Guyana Times - Monday, September 6, 2021

OECS leaders advised P11 constitutions support mandatory vaccination laws Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4762

THE BEACON OF TRUTH MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

Economic “free zone” for Region 9 − President Ali Page 3

After being fired by former APNU/AFC Govt

CSO programme restored, almost 2000 officers rehired Hess to use Only vaccinated US$150M persons sale to can now bankroll access concessions public buildings offshore Guyana Page 2

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

GuySuCo to adopt new P12 technologies to attract younger workforce Gunmen push driver out of P12 car, hijack taxi Speeding bus collides with P10 truck on Linden-Soesdyke Highway

Page 13

Page 7

…including holdings in Stabroek, Kaieteur Blocks …as another COVID death recorded, 215 new cases

Police, citizens “can work together as one”- Hicken tells Kaneville residents Page 10

Former APNU/AFC Govt Ministers facing multimillion-dollar lawsuits See story on page 8

P9 Teens, motorcyclist injured in Essequibo Coast accident

Cop struck to head, robbed by gunmen P9 Murdered P9 Berbice pandit laid to rest

Deputy Commissioner of Police (“Operations”) (ag), Clifton Hicken with residents of Harpy Eagle Drive, Kaneville, EBD

269 consumer complaints P14 valued $119M received in 1st half of 2021

2 NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

After being fired by former APNU/AFC Govt

CSO programme restored, almost 2000 officers rehired

C

ommunity Service Officers (CSOs) who once numbered in the thousands but who lost their jobs when the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) disbanded the programme, have been reinstated under the current Government.

According to People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Member of Parliament Allister Charlie during a recent Regional Toshaos Meeting in Region Nine

(Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), the Government has rehired close to 2000 of these CSOs in its first year in office.

“We have already seen the qualitative changes that have taken place since the PPP took office. In one short year, we saw tremendous development, development that was reversed under the coalition Government is now firing and kicking. And Amerindians are a part of that development.”

“We have seen the CSO

PPP/C MP Alister Charlie

programme, a programme that was disbanded by the coalition Government upon their assumption to office.

Today, we have almost 2000 CSOs on this programme,” the MP said.

Charlie reminded that the PPP Government had promised to create employment opportunities, particularly among the youth.

According to the parliamentarian, the reinstatement of the CSO programme is one manifestation of that vision.

It was only a few days ago that a total of

23 CSOs from eight different regions completed training in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), enabling them to take these skills back to residents within their communities.

The three-week training programme was conducted with CSOs through Global Technology and is the second batch to be facilitated this year. Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai had indicated that 96 persons have been trained in ICT throughout

the year and lauded this initiative as an investment by Government into Guyanese youths.

“By the end of 2021, our target is achievable and that is, we will be training 200 students from the programme. We will also achieve 220 persons trained in the skill of installing solar panels and maintaining them; and other 220 as licensed drivers with skills to service light and heavy-duty machinery,” the Minister said at the graduation ceremony.

The trainees hailed from communities such as Akawini, Kabakaburi, Mainstay, Karawab, Mashabo, Bethany, Laluni, Siparuta, Kako, Tassarene, Princeville, Karaudarnau, Katoonarib, Awaruwaunau, Hururu, Malali, Maritaro, Rockstone and Great Falls.

This, Sukhai said, reiterates Government’s agenda of offering opportunities for hinterland communities and people.

The PPP/C Administration has been working to resuscitate the ICT programme since taking office. The Project Management Unit with-

in the Office of the Prime Minister had been tasked with executing the programme through the ICT Access and eServices for Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities project. Some 200 hinterland and riverine communities stand to benefit from the reintroduction of the programme, which was altered significantly by the coalition Government.

It was reported earlier in the year that a US$10 million line of credit has been secured to recommence the provision of the “solar farms per household” project which will precede the establishment of ICT hubs.

The CSO initiative was launched in 2014 under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme. Its reintroduction will replace the former Administration’s Hinterland Employment and Youth Service programme, which failed to meet its objectives.

President Dr Irfaan Ali had long promised that the Government would rehire approximately 2000 of these CSOs who were terminated back in 2015 when the APNU/AFC took office. (G3)

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Monday, Sept 6 – 03:30h – 05:00h and Tuesday, Sept 7 – 04:00h – 05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, Sept 6 – 16:20h – 17:50h and Tuesday, Sept 7 – 16:50h – 18:20h.

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

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There will be sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

Winds: South-Westerly to Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 16:25h reaching a maximum height of 2.64 metres.

Low Tide: 10:00h and 22:16h reaching minimum heights of 0.55 metre and 0.55 metre.

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Economic “free zone” for Region 9 – President Ali

U

rging members of the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) to form consortiums, President Dr Irfaan Ali foresees that Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) will become an economic free zone ripe with business opportunities.

The Head of State, accompanied by Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond, met with members of the RCCI on Saturday. During the meeting, he discussed Government’s plans for Region Nine and encouraged them to form themselves into consortiums.

The Head of State, who was also in Lethem for the Regional Toshaos Meeting, said that his Government is aware of the desire to have parts of Lethem designated as an economic free zone. He explained that they have had discussions with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

“The declaration of areas as designated areas here in Region Nine, Lethem, as a free zone − was a major issue that was raised. What I can say to you is that we are presently drafting the legislation. I received some options from the Guyana Revenue Authority, and the Attorney General is doing the draft legislation,” the President said.

In view of this, President Ali encouraged members of the chamber to form consortiums and told them that the investment opportunities are greater as groups than as individuals. He highlighted large scale farming opportunities as an example.

During the discussions, the President also informed the RCCI about the various plans by his Government to improve the region’s infrastructure. This will include upgrading various health centres, schools, roads, improvement to the electricity supply, and other major initiatives that will drive more investments and businesses in the region.

He was optimistic that

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President Irfaan Ali and Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond meeting with the Region Nine business community

Economic free zones Economic free zones are areas that allow for trade and commerce between companies which are not taxed or only face a small amount of taxes.

once the major projects kick off, investments could help negate the negative impacts of the pandemic. Once his opening remarks were out of the way, the business community asked questions and highlighted issues that affect them.

Pandemic, high cost of electricity

Most persons linked the decline in business to the pandemic and the high cost of electricity. The President reminded the gathering that Government is embarking on transformative investments in electricity, includ-

ing the establishment of solar farms in the region that will reduce energy costs by more than 50 per cent in the coming years.

The group also raised issues about poor infrastructural work being done in the area and suggested the establishment of a committee that would monitor future infrastructural works in the region.

As a result, President Ali immediately asked the group to nominate a representative and instructed the Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, the Honourable Deodat Indar, to form a monitoring committee and en-

sure that the representative be included.

There has been talk around the establishment of economic free zones, which would allow for trade and commerce between companies who would not be taxed or only face a small amount of tax.

This is to facilitate increased economic activity and a business-friendly environment. In an interview last year with the State media, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GO-Invest, Dr Peter Ramsaroop had spoken about the Government’s plan to create these zones.

“We will be working collectively with all Ministries and private stakeholders to foster an enabling environment and promote a model whereby free zones or special zones are created to help promote investments and exports,” Ramsaroop had said.

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guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 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

Suicide remains a public health issue

S

eptember is “Education Month”, but with the 10th of the month designated as “World Suicide Prevention Day”, we should continue educating ourselves about this unfortunate phenomenon, which in 2012 caused Guyana to be labelled the “suicide capital of the world”. This dubious distinction was not due to the infamous Jonestown mass suicide that consumed the lives of over 909 persons, but to numbers compiled by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

While there were some questions about those numbers which did come down from the 44/100,000 the following year to be in line with previous years, a figure in the high 30s per 100,000 keeps Guyana near the top of the charts, which is totally unacceptable.

Suicide became a noticeable issue from the beginning of Indian Indentureship when the rate of suicide rose from approximately 6/100,000 in the North India districts from which they were brought, by a factor of one hundred times.

While suicide is an observed phenomenon in all social groups, in Guyana, Indian Guyanese remain the main victims, with their rates almost 10 times the next closest ethnic group. This was confirmed in a 1999 study by the Centre for Economic and Social Research for Action (CESRA). In 2001, the Ministry of Health declared suicide a public health issue and launched several initiatives within a “National Suicide Prevention Strategy” to deal with it. The then Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy indicated that the programme would be coordinated by the Ministry of Health, and would involve the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

In 2009, a very grassroot-oriented “Gatekeeper Programme” was launched to train individuals in communities to be aware of signs of suicide risk and to make interventions with the aim of directing the identified persons to professionals. He also mentioned that the University of Guyana had introduced a three-year Master’s Programme in Mental Health, to produce specialists for treating mental illness, of which suicide is deemed a subset. Since then, there have been other interventions, but the suicide rate rose inexorably to the 2012 high from which it has not budged significantly.

In 2012, the WHO had issued a desiderata as to what ought to be done by the authorities which bears repetition: “We need to (1) continue to research suicide and non-fatal suicidal behaviour, addressing both risk and protective factors; (2) develop and implement awareness campaigns, with the aim of increasing awareness of suicidal behaviours in the community, incorporating evidence on both risk and protective factors; (3) target our efforts not only to reduce risk factors, but also to strengthen protective factors, especially in childhood and adolescence; (4) train healthcare professionals to better understand evidence-based risk and protective factors associated with suicidal behaviour; (5) combine primary, secondary and tertiary prevention; (6) increase use of and adherence to treatments shown to be effective in treating diverse conditions, and to prioritise research into effectiveness of treatments aimed at reducing self-harm and suicide risk; (7) increase the availability of mental health resources and to reduce barriers to accessing care; (8) disseminate research evidence about suicide prevention to policymakers at international, national and local levels; (9) reduce stigma and promote mental health literacy among the general population and health-care professionals; (10) reach people who don’t seek help and hence don’t receive treatment when they are in need of it; (11) ensure sustained funding for suicide research and prevention; (12) influence Governments to develop suicide prevention strategies for all countries and to support the implementation of those strategies that have been demonstrated to save lives.”

While we are battling the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have stretched our human and material resources, we cannot afford to let up on the fight against suicide. If for nothing else than the fact that the pandemic has forced the populace into isolation, which can induce depression in general, but can prove fatal to suicide-prone individuals. This year’s theme is “Creating Hope Through Action” and we must act.

President Dr Irfaan Ali chats with a youngster in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu−Upper Essequibo) on Saturday where he went to attend the Regional Toshaos Meeting (Office of the President photo)

Beyond Kabul, a humanitarian crisis is developing in Afghanistan

By Astrid Sletten

I

t felt surreal to be flying into Kabul international airport rather than out, crossing paths with families who were trying to flee. For three days I sat stranded in a field hospital in the airport grounds, the crowds and chaos blocking any route into the city, the popping of guns blocking any notion of sleep.

I had returned to Afghanistan to head up the Norwegian Refugee Council’s aid operation, through which we have been providing assistance such as education, food and shelter since 2003. Speaking with many of my colleagues, it is clear Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis stretches far beyond the perimeter of Kabul airport.

A perfect storm of conflict, drought and Covid has gripped the country.

More than half a million people have been forced to flee conflict since the start of the year. Another 5,000 civilians have been killed in escalated fighting since January. Millions have lost livelihoods due to the fighting and an economy in freefall; many have taken on huge levels of debt to pay for food and rent. The World Bank warns the poverty rate could rise to more than 70%.

On top of this, Afghanistan is experienc-

ing a devastating drought.

Nearly one third of the population face emergency levels of hunger and this is expected to increase in the months ahead. Exhausted families tell us they have sold their farmlands and moved to displacement camps just to survive.

Covid has compounded the situation. The country has already gone through three substantial waves of the pandemic. With only 5% of the population vaccinated, the World Health Organization fears that a new spike among displaced communities could spread quickly across cities. This would put further strain on a health system already struggling to cope with emergency cases caused by the conflict.

Afghan civilians depend on relief organisations to stay and deliver life-saving support. But for aid agencies to mount a large-scale humanitarian response to this crisis, we need to see action in three areas.

First, all armed groups must exercise utmost restraint to protect the lives of civilians. Last week’s airport attack was a clear signal that the conflict is not over. All parties have an obligation to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

The violence targeting them must end. Hospitals and schools must remain safe places.

Second, humanitarians require unimpeded access to all communities in need across Afghanistan. This means that when we restart our education programmes, both boys and girls must be able to participate. And it means that our staff, male and female, must be able to move around freely to provide assistance.

Speaking with the Taliban is essential to making this happen. Neutrally engaging with conflict parties is standard practice for aid agencies working with communities in territories controlled by armed groups.

In Somalia we speak with Al-Shabaab. In Afghanistan, we have had contact with Taliban officials for years and have been able to work in non-government-controlled areas of the country as a result.

Our teams have already had a “knock on the door” by the Taliban in many of the provinces where we operate. In all instances, we have been asked to continue our work. These assurances need to translate to unhindered access on the ground in the coming weeks and months.

Finally, donor nations need to step up and fund humanitarian operations.

More than 18 million people – half the population – rely on aid, and the number is growing. Despite this, Afghanistan’s aid appeal for

2021 is only 40% funded, eight months into the year.

Nato countries that spent trillions of dollars on their discontinued military and political projects have a moral obligation to dig deep, and provide fast and flexible funding to the aid organisations helping the displaced people they left behind.

We are hoping to restart work over the coming weeks. This is a tough ask, especially of our dedicated Afghan colleagues who are under tremendous stress and feel uncertain about their safety and future. National staff make up the bulk of the country’s aid community and are essential for a successful humanitarian response.

The commitment to those who are willing and able to continue supporting their fellow Afghans is commendable. We also plan to get more international staff back into the country as soon as the security situation allows.

The Taliban’s rapid return to power has heavily affected the entire population.

As the dust settles on Kabul airport, ordinary Afghans throughout the country are facing a more precarious future than ever. They cannot wait any longer for basic humanitarian aid. (Astrid Sletten is the Afghanistan country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council) (The Guardian)

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

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Vaccinating children is routine, widely accepted

Dear Editor, A seemingly interminable battle is being waged, on whether or not vaccination against the COVID-19 is essential. To this debate, I have a few things to say.

This is based on what I observed, at length, for hours, at the MovieTowne tarmac, Sunday, August 29, 2021.

My time there was necessary, as I, along with my wife, had to take my two children for the jab, in order to facilitate their re-attending face-to-face classes at their school (both going to the same private institution). I mean what I saw was nothing short of personal sacrifice, commitment and justifiable concern. Of course, all involved have to be commended, and I heap special kudos on the many volunteers.

