Guyana Times - Saturday January 23, 2021

Guyana gets 50 vaccine carriers from UNICEF P5 to fight COVID-19 COVID -19 THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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

Issue No. 4537

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021

PRICE

Sole-sourced $145M DHB Study

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Patterson, former DHB Head questioned by SOCU

4 bandits invade businessman’s P9 home Paddy bug infestation P12 worsens – Mahaica farmers

See story on page 3

…call for permanent solution

$40M insurance fraud

Police seeking extradition of wanted former insurance manager Page 9

Police unearth drugs, gun during Canje River raid P8

Sophia man shot after P10 attacking cop AG Chambers, Agri Ministry teaming up to resolve P2 farmland issues countrywide Dr Irfaan Ali on Friday received a courtesy visit from the British High Commissioner (designate) to Guyana, Ross Denny, at State House. Denny was accompanied

by Deputy High Commissioner Ray Davidson. Denny previously served as the Ambassador to Costa Rica (from October of 2015). His earlier diplomatic assignments included stints in Santiago (Chile), Doha (Qatar), Warsaw (Poland), The Hague (Netherlands) and São Paulo (Brazil)

Millions of dollars unaccounted for under Region 10 community projects – Hamilton

Page 15

Guyana sends COVID-19Page samples to CARPHA for 11 analysis over new variant concerns …76 new cases recorded

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

Legal team update Ministerial Advisory Committee Page on upcoming case management, other issues 16

P13 Drugs, improvised weapons, found during Camp Street Prison raid

Man on bail for “broadsiding” Linden Town P9 Council employee

2 NEWS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

AG Chambers, Agri Ministry teaming up to resolve farmland issues countrywide

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ttorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha will be travelling across the regions to address land-related issues to help advance the agriculture sector.

The Ministers made this commitment on Wednesday at the New Market Primary School, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), during an engagement with rice and cattle farmers of Number 52-74 Villages.

Nandlall noted that land issues have been raised continually at Government outreaches and a decision was taken to deal with the mat-

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

ter frontally.

“Right across this country, you have land issues festering between and amongst the citizens, farmers, rice farmers, cattle farmers and cash farmers, right across Guyana. I have been partnering with the Minister of Agriculture, to travel the country and to address these problems as they arise,” the AG is quoted as saying in a Department of Public Information report.

Further, he said, the meetings are in keeping with the Government’s manifesto promise of continuous engagement with the people.

“We practice governance in the fields. We promised to take Government to the

people. We promised to visit the counties, visit the villages, go into the back dams, the rice fields, meet the people and address their problems, and what you are seeing here is a manifestation of that promise being delivered,” he said.

Agencies including the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) would also be participating in the meetings to address concerns on the ground.

“That will be an ongoing process. Over the next five years, I plan to go to Essequibo. I plan to go to even the interior areas, the

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

East Bank of Demerara, in particular. Up the LindenSoesdyke Highway, you have farmers with issues, you have people who want lands, who want their occupation of lands regularised and we plan to address all those issues,” Nandlall said.

Meanwhile, Mustapha, during an outreach to farmers in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) in December, had said a Conflict Resolution Committee would be convened to address land-related issues affecting them.

Former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Cecil Kennard will head the Committee.

Mustapha said the objective of the visit to Lotus Valley, on Thursday, was to address concerns about 1000 acres of land in the area.

Farmers have said they prefer to have the land divided amongst them.

The Lotus Valley Co-op Society became defunct in 2013. Since then, 21 former members have applied for leases from the GL&SC, but this was put on hold by the previous Administration.

At this point, the Commission has a list with 21 persons, but on Thursday it was revealed that more

persons are occupying the lands.

“They agree with the 21 persons who are listed on that list but we have heard now that an additional seven persons have to add on to that list so we have asked the Region to work along and establish the number of persons that need to get the leases,” Minister Mustapha said.

He is hopeful that the farmers would get their leases in the next three to four months, with each being a minimum of 30 acres of farmlands.

The Minister also corrected a misconception surrounding pasture lands in the area.

“The cattle farmers came to us and say that Lands and Surveys would have distributed portions of the cattle pasture to individuals, which was not so. The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission did a survey of the land, they established there are 17,000 acres of land. Those lands are communal pasture and those lands will remain as communal pasture,” Mustapha is quoted by DPI as saying.

The GLDA would determine the number of cattle in the area to develop pastures there.

Minister Mustapha also noted that while Cabinet has given no objection for an all-weather road from Number 52 to Canje Creek, farmers have a different suggestion.

“The responsibility was given to the Region to do the consultation. They advised us that 52 was the area, but now we are hearing that the farmers are saying that 52 is not the most appropriate area that they want it to do at 58,” he said.

As such, Mustapha said a decision was taken to again send technical support to work with the farmers to determine the most suitable location.

NEWS

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, January 23 – 01:00h – 02:30h and 11:00h – 12:30h and Sunday, January 24 – 01:30h – 03:00h and 12:30h – 14:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, January 23 – 12:05h – 13:35h and Sunday, January 24 – 12:55h – 14:25h.

Sole-sourced $145M DHB study

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Patterson, former DHB Head questioned by SOCU LievenseCSO was engaged by the Public Infrastructure Ministry to do the work.

Page seven of the report noted that the bid from LievenseCSO was “unsolicited”, but Patterson took the company’s proposal to Cabinet for approval, and Cabinet granted its approval for the company to be engaged.

The report, on page seven,

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Light rain will prevail during the day. There will be partly cloudy skies during the night.

Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Despite these findings, however, SOCU – which was at the time headed by Sydney James who had found himself under investigations over misuse of funds and corruption – subsequently cleared Patterson of any criminal offence in June 2019.

