Guyana Times - Monday September 27, 2021

P13

Min Rodrigues calls for a unified Guyana

... says “We can choose to hate or we can choose to love” Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4783

THE BEACON OF TRUTH MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

PPP/C Govt on a drive to fix broken, neglected systems – Pres Ali See story on page 3

− during meeting with NY-based Guyanese business community Guyanese reunited with families after 26 months of being arrested, held captive in Venezuela Page 2

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

James Bond, 16 others arrested for breaching COVID-19 P16 guidelines

Govt working diligently to rid country of inferior, defective goods – Commerce P13 Minister Berbice woman busted with ganja at roadblock P10 − claims she was given bag to drop off at Abary

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry hosted a "Snack and Paint"’ event on Friday in observance of Child Protection Week. In this photo, a mother and her child participated in the event held at the Everest Cricket Ground

AFC Executive hosts programme Page encouraging 11 persons to take COVID vaccines

Guyana records 8 new COVID deaths

Page 7

−1 fully-vaccinated, − AFC USA Chapter Chair says vaccination “surest way” to control pandemic 241 new cases detected

ANUG calls for coroner’s inquest into death of Essequibo businessman Page 13

Photographer robbed of P14 camera, other equipment by gun-toting bandits Arson suspected in Vigilance P17 Police Station fire Hope Estate P16 farmers laud NDIA efforts as rice harvest begins − farmers were not affected by May-June floods – Estate Manager

2 NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyanese reunited with families after 26 months of being arrested, held captive in Venezuela

Businessman Nazar Mohamed

T

hree Guyanese who were arrested and detained by Venezuelans some 26 months ago were finally reunited with family members on Sunday.

Raymond Emanuel, Omar Mohammed and Kamta Budram arrived home at the Eugene F Correia International Airport at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD) just after noon, via a chartered flight compliments of businessman Nazar Mohamed.

The three men were reportedly working on a fuel vessel when they were arrested in Margarita. The fuel that they were transporting was confiscated along with their boat, which was subsequently used by Venezuelan

Coast Guards. And although being legally in the country, they were charged.

Being charged, they made several court appearances, but due to the situation prevailing in Venezuela, the case was never properly heard. As such, the men were forced to stay in that country under guard without their relevant documents.

During that time, the men were financially supported by their families in Guyana, who had to scape to send monies.

However, the situation was brought to the attention of the Guyanese businessman Mohamed, and after contacting a friend in that Spanish-speaking country, a plan was concocted to rescue the three men from the Venezuelan authorities.

Speaking with this publication, Mohamed explained that when he heard of the issue, he recalled his experience some 11 years ago.

“One of my ships with 8 crew members was coming back from Panama when they encountered problems in Margarita… the authorities sent tugs to bring them to shore…the tugs also encountered problems, and they ended up on the sand reef, where my boat (was) damaged…

The Coast

Guards came and stole all the goods, everything, including the engines…then they took my workers in custody,” Mohamed recalled.

Upon learning of the incident, he called the government of the island and questioned the reasons for holding the crew, but the authorities requested US$50,000 to move the damaged boat from the reef.

“The official called back and tell me to send US$50,000 more, but by then I realized that I was being conned…I requested that my workers be released and placed in a hotel, since they did not commit any crime… at that time, I asked the captain if we can do anything to salvage the boat, but be said it was destroyed beyond repair…I had five 40-foot containers on the ship, and everything was stolen from them.”

Mohamed stated that after his crewmen were placed in a hotel, he organised to swiftly move them early in the morning before the guards turn up to keep watch. They successfully made it home after a long and tedious journey.

“But this shows the type of people we had to deal with… they exploit, rob, and even kill for money…the officials in that country (are)

The three Guyanese: Raymond Emanuel, Omar Mohammed and Kamta Budram

corrupt from top to bottom,” Mohamed iterated.

In this instance, Mohamed and a friend in Venezuela made arrangements for the trio to be transported from Margarita to Caracas, after which they were taken to San Marten (another part of Venezuela) and eventually to Enterinbang.

He explained that as the men were on their way to San Marten, they were intercepted by Venezuelan Policemen. At that time, the men had no identification and documents to prove that they were legally in the country. As such, negotiations were done and a sum of US$15,000 had to be paid for their release.

“These are top

Venezuelan Policemen taking big bribes to let the men go… we had no choice but to pay the money,” Mohamed stated. Nevertheless, once the money was paid over, the men were freed.

With the assistance of Mohamed’s friend, the men eventually reached Enterinbang, but not before encountering several stumbling blocks.

“This operation was as if the men were acting a movie…we had to separate them…keep them at different locations… and as the course was cleared, they were moved… It took us actually one week to get the men out of the country,” the Guyanese businessman added.

Emanuel worked with

the businessman, but the other two are unknown to the businessman. That notwithstanding, Mohamed explained, he had to help the men out of the country. The families, he added, were yearning to see their loved ones after an absence of more than two years.

In fact, a video seen by this newspaper showed that Emanuel’s son was overjoyed to see his father.

Meanwhile, Guyana Times understands that the situation was brought to the attention of the Foreign Affairs Ministry under both the past and present administrations, but due to the broken judicial system in Venezuela, nothing could have been negotiated.

The three men are in high praise of Guyanese businessman Nazar Mohamed who funded the entire operation, and of his colleague in Venezuela, who ensured that they returned to their country without harm.

The men have been reunited with their families, and, without a doubt, their countless experiences will be told.

To date, several hundred Venezuelans have fled to Guyana to seek refuge as a result of the high crime rate and economic instability among other issues in that country.

NEWS

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Monday, September 27 – 09:30h-11:00h and Tuesday, September 28 – 10:00h-11:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

PPP/C Govt on a drive to fix broken, neglected systems – Pres Ali

− during meeting with NY- based Guyanese business community

Monday, September 27 – 07:50h-09:20h and Tuesday, September 28 – 08:55h-10:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Sunny conditions are expected during the day, with clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

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

A section of the gathering

High Tide: 07:59h and 20:10h reaching maximum heights of 2.32 metres and 2.33 metres.

Low Tide: 13:45h reaching a minimum height of 0.96 metre.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS O

01 05 10 13 25 28

FREE TICKET

19 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

02 05 19 22 24 LUCKY 3

8

6

8

7

Afternoon Draw

5

2

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

04 08 09 12 13 15 18 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2021

02 04 05 10 17 13

02 04 05 07 09

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$78.09/barrel

+1.08

Rough Rice

$250.56 /ton $504.30/ton

+0.29 0.00

London Sugar

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1760.00

$1761.00

Low/High Change

$1748.00 +9.80

$1761.60 +0.56%

President Ali addressing the business community along with VP Bharrat Jagdeo

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali on Friday made sure he met with members of the Guyanese diaspora business community during his visit to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

He has updated his countrymen on the opportunities currently existing back home.

During the meeting, which was held at the Hilton JFK Hotel in Queens, New York, President Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo met with a wide cross-section of business owners to talk about opportunities in various sectors and on areas of investment.

President Ali outlined Guyana’s development plans and their potential to make a positive difference in the lives of Guyanese.

According to him, his Government is focused on “national positioning”, and he pointed to the diaspora's involvement as a critical component.

He also assured the group that his Government’s focus is on fixing the systems that were neglected or broken in the previous five years in the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change’s (APNU/ AFC’s) tenure.

The President, who was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud and members of the Guyana Consulate, also told the business community that the Government is focused heavily on creating opportunities for growth and expansion of the economy, and improving living conditions for all Guyanese.

With Guyana slated to emerge as one of the most diversified economies in the Region, President Ali and his Government have made it a priority to encourage potential investors to look not only at the oil and gas industry, but at other sectors.

“I want to…say to all potential investors that you need to come, you need to explore, and you

need to look holistically at the varied opportunities in Guyana. Whether it is large-scale agriculture production, whether it is mining, whether it is forestry, whether it is in the healthcare system (or) the education system; you need to understand the varied potential Guyana offers for different types of investors. It is not only about oil and gas; oil and gas has really brought attention to Guyana, a sleeping giant in investment opportunities,” he had said at one point.

The President had also pointed to the planned gas-to-shore energy project as a major catalyst for industrialisation.

During the opening of the Guyana

Basin Summit 2021 (GBS), President Ali had noted that this would afford the economy the opportunity to have an enhanced manufacturing sector.

He had also said it would allow Guyana to become an industrial powerhouse, a model energy state, the breadbasket of the region, the Silicon Valley of the Caribbean, and a sustainable tourism paradise.

Such is the resilience of Guyana’s economy on the backbone of oil and gas that Guyana, which started producing oil in 2019, was the sole Caribbean country with positive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in 2020.

According to a World Bank report that shed light on how Latin America and the Caribbean economies fared in 2020, Guyana was able to do what 27 other

countries in the region could not – record GDP growth, notwithstanding the global COVID-19 pandemic.

With the measures announced in the 2021 budget, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh had said that Guyana’s real GDP is projected to grow by 20.9 per cent this year, with the nonoil economy growing by 6.1 per cent.

However, he had explained that the projection is premised on the assumption that a reopening of the economy takes place, with COVID-19 restrictions being gradually lifted; and is therefore subject to significant downside risks.

Similarly, the agriculture, fishing and forestry sector is expected to expand by 5.6 per cent, while the mining and quarrying sector is projected to grow by 39.1 per cent.

4

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

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

After the UNGA

N

ow that the speeches at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) have been delivered, perhaps we can look for some takeaways. On top of the agenda is the UN’s effectiveness in fulfilling its mandate: that analogous to a world government, like national governments that pass laws and ensure they are followed, the UN, formed after WWII, would “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”.

As such, it should surprise no one that, in opening this 76 UNGA, Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke directly and candidly to the US and China, who appear to be squaring off against each other in a number of strategic areas: “I fear our world is creeping towards two different sets of economic, trade, financial and technology rules, two divergent approaches in the development of artificial intelligence -- and ultimately, two different military and geopolitical strategies. This is a recipe for trouble. It would be far less predictable than the Cold War. To restore trust and inspire hope, we need cooperation.”

The theme for this year’s General Debate was ‘Building Resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations’. But the subtext was on how to keep the peace, since the history of the world since WWII has demonstrated that the UN has not been noticeably effective in preventing wars within and between nations. After WWII, as alluded to by the Secretary General, it was the “Cold War” between the US and USSR that became very hot, especially in the developing world such as Guyana. Cheddi Jagan and his PPP were removed from office after debilitating race riots because they chose to align themselves with the USSR ideologically.

But since this year’s theme mentions the need to “revitalize the UN”, it is a candid and welcome acknowledgement that this ultimate multilateral institution has been in the doldrums of late and in danger of becoming moribund. The reasons for this are multifaceted, but go back to the formation of the UN by the victors of WWII, when most of the countries in the world today were colonies of European Empires and had no say in their distribution of internal power. For instance, only China as a developing country has a permanent seat on the 5-member Security Council - along with the US, UK, Russia, and France - which has a veto over decisions of the 193-member General Assembly.

Of recent, the US - especially under President Trump - displayed great skepticism, if not hostility, towards the institution, and balked at accepting its mandate. To his credit, President Joe Biden, in his 30-minute in-person speech, responded to the Secretary General’s caution and insisted that he had no interest in commencing a new Cold War. He expressed eagerness for the U.S. to return to supporting international institutions that prevent conflict.

But the UNGA is noted for grand statements, and nations would be looking for those words to be translated into action. That the US has just agreed for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and entered into an alliance the Quad - with India, Japan and Australia could only mean that it was concerned about China’s expansion into the Pacific. Not surprisingly, China responded to the meeting of the Quad leaders, which followed their appearances at the UNGA, with a warning not to target any “one country”.

As for Guyana, we have to accept President Biden’s commitment to utilising the auspices of the UN for the peaceful resolution of conflict. We have taken the border controversy initiated by Venezuela as per the terms of the Geneva Agreement signed by that country along with us and Britain, to the UN, which referred it to its Judicial arm - the World Court.

Venezuela’s rejection of that decision does not bode well for peace in our hemisphere, and we expect the US to use its influence to rein in Venezuela’s revanchism.

Newly-crowned Miss Guyana Teen Scholarship 2021 Shequana Holder and other winners received their prizes at a simple ceremony on Saturday. Also in photo are the members of Imperial House − the organisation that planned and executed the pageant which was virtually held on September 11, 2021

APNU/AFC are embarrassed

Dear Editor, The APNU+AFC are embarrassed that the President, His Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali, advocated for reparative justice for the descendants of slaves on an international platform such as the United Nations. As such, they have resorted to infantile attacks against the President. This is typical behaviour on their behalf, and comes as no surprise to any of us right-thinking Guyanese. Nevertheless, their actions should be condemned, as they are distasteful.

The PPP/C Government’s advoca-

cy on the issue of reparative justice puts the entire coalition to shame, and runs contrary to the racist narrative that they have been peddling. As a result, they are now clutching at straws and desperately trying to paint the Government in a bad light.

But even as they attempt to do so, everyone can see their desperation and how it reflects on them.

It is also another clear example of how they failed the very people who voted for them in the 2015 General and Regional Elections. In fact, whilst in Government, they neglected the ordinary Guyanese,

particularly those who supported them, in favour of their corrupt business cronies.

The PPP/C are currently serving in the interest of all Guyanese, and their actions reflect that even on the world stage. From my vantage point, it can be said that the Government is showing the coalition up, hence their resort to these sorts of attacks against the President. We can expect more of this sort of behaviour from the APNU+AFC and their shills, as their conjured racist narrative fails to produce the sort of results they are hoping for. What

they fail to realise is that the harder they try to attack the President with these inconsequential things, the more they are setting themselves up for failure.

As Guyanese, we are smart enough to recognise how disruptive and obstructive the APNU+AFC cabal is at the moment, especially after hearing the President’s speech and seeing all the postUN engagements with the President and his delegation.

Respectfully, Alvin Hamilton

Guyana has never seen this amount of interest before at the level of UN

Dear Editor, Today I write to you to express my gratitude to His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, for his representation of the interests of developing countries during his address to the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

I also want to commend all the other individuals who participated in the engagements at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, as they have all made Guyana proud.

The President and his delegation were involved in a multitude of bilateral engagements, which undoubtedly will bear tremendous benefits for Guyana. These engagements would allow Guyana to improve significantly, and for that reason, I call on every Guyanese to commend His Excellency and the others for a job well done.

In addition, it is clear that the President and his delegation, which included the internationally respected Vice President Dr

Bharrat Jagdeo, have restored Guyana’s international profile, which was severely damaged by the APNU+AFC’s incompetent, corrupt management of the country, as well as their transparent attempt to rig the March 2, 2020 elections -- an act that received international condemnation.

Guyana has not seen this amount of interest before at the level of the United Nations, and, as such, efforts should be made in every regard to

lend support to our leaders as they continue to work in our interest. We are positioned for much success and to become a global powerhouse.

President Ali’s speech alone at the UN shows that we are a strong nation with our priorities in check. I think it is time for us to work along with our Government so that Guyana can be all that we want it to be.

Sincerely, Erin Northe

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

5

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

A pandemic of robberies Dear Editor, There is another pandemic, and it is bourgeoning on our shoreline. I am speaking of the pandemic of robberies.

Well, frankly speaking, it is not a new phenomenon by any stretch of the imagination whenever you are talking about Region 4, or when Georgetown comes into focus.

“Thiefing”, as we commonly call it, has long been a perennial problem in this geographical portion of our country, therefore it comes as nothing new to us. A daily occurrence of this disgraceful exercise is what we are faced with

whenever we visit the urban locale.

While some of us are appalled by the actions of this disreputable bunch, others are enamoured and encouraged by them, they see this group of despicable persons as a reservoir into which they can tap whenever they hit the road in violent protests, at least so it seems.

Then you will hear of these groups of individuals roaming around to choke, shoot, kill and rob at will, driving fear and instability in the hearts of the populace.

Now, there is a recent CCTV camera foot-

age circulating, which shows an innocent man being robbed at knifepoint by one of these lost “city boys.” The incident took place right before the very eyes of many bystanders, who just sat there and did nothing. It tells me that this “urban mafia” is very much organised in the city.