In this regard of recognising and honouring the deserted, I pay homage to the Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, and his colleague, Minster of Education Priya Manickchand. I mean leaders are supposed to designate, but these two were on the ground, and had been for hours, and had to stay on for hours, until all was said and done. They kept multi-tasking to such an extent, that a few times, they refreshed themselves with water without “taking a five”.

Dr Anthony’s shirt and Minister Manickchand’s garb looked frazzled. By three in the afternoon, they and their team were fighting fatigue, but there was no evincing of impatience and ill-mannerism from any of the crew, and to top it all, both Ministers exuded a fraternising disposition.

Now that cannot be for political gains, and that is why I penned this missive. I am sure that both of them, like the President, Dr Irfaan Ali, have bigger concerns than mere publicity or personal and party mileage.

By the way, the event was worth live coverage, but sadly, I did not notice any radio nor television crew.

Readers and Guyanese at large, I refer all to a “Save the Children” global survey of children and their families to ascertain the impact of COVID-19 on the access to health, education, livelihoods and protection, and to collect the views of children. It is to date the most complete and exhaustive survey conducted on children and their families since the outbreak of the pandemic. The research was carried out with families participating in “Save the Children” programmes in seven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. So, we can assume, with a modicum of

adjustment, that the survey applies to Guyana. In terms of Education (as I want to zero in on this aspect), the following stark reality was discovered.

Seven out of 10 children considered that they learned little during the pandemic; five out of 10 children required school materials; four out of 10 children indicated that they needed counselling; three out of 10 children mentioned that the teacher checked homework fewer than once a week; three out of 10 children did not know if they will return to school; and four out of 10 adults did not know if their children will go back to school.

In this vein, “Save the Children” started calling on governments, donors, multilateral organisations and all other stakeholders, to work together and take action to ensure that: there be a safe return to school whenever possible, fully funded and with specific measures to ensure that the most vulnerable children can return to school; distance learning programmes be effective, flexible and inclusive, that include quality learning resources, including printed school materials, focusing on reaching the most vulnerable children; during distance learning times, children continue to have at

their disposal essential services related to school, such as school meals, psychosocial support, and referral systems for cases of child protection, with a focus on gender-based violence; education be prioritised when it comes to relaxing or reintroducing restrictions to control the pandemic; and parents and caregivers receive support on learning at home and mental health and psychosocial support, to allow parents and caregivers to increase interaction and play with children.

Overall, it is a herculean task. That is why I want to know what is really wrong with us. At the personal level, I am still baffled regarding why we are having all of this unnecessary fuss, for something that has national and global benefits, and which will soon become inevitable.

Let me remind people that vaccinating children is routine and widely accepted. I list things like measles, mumps, polio, diphtheria, rotavirus, multiple strains of meningitis, whooping cough etc and the list goes on. And mind you, all this starts from just a few weeks old. So why the big resistance about COVID-19?

Specifically, concerning children, in the US, they are already immunising children

between 12 and 15, and the next phase is to go even younger come next year.

It seems as though we are not getting it. People must understand that there is a huge potential benefit to vaccinating children, as it could save other people’s lives. In fact, this is an approach that is already used for flu. In England, children aged from two to around 12, are given the nasal spray, largely to protect their grandparent. So doing the same with COVID vaccines will indeed help contribute to herd immunity, that is, where we reach the point at which the virus struggles to spread, because so many people are protected.

Now here in Guyana, the majority of parents are calling for schools to be reopened, and indeed, the Ministry of Education has rightly restated its intention to reopen schools as soon as it is safe to do so, that is, it must take into account the vaccination of all involved, teachers and students, and that is why we must push on with the vaccination programme for pupils 12 years and over. This is the way forward. I am happy that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States of America has already given full approval for the Pfizer

BioNTech vaccine for children 12 years and over. And even though vaccination of children will not be mandatory, I think that we should really think deep and long.

The benefits that this vaccine will provide to our children cannot be ignored nor denied.

Let me remind those who are against vaccination of the populace and especially the children, that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ensuing lockdowns continue to wreak havoc on learning at home. In another study, the Netherlands now, it was shown that the impact of school closures on students’ learning, clearly demanded that vaccination was and is indeed necessary.

It was found that even there, and with just a short lockdown, equitable school funding, and world-leading rates of broadband access, that despite favourable conditions, the students made little or no progress while learning from home, and learning loss was most pronounced among students from disadvantaged homes.

What this means? We have to inoculate the entire fraternity for both health and educational goodwill.

Yours truly, H Singh

Our leaders must act now, for the sake of our children Dear Editor, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand has said students in the hinterland regions have been most affected by the closure of schools, as they were unable to access the interventions put in place for education delivery.

She made the statement on Wednesday, during the launch of Education Month 2021 at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, under the theme: “Education for all: innovative teaching and learning during a global pandemic.”

The children who are most impacted by school closure are the children from the Amerindian villages and the hinterland communities because the fancy interventions simply cannot reach them because of various infrastructure deficits in the country. These are some of the many issues our PPP/C Government plans to address in its 2021-2025 sectoral strategic plan, As the Minister of Education clearly indicated to all, it will require “humane leadership and an innate desire” to see better for the people of this country.

The COVID-19 pandemic is overwhelming the functioning and outcomes

of education systems— some of which were already stressed in many respects.

This is true across Guyana and affects all children, though to differing degrees depending on multiple factors—including the villages/regions where they live, as well as their ages, family backgrounds, and degree of access to some “substitute” educational opportunities during the pandemic.

The question is “why Opposition leaders and some teachers continue to play politics with our children’s education and health”?

Teachers and other school staff should receive priority access to COVID-19 vaccines. This is not just because they have close contact with many people every day but because vaccinating the schools’ workforce will make it easier to keep more children in school during outbreaks. Every school day, thousands of children head off to schools around the country, where they are taught by more than 1000s of teachers and support staff in various administrative, support, and maintenance roles.

Add to that the parents, carers mingling at the school gates, and it’s

no wonder schools have been a source of anxiety for the Minister of Health and officials grappling with COVID-19 in Guyana.

Closing schools en masse may seem like an obvious call to make when outbreaks flare. But school closures can cause serious harm to children and are likely to be especially harmful for those already disadvantaged, it was clear to many that during extended school closures many children had slipped backwards in their learning. Many children also struggle with their emotional and mental health as routines and social connections were disrupted. We know from bitter experience that some children will permanently disengage from school if closures persist.

One silver lining of the current COVID-19 outbreak will be for the PPP/C Government to strengthen calls for teachers and other school staff to get priority for COVID-19 vaccines.

The Government must take a decision to make teachers across this country eligible for the vaccine, regardless of their age, which will be a welcoming first step.

However, we need parents to collaborate with the

Government of Guyana and commit to vaccinating all teachers and school staff as soon as possible.

Of course, being vaccinated would reduce the risk of teachers getting seriously ill. But even more importantly, vaccinating all teachers and school staff would help reduce the risk of them transmitting the virus to others at school, including their students. That could help allow a more nuanced approach to school closures in the future.

School closures have a much greater impact on disadvantaged and other vulnerable children. It suggests the learning gap between advantaged and disadvantaged children could grow three times faster when schools are closed.

In fact, disadvantaged children may be hit by a triple whammy. Many disadvantaged children already need more school support to keep on track. These children are also less likely to have reliable IT devices and an internet connection or a quiet place to study at home. On top of this, teachers in schools serving disadvantaged students were four times more likely to report that their school struggled to make the transition

to online learning, As parents, we have all drawn attention to the significant social and emotional consequences of school closures for our children and our families. Without any doubt we have seen the increased risks of children suffering mental health, behavioural, and developmental problems – and worse, an increased risk of children being abused or neglected, no overlooking, increased loneliness, which can damage children’s mental health.

We should not kid ourselves: some of these harms may cast a long shadow over the future of our children.

“Schools are an essential service”. While closing schools may sometimes be unavoidable to get control of an outbreak, schools

should only be closed as a last resort. Even then, more nuanced approaches may be possible, such as more limited school closures based on geographic area, permitting special schools to remain open and some primary and secondary year levels at mainstream schools to continue face-to-face teaching while others learn from home.

Vaccinating teachers and school staff would give our Government greater confidence to consider these options during future outbreaks. And when the science shows that it is safe to do so, vaccinating children should be prioritised too.

Our leaders must act now, for the sake of our children.

Sincerely, David Adams

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

Page

Foundation

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—

A

Write Your Own “Beetle” Cinquain Poem

cinquain is a five-line poem, often inspired by nature: Line 1: One word title, a noun that identifies your subject. Line 2: Two adjectives that describe your subject.

Line 3: Three action “ing” verbs that describe something your subject does.

Line 4: A phrase that describes something about your subject.

Line 5: A noun that is a synonym or another way to name your subject.

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)

WORD SEARCH

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Hess to use US$150M sale to bankroll concessions offshore Guyana …including holdings in Stabroek, Kaieteur Blocks

A

merican oil and gas company Hess Corporation, which has stakes in the Stabroek and Kaieteur Blocks, is planning to use the US$150 million it garnered from the recent sale of its Denmark subsidiary to bankroll its concessions offshore Guyana.

In a recent statement, Hess announced that it has completed the sale of Hess Denmark ApS to Ineos Exploration and Production AS for US$150 million.

Hess Denmark ApS holds a 61.5 per cent interest in the South Arne Field in the North Sea. The statement also included quotes from the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Hess.

According to Hess, the proceeds from the sale will go towards funding its oil exploration programme offshore Guyana.

“The sale of

Oil blocks offshore Guyana, inclusive of the Kaieteur and Stabroek Blocks

our Denmark asset enables us to further focus our portfolio and strengthen our cash and liquidity position. Proceeds will be used to fund our world class investment opportunity in

Guyana,” the CEO said.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). Exxon, through subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) is the

Police unearth over 1kg ganja during raid P olice arrested a 25-yearold Charlestown, Georgetown man on Sunday after he was caught with 1236 grams of cannabis.

Reports are that at about 14:30h Police went to Hill and Princes Streets, Georgetown, during an intelligence operation. Police confronted the suspect, who was seen with a bulky black plastic bag in his possession.

During the search, three transparent plastic parcels were found wrapped. Police said that the parcels were opened in the suspect’s presence and found to contain a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The suspect was told of the offence committed, cautioned, arrested and escorted to the Brickdam Police Station where the narcotic was weighed.

He remains in custody pending charges.

The ganja that was found on Sunday

operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Block.

Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

Meanwhile, the Kaieteur Block has EEPGL as the operator of the block with a 35 per cent stake, while Ratio Petroleum Energy owns 25 per cent, Cataleya Energy Limited (CEL) has 20 per cent, and Hess holds a 20 per cent stake in the Kaieteur Block. Westmount Energy owns stakes in Ratio (0.7 per cent) and Cataleya (5.4 per cent).

Hess increased its shares in the Kaieteur Block only a few months ago following a farm down of 5 per cent working in-

terest by Cataleya Energy.

The Houston-based oil company formerly had a working interest of 15 per cent in the Kaieteur Block.

ExxonMobil has said it anticipates at least six projects offshore Guyana will be online by 2027, with developmental drilling recently starting on the second one, the Liza Phase 2 project.

Back in May 2019, EEPGL was granted approval by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to go ahead with its Liza Phase 2 Development offshore Guyana.

The oil company had said that the project will have the capacity to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day. Exxon had also revealed that the Liza Phase 2 development was funded at the cost of some US$6 billion, including a lease capitalisation cost of approximately $1.6 billion, for the Liza Unity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel. For the Phase 2 Development, six drill centres were planned, along with approximately 30 wells – 15 production, nine water injection and six gas injection wells.

The US$9 billion Payara development, the third development, will meanwhile target an estimated resource base of about 600 million oil-equivalent barrels and is considered to be the largest single investment in the history of Guyana.

A fourth project, Yellowtail, has been identified within the block with

Hess Corp CEO John Hess

anticipated start-up in late 2025 pending Government approvals and project sanctioning. This project will develop the Yellowtail and Redtail fields, which are located about 19 miles (30 kilometres) southeast of the Liza developments.

The Prosperity FPSO vessel will be designed to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day, will have associated gas treatment capacity of 400 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day. They further explained that the FPSO will be moored in water depth of about 1900 metres and will be able to store around two million barrels of crude oil.

The construction of Prosperity’s hull started in January 2019. Prosperity will be Guyana’s third FPSO. The Prosperity>>> FPSO is expected to be deployed at ExxonMobil’s Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, as part of the Payara oil field development.

8 NEWS Former APNU/AFC Govt Ministers facing multimillion-dollar lawsuits MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

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everal former APNU/ AFC Government Ministers are facing lawsuits before the Demerara High Court.

Ranging from claims for defamation and malfeasance in public office, the former Ministers are being sued for tens of millions of dollars

by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, who has also filed proceedings against them on behalf of the State, as well as in his personal capacity.

Former Finance Minister Winston Jordan is being sued by the State for more than $300 million over the sale of lands located at Water or Mudlots 1 and 2; Lot F of Mudlot 3 and Lots A, B and D, North Cummingsburg, Georgetown, to BK Marine.

Nandlall contended that the sale of the lands is illegal, unlawful, null, void, repugnant, and contrary to public policy as they were sold at a price below the market value.

“The property was sold at a gross undervalue and way below market value in relation to comparable and competitive facilities of a similar nature, form, and usage which was sold consistent with the market value,” he contended, adding that the management of NICIL, “… acted recklessly and without obtaining a Certificate of Value for the property in order to ascertain the current market value,” Nandlall argued.

As such, the Attorney General is also seeking to repossess the lands.

Former Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, a Jamaican company Nevpro Realisation Limited, and two former officials of the said Ministry are being sued by the State

over three weight-in-motion scales valued at $72 million that were paid for under the APNU/AFC Government, but never delivered.

Nandlall is asking the High Court to order Nevpro Realisation Limited of Haining Road, Kingston, Jamaica, to pay $50 million for loss and damages resulting from a breach of a contract dated December 6, 2016, for the supply and delivery of three Mettler Toldeo weight-in-motion scales.

He is also asking the court to order the company to return $72,450,000 that had been paid for the items as well as liquidated damages of $7,245,000.

Further, Patterson, former Permanent Secretary at the then Public Infrastructure Ministry Balraj Balram and then Engineer/Manager of the Special Projects Units Lawrence Mentis are being sued for $50 million for loss and damage due to negligence, malfeasance in public office, misuse, misapplication, and improper disposal of monies in violation of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act.

Defamation

The Attorney General is also suing former APNU/ AFC Minister Jaipaul Sharma for libel and is seeking more than $25 million in damages over posts made about him via Facebook.

Court documents seen by this publication state that on November 17, 2020, Sharma, a former junior Minister of Public Infrastructure, referred to the PPP/C Government as “hypocritical” for going after coalition officials and others for questionable land deals using the office of the Attorney General.

