudan since the fighting began. The conflict has been another test for Abiy, who

took office two years ago and is trying to hold together a patchwork of ethnic groups that make up Ethiopia’s 115 million people.

Abiy said on Saturday evening federal troops had taken control of the Tigrayan capital Mekelle within hours of launching an offensive there, laying to rest fears of protracted fighting in the city of 500,000 people.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

20

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Size up your financial situation, and make plans that will help you improve your life. A change of pace and some education could lead to a financial shakeup.

An unexpected change TAURUS will push you in a healthier (April 20direction.

Spending more time May 20) with someone who inspires you to exercise and eat properly will lead to friendship.

Don’t let hype mislead you.

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU

Hidden matters will make it necessary to slow down and listen carefully. When in doubt, do your own thing, work alone and bring about positive personal change.

Romance is featured.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Accept the inevitable, and turn any negative into a positive. Work to make a difference, and reach out to people who share your concerns. Be an innovative leader.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Keep your emotions in check and your mind on your goals. Be smart, and counter any difficulties someone throws your way with wellthought-out ideas. Strive for perfection, and speak up.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Be observant and stick to your plan. Don’t let the changes others make confuse you. Spend time with active, engaging people who encourage you to be the best you can be.

SCORPIO

Don’t let anyone pressure you into purchasing something you don’t need.

A personal change will help stabilize your life. Romance is on the rise. Talk to people who share your concerns.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

LAST PUBLISHED WORD - DEVIATES

Do all you can for a cause you believe in, and you’ll meet people who share your concerns. Working alongside others will lead to opportunities. Make honesty and integrity priorities.

What you accomplish today will be impressive; you will gain the respect of people who matter to you. Share your thoughts and feelings.

Focus on improving your immediate surroundings.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Avoid pushy people and tense situations. Don’t battle over something trivial. Take the high road and let others do as they please. Direct your energy into something worthwhile.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Stop trying to please people who take but give nothing in return. Choose your friends wisely. Walk away from dodgy or high-pressure situations.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Tunnel vision will help you avoid getting drawn into a destabilizing situation. You have much to gain if you work hard to make your dreams a reality and take care of yourself.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

21

Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr share an engaging draw in 'exhibition' bout M

ike Tyson said he will "continue to go further and do more" in the boxing ring after his return to the sport ended in an engaging draw with Roy Jones Jr. The 54-year-old former world heavyweight champion ended 15 years of inactivity to take on 51-year-old Jones in a high-profile pay-per-view 'exhibition' - but fears the pair would serve up a some form of money-making farce were not realised as they did enough to provide entertainment.

While rap artist Snoop Dogg said it was like watching "two of my uncles fighting at a barbecue" during his stint as a ringside commentator at the spectator-less Staples Center in Los Angeles, former world champions including David Haye, Lennox Lewis and George Foreman expressed satisfaction.

There were glimpses of the past as Tyson swayed from the hips, ploughed forward and tried to unload shots, while Jones sought to move fluidly, though he was visibly drained by the halfway stage.

Tyson landed a couple of eye-

catching left hooks, some solid body shots and unquestionably forced the pace. Many on social media felt he had won well but the judges - not employed by the sanctioning body but by the WBC to offer added entertainment - thought otherwise.

Tyson said he was happy with the draw and made clear his future pursuits would not be in a professional capacity: "This is bigger than championships, we are humanitarians, we are helping people. I'm happy I got this under the belt and I'll continue to go further and do more."

Jones, a former four-weight world champion, said he would talk to his family before considering fighting again, and added: "I don't do draws but the dude is so strong, man. When he hits you, his head, his punches, his body shots, everything hurts.

I'm cool with the draw."

Former heavyweight champion Foreman tweeted it was the "best exhibition I have ever seen", Haye said the event was "competitive" and former world super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall said the pair "didn't disgrace

Tyson landed some solid work on Jones, who looked to hit, move and tie his opponent up

themselves in any shape or form".

What an 'exhibition' would look like was up for debate.

The California State Athletic Commission, which sanctioned the fight, had required twominute rounds instead of the usual three minutes, larger than normal 12-ounce gloves and had said neither fighter could seek a knockout. In a bid to make make the bout safer for the 50-something fighters,

Hamilton wins Bahrain GP interrupted interrupted by huge Grosjean crash, as Perez suffers late heartbreak

the commission even stated a winner would not be named.

