Guyana Times - Tuesday December 29, 2020

$4B allocation for GuySuCo will help return estates to profitability – Agri Minister P16

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4513

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

“Guyana needs all hands on deck” – …urges Diaspora in Canada President to return home and invest Page 7

APNU/AFC condemned for taking billions from Contingency Fund for shoddy works

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Cuban wanted for Princes St double murder nabbed in Linden P8

CH&PA still owes NICIL millions for land transferred P2 in 2019

See story on page 3

…as former Govt dipped into Contingency Fund to pay off $2.1B

…sparks fly as supplemental papers passed in National Assembly

"Mobile Courts" will cut major costs, reduce threats of exposure to COVID-19 Page 15

5 new COVID-19 cases recorded from over 110 P13 samples …active cases decrease

DUI driver hits man on LBI pavement P10

US$1B Belgium cocaine bust

CANU, GRA P12 positively identify persons who deleted scanner images

…Govt, Judiciary laud initiative …to be replicated countrywide

GRA hauls Van Police pave way for West-Charles’ Argentine expert to fuel company access pathologist, to court for autopsy reports falsifying invoice WCB teens’ murder

Page 16

Page 14

APNU/AFC overpaid P16 millions for unfinished works on CDC headquarters

2 NEWS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CH&PA still owes NICIL millions for land transferred in 2019

…as former Govt dipped into Contingency Fund to pay off $2.1B

T

he Government has inherited a situation where land transferred since 2019 to the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) is yet to be paid for, resulting in inter-agency debt.

This revelation was made during a sitting of the National Assembly on Monday to consider financial papers from 2019 and 2020. Included in the consideration of Financial Paper No 2 of 2019 was a $2.176 billion withdrawal from the Contingency Fund under the then Communities Ministry.

In responding to questions about the allocation,

Housing Minister Collin Croal

Housing Minister Collin Croal revealed that the CH&PA still owed NICIL for land which had been transferred for housing development back in 2019 and the Contingency Fund advance was supposed to be used to-

wards paying off that debt.

“This sum represents a lump sum payment made to NICIL, upon the request by the Minister of Finance then (Winston Jordan) to the then Minister of Communities (Ronald Bulkan),” Minister Croal explained.

“The payment was part of a valuation done for lands that were supposed to be transferred by CH&PA to NICIL. However, even at this point in time many of those lands, the transactions have not been completed and we are still in that phase.”

Moreover, then NICIL/ Special Purpose Unit Head Colvin Heath-London had written to then Finance Minister Jordan regarding this debt. Heath-London,

Former NICIL Head Colvin Heath-London

who has since been fired, had described the debt as a potential risk to the NICILbrokered $30 billion syndicated loan it arranged for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

“I want to bring to the House’s attention, a letter that was found as part of the records. It’s written by the (then) Minister of Finance.

And it says, repayment of syndicated bond. I am in receipt of a letter from (HeathLondon), on the subject of reference,” Croal said. “‘Essentially, Mr London has solicited my intervention in a matter involving CH&PA where NICIL is owed $3.2 billion for lands already transferred. These funds are needed urgently, so that NICIL can meet its November and December payments of $2.176 billion of the syndicated bond that was raised to finance GuySuCo’,” the letter read.

According to Croal, it was pointed out that NICIL has

Former Finance Minister Winston Jordan

no other source of revenue that could be used to make the payments. Additionally, failure to make the payments would mean defaulting on the bond, which the former Government secured using NICIL assets.

TURN TO PAGE 7

NEWS

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, December 29 – 03:30h-05:00h and Wednesday, December 30 – 04:00h-05:30h.

APNU/AFC condemned for taking billions from Contingency Fund for shoddy works

…sparks fly as supplemental papers passed in National Assembly

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, December 29 – 15:40h-17:10h and Wednesday, December 30 – 16:15h-17:45h.

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Winds: Northerly to Easterly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.

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Low Tide: 09:40h and 22:06h reaching minimum heights of 0.77 metre and 0.59 metre.

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Public Works Minister Juan Edghill number of financial papers were on Monday debated and passed in the National Assembly, but not before the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government came under criticism for the line items the Consolidated Fund was used to fund.

The first paper was Financial Paper No 2 of 2019, with a total sum of $4.150 billion. This paper was eventually passed after the Committee of Supply had examined it. However, the former APNU/ AFC Government was criticised for the manner in which the monies were spent.

For instance, the former Public Infrastructure Ministry was criticised for appropriating $40 million to effect repairs to two generator sets at Port Kaituma, Region One (BarimaWaini). According to Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, who was responding to questions from none other than his predecessor David Patterson, the sets were non-functioning when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) entered office.

“Because of the PPP’s intervention since coming to office, all the generators in the hinterland communities are functioning. But when we took office, Matthews Ridge was without power for months.

Port Kaituma was suffering. Mabaruma was suffering.

Kwakwani was having power four, five hours a day.

“The mismanagement by the APNU/AFC led to that state of suffering in the interior. But they are all now functioning because of the intervention of the PPP/C since we came to office,” the Minister said.

Edghill was also quizzed by the former Minister about an allocation of $1.710 billion for sea defence works on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) at Fairfield and Dantzig, as well as emergency works at Blankenburg, Retrieve, Leguan and Wakenaam.

It was pointed out by Edghill, however, that these extrabudgetary allocations taken by the former Government did little to alleviate the breach-

A

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

es in the sea defence, since the PPP/C came into office and had to do more works in order to repair the breaches.

“The engineers came to Parliament with a programme for $1.4 billion, which the Parliament approved. And we spent the $1.4 billion and then we went on after March 2020 to spend an additional $1.7 billion in what we call emergency works and still when we inherited government, we had to make interventions in same area.”

Financial Paper No 2 of 2019 was eventually passed after the Committee of Supply had examined it. A similar process was also followed for Financial Paper No 1 of 2020, which was in the sum of $792.3 million.

Included in this amount was $6.5 million to purchase

15 motorcycles for the Guyana Police Force (GPF) under the current Government. Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn informed the House of the deplorable conditions the Government found many of the motorcycles in when it entered office.

“The Guyana Police Force identified for us the urgent need for motorcycles, given the fact that many of the motorcycles they have which were operational are in a dilapidated, non-operational state in their mechanic shops. The motorcycles were acquired on an urgent basis and became operational today.”

Questions from the Opposition Members of Parliament as to whether crime has increased were met with Benn reminding them of

Former Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson

the perpetration of electoral theft, in the form of the former APNU/AFC Government’s attempts to rig the elections.

This paper was eventually passed, before the suspension was taken. Upon resumption, Financial Paper No 2 of 2020 covering a sum of $17.4 million, was also debated and passed in the National Assembly.

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

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

Preparing for the next epidemic

T

he first observance of the International Day of the Epidemic Preparedness was on December 27. The day saw policymakers and international development partners underscoring the need for countries to be better prepared to deal with future epidemics.

The International Day of Epidemic Preparedness was proclaimed earlier this month by the UN General Assembly to advocate the importance of the prevention of, preparedness for, and partnership against, epidemics. The International Day falls on the birthdate of Louis Pasteur, the French chemist and microbiologist responsible for ground-breaking work on vaccinations.

The General Assembly also recognised the role of the UN system, in particular WHO, in coordinating responses to epidemics, and supporting efforts to prevent, mitigate and address the impacts of infectious diseases.

The observance is timely, as it sought to remind governments and international health partners of the need to place more efforts and invest more resources in better preparing themselves for future epidemics. 2020 is speedily coming to an end, but it will always be remembered by generations to come as people’s lives have changed like never before. One could have never imagined that so much of the things we take for granted could have been disrupted, not necessarily in a bad way, but in a manner that is for our own good.

COVID-19 has really caught the world by surprise, and its massive economic and social impacts on countries will no doubt be felt in years to come. At the moment, the deadly disease has a foothold across the globe, and has reached countries that were already facing humanitarian crises because of conflict, natural disasters and climate change.

Many of these countries were also already facing tough economic times, and now, with the challenge of battling COVID-19, one can only imagine how some of them would survive this difficult period. For sure, the COVID-19 pandemic has indeed taught us all that if we are not fully prepared to tackle an epidemic, the result could be very devastating. It is for this reason that one can never overstate the need for governments and development partners to do all that is possible to ensure they are well prepared for the next health crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged countries’ public health systems to their maximum, as many of them are very weak and do not have adequate mechanisms in place to detect or contain the virus. Hence, most countries, including Guyana, would need massive financial and other forms of support to be fully prepared to tackle such health crisis.

In a message to mark the Day, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres warned that as governments and health partners strive to control and recover from the current pandemic, “we must think about the next”. On this basis, he highlighted the need for strong health systems and social protection, support for communities on the frontlines, and technical cooperation for countries.

It is also necessary for countries to strengthen their prevention capacities so that they are ready when the world faces the next outbreak.

Many world leaders have detailed the “devastating experience” of the COVID-19 pandemic on their economies and, in particular, their health systems. They have urged more international cooperation to fight the virus, and for the world to be better prepared for future occurrences. According to the UN, if we ready ourselves, then we can save lives and stop epidemics from developing into pandemics.

On his part, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the importance of a “One Health Approach”, which integrates human health, animal health and plant health, as well as environmental factors.

This, according to the WHO Head, is all the more important given that 75 per cent of new and emerging human infectious diseases are zoonotic, caused by germs that spread between animals and people.

We therefore support the call for countries to invest in preparedness capacity to prevent, detect and mitigate emergencies, and to build strong primary healthcare systems as the foundation of universal health coverage.

Downside of Guyana in leap year 2020 Dear Editor, In retrospect, the dreaded leap year 2020 globally projected many points of view which can be pictured in multiple perspectives, particularly positive for a limited few and negative for most who portend not to pretend.

In many countries, it has been a year when the practice of broken principles replaced the value of honour and dignity, and many politicians savoured in dirty politics and dishonesty. Throughout the world, parallel or aloof to politics is the deadly attack of the COVID-19 pandemic, which poisoned people and places. Researchers were successful in providing the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, hoping to prevent the spread of this virus as participants continue to be inoculated.

Guyana was in no way indifferent from the rest of the world, and also suffered from the disease of politics and the deadliness of COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, Guyana General and Regional Elections held on March 2nd took precedence over the pandemic, a virus killing some 164 Guyanese to date with over 6200 confirmed cases registered.

Some 5200 people have recovered and over 32,000 tested. Making headlines was the refusal of the callous APNU/AFC government led by the “sanctimonious gangster,” President David Granger, to concede to the victory of the PPP/C Party, led by current President Dr Irfaan Ali. The numerous daring but feeble attempts to defraud the election was glaring to the entire world when GECOM officers valiantly tried unsuccessfully to hinder the smooth operation of the election process, hindering a declaration until after five months.

Highlighting the resistance to the APNU/AFC Party’s undermining democracy was the commendable input of the diplomats from the ABCE countries, all heads from the Caribbean and Commonwealth coun-

tries, regional and local stakeholders, and the Guyanese people. This fearless defiance to a heartless President Granger and his reckless party members underscored the demise of the APNU/AFC Party. America’s final boot in the butt finally sealed Granger’s demitting office, when Secretary of State, Mr. Mike Pompeo, instituted visa restrictions as a sanction and Granger was instructed to “step aside,” after receiving a potently effective phone call from a powerful resource!

The terrible year of 2020 will always be remembered for the shame and disgrace Guyana and Guyanese suffered as a result of the devious actions perpetrated upon a nation and her people by the infamous Granger and his rogue band of senseless men and women. Granger dragged the country in dirt from the inception of the year by appointing an illegitimate James Patterson as GECOM Chairman. A house-to-house registration further denied the call of an early election.

The many frivolous and vexatious litigations petitioned in the Guyana courts and the Caribbean Court of Justice exposed the fallacy Granger and his battery of legal advisers, led by former Attorney General Basil Williams. The former AG felt the wrath of the law by losing three times consecutively at the CCJ. Of paramount importance for this year and Guyana is the infamous fact that not a single Caribbean Head of Government nor a Head of State from the rest of the international community supported Granger and his deceptive group of crooked charlatans with their villainous behaviour. In fact, with a CARICOM recount election result and all heads from CARICOM and the AOL condemning Granger and the APNU/AFC Party, that further hammered the last nail in the party’s coffin. This despicable act has caused the APNU/AFC party to feel unwelcome and uncomfortable in the presence

of any foreign dignitary, and they will never be able to look “eye to eye” again with any decency and dignity. Enough was enough, and they cannot blame this leap year, but their greed and lust for illegitimate power and financial control.

With damaging and devastating effect is the startling revelations by the PPP/C party, since assuming administration, of all of the corruption and collusions perpetrated by the Granger-led APNU/AFC party during their delirious reign for the past five years.

New Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh has revealed that the former Government spent $1.2 trillion in the last five years, and left the economy in disaster, an abused Contingency Fund and US$400 million in new external debt.

The country was taxed with the collection of $992 billion in revenues, and then the former government squandered $1.2 trillion in a wasteful and unproductive manner. The aggregate fiscal deficit of the central Government amounted to $130 billion, after accounting for grants received. It is noteworthy to pinpoint that the PPP/C government, when they demitted office in 2015, left a net deposit at the Central Bank of $16 billion, confirmed by the IMF. Also, Government is also currently saddled with the $30 billion NICIL bond of which $17 billion has been drawn down, and a humongous $12 billion owed to GPL by Government entities, including $7 billion owed to the utility by GWI. The frenzied and debilitating crime wave is another sore area dominating this year’s occurrences, with the alarming escalation of treacherous road deaths and accidents. The brutal deaths of the Henry cousins and Haresh Singh remain an unsolved mystery. The increase of violence against women resulted in many deaths as another focal point. Racial insinuations instigated by

APNU/AFC leaders and servants at home and abroad, including Granger and Harmon, clouded dark days of this year. As a result, the Berbice fiasco became a reality due to lawless, provoked and unethical behaviour.