In the Facebook post, Sharma claimed that Mohabir Nandlall & Associates, a law firm for which Nandlall was the senior and managing partner, was involved in some of these land transactions in which a large plot of land was transferred a few days after David Granger was sworn in as President in 2015.

Nandlall’s lawyers had written to Sharma, informing him that his post was not only libellous, but mali-

Reaching out…

T Former APNU/AFC Government Minister Winston Jordan

Former APNU/AFC Government Minister Jaipaul Sharma

Former APNU/AFC Government Minister Annette Ferguson

Former APNU/AFC Government Minister David Patterson

cious and completely false, and is causing damage to the standing, integrity, and reputation of the law firm and Nandlall’s reputation.

The Attorney General’s counsel had also demanded that Sharma retract the offensive publication and issue an apology immediately to their client and the law firm.

Sharma, however, did not even bother to issue the apology. Instead, Nandlall said, Sharma aggravated the libel by publishing another post reciting a conversation he had with him about the source of the information contained in his statement about the land transfer.

Nandlall submitted that the ordinary meaning of the publications gives the impression that he is dishonest, unprofessional, engaged in corrupt land deals and criminal activity, is violent, that the law firm engages in dishonourable and unlawful activities, and that he has taken steps to intimidate and threaten Sharma.

As a result of the publications, Nandlall deposed that he has suffered public humiliation, ridicule, odium,

and anguish. In relation to the law firm, he added that it has suffered irreparable financial loss and damage resulting from the damage to his and its reputation.

Meanwhile, Former Junior Housing and Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson is being sued for $20 million by the Attorney General, who claims that she defamed his character in statements she made about him on March 22, 2020, in the presence of electoral observers, members of the diplomatic corps, and the media.

According to Nandlall, in the statements, Ferguson accused him of distributing identification cards on election day last year. In its natural and ordinary meaning, Nandlall said the words uttered by Ferguson mean that he has committed electoral fraud - a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment.

Moreover, the Senior Counsel argued that her statements infer that he was actively aiding and abetting persons to commit electoral fraud, that he perverted the electoral process, and is unfit to hold public office. (G1)

…to Africa omorrow, we shall witness the very first official summit between Africa - represented by the African Union (AU)- and CariCom. In case you didn’t know, Africa is divided by the AU into five regions in Africa and a 6th, outside - the African Diaspora. That’s right dear readers, we’re all members of the African Diaspora - whether we’re of African descent or not. Isn’t that fantastic? So one wonders why some make all that fuss that only one set of people will be receiving Reparations. If we’re all part of the same diaspora out of. Africa shouldn’t we all share in whatever comes our way from the old colonialists?

In fact, we already benefitted from being a part of the AU. We were allowed to purchase 150,000 of the African Union’s allocation of 400 million doses of J&J’s COVID 19 vaccine to the tune of 1.5 million doses. So, what should we be looking forward to on Tuesday? Well, when Mia Mottley was CariCom Chair in her 2020 New Year Message she’d announced that an office-space was already donated in Nairobi, Kenya for CariCom. She’d even installed a plaque in acknowledgement when she visited in 2019. Informing the region about the Summit, Mia said we’re: “claiming our Atlantic destiny as a region as we reach out to our brothers and sisters on the African continent.”

A Caricom release informed us that “Expected outcomes could include greater economic trade and investment opportunities between Africa and the Caribbean; and solidarity in actions to address global challenges including climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.” Lots of folks here might still have the image of a famine-stricken African continent that’s been foisted and fostered by the western powers and their media. But in truth, while Africa has problems - and where in the world there aren’t problems?

- they’re poised to become the engine of growth for the world - with some of the fastest growing economies in the next few decades. Not so coincidentally Africa will also have about the same population as China.

Greater interaction with Africa might also open up the eyes of some of our rabble rousers here when they get a more granular look at the ethnic realities - there it’s called “tribal” - of even the most well-endowed countries of Africa. Several of them - including the Conference’s host Kenya - have tried many of their suggested “innovations” like coalitions, shared governance, electoral tinkering, etc…but they’re still back working with multi-party parliamentary democracy. Like us in Guyana.

As arch-imperialist Churchill said, “democracy might be the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

Like for example Burnham’s Burnham’s Cooperative Republic!! …for development models With America seeming to falter - and not just after the Afghan debacle, but as far back as the economic meltdown in 2008 - many pundits are looking at other development models than the one championed by the US. The neoliberal US model, was dubbed the “Washington Consensus” back in the 80’s when it was unleashed by the IMF in Latin America to “save” a lot of bankrupt economies - including Desmond Hoyte’s PNC in 1989.

So we should know the US model like the back of our hand: limited (a night-watchman) state, privatization of government corporations, financial liberalization (easy money flows) and stabilization monetary policies to contain inflation. But it hasn’t worked here, has it? The million-dollar question is whether that was due to inherent contradictions of the model - or because of our toxic politics.

There’s also the Far Eastern “Flying Geese” model led

by Japan with state-fostered-and- led entrepreneurship development.

And now China, with their authoritarian communist undemocratic government running a capitalist economy!! …and compare Some may ask, “What about India?” Well, the jury is still out. What exactly is their model?? Muddling through?

At least China has brought 800 million out of extreme poverty!!

Match that and then we may talk!!

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

NEWS

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Murdered Berbice pandit laid to rest

The funeral service of murdered pandit Rishi Bharat

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griculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha was among those in attendance at the funeral of Rishi Bharat, the pandit who was beaten to death two Sundays ago by a group of drunken men at his at Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice home. On behalf of the Government, he extended condolences to the family of Bharat.

Also present at Saturday’s funeral were Regional Vice Chairman of Region Six (East Berbice-

Corentyne) Zamal Hussain; Commander of Region Six, Superintendent of Police Jairam Ramlakhan, and his Deputy Superintendant Sawh. Last Friday, six men were remanded to prison for the pandit’s murder.

They are Gregory Tejpertab, Razan Ally, Anil Angershalam, Javed Ghanie, Devendra Khemraj, and Vidaiand Khemraj. They were not required to plead to an indictable charge for the capital offence of murder when they appeared be-

Dead: Rishi Bharat

Teens, motorcyclist injured in Essequibo Coast accident

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everal persons are now injured after a motorcyclist collided with a minibus before swerving into a group of teenage pedestrians on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), Saturday night.

Injured is 22-year-old motorcyclist Dellon Marks of Queenstown, Essequibo Coast. The pedestrians are an 11-year-old and 16-yearold of Section C Block Y, Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara, as well a 14-year-old of Coffee Grove, Essequibo Coast.

Police on Sunday said that the accident occurred sometime around 20:51h on the Danielstown Public Road, Essequibo Coast.

According to Police, minibus BWW 587 owned and driven by a 43-yearold man of Sparta village,

Essequibo Coast, was proceeding south on the eastern drive lane when it is alleged by the bus driver that the motorcyclist, who was proceeding in the same direction, collided with the front right side of the bus.

As a result of the collision, the motorcyclist then collided with the group of young pedestrians and ended up on the western parapet.

The motorcyclist and pedestrians were picked up

and rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital where they were all admitted as patients.

The 11-year-old is hospitalised with a fractured right foot while the 16-yearold has a broken hip and the 14-year-old has lacerations about his body. The motorcyclist was admitted with lacerations about his body.

The driver of minibus BWW 587 is in custody assisting with the investigations.

Cop struck to head, robbed by gunmen

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Police Sergeant was robbed by four armed men but not before they gun-butted him to the head.

The incident occurred at about 07:10h on Saturday

on the Vryheid’s Lust Public Road, East Coast Demerara.

Reports are that the officer was walking in a northern direction out of the Vryheid’s Lust Access Road to get transportation when

he was confronted by the four males who came from an unknown direction and were on two motorcycles.

During the confrontation, one of the suspects hit the cop to his head with a gun, while the others robbed him of his cell phone valued at $40,000 and his gold wedding band.

The Police Sergeant went to the Georgetown Public Hospital to get his injuries treated and left after receiving medical attention.

Checks were made for the suspects but were unsuccessful. An investigation has been launched.

fore Senior Magistrate Alex Moore at the Number 51 Magistrate’s Court.

They will make another court appearance on October 14.

It was reported that the 60-year-old pandit was lashed to the head with a piece of wood and with beer bottles. His 11-yearold son was also injured

during the ordeal. Police Headquarters had said that on the day in question, a group of eight men were imbibing and using foul language in front of Bharat’s property.

At around 02:15h, Bharat went out to the men with a piece of wood and told them to remove from the area. However, the men

became annoyed, armed themselves, and began hitting the religious leader about his body, causing him to collapse on the street.

Bharat was picked up by his relatives in an unconscious state and rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. (G1)

10 NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Speeding bus collides with truck on LindenSoesdyke Highway

The damaged minibus and truck that were involved in the accident

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he driver of a Route 32 minibus which was reportedly speeding on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, is now hospitalised after crashing into a truck in the wee hours of Sunday.

Injured is 31-year-old Michael Daniels of Loo Creek, Soesdyke Highway.

Reports are that the accident occurred sometime around 03:45h in the vicinity of the Madewini Public Road, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

Police on Sunday said that motor lorry GRR 6993 was proceeding south along the eastern carriageway of the Madewini Public Road while minibus BZZ 6091 was proceeding north on the western side of the same road at a fast rate of speed when the driver lost control of the bus and ended up in the path of the motor lorry.

It is alleged that the driver of the motor lorry swerved east in an attempt to avoid a collision but still collided with the front portion of the minibus.

As a result of the collision, both vehicles received damages and the bus driver sustaining injuries. Daniels was picked up by public-spirited citizens in a conscious condition and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

He was seen and examined by a doctor on duty, who admitted him as a patient.

Meanwhile, the lorry driver, a 35-year-old resident of Greenfield, East Coast Demerara, is in custody assisting with the investigation as it continues.

269 consumer complaints valued $119M received in 1st half of 2021

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h e Competition a n d Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) received 269 complaints from consumers for the first half of 2021, according to newly released data.

The sale of defective goods accounts for 50 per cent of the complaints received by the agency.

B e t w e e n January and June 2021, the CCAC received 269 complaints valued at $119,942,369 from consumers. 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, com-

plaints were received across 19 categories, the leads 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 will be reinspected.

The CCAC was established under the Consumer Affairs Act of 2011.

Its functions include investigating complaints by agencies and consumers and determining if there has been a contravention of the Competition and FairTrading Act of 2006 and the CAA; to take prescribed actions should there be a contravention of the law and 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 as it relates 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.

(G1)

Police, citizens “can work together as one” – Hicken tells Kaneville residents

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n Saturday, Deputy Commissioner of Police “Operation” (ag), Clifton Hicken led an outreach at Harpy Eagle Drive, Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, where he said that the Police and citizens “can work together as one.”

The visit which was co-ordinated by Regional Commander 4 B, Senior Superintendent M Sewnarine, saw 200 hampers being distributed to residents and served as a forum for residents to voice their concerns.

Senior Manager of Food For The Poor (Guyana), Jameer Davis,

and Councillor of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council Chattergoon Jadoopat shared the Commander’s sentiments while adding that co-operation remains critical to the continued and successful work of the Police and the community.

“From today onwards, Police and residents of Harpy Eagle Drive will have no conflict,” Sewnarine declared. Meanwhile, Hicken told the gathering that the Police Force will make adjustments to create partnerships with the corporate sector and members of the public to foster safer communities.

Deputy Commissioner of Police “Operation” (ag), Clifton Hicken with residents of Harpy Eagle Drive, Kaneville, EBD

He informed the residents that President Irfaan Ali will be handing over new resources to the Guyana Police Force which will add to its ability to effectively serve the citizenry.

Highlighting the importance of outreach programmes, Hicken said, “you are our eyes and ears,

we are no longer relatives, we are sisters and brothers.” According to Hicken, this is the “dawn of a new era where the Police and the citizens we swore to protect, and serve, can work together as one.”

"COVID is real, youths are the future of tomorrow.

Ensure you are vaccinated so you can live to enjoy

the benefit of this development that is currently underway in our country,” he said while urging the residents to adhere to the safety measures in place to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

Hicken commended the donor for their timely contribution and thanked them for their longstand-

ing commitments with the Police Force in service to the people of Guyana.

Also present at the outreach were Second-inCommand, Superintendent Roberts; Assistant Superintendent Griffith who is in charge of the #1 Sub-Division, and other ranks of Regional Division 4 B. (G1)

NEWS

11

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

OECS leaders advised constitutions support mandatory vaccination laws

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eaders of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) have been told that there is “ample provision” in their constitutions to support mandatory vaccination laws as the sub-region continues the battle to curb the spread of COVID-19 that has infected hundreds of their citizens and killed a significant number of others since March last year.

In addition, the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts-Nevis and Montserrat, have been informed that there are corresponding jurisprudence and medical data to support the position of mandatory vaccination.

The position to the OECS governments has been outlined in a 16-page confidential brief, titled “The Legal Dimensions of Mandatory/Compulsory Requirements for COVID-10 Vaccinations, August 2021” undertaken by two prominent Caribbean-born internationally respected jurists.

The issue of mandatory vaccination has surfaced not only in the OECS countries but also in the wider Caribbean Community (Caricom) grouping where governments have been urging their nationals to be vaccinated as part of the ef-

forts to curb the spread of the virus that has led to closure of borders, a crippling of economies and stringent policies such as curfews and states of emergencies (SOE).

The document submitted to the OECS leaders, a copy of which has been obtained by the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), notes that the sub-regional countries would be on firm legal grounds in pursuing mandatory vaccination laws even in the face

of counter-arguments alleging violations of rights.

“Having demonstrated …that mandatory vaccination is constitutionally appropriate given the leeway granted in favour of public health imperatives, it is submitted that employers could justify a requirement in a pandemic context, at minimum where the workplace is a high-risk environment, such as healthcare, or essential services, or for workers more at risk at the workplace, such as

frontline workers interacting with the public.

“It is unlikely that employers would be held to a higher standard than a constitutional standard.

This is reasonable both to protect other employees, the interacting public and even the employee himself or herself,” according to the document.

It notes that increasingly, the enduring state of the pandemic and the science is pointing to even more liberal rationales for compelling

Govt actively rehabilitating hinterland roads after rainfall season – Sukhai

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overnment is actively rehabilitating roads and trails within the hinterland that were damaged by the previous rainfall season, and plans have been activated to facilitate new networks within the regions.

Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai told media operatives in a recent interview that several areas were affected during the last wet season in the month of May and June. As such, works have started to restore this infrastructure.