Ultimately when the bell sounded Tyson tried to fight aggressively, Jones looked to survive and tie his rival up a bit and any fears they would walk around and do little were quickly overcome.

Music artists including Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg performed in a bid to add to the pay-per-view offer, and moments before his ring walk Jones questioned the small ring in use, stating: "It's like they are feeding me to the bear."

Moments before he walked to the ring in his glory years Tyson was known to punch holes in changing room walls.

Here, he admitted to fears moments before his ring walk as he stated: "I'm just pushing myself. Whatever I'm afraid to do, I do."

Jones' energy tank looked close to empty by halfway but Tyson - who will give some of the reported $10m (£7.5m) he earned to charity - appeared well conditioned over the eight rounds. UFC president Dana White watched and said: "Time is undefeated and takes us all down. Fighting is a young man's game. Mike looked awesome tonight. I was blown away. It exceeded my expectations."

Since his first heavyweight

world-title win aged 20 - a record that still stands - Tyson has been in prison for rape, battled drug and alcohol abuse, been bankrupt, acted in films and fronted his own one-man show.

Despite scandal and chaos he has stayed relevant and fans posted images of the hell-raising figure they hoped they may see moments before a ring return that had been anticipated by some and ridiculed by others.

While it was acceptable and entertaining, it is hard to see how repeat editions can prove as enticing. This was largely all about seeing if a 54-year-old former champion had anything left.

Tyson showed he did. He was in shape, he punched with menace and it can be argued some high-profile professional fights have offered less in terms of entertainment. Whether there was enough quality, risk and drama on offer to keep people paying to watch more is another matter. (BBC Sport)

Imam Bacchus, Reliance emerge victorious

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ewly-crowned seventime champion Lewis Hamilton has taken his 11th victory of the 2020 season, winning out over the Red Bull pair of Max Verstappen and Alex Albon at the Bahrain Grand Prix – in a race whose start was overshadowed by a horror crash for Haas’ Romain Grosjean.

Grosjean’s Haas car plunged into the barriers at Turn 3 on Lap 1, the Frenchman emerging from the fiery remains of his cockpit before being airlifted to hospital with suspected broken ribs and minor burns – but thankfully nothing more serious than that – with a lengthy red flag period ensuing as the barriers were repaired after what had been a horrible incident.

Following a subsequent Safety Car period at the restart after Racing Point’s Lance Stroll was rolled over after contact with AlphaTauri’s Daniil Kvyat, it was a relatively simple evening’s work for Hamilton – crowned world champion last time out at the Turkish Grand Prix – whose victory never looked seriously under threat from Verstappen, despite the Dutchman shadowing him for

Lewis Hamilton

much of the race.

Behind the leading pair, it looked for much of the Bahrain race as though Sergio Perez was set to claim his second podium in as many races, before the Mexican’s Racing Point expired with a suspected power unit issue three laps from the end.

That promoted Albon up to third, giving the Thai driver his second career podium as the race finished behind a Safety Car brought out as Perez’s car was recovered.

Perez’s retirement was great news for McLaren, who claimed fourth and fifth, Lando Norris leading home Carlos Sainz, while their 22-point haul saw them move ahead of the point-

less Racing Point to P3 in the constructors’ standings.

A one-stop race for AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly gave him a well-deserved P6, ahead of the Renault of Daniel Ricciardo and Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas – who suffered a puncture at the race restart on Lap 3, leaving him with a recovery drive to P8. The top 10 was rounded out by the second Renault of Esteban Ocon and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc in P10.

So, a topsy-turvy race – but once again, it was Lewis Hamilton who found himself on top, the Mercedes driver now a four-time winner of the Bahrain Grand Prix. (BBC Sport)

T

he Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Tropical Springs T20 Over-40 Tournament continued on Sunday, with the Essequibo leg of matches played at Reliance Cricket Ground.

In the afternoon match, the Invader Masters, having being inserted in to bat, posted a challenging 112-8 off their allotted 15 overs, a reduction of five overs owing to rain. Opening batsman Dharmendra Lakhan quickly contributed 38 runs from 19 balls, and middle-order batsman and captain, Devenand Mahadeo, 27. They were the key contributors in their team reaching 112.