The year 2020 will be remembered when the APNU/ AFC was party to the trauma of Guyana driven to a higher poverty line and contributing to the pain and suffering of Guyanese. The ambitious Granger’s alacrity for maintaining illegitimate power at any cost signalled the defection of sanity to madness, heralding the disrespect of law and order, and castigating the innocence of Guyanese.

Another year when the Constitution was trampled upon by APNU/AFC party, the rights of Guyanese and rules and regulations were ignored, even the Police Force and the Army were at default. This is a year when many intellectuals, professionals, social and religious leaders kept in abeyance, remained silent and refused to speak up and against the wrong doings committed on the Guyanese people. The now-producing oil industry brought more headaches with astonishing and unbelieving disclosures to fathom a seat of aspersions, controversies and speculations by both the APNU/AFC party and the PPP/C party, leaving Guyanese with doubts and uncertainties.

This leap year 2020, will be remembered for all its blasphemies, challenges, hypocrisies, dishonesties, lies, deceits, financial misappropriations, unveiled corruptions, exposure of the exigency of APNU/AFC party’s inefficiency and deficiency, and the deterioration of many political parties, denouncing the downside of Guyana’s infamous achievements. If time, space and opportunity permit, an attempt will be made to glance at the other side of the coin.

Dear Editor, It has not been ideal. It has not been a utopia or the human fantasy of complete and total harmony. However, after the aggregation of all things so far, I commend the PPP/C Government for their administration and aggressive developmental approach in Region 5 (Mahaica-Berbice).

The Dantzig breach was caused by a show of incompetence, then an incompetence competition followed that caused the breach to

not be sealed for months, until the PPP/C was able to remedy the situation.

In terms of Regional Administration, the former REO of this great region operated as if he was a king and we were all serfs. From model farms, bus sheds in selective villages, street lights in selective villages, and that one special contractor friend that everyone knows, it has been good riddance.

The current REO has done a phenomenal job in

rebalancing this region and aligning it with the rest of the country in terms of progressive policies and solid administration. Even the RDC Council meetings are being taking to their statutory conclusion, and, so far, the Regional Chairman, the Vice Chairman, and Councillors have been able to execute their mandate.

The MMA-ADA is the country’s largest rice-producing scheme, and it has been completely devastated by the policies of the last

administration. This in itself is an understatement of monumental proportions.

The PPP/C Government’s Ministry of Agriculture has been extremely aggressive in executing the critical drainage and irrigation, access and maintenance works in this scheme. Rice is no longer private business, but is a national priority.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

Rice is no longer private business, but a national priority

Sincerely, Ryan Chitranjan Jaikissoon

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

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Ethics, politics and good governance Dear Editor, After witnessing the near collapse of democracy and the attempt by the APNU/AFC to deny the electorate the right to elect a government of their choice during the five unnerving months, the people should not place any trust in those leaders.

The coalition Government knew that it had lost the election, but refused to concede power to the PPP, after being in office for only five years, compared to 23 years of PPP

rule. It was a colossal, tragic and pitiful mistake by the Granger administration not to accept the results of polls.

To put the nation through five months of anguish was futile, nonsensical and silly. And most of them in the APNU/ AFC have paid dearly for the mistake in that it has led to severe US sanctions, which could have been avoided if they were honest. Losing an election is not losing one’s life, and it is not the end of the world either.

The wise thing for them to do

was to concede and then prepare for the next election.

No one should have been surprised by the attempt by APNU/AFC to hold on to power illegally, because after the no- confidence motion was passed in December 2018, the leaders of APNU/AFC held on to power for 15 months, instead of the three months allotted by the Constitution for new election. It was a clear violation of Article 106 (6) of the Constitution, which reads, “The Cabinet including the

President shall resign if the government is defeated by a vote of majority of all elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.” And Article 106 (7) says, “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National

How could PNC be saved from its headlong fall into disintegration and moribundity?

Dear Editor, Dr Asquith Rose, in a recent letter to the editor, thought that the PNC could save itself from slowly expiring by changing the old guard and replacing them with youth. That prescription is only partly true. The successful solution lies in the following: (1) The PNC must cease using race and racism as the main plank of mobilising support. That plank was successful 50 years ago, but the sociology of the country has changed over the half-a-century, and this leaves spokespersons like Dr David Hinds and Mr Vincent Alexander as anachronistic voices in the deep jungle. Race does not work anymore, since the young people of the country have long moved away from it. The other parties have recognised this, and if the PNC does not banish race and racism from its armory, it will inevitably die.

(2) The PNC must get rid of the deep mindset that the

PPP is invincible. This false assumption has been with the party since its founding, despite the fact that political trends have shown the contrary, as the rise of Rodney and the 2015 Elections.

This assumption has deep down demoralised the party and led it into rigging elections, and intellectuals like Dr David Hinds are articulately strengthening that assumption with, for instance, his flawed prescriptions as to how Guyana must run its politics. (If one studies the newspapers of the 1950s and early 1960s, one would find that Dr Hinds’s pronouncements could have been plucked from them.)

(3) The PNC, to survive in the modern world, has to be democratic in its internal elections and on the broad stage of Guyanese politics. This is extremely difficult, since the PNC has always gained from a lack of democracy by rigged elections, bullyism and violence.

In 2020, however, it tried all

three and failed disastrously, and the entire world and all Guyana, except the small cabal of riggers, are committed to upholding democracy.

The PNC’s determination to fight democracy has brought the party to the door of extinction. In addressing this difficult issue of how to make the PNC democratic, the PNC should discreetly arrange a national think-tank, since the Hindses and Alexanders and those of their ilk are no longer useful.

(4) The PNC has always allowed itself to be enveloped in credulous self-delusion, with destructive result. I will give readers a few examples to drive home the point: When the no-confidence motion was carried, instead of having elections within the prescribed time when APNU/ AFC would have won those elections, they decided on a delay of a year. Secondly, before the Elections, Prof Thomas glibly talked of the narco-state and 5 billion dollars of state property could

be recovered. When Thomas was put to the test, there was no narco and he was unable to recover one cent of any of the alleged $5 billion of state property, though he was given 50 expensive audits to help him.

Worse, APNU/AFC spent two of its five years chasing after the chimera of state property when it should have been governing. And lastly, during the recount of votes at the last election, when PNC/ APNU understood that it had irretrievably lost, it deluded itself that dead people or non-existent voters had voted, though the voting process was water-tight and it was, in any case, controlled by PNC/ APNU supporters. And now it has decided to bring the same chimerical accusations before the courts. The PNC/ APNU has to work out some way by which it could free itself from self-delusions.

Yours sincerely, Paul Validum Ramlochan

We can never turn our backs on sugar

Dear Editor, Sugar is the backbone of our economy; in fact, it has been the mainstay of all Third World economies in this part of the known world. I am talking about sugar being of great importance before bauxite, rice or mining. It is the single crop to have brought the races together here in one geographical space. Sugar, yes, sugar; no other industry can command that important a position as sugar has earned for itself.

Sugar has also been a bedrock for the colonials - history vividly shows us - and the jewel in Britain’s Crown, to the point where wars were fought to upkeep its legacy.

In this regard the sugar industry holds a special place on Guyana’s economic landscape, and every step must be taken to ensure its viability.

But not only should we keep it alive, as is the general discourse, but to make it profitable and economically sound for many more years to come. To speak of sugar is nostalgic to me, because I am from the largest sugar growing area in our country, I was brought up on sugar; all that I am and ever hope to be is due to the mighty sugar industry.

But lest I be overwhelmed by nostalgia, let me return to our discourse.

Our sugar industry is vitally important in that it is allied to all the major agricultural industries, and were it not for sugar, they could not exist. We are looking at associated agro-based industries such as rice, vegetable production, and the cattle industry, which all owe their vital existence on sugar. These other crops and animal husbandry areas all subsist on sugar’s efficient drainage and irrigation network, which has remained intact throughout the years.

Even the new housing development areas were either built on sugar lands, or depend on it for essential drainage. So, to callously close sugar’s doors would spell disaster to this entire country. Our sugar industry does not exist in a vacuum, nor should it be viewed as an isolated entity by itself; every other industry in some way or the other is intertwined with the majestic sugar industry.

And may I add that closing the estates was an ungrateful act, because sugar piloted our battered economy during those mismanagement years of the PNC. At one stage, sugar was taxed to support the flagging bauxite industry.

Never in history was one industry taxed to shore up another, but sugar was, there-

fore in its time of need, when sugar was going through a difficult period, should we ever turn our backs on the industry?

It was also a spiteful and vindictive act to close the sugar estates, as expert advice was available to them from the IMF, but they ignored every educated avenue that was at their disposal. Their own study conducted by Professor Clive Thomas was thrown aside as they surged ahead with that backward decision to close.

Now, the hidden agenda behind the Granger Government closing the sugar estates was all bound up in the retrograde idea that sugar is an employer of persons who are mainly of Indian ancestry and a reservoir of sup-

port for the PPP/C party. So, close the industry and cripple their power base. No wonder the PNC’s obsession with the PPP/C stronghold areas in Region 4 during the last election, it was purely based on spite.

With the ushering in of a new administration, sugar has been given a new lease on life, sugar has been revived.

Reports so far show healthy signs of change as the ratio of tons of raw cane to actual sugar production has been reduced; that is, from 12 tons of cane to 1 ton of sugar, to 8 tons of cane to one ton of sugar. This is great news, as a revitalised industry moves forward into the future.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

COMMODITIES Indicators Crude Oil Rough Rice London Sugar

US$ $50.86/barrel $221.724/ton $408.60/ton

Live Spot Gold

Change % -0.85 +0.08 0.00

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1875.50

$1876.50

Low/High Change

$1869.30 +2.60

$1897.80 +0.14%

Assembly.”

Despite their clarity, the Granger cabal not only ignored the two Articles of the Constitution, but spent tens of millions of taxpayers’ dollars in legal fees trying to reverse the no confidence motion and to overturn the election results. In all of the cases, the Constitution prevailed.

As reported by several media outlets, governments past and present have, on numerous occasions, violated the Constitution, so why should the people expect the leader of the coalition to acknowledge that he lost the election and demit office?

In Guyana, politicians do not easily give up power or resign, even when there is an abundance of evidence that they have made grave errors, commit wrongdoings, were involved in corrupt or other illegal practices, or have flagrantly violated the rule of law. The reason is, there exists a culture of obscenity and unethical conduct among politicians and senior public officials, because of their higher status in society.

At times, the two major parties, when in opposition, would call on members of the governing party to resign in the face of alleged corrupt practices or wrong doings; but, as expected, they never do. Maybe some with a modicum of decency may capitulate under pressure and resign, but it will not be the call from either of the two parties that would make them do it. It would more likely be a judgement call based on their integrity, or a decision taken by the President based on the exigencies of the situation and the possible political fallout in the court of public opinion.

Regrettably, calls for resignation are not taken seriously by our politicians. Such calls are seen merely by most, if not all, as political mischief, or one-upmanship, or as propaganda stunts to score cheap political points. However, some political pundits have opined that the main reason

why there is not an established code of ethics or conduct for politicians is because both parties would be seen as being weak should they discipline their members for wrongdoings. It is hypocritical!

The truth is: governments have not even broached the subject of having a code of ethics or conduct for Members of Parliament, or the cabinet. To put it bluntly, a code of ethics or conduct would be established only when civil society and influential interest groups rise up and join in the foray to force governments to recognise that decency dictates that a code of ethics or conduct is needed to hold politicians and governments accountable.

Resigning from public office is not easy, because of the shame associated with it, but it is critical and ethical to do so in order to maintain the integrity of the office. It should be a defining moment for the country to be woven into a fabric of decency, honesty and professional judgement. The Greek Philosopher Parmenides, who founded the Eleatic School of Philosophy which influenced Western philosophy around 475BC, said: “The option for public servants to resign reinforces integrity, buttresses responsibility and supports accountability. It is not an act of weakness, but an ethical action which manifests the nature of public servants in inglorious events that happen while governing.”

It is said that one of the greatest threats to democracy and good governance is leadership that shuns ethics and morality and puts personal aggrandisement and party interests before those of the people and the country. Too much of this practice is rooted in Guyana’s body politic. We must replace it with a code of ethics/conduct and good governance, which is basically accountability and transparency.

Yours faithfully, Dr Asquith Rose

O

nce when Duryodhana said that he was not afraid of God and man, Krishna told him that he was indeed, pitiable!

The pasu (animal) fears; the mriga (beast) terrifies.

Man should be neither. He should neither terrify nor get terrorised. He must be neither a coward nor a bully. If he is a coward he is an animal; if he is a bully he is a danava, an ogre. Every one of you is a temple, with the Lord installed in your heart, whether you are aware of it or not. The Lord is described in the Purusha Sukta as thousand headed; it does not mean that He has just thousand heads, no more, no less. It means that the thousands of heads before Me now have just one heart, which gives life and energy to all, and that heart is the Lord. No one is separate from his neighbour; all are bound by the one life-blood that flows through the countless bodies. (Divine Discourse, Feb 18, 1966)

Shri Sathya Sai Baba Organisation

6

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

Foundation ◄

Page

FOR CHILDREN

Line Graphs

A line graph often shows how information changes as time passes. In a line graph, the steeper a line segment is, the more change there has been during that interval. The distance from one time to another is called an interval.