“Over the recent flooding when we had heavy rainfall, many of the roads were damaged and people couldn’t pass. Currently, they have completed upgrading the Mahdia Road. They’re still working on it but one of the major bottlenecks is the hills which is posing a great danger and difficulty for travellers.”

She added, “The two contractors have been mobilised to upgrade those roads and they have done some work on it. Heading to those areas are a bit easier. As the rain continue to damage roads, I can assure that there will be challenges but our Government is working to ensure that those challenges are addressed as we are faced with them.”

Between Tuseneng to Monkey Mountain, she highlighted that a $100 million project is underway to provide a better linkage for residents.

“Right now, all those roads are being maintained. I just returned and it

is really an upgrade. Villages have been able to work. They have received payments for their work. They have received 50 per cent of the payments for the work that has been done and upon completion, they will receive another 50 million, which is taking them to $100 million,” Sukhai noted.

Government has set aside $2 billion for such projects and a major one is the connectivity between the South Pakaraimas to the North Pakaraimas.

The Linden to Lethem trail is also included.

But even with proper infrastructure, the Minister said villages have been supported with 112 tractors through the Ministry to support sustainable economic trade. As it is, the COVID-19 pandemic would have negatively impacted livelihoods for over a year.

“These tractors are going to the villages all across the hinterland. It will support agriculture, forestry, transportation and we expect that it will stimulate much more economic activities.

Those areas have been impacted negatively and now we’ll be able to provide an important piece of machinery.

We are very confident that those villages will benefit in terms of food security, stable livelihoods and sustainable economic activities.”

Among the developmental projects in the pipeline for Indigenous villages is also the establishment of ICU hubs, currently being done to the tune of US$17 million. This is expected to rev-

Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai

olutionise communication and connectivity in hinterland communities.

“They are currently doing a lot of assessments with respect to the internet hubs. A few communities have already been up and running. We have 200 communities that are expected to have internet connectivity with greater level of bandwidth and stronger connectivity so that we will be able to support the online students…The hinterland residents who are producing crops will be able to use the internet to contact people who are interested in buying from them and also for advertisement,” she added. (G12)

vaccines at the workplace.

“Ultimately, all actions toward compulsory vaccination must be grounded in a firm belief that they are being done in the interest and sustainability of the economy and enterprise, in the public interest, the interests of ALL workers and as a last resort, necessity.

Those core principles will be what justifies actions as being reasonable and proportionate as required, and what will ultimately persuade a court.”

The two prominent jurists also argue that medical ethics support mandatory vaccination, noting that the legal position mirrors the position emanating from medical ethics, as enshrined in the Nuffield Report, which is relied upon by the World Medical Health Organisation (WHO) that “Mandatory vaccination “can be ethically justified if the threat to public health is grave, the confidence in safety and effectiveness is high, the expected utility of mandatory vaccination is greater than the alternatives, and the penalties or costs for noncompliance are proportionate...”

The authors of the report say their paper is intended to provide legal support for the policy direction of OECS governments and that by choice “it avoids excessive legal jargon and a preponderance of case-

law, as one would generally find in a legal brief, although the principles and positions outlined are informed by comprehensive research.

“Rather, the paper attempts to provide a clear and concise narrative upon which decisions may be based,” they said, adding that “it is emphasised that mandatory COVID-19 vaccination, like so many other subject-areas emerging because of the pandemic, brings forth some grey areas for law, especially Labour Law” The report notes that the issue is, of course, untested in the region despite the fact that some employers and to some extent, universities, like the University of the West Indies (UWI) have already begun mandating vaccination as a policy.

The question of who pays for quarantine leave, for example is a brand new labour law issue, the authors wrote, adding “we can extrapolate from existing jurisprudence in analogous situations – HIV pandemic etc – but in some instances we will have to wait and see what the courts decide if challenged.”.

But they agree, notwithstanding and perhaps ironically, considering the wide debates, the vaccine issue is one of the clearer legal issues, in terms of existing legal norms. (CMC)

12 NEWS GuySuCo to adopt new technologies to attract younger work force MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GuySuCo CEO Sasenarine Singh

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s the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) undergoes transformation to return to its “glory days”, the company is looking at new ways to attract the younger generation amidst concerns of attrition.

This is according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sasenarine Singh.

During a recent event at its La Bonne Intention (LBI) Headquarters, the GuySuCo CEO disclosed that there are approximately 7514 employees at the eight main locations across the country. And while he lauded employees at various levels for working aggressively to get GuySuCo going, Singh sounded a warning of some

staff not returning to work.

He pointed out that after losing a significant portion of the workforce including its young generation at the hands of the previous A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) Administration when it closed four estates across the country and sent thousands of sugar workers on the breadline, it is now becoming increasingly difficult to attract youths back into the sugar industry.

“We have a real challenge because attrition is real in the estates,” Singh posited.

The GuySuCo Head went on to outline that it was discovered that “...half of a percentage of the workforce in the fields are not coming back, which means that in about 10 years’ time about five per cent of the workforce on the field are going to disappear and this is something that we are looking at seriously.”

According to Singh, the younger generation is not interested in field work but more captivated by technology. Against this backdrop, the GuySuCo CEO disclosed that they are looking at various means of attracting the younger generation into the sugar industry.

“Generation X wants to do drones and high-tech utilisation of technology in agriculture and I want to announce that [Zulfikar Mustapha, Agriculture] Minister approved and took it to Parliament, the approval of some drones. We are now working with the GDF (Guyana Defence Force) the use of drones. Next year, we’re going to use it to apply agro-chemicals in the no-fly zones areas so we can attract back more younger people into the industry,” he stated.

The previous coalition Government had shut the Wales, Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates – leaving only

the Uitvlugt, Blairmont and Albion Estates in operation. However, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic during the 2020 elections campaign trail had promised to reverse these closures, with the exception of Wales, and reemploy majority of the seven thousand-plus sugar workers who were dismissed by the APNU/AFC. In fact, within its first six months of taking office, the PPP/C Government rehired some 1000 fired sugar workers. Meanwhile, in fulfilment of its promise to reopen the closed estates and return the sugar industry to a viable state, the Dr Irfaan Ali-led Administration has since injected some $9 billion dollars into GuySuCo – $7 billion from the 2020 Emergency Budget to recapitalise the sugar industry and another $2 billion in the 2021 budget for critical capital works at the sugar corporation.

A further $1.5 billion in

supplementary funding was also approved in the National Assembly back in June for the restructuring of the sugar industry. At the time, Minister Mustapha had told the National Assembly that so far, 40 per cent of the works to restructure GuySuCo had been completed. He also revealed that a plan for the overall sugar sector was being fine-tuned.

N e v e r t h e l e s s , the GuySuCo CEO said last week that while the road ahead is a difficult and long one, he is confident that the sugar industry, which is projected to earn some $10 billion in revenue this year, will return to its once viable state.

In fact, he revealed that already, the Rose Hall Estate has over 400 men and women toiling to rebuild the factory, and they will be reconstructing the fields, good weather permitting.

Singh recalled that upon

assuming the helm of the sugar industry, they met three “badly wounded grinding” estates at Uitvlugt, Albion and Blairmont that were “starved for investments”. Since then, over $2 billion in parts were bought for these three estates in under seven months.

“The sugar industry was literally left abandoned when the new team under the leadership of Minister Zulfikar Mustapha arrived. But we didn’t shudder, we persevered under the leadership of Minister Zulfikar. We set about cleaning up, we built a strategic plan, we invested in the fields and factories and the sugar industry is on its way…,” he stated.

According to Singh, GuySuCo has transformed tremendously during the 12 months the PPP/C has been in office.

He outlined that all three grinding estates have been partially refurbished and workers are doing their best to feed the factory.

In fact, he disclosed that GuySuCo has been producing sugar since July 17, 2021, starting at Blairmont in spite of the May-June floods. He added that Albion has been producing sugar for two straight weeks despite being under water for 60-plus days.

The GuySuCo CEO said that they have been persevering with a “Yes We Can” attitude and the results is already showing. (G12)

Gunmen push driver out of car, hijack taxi

T

wo gunmen on Sunday afternoon pushed a taxi driver out of his car and escaped with the vehicle after posing as passengers.

Reports are that at about 13:15h on Sunday, a 28-yearold taxi driver who works at the University of Guyana Road was hired by one of the suspects who requested to be taken to Kaikan Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Police said that when they reached the destination, the other suspect approached the car, pulled out a handgun from his pants waist and pointed it at the driver while demanding that he exit the motor car.

However, the driver refused and the suspect, who was in

the passenger seat, pushed the victim out of the silver Allion motor car, PPP 4947.

This allowed his accomplice to enter the driver’s seat and they escaped in a southern direction on Kaikan Street, North Ruimveldt, and west

onto Aubrey Barker Road.

The taxi driver told Police that he had 423,000 along with a Samsung J Pro 2 cellular phone valued $30,000 in the vehicle.

An investigation has been launched.

13 Only vaccinated persons can now access public buildings NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…as another COVID death recorded, 215 new cases

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uyana’s COVID-19 death toll has gone up to 641 after another person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) died.

According to the Health Ministry on Sunday, this latest fatality is a 62-yearold male from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) who died on Saturday while receiving care at a medical facility.

With the total number of fatalities from the pandemic in Guyana increasing, the COVID-19 death toll for the month of September has climbed to 16 – nine females and seven males.

Meanwhile, the Ministry’s updated COVID-19 dashboard for Sunday showed that 215 new infections were detected in the last 24 hours from 1948 tests conducted.

The total number of confirmed cases in the country has now increased to 26,510.

But only 2427 of these are currently active cases including 33 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining 2394 persons in isolation, that is, 125 in institutional isolation and the remaining 2269 in home isolation.

There are also three other persons in institutional quarantine.

To date, some 23,543 persons have recovered from the life-threatening disease

Corentyne region, three from Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), two more from Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), and the remaining two cases from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

There were no new cases recorded in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) in the last 24 hours, according to Sunday’s dashboard.

In order to curb the rising number of cases in the country, the Guyana Government launched its COVID-19 vaccination exercise back in February and is aggressively rolling it out across the various regions in order to achieve herd immunity.

According to recent figures, more than 318,000 persons in the adult population in Guyana have received their first dose so far and over 166,000 persons 18 years are now fully vaccinated. In addition, government commenced vaccination of children between the ages of 12 and 17 after receiving 146,250 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines from the United States. To date, nearly 4000 adolescents have been immunised against COVID-19 ahead of school reopening today.

As more persons continue to get vaccinated, authorities are urging the public to continue observing all COVID-19 preventa-

Emergency Measures (No 22), which runs until September 30, 2021, and could be extended further, was gazetted late Saturday to replace the previous measures and outlines the new policies for entering any public building.

The new guidelines – measure No 17 – stipulate that, “...any persons who wishes to enter a public building shall be vaccinated.”

“Where a person is unvaccinated and wishes to enter a public building that person may only enter that building - (a) by appointment, and (b) by presenting a negative molecular biological PCR test result of a test taken within seven days of the appointment,” it continues to state.

Moreover, the negative PCR test requirement, which can only be obtained from laboratories approved by the Health Ministry, also applies to unvaccinated workers of any such public building.

According to this new measure, “public building” refers to any building to which the public has lawful access including both publicly and privately-owned buildings such as institutions of learning.

This new requirement comes in light of pushback by some sections including teachers and healthcare

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD SEPTEMBER 5 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

215

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

125

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

2269 33

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

3

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

13,726

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

12,784

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

26,510

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

23,543

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

318,000

FULLY IMMUNISED

166,000

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

641

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1377

REGION 2

852

REGION 3

3209

REGION 4

12,406

REGION 5

867

REGION 6

2098

REGION 7

1403

REGION 8

405

REGION 9

2252

REGION 10

1641

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.

ficial has indicated that in July, out of 56 patients admitted in the COVID

ICU, 54 were unvaccinated. Similarly, in the month of August, 87 of the 92 ICU

admissions at the COVID hospital were unvaccinated. (G8)

"Human toll was tremendous": Ida's death count rises while 600,000 still lack power

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– 29 more recoveries than the day before.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Guyana last year, some 276,325 persons have been tested and of this, 12,784 males and 13,726 females were found to be positive.

New cases

Of the 215 new cases recorded on Sunday, four are from Region One (BarimaWaini), seven cases from Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), 59 from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), a whopping 122 cases from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), another seven from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), nine cases from the East Berbice-

tive measures, particularly masking in public, social distancing and frequent hand washing and sanitising. The measures also include vaccination requirements to access certain social locations such as restaurants and cinemas as well as some Government services.

COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 21)

In fact, the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 21), which addressed the new policy regarding access to services provided by Government Ministries and agencies, has been replaced to now allow only vaccinated persons to access any public buildings.

The COVID-19

workers against the vaccination requirements imposed

by Government to protect the population.

Health authorities have repeatedly pleaded with persons to get vaccinated since it protects against the worst effects of the deadly virus.

In fact, it was reported that only two of the 640-plus persons who have died from COVID-19 to date were fully vaccinated. Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said that these two vaccinated persons had “severe comorbidities” which led to their deaths.

But he noted that at least 98 per cent of patients that are being admitted at the Ocean View Hospital which houses the COVID-19 ICU are unvaccinated.

One senior medical of-

urricane Ida's death toll continued to rise on Sunday, with many in the U.S. Northeast holding out hope for people missing in the floodwaters, while nearly 600,000 customers in Louisiana still lacked power a week after the storm made landfall.

Ida slammed into Louisiana on Aug. 29 as a powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 miles per hour (240 kph).

The latest death toll there rose to at least 13 people on Sunday.

The storm weakened as it moved north but still unleashed flash flooding on the East Coast that killed at least 50 more people, according to updated numbers on Sunday.

Ida's record-breaking rainfall of 3.1 inches (7.8 cm) per hour on Wednesday, recorded in New York City's Central Park, sent walls of water cascading through businesses, public transportation systems and 1,200 homes, causing more than $50 million in damage, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said.

"The human toll was tremendous," said Hochul, recounting a trip to East

Elmhurst in the New York City borough of Queens to assess the devastation.

"One woman wept in my arms, an 89-year-old woman.

She had nothing left after living in that home for over 40 years," Hochul said.

The governor previously secured an emergency disaster declaration from President Joe Biden and signed paperwork on Sunday to request related federal money to cover the costs of temporary housing as well as rebuilding homes, possibly in less flood-prone locations.

New York had 17 confirmed deaths, four in suburban Westchester County and the rest in New York City, where nearly all the victims were trapped in illegal basement apartments that are among the last remaining af-

fordable options for low-income residents in the area, the governor's spokesperson said.

In New Jersey, there were 27 confirmed storm deaths and four people still missing, said a spokesperson for Governor Phil Murphy.