Despite the challenging total posted by Invader Masters, the Imam Bacchus bowlers returned impressive figures, with Lakeram Persaud collecting 4 for 29 runs, as he gained valuable support from Fazeer Khan and Ghansham Deonarine, who picked up two wickets respectively.

In reply, Imam Bacchus’s batsmen made an admirable run chase, tying the scores in the latter overs to secure victory, as they finished the match with seven wickets in hand in 14.4

overs with a score of 115. Instrumental to their victory was opening batsman Eishwar Singh, with an unbeaten 58, attractively comprising seven fours and one six. His opening partner, Fazeer Khan added 22 before falling to the hands of Bhesham Seepersaud (2-9). He was followed by Punraj Singh, who made 15 to see their team to the win.

The first match of the day saw Reliance securing the win by walkover against the Jaguars.

5th-round matches The tournament continues today, Monday, November 30, with matches in Demerara. The first match at the Enmore Community Centre will also begin at 09:30h, with Regal Masters competing against WD Mavericks while the afternoon match will see KV Construction versus RP Construction Legends.

At the Everest Cricket Club Ground, Everest Masters will battle Bel Air Rubis Ultra Tec in the morning encounter, which begins at 09:30h, while at 13:45h WD Masters will compete against Sand Pipper Masters.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Glenn Phillips smashes record ton as New Zealand clinch series N

ew Zealand rode on a virtuoso performance from Glenn Phillips, who cracked a 46-ball century, the quickest in T20Is by a New Zealander, to take a winning 2-0 lead in the T20I series.

The highlight apart from his century was a record 183-run partnership with Devon Conway (65 not out) for the third wicket.

The bowlers and fielders backed up the batting effort, where New Zealand racked up their third-highest total in the format, superbly. Phillips helped himself to a fantastic direct hit, swooping in from cover-point to run out Andre Fletcher, and two catches, one of them diving away to his right after running in from deep mid-wicket at full tilt towards wide long-on to get rid of debutant Kyle Mayers.

New Zealand's spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi, the latter brought into the team at the expense of Hamish Kyle Jamieson cleans up King Bennett, applied the choke. They utilised a slow pitch and bright sunshine, in contrast to the rain and spittle of the balls first half the match, to their advantage to stymie the West he faced, he waited on a Pollard slower ball, and whipped Indies reply in the middle overs, after Kyle Jamieson and it over deep square leg to bring up his first six, from where Lockie Ferguson had made early inroads. Stand-in captain there was no looking back. Phillips ended with 108 from 51, Tim Southee and Jimmy Neesham, the other two bowlers 88 of those in boundaries, including eight sixes, and scored employed, also picked up wickets in a near-perfect perfor- all around the ground. mance.

With strong forearms, electric bat speed, and decisive

A steady start with ball

Showers through the morning delayed the toss by 25 minutes. When conditions were deemed good enough to play, Kieron Pollard elected to bowl. The early exchanges indicated a lack of pace and bounce on the wicket, with Martin Guptill and Tim Seifert needing to generate pace of their own against some early discipline from Sheldon Cottrell in particular. However, Pollard himself set the tone for a poor fielding performance from his side, allowing a lofted Guptill drive off Mayers to graze his fingertips at mid-on and run away for four.

Pollard decided to hold Cottrell back after two overs for just 7, perhaps emboldened by how Oshane Thomas got Seifert to play on to his stumps, attempting a paddle shot, with two balls left in the powerplay. Four balls later, Guptill fell to a fine tickle down the leg side off Fabian Allen, and New Zealand found themselves at 53 for 2, with a rebuild job for Conway and Phillips to do.

The partnership that took the game away With a persistent drizzle hanging over the Bay Oval, Pollard decided to ration his specialist bowlers' quotas, lest there be a reduction in overs, and brought himself and part-timer Rovman Powell on. It allowed Conway and Phillips to play themselves in, running hard after placing the ball between gaps in the outfield.

Once Phillips had accumulated nine off the first nine

footwork, he drove, pulled and cut with venom as West Indies shoulders began to drop, allowing misfields and a general lack of discipline from the bowlers. Conway was the perfect complement, going at just over a run-a-ball, before exploding himself in the final overs.