Interesting!

As it stands, this matter is robbery with the use of a deadly weapon, and in the eyes of the Police, this matter could be easily solved, once the usual crime-fighting strategies are put in place. However, my concern is with the uproar that would be creat-

ed if a passing Police patrol were to come upon the scene of such a robbery and apprehend the perpetrator. Worst yet, if he were shot and injured by the Police. Then, in the ensuing circumstances, the entire complexity of the matter changes.

You are certain to hear comments like, “Why did that gentleman walk there?” “Why walk with valuables in that part of the city?” Or, “Why walk around with an expensive cell phone? Isn’t he aware that those quarters are not for people to walk?”

Statements that all speak to the conviction

Hope Canal’s partial conversion as a reservoir for water use by ECD residents Dear Editor, In an article titled, “GWI exploring Hope Canal for East Coast Demerara (ECD) water reservoir”, which appeared in the News Media on September 26, it was reported that the Ministry of Housing and Water (MH&W), through the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), was conducting tests to determine the viability of using the Hope Canal as a reservoir to provide water for domestic use or irrigation, or both, for residents on the ECD. The Hope Canal was

built to relieve flood water flowing from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) into the Atlantic Ocean. With some modification, it could be used as a reservoir and a conduit for water from the EDWC to meet the needs of residents on the ECD, provided that its original objective is not compromised.

The EDWC provides water for Georgetown and its suburbs after it is treated, as well as water for irrigation needs for crops along the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara.

There were periods when the EDWC could not meet these needs due to droughts, and serious rationing of water occurred.

Therefore, the MH&W has to determine whether the EDWC could meet the proposed additional demand of water throughout the year for ECD residents.

Extracting the water from the Hope Canal for use by the ECD residents would require a conveyance and distribution system with a treatment plant. Further, if it is determined that sufficient water is not available in the EDWC throughout the

year to meet all the current and proposed needs, then additional sources of water would have to be found.

These could probably come from artesian wells and/or pumping from the Mahaica and Demerara Rivers to supplement stored rainfall in the EDWC. This is likely to be a comprehensive and costly project, but a worthwhile one which could be funded from the windfall oil and gas revenues the country is fortunate to receive.

Yours truly, Charles Sohan

that it is the victim’s fault that he was violently assaulted and robbed.

Even more shocking would be the derogatory remarks made of the Police, which might run like this: “Why are the Police picking on the boys, and not going after the political criminals in power?”

And if he were shot, “Why didn’t the Police handcuff him and take him down to the station?”, “Why are they shooting at Black youths, seems like Black lives don’t matter to the Police?” All of this coming from persons who were not there and are devoid of the complexity of the matter under consideration. This is how this situation would have metamorphosed into a racial and political affair. it is amazing how some

matters can easily be transformed into mass political protest, while others of equal magnitude are quickly downplayed. This tells us quite clearly how certain political operatives go about their cheap subversive campaign to destabilise a country. That political crew is certainly using the gutter politics “by any means necessary” to gain political mileage.

I am calling on all involved to keep politics and race out of crime fighting.

It would do us no good, nor would it help in any way to bring crime under control in our country. We are all in this thing together; let us come together for the good of our country.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

Page Materials

Spherical bath bomb moulds (6 spheres) Cornstarch (1 lb) Baking soda (1 lb) Epsom salt (1 lb) Citric acid (8 ounces) Food colours (red, blue, green, yellow) Fragrance (1/2 oz. raspberry, 1/2 oz. vanilla) Waterproof thermometer You will also need to gather these items: Large bowls (4) Masking tape or painter's tape Pen or permanent marker Metric measuring cup Water Vegetable oil Medicine dropper Measuring spoons Forks and spoons for mixing Stopwatch or timer Optional: Helper to help you time the reaction times.

Optional, but recommended: Oven Note: If you live in a very humid environment, use the oven to dry the bath bombs after making them to get satisfying results. Note that you can use the plastic moulds in the oven at 170°F. Lab notebook

Procedure

Look at the list of ingredients in Table 1, below, for the two different bath bomb recipes. The total amount for each recipe is approximately 16 tbsp. This should make enough bath bomb mixture to fill three halves of the spherical bath bomb moulds for each bath bomb recipe. Be sure to write the recipes down in your lab notebook.

Making the Bath Bombs

Using masking tape or painter's tape and a pen or permanent marker, label two bowls "Normal" and the other two bowls "Extra Cornstarch".

In the first "Normal" bowl, mix together the citric acid, baking soda, cornstarch, and Epsom salts by following the normal recipe from Table 1, above.

In one of the "Extra Cornstarch" bowls, mix together the citric acid, baking soda, cornstarch, and Epsom salts by following the extra cornstarch recipe from Table 1.

You will be making all three

Foundation normal bath bombs one colour, and all three of the extra cornstarch bath bombs another colour.

This way it will be easy to tell them apart later.

Decide which colour you want each recipe to be and make a note of your decisions in your lab notebook.

In the second "Normal" bowl, mix together the food colouring, water, vegetable oil, and the fragrance of your choice by following the normal recipe from Table 1. Add the colour you decided on using for the normal recipe. Use a medicine dropper to measure the drops for the food colouring and fragrance.

Rinse out and clean the medicine dropper and measuring spoons in between measuring the different ingredients.

Note that these four ingredients will not mix well together because two are water-based (the food colouring and water) and two are oil-based (the vegetable oil and fragrance), but do your best to use a fork and mix them together a bit.

Next you will mix together the wet mixture you made in step 5 with the normal recipe's dry ingredients you prepared in step 2.

(Only proceed with this when you are ready, because you will need to do steps 6–8 in one sitting.) This can be tricky to do, so read the following instructions carefully before you start: Have a clean spoon ready nearby.

Then, using a clean medicine dropper, add a few drops of the wet mixture to the normal recipe's dry ingredients. What happens when you add a drop of the wet mixture?

You should see it fizz; this is the bath bomb reaction taking place! Because you do not want the bath bombs to react yet, quickly press down on the fizzy spot with the back of the clean spoon. This should stop the fizzing (and just leave a damp spot).

After you stopped the reaction with the spoon, mix the damp spot in with the rest of the ingredients in the bowl. You want to evenly distribute the moisture as much as you can.

Repeat steps 6.b.–6.c. until your bath bomb mixture has the right consistency. You may not have to use all of the wet mixture. Important: Part of the challenge of making bath bombs is adding the right amount of

wet ingredients. If you live in a humid environment, you may not need to add all of the wet ingredients.

Making bath bombs can be significantly affected by surrounding humidity levels.

If the bath bomb mixture ever appears to continue to puff up and fizz even after you have thoroughly mixed in some wet ingredients, then the mixture may be too wet and the bath bombs will not form properly.

Instead of trying to "rescue" the mixture, it is best to start over by repeating steps 2, 5, and 6, but this time reduce the amounts of liquid in your recipe. (You can set aside the bowl of "Extra Cornstarch" dry ingredients for later by storing it in a sealable plastic bag.)

For example, instead of using 2.25 tsp. of water, you could try using 1 tsp. or 0.5 tsp.

You do not need to adjust the amount of food colouring, vegetable oil, or fragrance.

If you find that the normal recipe works better using less water, you will want to adjust the extra cornstarch recipe similarly. For example, if you ended up using 1 tsp. (instead of 2.25 tsp.) of water in the normal recipe, then use 1.25 tsp. of water less in the extra cornstarch recipe (such as 4.25 tsp. instead of 5.5 tsp.).

It is also possible to make the bath bombs too dry. If the bath bombs are very crumbly, the recipes and bath bomb mixtures may not have enough water in them. The mixture should be damp enough so that it holds shape when you press together small pieces with your fingers.

Use a clean medicine dropper to drop one drop of vegetable oil into six halves of the spherical bath bomb moulds. Then use a finger to spread the oil all around the surface. Doing this will make it easier for you to remove your bath bombs once they have dried.

Take the normal bath bomb mixture you prepared in step 6 and put it in three of the moulds. Add a spoonful at a time and use the back

of the spoon and/or the palm of your hand to press the mixture down into the hole. It is important to carefully and continually press down hard on the mixture as it is added to the holes so that the bath bombs turn out hard and solid. Evenly divide up the mixture between the three moulds, filling them as similarly as you can, as shown in Figure 5, below.

Note: Do not fill them above the rim, otherwise it will be difficult to remove the bath bombs after they have dried. Also, do not worry if you end up with some extra bath bomb mixture. It is much better to have too much than too little!

Once you have finished your normal recipe batch bombs, continue with the extra cornstarch ones.

In the second "Extra Cornstarch" bowl, repeat step 5, but this time mix together the wet ingredients for the extra cornstarch recipe. Use the colour and fragrance you decided on using for the extra cornstarch recipe.

Be sure to rinse out and clean the medicine dropper and measuring spoon in between measuring the different ingredients.

Repeat steps 6–8 using the extra cornstarch recipe ingredients.

Try to fill the bath bomb moulds as similarly as possible to how you filled them for the normal recipe bath bombs in step 8.

Put all bath bomb moulds on a plate and let the bath bombs dry.

You can either let the bath bombs sit at room temperature to dry them over night or use the oven. If you use the oven, after it has been preheated to 170° F, turn the oven off and put the plate with the bath bombs in. Let them dry in the (turned-off) oven for one hour. Tip: If you live in a very humid environment, it is recommended to use the oven to dry the bath bombs after making them to help them dry well.

Once the bath bombs have dried, carefully remove them from their moulds. (Excerpt from Science Buddies)

By Robert Louis Stevenson How do you like to go up in a swing, Up in the air so blue?

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall, Till I can see so wide, Rivers and trees and cattle and all Over the countryside— Till I look down on the garden green, Down on the roof so brown— Up in the air I go flying again, Up in the air and down!

Source: A Child's Garden of Verses (1999)

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7 Guyana records 8 new COVID deaths NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

− 1 fully vaccinated, 241 new cases detected

T

he Health Ministry on Sunday reported that a fully vaccinated 73-year-old woman of Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) is among eight persons who succumbed to the deadly coronavirus.

With the eight new fatalities, the death toll from the pandemic has skyrocketed to 762 while the country reported an additional 241 cases within a 24-hour period. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 now stands at 31,148 as of September 25, 2021.

The seven other persons who died were all unvaccinated.

Details of the deaths are listed in the table below: The Ministry said that the patients were admitted with COVID-19-like symptoms, and died while receiving care at various medical institutions. Samples taken at the time of admission subsequently returned positive results.

The Health Ministry expressed its sincerest condolences to the families of the deceased and said it would make every effort to provide all the necessary support during this difficult time to render any assistance needed. It also appealed to the general public to respect the confidentiality of the eight deceased and their families and to allow them to mourn their tragic loss in peace.

Based on new statistics provided by the Ministry, 31 persons are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) while 166 are in institutional isolation and nine in institutional quar-

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 UPDATE

antine. Additionally, 3919 are in home isolation.

Of a total of 311,955 COVID tests conducted to date, 14,822 males tested positive while 16,326 females received a positive result. Thus far, 26,270 recoveries have been recorded.

New cases of the virus were recorded in every administrative region. In Region One (Barima-Waini), there were seven new cases; 17 in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam); 25 in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); 136 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); 21 in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); two in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); one in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni); four in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); 21 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), and seven in Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice).

On Friday, the National COVID-19 Task Force issued a notice informing both local and foreign operators that they were required to comply with Section 15 (2) of the gazetted COVID-19 Emergency Measures, which state that every operator and conductor of any public

transportation service must be vaccinated, and have in their possession an official identification card and their vaccine card.

All airline operators and services are also required to implement and enforce Section 17, which states that persons who wish to access services at Government agencies must be vaccinated or possess their PCR test result of less than seven days’ issue. A certificate or vaccine exemption from a fully-registered medical practitioner is also acceptable. For this purpose, all airports, aerodromes, and airstrips in Guyana are considered as providing such services.

Guyanese currently awaiting their second dose of the Sputnik V vaccine have been assured that another shipment will arrive in Guyana within seven days.

At a press conference on Friday, President Dr Irfaan Ali informed that the jabs would arrive soon. Global shortages of the Russiamanufactured jab have disrupted the supply chain, posing challenges for authorities to access more vaccines.

All Guyanese are remind-

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

241

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

166

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

3919 31

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

9

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

16,326

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

14,822

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

31,148

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

26,270

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

337,030

FULLY IMMUNISED

175,037

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

762

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1474

REGION 2

1116

REGION 3

4077

REGION 4

14,897

REGION 5

1108

REGION 6

2260

REGION 7

1587

REGION 8

494

REGION 9

2339

REGION 10

1796

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

GET MEDICAL ADVICE ON COVID-19 FROM MOH 24/7 HOTLINE NUMBERS: 2311166; 226 7480; 624 6674; 624 2819; 624 3067 OR 180/181. ed to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 21), which are in effect until September 30, 2021. This order emphasises correct and consistent use of a face mask when leav-

ing your home, maintaining six feet of physical distance from others, and good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms asso-

ciated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline on 2311166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 IMMEDIATELY or visit www.health.gov.gy.

8 NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Roxanne Myers misconduct case

Judge to rule on Thursday on application to quash Magistrate’s ruling

High Court Judge Franklyn Holder

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC

n Thursday, September 30, High Court Judge Franklyn Holder will rule on an application for judicial review filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, who is seeking to quash the decision of Senior Magistrate Leron Daly to have the two counts of misconduct in public office against former Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) Roxanne Myers proceed indictably.

In February, Magistrate Daly ruled that a PI will be conducted into the charges against Myers to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant a jury trial at the High Court.

In coming to her decision, the Magistrate had overruled submissions by a team of lawyers hired by the DPP to prosecute the electoral fraud cases against Myers and others.

The prosecutors had moved to have the matters tried summarily, which would have seen them being heard and determined by a Magistrate. But Myers’s lawyers, Nigel Hughes and Ronald Daniels, objected to the prosecution’s request and sought to have the matters proceed indictably. The Magistrate ruled in favour of the defence.

It is alleged that between March 4 and 14, 2020, at High and Cowan Streets, Kingston, Georgetown, without any reasonable excuse or justification, Myers wilfully misconducted herself, together with former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo and others, to declare a fraudulent account of votes for the Regional and General Elections of March 2, 2020, the said misconduct amounting to a breach of the public’s trust in the office of the said Returning Officer.

on the ground that it is irrational, unreasonable, arbitrary, ultra vires, without legal foundation, contrary to natural justice, and without legal authority.

Ali-Hack, among other things, is also asking the court to grant an advisory declaration that in the circumstances of the charges, and in compliance with the Constitution of Guyana and a fair trial, the charges against Myers proceed by way of a summary trial.

In her application, the DPP deposed that Magistrate Daly, in her oral reasons, said that the charge against the former DCEO were serious and should be heard indictably. The DPP said the Magistrate likened the offence for which Myers is charged to that of armed robbery and theft as far as the court’s sentencing powers were concerned.

According to Ali-Hack, Magistrate Daly also expressed concerns about the maximum penalty that could be imposed by the Magistrate’s Court and effectively stated that the summary court is not able to punish adequately for the offence. But the DPP contended that Magistrate Daly’s decision engages Article 144 of the Constitution, with the likely result that the case may not be tried within a reasonable time.

In arriving at her decision, the DPP contended that the Magistrate failed to consider that the High Court could impose no greater penalty than the Magistrate’s Court on any conviction for the offences charged, and erroneously proceeded on the basis that the High Court could, in certain circumstances, impose a greater penalty than the Magistrate’s Court.

“The Learned Magistrate took into account matters Her Worship could not properly in law take into account; namely, that on a trial by indictment before the High Court, the Judge could use aggravating matters disclosed by the offences to impose a penalty which

O

Quash

In her application for judicial review, filed against Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC and Magistrate Daly, the DPP is seeking an order of certiorari quashing the decision of the Magistrate

was greater than that which could be imposed by the Magistrate on summary disposal,” the DPP argued.

The Senior Counsel submitted that the question of the adequacy of the punishment which could be imposed by either court was the substantial basis for the exercise of the Magistrate’s discretion. She argued further that the Magistrate failed to consider that the right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time is for the benefit of both the prosecutor and defence.