Æsop’s Fables

Exercises: Interpret 1) What number of students took 20 minutes to locate library materials?

Example:

2) What are the two most popular days for consuming potatoes?

In which year were the most dolphins seen?

Step 1: Look for the highest point on the graph (80).

Step 2: Look along the horizontal axis for the time that point relates to: 1999.

Monday’s answers

1)

There is no third most-liked fruit. Three of the four fruits are tied for second place.

2)

The least favourite holiday drink for students is ginger beer.

Firework printing

Use pipe cleaners or drinking straws to print colourful fireworks on paper.

Supplies needed Black or any dark-coloured construction paper (12 inches x 18 inches) Pipe cleaners or drinking straws Poster paint or tempera paint Plastic plates or similar flat containers for the paint Glitter (optional) Method Gather the pipe cleaners together. Do not align them at the ends so that you can print fireworks with uneven rays.

Fold the bunch of pipe cleaners in half. Take a half piece of pipe cleaner.

Use this to bind the bunch of pipe cleaners from the folded end to about three inches up the length of the bunch.

To complete your printing tool, spread open the pipe cleaner ends. Try to position them at the same level so that

they lay completely flat when placed on a flat surface.

To create smaller printing tools, cut the pipe cleaners in half in Step 1. The resulting printing tool will have a very short handle, but will still be easy to grip.

Prepare a large sheet of black or dark-coloured construction paper to print your fireworks on.

Put tempera or poster paint in plastic plates, small trays, or similar shallow containers. Add just enough water to make the paint spreadable. Mix well.

Dip the printing tool onto the paint.

Wiggle it around so that all the pipe cleaners touch the paint.

Press the printing tool onto the paper. You can press on any pipe cleaner that isn't touching the paper.

Lift the pipe cleaner tool to see the coloured print on the paper.

Print one or more colours over your first print to come up with a colourful firework.

You can use the same colour palette on all your fireworks (eg red, green and blue) or make the fireworks super colourful.

To make sparkly fireworks, you can either sprinkle glitter while your firework prints are still wet or apply glitter glue after the paint on your firework prints dry. (firstpalette.com)

O

nce upon a time a severe plague raged among the animals. Many died, and those who lived were so ill, that they cared for neither food nor drink, and dragged themselves about listlessly. No longer could a fat young hen tempt Master Fox to dinner, nor a tender lamb rouse greedy Sir Wolf's appetite.

At last the lion decided to call a council. When all the animals were gathered together he arose and said: "Dear friends, I believe the gods have sent this plague upon us as a punishment for our sins. Therefore, the most guilty one of us must be offered in sacrifice. Perhaps we may thus obtain forgiveness and cure for all.

"I will confess all my sins first. I admit that I have been very greedy and have devoured many sheep. They had done me no harm. I have eaten goats and bulls and stags. To tell the truth, I even ate up a shepherd now and then.

"Now, if I am the most guilty, I am ready to be sacrificed.

But I think it best that each one confess his sins as I have done. Then we can decide in all justice who is the most guilty."

"Your Majesty," said the Fox, "you are too good. Can it be a crime to eat sheep, such stupid mutton heads? No, no, your Majesty. You have done them great honour by eating them up.

"And so far as shepherds are concerned, we all know they belong to that puny race that pretends to be our masters."

All the animals applauded the Fox loudly. Then, though the Tiger, the Bear, the Wolf, and all the savage beasts recited the most wicked deeds, all were excused and made to appear very saint-like and innocent.

It was now the Ass's turn to confess.

"I remember," he said guiltily, "that one day as I was passing a field belonging to some priests, I was so tempted by the tender grass and my hunger, that I could not resist nibbling a bit of it. I had no right to do it, I admit—" A great uproar among the beasts interrupted him. Here was the culprit who had brought misfortune on all of them!

What a horrible crime it was to eat grass that belonged to someone else! It was enough to hang anyone for, much more an Ass. Immediately they all fell upon him, the Wolf in the lead, and soon had made an end to him, sacrificing him to the gods then and there, and without the formality of an altar.

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Guyana needs all hands on deck” – President …urges Diaspora in Canada to return home and invest

President Dr Irfaan Ali

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali is encouraging Guyanese in Canada to return home and start up investments in the local economy, with assurances of Government’s commitment in fostering a stable economic environment.

This position was shared during his virtual feature address at the Guyanese Republic Jubilee Awards Ceremony and Presentation, organised by the Guyana Consulate in Canada on Sunday evening.

He noted that Guyana can only become more resilient through these efforts and the diaspora possess

skills and resources that will accelerate such development. While some may be afraid of the risks, he shared that this element is attached to every financial or business decision.

“I want to encourage you to play your part in the transformative process which is taking place.

Guyana needs all hands-on deck, including the members of the Diaspora who possess the skills and the resources which are needed to fulfill our ambitions over the next ten years…Do not doubt yourself. In investment, there is an element of risk. In business, there is an element of risk. In moving from one state to another state, there is an element of risk. In moving from one country to another country, there is an element of risk,” the President expressed.

He acknowleged that there are areas in which the Government needs to improve in order to create a conducive atmosphere for growth. This, he said, should not be used as an excuse or deter anyone from investing.

“We acknowledge there are areas in which we have to improve; to make you comfortable in an environment in which you’re accus-

tomed to, speed at which you get service, and quality of service. We are not hiding from these things. These are things that we have to fix and we’re fixing. But do not use them as an excuse that will keep you away from coming. We are in this together. We want you

Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd

to come. We are waiting on your arrival. We know you are committed; we know you have love for country, take the bold step.”

The Head of State envisioned Guyana with a modern, robust, diversified and resilient economy capable of delivering economic prosperity. This would later contribute to higher levels of employment and improvement in the quality of life.

While speaking about the oil sector and the tremendous propulsion it will

CH&PA still owes NICIL...

This transaction is one of several that were included in Financial Paper No 2 of 2019, which had a total sum of $4.150 billion that included current estimates of $223.2 million and capital estimates of $3.926 billion.

The paper was eventually passed after the Committee of Supply had examined it.

NICIL had announced last year that it sold more than 1000 acres of land to the CH&PA, as part of the lands it divested from GuySuCo in keeping with the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change’s controversial policy of down-

sizing the sugar company.

Back in 2018, NICIL, through Republic Bank, went out on a limb to arrange a $30 billion syndicated bond at a rate of 4.75 per cent interest and a fiveyear repayment period for GuySuCo. According to the agreement between NICIL and Hand-in-Hand Trust Corporation as the trustee, the first tranche payment of $16.5 billion from the bond was to be used for a longterm project and capital financing for GuySuCo. Specifically, the money was to be used to acquire two

stir, he reminded that traditional sectors such as rice, sugar, forestry, bauxite and gold mining are important to “wealth creation, employment generation and income distribution”.

He detailed, “We intend to modernize and to grow these sectors. As you have

FROM PAGE 2

co-generation plants, upgrade the existing factories to produce plantation white sugar, build storage and packing facilities, and help pay for two years of general operational costs.

However, a significant part of the bond was never used for the purposes it was secured. The previous APNU/AFC Government itself had admitted that between July 2018 to February 2020, $9.7 billion was disbursed from the bond to GuySuCo to fund its operational expenditure – much of which was outside the terms of the bond.

seen, we are committed to reviving the sugar industry but in a smarter manner by moving production up the value-chain and by diversifying the industry itself. A modern economy which is capable of rebounding from internal and external shocks requires transformative infrastructure. We have begun to roll out a massive transformative infrastructure development agenda.”

He pointed towards the developmental plans in place, including: the completion of the East Coast Demerara Highway; the resurfacing of the East Coast Railway Embankment from Sheriff Street to Enmore; the remodelling of the Linden to Lethem Highway and work on the Linden to Mabura Hill section. The President also pointed to the

construction of a road link between Ogle and Diamond, the development of a fourlane highway between Georgetown and Timehri, a road link between Parika and Rockstone, and a new high-span bridge across the Demerara River, which he estimates will be completed before the end of 2024.

The Head of State added that a deep water habour, a new international airport at Lethem, industrial parks and free-trade zones will integrate Guyana’s economy with more powerful markets and convert the country into a major economic hub in the Western Hemisphere.

Enhanced relationship

Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation, Hugh Todd shared that the role of diaspora communities in the development in their home country is nota-

ble around the world.

“This well researched, evidence based and strategic approach to Diaspora engagement has helped to ensure that the concept is factored into the economic and social development plans of countries world over, Guyana being no exception.

The available skills, expertise, and resources that the Diaspora possesses, are of extreme importance and can only be suitably utilised through a structured approach to our interactions with Guyanese nationals around the world,” Todd noted.

He pledged commitment on Guyana’s end to ensure a better relationship with the diaspora community, and assisting potential investors with their proposals.

“I believe that it is now opportune that we prioritise investment by the Diaspora as a key element to our Government’s plan for longterm economic development.

The Government of Guyana is committed to strengthening the relationship with our nationals living abroad to assist interested investors in developing and implementing their business ideas at home.”

He added, “The Government sees a role for Diaspora investment not only in the new oil and gas sector, but also in the traditional sectors of the Guyanese economy, those sectors that have always been the pillars of our economic activity and national development.” (G12)

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cuban wanted for Princes St double murder nabbed in Linden

Nabbed for murder: Yoel Rodrigues Barientos

H

ours after a bulletin was issued for the arrest of Cuban national Yoel Rodriguez Barientos aka “Joel Rodriguez” in connection with the murder of

his partner and her daughter, Police were successful in apprehending him in Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

According to Police information, the 27-year-old labourer was arrested on Sunday evening and is in custody at the Mackenzie Police Station. Police believe that he might have been heading to Lethem with the intention of crossing the border to Brazil.

Barientos went missing after he allegedly murdered his 34-year-old Guyanese partner, Tara Krishnaran, and her 11-year-old daughter, Larissa Singh sometime between Christmas Day and Boxing Day evening, at their Princes Street, Lodge, Georgetown home.

Their bodies were discovered about 21:00h on Boxing Day. Based on initial reports re-

The Year of…

Dead: Larissa Singh

Dead: Tara Krishnaran

ceived, the father of the dead woman told Police that the suspect and his daughter were heard arguing about 17:30h on December 25. This was followed by a scuffle between

them. However, the man did not take it seriously since the couple would normally fight and as such, he retired to bed.

About 08:00h on December 26, the father woke up, but did not check on his daughter and granddaughter, since he thought that she had gone to work and taken her daughter with her.

At approximately 20:30h, the man went to his daughter’s room to check on them, but it was then he made the gruesome discovery: his daughter and granddaughter were lying motionless on a bed and ground, respectively.

Wounds were discovered at the back of the woman’s head, left temple and left side of the face while the child sustained a stab wound to her neck. It is suspected that she was also raped. A bloodstained hammer and a knife were retrieved from the scene.

At the home of the dead woman on Sunday, her brother, Amar Krishnaran narrated what he was told happened to his sister and niece.

“Normally when they go to work, they does make he [our father’s] food and put it on the table…he didn’t see the food on the table and didn’t know what happened…as the time was going by during the day, he didn’t see the little girl coming out to feed the puppy…,” he said.

Amar said his father waited for hours for his daughter and he did not see her or the child come in, so he decided to go to the room to check.

“He went and pull the blind and he saw my niece lying on the ground right there… she was motionless and the room was dark so whatever glimpse he saw of the mother on the bed, that was it… so he took his foot and touched her [the child’s] hand and there were no movements,” the tearful man said. It was then the 69-year-old man realised that something was amiss.

He tried to make his way to the door to get help, and realised that the doors were locked from the outside and the keys were missing. He then managed to get his phone and called relatives to the scene.

Guyana Times understands that Krishnaran and Barientos had been living together for about 10 months, and had been dating for just over a year. They had worked at the same establishment in Georgetown.

Y

…rigging dangerously our Eyewitness is, of course, (shamelessly) ripping off the title of that old political thriller starring a youthful Mel Gibson - “The year of living dangerously” - which recounted an attempted coup against President Sukarno of Indonesia back in 1965. The details of the attempted coup - with the Indonesian Army at the centre - remain murky to this day; but, playing out in the heyday of the Cold War, we can be sure it involved dissatisfaction by the West against the arch Non-Aligned promoter Sukarno.

Here, in Guyana, Cheddi Jagan’s government had been ousted the year before by a slick double whammy of violence (ethnic riots) and electoral manipulation (FPTP to PR). Burnham was installed, and we know he remained in power by rigging elections to his dying day. But, in 1965, the young David Granger had been selected to go off for training at Mons in England, and would return to form the nucleus of a new Guyana Defence Force (GDF), which would become the major prop for the illegal regime.

After he was voted into office in 2015, Granger revealed - in an unguarded moment to an audience in Atlanta that he’d been “PNC” from the moment he returned to Guyana, and remained steadfastly so all the years since. So much for his claims that the GDF had been “professional” during his stint as its head! But the army’s stealing of ballot boxes and killing of civilians guarding them - which Granger described as “performing splendidly” - had been a dead (pun intended) giveaway! The period from 1965 to 1985 were years of living dangerously in Guyana.