Among the missing were two college students last seen in Passaic, New Jersey, on Wednesday as Ida's historic deluge was reported to have swept them away in the raging Passaic River.

Round-the-clock operations Twelve boats searched the river on Sunday as part of round-the-clock operations, and rescue teams were anticipating specialized high-resolution sonar to aid their search on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Passaic fire department said. (Reuters)

14 NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

281 graduate skills training in Berbice M

ore young people in Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) are now ready to take advantage of the new jobs that are being made available in Guyana as the country moves towards becoming more industrialised.

Some 281 individuals graduated from several programmes being offered by the Labour Ministry’s Board of Industrial Training (BIT) in the region.

The courses were held under the Ministry’s Youth Empowerment Project.

Some 286 persons started the courses; however, five discontinued before the conclusion.

Of the 281 that completed, 20 successfully completed training in cosmetology, 25 in information technology, of which, 21 were females. Twenty were also successfully trained in cake decoration, 18 as auto electricians and of that number two were females.

Twenty persons were trained in garment construction, 12 in block building, 10 in welding fabrication and 154 as heavy-duty machinery operators, with 20 of them being females.

The age range for all the courses was between 16 years to 46 years old.

Project Coordinator Clarence Shako noted that it was commendable to see so many young people taking up training being offered by the Government since today many youths are unconstructive.

Speaking at the ceremony which was held at Outback Adventure at Gangaram, East Canje,

Graduates with Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir, BIT Chief Executive Officer Richard Maughn and BIT Technical Officer Clarence Shako at the BIT graduation in Region Six

Regional Chairman David Armogan said that Guyana is changing and there is need for many skills which the country currently does not have enough of.

He noted that it is incumbent upon the Board of Industrial Training to embark on a course of action that will be able to satisfy the skills market in Guyana.

“Because we can no longer allow foreigners to come in and take up all these positions and we sit by the wayside crying saying that the Government is doing nothing to stop foreigners from coming in. But the Government will never do anything to stop foreigners from coming in unless we can be able to replace these people with local skills in Guyana,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Labour

Minister Joseph Hamilton noted that while some of the skills acquired might not be able to allow someone to find a job, it can help them to save.

In delivering the feature address, Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir noted that programmes being run by a Board of Industrial Training have had many successful results.

He called on the graduates to set goals and endeavour to achieve them.

Noting that there are enormous opportunities arising from the oil and gas sectors in Guyana, Nadir called on the graduands not to allow their goal-setting to be limited to what they are accustomed to.

“Three years ago, I met a batch of heavy-duty equipment operators; one

of them was Mohammed, they had some difficulty and there was a four-month delay in the programme and then they were able to get them started with practicals. Mohammed was one of the first Guyanese to pass the exam and today he is on Exxon’s ship. He

is a product of the Board of Industrial Training training programme. So, don’t bind yourself to what you are accustomed to do, set your goals and work towards achieving them,” the guest speaker said.

The Board of Industrial Training seeks to provide

competency-based vocational training for employment and the issuance of certificate of competency.

Soon it will be offering young Amerindians a course in outboard engine repairs which will be available in various Indigenous communities. (G4)

Region 5 farmers benefit from Govt’s flood relief grants

Some of the farmers who received flood relief assistance

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ocal Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall was in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) to spearhead the disbursement of flood relief grants to farmers in the Blairmont and Ithaca communities.

Farmers were severely affected by record levels of rainfall, which decimated crops and livestock across the country.

Dharamlall said the Government recognises the struggles farmers were dealing with in the past few months, noting that the last time Guyana expe-

rienced such heavy rainfall was 1981.

He said the Government’s first assessment of the damage caused by the flood found that some 52,000 households were affected.

“The only area that was spared was the East Coast and the East Bank and this was because of the mitigation canal that was constructed many years ago when Dr Jagdeo was President, that is the Hope Canal,” he is quoted by DPI as saying.

The Minister said the Government will be making major investments in

the agriculture sector.

“We are going to do some additional canals that will move water from south to north and into the Berbice River and in some cases the Atlantic Ocean, so that we don’t have this problem that we would have had recently and as we would have had quite a number of times over the past few years.” Over $7 million in flood relief grants were disbursed to cash crop, livestock and rice farmers in the region. In excess of $1 billion will be distributed across the region as part Government’s relief programme.

NEWS

15

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GRPA, PAHO host sexual, reproductive health training for youth

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A section of the training session on advocacy with young people

two-day training session on improved Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) was held on Friday and Saturday by the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) through support from the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Some 20 young persons from Regions One (Barima-Waini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) were trained.

The session was aimed at addressing the need for improved SRH service provision for vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana.

Subsequent training is

A section of the training session on sexual and reproductive health and rights

GRPA Executive Director Arlene Chaturia (right), hands over the care packages to Ministry of Health - Adolescent Health Coordinator Cilandell Glen (left)

scheduled for September 11 & 12 for 10 young persons from Regions Eight (PotaroSiparuni), Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), and 10 (Upper Demerara-

Berbice) in Linden, Region 10.

The training forms part of the WHO CSO COVID-19 project that GRPA is implementing with life-saving

T&T registers 6th confirmed case of Delta variant

T&T Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh

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he Health Ministry of Trinidad has advised the population that the country has confirmed its sixth case of the COVID-19 Delta variant on Sunday.

The announcement came via a news release.

The sixth patient is a national who returned to Trinidad from the United States on August 8, 2021. As per existing quarantine protocols, a negative PCR test was provided (which was taken 72 hours prior to arrival).

As a result of the positive COVID-19 result from a swab taken after arrival, the patient was isolated and all contacts were immediately quarantined and swabbed. The COVID-19 test results for all contacts were negative. The patient will remain in isolation

until the enhanced discharge criteria for persons with COVID-19 Variants of Concern is achieved.

The presence of the Delta variant was confirmed via gene sequencing at the laboratory of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies.

Research has suggested that the Delta variant is more easily spread from person to person, as compared to previous variants (estimated to be two to four times more transmissible than the original Wuhan lineage of the virus). Additionally, evidence indicates that individuals who have contracted this variant may be prone to an increased risk of severe illness and hospitalisation. This variant may also lead to an increase in cases of COVID-19 in younger age groups and in those who have been previously infected.

The Ministry reminds the population of the importance of being vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus as soon as possible.

Additionally, members of the public are reminded to follow the 3Ws – Wear Your Mask, Watch Your Distance and Wash Your Hands.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) approved COVID-19 vaccines are safe, they are effective and they are available in Trinidad and Tobago. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

SRH services and care packages being provided to women, youth, adolescent mothers, and other vulnerable groups.

Additionally, GRPA also presented a final report of a qualitative assessment on access to SRH services by vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana. The purpose of the research was to assess the experiences of youth, women, and other vulnerable groups when accessing HIV, contraceptives, and other SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana.

The findings and recommendations from the survey are expected to be used to lobby the Health Ministry for improved SRH services in Guyana. The final report will be presented by GRPA and a group of trained youth to the Ministry of Health.

It is hoped that the trained

youth, who represent communities from the 10 administrative regions of Guyana, will assist in promoting SRH information and services, including HIV/STI testing and screening, and contraceptives.

GRPA cares

Through PAHO/WHO’s COVID-19 response initiative titled “Strengthening Civil Society Engagement in the COVID-19 Response”, GRPA has donated 100 care packages to the Health Ministry’s Adolescent Health Unit which will be provided to adolescent mothers at community health centres across Guyana.

The packages include personal protective equipment, feminine hygiene products, and baby supplies.

Under the initiative, GRPA is delivering more than 300 free life-saving services, including HIV test-

ing, STI screening, contraceptive implants, and Intra Uterine Devices (IUDs) to youth and women during the COVID-19 pandemic, to improve their health, rights, and well-being.

The COVID-19 response initiative by PAHO/ WHO builds on the existing collaboration between civil society organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), UN agencies and other partners in providing direct funding to CSOs and community groups to implement COVID-19 related prevention and control measures, and to establish platforms for regular CSOs’ engagement at the national, regional, and global levels.

For more than 45 years, GRPA has been the leading defender and provider of sexual and reproductive health services and information in Guyana.

16 NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

5 men shot dead in Popular New Jersey street to central Trinidad be renamed for Jamaica today

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ive men were murdered on Friday night in two shootings in central Trinidad.

According to police reports, the first shooting occurred at about 6.50 pm in Kelly Village, Caroni.

The victims were Reuben Ramsahoy, 21, of River Branch Road, Mason "Birdman" Maynard, 30, of Margaret Cipriani Road, and Ricardo Samuel, also of River Branch Road. His age was not given.

Police said they received a call of a shooting at Margaret Cipriani Road.

On arrival, they were told that a blue car entered the

street, and its occupants opened fire on the three men who were at the time repairing a car.

Ramsahoy and Maynard died at the scene while Samuel was taken for treatment at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope where he died.

Two hours later, police were called to another shooting, this time in Chaguanas.

That incident claimed the lives of Surendra Ragoobar, 36, and his nephew Jamal Absalom, 21.

Both men were self-employed and lived at Enterprise Street, Enterprise.

Police said that at about 8.16 pm, they responded to a call of a shooting at Enterprise Street. When they arrived, they were told that some 15 minutes earlier, the men were near Absalom's home, preparing of the opening of a new parlour when two men in orange jumpsuits walked up and shot them. The victims ran in separate directions and collapsed.

They were taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility where they were declared dead. The killers escaped in a waiting vehicle. No motive was given for any of the murders. (T&T Newsday)

10-year-old superhero

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day by the pool could have ended in tragedy if not for the quick thinking of 10-yearold Parissa Samuels that saved the day and saved a life.

Last Sunday, August 29, little Parissa put her swim training to use to rescue her three-year-old cousin Nicholea Thompson from drowning after she slipped and fell into the deep end of the pool at home.

Parissa's mother, Nekeisha Jacobs-Samuels, told the Jamaica Observer that Nicholea and fouryear-old Pierce-Neyo Samuels had wandered off to the pool side playing when misfortune struck.

Jacobs-Samuels said the cameras at home showed Nicholea falling into the pool backwards and was struggling under water for a while until she stopped moving, looking lifeless for about 11 seconds.

It was then that PierceNeyo yelled to his aunt and within seconds Parissa sprinted and dived to the bottom of the pool bringing Nicholea up for air.

Though shell-shocked, Nicholea's grandmother, Mavis Samuels, rushed with her to the gate and screamed for help.

“The neighbours rushed out as if they were family. The neighbour, Renee Facey, started to perform CPR and Mr Rohan English, who was a couple houses down the street, heard the cry for help and came with his vehicle without hesitation and rushed off with Renee and the baby to the hospital,” JacobsSamuels related.

She said on the way to the hospital Nicholea vomited the excess water and started to breathe again

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section of a popular street in the New Jersey city of Patterson, United States, is to be renamed Jamaica Way at a ceremony planned for today as part of celebrations to mark the American Labour Day weekend.

“The renaming of a section of Vreeland Avenue is a recognition of the role Jamaicans have played in the development of the city over many years,” said Owen Eccles, president of the Passaic County chapter of the Jamaica Organisation of New Jersey which has been providing much-needed help for Jamaicans in Patterson, as well as in the island.

Eccles said the Patterson City Council approved the name change of the street in a vote earlier this year.

With an estimated population of 25,000, Jamaicans have been making a name for themselves while contributing positively to the

development of Patterson, many of them serving in various capacities in city government.

They include the current city clerk, Sonia Gordon and her deputy Jacqueline Brown-Murray; former council president, Errol Kerr; and Bill McKoy, who

was on the city's Board of Education for four years.

Eccles said that several of the businesses on the strip of street to be renamed are owned and operated by Jamaicans whose arrival in Patterson began mainly in the 1970s. (Jamaica Observer)

1st responders rescue man trapped after he falls 30 feet down Queens storm drain

A Nicholea Thompson is held by her grandmother Mavis Samuels.

With them are Nicholea's mom Candice White (right) and hero cousin who saved Nicholea from drowning, Parissa Samuels

from the continuous CPR administered by Facey.

Little Nicholea was assisted by the healthcare workers at Cornwall Regional Hospital who gave her oxygen and ran some tests to make sure her lungs were cleared. She was discharged the following day and is doing well.

Parissa's amazing rescue has been likened to that performed by a superhero in the movies and she is now being hailed as a lifesaver, in addition to swimmer, social butterfly, and peacemaker.

It was also revealed that this is the second time she has saved a child from drowning. The first rescue occurred last year at Wespow Park during her swim training.

Parissa, who wants to become a TV host and a swim coach, told the Sunday Observer she was proud she was able to act

so swiftly and was extremely happy that her cousin regained consciousness.

For Jacobs-Samuels, there are important lessons to be learned from the experience.

“Teach your kids to be as fearless, confident, and courageous like Parissa,” she said. “Teach your kids how to swim so that they can not only save their own life, but also save the lives of others.

Do not let kids out of your sight for any extended period of time. Children will wander off and if you don't hear them for a few seconds, just like in this video, go off and see what they are getting themselves into.

This could have been tragic if no one was watching them. Most importantly, be good neighbours so that when there is an emergency they won't hesitate to assist you; this also helps to build successful communities.”

(Jamaica Observer)

man plunged 30 feet down a storm drain in Queens on day and was trapped for hours with a broken ankle — until a highly skilled team of NYPD and FDNY first responders hoisted him to safety, officials said.

The 47-year-old victim was climbing a ladder leading into the water shaft in a wooded area of the Whitestone Expressway when he slipped and fell Sunday morning, officials said.

The victim, stuck at the bottom in a running stream near the Whitestone Bridge, called his brother, who searched for an hour to find the hidden shaft.

“You would never find this place. It was in the middle of nowhere, an old water shaft with a stream running down the bottom of it,” said FDNY Special Operations Chief Patrick Ginty. “Just an open shaft.”

Firefighters used chain saws to chop down trees and gain access to the area, while a member of the NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit climbed down the hole and kept the victim company.

After the area was cleared of trees, first responders were able to drive a fire truck off the Whitestone Expressway to the shaft. Firefighter Kris Kabashi descended and harnessed the man up around

8:45 a.m. “It took us a while to find the incident, but we found he was conscious. We were able to talk to him,” said Ginty. “We lowered down, patched him up.”

FDNY Squads 61 and 288 worked with Rescue 3 and Rescue 4 and the NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit to hoist the victim out of the hole using a ladder tower on the fire truck. “This is stuff we train on and it’s a rare occasion we get to use,” said Ginty. “It was a smooth operation.”

EMS took the victim to an area hospital.

The victim’s clothes were strewn around the hole, where he apparently was hanging out before falling.