The DPP argued, too, that Magistrate Daly failed to consider and/or failed to take into account that the resources of the State would be better utilised by the expeditious hearing and determination of the charges against Myers.

Against this backdrop, Ali-Hack contends, the “decision by Magistrate Daly offends Article 144 (1) of the Constitution, which provides that all criminal cases should be afforded a fair hearing within a reasonable time.”

Backlog

Meanwhile, special prosecutor Attorney-at-Law Donavan Rangiah, in an affidavit in support of the DPP’s application, pointed out that the criminal justice system functions slowly, especially as it relates to jury trials, and this is now worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rangiah said there are presently over 350 matters awaiting trial in the Demerara High Court, and with the current pace of trials, it is unlikely that the charges against Myers would be heard within the next four years. As such, the lawyer said, he is satisfied that the penalty available to a Magistrate upon a conviction is a maximum of one year’s imprisonment and not the common law maximum.

Additionally, Rangiah said it is accepted practice in Guyana that most criminal matters where the punishment is within the Magistrate’s range of punishment (except for those that cannot be heard summarily), be heard summarily.

Considering this, he argued that is it irrational and unreasonable for the Magistrate Court to conduct PIs for matters which can be dealt with summarily and punished adequately, and which the State wishes to proceed with summarily.

The prosecutor pointed out that in every previous instance in which the State has proffered a charge of misconduct in public office, the matter was dealt with by

Where’s the Opposition…

T Former Deputy Chief Elections Office Roxanne Myers

way of a summary trial.

“There are other charges of misconduct in public office related to allegations arising out of the March 2020 elections, and only recently the Chief Magistrate has ruled that she can adequately punish in the event of convictions. That some of the elections-related charges should be heard summarily and some have to be tried indictably would frustrate the administration of justice and leave significant matters of national importance unresolved for a long time,” his affidavit reads.

Electoral fraud charges

The team of special prosecutors has been hired to prosecute the electoral fraud cases against former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, Myers, Mingo, GECOM clerks Denise Bob-Cummings and Michelle Miller, GECOM Elections Officer Shefern February and Information Technology Officer Enrique Livan, APNU/AFC activist Carol Joseph, and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Chairperson and former Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence.

The more than 25 matters are currently before three Magistrates – Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and Magistrates Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus and Leron Daly.

Lowenfield’s report claimed that the APNU/AFC coalition garnered 171,825 votes while the PPP/C gained 166,343 votes. How he arrived at those figures is still unknown.

The certified results from the recount exercise supervised by GECOM and a high-level team from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) pellucidly showed that the PPP/C won with 233,336 votes while the coalition garnered 217,920.

The recount exercise also proved that Mingo heavily inflated the figures in Region Four – Guyana’s largest voting District – in favour of the then caretaker APNU/AFC regime.

…in Guyana? his is getting real embarrassing now. While it’s not the official position, folks usually say you gotta wait about 48 hours before filing a missing person’s report. Well, it’s been about a month now since Granger said he’s taking a break from duties as leader of the PNC… claims he’s had a “hectic decade”. Well, when a fella has been in the army for FORTY YEARS as an officer and never seen action, you know it’s doesn’t take much to tire him out!!

Exactly what did Granger do in the past decade? Show up at PNC Congress in 2011 and have the elections rigged to make him PNC leader? Doesn’t appear too strenuous to your Eyewitness!! He wasn’t even the gunman who intimidated restive delegates! He also didn’t negotiate the Cummingsburg Accord with the AFC to convince Ramjattan that becoming “Dead Meat” wasn’t too bad compared to playing permanent second fiddle to Raphael Trotman!!

And in his five years as President, Granger never even worked up a sweat to host a single press conference! He managed these power-puff “Public interviews” from his air-conditioned office! The one time he faced the press - during the recount of the Big Rig - he had to be openly coached by Cathy Hughes - not even sotto voce! And surely dropping onto one’s knees doesn’t take too much energy.

Then, inexplicably, his second-in-command -Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon -- also dropped out of sight! What was HIS excuse? That he’s miffed President Ali isn’t consulting him? Stamping his feet while throwing tantrums about being snubbed wore him down? Jeez, you’d think these army chaps were made of sterner stuff!!

But then Officers don’t even have to march up and down in the hot sun during the long years of not seeing any action - they just stand at attention to take salutes!

So, should your Eyewitness file that missing Opposition Report? He’s convinced that no self-respecting politician - even novices drafted from the Army - would voluntarily keep out of the public limelight like this. It’s downright eerie!! So, the question is: What’s going on, or going down? Noting that the two leaders are being represented by two persons they weren’t ever close to - they have to be questioned as to what they know about this “Case of the Disappeared Politicians”.

But who’s to do the questioning? Certainly not the SWAT. So how about the regular Police? Right now, not many folks have much confidence in them, to be honest - even though the latter was REMADE in Granger’s image by the man himself.

Your Eyewitness would do what Granger always did when faced with any nettlesome issue.

Appoint a Commission of Inquiry! …on President Ali’s UN triumph?

The golden rule for citizens is: when it comes to dealing with the outside world, we bury whatever differences we have and present a united front. We are, after all, Guyanese, and should remember the golden rule for countries in the international arena is “there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies - just permanent interests.” The interests of our beloved Guyana.

But imagine, after President Ali bearded the Venezuelans in Mexico at CRLAC, and then in NY at the UN, forcing them to abandon their conniving with their Opposition to renew their claims to our Essequibo, not a word from the Opposition. He then looked the old colonial powers in the eye and demanded reparations for their roles in slavery and the slave trade. The same silence!

President Ali did a full-court press on a number of world leaders to press our case on issues like vaccine equity and climate justice - but not a squeak from the Opposition!

Granger and Harmon are MIA…but what about their stand-ins? …on Education?

The PNC like to boast they’re big on education for lifting us out of poverty and misery. So, could they explain whenever they’re protesting schools are burnt to the ground?

Remember One Mile, and now Mabaruma?

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

9 EPA to hold public hearings into new DHB project, Exxon Canje campaign NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

— to bring together stakeholders after appeals lodged against projects

T

he decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to exempt the transformative new Demerara River Bridge from an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will have to be defended by the Agency at soon-to-be-held public hearings.

The new Demerara Bridge is among the projects that the EPA announced will be the subject of public hearings next month, after appeals were made by unnamed persons against the decision to exempt the project from an EIA. According to a notice, the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB) of the EPA will be holding the hearings on October 12 under Section 18(3) of the Environmental Protection Act, Cap. 20:05 at its Ganges Street office.

“The public hearing will involve representations from the appellants, the developer and other key stakeholders; after which the EAB will deliberate on the findings and prepare a report with its decision confirming or setting aside the EPA’s decision,” the EPA said.

In a public notice published last month, the EPA had said it screened the environment permit appli-

cation for the new bridge across the Demerara River and determined that it will not significantly affect the environment hence, it is exempted from conducting an EIA as outlined in Section 11 of the Environmental Protection Act. However, EPA Executive Director Kemraj Parsram had explained that an Environmental Assessment and Management Plan (EAMP) would have to be done instead. Despite this explanation, sections of society have persisted in questioning the move.

The new bridge across the Demerara River will be high-fixed span with a 50-metre flyover at minimum or “as high as, or higher than, the Marriott Hotel” to allow for marine vessels to pass without any interruption to vehicular traffic.

As such, the bridge would land aback Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara and at La Grange, West

Bank Demerara, from where an alternative highway would be constructed all the way to Parika, East Bank Essequibo.

The new bridge is expected to be completed in two years from the date of the commencement order. Its construction will be timely,

as the East Bank is notorious for heavy traffic congestion owing to the current retractable bridge.

Exxon Canje campaign Another project that has had appeals lodged

against it despite its developmental nature is oil giant ExxonMobil’s upcoming 12well drilling and appraisal campaign in the Canje Block offshore Guyana.

According to the EPA, a public hearing will be conducted into this project on October 14, where stakeholders and the appellants will get a chance to have their questions and concerns about the project answered.

While the EPA had determined that the project would not significantly impact the environment and as such, an EIA was not necessary, it had also said that this decision did not necessarily indicate approval for the project and that Exxon would still have to do an EAMP. According to the EPA, at the time, the EAMP will assess specific issues and impacts identified during screening. Additionally, the EPA said that specific mitigation measures to ensure that the proposed project could be implemented in an environmentally-sound and sustainable manner would be addressed.

Vista Trading and Logistics (Guyana)

Incorporated, which is looking to set up a cement and storage facility locally, is also going to be the subject of a public hearing conducted by the EPA on October 7 following objections to the company’s investment proposal.

The EPA had previously issued a decision to exempt Vista from having to submit an EIA, on the basis that the company’s proposed project would not have significant effects on the environment.

“The public hearing will involve representations from the appellants, the developer and other key stakeholders; after which, the EAB will deliberate on the findings and prepare a report with its decision confirming or setting aside the EPA’s decision,” the EPA said in a notice.

Vista Trading and Logistics is seeking environmental permission to build a warehouse storage facility that would also serve as a base to transport bulk and bagged (oil-well) cement and other oil and gas-related materials and equipment at Tract A2, Felicity & Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara.

10 NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Knife-wielding Guyhoc man robs Policeman S

oon after the Police had issued a report of an incident in which a bandit was caught on camera using a knife to rob a Police rank in front of the Muneshwer’s Limited premises on Water Street, Georgetown, that bandit was apprehended and was subjected to a sound thrashing.

It was reported that on Friday last, the 38-year-old Policeman was robbed of a black Coral cellular phone, a haversack and his uniform.

The cop was proceeding on the eastern side of Water Street, Georgetown when he was approached from behind by a male who was carrying a knife.

Clad in a white t-shirt, black shorts and damaged jeans, the suspect was seen on CCTV cameras running behind the cop as he walked on the pavement. The suspect cornered his victim, then whipped

The Police Officer being robbed in front of Muneshwer’s Limited on Water Street

out a knife and held on to the officer’s pocket while threatening to stab him with the knife.

The two began to scuffle before falling to the ground, and after battling with the officer for some time, the suspect then used the knife to cut the cop’s bag off of his back, relieving

the cop of his haversack containing the items before making good his escape, leaving the cop lying on the ground in shock.

Shortly after the robbery, more video footage seen by this publication showed three Police Officers cornering the

The suspect being cornered by Police

alleged suspect, who was at the time on a bicycle, at the side of Demico House.

Police have since identified the man as a 21-year-old

resident of Guyhoc Squatting Area, Georgetown. Based on reports, ranks who were at the time patrolling on motorcycles spotted the bandit in the vicini-

ty of High and Hadfield Streets and decided to arrest him.

In a bid to escape, the suspect ran towards the Stabroek Market area, but was eventually cornered by Policemen. As Police attempted to handcuff him, the suspect was seen resisting arrest, forcing them to brace him against a wall.

Rather than surrendering, the young man then proceeded to spit in one officer’s face, which forced the officers to retaliate. The officers were seen head-butting and cuffing the suspect to his face.

They then managed to overpower him and take him to the Stabroek Market Police Outpost.

An investigation is currently underway.

Berbice woman busted with ganja at roadblock

− claims she given bag to drop off at Abary

A

39-year-old woman of East Canje Berbice was on Saturday arrested after being intercepted with more than 2 kilograms of ganja at Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice (WCB).

The Police have said that, at about 15:35h on the day in question, ranks who were on road block duties along the Fort Wellington Public Road stopped a mini-

bus, during which a search was conducted on the suspect, who was a passenger.

Three wrapped parcels containing the cannabis were found in a travelling bag belonging to the woman.

The ganja, when weighed, amounted to 2721.5 grams.

The woman was then told of the offence, cautioned, and arrested. However, upon her arrest, the woman claimed that she was at home when

an identifiable male of New Amsterdam and a female cop attached to the Central Police Station gave her the bag to take to Abary. She reportedly told the Police that the duo planned to be at the location to uplift the bag.

Upon receiving this information, checks were made for the duo, but up to late Sunday, no arrest was made. Investigations are ongoing.

11 AFC Executive hosts programme encouraging persons to take COVID vaccines NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

− AFC USA Chapter Chair says vaccination “surest way” to control pandemic

T

he Government of Guyana has been doing everything to ensure its citizens are vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus while many members of the Opposition have been busy casting aspersions on the vaccines and the vaccination policy.

However, on Saturday evening, former Minister and Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Cathy Hughes hosted a programme during which she engaged a veteran Emergency Medicine specialist who sought to answer questions regarding the vaccines as well as encourage citizens to take the jab.

Hughes was at the time hosting her party’s – Alliance For Change (AFC) – social media show, “Alliance on the Move” with Dr Rohan Somar.

Dr Somar has more than 25 years’ experience in the medical field and currently resides in the United States of America. He also serves as the Chairman of the AFC’s USA Chapter. Dr Somar had been a Ministerial Advisor while the A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition was in Government.

Leading Dr Somar into the vaccination discussion, Hughes explained that she and almost all the members of her family were vaccinated, but noted that many Guyanese were hesitant when it came to taking jabs.

“I do know that it is a personal decision and unfortunately in Guyana, we still have lots of people that don’t want to take the vaccine, I actually think that in some cases it’s because they have concerns that have not been addressed, and, therefore, I wish that the Government would spend more time having doctors available so that citizens could call up somebody and ask the questions or raise their concerns…tell us a

Cathy Hughes and Dr Rohan Somar

bit about why citizens should get vaccinated and how you could allay some of the fears?” she asked Dr Somar.

In response, Dr Somar explained with over 220 million persons worldwide infected with COVID-19, it has always been a pandemic of the unvaccinated. He furthered that when the pandemic first started, everyone was unvaccinated and it began spreading like wildfire and now with vaccines in play, it is being controlled in areas where there is heavy vaccination.

“The only way, the surest way, folks who are listening, to help control this pandemic and get ourselves back to regular order to enjoy the things and the liberties that we all cherish, is through vaccination. That is the sheer absolute surest way to mitigate the spread and control it, so we can get to that place where you want to get back to normal,” he said.

The doctor added that in order for the world and Guyana specifically to get back to some sort of normalcy, herd immunity has to be achieved. Providing statis-

tics, Dr Somar stated that Guyana’s fully-vaccinated population stood at 23.57 per cent of the total, adding that there was still more work to do before herd immunity is achieved.

“Any community, any government in any nation has to do everything they possibly can to vaccinate their population so that community members, their family members, so that we can all get to a place (of herd immunity) …So, if you’re a parent and you have kids who are 12 or over, please get them vaccinated, especially if you have younger siblings in the home or in the community. That’s the only way to protect them now, in addition to the mass, until they’re able to get a vaccine,” he added.

However, based on the Health Ministry’s current numbers, almost 35 per cent of the population are fully-immunised. The vaccines distributed in Guyana are – Pfizer (for children 1217); Johnson and Johnson (primarily for hinterland residents); AstraZeneca; Sinopharm and Sputnik V.

Encouraging vaccination, Dr Somar explained that while some questions regarding the vaccines are legitimate, he believes that a vast majority of folks succumbing to vaccine hesitancy are being exposed to the misinformation on social media.

He urged persons to ensure that they get their information from trusted sources like their doctors, healthcare providers, clinics, and the Health Ministry.

Vaccinated and contracting COVID

Hughes, during the discussion, brought up the type of vaccine hesitancy whereby Guyanese are questioning the reason for the jab, because it does not prevent

them from contracting the virus. Additionally, she asked the doctor to address the issue of the fast development of the COVID-19 vaccines, since they appeared to have emerged within a six-month period when vaccines traditionally take decades to develop.

Seeking to address the questions, Dr Somar explained that the widely-used COVID-19 vaccines on the market are either mRNA or adenovirus. The mRNA vaccines are artificially made using new technologies and those have been in production for decades, according to Dr Somar. He explained that though it may seem as though the coronavirus vaccine just sprung up, it is far from the fact.

He explained that with SARS virus in China and MERS in the Middle East, both from the coronavirus family, mRNA vaccines were created to treat those outbreaks and because they did not spread as rapidly as COVID-19, mass production was not required.

Additionally, the adenovirus vaccines utilise technology that has been around for centuries.