There was a 22-minute interruption for rain shortly after Phillips brought up fifty, but how well Phillips and Conway accelerated can be gauged by the fact that 84 for 2 at the 10 over mark was doubled inside the next six. No bowler was spared -- Allen's left-arm spin travelled for 24 in the 13th over, Phillips following three successive sixes with an audacious switch hit for four.

Phillips did offer a chance at 88, holing out to Pollard at wide long-off in Cottrell's final over, the 17th of the innings, but it was a full toss met above waist height with the batsman deep inside the crease. In the same over, Cottrell had sent an intended knuckle ball on one bounce to Shimron Hetmyer at short third man, and he finished with none for 40 off his four overs.

Phillips had his kneecap pop out again in the final over -a repetition of the freak injury he'd suffered on Friday -- and after getting some treatment, he holed out to point against Pollard, but by then he had eclipsed Colin Munro's record for the fastest T20I ton by a New Zealander, celebrating the milestone with a leap, a roar and outstretched arms. By the time he walked off to deserved applause, he and

Pollard slams Windies after defeat in 2nd T20I

W

est Indies captain Kieron Pollard accused his side of not performing to international standards on Sunday after New Zealand comprehensively won the second Twenty20 international by 72 runs on the back of a record century by Glenn Phillips.

New Zealand wrapped up the series at Mount Maunganui with a game to spare, after winning the opening match on Friday by five wickets, as Phillips provided a batting masterclass.

Called up to the Twenty20 side while regular skipper Kane Williamson focuses on the upcoming Tests, Phillips plundered eight sixes and 10 fours on his way to 108 as New Zealand posted a mammoth 238 for three and then restricted the West Indies to 166 for nine. "You never know when the next opportunity is going to come and I came into this going 'let's go in as hard as I possibly can. I know I can do it'," Phillips said.

The 23-year-old, who was born in South Africa but moved to New Zealand at the age of five, took just 46 deliveries to reach his century,

the 10th fastest in Twenty20 internationals and one ball faster than the previous New Zealand record held by Colin Munro. Phillips plays in the Caribbean in the New Zealand off-season and said familiarity with the West Indies attack was a big help.

"Definitely, that has a lot to do with how I performed out here. You go in with more confidence against guys that you've played well against before," said Phillips, who also took two catches and ran out opener Andre Fletcher in a brilliant allround display. 'It's our mindset' New Zealand stand-in skipper Tim Southee called Phillips's performance "incredible", adding that his two catches, one diving at full-stretch on the boundary, and the sharp run out showed "he's got that X-factor about him".

But while Phillips, along with Devon Conway who produced an

unbeaten 85, put the game firmly in New Zealand's hands, opposing captain Pollard was left fuming. After winning the toss and sending New Zealand into bat under overcast skies, Pollard believed the West Indies were in control when the Black Caps reached the halfway mark at 84 for two "But between overs 10 to 15 we sort of lost it there," Pollard said. "In terms of the energy and feel and erraticness in the field, that's not the standard that we want to set for ourselves, and not the standard anyone wants to see in international cricket.

"I think it's attitude and I think it's our mindset.

"If we had stayed in the contest a bit longer, try to limit the damage to 200, 190 or so, we'd have been for the challenge but we were behind the eight ball after that 10th over and it just went pear-shaped from there." (First Post)

Conway had put New Zealand in a commanding position with the highest ever non-opening partnership in T20Is, and the highest for New Zealand.

Killing the chase off early

Fletcher took 10 off Southee's first over, but Jamieson came in and yorked Brandon King with the first ball he bowled. Hetmyer walked in at three, but struggled to get going against pace, and Fletcher was done in by a smart bit of fielding from Phillips.

Ferguson came on and in his first over cranked the pace upwards of 150 kph. He also pinged Hetmyer on the helmet with a sharp bouncer that the latter had no time to respond to. Mayers, promoted to four, hit a couple of straight sixes, one each off Santner and Neesham, before perishing to a superb outfield catch by Phillips off the latter. Nicholas Pooran tried to take the attack to Santner, but ended up top edging an intended swipe over mid-wicket and gave a return catch.