His brother told first responders the victim has a history of mental illness, sources said. (NY Daily News) Caption: Firefighters rescued a man out of a 25ft drainage shaft in Queens after he fell in and broke his ankle, officials said (Obtained by Daily News)

NEWS

17

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

3 people fatally overdose Florida gunman kills 4 including baby, wounds 11-year-old girl inside Queens home, medics revive 4th victim A

T

hree people fatally overdosed inside a Queens home — but medics managed save the life of a fourth victim, police said Sunday.

Medics responding to a call for an unconscious person found two men and a woman dead inside the two-story brick home on 106th Road near 180th St. in Jamaica about 11:15 p.m. on Saturday.

A 59-year-old man, a 56-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman all died at the scene from fatal overdoses, authorities said. Their names were not immediately released.

A 58-year-old woman found unconscious in the home survived after first responders administered two doses of naloxone, a drug that reverses overdoses, police said. Medics took her to Jamaica Hospital in stable condition.

The harrowing incident comes after New York City saw an increase in deadly drug use during 2020. Overdoses increased 36% during the first three quarters of 2020, the latest data the city has available.

On Friday, police found a dead woman in her 40s

FDNY members discovered Three people fatally overdosed inside this Queens home

surrounded by drug paraphernalia in Highbridge Park near Edgecombe Ave. and W. 157th St., near Coogan’s Bluff. The park is a known safe haven for drug users.

The surge in overdose deaths is attributed to isolated drug use during the coronavirus pandemic and a devastating flood of fentanyl.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid poisoning U.S. drug supplies, contributed to the deaths of hip-hop artist Mac Miller and comedian, Fuquan Johnson.

“The disruption to dai-

ly life due to the COVID-19 pandemic has hit those with substance use disorder hard,” said former federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, after the organization released data pointing to a nationwide uptick in overdoses during the pandemic.

“As we continue the fight to end this pandemic, it’s important to not lose sight of different groups being affected in other ways. We need to take care of people suffering from unintended consequences.” (NY Daily News)

self-described survivalist in body armor shot and killed four people, including a woman and her 3-monthold baby boy in her arms, before surrendering to police in central Florida on Sunday, officials said.

The shooter, identified as Bryan Riley, 33, a former U.S. Marine, also wounded an 11-year-old girl who underwent surgery for seven gunshot injuries, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told a news conference.

Riley, who had no connection to the victims, engaged in a shootout with police before giving up, and later tried to grab a police officer’s gun while being treated in the hospital for his own gunshot wound, before being subdued again, Judd said.

A veteran of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Riley was working as a bodyguard and a security guard. His girlfriend of four years told investigators he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and occasional depression, Judd said.

About a week ago his mental health worsened and he told his girlfriend he had started speaking with God, Judd said.

“He said at one point to our detectives, ‘They begged for their lives and I killed them anyway’,” Judd said at a second news conference.

Riley also told sheriff’s deputies he was high on methamphetamine, Judd said.

The shooter first appeared randomly at the house where the shooting occurred on Saturday night, making nonsensical statements, but left by the time police responded.

He returned early Sunday morning, killing a 40-yearold man, the 33-year-old mother and her baby boy, Judd said. In the home next door, he also killed the 62-year-old mother of the woman, Judd said.

“In addition to that, if

he’s not evil enough, he shot and killed the family dog,” Judd said.

Deputies responding to reports of two volleys of automatic gunfire arrived to find the suspect unarmed outside, wearing camouflage and body armor. Riley then went back inside and “we heard another volley, and a woman scream, and a baby whimper,” Judd said.

A gunfight ensued before he came out unarmed and was arrested.

“It would have been nice if he would have come out with a gun ... We would have shot him up a lot. But he didn’t because he was a coward,” Judd said. “When someone chooses to give up, we take them into custody peacefully.” (Reuters)

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guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

Regional

Mexico blocks new US- Indigenous leaders push new target bound migrant caravan to curb Amazon deforestation

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M

exican security and migration officials have blocked the passage of a new migrant caravan, detaining several people, as the Government moved to break up the group just a day after it set off from southern Mexico for the United States.

About 05:00h local time (10:00 GMT) on Sunday, members of Mexico’s National Guard and the National Institute of Migration (INM) began surrounding the migrants on the edge of the southern town of Huixtla, prompting some of them to flee, a witness told the Reuters news agency.

In the ensuing commotion, some parents in the caravan made up largely of Central Americans, Haitians and some Venezuelans were separated from their children as the officials sought to intercept people who ran for the banks of the River Huixtla.

The operation to stop the caravan of about 400 people comes a few days after officials dispersed another large group and followed

A migrant woman carries her baby as members of the National Guard block the street during an operation to dissolve a caravan of migrants and asylum seekers from Central America and the Caribbean, in Huixtla, Mexico on September 5 [Jose Torres/Reuters]

comments by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that he wanted undocumented migrants to stay in southern Mexico.

Lopez Obrador also urged the US Government to help the people find work, speaking ahead of a high-level meeting of US and Mexican officials on Thursday that is due to address economic matters and also expected to encompass migration.

US President Joe Biden

came into office promising to take a more humane approach to immigration and roll back some of his predecessor Donald Trump’s most hardline policies.

But the Democratic Party leader has kept in place a Trump-era order known as Title 42 that allows US officials to immediately turn back most asylum seekers who arrive at the country’s borders to stem the potential spread of COVID-19. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Plan for limited return at UWI

T

he University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus is moving to have a limited return of in-person classes for the new academic year.

Principal and Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Clive Landis made the announcement while addressing new students during the university’s second virtual matriculation ceremony on Friday evening, from the main conference room of the Hilary Beckles Administration Complex.

“Instruction would be done mainly online, while only a small number of classes will be done faceto-face in a strict control setting. However, we have been concerned by the loss of in-person skills among our students. Our recent

Principal and pro vice-chancellor of UWI Cave Hill, Professor Dr Clive Landis

online experience has shown that the teaching in clinical skills and medical sciences, lab instruction in science and technology, sport, as well as teaching the proper execution of movement and skills in the creative and performing arts, all require some measure of face-to-face in-

struction.

“To do anything less would not be in keeping with sound pedagogical practice. We are heeding the calls of many students to plan for a very limited return to the classroom in select disciplines,” he said. (Excerpt from Nation News)

2 Jamaican men remanded on robbery, burglary charges in Barbados

T

wo Jamaican men charged with robbery and burglary in Barbados were further remanded into Police custody in that country after their bail application was denied on Friday.

The accused, 29-yearold carpenter Ryan Antonio Williams and 23-year-old labourer Shakino Jarrett Ford, reportedly had no legal status in the country.

That development led Chief Magistrate

Ian Weekes to deny the Jamaicans bail, noting that these “two gentlemen were in this place [Barbados] without anything or an application to stay in the place”, according to a report from Barbados Today.

Williams and Ford, who have been in custody for the past three months, are to reappear in court on September 30.

Allegations are that the Jamaican men robbed

a man of several personal items, including a cellphone, a phone case, a wallet, and a sum of cash.

Further, the men allegedly “burglarised” another man’s home and stole two cellphones and a knife from him. On that occasion, the Jamaicans allegedly had an imitation firearm in their possession.

Following a probe, they were arrested and charged.

(Jamaica Observer)

ndigenous groups are urging world leaders to back a new target to protect 80 per cent of the Amazon basin by 2025, saying bold action is needed to stop deforestation pushing the Earth’s largest rainforest beyond a point of no return.

Amazonian delegates launched their campaign on Sunday at a nine-day conference in Marseille, France, where several thousand officials, scientists and campaigners are laying the groundwork for United Nations talks on biodiversity in the Chinese city of

Kunming next year.

“We invite the global community to join us to reverse the destruction of our home and by doing so safeguard the future of the planet,” Jose Gregorio Diaz Mirabal, lead coordinator for COICA, which represents Indigenous groups in nine Amazon-basin nations, told the Reuters news agency.

Just under 50 per cent of the Amazon basin is currently under some form of official protection or Indigenous stewardship, according to research published last year.

But pressure from ranching, mining, and oil exploration

is growing.

In Brazil, home to 60 per cent of the biome, deforestation has surged since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019, reaching a 12-year high last year and drawing an international outcry.

The Amazon basin as a whole has lost 18 per cent of its original forest cover while another 17 per cent has been degraded, according to a landmark study released in July by the Science Panel for the Amazon, based on research by 200 scientists. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Venezuelan Government signals “partial agreements” at Mexico talks

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top Venezuelan official says talks between the Government and the Opposition aimed at resolving the country’s longstanding political crisis have yielded “partial agreements”.

Parliament Speaker Jorge Rodriguez, Head of the Government delegation, told reporters on Saturday the two sides were working towards agreements, but officials provided no information on the nature of the agreements and a source in the Opposition delegation told AFP that “so far, nothing has been agreed”.

The Opposition is hoping to use the talks being

held in Mexico City to secure guarantees of free and fair regional elections to be held in the fall, while the Government of Nicolás Maduro wants to ease international sanctions on his economically crippled nation.

The talks, mediated by Norway and hosted

by Mexico, aim to resolve the crisis that has marked Maduro’s eight-year rule.

The negotiations have a seven-point agenda, including easing sanctions, political rights and electoral guarantees – but not the departure of Maduro, accused by the Opposition of fraudulent reelection in 2018.

The Government is “very

attentive” to all the economic guarantees that have been “wrested, blocked, stolen, withdrawn from the people of Venezuela”, said Rodriguez, adding that Maduro seeks a partial if not total lifting of sanctions in exchange for concessions to the Opposition.

The main Opposition alliance headed by Juan Guaidó reversed course this week when it announced that it would end a three-year election boycott and take part in mayoral and gubernatorial polls in November.

Previous rounds of similar negotiations held in recent years have failed to resolve the crisis. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Honduran left-wing Opposition plans China ties, debt “readjustment”

H

onduras’ main leftwing Opposition party, led by ousted former President Manuel Zelaya, said on Sunday that if it wins November’s presidential election it will seek to “readjust” the country’s debt and establish diplomatic relations with China.

Zelaya’s Liberty and Refoundation Party (LIBRE) is for the second time fielding his wife, Xiomara Castro, as candidate, who set out her plans at a news conference in a Tegucigalpa hotel.

“I will order an international audit on the internal and external debt, and the readjustment of it,” Castro, 61, said without elaborating on what steps that would entail.

Honduras currently has diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but if victorious, Castro said she would “immediately open diplomatic and commercial relations with mainland China”.

At the end of 2020, Honduras had public debt of more than US$13 billion,

Xiomara Castro, presidential candidate for the opposition Libre Party, greets supporters during a rally to present her campaign program, ahead of the November 28 election, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras

a sum equivalent to 55 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to Finance Ministry data.

Of that, US$8.45 billion is foreign debt, and over 30 per cent of the national budget is allocated to paying off debt.

No reliable polling has yet been published for the election, in which Castro and several other candidates will face Nasry Asfura, the Mayor of Tegucigalpa, who

has been backed by outgoing President Juan Orlando Hernandez, a conservative.

Hernandez’s rule has been dogged by allegations of vote-rigging in his 2017 re-election and accusations raised in US courts – which he denies – of his links to drug traffickers.

But he remains an influential figure and his National Party is still the strongest force in Honduran politics.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

19

Around the world

OILNEWS OIL NEWS US offshore oil output lags as Louisiana refiners restart after Ida

D

amages to oil production facilities in the US Gulf of Mexico on Sunday kept output largely halted a week after Hurricane Ida made landfall, according to offshore regulator the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).

Energy companies have been coping with damaged platforms and onshore power outages and logistical issues, slowing efforts to restart production. Some 88 per cent of crude oil output and 83 per cent of natural gas production remained suspended.

Climate change is fuelling deadly and disastrous weather across the globe, including stronger and more damaging hurricanes.

About 1.6 million barrels of crude oil remained offline, with only about 100,000 barrels added since Saturday. Another 1.8 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas output also was shut-in, the regulator said.

A total of 104 oil and gas platforms and five rigs remain evacuated on Sunday, down from the 288 originally evacuated.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc, the largest US Gulf Coast producer, on Saturday was evaluating damage to its West Delta-143 offshore platform, which transfers about 200,000 barrels of oil and gas per day from three offshore oil fields.

The lower Mississippi River and New Orleans ports were reopened to traffic and cargo operations, the Coast Guard said on Saturday, allowing the resumption of grain, metal and energy shipments.

Four oil refineries in Louisiana have initiated restart processes after Hurricane Ida knocked out most of the state's oil processing.

Five others have yet to resume operations, the US Department of Energy said on Sunday.

Three oil refineries in the Baton Rouge area and one near New Orleans have begun to restart units, the DOE said, without naming the facilities. The four account for 1.3 million barrels per day of US refinery capacity.

Utilities have restored electric power to seven of the impacted refineries since Friday, the DOE said.

Placid Port's Allen refinery, across the River from Baton Rouge, and Delek's refinery, at Krotz Springs, have started to resume activity during the weekend, according to industry sources.

Marathon Petroleum Corp on Friday said its 578,000 barrelper-day (bpd) Garyville, Louisiana, refinery, the state's largest, was in the initial stages of restarting.

Exxon Mobil Corp's had also resumed operations at its 520,000-bpd Baton Rouge refinery.

Full restoration of normal refinery output will take two to three weeks for refineries in the region, an analyst estimated.

The five refineries still shut in Louisiana account for about 1.0 million barrels per day, or approximately 6 per cent of total US operable refining capacity, the DOE said.

The restart timelines in New Orleans may take longer due to flooding and ongoing power supply issues, the DOE said. Utility provider Entergy Corp on Saturday said some of the refinery locations may be without power until Sept 29.

Elsewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, a private dive team on Sunday was attempting to locate the source of a suspected oil spill spotted in the Bay Marchand area, the US Coast Guard said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Panjshir resistance leader says ready for talks with Taliban A hmad Massoud, leader of the opposition group National Resistance Front (NRF) resisting Taliban forces in Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley, has said he welcomes proposals from religious scholars for a negotiated settlement to end fighting in the region.

Heavy fighting continued between the Taliban and resistance forces in Panjshir Valley as the armed group tried to seize the last holdout province.

Resistance fighters said on Sunday that they captured hundreds of Taliban troops as well as their equipment and vehicles.

The Taliban said its forces

“The NRF is ready to stop fighting on condition that Taliban also stop their attacks and military movements on Panjshir and Andarab,” Ahmad Massoud wrote on Facebook [Mohammad Ismail/Reuters]

had fought their way into the provincial capital of Panjshir

T

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the African Union have condemned the apparent coup and demanded the immediate release of President Condé.