“Not only that, they have been tested, proven to be effective and as excellent safety profile which is critical,” he said.

Therefore, he encouraged that the vaccines are effective and everyone should take them once eligible.

“So, here’s the key, everybody who gets a vaccine, the vaccine will prevent you from getting sick from COVID, needing to be hospitalised and certainly die. That works about 100 per cent of the time. If you get a vaccine, just like you get a flu vaccine, it does not prevent you from being infected…the key is if you’re vaccinated, that infection will not spread to sickness, hospitalisation, or death. That’s what you want a vaccine to do. That’s what a vaccine does,” Dr Somar related.

Several APNU/AFC politicians and supporters have been protesting against the COVID-19 guidelines which require persons to be vaccinated before they can access certain facilities like restaurants, cinemas, and casinos.

Additionally, the measures mandate that public transportation operators must be vaccinated. The Government is also in support of private companies mandating that unvaccinated employees submit regular PCR tests at their own expense.

Unvaccinated persons are still able to access Government services, but they must first make appointments.

Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon would have contributed to the national vaccine hesitancy by casting doubts on the authenticity of the Sputnik V vaccine which is being used in Guyana.

12 NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Higher prosecution rate needed for persons found littering – Local Govt Minister …as major clean-up exercise planned for city

Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall

L

ittering in Guyana continues to be a predominant source of pollution, a dereliction embedded in the culture of Guyanese over the past years.

As such, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall stated that the Government would be intensifying its campaign to clamp down on persons who continue to litter across the country.

The Minister on

Friday called on the City Constabulary to enforce the law against litterbugs.

He further announced that there would be a massive clean-up exercise across Georgetown within a matter of weeks, noting that after the clean-up exercise, anyone found dumping garbage would face the brunt of the law.

“We have not been getting enforcement, the EPA Act does allow for enforcement so I would like to use this opportunity to encour-

age the City Constabulary to begin enforcement especially on those who are only disposing of garbage in all areas of the city… there are laws already that govern pollution, govern different types of mismanagement, including the wanton disposing of garbage,” he said.

The Minister pointed out that there was legislation that dealt with littering and said it needed to enforced.

“Anyone who is found dumping garbage anywhere that they’re going to be prosecuted in the proper way and there will be no obstacles in that prosecution,” Dharamlall added.

When asked if there would be an increase in the $10,000 fine for littering, Minister Dharamlall explained that there would be no increase until there were higher prosecution rates.

He added that the Government was working for the greater development of Georgetown, and

A garbage heap in Georgetown

would continue to do so to return the city to its former glory.

Earlier this year, Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine had said that Guyana needed to implement stiffer penalties for littering along with law enforcement and waste management legislation.

He had posited that unless this was done, the country would continue to be plagued by unhealthy environs.

Narine in the past had proposed that the littering fine be hiked from $10,000 to $50,000 to deter any form of littering.

The Mayor and City

Council, under the Municipal and District Act, Chapter 28:01, is allowed to fine persons $10,000 for littering while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can penalise an individual for up to $50,000 while a corporate body can be issued a fine of $100,000.

NEWS

13

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt working diligently to rid country of inferior, defective goods – Commerce Minister

T

he Government has been working diligently to rid the country of inferior and defective goods, and to promote and protect the rights of consumers. The establishment of the Competition and Consumers Affairs Commission (CCAC) is one of the vehicles being used to achieve this objective.

This was expressed in remarks by Tourism, Industry, and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond in observance of the 10th anniversary of the enactment of the Consumers Affairs Act (CAA), No. 3 of 2011. The Act was passed in the National Assembly on September 27, 2011, and the Minister stated that the enactment of the Act brought into effect the establishment of the CCAC. The enactment of the Act, she posited, allowed for a clear and predictable process

for consumers to file complaints and get redress for their grievances. Noting that the fruits of the introduction of the CCAC are evident, Minister Walrond pointed out that, for the first half of 2021, the agency has been able to resolve 206 cases to the value of $57.5 million.

“These are the tangible benefits to our citizens that have been realised through strategic interventions,” she said, while adding that suppliers also have the obligation to issue a notice stating whether the goods are reconditioned, rebuilt, or remade, thereby increasing market transparency and reducing asymmetry.

According to her, the model bill, which includes the penalty for each offence, is currently disjointed in the current legislation.

Moreover, with an understanding that the modern

consumer thrives on information, she disclosed that the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry is exploring the establishment of an electronic registry that facilities consumer reviews and comments.

“This depository will give better insight to customers in their buying process, and will allow businesses real-time access to customer reviews,” the Minister explained. She, however, underscored that consumer protection is not a conflicting approach to business development.

“A collaborative approach to consumer protection and a commitment to the provision of quality goods and services augurs well for both the consumer and the supplier,” the Minister noted.

In closing her remarks, Minister Walrond offered congratulations to the Board and staff of the CCAC on

Min Rodrigues calls for a unified Guyana − “We can choose to hate or we can choose to love”

A section of those who were at the event on Saturday Minister Susan Rodrigues addressing the gathering at the JCI event on Saturday

M

inister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, has shared, “We can choose to hate, or we can choose to love," while addressing Sophia residents at “A Peaceful and Sustainable Guyana” seminar organised by the Junior Chamber International-Guyana (JCI).

The Minister has said that while racism, gender and economic inequalities are all issues that affect serenity, these are all man-made structures that can be dissolved.

“Guyanese were never, and will never be, inherently racist. It is something that was taught. It is something that we choose. We can choose to hate, or we can choose to love,” she noted. “It took decades to develop, and it will take a long time for us to get rid of, but if we continue to have these tough conversations…and we work together, then we can achieve ‘One Guyana’,” she said.

The Minister also highlighted Government’s efforts to create equity in its policies, including the housing programme, which she described as non-discriminatory in na-

ture.

In the education sector, the Government also recently expanded its Cash Grant programme to include private school students, and has launched several scholarship initiatives to the benefit of

of the project in Canje, East Berbice-Corentyne. She has commended the youth organisation for their efforts in shifting inequalities and social barriers that plague our nation, and for partnering with the Government in so doing.

Members of the Junior Chamber International-Guyana and Minister Rodrigues

thousands of Guyanese across all administrative regions.

Many Guyanese have also benefited from the Administration’s COVID-19 Cash Grants for all households, and from flood relief grants.

Minister Rodrigues also joined the JCI two Saturdays ago for the launch

Following the seminar, the Minister facilitated oneon-one interactions with Sophia residents, to address their housing and water concerns.

The initiative was organised by JCI President Kestine King and other committee members.

Tourism, Industry, and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond

achieving this milestone, and for their unwavering commitment to consumer protection.

She emphasised that consumer protection remains an important facet of any modern and democratic society, and assured that Guyanese can rest assured that the Government would look out for their best interest.

Meanwhile, in a statement to mark the milestone, the CCAC said it is very proud to observe and celebrate the tenth anniversary of the CAA Act, along with the establishment of the Commission.

“The enactment of the CAA and establishment of the Commission were of great significance to consumers, consumerism, and commerce throughout Guyana.”

According to the Commission, it has incorporated the eight aspects of the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection; namely, the right to safety, the right to choose, the right to information, the right to be heard, the right to re-

dress, the right to consumer education, the right to basic needs, and the right to a healthy environment.

Since its establishment, the CCAC said, it has embarked on several proactive awareness and inspection programmes targeting both suppliers and consumers. It said, too, that the increase in consumer complaints is an indication that consumers are more empowered to assert their right to redress.

As a result, the CCAC added, suppliers are becoming more compliant, and the Commission has secured redress for thousands of consumers who have filed complaints amounting to hundreds of millions of Guyanese dollars.

With the mandate of bringing greater awareness to both consumers and suppliers of their respective rights and responsibilities, the CCAC has embarked on a campaign to aggressively educate consumers and carry out inspections of businesses.

As it celebrates its tenth anniversary, the Commission is encouraging consumers to assert their rights when shopping, and is encouraging suppliers to be aware of their responsibilities to consumers.

Stats

For the first half of 2021, the CCAC received 269 complaints from consumers, with the sale of defective goods accounting for 50 per cent of those complaints. The 269 complaints are valued at $119,942,369. This reflects a 180 per cent increase when compared to the same period last year.

According to data from the CCAC, 206 of these complaints, valued at $55,570,437, were resolved.

The leading area of breach under the Consumer Affairs Act (CAA) of 2011 was the sale of defective goods, which accounted for half of the total complaints received.

In addition, complaints were received across 19 categories, the leading ones being in the electronics/electronic services, auto industry, and the appliance and construction industry.

For the reporting period, some 47 businesses were inspected in Georgetown and New Amsterdam, Berbice.

While 12 of these businesses complied with the provisions of the Act, the remaining 35 were given one month to conform, during which period the businesses would be re-inspected.

In 2020, the CCAC resolved 73 per cent of complaints, which represented 338 cases, providing relief to consumers amounting to $66.7 million.

Among other things, the CCAC’s functions include investigating complaints by agencies and consumers, and determining if there has been a contravention of the Competition and Fair-Trading Act (CFTA) of 2006 and the CAA. It is empowered to take prescribed actions should there be a contravention of the law, eliminating anti-competitive agreements.

It is also responsible for providing information to consumers on their rights, and to enable them to make informed choices; to advise the Minister of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce on matters relative to the CFTA and the CAA; to institute, participate in, and/or support proceedings before a court of law, including to bring prosecutions where the Commission deems fit.

ANUG calls for coroner’s inquest into death of Essequibo businessman

A

Dead: Orin Boston

New and United Guyana (ANUG) is calling for a coroner’s inquest to be conducted into the “violent death” of Orin Boston. The inquest should be conducted by the district magistrate as coroner, the party said in a statement on Sunday.

ANUG said the coroner is empowered to summon reputable residents of the neighbourhood to act as jurors during the inquest, and to subpoena witnesses and hear evidence.

“The coroner’s inquest should be pub-

lic. The public, the media, the entire country could then be informed (i) what “intelligence” the SWAT team acted on to break into Boston’s home; (ii) why they did not have a search warrant to enter the premises; (iii) whether their forced entry into those premises was lawful; (iv) what circumstances necessitated the use of deadly force by twelve trained and armed men to subdue one man in his bedroom,” a missive from the party added.

It said that the coroner’s finding should inform whether a crime has been committed, which should be prosecuted. According to the statement, it is time for there to be accountability in Guyana. “There have been enough cover-ups,” ANUG said, adding that justice must be seen to be done for Boston.

The statement further reads, “The Police had no warrant to enter or search Boston’s premises. They had no warrant to arrest Boston. They had no body cameras. They acted in the middle of the night.”

Boston, 29, a father of two, of Hoppy Street Dartmouth, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), was shot by SWAT officers during a search of his home at about 04:40h on September 15.

TURN TO PAGE 14

14 NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Photographer robbed of camera, other equipment by gun-toting bandits A

21-year-old photographer has been forced to close up shop after he was robbed of his equipment and documents at gunpoint at Garnett Street, Kitty, Georgetown on Saturday evening.

Craig Henry of Parakeese Island, Santa Rosa, Region One (Barima-Waini) is currently a student at the University of Guyana (Turkeyen Campus) and was robbed of his NikonD5200 camera body, a 50mm lens, a speedlite, a Samsung A71 and other valuables by two armed men about 21:00h.

When contacted, Henry told Guyana Times that he travelled to Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) on Saturday for a 15:00h photoshoot, but the event started two hours later. He said he was sceptical about staying late because of

Robbed Henry

at

gunpoint:

Craig

the time his return journey would take. Nevertheless, he left the mining town around 19:00h and headed back to Georgetown.

“I never wanted to do it (stay late) in the first place, because I had to come back down and drop off something by my aunt in Kitty. Before we could reach by she on

Garnett Street, the two men come and they snatched my bag,” the young man related.

He explained that he, along with two other persons, was walking on Garnett Street when the two men – one of whom was armed with a knife and the other with a gun – approached them. They held him up and relieved him of his bag and phone and were about to turn on the two other persons, but a car drove up at the same time. The bandits then mounted their pedal cycles and made good their escape.

After the incident, he made his way to his aunt’s place and reported what had happened. He is yet to make an official report to the Police. His losses are estimated to be just about $300,000.

Henry announced the suspension of his photography services via a Facebook post.

“It is with a heavy heart I announce that I would no longer be able to offer photography services. One could only imagine the hurt that was felt when everything you worked so hard for is taken away in less than a minute.

While returning from a late shoot, armed thieves took off with my phone and my cam-

era bag (with all my lenses, speedlite and camera body), but thanks to God for protecting my life.

“All I hope now is to one day find a cool job with a decent pay so I can start over this dream that I am not ready to give up on. I must thank you all for supporting Craig Henry’s Photography in whatever way(s) you have done. Peace out for now – Craig,” the second-year Communications Studies

student said.

Henry moved to the city from Region One earlier in the year to commence his studies at the University. He currently resides on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

He was one of the most recognised photographers from Region One though he only recently started to take photographs.

During a previous interview with this publication, Henry had said his passion for photography developed back in 2018 while working on sea turtle conservation at Shell Beach.

The landscape there was irresistible and he knew that he needed to capture it. He, however, had no gear other than a smartphone so he began to make adjustments.

Over time, he worked to acquire gear to pursue his passion.

“I can be a voice for the voiceless” – Social Worker Paula Nassy T he Human Services and Social Security Ministry through the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), on Sunday, concluded activities in commemoration of Child Protection Week.

Child Protection Week seeks to place emphasis on both the work of Child Protection Officers as well as the varying ways in which children suffer abuse.

It educates on what steps can be taken to protect abused children and

Paula Nassy

how the system facilitates that. This year, Child Protection Week was observed under the theme “Together, Let’s Keep Children Safe” and ran from September 20-26.

Paula Nassy is one of the many Social Workers attached to the CCPA, who have been integral in protecting the nation’s children from all forms of abuse. Nassy has been working with the Agency for eight years now and she currently serves as a Senior Probation and

ANUG calls for coroner’s inquest...

Police Headquarters, in a statement, said there was a confrontation between Boston and a Police rank, which resulted in Boston being shot to his upper left arm. Boston was reportedly shot with a .223 calibre rifle, which is the standard weapon issued to the SWAT team.

An autopsy performed on Boston’s body revealed that he died as a result of haemorrhage and shock due to gunshot injuries to the chest.

Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh, who conducted the post-mortem, removed a single warhead from the now dead man’s body.

FROM PAGE 13

Following the fatal shooting, Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum visited the family and promised to leave no stone unturned as they ordered an independent probe be conducted by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Friday committed to meeting with Boston’s family. He was at the time speaking at a virtual press conference in New York, where he was attending the United Nations General Assembly.

In responding to a question from the media as to the call for an independent investigation into the incident, President Ali said, “Our philosophy is engagement, and I will be engaging the family.”

Social Services Officer.

The 39-year-old believes that the work she does is very important to the well-being of the nation.

“I can’t say it was my dream career, growing up I wanted to become a lawyer; however, my time being a Child Protection Officer has created an impact not only in my life, but also in the lives of the persons I interact with on a daily basis and because of that it has become a career that chose me.

“The pandemic has created an impact in my field of work, dealing with clients makes you vulnerable and more exposed to contracting the deadly disease. The closure of schools has also silenced some of our children because they have no one to tell their stories to for them to get help. On the positive side, I feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that despite of everything that’s happening, I can still be the voice of the voiceless,” Nassy said in a recent interview.

She grew up on the Corentyne (Region Six) with her family, and credits much of her childhood experiences for wanting to ensure that the children of Guyana live happy and healthy lives. She is the youngest of four children and has lived an exciting childhood.

“Growing up on the Corentyne with two elder brothers and a sister was much fun. I remember tagging along with my brothers and their friends on trips to the beach, especially on Easter Monday.

I even played cricket with

Nassy at her UG graduation

them, but mind you whenever it’s my turn to bat, they dare not take my wicket in the first few balls or I’m sure to continue batting until I am satisfied. They were great protectors and ensured I am always safe, even to this day they still look out for my best interest,” she said.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Guyana and has had the chance to participate in a number of professional development trainings.