Anyhow, back to this year, that’s hurtling to a close: we don’t really have to revisit the rigging at the Ashmin’s Building, do we? Save just to point out that it was Granger and his PNC acolytes who chose to rig so dangerously in front of the Western diplomats. Whatever might’ve been the latter’s motivation, even if they’d wanted to go along with Granger’s heist, he’d so placed them between a rock and a hard place that they had absolutely no wriggle room!! Diplomats since the end of the Cold War need at least “plausible deniability”!

But, as they say, if you choose to live by the rig (remember that Granger became PNC Leader through a rigged party election!) then you’ll die by the rig. And as far as having a political future is concerned, Granger is as dead as the Woolly Mammoth after the sordid rig attempt

by Mingo, using that soiled bedsheet! His carefully crafted image as a “master strategist” has been blown to smithereens by Jagdeo and the PPP! And as a card-carrying “Sanctimonious Gangster”, he’s lost his place in the pew! …separating paddy from chaff One of the old verities that’s proven true to your Eyewitness over the years is, “it’s an ill wind that blows no good”. So even though it looks like the end of the road for Granger and his band of desperate riggers, after they overplayed their hand, it’s certain that our politics will be the better for it. Point of the matter is that Corbin’s decision to bring Granger from out of the (figurative) shadows to lead the PNC was never going to work.

A political party is an organic entity - if it wants to remain relevant, that is. Its leadership has to come out of the sinews of the membership and those who’ve been in the trenches with them through fair weather and foul.

Granger has always been removed from the daily minutiae of what it takes to build loyalty in the masses.

Desmond Hoyte recognised Granger’s limitations even when it came to heading the GDF - where he’s spent his entire adult life.

More grounded leaders will arise. …beneficence It was quite heartwarming to see Granger collecting his $25,000 COVID-19 relief. For the first time, your Eyewitness saw a human touch when he opened the envelope and counted out the five “Grangers”!

But he blew it when he didn’t pick up the fallen envelope!!

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

9

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

10 NEWS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

DUI driver hits man on LBI pavement

P

olice are investigating a serious accident which occurred on Saturday, wherein an allegedly drunken driver lost control of a motorcar and it collided with a pedestrian on the pavement at La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Based on information received, the incident occurred at about 22:30h, when motorcar PSS 3512, driven by a 47-year-old man, was proceeding east along the northern carriageway of the road reportedly at a fast rate, and became uncontrollable.

As a result, the vehicle veered off on the left side of the road and collided with another vehicle, which was

Police Headquarters in a statement said the accident involving Police Constable Lyle and 45-year-old Shawn Peters occurred on the Den Amstel Public Road, West Coast Demerara.

Enquiries revealed that ATV bearing registration number CJ 3400, and owned

by the Guyana Police Force, was proceeding at a fast rate of speed. The Police constable alleged that while he was proceeding, the ATV developed a mechanical problem, causing him to lose control. As a result, he collided with the Back Street, Den Amstel resident. (G12)

WCD hit and run

The car toppled after hitting the pedestrian

stationary on the parapet, before it hit the pedestrian who was sitting on the said parapet, toppled and then came to a halt.

The 40-year-old pedestrian was picked up in a conscious condition by

paramedics, and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he remains a patient.

Both vehicles were damaged. A breathalyzer test was conducted on the driver and he is in custody assist-

ing with the investigation.

Meanwhile, on Christmas Day, a 45-yearold pedestrian was injured after a Police constable lost control of the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) he was driving and it crashed into him.

File sent to DPP for legal advice, driver on station bail

Dead: Rajendra Doodnauth

T

he Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack, has been asked to determine whether enough evidence is present to charge the driver of a hit-and-run accident which claimed the life of Rajendra Doodnauth on the West Coast of Demerara.

Fifty-five-year-old Doodnauth of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara died after being hit by a speeding car last Tuesday on the Stewartville Public Road.

Enquires revealed that the motorcar was proceeding east along the northern side of the road reportedly at a fast rate while the pedal cyclist was proceeding in the same direction as the motor car.

Doodnauth had come off his bicycle and was waiting to cross the road when

he was involved in a collision with the front of the car and fell onto the front window screen of the vehicle, then onto the road surface, where he was dragged some distance before the vehicle came to a stop.

He received injuries about his body, and was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he was examined by a doctor on duty. The man was pronounced dead while receiving medical treatment.

This publication understands that the deceased was a former employee of the Uitvlugt Estate but left the job some time ago, and until the time of his demise, had remained unemployed.

At the time of the accident, he was on an errand to purchase something for an acquaintance.

The 41-year-old driver, of Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara, was released from custody but has been requested to report every Friday to the Police.

Meanwhile, the dead man’s son, Devindra Doodnauth, spoke with this publication on Monday. “We want justice for my father, because this is not right at all…We don’t know what will happen,” he said.

Relatives of the dead man are calling for justice in relation to Doodnauth’s death.

11

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

12 NEWS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

US$1B Belgium cocaine bust

CANU, GRA positively identify persons who deleted scanner images

T

he investigation into the US$1.06 billion drug bust in Belgium in early November continues, and Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn has related that the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) have positively identified the person(s) responsible for removing the images, dates and

times from the container scanners.

Benn relayed the information to reporters on Monday on the sidelines of an event at the Lusignan Prison. He noted that the Belgian authorities are proceeding with their investigations, and the last information the local investigators got was that a former head of the Belgian Narcotics

Wanted: Marlon Primo

Division is being sought. He added that some examinations were recently made in other parts of the country in respect of trafficking routes.

When asked about the deleted images from the GRA container scanner, Benn relates that over 50,000 images were handed over to CANU for examination.

“They are trying, nevertheless, to examine (the images), but for sure, it is known who removed the images, dates and times.

They’re the subject of further investigations, both at the GRA and CANU,” Benn related while refusing to divulge any further information as it relates to the number of persons under in-

vestigation.

CANU head James Singh had related that Guyana was used as a transshipment point. The 11.5 tonnes of cocaine reportedly shipped from Guyana was intercepted upon arrival at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium.

Singh had said investigations have so far revealed that this huge quantity of the drug was imported to Guyana from another country, after which it was stockpiled and then loaded into the container, and ultimately onto the vessel which reportedly left Guyana in September.

On November 4, it was reported that Belgian authorities had intercepted a vessel that allegedly left Guyana with a whopping 11.5 tonnes of cocaine – the largest drug bust ever.

It was reported that counter-narcotics prosecutors tracked the transatlantic journey of 11.5 tonnes of cocaine from Guyana, on the northeastern coast of South America, and seized it upon its arrival at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium.

Federal prosecutors had reported that this was “the largest overseas drug bust ever, worldwide” with an estimated street value of €900 million or US$1.06 billion.

The drugs were disguised as scrap metal and placed inside a steel container, which was in turn packed into a sea container and loaded onto a transatlantic vessel.

According to the report, prosecutors were able to track the shipment following the dismantlement of a drug

The cocaine which was unearthed in the container in Belgium

trafficking gang led by a former Belgian counter-narcotics chief, which revealed the existence of tight-knit links between criminal gangs and counter-narcotics and law enforcement officials.

The reports stated that three Police officers, a port manager, and a lawyer were among some 20 other criminals arrested as part of an operation targeting the “well-structured” criminal organisation suspected of orchestrating large and “regular” drug shipments from South America to Belgium.

However, the record-breaking shipment was expected by law enforcement officials, as it is suspected it left the port of Guyana after the drug gang’s arrest in Belgium, with drug gangs unable to intercept it once it was at sea.

The dismantlement of the drug gang late in September led to the arrest and indictment of 22 people, with three people still in the Netherlands, awaiting extradition.

This major drug bust comes on the heels of one in August in Hamburg, Germany, where authorities discovered 1.5 tonnes of cocaine in a container of rice shipments.

However, the hunt continues for wanted shipper Marlon Primo of Lot 701 Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara (ECD), and of 69 Atlantic Village, ECD. He is also the proprietor of MA Trading, located at 35 Factory Road, Paradise, ECD. A number of persons connected to the GRA have been arrested and released as the probe continues. (G2)

13 5 new COVID-19 cases recorded from over 110 samples NEWS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…active cases decrease

T

he COVID-19 situation in Guyana is slowly coming under control, with active cases decreasing every day and recoveries increasing.

This was shown on Monday, with only five new cases of the coronavirus after 114 samples were tested. The total number of confirmed cases is now at 6298 with 164 deaths – two of which were reported on Saturday.

The Health Ministry’s dashboard showed that 37,565 persons have been tested thus far, with 3257 males and 3041 females testing positive.

There are seven persons in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), eight persons in institutional isolation, 387 in home isolation and 11 in in-

stitutional quarantine. In total, there are 402 active cases with 5732 recoveries.

A breakdown shows that two of the new cases are from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) while three are from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

There are 931 cases in Region One (BarimaWaini), 187 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 443 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 95 in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), 304 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 537 in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), 194 in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), and 396 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

The Ministry on Sunday revealed that there were

two more COVID-19 deaths – those of a 53-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman, both of whom were from Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) and died while receiving care at a medical facility.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 79,673,754 confirmed cases globally with over 1.76 million deaths. In the Region of the Americas, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased to 34,630,861 while the death toll has gone up to 842,578.

Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 12), which are in effect until December 31, 2020.

This order emphasis-

es, among other things, the need for correct and con-

sistent use of a face mask when leaving your home,

the importance of maintaining six feet of physical distance from others, and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy Persons with comorbidities have been asked to continue taking their respective medications or treatment to control their condition. The preventative measures and guidelines to protect against the virus must be adhered to since this category of persons is at a greater risk if they contract COVID-19.

14 NEWS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

WCB teens’ murder

Police pave way for Argentine expert to access pathologist, autopsy reports

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

P

resident of the Argentine Team of Forensic Anthropology (Equipo Argentino de Antropologia Forensica-EAAF), Dr Luis Fondebrider recently visited Guyana and met with Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn along with senior investigators of the Guyana Police Force where he sought access to a series of documents to determine whether his Team would be in a position to offer assistance in the investigation of the murders of the West Coast Berbice (WCB) teens.

On Monday, Benn told reporters that Police are diligently working on the case and when the time is “appropriate and opportune, action

Dr Luis Fondebrider

would be taken.”

He added that no consideration was given to send the documents to Dr Fondebrider since they would have indicated the level of information sharing at the previous interaction.

“There was a discussion where he was advised that he can see the autopsy which was indeed attended

by Mr Nigel Hughes and he can have an opportunity either virtually or face to face with the government forensic pathologist,” Minister Benn informed.

On September 6, 2020, the badly mutilated bodies of cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry were found in the backlands at West Coast Berbice after they had left their Number Three Village

home to pick coconuts but did not return home. And then, on September 9, 2020, 17-year-old Haresh Singh was found murdered at the Number Three Village backlands in what was dubbed as a retaliatory killing.

Dr Fondebrider arrived in Guyana on December 12 and met with the Singh and Henry families where he explained the scope of his Organisation and how they may or may not be able to assist. He also visited the crime scenes where he gathered preliminary information.

On December 15, the forensic expert held a discussion at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception on Brickdam in Georgetown where he appraised persons of the work of the EAAF and the role they play as one of the foremost forensic teams in the world.

Following his presentation, during an interaction with the local media, related that during his meeting with Minister Benn and the Police he would have requested in excess of 20 pieces of documentation which would form the basis of his report. He noted that if provided with the documents, he would be in a position to indicate whether it is viable for his Team to come to Guyana and provide additional assistance to the

Joel Henry

Isaiah Henry

Haresh Singh

Guyanese authorities.

EAAF, since its foundation in 1984, has worked in 55 countries. It is involved with the case regarding the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico, currently attracting much international attention.

EAAF is made up of 70 members with qualifications in different scientific fields, such as anthropology, archaeology, medicine, criminalistics, information technology, biology, and genetics. They work at the different offices that the institution has in Argentina (Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Tucumán) as well as in New York, Mexico, and South Africa.

The Caricom Regional Security Service (RSS) team already visited Guyana to assist the Police with the investigation. The team made recommendations for more investigation but overall expressed their confidence in the ability of the Guyana Police Force to solve the case.

The five-member team was led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police and comprised officials from countries within the Regional Investigative Management Systems (RIMS) was in Guyana for one week and departed on October 06. The team have

since completed its report and handed it over to the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

The butchered bodies of the Henry teens were found in clumps of bushes and partially covered in mud after relatives went in search of them on September 6.

Post-mortem examinations conducted revealed that the teenagers died from haemorrhage and shock.

In the case of 16-year-old Isaiah, he sustained a severed spine between the second and third vertebrae and a number of chop wounds to his head.

The body of 19-yearold Joel had a total of 18 wounds. He, too, suffered a severed spine between the first and second vertebrae.

It is believed that after sustaining wounds to the head, he fell to the ground and then got the wound that severed his spine.

The murders sparked widespread protest action, particularly along the West Coast Berbice corridor, with persons blocked the roads and burned debris while calling for justice.

The situation escalated as protesters blocked traffic along the WCB roadway while robbing, beating and extorting innocent commuters. Millions of dollars were also lost as vehicles went up in flames.

As the unrest continued, 17-year-old Haresh Singh of Number Three Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB), was found dead hours after he had left home on his motorcycle to attend his family’s farm in the backdam.

It was reported that the sound of Haresh’s motorcycle stopped along the dam and shortly after, his family members saw a fire blazing on the dam. Suspicious that it was the motorcycle, relatives went to investigate and discovered the motionless body of the teenager and the torched motorbike.