The West African country of Guinea is rich in natural resources but years of unrest and mismanagement mean it is one of the world's poorest countries.

The TV address featured nine unnamed soldiers, several draped in the red, gold and green national flag, who said they had taken over be-

Germany, Blinken will be overlapping with Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin who is also departing on Sunday for a wider Gulf visit covering Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Dubbed as a “thank you” tour to the Gulf countries and Germany, who were instrumental in helping Washington evacuate thousands of people out of Kabul, Blinken will meet with senior Qatari officials in Doha and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas at Ramstein air base, where he will also co-host a ministerial meeting on Afghanistan.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

UN urges Australia to speed up efforts to drop coal

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ustralia's Government should increase its efforts to phase out coal

or else climate change will dramatically damage the country's economy, Selwin Hart,

Rich countries to have 1.2B surplus COVID vaccine doses

W

ealthy countries could potentially have a surplus of more than one billion COVID-19 vaccine doses available by the end of the year that are not designated as donations to poorer nations, according to a new analysis Vaccine stock in Western countries has reached 500 million doses this month, with 360 million not earmarked for donations, according to new research by data analytics firm Airfinity. By the end of the year, these countries will have a potential of 1.2 billion surplus vaccine shots, with the overwhelming majority – 1.06 billion – not marked for donations, it said.

The full report, which focuses on the available supply of vaccines in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada and Japan, will be published on September 7.

Vaccine inequality has been denounced by many prominent health figures and officials.

COVAX, the UN-backed global

vaccine-sharing scheme, had initially aimed to provide two billion vaccine doses to people in 190 countries this year – including 92 lower-income countries – ensuring at least 20 per cent of populations are vaccinated.

However, the wealthy countries’ deals with vaccine manufacturers have limited the vaccines available to COVAX and led to vaccine hoarding.

Last month, the director of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told reporters he was “really disappointed” with the scope of vaccine donations worldwide as many countries struggle to provide first and second doses to more than small fractions of their populations, while wealthier nations maintain growing vaccine stockpiles.

Ghebreyesus went on to say that of the 4.8 billion vaccine doses delivered globally, 75 per cent have gone to only 10 countries – while vaccine coverage in Africa is at less than two per cent. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Guinea coup attempt: Soldiers claim to seize power from Alpha Condé he fate of Guinea's President Alpha Condé is unclear after an unverified video showed him surrounded by soldiers, who said they had seized power.

They appeared on national TV claiming to have dissolved the Government.

However, the Defence Ministry said the attempted takeover had been thwarted by the presidential guard.

This follows hours of heavy gunfire near the presidential palace in the capital, Conakry.

after securing the surrounding districts.

Meanwhile, Mark Milley, the top US General, said Afghanistan will “likely” erupt in civil war if the Taliban is not able to establish control, warning that a broad civil war could lead to a resurgence of “terrorist” groups.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will aim to form a united front with allies this week on how to tackle the Taliban and ensure continued support for US bid to help evacuate Americans and at-risk Afghans who remained behind.

In a trip to Qatar and

cause of rampant corruption, mismanagement and poverty.

Calling themselves the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development, they said the constitution had been dissolved and that there would be consultations to create a new, more inclusive one.

Numerous reports say the coup was led by an elite unit headed by a former French legionnaire, Lt Col Mamady Doumbouya.

Following the news, opposition supporters and ac-

tivists took to the streets in celebration.

President Condé was re-elected for a controversial third term in office amid violent protests last year.

The veteran opposition leader was first elected in 2010 in the country's first democratic transfer of power. Despite overseeing some economic progress, he has since been accused of presiding over numerous human rights abuses and harassment of his critics.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

the United Nations special adviser on climate change, said on Sunday.

Australia's reliance on coalfired power makes it one of the world's largest carbon emitters per capita, but its conservative government has steadfastly backed fossil fuel industries, saying tougher action on emissions would cost jobs.

"We fully understand the role that coal and other fossil fuels have played in Australia's economy, even if mining accounts for a small fraction around 2 per cent - of overall jobs," Hart said in a speech at the Australian National University in Canberra.

"But it's essential to have a broader, more honest and rational conversation about what is in Australia's interests."

The UN has called for phasing out coal by 2030 in Organisation for Economic Co-

operation and Development countries, which include Australia.

In July, Energy and Environment Ministers from the Group of 20 big economies failed to deliver a deal to phase out coal by 2025. But some experts said there were chances of progress at UN climate talks in Glasgow in November.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said Australia is on a path to net zero carbon emissions but has stopped short of committing to a timeline. He has said that Australia would update its 2030 emissions projections going into the Glasgow talks.

Most other developed countries have signed up to a target of net zero emissions by 2050.

Hart said that the Australian Government should "seize the moment" and switch to renewables. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Several soldiers killed in southwestern Pakistan suicide bombing

A

suicide bomber has detonated his explosives near a security checkpoint in restive southwestern Pakistan, killing at least three paramilitary personnel and wounding 15 others.

The attacker walked towards the checkpoint manned by the paramilitary Frontier Corps on Quetta-Mastung Road, 25km (15 miles) south of Quetta, capital of Balochistan province, senior Police Officer Azhar Akram said on Sunday.

A suicide bomber on a motorcycle packed with 6kg of explosives rammed one of the vehicles in a convoy, Akram said.

He said some of the wounded were in critical condition and the death toll could rise, adding body parts were found at a distance from the security post after the bombing.

Banned armed group Pakistan Taliban, known by the acronym TTP, claimed responsibility for the attack.

It was the first time TTP claimed an attack on Pakistani security forces since the Taliban – a separate organi-

sation – took control of neighbouring Afghanistan.

TTP, which renewed its allegiance to the Afghan Taliban after the fall of Kabul, has recently stepped up its campaign against the Pakistani army.

“Condemn the TTP suicide attack on FC checkpost in Mastung Road, Quetta,” Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a tweet.

Balochistan has also seen a low-level armed uprising

by Baloch separatist groups for nearly 20 years, calling for independence for the gas and mineral-rich province.

Most attacks on security forces in Balochistan in the recent past have been claimed

by Baloch separatist groups Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Front.

Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is a key province in southwest Pakistan, where China has been working on projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

20

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS

DILBERT

(April 20May 20)

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)

Maintain your position, integrity and reputation, and get back to what matters most to you. Pitch an idea to someone you enjoy working with, and together develop a plan and a personal arrangement.

How you handle others and the situations you face will determine the outcome.

Put your energy into honoring the promises you make and finishing what you start.

Envision the whole picture, view your cup as half full and embrace what life has to offer. Refuse to let trivial matters hold you back or ruin your day. Show honesty and integrity, not falsehoods.

Stop talking and start doing, and you'll get the help you need to get things done. Put your energy where it counts, and the stability and confidence you gain will help you reach your dreams.

Consider what's happening economically, and initiate a move that will help you position yourself for new endeavors. Being modern is a necessity if you want to maintain your lifestyle.

Draw on the experience, and it will encourage you to initiate the changes that bring you closer to your goals. Explore what's available, and harness what you want.

Work hard, play hard.

Refuse to get bogged down in melodramas or other people's problems. Focus on your happiness and having a positive impact on others.

Romance is encouraged.

A change in a relationship with a peer will lead to questions regarding your background. Charm will get you much further ahead than causing a scene. Patience and intelligence will pay off.

SAGITTARIUS Productivity and prog(Nov. 23ress are priorities. Don't Dec. 21) believe or act on hearsay.

Question anyone trying to push you in a direction you don't want to go.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

SATURDAY'S WORD -- OCTANE

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

Keep an open mind, but don't take an unnecessary risk. You'll gain more if you are conservative. Don't buy into someone's idea; follow your dream.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Think matters through, and be secretive regarding your intentions until you have every detail taken care of and ready to launch. Don't let a sudden change someone makes disrupt your plans.

PISCES

A work-related change will encourage you to get involved in something that makes you feel passionate.

Explore the possibilities, and gravitate toward people who share your concerns.

(Feb. 20March 20)

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

21

England set up thrilling final day after India blast 368

E

India need 10 wickets to win the Test

The openers made a solid start in the chase

ngland made a promising start to their pursuit of a record 368, to leave the fourth Test against India primed for a thrilling conclusion at The Kia Oval.

Faced with what would be England's highest successful chase in Test cricket, Haseeb Hameed and Rory Burns took the home side to 77-0 at the close on day four.

When England took three wickets for 16 runs in the morning session, including India Captain Virat Kohli for 44, Joe Root's side had the opportunity to minimise their target.

However, Shardul Thakur batted patiently for 60 and Rishabh Pant was similarly careful in his 50 as they shared a seventhwicket partnership of 100. On a placid pitch, the tourists were eventually bowled out for 466 in their second innings.

History is against England – only nine times in the history of the game have more runs been chased by any side to win a Test.

Yet, all four results will be possible

this morning, as a wonderful series that is level at 1-1 continues to deliver.

This Test has confounded expectations at every turn and another fluctuating day in perfect late-summer sunshine has set up a grandstand finale.

Realistically, India remain favourites, with England's nextbest hope being the draw.

However, optimism inside The Oval was raised by the way Hameed and Burns played on a pitch that only seems to be getting better for batting.

England also have the inspiration of Ben Stokes' Headingley heroics fresh in the memory.

For context, their target in 2019 was 359, which they reached in 125.4 overs. Here they need more runs in what is likely to be fewer overs.

India, and particularly Captain Kohli, will be under pressure to close out the win, especially after again omitting masterful offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

The Oval is sold out for the final day. The match is deliciously

SCOREBOARD India 1nd Innings Rohit Sharma c Woakes b Robinson 127 KL Rahul c †Bairstow b Anderson 46 Cheteshwar Pujara c Ali b Robinson 61 Virat Kohli (c) c Overton b Ali 44 Ravindra Jadeja lbw b Woakes 17 Ajinkya Rahane lbw b Woakes 0 Rishabh Pant † c & b Ali 50 Shardul Thakur c Overton b Root 60 Umesh Yadav c Ali b Overton 25 Jasprit Bumrah c Ali b Woakes 24 Mohammed Siraj not out 3 Extras (lb 7, nb 2) 9 TOTAL (148.2 Ov, RR: 3.14) 466 Fall of wickets: 1-83 (KL Rahul, 33.6 ov), 2-236 (Rohit Sharma, 80.1 ov), 3-237 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 80.6 ov), 4-296 (Ravindra Jadeja, 101.2 ov), 5-296 (Ajinkya Rahane, 103.4 ov), 6-312 (Virat Kohli, 110.6 ov), 7-412 (Shardul

Thakur, 136.5 ov), 8-414 (Rishabh Pant, 137.3 ov), 9-450 (Jasprit Bumrah, 145.6 ov), 10466 (Umesh Yadav, 148.2 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W James Anderson 33-10-79-1 Ollie Robinson 32-7-105-2 Chris Woakes 32-8-83-3 Craig Overton 18.2-3-58-1 Moeen Ali 26-0-118-2 Joe Root 7-1-16-1 ENGLAND 2ND INNINGS (TARGET: 368 RUNS) Rory Burns not out 31 Haseeb Hameed not out 43 Extras (lb 1, nb 2) 3 TOTAL (32 Ov, RR: 2.40) 77 Yet to bat: Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ollie Pope, Jonny Bairstow †, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson BOWLING O-M-R-W Umesh Yadav 6-2-13-0 Jasprit Bumrah 7-3-11-0 Ravindra Jadeja 13-4-28-0 Mohammed Siraj 6-0-24-0

poised. It could turn out to be a classic.

From 270-3 overnight, India's most likely hope of batting England out of the game seemed to be Kohli. However, when he edged Moeen Ali to slip soon after, and with both Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane pinned lbw by Chris Woakes, the tourists were 213 ahead with only four wickets in hand.

Pant's cavalier attitude had brought little prior success in this series, while Thakur hit the fastest-ever Test half-century in England in the first innings, yet they both curbed their natural instincts to calmly stretch India's advantage.

Pant did not hit his first boundary until the 54th ball he faced. Only when Moeen wasted a run-out chance with both men in the middle of the pitch when Pant was on 37 did India opt to attack.

Thakur hit Ollie Robinson over long-on for six and reached 50 for the second time before he edged Root's off-spin to slip. Pant's 105ball half-century was his slowest in Tests and he was furious with himself when he drove a return catch back to Moeen.

Infuriatingly for England, Umesh Yadav swung his way to 25 and Jasprit Bumrah again frustrated them with 24 to prolong the toil and increase the target.

England doing it the hard way If England do pull off an incredible win, or even survive to claim a draw, they will have done so after the best part of two days toiling in the field.

They lacked inspiration in the early part of Sunday morning, only to be inspired by the introduction of Woakes who struck twice in as many overs.

Time and again, Woakes, James Anderson, and Ollie Robinson were summoned. The work Anderson and Robinson have done must raise questions over their fitness for the fifth Test, while Anderson has taken only two second-innings wickets in six Tests this summer. Craig Overton was often overlooked.

Off-spinner Moeen conceded more than 4.5 runs an over and

his failure to run-out Pant – he had time to either throw to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow or even run to the stumps himself, only to miss with an attempted direct hit – goes alongside the six catches England have missed in

this match.

After so long in the field, the home top order was vulnerable to the new ball, yet Hameed and Burns played with certainty, positivity, and sound judgement.

Burns pulled with authority

in moving to 31 not out, while Hameed flicked off his pads on the way to 43, the latter surviving a tense review for lbw off Mohammed Siraj in the penultimate over of the day. (BBC Sport)

Fraser-Pryce wins in 10.81, Parchment victorious in Poland

O

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the 100m in 10.81 while Hansle Parchment took victory in the hurdles

lympic medallists Shelly-Ann FraserPryce and Hansle Parchment were impressive winners at the Continental Tour Gold meeting at the Stadion Slaski in Chorzow, Poland on Sunday.

Fraser-Pryce, the Olympic 100m silver medallist, who was running her first race since her lifetime best 10.60 in Lausanne, Switzerland on August 26, sped to a meet record 10.81 to win by daylight over Swiss athlete Mujinga Kambundji who stopped the clock at 11.08.

Great Britain’s Daryll Neita (11.15) was further back in third. Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye ran 11.19 for fourth.

Parchment, the Olympic 110m hurdles champion, recovered from an average start to overhaul Devon

Allen and win in 13.26. Allen clipped the last hurdle, but managed to finish second in 13.37 while Damion Thomas was third in 13.50.

The women’s sprint hurdles event was won by Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan in 12.64 ahead of Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper, who clocked 12.75.

The USA’s Christina Clemons was third in 12.92.

Jaheel Hyde ended up on the podium after finished third in the 400m hurdles in 48.89. Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos was an easy winner in 48.50 over Turkey’s Yasmani Copello, who ran 48.80.