The highly-qualified Social Worker was first stationed in the CCPA’s Corriverton, Berbice office for seven and a half years and was recently transferred to the

Charles and Broad Streets office in Georgetown.

“My department has been dealing with access cases and yes, there has been an increase in those cases during the pandemic. Challenges will always be there in any developing agency; however, high caseloads are one issue that has been present not only here in Guyana but worldwide,” Nassy added.

The Social Worker advises her colleagues to “take care of yourself, because if you are burnt out there is no way you will be effective in dealing with your clients; you must always remember that you cannot pour from an empty cup”.

NEWS

15

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Regional Health Ministers adopt Emerging petroleum sector resolutions to respond to COVID-19 results in increased traffic

T

he Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has seen Health Ministers adopting 13 resolutions to strengthen health policies to tackle urgent challenges such as the erosion of routine immunisation coverage and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The four-day meeting, hosted virtually, was attended by Health Ministers and Health Authorities from throughout the Americas.

The Directing Council, which meets annually during the intervening years between the Pan American Sanitary Conference, is responsible for setting PAHO’s policies and priorities for technical cooperation, and for considering matters of public health significance.

PAHO Director Dr Carissa F Etienne noted, “You once again emphasised the need to strengthen health systems to be more resilient and responsive to public health emergencies such as this COVID-19 pan-

PAHO Director Dr, Carissa F Etienne

demic. I was particularly heartened that you explicitly acknowledged the need for greater investment in health systems, including the essential public health functions.”

Dr Etienne acknowledged the many challenges

that have impacted national pandemic responses, including “global supply chain failures, inequities in availability and distribution of essential supplies, limited or no regional production capacity, inadequate regulatory and support systems,” all

of which together deepened regional vulnerability.

She appealed for support to strengthen a policy of self-sufficiency in the region, which would enable increased national and regional production and increased access to vaccines, essential medicines, and health technology.

Dr Etienne also called for urgent efforts to boost immunisation, saying this week, “We lamented the general decline in vaccination coverage in the Americas, with increasing levels of vaccine hesitancy, all of which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.” She urged “genuine attention to expanding coverage, improving vaccine outreach programmes, investing in the first level of care, and addressing the issue of vaccine hesitancy.”

She welcomed commitments made by major stakeholders at the US-led Global COVID-19 Summit this week, to meet the goal of vaccinating at least 70% of all people in every country by the end of 2022.

The Council also discussed global health issues, particularly the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) preparedness for future health emergencies, including legal and financial aspects.

Dr. Etienne stressed that much can be learned from PAHO’s decades of experience in responding to, and managing, emergencies.

“I am very confident that together, unified in the spirit of Pan American solidarity, we will vanquish this SARS-CoV-2 and be much better prepared in real terms for the next, having taken on board and to heart the lessons learned in this chapter of public health.”

Dr. Etienne said, “Our people as well as history will demand that we learn from this experience.”

The resolutions include: increasing production capacity for essential medicines and health technologies; reinvigorating immunisation as a public good for universal health strategy for building resilient health systems; and post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery to sustain and protect public health gains; a comprehensive approach for addressing health threats at the human-animal-environment interface; Roadmap for the digital transformation of the health sector in the region of the Americas.

NA Rotary Club hosts leadership seminar for secondary school students

The participants displaying their certificates after the 1-day seminar

I

n an effort to prepare teenagers for the working environment, the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam has hosted a training seminar on leadership skills. Students from several secondary schools on Saturday attended the activity.

The initiative touched on communication skills, budgeting and accounting, childhood obesity and diabetes, and conflict resolution.

President of the Club, Imran Saccoor, stated that among the objectives of

Rotary are to provide service to others and promote integrity and peace through fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

He noted that the aim of this activity among the youths was to build communication and problem-solving skills, discover strategies for becoming a dynamic leader in their schools and communities, and unlock potential and turn motivation into action.

Saccoor is hopeful that the students would be able

to incorporate into their everyday lives some of the value which were taught, and also to be able to make of themselves better leaders in the community.

Some of the participants shared their views on the one-day seminar. Charlie Adhar, a student of New Amsterdam Secondary, referred to the session as being informative and helpful.

"It is very important for young persons to know things like leadership and how to resolve conflict. This is going to contribute to our

life skills and our approach to life,” Adhar added.

Another participant, Latoya Bethune from the New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI), highlighted the importance of budgeting and planning.

"These are things that we need to know before we can have excellent leadership skills. I believe this is an asset, because when you go into the world of work, most employees are looking for leadership skills. I believe this is a step towards the world of work.”

to Guyana – IMO report

B

ecause of the emerging petroleum sector in Guyana, a recent study has proven, there has been a high increase of traffic from the Caribbean to this country between 2018 and 2020, when compared to other countries such as Venezuela, Europe, and the United States of America (USA).

The study, done by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), is titled Planning for Prosperity: Labour Migration and Guyana’s Emerging Economy, and was funded by U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration.

The report from the study was launched last week at the Pegasus Hotel in the presence of officials from the Private sector, Government agencies and the International Community.

The report has said there has been a steady increase of travel to Guyana from the Caribbean, with Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti and Suriname having the highest inflows to the country between 2018 and 2020. Moreover, in 2018, persons arriving and departing Guyana from the Caribbean amounted to 137,433, while persons from the United States, the next largest travel group for that period, amounted to 89,456.

The labour study attributes these travel trends to Guyana’s emergent oil and gas industry and subsequent sectors, where it is estimated that up to 160,000 jobs will be in demand in the coming years, far beyond the labour supply available in Guyana.

According to IOM’s Chief of Mission and Coordination Officer for the Caribbean, Robert Natiello, such findings indicate that the dynam-

ics of migration in Guyana are changing as the country is positioned to be one of the largest oil producing countries in the Western Hemisphere.

He explained that Guyana’s main assets have traditionally been its natural and agricultural resources, which continue to be key contributors to the country’s economy. However, Guyana’s labour force will be transformed to help supply the demand in the oil and gas and peripheral sectors.

“As the labour force in Guyana is expected to be transformed, the Guyana labour migration study highlights that the demand for labour in the medium-term will not only come from the oil and gas sector, but also from peripheral sectors such as construction, hospitality and tourism,” Natiello has said.

He added that, based on these findings, it is imperative to engage the Private Sector and other stakeholders on labour migration and ethical recruitment, as they would directly be impacted by this transformation.

Following the presentation of results by Lead Research Consultant Richard Rambarran, a panel discussion was conducted to provide a better understanding of how different actors view their roles in the development, management and governance of labour and migration in Guyana.

Panellists included Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, Private Sector Commission Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Capital, Jairam Petam, International Labour Organisation Specialist Francesco Carella, and IOM Specialist Michela Macchiavello.

16 NEWS Sophia residents welcome home improvement subsidies MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sophia residents at the event last week

“I

am very happy, and this is a great help that I’ve received, because you cannot rely on others…seeing that we get it, you gotta accept it, and I’m gonna do my house for my birthday”, an excited Jacklyn Haynes of Cummings Park, Sophia, Greater Georgetown expressed after receiving her beneficiary contract valued at $500,000 on Thursday last.

Similar to Haynes, a total of 118 residents with-

in the Sophia area have received their beneficiary contracts, which would aid in the renovation of their homes.

This initiative was made possible by the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA) through the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme.

The Housing and Water Ministry is on a quest to develop and transform communities, which would ultimately have an impact on

the livelihoods of their people.

“We will not be inconsiderate to the disruption of everyday lives of our Guyanese people…as we continue to improve communities to make investments in infrastructure and in housing construction in these communities, we do not want people to fear this type of development. We do not want people to feel like their everyday lives have been invaded or inconvenienced”, Minister within the Housing

James Bond, 16 others arrested for breaching COVID-19 guidelines

J

ust weeks after he was arrested and charged for breaching the COVID-19 guidelines, Attorney-at-Law James Bond has again been arrested, and is expected to be charged with breaching the curfew.

This was confirmed on Sunday by Regional Divisional Commander of Division 4B, Senior Superintendent Khali Pareshram, who said that Bond and others were arrested during an operation at Bond’s Cigars and Cognac business place on Saturday evening.

The Commander said the bar and lounge had been shut down by the National COVID-19 Task Force and was ordered to cease operating, but this order was ignored.

“At the time of the operation, they were in breach of the COVID measures…

On arrival, the Police found that there was a large gathering; the club was in session; and a total of 17 persons, including James Bond, was arrested…”, he said.

Commander Pareshram added that, sometime later, Bond and the others were processed for court.

Meanwhile, in a Facebook post on Sunday, Bond said he was not in breach of the guidelines, and was discriminated against by the Guyana Police Force.

“I was standing on Linden Drive last night [Friday] and was arrested at 10:20pm by ASP Ally for breach of curfew and hosting an event. I was placed in the prison van. Subsequently

Attorney-at-Law James Bond

eight other persons were placed in the same van. I spent over three hours in the said van”.

Bond said that at about 2:10h, he indicated to a rank of the vigilance Police Station that he would like to urinate, and he was granted permission seven minutes later.

“I saw everyone else being processed and sent on $10,000 bail, but I was told that I was not being placed on bail, that I had to spend the night in custody, and that was the instruction of the Commander Mr. Parsaram. So, I’ve spent approximately 9 hours in custody simply because an officer of the law feels I don’t have the right to freedom…. thank you, Guyana Police Force, for discriminating against me”, the post read.

Bond has claimed he was placed on $40,000 bail and was later released. However, when asked about this, the Regional Commander said Bond was required to stay in custody until he was pro-

cessed.

“It takes time to process, and with that number of persons, it takes time to process that amount. They were processed in the fastest possible time…there was another operation in the division, where 28 persons were arrested, and they all had to be processed also”, the Commander said.

Almost a month ago, it was alleged that Bond and Krishnan Ross had operated the bar on four occasions, in breach of the restrictions on social activities. They were brought before Vigilance Magistrate Marissa Mittelholzer, where they pleaded not guilty to the charges and were later released on self-bail. That trial is expected to commence on December 17.

Also, in March of this year, ranks of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) visited the Cigars and Cognac bar and arrested several party-goers for being in breach of the curfew.

& Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, told residents.

Further, she stated that inconveniences can be necessary at times, and the onus is on the Government to make the sacrifice and reach out to those who have been affected in order to bring normalcy back into their lives.

The initiative, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), is an effort to provide better access to adequate housing and basic infrastructure for low-income populations.

Low-income areas spanning from Grove on the East Bank of Demerara to Victoria on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), along with those low-income areas located in La Parfaite Harmonie in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), are currently

being targeted in this project.

The project cycle, which began in December 2017, will run up till December 2022. In addition to the $500,000 subsidy, the project would see the construction of 250 core homes.

On Thursday, Sophia residents were excited to be recipients of the subsidy, which can be used to repair roofs and walls in order to bring expansion to homes and reduce overcrowding therein, as well as create sanitation improvement and rainwater harvesting, among other projects. The subsidy can be redeemed at National Hardware Guyana Ltd and at Camex.

This project is part of the Government’s housing drive, which would see 10,000 house lots being handed out in 2021. The

areas which would be developed for allocation this year include Onderneeming in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam); Tuschen, Zeelugt, La Parfaite Harmonie, Westminster, Lust-en-Rust and Belle West in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Farm, Covent Garden, Providence, Prospect, Perseverance, Peters Hall, Good Hope, Mon Repos, Non Pareil, Hope South and Hope Estate in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); and Bath Settlement, Hope and Experiment in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

Also included are Ordnance Fort Lands, Kilcoy and Chesney in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); Culvert City in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo); and Amelia’s Ward, Linden in Region 10.

Hope Estate farmers laud NDIA efforts as rice harvest begins − farmers were not affected by MayJune floods – Estate Manager

R

ice and cash crop farmers of Hope Estate on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) are in full praise for the Government’s interventions in the drainage and irrigation sector, which resulted in them realising bountiful harvest.

There are some 32 farmers who are cultivating close to 900 acres of rice at the estate.

Currently, harvesting of the second crop of 2021 is now underway, with at least one farmer saying that had it not been for the interventions of Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, farmers in the scheme would have been counting their losses.

Gangaram Goberdan explained that, although many areas were recently flooded, the estate was not; and, as such, he attributed this to the work done by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).

General Manager of the estate, Ricky Roopchand, in an invited comment, gave an overview of the interventions made by Government in the past year, and their impact on the current rice crop.

“During the May-June flood, we have not experienced any losses in rice at Hope Estate; not even one acre of rice was lost. This was due to the functional D&I [drainage & irrigation] system that we now have, which was an intervention of the Minister. He had put some systems in place, and now (they are) bearing fruit.

So, we were very fortunate here at Hope Estate to experience zero losses in rice.”

He said harvesting at Hope Estate commenced before the other rice-producing areas in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). In ad-

One of the canals at Hope Estate

dition, he said, cash crop farmers at Hope Estate are happy at the current state of affairs obtaining at the Estate, where cash crop cultivation had previously been a nightmare.

“Under this Government, things change a lot; we even get tractor to use for our farming,” Roopchand said.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha spoke of the various interventions made over the past year, and the visible impact of the Hope Canal in mitigating flooding in Region Four. He said this is the kind of result being sought for all the agriculture areas across the country.

“We have done a lot of D&I work there. Region Four did not have as much floods as the other regions, and this is as a result of the investment that we have made when we were in Government before. I am very elated to know that the President has said that

we will build three other such canals in three other Regions -- Three, Five and Six.” Those canals, he noted, would play a major role in reducing flooding in floodprone areas such as Black Bush Polder in Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne), the MMA Scheme in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), and Canals Polder in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara).

He explained that the Ministry of Agriculture has been tasked with identifying the location and design for the canals. “Our engineers are working on the draft, so that I can submit it to the President.”

Noting that all the canals in Hope Estate have been desilted, Mustapha said excavators are working in several communities across the country in efforts to reduce the possibility of flooding during the next rainy season.

17 Anamayah Memorial Hospital laboratory now certified NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– urges others to get on board

T

he Anamayah Memorial Hospital laboratory located at Belvedere, Corentyne is the newest member of the clique of certified laboratories in Guyana.

Through the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), the laboratory was certified to the National Standard GYS 170:2009 “General requirements for the operations of a laboratory”.

This certification allows for the laboratory to be recognised as providing a standard of care and service to clients.

The Anamayah Memorial Hospital laboratory first approached the GNBS in 2014, indicating an interest in becoming

A staff in the Anamayah Memorial Hospital laboratory

an institution is to ensure not only [that] you provide a service but to ensure that you provide a standard of care… People coming to the institution would want to know if what they’re

GNBS Technical Officer Latchman Mootoosammi hands over the certificate from the GNBS to Hospital CEO Ian Anamayah

certified. After a complete formulation of its manuals required by the GYS 170 and implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), certification was first granted to the laboratory in 2019.

The Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ian Anamayah stated, “The whole gist of having

paying for has any standard, if it has any calibre.

Is it doing the right tests?

And are the tests accurate?

[But] now having certification puts patients’ minds at ease.”

Given this, he also encouraged other facilities within Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), especially those that are established and provide similar

Arson suspected in Vigilance Police Station fire

A

fire on Tuesday last destroyed a house and two motor vehicles in the Vigilance Police Station Compound, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

However, on Sunday, officials from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) in a statement revealed that based on preliminary investigations carried out by the Fire Service, the fire was arson.

The GFS said it was pleading with citizens to call its toll-free number #912 as soon as they smell or see smoke to report a fire emergency.

“Too often people try to extinguish fires on their own or to save valuables before contacting the GFS which can result in the complete destruction of buildings as well as the loss of life,” the GFS said.

services, to jump on the bandwagon and take the necessary steps to obtain certification so that they can be recognised through standardisation.

Residents of the region usually travel to Georgetown to access quality medical tests from a laboratory certified by the GNBS; with the Anamayah Memorial Hospital laboratory being certified, they now have easy and convenient access to the same standard of quality medical tests they would receive in Georgetown.

The CEO pointed out that the facility encountered some difficulties in its bid for recertification, since there were no certified medical laboratory in the region to do collate (inter-comparison) testing or double check its results for accuracy.

“As it is now, we had to send samples to Georgetown, because there is no one in Berbice that could’ve done that,” he shared.