West Indies' last hopes rested with Pollard, who raced to 28 off 14 after hitting Santner for successive sixes over cover, long-off and deep mid-wicket, but then went for another shot over wide long-off, only for Southee to complete a smart catch, staying clear of the ropes.

There were some lusty blows late in the piece by Keemo Paul, which eventually lifted him to second-highest scorer with 26* ahead of Hetmyer's disappointing 25 off 32, but it was New Zealand who made all the running with bat, ball and eventually the field. The third and final T20I will be played in Mount Maunganui on Monday, with Santner filling in for captain, as the Test regulars in the New Zealand team will be leaving to prepare for the series. (ESPN cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD New Zealand Innings MJ Guptill c †Pooran b Allen 34 TL Seifert † b Thomas 18 DP Conway not out 65 GD Phillips c sub (HR Walsh) b Pollard 108 LRPL Taylor not out 0 Extras (lb 4, nb 4, w 5) 13 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 11.9)

238/3

Did not bat: JDS Neesham, MJ Santner, TG Southee (c), KA Jamieson, LH Ferguson, IS Sodhi Fall of wickets: 1-49 (Tim Seifert, 5.4 ov), 2-53 (Martin Guptill, 6.2 ov), 3-237 (Glenn Phillips, 19.5 ov) BOWLING SS Cottrell KR Mayers O Thomas KMA Paul FA Allen KA Pollard R Powell

4-0-39-0 1-0-10-0 4-0-44-1 4-0-64-0 3-0-35-1 3-0-33-1 1-0-9-0

NOTICE

WEST INDIES INNINGS (TARGET: 239 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) ADS Fletcher run out (Phillips) 20 BA King b Jamieson 0 SO Hetmyer c Santner b Sodhi 25 KR Mayers c Phillips b Neesham 20 N Pooran †c & b Santner 7 KA Pollard (c) c Southee b Santner 28 R Powell b Ferguson 9 FA Allen c Phillips b Southee 15 KMA Paul not out 26 SS Cottrell c†Seifert b Jamieson 1 O Thomas not out 0 Extras (lb 1, w 14) 15 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 8.3) 166/9 Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Brandon King, 1.1 ov), 2-28 (Andre Fletcher, 3.3 ov), 3-60 (Kyle Mayers, 8.2 ov), 4-72 (Nicholas Pooran, 9.3 ov), 5-107 (Kieron Pollard, 12.5 ov), 6-113 (Shimron Hetmyer, 13.6 ov), 7-132 (Rovman Powell, 15.5 ov), 8-140 (Fabian Allen, 16.4 ov), 9-144 (Sheldon Cottrell, 17.6 ov) BOWLING TG Southee KA Jamieson LH Ferguson MJ Santner IS Sodhi JDS Neesham

4-0-49-1 4-0-15-2 4-0-22-1 3-0-41-2 4-0-26-1 1-0-12-1

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

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23

PM T20 Cup Finals

Regal retain Over-50 title, Speedboat reclaim Open title

— Fisherman Masters new Over-45 champs

By Timothy Jaikarran

A

sigh of relief, a breath of fresh air were the actions expressed by the Regal Legends, Speedboat and the Fisherman Masters as they dominated their respective categories at the Everest Cricket Ground and walked away with the handsome sum of $200,000.

Over-50 Category: Regal toy with Savage to retain title Savage Legends won the spin of the toss and opted to bat first. This seemed a wise decision at first, as Regal Legends have been known to post 200-plus scores in the past. But it seemed that Regal showed up for the final and

Speedboat Masters savouring their victory

Keith Fraser scored 178

his wicket fell, Rudolph Baker chipped in with a quick-fire 27 to help his team over the line and to yet another successive

Mahesh Chunilall led the charge with 51

Savage did not. Their plan of flipping the script on Regal did not go as intended. Savage Legends could only post 1267 in their allotted overs. Top scoring was Nadir Bash with 31 not out, with Latchman Yadram and Semangal Yadram scoring 24 each. Bowling were Parsran Persaud (2-14); Mahendra Hardyal (2-28) and Eric Thomas (2-11). In reply, Regal got to their target comfortably, ending on 128-5. Their innings was led by the classy batting of Mahesh Chunilall, who scored 51. After

title. Semangal Yadram was the most successful bowler for Savage Legends with excellent figures of 2-21.