Candace McLeod, a finalist over 400m in Tokyo finished third in the 400m.

Among the leaders up to 300m, the Jamaican faded to third clocking 51.88.

The Polish pair of Natalia

Kaczmarec and Anna Keilbasinska took the top two places in 50.70 and 51.19, respectively.

Meanwhile, Anderson Peters threw 83.61m for a second-place finish in the men’s javelin throw.

However, he was no match for Germany’s Johannes Vetter, who flung the spear 89.60m for victory.

Fedrick Dacres took third place in the men’s discus. He threw a best mark of 64.91m that was bettered by Lithuania’s Andrius Gudzious (65.89m) and Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh (66.65m) Andre Degrasse was an easy winner in the 200m in 20.21. His compatriot Jerome Blake took second place in 20.32. Olympic relay gold medallist Filippo Tortu was third in 20.40.

(Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

Chase hits 3rd fifty as Kings complete double drubbing of Patriots early on the pull, only for Colin Archibald to put the former down at mid-off and for van Meekeren to lose the ball in the sun off his own bowling and let off the latter.

Kings could have been five down at the end of the ninth over. Instead, they were just three down with 55 needed from 66. Chase took over thereafter, lofting Fawad and Archibald for exquisite sixes over extra-cover to rush towards his fifty, eventually bringing it up off just 36 balls.

Samit fell with 19 left

ed

Fabian Allen had an all-round effort

T

he same two teams played at the same venue for a second day running, and St Lucia Kings got the better of St Kitts & Nevis Patriots once again, but this time on an entirely different sort of pitch. Having ended Patriots' five-match winning streak by powering their way to 224 on Saturday, Kings complet-

the double with a far scrappier performance in a low-scoring game, with Roston Chase sealing the deal with his third straight half-century of the season.

They got home with six wickets in hand and 26 balls remaining, but the match was closer than the scorecard indicated, with missed chances costing Patriots the possibility of

SCOREBOARD ST KITTS AND NEVIS PATRIOTS INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) Evin Lewis lbw b Royal 7 Devon Thomas † c †Fletcher b Williams 28 Chris Gayle (c) c Chase b Wahab Riaz 3 Andre McCarthy c †Fletcher b Royal 0 Sherfane Rutherford run out (Chase/Joseph) 14 Asif Ali c Cottoy b Royal 18 Fabian Allen c Joseph b Williams 34 Colin Archibald c Joseph b Patel 26 Naseem Shah st †Fletcher b Patel 2 Paul van Meekeren not out 3 Fawad Ahmed c Cottoy b Paul 0 Extras (lb 1, w 6) 7 TOTAL (19.3 Ov, RR: 6.05) 118 Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Evin Lewis, 0.6 ov), 2-27 (Chris Gayle, 3.3 ov), 3-28 (Andre McCarthy, 4.3 ov), 4-52 (Devon Thomas, 8.2 ov), 5-59 (Sherfane Rutherford, 9.2 ov), 6-75 (Asif Ali, 12.4 ov), 7-78 (Colin Archibald, 13.5 ov), 8-83 (Naseem Shah, 15.4 ov), 9-114 (Fabian Allen, 18.5 ov), 10-118 (Fawad Ahmed, 19.3 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Jeavor Royal 4-0-20-3

Wahab Riaz Alzarri Joseph Roston Chase Samit Patel Kesrick Williams Keemo Paul

4-0-17-1 2-0-19-0 2-0-12-0 4-0-15-2 3-0-32-2 0.3-0-2-1

ST LUCIA KINGS INNINGS (TARGET: 119 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) Andre Fletcher † lbw b Allen 0 Faf du Plessis (c) c sub (DC Drakes) b Allen 22 Keron Cottoy c Lewis b Naseem Shah 19 Roston Chase not out 51 Samit Patel c sub (DC Drakes) b van Meekeren 7 Tim David not out 18 Extras (lb 1, nb 1, w 2) 4 TOTAL (15.4 Ov, RR: 7.72) 121/4 Did not bat: Keemo Paul, Wahab Riaz, Alzarri Joseph, Jeavor Royal, Kesrick Williams Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Andre Fletcher, 0.1 ov), 2-33 (Faf du Plessis, 4.4 ov), 3-54 (Keron Cottoy, 7.2 ov), 4-100 (Samit Patel, 14.2 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Fabian Allen 4-0-30-2 Fawad Ahmed 4-0-27-0 Paul van Meekeren 3-0-28-1 Naseem Shah 2-0-11-1 Colin Archibald 2.4-0-24-0

Kings are on the rise in the CPL

a tense finish.

The pitch used on Sunday offered help for the spinners as well as disconcerting bounce when the fast bowlers hit the shorter lengths, and Kings' well-balanced attack kept Patriots to 118 after the home team opted to bowl.

Left-arm spinners Jeavor Royal and Samit Patel returned combined figures of 5 for 35 in eight overs, and Wahab Riaz conceded just 17 in his four overs while getting the prized early scalp of Chris Gayle with a lifting, seaming delivery in the corridor.

Patriots could have ended up with far less, but Fabian Allen dragged them into three figures with an uncharacteristic knock. He came in at 59 for 5 in the 10th over, and was on 6 off 19 balls – with Patriots eight down – when he hit his first boundary. By then, though, he seemed to have the measure of conditions, and he hit 28 off his next 12 balls – with his flat-bat hitting of short-of-length balls over the covers a particu-

lar highlight – before falling in the 19th over.

Without a significant total to defend, Gayle was aggressive with his captaincy, packing the infield even after the powerplay, and stationing a slip for most of Kings' innings. He started with Allen's leftarm spin and bowled him out in one spell, and was rewarded with two wickets – Andre Fletcher out first ball to a contentious lbw call, and Faf du Plessis caught at mid-on. Allen could have had a third with the last ball of his spell too, but his drifting arm ball sneaked between Chase's bat and pad and bounced over the stumps.

The next two overs produced three chances, but just the one wicket, as both Naseem Shah and Paul van Meekeren got

Roston Chase hit his third half-century of the season

the short ball to rear awkwardly. Keron Cottoy was put down by Fawad Ahmed at fine leg, but he fell next ball, slicing a catch to backward point. Then both Chase and Samit were

to get, but that was no ray of hope for Patriots, as Tim David came out and smacked two sixes in just seven balls to end the game in a hurry. (ESPNcricinfo)

“Ounce of Gold” cycle race tentatively set for October 10 – COVID-19 Task Force approval pending for FSCC races

C

ycling has been successfully hosted since its return during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Sunday last, the circuit race was deemed a huge success, as have all other races recently hosted. The Flying Stars Cycle Club (FSCC) has proposed two dates for hosting separate races. The first of those two races is proposed to be hosted on September 19 and the second October 10, 2021.

The release from the FSCC indicated that the hosting of the races was subject to approval from the National COVID-19 Task Force. FSCC Executive Member William Howard said the first race

The lucrative “Ounce of Gold” race is likely for October 10

should be on September 19 – the annual Victor Macedo Memorial Road Race commencing at 07:30h from Banks

DIH’s Thirst Park Complex.

In that first race, competitors will proceed along the East Bank carriageway to the

Linden-Soesdyke Highway and turn back at the Long Creek School junction and the Yarrowkabra junction. The

following categories would be contested: open, juniors, pre-juniors, ladies, Under and Over-50 Additionally, on Sunday, October 10, riders in the same categories should be at it again, this time however, they would be battling in the Kadir Mohamed Memorial “Ounce of Gold” road race, also commencing outside Banks DIH, Thirst Park at 07:30h. That event is arguably the most anticipated cycle race in Guyana.

The “Ounce of Gold” race will turn back in Dora at the Coca Cola sign and at Yarrowkabra junction. Registration of competitors will be done the day prior to both events.

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23

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Pooran pleased with Warriors batting after headaches

– Hemraj happy to carry on

By Brandon Corlette

F

resh from a thumping nine-wicket win against Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors are riding high on confidence in the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), and will again meet the Royals on Tuesday at 19:00h.

Captain Nicholas Pooran said he was pleased with the batting efforts of his team after headaches earlier in the tournament.

At the post-match interview, Pooran said: "I am very pleased. I had a lot of headaches with the batting positions and we just told our guys to win games for us.

Pleased with how we batted.

We felt like, after watching the first game, that the pacers were expensive. We just continued with Imran Tahir for his second over and it worked for us. Very happy with the way the guys came out and executed our plans.

Always focused on getting a start. We won the game in 13 overs and [I’m] very happy."

Captain Nicholas Pooran appeals successfully (Photos: CPL/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Player of the Match Chandrapaul Hemraj described his maiden century as unbelievable.

The left-handed batsman slammed an unbeaten 105 from 56 balls, decorated with 14 fours and five sixes, in a chase of 131.

"First of all, I want to thank God. I have been getting starts and happy to have carried on. I am happy to have played some cricket coming into the tournament and I want to thank

my trainer. I feel confident, much stronger, much fitter.

It's an unbelievable pitch.

I was batting with Shoaib [Malik], who was calming me down with his experience.

Big shout-out to the people who support me," Hemraj said.

Captain of the Barbados Royals, Jason Holder will have a lot to ponder as his team take on the Warriors on Tuesday. He lamented the lack of momentum his team had while batting. "The

Captains Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran will meet again on Tuesday

first game (Kings v Patriots) was a high-scoring game. We never got any momentum. In all the games we have struggled with the bat.

"Trying to defend 120-130 is a tough task and we need to find a way to put runs on the board. The surface is uneven, some of the balls grip.

Ashley [Nurse] bowled well for us. We need to find a way to put more runs on the board and play a complete game. It is tough to ask the bowlers to win us games every time. In

this tournament, one batsman has been around all innings as an anchor and we need to do that as well. A top knock from Hemraj. A very positive innings from him and he took the game away from us," Holder added.

Barbados Royals squad: Johnson Charles; Shai Hope; Smit Patel; Glenn Phillips; Azam Khan(wicketkeeper); Jason Holder(Captain); Raymon Reifer; Nyeem Young; Ashley Nurse; Jake Lintott; Oshane Thomas;

Mohammad Amir; Thisara Perera; Justin Greaves; Kyle Mayers; Hayden Walsh; and Joshua Bishop.

Guyana Amazon Warriors squad: Chandrapaul Hemraj; Mohammad Hafeez; Shoaib Malik; Shimron Hetmyer; Brandon King; Nicholas Pooran(wicketkeeper/captain); Romario Shepherd; Odean Smith; Naveen-ulHaq; Gudakesh Motie; Imran Tahir; Anthony Bramble; Ashmead Nedd; Kevin Sinclair and Nial Smith.

Simmons shines as TKR claim victory over Tallawahs Lendl Simmons returned to form

SCOREBOARD

T

Imad Wasim was in the wickets

rinbago Knight Riders moved back into the top four of the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) table with a seven-wicket victory over the Jamaica Tallawahs.

TKR won the toss and elected to field first. This proved an inspired decision as their vaunted bowling attack ran through the Tallawahs top order. However, Carlos Brathwaite and Imad Wasim managed to rebuild the innings to give the Tallawahs a total to try and defend.

In reply, TKR overcame a rain delay to win the game with ease although they had several fielding mishaps to help them on their way. Lendl Simmons returned to form as his 70 led the way for the Knight Riders.

With several enforced changes as a result of injuries in the camp, the Tallawahs got their innings off to a poor start with five wickets falling in the powerplay.

At the halfway stage of the innings, they could only muster 34 runs as the TKR bowl-

Ravi Rampaul continues his fine form

Carlos Brathwaite scored a half-century

ing combinations of Akeal Hosein, Ravi Rampaul, Sunil

Narine and Khary Pierre offered no freebies.

Once Wasim, making his first appearance for the Tallawahs in this Hero CPL, and Brathwaite got their eye in, they were able to launch a counter-attack.

The pair put on an 83-run partnership from 64 balls to rebuild the innings and that was supplemented by some late Andre Russell sixes to give TKR a tricky total to negotiate.

TKR got their innings off to a watchful start, but Narine was dismissed just before the heavens opened leading to a rain delay.

Once play resumed, TKR easily chased the 145 required as Simmons and Colin Munro put together a 102-run partnership to ensure there would be no drama in the chase.

(CPL)

Tallawahs Innings Kennar Lewis † c Munro b Hosein 0 Kirk McKenzie c †Ramdin b Rampaul 4 Haider Ali c Simmons b Rampaul 2 Rovman Powell (c) c Simmons b Narine 0 Jason Mohammed c Simmons b Hosein 5 Imad Wasim c Bravo b Udana 42 Carlos Brathwaite run out (Seifert/Udana) 58 Andre Russell not out 20 Chris Green not out 0 Extras (b 4, lb 2, w 7) 13 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 7.19) 144/7 Did not bat: Migael Pretorius, Fidel Edwards Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Kennar Lewis, 0.2 ov), 2-7 (Haider Ali, 3.1 ov), 3-7 (Kirk McKenzie, 3.3 ov), 4-12 (Jason Mohammed, 4.4 ov), 5-15 (Rovman Powell, 5.6 ov), 6-98 (Imad Wasim, 16.3 ov), 7-138 (Carlos Brathwaite, 19.5 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Akeal Hosein 4-1-12-2 Ravi Rampaul 4-0-26-2 Sunil Narine 4-0-13-1

Khary Pierre Kieron Pollard Isuru Udana

4-0-26-0 1-0-12-0 3-0-49-1

TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS INNINGS (TARGET: 145 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) Sunil Narine lbw b Imad Wasim 9 Lendl Simmons b Pretorius 70 Colin Munro c †Lewis b Imad Wasim 34 Kieron Pollard (c) not out 7 Darren Bravo not out 14 Extras (lb 1, w 10) 11 TOTAL (17.1 Ov, RR: 8.44) 145/3 Did not bat: Tim Seifert, Denesh Ramdin †, Isuru Udana, Akeal Hosein, Khary Pierre, Ravi Rampaul Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Sunil Narine, 1.6 ov), 2-113 (Colin Munro, 13.6 ov), 3-120 (Lendl Simmons, 14.3 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Fidel Edwards 3-0-40-0 Imad Wasim 4-0-19-2 Chris Green 3.1-0-26-0 Migael Pretorius 4-0-39-1 Andre Russell 2-0-12-0 Carlos Brathwaite 1-0-8-0

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

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

Page 22

Pg 23

“Ounce of Gold” cycle race tentatively set for October 10

– Hemraj happy to carry on

– COVID-19 Task Force approval pending for FSCC races

Pg 22

Chase hits 3rd fifty as Kings complete double Simmons shines as TKR drubbing of Patriots claim victory over Tallawahs Pg 23

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