Dr Ryan Anamyah, who is the Medical Director at the Hospital, noted that having good practices in place alone could not guarantee consistent accuracy and quality results.

“Having the GYS 170 standards in place would have given us an opportunity to actually have our lab consistently reproducing results on a day-to-

(L-R) Medical Director at the Anamayah Memorial Hospital, Dr Ryan Anamayah; Quality Manager Raywattie Hoosain and others pose with the plaque received from the GNBS

day basis. Prior to 2014, there were no checks and balances employed,” he said, lauding the GNBS Certification Programme.

The Medical Director noted that with the help of the Bureau, the facility is able to access proficiency testing of its laboratory equipment, which is rec-

thy increase in clients with more companies recommending it to perform medical tests for their staff.

Additionally, Dr Anamayah revealed that the Hospital is looking to pursue accreditation to the ISO 15189 Standard to gain international recogni-

Anamyah Memorial Hospital CEO Ian Anamayah poses with the plaque received from the GNBS

ommended in the national standard.

It was noted that from 2019 to date, the Hospital has also seen a notewor-

tion. Citizens are encouraged to use certified laboratories to conduct tests as an independent body – the GNBS— monitors them,

and therefore, they provide accurate and reliable results. Other benefits of using the services of a certified laboratory include value for money, the experience of a clear and transparent process; reduced risk of retesting or retaking of samples, and the assurance that employees are trained and competent to conduct tests.

Other certified laboratories countrywide include: Davis Memorial Hospital laboratory, Doobay Medical and Research Centre laboratory, Dr Balwant Singh Hospital laboratory, Dr Leslie Persaud Medical Diagnostic Centre, Eureka Medical Laboratories Inc, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Medical Laboratory, St Joseph Mercy Hospital laboratory, Woodlands Hospital laboratory, Sheriff Medical Centre Laboratory, Guyana Defence Force Medical Laboratory, Guyana Livestock Development Authority Laboratory, Guyana Rice Development Board Central Laboratory, and Guyana Water Inc Testing Laboratory to name a few.

Vendor on bail for wounding abusive husband A

vendor accused of wounding her spouse was on Friday released on $50,000 bail when she made an appearance before Magistrate Annette Singh at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Shari Alphonso, 38, of East Ruimveldt Squatting Area, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on September 19, at the aforesaid address, she unlawfully and maliciously wounded Anthony Roach.

During her address to the Magistrate, Alphonso told the court that on the

CHARGED

day in question, she and Roach were arguing when he hit her.

In retaliation, the woman said she grabbed something and

lashed the man about his body. She further requested to be seen by a doctor, because she was also assaulted.

According to the Prosecutor, Roach was hospitalised for several days after the incident.

The Prosecutor did not oppose the woman being released on bail. He, however, asked that Roach and Alphonso be placed on a bond to keep the peace.

The Prosecutor told Roach that if he needed any of his belongings from the woman’s house that he should have a Police rank accompany him there.

Magistrate Singh instructed that Alphonso be examined by a doctor. This case continues on October 15, 2021.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

Regional

T&T Minister dismisses calls for Mexico to resume voluntary flights for resignation after PSC collapse migrants who want to return to Haiti

A

ttorney General Faris Al-Rawi on Sunday said he fully supported the Prime Minister’s position that issues surrounding the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the appointment of a Commissioner of Police (CoP) would be settled by the court.

Al-Rawi also rejected calls from the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) for him to resign over this matter and the collapse of the PSC, after the resignation of two of its members Courtney McNish and Dr Susan CraigJames last week.

Referring to statements made by Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein during a news conference earlier in the day, Al-Rawi said he squarely rejected Hosein’s reiteration of the UNC’s claim that the legal order to appoint a CoP was unconstitutional.

“There is a construction claim before the courts.”

He said Justice Nadia Kangaloo received this claim from social activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj’s

M

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi

Attorneys, former Attorney General Anand Ramlogan SC and Opposition Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial.

Al-Rawi said Ramlogan and Lutchmedial have approached the court and have specifically said that the process for the appointment of a CoP, undertaken by the PSC and the Office of the President, was incomplete in light of the

Constitution and invalid.

Al-Rawi said it was material to note that in the written material before the court, neither Ramlogan nor Lutchmedial were arguing that Legal Notice 183 of 2021, which set out the CoP appointment process, was either unconstitutional or invalid. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Opposition politician decries “two Jamaicas” where the well-connected are shielded from prosecution

L

eader of Government Business in the Senate, Peter Bunting has decried what he has described as “two Jamaicas” with two sets of rules being applied depending on a person’s status in the society.

Bunting, who is also the Opposition Spokesman on National Security, made the observation as he made his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate on Friday.

He used the occasion to ask about the status of the Police investigation into an incident where former Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Floyd Green, one of his advisors and a Jamaica Labour Party

Councillor were caught on a now viral video at a reported birthday party on a no-movement day breaching COVID-19 protocols.

Green; his advisor Gabrielle Hylton; and Councillor in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation, Andrew Bellamy, all resigned their respective positions the day after the video went viral.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness indicated that he has asked the Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, to probe the matter to determine whether there were any breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA).

But, that has provided

little comfort to Bunting who noted the swiftness with which the Police have moved to arrest and charge Jamaicans from poor backgrounds, including, descending on their homes to effect the arrests.

“There are two Jamaicas. One is a beautiful island that is the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business.

The other is a world of poverty, misery and squalor, with people trying to survive, raise their children in some of the most violent communities in the world, and protect them from human predators,” Bunting began his presentation.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Antiguan officials monitoring Hurricane Sam

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ntiguans have been advised to closely watch the progress of Hurricane Sam which formed on Friday and is moving west towards the Caribbean.

In a statement on Saturday, the country’s Meteorological Office said rapid intensification is in the forecast and Sam could become a major storm.

According to meteorologists, most models forecast Sam to pass north or northeast of Antigua and Barbuda and its island neighbours.

Meanwhile, disaster officials say residents should have their hurricane plans

According to meteorologists, most models forecast Sam to pass north or northeast of Antigua and Barbuda and its island neighbours

in place, including having emergency supplies on hand and knowing where the closest shelter is.

Seventeen structures have been added to the list

of available shelters.

This brings to 60 the number of emergency shelters managed by the National Office of Disaster Services, (CMC)

exico’s Government said on Sunday that it would resume flights to Port-au-Prince starting this week for Haitian migrants who want to return home.

The flights from Tapachula in Chiapas and Villahermosa in Tabasco will be offered to “those who voluntarily wish to return to their country”, the Mexican Government said in a statement.

The United States has detained and forced hundreds of Haitian onto deportation flights.

Those who return will find Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, struggling with the aftermath of a presidential assassination, gang violence, and a major earthquake.

An impromptu camp arose in recent weeks on the USMexican border that included Haitians, adding to President Joe Biden’s migration policy headaches. At its peak on September 18 there were some 15,000 people there.

The camp was cleared of thousands of Haitians by Friday, with most remaining in the United States for now and others expelled on deportation flights or returned to

Mexico.

Thousands of Haitians are still moving through Central America, with others among an estimated 16,000 awaiting boats into the jungles of the Darien Gap in Panama, an often dangerous bottleneck on the journey north.

Mexico’s Government said it was working to open consular offices in Chiapas and Tabasco to assist with Haitian migrants. (Reuters)

Peru’s PM warns gas sector: pay higher taxes or face nationalisation

P

eruvian Prime Minister Guido Bellido on Sunday said that companies which exploit natural gas in Peru will need to agree to pay higher taxes or else face nationalisations, a sharp warning to the sector from the new leftist Government.

Bellido told Reuters in August that the Government was planning to participate more deeply in the main industries, including natural gas and new hydroelectric projects, and would look to create new State companies.

The Andean country, the world’s number two copper producer, has a major gas operation run by the Camisea consortium, led by Argentina’s Pluspetrol, with smaller stakes held by South Korea’s SK Group, Hunt Oil and Repsol.

“We summon the Camisea gas operating and trading company to renego-

Peru’s Prime Minister Guido Bellido speaks during an interview with Reuters in Lima, Peru, August 7, 2021

tiate the distribution of profits in favour of the State,” Bellido wrote on Twitter.

“Otherwise, we will opt for the recovery or nationalisation of our field.”

Investors are closely watching the Administration of President Pedro Castillo, an outsider former teacher who took office in July after

a shock election win, with a focus on his Government’s mining policy and taxation levels.

The natural gas from Camisea is liquefied by a separate consortium, called Peru LNG, which includes Royal Dutch Shell, Japan’s Marubeni Corp, SK Group and Hunt Oil. (Reuters)

Regional tourism bodies celebrate World Tourism Day 2021

T

he Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) have both joined the global community in celebrating World Tourism Day 2021 under the theme, “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”.

In a message on Sunday, the CTO said that along with approximately a dozen regional and international partners, the Organisation is collaborating on a virtual event aimed at highlighting and addressing the challenges faced in forging a sustainable tourism sector and identifying the opportunities to build a more socially inclusive, sustainable and smart sector.

“It’s a clear sign of the

importance we all place on collaboration and inclusion, a key plank of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #17, “Partnerships for Goals” which emphasises inclusive partnerships at the global, regional, national and local levels and shared goals placing people and the planet at the centre of development,” said the CTO’s Secretary General Neil Walters.

“World Tourism Day is also being celebrated at a time when the region’s tourism sector is beginning to emerge from the prolonged impact of COVID-19. Some of our member countries have reported record stay-over ar-

rivals during the months of July and August, while others show their arrival numbers trending in the right direction and even approaching 2019 levels.

We still have to be aware of the challenges and potential hurdles as we move to a recovery mindset, but these are encouraging signs that the hard work our member countries have put into adapting to the changing environment of the pandemic, is beginning to pay dividends. Our progress amidst the challenges gives hope to the millions of Caribbean nationals who depend on tourism for a living, either directly or indirectly.”

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil’s going to have a good winter

A

combination of strong demand and weak supply is sending crude toward US$80 a barrel. That won’t help those already worried about gas and electricity prices.

Fears of an oil glut are receding, as stronger demand and curtailed supply are set to tighten the market and lift prices.

It’s going to be a good winter for oil producers, but a further hit to consumers who are already reeling from soaring gas and electricity costs.

The surge in natural gas prices, which has seen the costs of both liquefied supplies and pipeline deliveries to European markets jump to records, is starting to have knock-on effects on the oil market. Consumers are seeking to switch away from pricey natural gas and to marginally less expensive oil.

Vitol Group, the world’s biggest independent oil trader, expects fuel switching to boost oil demand by half a million barrels a day this winter. Consultants Facts Global Energy see a similar increase, with Chinese trucks, Asian power generators and oil refineries around the world all seeking cheaper alternatives to the gas they now use. The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) sees a slightly smaller impact, estimating the additional demand over the next two quarters to be 370,000 barrels a day. (Excerpt from Bloomberg)

German Social Democrats beat conservatives in vote to decide Merkel successor

G

ermany's Social Democrats narrowly won Sunday's national election, projected results showed, and claimed a "clear mandate" to lead a Government for the first time since 2005 and to end 16 years of conservative-led rule under Angela Merkel.

The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) were on track for 26.0 per cent of the vote, ahead of 24.5 per cent for Merkel's CDU/CSU conservative bloc, projections for broadcaster ZDF showed, but both groups believed they could lead the next government.

With neither major bloc commanding a majority, and both reluctant to repeat their awkward "grand coalition" of the past four years, the most likely outcome is a three-way alliance led by either the Social Democrats or Merkel's conservatives.

Agreeing a new coalition

A

cyclone packing strong winds and rains has barrelled into India’s east coast, as tens of thousands of people in three states were evacuated to shelters.

Heavy rains and strong winds were reported along the coast on Sunday evening as the tropical storm over the Bay of Bengal began making landfall, barely four months after another cyclone hit the region, leaving destruction in its wake.

Cloud bands had touched the coastal regions of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh indicating Cyclone Gulab had begun to make landfall, the India Meteorological Department tweeted.

The storm with wind speeds up to 95km/h (59mph) was expected to cross the coasts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh states by midnight (19:30 GMT).

The weather office said very heavy rainfall was expected.

Thousands of people have been moved to storm shelters in the coastal areas of southern Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh, officials

said. Others were advised to avoid rivers and canals and stay at home.

“People have been asked to stay alert, as the highspeed winds can uproot electricity poles, trees, hoardings and the rains can cause sudden overflows in canals and streams,” Andhra Pradesh official G Srijana said.

Odisha Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena said seven districts in the state were on high alert and evacuation efforts were under way.

In Andhra Pradesh, some 85,000 families were expected to be moved from low-lying areas to temporary relief shelters.

Rescue teams of disaster relief operations personnel had been deployed across the entire region, National Disaster Response Force chief Satya Pradhan said.

In May, more than a million people were evacuated from their homes along India’s east coast before it was battered by Cyclone Yaas with winds gusting up to 155km/h (96mph) – equivalent to a category two hurricane. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

could take months, and will likely involve the smaller Greens and liberal Free Democrats (FDP).

"We are ahead in all the surveys now," the Social Democrats' Chancellor candidate, Olaf Scholz, said in a round-table discussion with other candidates after the vote.

"It is an encouraging mes-

San Marino votes to legalise abortion in historic referendum

Heavy rains as Cyclone Gulab makes T landfall in India

India's National Disaster Response Force personnel arrive in preparation for Cyclone Gulab [National Disaster Response Force /AP]

A man casts his vote for the general elections, in Berlin, Germany, September 26, 2021

he tiny republic of San Marino has voted overwhelmingly in favour of legalising abortion in a referendum, overturning a law dating back to 1865, official results showed on Sunday.

Some 77.30 per cent of voters backed the proposal to allow abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy and afterward only in the case of the mother's life being in danger or of grave malformation of the foetus.

The turnout was low, with just 41 per cent of eligible voters casting a ballot.

The vote in the northern Italian enclave of 33,000 people comes as authorities in countries like Poland and the US state of Texas have tightened abortion laws. Earlier this month, Mexico's Supreme Court ruled that penalising abortion is unconstitutional.

Up to now in San Marino, women who ended their pregnancies risked three years' imprisonment. The term is twice

as long for anyone who carries out an abortion.

San Marino women wanting an abortion normally went to Italy, where they could only get one privately, at a cost of about 1500 euros (US$1765).

Elsewhere in Europe, the Mediterranean island of Malta, and the micro-states of Andorra and Vatican City, another Italian enclave, still ban abortion.

In Europe's last referendum on abortion, the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar voted in June to ease what remain extremely strict curbs. Ireland legalised abortion in a far higher-profile referendum in 2018.

Social progress has tended to be slow in San Marino.

Women did not get the right to vote until 1960, 14 years after surrounding Italy, and have only been allowed to hold political office since 1974.

Divorce was legalised in 1986, some 16 years after Italy.

(Reuters)

sage and a clear mandate to make sure that we get a good, pragmatic government

for Germany," he added after earlier addressing jubilant SPD supporters.

The SPD's rise heralds a swing left for Germany and marks a remarkable comeback for the party, which has recovered some 10 points in support in just three months to improve on its 20.5 per cent result in the 2017 national election.

Scholz, 63, would become the fourth post-war SPD Chancellor after Willy Brandt, Helmut Schmidt and Gerhard Schroeder.

The Finance Minister in Merkel's cabinet, he is a former Mayor of Hamburg.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

COVID-19 pandemic cut life expectancy by most since World War Two –study

T

he COVID-19 pandemic reduced life expectancy in 2020 by the largest amount since World War Two, according to a study published on Monday by Oxford University, with the life expectancy of American men dropping by more than two years.

Life expectancy fell by more than six months compared with 2019 in 22 of the 29 countries analysed in the study, which spanned Europe, the United States and Chile.

There were reductions in life expectancy in 27 of the 29 countries overall.

The university said most life expectancy reductions across different countries could be linked to official COVID-19 deaths. There have been nearly five million reported deaths caused by the new coronavirus so far, a Reuters tally shows.

"The fact that our results highlight such a large impact that is directly attributable

to COVID-19 shows how devastating a shock it has been for many countries," said Dr Ridhi Kashyap, co-lead author of the paper, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

There were greater drops in life expectancy for men than women in most countries, with the largest decline in American men, who saw life expectancy drop by 2.2 years relative to 2019.