The teen was bleeding through his nose and had wounds to his head, ears, neck and hands. According to the family, there was also an “X” on his neck. They then rushed the 17-yearold to the New Amsterdam Hospital, but he succumbed on the way.

Initially, it was suspected that Singh’s murder was in retaliation for the deaths of Isaiah and Joel since one of his close relatives was among those arrested after the cousins’ murder.

Meanwhile, Police had established that 16-year-old Isaiah and 19-year-old Joel Henry were murdered in one location and then their bodies transported to the coconut estate on which they were discovered.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

"Mobile Courts" will cut major costs, reduce threats of exposure to COVID-19 …Govt, Judiciary laud initiative …to be replicated countrywide

By Lakhram Bhagirat

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uyana on Monday launched 14 virtual courtrooms at the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara (ECD) in an effort to minimise the threats of exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) while guaranteeing prisoners their constitution right to a fair and speedy trial.

The initiative was a collaborative effort between the Executive and Judicial arms of Government, and will see a total of 33 such virtual courtrooms being established at all the prisons across the country.

Chief Justice Roxane George lauded the initiative as an historic one in the development of the adminis-

of Trinidad and Tobago for their support and advice, which long before the onset of COVID-19, pioneered the use of containers at courts in the Caribbean Region.

She noted that the use of technology would definitely bring justice close to the people. “I would respectfully suggest that we continue in this vein, to provide community hubs from which defendants can attend court and witnesses can testify virtually without incurring the cost of, and overcoming the challenges of, internet connectivity and accessibility. We have begun to do this with some success by having hubs at some Police Stations, but we are acutely aware that these would have to be expanded to allow for even greater ac-

the height of the pandemic, the Judiciary did not sit idly by.

“In the midst of the pandemic we formed criminal task force involving members who play an important part in the administration of criminal justice in Guyana.

That taskforce comprised the Police, Prisons, DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) and the Judiciary and we looked at ways in which you can have both summary and criminal trials continue in the midst of the pandemic.

With the ideas put together by the panel we were able to put protocols in place for the health and safety of everyone and we went towards remote hearing for persons in custody but that was not sufficient in terms of how much cas-

Members of the Judiciary including Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Chief Justice Roxane George along with Minister Nandlall, SC and Minister Benn, among officials in front of the Container Courtrooms

tration of justice in Guyana.

She said it was birthed out of a challenge to ensure continued access to justice in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The idea to retrofit containers to serve as virtual courtrooms was touted about 10 weeks ago, and according to CJ George, it was embraced by the Irfaan Ali-led Administration and a commitment was made to immediately have the resources available for implementation of the project.

“There were full, frank, and fruitful discussions among representatives from the Judiciary, the Guyana Prison Service, the Guyana Police Force, and the National Data Management Authority. The end results – 33 additional courts at prison facilities across Guyana. 14 here at Lusignan, 4 at Camp Street, 8 at New Amsterdam, 3 at Mazaruni and 4 at Timehri,” she said.

The Chief Justice added that at every location there is a control unit to ensure connectivity between the Courts and virtual courtrooms are stable and working. She related that the finished products are a source of pride for every person that worked on the project, while expressing gratitude to the Judiciary

cess to justice throughout the country.

“These courts and hubs will reduce cost to the state in terms of transportation cost and the effort in getting Police and civilian witnesses, as well as defendants and accused to attend court, especially when they would have to travel long distances, including from and within our vast interior and rural communities. There will also be great savings in the provision of security, required especially in criminal cases. In addition, these courts would benefit prisoners the attendance of prisoners in civil and family court matters ensuring their access to justice,” Justice George lamented.

Justice manifested

Article 144 (1) of the Constitution states: “If any person is charged with a criminal offence, the, unless the charge is withdrawn, the case shall be afforded a fair hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial court established by law.”

In keeping with constitutional right to a speedy trial, Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards related that while prisoners may have lost hope during

es we could have done,” the Chancellor informed.

Justice CummingsEdwards explained that Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels provided the Judiciary with a statistical audit of the prison population so that they could

Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Chief Justice Roxane George cuts the ceremonial ribbon in the presence of Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC; Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and other officials

have assessed the number of inmates and their offences, length of time in prison and those on remand for not being able to afford bail.

She further stated that the Judiciary would have revisited its policy of imprisonment especially in the Magistrate’s Court for minor offences.

For persons who could not have afforded bail, they were given reduced bail amounts or placed on self-bail.

“We started to look at our own system. We started looking at our own policies. We looked at those who are in custody over a long period of time and we try to priortise those cases and the police helped us in getting up witnesses even during the pandemic…today’s event is going to put us to a higher level, a level where we can make a difference, a level with which we could make an impact in the criminal justice system because the container courts - with the roll out of it - would ensure that justice is not only done but justice manifests or appears to be done,” she said.

Reduced costs

Meanwhile, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall related that Government

was pleased to collaborate with the Judiciary on such a historic venture. He explained that a lot of time and resources would now be saved with the introduction of virtual courtrooms in the prisons.

He said that the retrofitting of the containers with the requisite technological apparatus, so that they can be used as Magistrates Courts to deal with and dispose of criminal trials right here at the Lusignan Prison is one that has many benefits. He added that there is no need for the Magistrate to travel to the prison to dispose of cases or the prisoner transported to the Court.

“The court will be held virtually using one of the technological platforms via a flat screen monitor by which each container is equipped.

This measure will bring relief to the prison population which often agitates and protests delays in the courtroom.

“It will also alleviate the great costs associated with

the transportation of prisoners from prison location to Magistrates’ Courts across the country. It will bring great speed to the criminal justice system. It will protect the Magistrate, the prisoner, the police and the court staff from being exposed unnecessarily to the deadly COVID virus,” the Attorney General related.

Nandlall said that the container courtroom is one of the features the Judiciary could possibly consider retaining even after the pandemic is controlled. He notes that one of the benefits of retaining would be reducing the costs incurred by the state when they have to transport inmates from prisons across the country to the various courts- especially in the interior locations.

Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn said that the virtual court system goes a long way in facilitating the timely, orderly, and properly manning of cases in the judicial system.

16 NEWS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

$4B allocation for GuySuCo will help return estates to profitability – Agri Minister

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he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government on Monday laid a supplemental paper in the National Assembly that, among other things, seeks $4 billion for urgent works on the sugar estates that will return the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to profitability.

The allocation came under questioning from several Members of Parliament (MP) on the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) side. In response to MP Jermaine Figueira, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha explained that the Government inherited dilapidated and neglected estates from the former government…a far cry from the estates the APNU/AFC inherited in 2015.

“In the last crop of

2015, they boasted that they turned around the sugar industry. Because of the work we did when we were in government, they said they turned around Skeldon estate. So much so that they brought down the estates on their knees,” the Minister said.

“Now we are working to recapitalise and bring the estates to a breakeven point. And I’m sure we’ll bring the estates to a break-even point, because there are opportunities right in the Caribbean to export over 200 tonnes of refined sugar, which we are trying to do and will do… this $4 billion will help to take us to the road of profitability. This is the work in

Mechanics at the Uitvlugt Estate repairing machinery

progress that we are working to go there.”

Mustapha explained that when the PPP got into government, an examination was done of the necessary capital works. It is this examination that helped to guide the Government’s estimates of the money that would be needed.

“When we took over and we did an examination across the estates, because we set up new boards of directors, we have new management in place. And we’re doing a survey across the estate and a needs assessment with these estates,” Minister Mustapha said.

“And as a result of that, (we know) the entire undercarriage at Albion, all the chains, will have to be

changed. The boiler at Uitvlugt will have to be changed. Now is the time to do the work, because GuySuCo is out of crop.

The factories are not operating. Now is the time to do critical work.”

Under questioning from APNU MP Tabitha Sarabo-Haley, Mustapha explained that the monies sought now will continue the work done with the $3 billion allocation that was contained in the 2020 emergency budget passed in September.

Back in 2016, the former APNU/AFC Government closed the Wales Estate, and the following year shut down the Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates, putting over 7000 sugar workers on the breadline.

The downsizing of the sugar industry saw only the Uitvlugt, Blairmont and Albion Estates being

in operation. The assets of the closed estates were put under the control of the Special Purpose Unit of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) for divestment.

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

Earlier this month, it was announced that GUYSUCO had produced 85,531 tonnes of sugar and was on course to achieving 89,000 tonnes before the crop closes. Uitvlugt Estate was the first to wrap up production for the second crop with a total of 18,599.4 tonnes. (G3)

GRA hauls Van West-Charles’ fuel company to court for falsifying invoice APNU/AFC overpaid millions for

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fuel company owned by former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Water Incorporation (GWI) Richard Van West-Charles, a prominent supporter of the APNU/AFC, is once again in the spotlight.

The company, Atlantic Fuels Inc, which has been embroiled in controversy, is accused of making a false declaration to the Guyana Revenue Authority.

Commissioner-General of the GRA, Godfrey Statia, has since instituted legal proceedings against the company in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

GRA is alleging that on November 12, 2020, at its Camp Street, Georgetown headquarters, Atlantic Fuels caused to be made and subscribed a false declaration on invoice number 100, contrary to the Customs Act. A Police rank has already served a summons on a representative of the company, who has to appear at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on January 04, 2021 to answer the charge.

The charge was instituted under Section 217 (1) (a) of the Customs Act, which reads: “Any person who, in any matter relating to the customs, or under the control or management of the Comptroller - (a) makes and subscribes, or causes to be made and subscribed, any false declaration; or…”

On summary conviction, the person is liable to a fine of $25,000, together with imprisonment for three years.

In November 2015, Charles was granted a licence to import/wholesale and store fuel by the

unfinished works on CDC headquarters

Dr Richard Van West-Charles

GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia

Guyana Energy Agency (GEA). The licence is valid until 2025. The company’s address is listed as Lot 16 Sublot ‘A’ Mudlot, Kingston, Georgetown.

This is not the first time the fuel company has been under the tax agency’s radar. In 2019, the company was under investigation

by GRA for under-invoicing and falsifying invoices. As a result, GRA went after the fuel company for taxes for that year.

Also, in 2019, a city business, South American Breaking and Recycling Inc, filed a lawsuit against Van West Charles, his company, and China Zhonghao Inc., over a fuel deal that reportedly went bad. South American Breaking and Recycling Inc claimed that it entered into an agreement with the parties in a joint venture using the licence of Atlantic Fuels to import fuel.

According to court documents, it was agreed that South American Breaking and Recycling Inc would import 639,000 litres of diesel at US$0.61 per litre and then sell it to China Zhonghao for $198 per litre.

But South American Ship Breaking and Recycling Inc.

claimed that its partners flouted the agreement.

The company further claimed that it was bypassed after Atlantic Fuels entered into an arrangement with China Zhonghao.

The company alleged that the fuel shipment amounted to $126.5 million and that Atlantic Fuel and Van West Charles refused to refund $12.4M in expenses it had incurred.

Van West Charles was granted the fuel import license in 2015 under controversial circumstances, having registered the company in February 2015. At the time, however, persons familiar with the process had questioned how he qualified for the licence when a storage bond, environmental permits and public notices to persons residing in the location are among the requirements.

Previous investigations done by this publication in 2016 had been unable to find a storage bond for the Atlantic fuels. Van West Charles, who was appointed as GWI CEO a mere month before he gained his fuel import license, was relieved of his duties days after the PPP entered office in August 2020.

Some of the incomplete works at the CDC headquarters as at September 17, 2020

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he 2019 AuditorGeneral’s Report has revealed that $25, 529,000 was overpaid under the previous APNU/ AFC Government to a contractor for the expansion of offices at the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Headquarters.

At the end of the reporting period, the works, which were overpaid for, were still not completed.

This has led to the Auditor General recommending that the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) recover the overpayment or have the contractor complete works to the value already paid for.

The report has also recommended that the GDF immediately desist from certifying valuations for works that have not yet been completed.

The contract for the completion of the expansion was granted on May 31, 2019 by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board to the lowest evaluated bidder for $69,684,000.

The report found that eight transactions totalling $65, 865,000 were processed in 2019 for payment to the

contractor.

However, only sums totalling $61,458,000 were paid, leaving an unpaid sum of $4,406,000.

According to the report, the sum of $1,254,000 was paid to the Guyana Revenue Authority as a withholding tax on the payments. Works were scheduled to commence on the building on June 20, 2019, with a duration of six months for completion. However, two extensions were granted, with the new completion date set for August 20, 2020. “…the basis for the extensions were not stated.

As a result, it could not be determined whether the extensions were appropriately justified,” the report highlighted. It said it could not be determined whether any liquidated damages should have been applied.

In response, the Head of the Budget Agency at GDF indicated that the completion of the project was raised in a meeting on June 12, 2020. The Head said that during the meeting, the contractor raised concerns about challenges to procure items and comple-

tion of external works due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Further, the report said the contractor indicated that he cannot commit to a time until the consultant submits all drawings and approvals.

“After that meeting, a revised work programme was submitted, identifying 17 August 2020 as the date of completion for the project. A letter was sent informing the consultant that the CDC has no objection to the request, but the project should not be extended beyond 20 August 2020, followed by handover on 24th August 2020,” the Head of the Budget Agency said.

The report disclosed that a physical verification carried out on the building on September 17, 2020 revealed that the works were incomplete and the work site was inactive. Also, there were no materials or equipment on site. The $25,529,000 overpayment includes works for electrical and AC installation, plumbing and sanitary installation, carpentry and joinery, fire alarm system, metal works, plastering, and other finishes.