Over-45 Category: The Fraser assault, the De Franca-Lewis Scare This match could have definitely been the plot of a movie; one would go as far as saying that it would have even won an Academy Award. Despite the Fisherman Masters defeating the Wellman Masters, the match was by

no means ordinary. Batting first, Fisherman Masters were led by the stylish left-handed Keith Fraser, who made the

partnership. As Lewis brought up his 50 and De Franca his century, chills ran through the Fisherman Masters camp.

When De Franca fell for 108, Lewis continued his assault and things reached to the point

Quintin Sampson was the Man of the Series for the Open category

tournament's highest score by an individual batsman of 178.

His innings was pure aggression, leaving the impression that a left-handed version of Andre Russell had taken to the crease.

It rained sixes left, right and centre. In the end, Fraser put his team in a comfortable position with a score of 240-5. The Fisherman Masters then took to the field with a little bounce in their step, but that soon deflated as Greig De Franca and Troy Lewis began their assault; the pair put together a 100-plus

where Wellman required 11 off the final over. But, alas, Lewis fell for 87 and everything went downhill as Wellman completed their innings on 237-4, handing Fisherman the title.

Open Category: Speedboat reclaim their pride In the four years the PM T20 competition has been in existence, the Speedboat team have won the first two editions, with a loss to Regal in 2019. So, this year, they had a point to prove and boy did they prove

it, not only was luck on their side, but even Mother Nature showered her affection upon the Speedboat team. Safraz Karim was the star of the show; when all was falling apart, Karim arrived and delivered what would be a matchwinning 71 not out. He was well supported by Ameer Yusuf, who also remained unbeaten on 51, and Speedboat posted 201-6. Needing 202 to win, Regal were cruising along in their chase, but then the rains came and when play resumed, everything changed as the pitch gripped the ball differently, causing trouble for Regal.

In the end, Regal folded for 170-6, with the rain-affected conditions contributing largely to their loss. Delroy Perreira led with 47, with a small cameo of 25 by Fazal Rafeik, but no other batsman could rise above the 25-run mark. When the matches were all over, the Man-of-the-Series award for the Over-50 Category went to Eric Thomas, who had scores of 117 and 120 and bagged three wickets. He was the winner of a 55-inch 4K smart flatscreen TV. The Man-of-the-Match award went to Mahesh Chunilall for his 51. Regal pocketed $200,000 in prize money while Savage got $50,000.

For the Over-45 Category, Keith Fraser walked away with the bulk of the awards. These

Greig De Franca scored a scintillating 108 in a losing effort

included the Man- of-theSeries and Man-of-the-Match awards. Fisherman pocketed $200,000 as the winning side and Wellman $50,000 as the runners-up.

For the Open category, Quintin Sampson was the Man of the Series; he walked away with a 40-inch 4K smart flatscreen TV. The Man-ofthe-Match award was given to Safraz Karim for his 71.

Speedboat pocketed $200,000 as the first prize and Regal $50,000.

BCB commences safe and successful preparation for U-19 inter-county T

he Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday last completed a successful one-day practice session with more than 50 Under-19 players at the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club.

The BCB has started the preparations for the proposed Inter-County Under-19 Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Tournament.

Selectors present at the two sessions cut the squad down to about 35 players. Once approved by the Chairman of Selectors, Balram Samaroo, the list of names will be released. A two-day trial match would be held next week at the Albion ground to select the final team.

In an invited comment to Guyana Times Sport, Coach Winston Smith shared positive sentiments on the session. All players had their temperatures tested and were sanitised before the preparations got under way.

"We employed the three Ws: wash your hands, wear your masks, and watch your distance," Smith said.

With approximately 50 players listed, the groups were divided into two, with sessions held in the morning and afternoon. The players engaged in warm-ups, fielding drills and pitch practice.

All COVID-19 guidelines were observed at the opening day of training, and the BCB would follow suit in the trial match.

Coach Winston Smith tests the players before the session commenced (Brandon Corlette photo)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

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

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Glenn Phillips smashes record ton as New Zealand clinch series Pg 22

Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr share an engaging draw in 'exhibition' bout See story on page 21

PM T20 Cup Finals

Regal retain Over-50 title, Speedboat reclaim Open title — Fisherman Masters new Over-45 champs

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