Overall, men had more than a year shaved off in 15 countries, compared to women in 11 countries. That wiped out the progress on mortality that had been made in the previous 5.6 years.

In the United States, the rise in mortality was mainly among those of working age and those under 60, while in Europe, deaths among people aged over 60 contributed more significantly to the increase in mortality. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Sudan military-civilian tensions reach low point in wake of coup attempt

T

ensions between Sudan's military and civilian politicians reached a low point on Sunday in the wake of last week's attempted coup with senior officials calling on the public to prepare for protests over the withdrawal of official security details.

The deteriorating relations have put the fragile transition to democratic civilian rule in its most precarious position in the

two years since the removal of former President Omar al-Bashir.

The long uncertain military and civilian partners in Sudan's transition have traded barbs following the coup attempt on Tuesday by soldiers loyal to Bashir.

Generals have accused politicians of alienating the armed forces and failing to govern properly.

Civilian officials have accused the military of agitating for a takeover of

power.

On Sunday, members of the Committee to Dismantle the June 30, 1989 Regime and Retrieve Public Funds said that they were told in the morning that the military had withdrawn its protection from the committee's headquarters and 22 of its assets. The soldiers were replaced by Police Officers, they said.

The Committee, whose purpose is to dismantle

the political and financial apparatus of the ousted Government, has been criticised by the military generals participating in the transition, who served under Bashir.

Mohamed Al-Faki Sulieman, committee leader and member of the joint military-civilian Sovereign Council, Sudan's highest authority, said his official protection had also been withdrawn.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

20

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES

Stick to what you know and do best and the people (March 21who help you shine. A partApril 19) nership will require nurturing, but in the end, it will help you reach your objective. Help someone who needs it.

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Don't consider unnecessary changes that will make others question your motives. Refuse to let personal matters interfere with your productivity and ability to be a good leader.

Don't be fooled by what others do or say. Control your emotions and let your intellect lead the way. An energetic routine will encourage discipline and a healthy outlook.

Arguing won't solve problems. Look for an alternative way to reach your chosen destination without causing a scene. Be secretive; divulge only what you are up to when you have everything in place.

Check in and share plans with someone who brings out the best in you.

The feedback you receive will help you make better decisions regarding money.

Rely on those you know you can trust.

Keep life simple and organized. Refuse to let emotional mix-ups lead to distraction or cause a problem with someone who can influence your well-being.

Focus inward.

Make connections and broaden your outlook.

Explore possibilities and find your niche. Be proud of the decisions you make, and take the path that leads to personal happiness. Don't give up.

Use your imagination to come up with a plan that will help you change your current financial situation. Consider your assets and what's important to you, and let go of anything you no longer need.

Verify information and SAGITTARIUS say what's on your mind.

(Nov. 23Take the initiative to head Dec. 21) in a direction that inspires you to use your skills, knowledge and experience in new and exciting ways.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

Slow down and smell the roses. If you act too fast, it will lead to backtracking. You can think big, but you should stick to basics and change only what's necessary. Don't fold under pressure.

Stay on course; don't stop until you are satisfied with what you achieve. A chance to make more money or invest in something lucrative looks promising.

Hard work will pay off.

Just be yourself, do your own thing and enjoy what (Feb. 20- life has to offer. Refuse to March 20) get into an emotional spat with someone who isn't trustworthy or refuses to look out for your best interests.

PISCES

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

21

Jadeja magic takes CSK back to first spot with last-ball win over KKR

N

eeding 34 from 21 balls with seven wickets in hand, Chennai Super Kings looked like they may have thrown away a simple chase, as Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni all fell within the space of six balls.

But Super Kings still had one more ace up their sleeve in Ravindra Jadeja, who crushed Kolkata Knight Riders' victory hopes in the space of a devastating four-ball sequence in the 19th over, as Super Kings eventually got over the line on the final ball in a dramatic twowicket win on Sunday afternoon in Abu Dhabi.

With the equation down to 24 from ten balls, Jadeja left Prasidh Krishna shellshocked after clocking a pair of sixes over the leg side, followed by two fours over point to swing the pendulum Super Kings' way.

With four required from the final over, Sunil Narine stretched the match to the limit with a valiant effort, dismissing Sam Curran at the start of the over and Jadeja off the penultimate ball, before Deepak Chahar ended the teasing thought of a Super Over with a single over midwicket to clinch victory and put Super Kings back on top of the IPL table with 16 points, ahead of Delhi Capitals on net run rate.

Thakur's sharp spell Super Kings' bowling performance was topsy-turvy.

Curran had a poor day coming into the XI as a replacement for the rested Dwayne Bravo.

He conceded 56 runs without getting a wicket, before his 4

off four balls late in the chase.

But that was made a footnote in the end, thanks to the efforts of Jadeja and Shardul Thakur.

The latter took 2 for 20 off his four overs, and began the day in style with a wicket-maiden after entering in the sixth over.

Venkatesh Iyer was caught behind, but needlessly burnt a review on a straightforward decision in the process, to kick off Thakur's day.

Thakur continued to keep things tight heading into the death overs, and struck an even bigger blow in the 17th. Andre Russell had just clattered Curran for a pair of fours and a six, but Thakur managed to wrest back momentum by inducing a drag on to dismiss Russell for 20 off 15 balls, denying Knight Riders their best weapon for a late launch.

Dinesh Karthik still managed a superb cameo with 26 off 11 balls, before he fell in the final over to Josh Hazlewood, but much of the damage that could have been possible with Russell at the crease was mitigated by Thakur.

SCOREBOARD KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) Shubman Gill run out (Rayudu) 9 Venkatesh Iyer c †Dhoni b Thakur 18 Rahul Tripathi b Jadeja 45 Eoin Morgan (c) c du Plessis b Hazlewood 8 Nitish Rana not out 37 Andre Russell b Thakur 20 Dinesh Karthik † c †Dhoni b Hazlewood 26 Sunil Narine not out 0 Extras (b 1, lb 1, nb 1, w 5) 8 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 8.55) 171/6 Did not bat: Lockie Ferguson, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Shubman Gill, 0.6 ov), 2-50 (Venkatesh Iyer, 5.1 ov), 3-70 (Eoin Morgan, 9.1 ov), 4-89 (Rahul Tripathi, 12.2 ov), 5-125 (Andre Russell, 16.4 ov), 6-166 (Dinesh Karthik, 19.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Deepak Chahar 4-0-32-0 Sam Curran 4-0-56-0 Josh Hazlewood 4-0-40-2 Shardul Thakur 4-1-20-2 Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-21-1

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS INNINGS (TARGET: 172 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) Ruturaj Gaikwad c Morgan b Russell 40 Faf du Plessis c Ferguson b Prasidh Krishna 43 Moeen Ali c Iyer b Ferguson 32 Ambati Rayudu b Narine 10 Suresh Raina run out (Tripathi/Varun) 11 MS Dhoni (c)† b Varun 1 Ravindra Jadeja lbw b Narine 22 Sam Curran c sub (KL Nagarkoti) b Narine 4 Shardul Thakur not out 3 Deepak Chahar not out 1 Extras (lb 2, nb 1, w 2) 5 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 8.60) 172/8 Did not bat: Josh Hazlewood Fall of wickets: 1-74 (Ruturaj Gaikwad, 8.2 ov), 2-102 (Faf du Plessis, 11.3 ov), 3-119 (Ambati Rayudu, 14.2 ov), 4-138 (Moeen Ali, 16.4 ov), 5-142 (Suresh Raina, 17.1 ov), 6-142 (MS Dhoni, 17.3 ov), 7-168 (Sam Curran, 19.1 ov), 8-171 (Ravindra Jadeja, 19.5 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Prasidh Krishna 4-0-41-1 Lockie Ferguson 4-0-33-1 Varun Chakravarthy 4-0-22-1 Sunil Narine 4-0-41-3 Andre Russell 3-0-28-1 Venkatesh Iyer 1-0-5-0

Super Kings' forty duo Chasing a target of 172 may have looked steep on the same pitch where Rajasthan Royals failed miserably in their reply to Delhi Capitals' 154 a day earlier.

But Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad got the Super Kings off to a phenomenal start with a 74-run opening partnership. du Plessis kept the scoreboard flowing early with a pair of boundaries off Varun Chakravarthy in the fourth over, as Gaikwad took time to get his feet wet.

But Gaikwad took on Narine in the fifth over, using his feet expertly to loft a four and six straight down the ground.

Two overs later, Gaikwad again cleared the ropes against Narine with a pull, before smashing Russell back over his head for a third six in the ninth over.

Gaikwad's knock finally came to an end one ball later for 40, flicking a leading edge to cover, but he and du Plessis had laid a solid platform for the rest of the Super Kings batters to continue to seize upon.

A head-swivel, see-saw finish To say there were more than a few momentum shifts in the final hour of play would be an understatement. Moeen came to the crease like a house on fire, bashing Lockie Ferguson for four and six over the leg side to end the tenth over, before he and du Plessis rocked Russell for a boundary each in the 11th, to leave 71 needed from the final 54 balls.

But Prasidh induced a catch at deep cover to remove du Plessis for 43, before Narine came back to defeat Ambati Rayudu's slog in the 15th.

Still, it should have been a canter with 40 needed off the final four overs for Super Kings, but Eoin Morgan's captaincy made them sweat until the final ball.

With Russell off the field injured, Morgan got creative shuffling his remaining bowlers around, and nearly rallied his team to an unlikely comeback in the field. Moeen holed out to long-on off Ferguson in the 17th for 32, before Raina was run out

coming back for a non-existent second to start the 18th. Two balls later, Varun defeated MS Dhoni with a googly for 1, to cap a six-ball slide of three wickets for 4 runs, leaving the score at 142 for 6.

Prasidh was handed the ball for the 19th, and conceded just singles off the first two balls.

But with Jadeja back on strike, a slower ball landed horribly short on the legs and was punished over the square-leg rope.

Overcorrecting on the next ball, he sent one too full, and Jadeja sent it over long-on for six more. Attempting wide yorkers off the last two balls of the over, neither one landed, as Jadeja slapped a pair of full tosses over point to the rope.

With four from six needed, Narine did not give up. Curran

L

ewis Hamilton collected his 100th Formula One victory at the Russian Grand Prix on Sunday, after pipping Lando Norris to top spot.

Norris, who secured pole position and was eyeing a maiden victory, spun off the track with three laps to go as rain started to cause chaos in Sochi. That allowed Hamilton to capitalise and sneak into a late lead to secure his century of race victories. He is the first F1 driver to achieve such a feat.

McLaren, who collected their first win since 2012 at the Italian Grand Prix last time out, were left heartbroken as Norris limped to a seventh-place finish, with Max Verstappen making important ground to finish second.

Verstappen, who led the championship going into the race, had started from the back of the grid after Red Bull had a new engine installed, but he magnificently recovered to make the podium and ensure Hamilton moves into just a two-point lead.

Carlos Sainz took the lead on the first corner, with Norris, George Russell and Lance Stroll in close company. Daniel Ricciardo, who eventually settled for fourth, was back in fifth as Hamilton and Fernando Alonso looked to make ground on the McLaren man who was the shock Monza winner.

Verstappen, meanwhile, was climbing slowly up the grid as he overtook Valtteri Bottas and then Charles Leclerc, moving ominously through the field.

Rahul Tripathi

charged and drove a catch to long-off, and failed to cross Jadeja with the ball in the air. Thakur arrived on strike, and after a dot, clipped a three through fine leg to level the scores.

Jadeja then missed two hacks off his pads trying to end the match, and paid the price

Norris's pole position looked to be paying off when Alonso and Perez had to pit, giving the 21-year-old the lead with 16 laps to go.

He had Hamilton in close company four laps later, and it appeared to be a two-car battle as the Englishmen jostled for first place.

Hamilton took the lead 11 laps later, and went on to win as Norris spun out, with Verstappen coasting to his podium placing after making the smart decision to put the intermediate tyres on early.

Mercedes magic Mercedes made the early decision to put on the inters as their rain radar suggested the wet weather was going to come before the finale.

With others choosing to stick out there and get through it, Hamilton surged into a late lead as Norris's tyres failed him, while Bottas climbed up from 17th on the grid to finish fifth to prove the Mercedes team's decision was an excellent one.

McLaren mistake A visibly upset Norris addressed the television cameras after the race in Sochi, but stood by the decision to stay out there.

The Briton battled to pole position in the adverse conditions the previous day, but for as long as Norris remains without a race win, this will resemble a missed opportunity for him and for McLaren to collect back-to-back wins after their success in Monza.

on the second, as Narine's lbw appeal was upheld on the field and on DRS too. But Chahar ensured Jadeja's efforts did not go to waste, and he capped Super Kings'day with a slog over the infield for the winning run.

(ESPNcricinfo)

IN THE POINTS 1.

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +53.271 3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +1:02.475 4.

Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) +1:05.607 5. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) +1:07.533 6. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) +1:21.321 7. Lando Norris (McLaren) +1:27.224 8. Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) +1:28.955 9. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +1:30.076 10.

George Russell (Williams) 1:40.551 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS Drivers 1.

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 246.5 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 244.5 3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 151 4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 139 5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 120 Constructors 1. Mercedes 397.5 2. Red Bull 364.5 3. McLaren 234 4. Ferrari 216.5 5. Alpine 103 WHAT'S NEXT? There is another two-week gap until the next race, which is the rearranged Turkish Grand Prix. (Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

Harshal Patel hat-trick caps comprehensive RCB win

off a memorable night with Maxwell appealing! emphatic bowling spells.

Chahal picked up 3 for 11, while Patel bagged a hat-trick n their (inclusive of the key wickets first two of Hardik Pandya and Kieron games since Pollard). It consigned Mumbai the resumption Indians to their third straight of IPL 2021, Royal loss in the UAE-leg of the Challengers Bangalore managed tournament, their title defence all of five wickets combined in hanging by a thread. two massive losses. On Sunday, they ran into the defending Kohli's milestone in champions, dearly needing a eventful powerplay win to turn around a mid-season Dropped on zero by Rahul slump. And they got it in style.

Chahar at deep square leg, Virat Kohli struck another half- Kohli looked in ominous touch century, Glenn Maxwell provided upfront, despite the early loss of middle-overs’ firepower and Devdutt Padikkal. He kept finding key wickets, before Yuzvendra boundaries off the pacers, some Chahal and Harshal Patel, state- streaky, others imperious. mates from Haryana, topped Jasprit Bumrah was among

Rohit, de Kock in murderous mood Mohammed Siraj breathed fire, touching 147.4kph and swinging it late in a tight over

I

SCOREBOARD ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) Virat Kohli (c) c sub (AS Roy) b Milne 51 Devdutt Padikkal c †de Kock b Bumrah 0 Srikar Bharat † c Yadav b Chahar 32 Glenn Maxwell c Boult b Bumrah 56 AB de Villiers c †de Kock b Bumrah 11 Dan Christian not out 1 Shahbaz Ahmed b Boult 1 Kyle Jamieson not out 2 Extras (lb 4, nb 1, w 6) 11 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 8.25) 165/6 Did not bat: Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Devdutt Padikkal, 1.4 ov), 2-75 (Srikar Bharat, 8.5 ov), 3-126 (Virat Kohli, 15.5 ov), 4-161 (Glenn Maxwell, 18.3 ov), 5-161 (AB de Villiers, 18.4 ov), 6-162 (Shahbaz Ahmed, 19.2 ov) BOWLING O- M-R-W Trent Boult 4 -0-17-1 Jasprit Bumrah 4-0- 36-3 Adam Milne 4-0-48-1 Krunal Pandya 4-0-27-0 Rahul Chahar 4-0-33-1

MUMBAI INDIANS INNINGS (TARGET: 166 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) Rohit Sharma (c) c Padikkal b Maxwell 43 Quinton de Kock † c Maxwell b Chahal 24 Ishan Kishan c Patel b Chahal 9 Suryakumar Yadav c Chahal b Mohammed Siraj 8 Krunal Pandya b Maxwell 5 Kieron Pollard b Patel 7 Hardik Pandya c Kohli b Patel 3 Adam Milne b Patel 0 Rahul Chahar lbw b Patel 0 Jasprit Bumrah b Chahal 5 Trent Boult not out 0 Extras (lb 2, nb 1, w 4) 7 TOTAL (18.1 Ov, RR: 6.11) 111 Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Quinton de Kock, 6.4 ov), 2-79 (Rohit Sharma, 9.6 ov), 3-81 (Ishan Kishan, 10.3 ov), 4-93 (Krunal Pandya, 13.1 ov), 5-97 (Suryakumar Yadav, 14.1 ov), 6-106 (Hardik Pandya, 16.1 ov), 7-106 (Kieron Pollard, 16.2 ov), 8-106 (Rahul Chahar, 16.3 ov), 9-111 (Jasprit Bumrah, 17.3 ov), 10-111 (Adam Milne, 18.1 ov) BOWLING O -M-R-W Kyle Jamieson 2-0 -22-0 Mohammed Siraj 3-0- 15-1 Dan Christian 2-0-21-0 Harshal Patel 3.1-0- 17-4 Yuzvendra Chahal 4-1- 11-3 Glenn Maxwell 4-0 -23-2

those who bore the brunt, at one stage being deposited for six towards the short squareleg boundary, which made Kohli the first Indian - and just the fifth overall, after Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Shoaib Malik and David Warner - to get to 10,000 T20 runs.