NEWS

17

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Linden Magistrate’s Court Meteorology, water quality to reopen next week after monitoring initiative for Essequibo watershed COVID-19 sanitisation

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he Linden Magistrate’s Court will reopen next Tuesday after an almost two-week closure, as a precautionary measure owing to exposure to the coronavirus.

The Judiciary had informed that the court would be closed from December 23, 2020, to effect sanitisation of the court’s building and office. However, the court is still facilitating the hearing of urgent matters remotely. The filing of urgent matters, including domestic violence applications and serious matters, can be done by making contact with the principal clerk of the chief magistrate.

Persons who may have matters scheduled during

this period may also contact the principal clerk of court, chief magistrate, or their Attorney-at-law on the way forward. Payment of maintenance and the uplifting of bail monies will resume on January 5, 2020.

On March 16, 2020, five days after Guyana confirmed its first COVID-19 case, a similar exposure resulted in the immediate closure of the Essequibo High Court, and the Suddie and Anna Regina Magistrates’ Courts, all in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

Since the detection of COVID-19 in Guyana, the Judiciary would carry out periodic sanitisation and fumigation exercises.

Precautionary measures have seen members of the

public and court users entering courtrooms, the registries, and offices being required to use hand sanitisers which are provided and placed at the entrances to all court compounds and in strategic locations in all courts. Face masks are required for entry into the courts’ compound.

The Judiciary also has a Response Team in place to deal with the preparedness, response, and interaction with public health agencies.

Also, the Judiciary has noted that given the nature and characteristics of coronavirus and its potential to disrupt or even halt the functions of the court, there will be strict adherence to safety protocols.

Narine, and Regional Health Officer Gregory Harris.

“We are hopeful that this contribution will aid in amplifying the sanitising efforts throughout the region

and we look forward to sustaining amicable relations with the people of Region 10 as we enter the new year,” the company said in a brief statement.

Supreme Distributors donates hampers to Region 10

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upreme Distributors, a local distribution company, has donated dozens of relief hampers to the Regional Administration of Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) to aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Proprietor Mohamed Faizoul, in a social media post, said he was elated to make the contribution of 60 multipurpose hampers.

The hampers include 60 gallons of anti-bacterial liquid soap worth $720,000.

The items were received by Regional Executive Officer (REO) Dwright John; Assistant REO Leola

h e Hydrometeorological Service (Hydromet) and the Environmental Management Consultants (EMC) have commenced a meteorology and water quality baseline monitoring programme for the Lower Essequibo Watershed.

As part of this programme, Hydromet has installed a Vaisala Automatic Weather Station at the Saxacalli Rainforest Centre to provide real-time weather and environmental monitoring.

Also, considering the impacts of the extractive industries, agriculture and fishing on the lower Essequibo River watershed, a water quality baseline programme for this area will commence from January 2021 with monthly data collection through a commitment by EMC of personnel, equipment, and facilities.

The data garnered from the programme will help Hydromet build a robust data set of meteorological and water quality parameters which could support analyses of the state of the environment in this important watershed and help guide integrated resource management for the area.

Prior to this investment, there was no automatic weather station on the Lower Essequibo.

The installation of the Vaisala Automatic Weather Station will allow the collection of 10 meteorological parameters including rainfall, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, air temperature and relative humidity as well as atmospheric pressure. This data will be

The Vaisala Automatic Weather Station

recorded at 15-minute intervals and uploaded via satellite link.

These initiatives have been executed as part of a framework of cooperation established through a Memorandum of Understanding MoU between Hydromet and EMC. The MoU builds on existing efforts of cooperation on data and information collection which have focused on the Saxacalli area and are intended to encompass the lower Essequibo River watershed. One of the principal objectives of the MoU is to support freshwater resource governance and management and which will include joint efforts at hydrologi-

cal and meteorological data collection, management and analysis, capacity building and training, and education and awareness.

According to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, “This public-private partnership initiative allows the pooling of resources to collect and analyse critical information which will help in the management of this important watershed as well as provide valuable information for development initiatives. I wish to commend Hydromet and EMC for taking this step and to encourage that such initiatives be widened to cover other watersheds and freshwater and marine ecosystems.”

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guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

Regional

Honduran environmental activist killed in front of family

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asked men armed with guns and machetes killed a Honduran environmentalist activist in front of his family, Police said on Monday, the latest in a string of such attacks in the Central American country.

Felix Vasquez, a defender of environmental and human rights, died on Saturday night after the attack in the village El Ocotal, in central Honduras.

A law enforcement spokesman told Reuters the killing was under investigation.

“Police authorities immediately decided to initiate a corresponding inves-

tigation... we hope to have an answer soon,” Police official Kevin Hernandez told Journalists.

Honduras is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for activists, with 14 land and environmental defenders killed last year, up from four people in 2018, according to data made available by advocacy group Global Witness.

Vasquez, a member of the Indigenous Lenca community which lives in the mountainous region near the border with El Salvador, had intended to run for Congress as a member of the Opposition LIBRE party in 2021 elections.

He had filed complaints to national authorities starting in 2017 over alleged political persecution due to his work in environmental activism, according to the Coalition against Impunity (CCI), a non-government Organisation.

“The State is directly responsible for his murder due to its omissions in the face of the serious risks of which it was duly aware,” the CCI said.

The Honduran Government did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Vasquez’s killing comes four years after the assassination of Lenca Indigenous

Lenca Indigenous people stand by a sign reading “Lenca Territory, International Labour Organisation agreement number 169 on the indigenous peoples. Water is life” in 2018. Lenca Indigenous have protested against the construction of a dams they say threaten the environment [Orlando Sierra/AFP file photo]

activist Berta Caceres, a veteran land rights defender who led a battle against a major dam on ancestral lands before she was shot to death at her home. (Reuters)

Barbadian appointed Roman Catholic Bishop of Bridgetown

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he Holy Father, Pope Francis has appointed Fr Neil Sebastian Scantlebury, 55, to be the next bishop of the Diocese of Bridgetown, making him the first Barbadian to be ordained a Catholic bishop.

The announcement was made on Monday, December 28 at noon, Vatican City time. The date set for episcopal ordination is Wednesday, March 17 at St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, Bridgetown.

Dominique Thorne: American actress, with Trini roots, stars as Marvel’s Ironheart

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Dominique Thorne as Ironheart. Source: Comic book cast. -

he loves hot doubles with the perfect ratio of channa to tamarind sauce, likes the beach and enjoys a good family lime.

She may sound like an average Trini, but she is also the star of an upcoming Disney Plus/Marvel series.

Born to TT parents in the US, 23-year-old actress Dominique Thorne is set to invade your screen as Marvel’s Ironheart.

The actress was born and raised in New York, but her mother, Nerissa Guy, is from Carapichaima and her father, Navie Guy, is from Mayaro. She also has two brothers – Ky-Mani, 13, and Caleb, four.

But when you interact with her, you’d think she was born and raised in TT as her parents ensured they retained every aspect of their culture possible after migrating.

She told Sunday Newsday, “Most of my fam-

ily, actually, is in Trinidad.

All my cousins and everything. It’s only just really my immediate family that’s here, but at least 90 per cent of my family members are still in Trinidad.”

They now live in Delaware. She said she communicates with her family daily and her parents’ TT friends “that grew up across the street or down the road that almost become like your family over time”.

Much to her dissatisfaction, she has only visited TT once in 2010. She stayed by her aunt in Chaguanas.

“I remember everything vividly.

“I stayed for a significant amount of time – long enough to participate in a summer camp, visit museums…We had gone absolutely everywhere. Down the islands, Maracas...I got to visit the family down in Mayaro.

It was beautiful.” (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Fr Neil Sebastian Scantlebury (GP)

March 17 is the feast day of St Patrick.

Bishop-elect Scantlebury will succeed Archbishop Jason Gordon, who has been serving as Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Bridgetown since his appointment as Archbishop of Port of Spain, in 2017.

The Bishop-elect has been serving in the Diocese of St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands since his ordination to the priesthood on May 18, 1995.

He was born on October 1, 1965 to Deacon Keith Scantlebury and Myrna Scantlebury, both now deceased.

After completing his primary and secondary education in Barbados, Scantlebury entered the St Augustine campus, The University of the West Indies, in Trinidad, gradu-

ating with a degree in mechanical engineering.

The Bishop-elect then moved to the US Virgin Islands to teach religion at the Catholic school of St Peter and Paul Cathedral, St Thomas.

He was accepted as a candidate for the priesthood, and sent to Mount St Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, Maryland, United States.

After earning his master’s in divinity, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of St Thomas on May 18, 1995. In 1999, he obtained the Master of Art in Sacred Scripture at the same university.

Bishop-elect Scantlebury served as parochial Vicar at Holy Family Church, St Thomas from 1995 to 1997.

In August 1997, he was appointed administrator of Our Lady of Mt Carme.

(Excerpt from Nation News)

Antigua rocked by 5.0 magnitude earthquake

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n earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 was recorded off the coast of Antigua and Barbuda on Monday morning.

According to the Seismic Research Centre at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine

campus, the quake was located at Latitude 18.56N, Longitude 60.76W and had a depth of 10 kilometres.

The tremor was also felt in sections of St Kitts, Nevis and Guadeloupe.

There have been no reports of damage or injuries.

(CMC)

Mexico electricity outage leaves 10.3 million temporarily without power

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n outage in Mexico’s electricity network left 10.3 million users without power for up to two hours on Monday, the national electricity utility (CFE) said.

The National Centre of Energy Control (CENACE) said the network lost 7500 megawatts because of “an imbalance between load and power generation.”

“Automatic protection

schemes were activated in order to minimise a greater risk,” CENACE said in a Tweet.

CENACE and CFE did not immediately provide further details on the problem.

Mexican news outlet Milenio earlier reported that the outage affected people in a dozen states as well as the populous capital district. (Reuters)

Tourism on agenda for renewed JamaicaNigeria bilateral talks

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ourism is expected to be a major item on the agenda of talks to take place soon in Abuja, Nigeria, aimed at formalising a new bilateral agreement between the African nation and Jamaica.

Previously set for earlier this year, the talks were postponed owing to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but with a direct air link now open between the two countries, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett and Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, are expressing optimism of it happening soon.

“For many years, we have been looking at formalising a new bilateral agreement between Jamaica and Nigeria; now the contents of that are being put together. We were to have had a meeting in Abuja in April of this year; it didn't happen because of COVID, but is expected to happen soon,” said Bartlett following a closed-door meeting with Onyeama at the Round Hill Hotel in Montego Bay Sunday night.

He is hoping “that in the frame of all of that will be discussions with regard to tourism collaboration be-

tween the two countries.”

Bartlett identified marketing through the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) as well as product development and destination assurance strategy developed by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), presented to the world as a new way of dealing with post-COVID tourism, as possible points of collaboration for which a technical cooperation agreement can be arrived at.

Also on the cards is the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, which was established by Jamaica to assess, forecast, mitigate and manage risks related to tourism resilience, caused by various disruptive factors.

“We have already established a satellite in Kenya for East Africa and we really would love to have one established in either Abuja or Lagos for West Africa,” said Bartlett.

An arrangement is already under consideration and will be pursued involving the University of the West Indies, Mona, which hosts the resilience centre in Jamaica, and a university in Nigeria. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Wall Street climbs to record, but oil down

U

S stocks rallied on Monday, with each of Wall Street’s main indexes closing at record levels as President Donald Trump’s signing of a long-awaited US$2.3 trillion pandemic aid bill increased optimism for an economic recovery.

In a sudden reversal late on Sunday, Trump backed down from his threat to block the hard-fought bill, restoring unemployment benefits to millions of Americans and averting a federal government shutdown.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 204.1 points, or 0.68 per cent, to 30,403.97, the S&P 500 gained 32.3 points, or 0.87 per cent, to 3735.36 and the Nasdaq Composite added 94.69 points, or 0.74 per cent, to 12,899.42.

Stocks battered by coronavirus lockdowns, such as airlines and cruise lines, advanced.

However, a brief rally in crude oil deflated Monday as investors ignored a broader market surge that pushed equities to an all-time high and focused instead on looming new supply from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries plus (OPEC+).

Futures in New York were little changed in the wake of thin trading volumes. Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister said the nation plans to support a further gradual increase in OPEC+ production at the next meeting in January, because crude prices are within an optimal range.

Prices earlier advanced in tandem with broader markets after U.S. President Donald Trump signed the bill containing $900 billion in pandemic relief. (Excerpts from Reuters and Bloomberg)

COVID-19: South Africa announces new restrictions as cases soar, “unprecedented” infection in England

South Africa is seeing a steady increase in cases driven by the new coronavirus variant

P

resident Cyril Ramaphosa has announced new tougher coronavirus restrictions, a day after South Africa recorded more than one million COVID-19 cases.

Indoor and outdoor gatherings will be banned, a curfew introduced from 21:00 to 06:00, and alcohol sales prohibited.

Ramaphosa said the country was at an extremely dangerous point in the pandemic and action had to be taken.

Recently, authorities confirmed a new, faster-spreading variant of the virus had been detected in South Africa.

Some hospitals and medical centres have reported a huge rise in admissions, putting a heavy strain on resources.

In a televised speech, Ramaphosa said the new 501.V2 variant was now well established in South Africa, and the recent rise in cases was a "cause for great alarm".