The shot of the evening, however, was Kohli's shovelledsix over long-on off Adam Milne's fourth-stump half-volley.

After five overs, Royal Challengers were well placed at 44 for 1.

Bharat, Maxwell turn on the heat KS Bharat is the latest experiment in what has been a bit of a roulette at No. 3 for RCB, with Rajat Patidar and Shahbaz Ahmed previously tried and benched.

After a forgettable first outing, he shredded pressure with some delightfully executed slog sweeps, dispatching Chahar twice over deep square leg.

Bharat fell soon after the second of those hits, lofting to wide longoff for a 24-ball 32, with Chahar giving him a bit of a send-off.

Maxwell's fifty and Bumrah's death-overs mastery Maxwell walked in and didn't let the surface or the lack of pace dictate his thought processes.

Instead, trusting his own game, he had the belief to execute his switch-hits against the spinners, twice peppering the shorter boundary.

Harshal Patel celebrating his hat-trick with Captain Kohli

Before that, Hardik Pandya had let off Kohli on 37, dropping him at point, and then Mumbai burnt a review on Maxwell. It told of their desperation.

Kohli brought up his fifty off 40 balls - his scoring rate slowing significantly in the second half of his innings - before falling two balls later.

AB de Villiers tried to offset that loss, swatting Bumrah for six off his second ball, even as Maxwell merrily reverse-scooped and reverse-ramped his way to a 33-ball half-century. Bumrah then came back to remove both dangerous batters off successive deliveries, with eight balls left in the innings.

Before Bumrah's 19th over, ESPNcricinfo's Forecaster projected a total of 180 for Royal Challengers. Then he and Boult delivered two fine overs that meant they finished 15 fewer than that.

Bumrah finished with 3 for 36, and between them, Mumbai's two premier pacers had combined figures of 8-0-534.

In what could worry the Indian team management, Hardik, who missed the first two games in the UAE, didn't bowl a single over; and later looked offcolour with the bat.

upfront, but a Kyle Jamieson noball proved the signal to change momentum for Mumbai.

Rohit Sharma ticked off three successive boundaries in that 17-run over from Jamieson.

Royal Challengers could've had a wicket in the fourth over, had Siraj managed to effect a direct hit at the bowler's end to find de Kock short of his ground going for a quick single. de Kock took advantage of that life immediately, dispatching Dan Christian for successive boundaries as Mumbai raced to 51 without loss in five overs.

Chahal, Maxwell apply the brakes Four balls were all it took for Chahal to leave his stamp on the game, as he foxed de Kock in flight and had him hole out to the longer boundary at deep midwicket in the seventh over.

With Christian looking off colour, Kohli brought on Maxwell, possibly to complete that four-over quota, and the move worked, as he dismissed Rohit in his second over.

Two balls earlier, Rohit had a mini scare when he copped a painful blow on his left wrist when a rocket hit from Ishan

GFF conducts men’s U-20 trials in Florida ahead of CONCACAF qualifiers

Virat Kohli playing a classy shot

Kishan struck him even before he could take evasive action.

Did this result in Rohit's lack of power as he tried to muscle Maxwell down the ground? He ended up dragging one to wide long-on, and Royal Challengers suddenly had a grip on Mumbai.

Three balls later, Kishan, deceived in flight and turn by Chahal, sliced one to short third man to fall for a 12-ball 9.

Mumbai were 81 for 3 in 10.3 overs. They needed a sense of calm at that point, but Krunal Pandya, sent up the order, struggled against some impressive back-ofthe-hand slower ones from Harshal. He pottered to 5 off 10 before he was beaten going for a desperate heave, to give Maxwell his second wicket.

Maxwell finished with 4-023-2 to go with his fine halfcentury.

Harshal joins the party On the same surfaces in IPL 2020, Suryakumar Yadav, Mumbai's designated No. 3, was in the form of his life. A year on, he's searching for form, and seemingly confidence. The shot he played to get out suggested this, as he reached out to a full and wide off-cutter, one that he may have otherwise left, to slice a catch to short third man.

At 97 for 5 in 14.1 overs, the chase was cracking.

Then came Harshal, the season's highest wicket-taker so far, and he closed the game off by delivering a memorable third over that brought him a hattrick. His scalps - Hardik, Pollard and Rahul Chahar - all fell prey to his slower variations.

Hardik mistimed a hoick, Pollard was bowled looking to walk across and tickle fine, and Chahar missed a dipping slower one that would've crashed into leg stump.

Chahal and Harshal, the Haryana boys, by then had combined figures of 7 for 28.

The resigned look in the Mumbai camp told you a story.

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uyana U20 men’s national team Head Coach Wayne Dover and his team on Friday commenced a three-day talent identification camp in Florida as the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) accelerates its efforts to integrate upcoming youth players from the diaspora into its national programme.

The camp, officially sponsored by sports apparel company SQ Apparel, follows

The GFF hosted a U-20 trial in Florida

extensive trials for U20 eligible players across Guyana, ahead of November qualifiers in the Dominican Republic for the CONCACAF U20 Championship.

Guyana has been drawn in Group D with Nicaragua, the Cayman Islands and the US Virgin Islands. The winner of each qualification group will progress to the Round of 16 finals tournament.

“The purpose of the talent ID camp is to identify players

in the North America diaspora with Guyana heritage,” said Coach Dover. “We hope to come away with identified talent to strengthen the national U20 men’s team leading up to the qualifiers in November.

“The ID scouting is the first of its kind for the men's U-20 team, and it will definitely give us a wider reach for talent,” Dover added.

Dover was joined by GFF Youth Development

Officer Bryan Joseph and GFF Goalkeeping Coach Eon De Viera as part of a highlevel delegation focused on examining the potential of players taking part in the trials.

As official sponsor of the camp, SQ Apparel’s contributions include the provision of logistical resources for the coaching staff’s accommodation, tentage and other materials for the camp, and photographic coverage.

“We are extremely grateful to SQ Apparel for supporting this important initiative,” said GFF President Wayne Forde.

“This crucial support means the GFF is able to properly examine the potential of upcoming talent in the North American diaspora. We are excited to welcome new players into the national programme as we build towards a successful run in the CONCACAF U20 Championship.”

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

T

he Athletics Association of Guyana’s (AAG’s) National Youth and Juniors Track and Field Championships got off to a scintillating start on Saturday, with younger athletes showing up and showing off.

Familiar names like Karese Lloyd, Keliza Smith, Adriel Austin and Ezekiel Newton were among the top performers on day one of the two-day event.

In the Girls’ 14-17 100M sprint, Karese Lloyd brought it home for the running Brave athletics club with an impressive 11.97s run. Odessa France and Akala Hall, of Police Progressive Youth Club and Running Brave respectively, completed the podium in 12.55s and 13.07s.

In the next category up, 18-19, Keliza Smith was the star of the show. Also of Running Brave, Smith clocked 11.60s for the win,

Karese Lloyd cruising in front of the competition

while Briana Charles (RB) and Celine David of Super Upcoming Runners were second and third with times of 11.97s and 13.43s.

Adriel Austin was on Saturday able to cop a double in the 400m and 800m races.

Competing in the 14-17 cat-

egory, Austin clocked 58.08s and 2:18.60 in the 400 and 800 races for first place.

In the 400M, RB’s Nerissa McPherson and Attoya Harvey were second and third with times of 58.76s and 58.93s.

In the 800M, Harvey fin-

Persaud claims Farmsup Golf Tourney win

ished second with a time of 2:18.79, while McPherson clocked 2:30.86 for third.

Super Upcoming Runners’ Annalisa Redmond was the lone competitor in the 18-19 400M, clocking 58.76s.

Christianburg Wismar’s

Shaqua Tyrell was the winner in the 18-19 800M in 2:18.08, finishing in front of Mercury Fast Laners’ Jelesa Wright and RB’s Aliyah Headley, who clocked respective times of 2:26.02 and 2:30.52.

The female 4x100M event was dominated by Running Brave, as their ‘A’ team stopped the clock at 48.66s for first place, while their ‘B’ team finished in 52.43s for second, and New Amsterdam United 52.44s for third.

In the male version of that race, Running Brave also took home the Gold with a first-place time of a 44.57s.

Bladen Hall Secondary School ‘A’ were second in 45.19s, while Hopetown Flames were third with 45.28s.

The 14-17 100M event saw Ezekiel Newton (Bladen Hall), Wesley Tyndall (RB) and David Higgins (Upper Demerara Schools) making up the podium with times of

23

10.88s, 11.00s and 11.03s respectively.

The podium positions in the 18-19 category of the same race were occupied by Osrick Pellew (Ruralites), Trevon Hoppie (Mercury Fast Laners) and Kurt Rudder (Super Upcoming Runners), who clocked 10.99s, 11.65s and 11.85s respectively.

The 400M in the 1417 division was won by Bladen Hall’s Diliza Lyken, who clocked 51.99s, while Jonathan Seedath of DeChallengers clocked 52.58s for second, and RB’s Javon Roberts clocked 52.86s for third.

Meanwhile, in the 1819 race, Hopetown Flames’ Revon Williams was the standout man, finishing first in 49.73s, while Super Upcoming Runners’ Simeon Adams stopped the clock at 49.74s for second and New Amsterdam United’s Joshua Lam did so at 50.02s for third.

RHTY&SC NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour team co-sponsor Rose Hall Town's 51st anniversary celebration

W

ith the 2021 cricket season being placed on suspension by the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) due to instruction from the National COVID-19 Task Force, members of the Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Under 21 and First Division teams are expanding their personal

Awardees of the Tribute to Postal Workers awards posing with Town Clerk Natasha Griffith

Town Clerk Natasha Griffith and RHTY&SC Secretary Hilbert Foster handing over cycles to youths

O

The winners’ row

n Saturday, September 25, the Lusignan Golf Club was host to a tournament generously sponsored by Farmsup (Farm Supplies Ltd).

Very well patronised, the tournament saw a field of 37 golfers competing for the day’s honours.

The Farmsup company was also well represented at the event by Renger Van dijk, Managing Director, and several other officials.

Results of the tournament were as follows: First place, Avinash Persaud with a Gross 67 h/c 0 net 67; second place, Naresh Sarwan with a Gross 84 h/c 16 net 68; and in third, Mike Mangal with a Gross 74 h/c 6 net 68.

The Front 9 was won by Gavin Todd with a Gross 41 h/c 19 net 32, while the Back 9 was secured by Naresh Sarwan with a Gross 39 h/c 16 net 31, Nearest to the Pin was won by Troy Cadogan.

The first-place winner

carted off a trophy plus a $5000 voucher, while second place winner got a trophy plus a $4000 voucher, and third place received a trophy plus a $3000 voucher. The best net front nine received a trophy plus $1500 voucher, best net back nine received a trophy plus $1500 voucher, and nearest to the flag received trophy plus $1000 voucher.

The Lusignan Golf Club has said in a statement, "The Lusignan Golf Club would like to thank Farm Supply for its generous sponsorship of this week’s golf tournament.

Farmsup, as its mantra states, DELIVERS. And did it ever! The largest assembly of top golfers in Guyana, both of national and international pedigree. With one golfer we all know well making a strong statement in this lead-up tournament with just 5 weeks of play remaining before the GT&T Guyana Open.

Avinash Persaud beat

the tough par-70 LGC course by 3-shots with an inspiring gross score of 67, playing off a zero handicap.

He also deservingly won the first best Net to carve off 10 points in the points chase to the GT&T Guyana Open championship, scheduled for October 30th and 31st."

The LGC has noted that players who participate in tournaments from September 18 to October 25 would be eligible for consideration for free entry as a player into the Guyana Open Tournament via a competition format.

The points for free entry will be for the first 10 best net scores for each tournament; also, points will be awarded to the top five players of the day, based on their net scores. The player who accumulates the most points at the end of the exercise will be declared the winner, and can participate in the Guyana Open without having to pay the tournament fee.

development and community outreach programmes.

Sponsored by the National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) of Agricola, East Bank Demerara, the teams have some of the best cricketers in the country. As part of their highly successful outreach programme, the teams joined hands with the Mayor and Town Council of Rose Hall Town from the 19th to 24th of August to celebrate the 51st Anniversary of Guyana’s smallest township’s existence.

Rose Hall attained the status of township on 20th September, 1970.

On that same date in 1990, the RHTY&SC was founded by the St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Youth Club, and has since developed into Guyana’s leading youth and sports club with an unmatched list of activities and achievements.

The week-long celebrations began with a 20/20 cricket match on the 19th of August.

RHT Thunderbolt Flour defeated their counterparts from Rose Hall Canje by eight wickets to win the 51st Anniversary Trophy, while on the 21st, they co-sponsored

the donation of four cycles to deserving youths in the township.

There was an Art Competition with primary school students and the donation of educational materials to students.

Five outstanding workers from the Rose Hall Town Post Office were honoured on Thursday under the club’s first ever Tribute to Postal Workers Programme, while six senior citizens received food hampers on Friday.

The teams, along with other RHTY&SC members, on Saturday will complete their role in the anniversary by undertaking their second Clean up the Beach project. Club Secretary/ CEO Hilbert Foster, Rose Hall Town Mayor Dave Budhu and Town Clerk Natasha Griffith are expected to lead the cleanup of the popular beach.

The highlight of the celebrations was the hosting of a special presentation ceremony in which five outstanding former leaders of the town received the Vic Persaud Award of Excellence.

The awardees were Alex Foster, Winston Hope, Bhadenauth Somrah, Vijai Ramoo and Chattergoon

Ramnauth.

Minister of Local Government, Anand Persaud, and Mrs Carol Persaud handed over the awards and also unveiled a street sign for Persaud Street in memory of the late Vic Persaud, former Chief Protocol Officer of the Office of the President.

Persaud had been a resident of the town, and is the first of only three residents to receive a national award. The award and the street naming ceremonies were both sponsored by the teams in memory of Persaud, who had been very close to the club.

Over the years, the RHTY&SC had fully sponsored the Rose Hall Town week on at least five occasions, and had also sponsored the 175th Anniversary of the Rose Hall Village in 2017.

Among the projects and activities undertaken over the years are health clinics, youth and job fairs, children playfield, tribute to Heroes, children’s parade, day of sports, public exhibitions, curry duck competition, video documentary, evening of music, fitness walk, monuments, construction of scoreboard, and a forty-page booklet on the history of the township.

Members of the RHT NAMILCO teams include Kevin Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Clinton Pestano, Jonathan Rampersaud, Eon Hooper, Junior Sinclair, Shawn Perreira, Keith Simpson, Shemaine Campbelle, Khemraj Mahadeo, Delbert Hicks, Slyus Tyndall and Mahendra Gopilall.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

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

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Persaud

RHTY&SC NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour team co-sponsor Rose Hall Town’s 51st anniversary celebration Page 23

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