Meanwhile, England's "very high" COVID infection level is a "growing con-

cern" as the National Health Services struggles to cope with rising patient numbers, a health official has said.

On Monday, a record 41,385 COVID-19 cases and 357 deaths were reported in the UK. NHS England said the number of people being treated for the virus in hospital is now 20,426, which is higher than the previous peak of about 19,000 in April.

Health officials in Wales and Scotland have also said they were at risk of becoming overwhelmed.

Monday's figure for new cases is the highest daily number reported by the UK Government, and the first time the daily total has surpassed 40,000.

It is thought the infection rate was much higher during the first peak in April, but testing capacity was too limited to detect the true number.

Some data over the Christmas period is incomplete, as a result of certain services being paused.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Biden: “Enormous damage” to US security agencies by Trump

A

gencies critical to US security have suffered "enormous damage" at the hands of the Trump Administration, US President-elect Joe Biden has said.

Biden said his team was not getting the information it needed, including from the Department of Defence, as it makes its transition to power.

He spoke after a briefing by national security and foreign policy aides.

Biden takes office on January 20, but President Donald Trump has refused to accept defeat in November's election.

For weeks after the November 3 election, Biden was blocked from receiving key intelligence briefings,

an essential and normally routine part of a presidential transition.

There was no immediate response from the Trump Administration, but last week the Pentagon told

Reuters it had conducted scores of interviews and would continue to provide information and meetings.

In a speech following a video conference call with advisers which he post-

ed on Twitter, Biden said his team was facing "roadblocks" in the Department of Defence and the Office of Management and Budget.

"Right now, we just aren't getting all the information that we need from the outgoing Administration in key national security areas," he said.

"It is nothing short, in my view, of irresponsibility."

The President-elect added that his team needed a "clear picture of our force posture around the world" and that US adversaries could exploit any confusion that resulted.

He said: "Many of the agencies that are critical to our security have incurred enormous damage. (Excerpt from BBC News)

talised.

“I deeply regret the incident. This individual case is due to individual errors.

I hope that all those affected do not experience any serious side effects,” district chief Stefan Kerth said on Monday.

In southern Germany, officials had to send back about 1000 doses after finding they had been transported in cool boxes typically used for picnics or camping trips that failed to keep the vaccine cold enough.

The EU vaccination drive kicked off at the weekend, with health workers and residents of care homes across the bloc among the first to get the shots from Pfizer, which must be stored at ultra-cold temperatures.

In Italy, meanwhile, some politicians complained that Germany - -the EU’s largest member state and home to BioNTech – may be getting more than its fair share of shots.

The EU is due to receive its first 12.5 million dos-

es of the Pfizer vaccine by New Year’s Day, with distribution of 200 million doses across its 27 member countries to be completed by next September. The vaccine course requires two doses.

A spokesman for Pfizer declined to comment on specific schedules or whether the timeline indicated by the Commission represented a delay. “Our timelines are aspirational and can shift based on capacity and manufacturing timelines,” he said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

statement that more than 1500 communication masts had been damaged or their power supply cut off in the past few days.

The “use of violence could alienate the protesters from the masses, which would be detrimental to the interests of the farming community”, Minister Amarinder Singh said in the statement.

A source close to Reliance’s telecom unit, Jio, said that more than 1400 of its 9000plus masts there had been hit, with power supply and fibre cut by unidentified people. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Tens of thousands of farmers are camping out on highways near New Delhi demanding a repeal of the new agriculture laws

President-elect Joe Biden accuses the Trump Administration of "irresponsibility" over national security

EU's marathon COVID-19 vaccination drive off to uneven start

T

he EU’s campaign to vaccinate Europeans against COVID-19 has got off to an uneven start in what will be a marathon effort to administer shots to enough of the bloc’s 450 million people to defeat the viral pandemic.

In one mishap, eight workers at a care home in Stralsund on the north German coast were injected with five times the recommended dose of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. Four were hospi-

Punjab warns farm protesters against telecom mast attacks

P

rotesters have attacked hundreds of masts of companies such as oil-to-groceries conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd that they believe have profited from the farm reforms at their expense.

Tens of thousands of farmers are camping out on highways near New Delhi demanding a repeal of the new laws they fear will lead to corporate dominance of the farm sector and erode their incomes.

The office of Punjab’s Chief Minister said in a

China jails citizen-journalist for 4 years over Wuhan virus reporting

A

Chinese court on Monday handed down a four-year jail term to a citizen-journalist who reported from the central city of Wuhan at the peak of this year’s coronavirus outbreak on the grounds of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”, her lawyer said.

Zhang Zhan, 37, the first such person known to have

been tried, was among a handful of people whose firsthand accounts from crowded hospitals and empty streets painted a more dire picture of the pandemic epicentre than the official narrative.

“I don’t understand. All she did was say a few true words, and for that she got four years,” said Shao Wenxia, Zhang’s mother,

who attended the trial with her husband.

Zhang’s lawyer Ren Quanniu told Reuters: “We will probably appeal.”

The trial was held at a court in Pudong, a district of the business hub of Shanghai.

“Ms Zhang believes she is being persecuted for exercising her freedom of speech,” Ren had said before the tri-

al.

Critics say that China deliberately arranged for Zhang’s trial to take place during the Western holiday season to minimise Western attention and scrutiny. US President Donald Trump has regularly criticised Beijing for covering up the emergence of what he calls the “China virus”. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

DILBERT GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Be a good listener, and you will avoid a confrontation that can cost you. Look at change as a path to a better future. A contract or partnership looks promising.

Reaching out to a friend, relative or peer may be helpful in some way, but it may also lead to uncertainty regarding what to do next. Follow a path based on knowledge and facts to new beginnings.

Don't neglect someone you love. Nurturing relationships will help control discord. Financial improvement will require a strict budget.

Prohibit emotional spending.

Find unique ways to socialize without jeopardizing anyone's health. Refuse to let an outsider bring you down or interfere with your plans. You are perfect just the way you are.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

A change someone makes will not be in your best interest. Look inward and find ways to grow personally, spiritually and emotionally.

Make health, fitness and a proper diet your priorities.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Once you have done all the preliminary work to ensure success, a change will unfold. Refuse to let anyone meddle in your personal life.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Concentrate on personal gains, physical fitness and mastering the skills required to pursue your goal.

Romance is on the rise, but the truth may be an issue.

SCORPIO

Trust in your intuition and ability to get things done. Don't feel you have to initiate a change because someone wants you to make a move. Handle your money carefully to avoid loss.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SUDOKU

Keep busy doing what SAGITTARIUS will bring you the highest re(Nov. 23turn. Personal improvement Dec. 21) will boost your confidence.

Follow your heart, and pursue your passion.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

YESTERDAY'S WORD -- SPORADIC

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Knowing where you will be most effective will help you avoid setbacks. Don't expect everyone to agree with you, but be smart and offer incentives to offset negativity.

Refuse to let someone step in and take over when you know what you want and how to go about getting your way. Don't back down when you should push forward. Choose fitness instead of indulgence.

Don't expect everyone to be upfront or honest with you. Verify what you hear before you share information with others. Home and professional improvements will benefit you mentally and emotionally.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

21

India in complete control of 2nd Test – as Australia drag MCG scrap to 4th day

I

ndia have put themselves on the doorstep of one of their finest Test victories, the bowling attack again coming to the fore at the MCG to dismantle an increasingly fragile Australia top order.

The success was shared equally, but Jasprit Bumrah could easily have had more than the one wicket for his efforts, while the spin duo of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja combined with great effect. For most of the time, they were without Umesh Yadav, who, after removing Joe Burns early, limped off with a calf injury, and has since been taken for scans.

The decision to pick five bowlers, therefore, paid off handsomely for India, with Jadeja, following his vital half-century in the innings-defining stand of 121 with Ajinkya Rahane, taking two wickets as he and

Ravindra Jadeja picked up a couple of wickets after scoring a crucial half-century Ashwin allowed Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to not be overworked.

At the close of play, Australia had yet to score a half-century in the match.

Steven Smith fell for his third single-figure score of the series - bowled be-

hind his pads by Bumrah - and in a 66-over innings, Australia had managed just seven boundaries. There was a dose of controversy thrown in for good measure, when Tim Paine was given out caught behind by the DRS, which left the

Barcelona striker Messi wants to play in US

B

arcelona captain Lionel Messi, 33, says he hopes to one day play in the United States, but he is unsure of his future when his contract runs out in June.

The Argentina forward can begin negotiations with overseas clubs in January.

Speculation over his future has been intense since he handed in a transfer request in August.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do yet,” Messi told Spanish television channel La Sexta. “I’m going to wait until the season ends. I would like to play in the United States and experience life and the league there, but ultimately come back to Barcelona in some capacity.

“Right now, the most important thing is to focus on the team, and finish the season well; to focus on trying to win trophies, and not get distracted

by other things,” he said.

Barcelona, who did not win a trophy last season, are fifth in La Liga after their worst start to a league campaign in 33 years. Since joining at the age of 13, Messi has become the club’s record goal scorer, won 10 La Liga tiles, the Champions League four times, and the Ballon d’Or - awarded to the world’s best player - six times.

His controversial summer request to leave Barcelona followed clashes with club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who resigned in October.

Messi has described Bartomeu’s reign as “a disaster”.

“It’s a difficult moment for the club, for everyone, but those inside the club know that it’s in a really bad situation; things are very bad, and it’s going to be difficult to return the club to where it used to be,” he explained.

(BBC Sport)

Australia captain fuming as he walked off. But the protocols were followed to the letter when Snicko provided a spike where Hot Spot had not shown a mark.

At that point, Australia had lost three wickets for one run in 23 balls, and were lurching towards a threeday defeat, but that was at least avoided as Cameron Green and Pat Cummins ground out 34 in 18 overs to ensure India would need to bat again, although it remained a long way from being a recovery.

A deficit of 131 was sizeable, but less than it might have been for Australia after they claimed India’s last five wickets for 32 - following the run-out of Rahane when Jadeja chanced a single for his fifty - amid a barrage of short-pitched bowling at the lower order. However, it was a hefty enough difference that they would need at least 300 to give themselves a realistic chance in the fourth innings, but again they produced a limp performance that would leave much head-scratching ahead of the third Test.

There will be increasing desperation that David Warner prove his fitness even though he would be coming in with very little cricket. The Burns Question will again loom large, as it did at the beginning of the series, with the opener failing for the third time in four innings across the two Tests. Burns lived on the edge even during a ten-ball stay; he would have been run-out by a direct hit getting off the mark, and was nearly pinned lbw by a searing inswinging yorker from Bumrah, before edging an excellent delivery from

Yadav. To make things that will surely decide the worse, he wasted a re- game. Wade’s 137-ball defiview. ance ended when he played Matthew Wade bat- back to Jadeja and was tled against his natu- beaten by one that slid on. ral instincts - impresIn another tick to sively so - while Marnus Rahane’s captaincy book, Labuschagne scored most Siraj struck with his first of the runs that were on ball back when Travis offer, but was undone by Head edged to second slip a wonderful piece of bowl- to complete twin dismissing from Ashwin, who als of much similarity in the slid one across him from game. around the wicket, and it Then there was the wicktook an edge to slip. et that lit up social media, Getting the ball to Paine playing a forcing shot drift, bite and turn, off the back foot against Ashwin nearly had Smith Jadeja, which was givcaught at leg slip in en not out by Paul Reiffel, a repeat of the with Rahane quick to refirst-innings disview. The third umpire, missal during Paul Wilson, gave Paine another fasciout based on the spike on nating battle beSnicko, which matched tween the pair, with the ball passing the but this time it was bat, but Paine could not India’s other leadhide his anger. ing man - Bumrah At 99 for 6, it - who pulled off a was there for India perfectly-worked to wrap up, and plan when he they may have bowled Smith begot close to doing hind his legs; a so, had Rishabh feat that many Pant gathered bowlers have tried a thin edge off before him. The Cummins when ball just clipped the he nicked Ashwin on top of leg stump, 8. As it was, Cummins and Smith even and Green clung on, set off for a run, taking Australia to scarcely able to parity, but with just believe what had three bowlers left in happened. the shed.

At 71 for 3, What sort of target still 60 behind, would make India nerwith the two vous? It’s been a crazy lynchpin year, but surely this will batsmen be their Test match. gone, India (ESPNcricinfo) had made t h e i r opening.

Ten overs l a t e r c a m e What’s happening t h e here?’ Tim Paine clatseems to ask as ter he’s walking off

SCOREBOARD AUSTRALIA 2ND INNINGS Matthew Wade lbw b Jadeja 40 Joe Burns c †Pant b Yadav 4 Marnus Labuschagne c Rahane b Ashwin 28 Steven Smith b Bumrah 8 Travis Head c Agarwal b Mohammed Siraj 17 Cameron Green not out 17 Tim Paine (c)† c †Pant b Jadeja 1 Pat Cummins not out 15 Extras (nb 3) 3 TOTAL (66 Ov, RR: 2.01) 133/6

Yet to bat: Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Joe Burns, 3.1 ov), 2-42 (Marnus Labuschagne, 17.5 ov), 3-71 (Steven Smith, 32.2 ov), 4-98 (Matthew Wade, 43.6 ov), 5-98 (Travis Head, 46.1 ov), 6-99 (Tim Paine, 47.4 ov) BOWLING Jasprit Bumrah 17-4-34-1 Umesh Yadav 3.3-0-5-1 Mohammed Siraj 12.3-1-23-1 Ravichandran Ashwin 23-4-46-1 Ravindra Jadeja 10-3-25-2

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

Skerritt looks forward to betterment in 2021

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resident of Cricket West Indies (CWI), Ricky Skerritt, is upbeat about the regional side’s prospects, and is confident that the entity would have an exciting and entertaining 2021.

Skerritt, the former West Indies team manager who has been appointed president in March of 2019, has said the current year has been more than just challenging, with the organisation suffering severe financial losses due to the impact of the global pandemic.

“The year 2020 has been an extremely challenging year for West Indies Cricket. It was heavily dominated by the unprecedented global pandemic which par-

E

alysed cricket operations everywhere, and scared West Indian players, coaches, and fans alike with the risk of infection,” said Skerritt.

“Although the withdrawal from selection by some players and a shortage of match-readiness were potential setbacks to team performance, we co-pioneered the concept of a ‘bio-safe bubble’ to minimise risk and allow CWI to meet our overseas obligations,” he added.

The Kittitian is, however, optimistic that performances would improve both on and off the field, and that a better year is on the horizon.

“A return to competitive cricket was necessary for CWI to rejuvenate our com-

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Although we expect that the COVID-19-related challenges will continue into the new year, we must remain optimistic that we can deliver an exciting and entertaining list of regional and international cricket events in 2021,” Skerritt stated.

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The West Indies will kick-start 2021 with a tour of Bangladesh from January to February. The teams are set to play three ODIs and two Tests as part of the Cricket World Cup Super League and World Test Championship respectively.

Despite the COVID-19 threat, the West Indies team

Cricket West Indies President Ricky Skerritt

had a busy year in 2020, playing series in England and New Zealand during the height of the pandemic. The regional team joined England in the first series since the outbreak of

the virus crippled global sporting events, losing their three Tests series 2-1 in July, before travelling to New Zealand in November, where they lost their T20 and Tests series 2-0. (CMC)

Everton-Man City match postponed due to new coronavirus cases

verton's clash with Manchester City at Goodison Park has been postponed after a number of new positive coronavirus cases were detected among the visitors' squad.

City revealed on Christmas Day that Gabriel Jesus, Kyle Walker and another two members of staff had tested positive for COVID-19.

Pep Guardiola's team, nevertheless, fulfilled their Boxing Day fixture against Newcastle United, winning 2-0, thanks to goals from Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres.

The four-time Premier League champions were set to face the in-form Everton on Monday, less than 48 hours after both teams had played previously, but the match has now been called off following the latest round of testing.

City's training ground will be closed, as a consequence to the outbreak, with the squad having to undergo further tests before they can

return to the facility. In a statement released on their official website, City said: "After the latest round of COVID-19 testing, the club returned a number of positive cases, in addition to the four already reported on Christmas Day. "With the security of the bubble compromised, there posed a risk that the virus could spread further among the squad, the staff, and po-

tentially beyond.

"Based on strong medical advice, the Premier League, in consultation with both clubs, have decided to postpone the fixture.

"All positive cases involving players and staff will observe a period of self-isolation in accordance with Premier League and UK Government protocol on quarantine.

"The first team training ground

at City Football Academy will close for an indeterminate period, with the squad and associated bubble undergoing testing before any decision is made for training to resume.

"Everyone at the club wishes all of our colleagues a speedy recovery ahead of their return to work, training and competition."

Monday's match is the second Premier League fixture to be postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak during the 2020-21 season, with Newcastle United's game against Aston Villa delayed.

A new date for that fixture is yet to be announced.

If City's players are unable to return to training in the coming days, it would cast doubt over their Premier League meeting with Chelsea on January 3, the EFL Cup semi-final against Manchester United three days later, and also the FA Cup tie with Birmingham City, which is due to take place on January 10. (Sportsmax)

WIPA extends sympathy and best wishes to cricketer Tyron Theophile of Dominica

K

INGSTON, JAMAICA The West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) has extended sympathy and best wishes to Windward Islands cricketer Tyron Theophile, who was involved in a motorcycle accident on Friday, December 25, 2020 in Dominica.

Reports indicate that Theophile was involved in a motorcycle accident in the vicinity of the Roseau Post Office in the capital city of Roseau.

He reportedly sustained a fractured skull, and spent the last few days being treated at the Intensive Care Unit of the Princess Margaret Hospital. He was reportedly flown to Martinique for advanced treatment on Sunday, December 27, 2020.

Theophile is the opening batsman who captained the Windward

WIPA President Wavell Hinds

Tyron Theophile

Islands Volcanoes for a few seasons at the regional level, and played a total of 68 first-class matches. He has scored 3,055 runs at an average of 25.88, and has also taken 18 wickets at 34 runs each with his off-spin.

Theophile has been one of the island’s best cricketers for a number of seasons. He was a part of the team that won the regional Super50 title in 2017, the fourth time the islands were claiming the title.

WIPA has said its executive and staff would like to extend our prayers and best wishes to Tyron.

WIPA President and CEO, Wavell Hinds, remarked, “Our prayers are with you and your family at this time. We wish you a speedy and full recovery.”

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

I

t’s a story that’s similar to that of Jesus’s fable about the Prodigal’s Son; a return long awaited and highly celebrated. While the ‘fatted calf’ will not be killed in this instance, a slew or organisers and administrators are on board for what is sure to be a grand return of one of the most beloved sports in Guyana.

Today’s return is twofold; local competitive football will make a grand comeback amidst the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and, years after taking a hiatus from football organization in Guyana, Kashif and Shanghai will return to the baller scene.

It all comes wrapped up in a “Bounce back” football extravaganza, a little too late to be a Christmas present, but just in time for the New Year tradition of year-end football.

Today’s competition will see four teams vying for a chance to compete in the final of January 1st (Friday).

Guyana’s brightest football prospects have been sorted into teams representing West Demerara All Stars, East Coast All Stars, Linden All Stars and Georgetown All Stars.

“The first thing I would like to say is that we’re all very eager: the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), its members, and in particular the fans, to see its members back on the pitch,” Guyana Football Federation President Wayne Forde shared in a telephone interview with this publication.

Collaboration of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) with the GFF has been integral in organising this tournament, according to the football boss.

“What I think is most interesting is that we now have an opportunity to exercise and practice some of the protocols in our UEFA “Bounce back project”, and that is quite possibly going to be the way of the future, at least for the medium term,” he highlighted to Guyana Times Sport.

Cornering COVID course,

the

GFF,

MCY&S and K&S Football Classic could not have been held without strict COVID-19 guidelines in place to protect the interest of players and fans alike. In this regard, there will be no spectator presence at the venue, but the games will be live streamed on NCN Channel 11, Enetworks, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Facebook page.

However, the importance of this tournament goes way beyond giving players an opportunity to get their gears oiled in anticipation of a packed international football agenda for Guyana in 2021. In fact, the “Bounce back” tournament will be the benchmark for hosting football games during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“Tomorrow’s game (today’s) and Friday’s game are going to be conducted with strict COVID-19 guidelines, but also there will be many aspects of the management of the game that will be in accordance with the protocols that were developed during the couple of weeks that we worked with UEFA,” Forde explained.

In hope of being granted the permission to host further tournaments or training camps, the GFF boss shared the importance of making a great impression the first time.

“It is a very exciting juncture to be at, where we’re just about to see our players back on the pitch; and I’m particularly hopeful that the GFF will be able to demonstrate to the Health authorities, the National COVID-19 Task Force, and to the people of Guyana that we can bring football back in the most responsible way,” he stated.

‘All Stars’

So how did the GFF arrive at the four teams; namely, West Demerara All Stars, East Coast All Stars, Linden All Stars and Georgetown All Stars?

“One of the other key objectives that we set about in putting on this ‘Bounce back classic’ event was to give our core pool of National Team players the opportunity to play a few

ing drafted into the national team; and the existing national team players are going to have to step up and really show that they haven’t been slouching around.”

K&S: A Legacy

Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall presents the winner's and MVP trophies to Aubrey "Shanghai" Major

competitive games,” Forde explained.

What occurred was, the Head Coach of the Golden Jaguars and other technical staff set aside Guyana’s local National Team contingent and divided them into four groups that would later become the four teams. There are approximately 6-8 such players in each group.

“And then we reached out to the Associations: West Demerara, East Bank, Linden, East Coast and Berbice, and we asked them to identify players that they feel could be considered as pre-referral national team players, those that are right there on the fringes of the National Team programme and can quite possibly break into the programme,” Forde related.

“What the National Team coaching staff will be doing between tomorrow (today) and the first of January is not only looking to see where the existing core of players are in terms of their fitness and technical and tactical awareness, but they will also be paying attention to some of these players that were brought on by the recommendation of the association to complement the four teams,” Forde said.

As such, the GFF President seemed eager to witness what

“I NEED MORE HUNDREDS!”

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Football and K&S return

By Jemima Holmes

Of

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– Jermaine Blackwood is looking to build on his good run of form

est Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood is looking to build on his current run of good form, and has identified performing at a consistently high level for the regional team as his next target.

The 29-year-old Blackwood was one of the few bright spots for the Windies on a dismal tour of New Zealand, which was capped off by massive innings defeats in a two-Test series. Blackwood, however, had managed to do something that most of his teammates could not, and that is to score runs.

The Jamaica-born batsman crafted a determined 104 in the first innings of the first match, forming a valuable partnership down the order with bowl-

er Alzarri Joseph. In the second Test, he scored 69, a high score for the second-match batting line-up.

While acknowledging the achievement, the batsman has insisted there is plenty of hard work to be done.

“I did well, but it wasn’t enough, because we still lost the two Test games. So, I think, going forward, I need to do better so I can actually win some games for my team,” Blackwood told the Mason and Guest radio programme.

The batsman believes a huge part of his success was due to the preparation he put in heading into the series.

“I think my preparation was good. I really prepared well. I went to New Zealand and did a

lot of work with Roddy Estwick and the batting coach in the nets, doing specific stuff, stuff that I knew I was going to get in the game,” he added. “(I did) a lot of short-ball stuff in the nets because I knew I was going to get a lot of that in the game. So, I already prepared for that in the training session; so, once I stepped out, it would be natural,” he said.

“Having been out of the Test arena for years, my first series back, against England, I would say I missed out there. I told myself (that) once I got into the 90s again, I was not going to miss out. I’m working hard to get my conversion rate better and get some more 100s. So, I think I am making some good strides.” (Sportsmax)

the emerging players would bring to the table.

He said, “May of those players will be rehearsing for the main act, which is be-

In Guyana, the notion of year-end football is always closely associated with Kashif and Shanghai-organised tournaments, and this has been the norm for over 25 years.

After a brief hiatus, K&S are ‘in the thick of things’ once again with the bounce back classic, a name fitting for their return.

Speaking with this publication, Mr. Kashif Muhammad shared that he and Mr. Aubrey Shanghai Major are very excited to embrace the opportunity to work with the GFF and the MCY&S. “We’re going to continue doing our best to ensure the players have a good time, the officials have a good time, and we would definitely like to contribute to the upwards

development of Guyana’s football,” Muhammad declared.

“We know we could do it.

We were doing it for 25 years, and we’re happy to be given the opportunity once again to ensure this process continues.

Those youngsters out there who are getting themselves ready can really look forward to something big on January 1, because our mission is to make the 1st of January great again for football.”

Action Pack

The tournament will kick off today at the National Stadium with two games, at 5 and 7pm. Linden will take on East Coast, and Georgetown will battle West Demerara at the respective times. The team will be vying for a chance to compete in the New Year final, on January 1 at the same venue. A slew of trophies and cash prizes are up for grabs.

Aside from the MCY&S, Ground Structures Engineering Consultants (GSEC) and the Trophy Stall are among the sponsors.

McGill Super Stars Sports Club reflects on bittersweet 2020

T

he McGill Super Stars Sports Club of Canal #1 Polder, WBD has not been involved in competitive cricket for approximately one year because of the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana.

This inactivity has had a significant effect on members of the club, who have not been able to have any pitch practice or involvement in real life match scenarios.

They find it difficult to stay away from cricket for this long, knowing this abstention is unprecedented, and they are hoping that cricket as they know it can resume soon.

For its part, the Club has issued stern warnings to its active members not to participate in any illegal competitions hosted by private individuals, because the club wants to play its part in fighting this global pandemic by further educating its members and community about the dangers of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and how

to stay safe from the deadly virus.

COVID-19 has brought a halt to cricket countrywide, but members of this club are doing independent work to keep themselves fit and ready for the impending return of competition cricket.

It is very regrettable that the year 2020 was a dismal year for sporting activities worldwide, but, hopefully,

2021 would be a much better time for sporting activities.

T h e members and executives of the McGill S u p e r S t a r s S p o r t s Club would like to wish their fans happiness and safety during the holiday period and during these difficult times.

A special festive greeting goes out to the owners of Candy Box, a newly established catering business located at Rosignol, West Coast Berbice (Region 5), who have been very supportive of cricket despite having just set up business. The Candy Box has special offers on packages, which include fresh roses, artificial roses, chocolates and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

These can be perfect gifts for a loved one this season.

The Candy Box can be contacted on 648-8739, and surprisingly, they do delivery from Berbice to Georgetown.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com Sports Minister Charles Ramson Jr and GFF President Wayne Forde are surrounded by Aubrey Shanghai Major and Kashif Muhammad at the tournament’s launch last week

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Football and K&S return

McGill Super Stars Sports Club reflects on bittersweet 2020

See story on page 23

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Skerritt looks forward to betterment in 2021

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