Only recently, Patterson found himself embroiled in another controversy stemming

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 12:21h reaching a maximum height of 2.2 metres.

Low Tide: 18:29h reaching a minimum height of 1.01 metre.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS A

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10 25 26

FREE TICKET FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2021

04 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

01 03 09 18 23 LUCKY 3

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Afternoon Draw

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Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

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PAY DAY

15 SUPER PAY DAY

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

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Change %

Crude Oil

$55.41/barrel

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Rough Rice

$238.77/ton

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London Sugar

$450.30/ton

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Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1855.50

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$1836.20 0.00

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Former Minister David Patterson

Former DHBC Head Rawlston Adams

ormer Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson and former Head of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation Rawlston Adams were questioned on Friday by ranks of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) over the controversial award of the new Demerara bridge feasibility contract, which was found to have breached procurement laws.

Head of SOCU, Superintendent Fazil Karimbaksh confirmed to Guyana Times on Friday that both Patterson and Adams were called in for questioning in the ongoing probe.

It was reported that Patterson’s visit to SOCU’s headquarters lasted about 10 mins during which he was accompanied by his lawyer.

Karimbaksh did not say, however, whether either or both officials will be required to return for further questioning.

Back in November 2020, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill had disclosed that the Guyana Police Force is actively probing the award of the 2016 $145 million contract to Dutch company, LievenseCSO, to conduct a feasibility study and design of a new Demerara Harbour Bridge.

The Minister said the investigation follows a formal complaint to law enforcement.

The then Opposition PPP/C had requested that the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) investigate the award of the contract.

The party had sought to hold the David Granger Administration accountable for sole-sourcing the contractor, rather than following the procurement laws.

The PPC completed its investigation and handed its report over on August 7, 2018.

The report noted that several companies had bid for the project to do the feasibility study and design for the new Demerara River bridge and 12 companies had been shortlisted.

The report had added that only two of the 12 companies had made proposals. As such, the bidding process was annulled. It further noted that on November 12, 2016, the Tender Administration Board approved the move for the project to be re-tendered. The project was not re-tendered; instead,

on extravagant gifts for senior Government officials of the previous APNU/AFC Administration.

This was after Minister Edghill had announced that persons will be held accountable for the gift-buying spree which occurred at the DHBC. An audit into the Asphalt Plant found that $424,700 of taxpayers’ money was spent to purchase a hand band for Patterson, who is Edghill’s predecessor.

Additionally, a sum of $76,300 was spent to purchase a tie pin for the former Minister. Based on the records, the gifts were purchased for Patterson’s birthday celebration in 2017.

The investigation into the operations of the Asphalt Plant also revealed that Adams had spent in excess of $800,000 to purchase a bracelet for himself to mark the occasion of International Men’s Day. It further noted that gifts were also given to all other men within the Corporation, to an approximate value of $10,000 each. (G8)

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also stated that monies to be spent on the project were taken from the Asphalt Plant accounts.

Reports indicate that in 2017, $215.3 million was used from the fund, while in 2018 a further $74 million was withdrawn. The original sum approved by Cabinet for the contract was $161.5 million. It is understood that the contract price for the hand-picked LievenseCSO was actually $148 million.

It was subsequently announced that SOCU would be investigating the matter, after the Opposition PPP/C had written to the Head of the Police Force based on the PPC’s report to probe the misuse of funds from the Asphalt Plant, which is managed by the DHB.

from his stint at the helm of the then Ministry of Public Infrastructure, which has been renamed Public Works Ministry.

The Opposition Member of Parliament has admitted to receiving millions of dollars in gift items from agencies and departments under the Ministry while he was the Minister.

Calls have since been mounting for the Opposition parliamentarian to be removed as Chairman of the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), a position he was appointed to in December 2020.

Meanwhile, Adams has stepped down as GM of the DHB Corporation amidst the major scandal of taxpayers’ monies being spent

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021

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

Relief to traffic congestion T

he announcement by President Dr Irfaan Ali, that works are currently ongoing for a new alternative road connecting Diamond to Eccles on the East Bank Demerara corridor in order to ease the traffic congestion, is most welcome.

For years, there have been calls for an alternative road to ease the buildup of traffic at peak hours during both mornings and evenings. The traffic congestion during rush hours in the mornings and evenings is also very stressful for citizens to cope with, especially those commuting to and from the city. It is normal to spend more than a half-hour in the traffic when going or coming from work, especially in areas along the East Bank and East Coast corridors, where there is a huge build-up of traffic daily.

The situation at the Demerara Harbour Bridge is even worse. In addition to the bridge no longer being adequate to accommodate the large volume of traffic on a daily basis, many have complained that the traffic is badly managed by ranks. During rush hours, there is bumperto-bumper traffic, with some drivers bullying their way through and the Police stationed there seeming helpless to do anything about it.

Certainly, over the years, traffic congestion in the city and other main thoroughfares has gotten worse, and there could be a number of factors responsible for this.

What we have noticed is that, although there has been some improvement to the road network over the years, it has not been to the required level to match the demands of road users. Within the last 15 years or so, several new housing schemes were established and several existing ones were expanded across the country, resulting in many more persons commuting to and from the capital city, where they go to school or work. Traffic congestion in the populated areas along the Coast has proven to be a major bugbear over the years.

Also, within the last ten years or so, there has been a five-fold increase in the number of vehicles being driven on the roads, and the road network expansion programme, even though improving, still cannot accommodate this massive increase.

That said, traffic congestion is not a problem that is unique to Guyana, and certainly cannot be totally eliminated. However, there are ways in which the authorities here could work together to manage the situation more effectively, which would result in less hassle for road users. For example, the authorities could seek to ensure that there is a greater Police presence in certain areas, so that there can be a smooth flow of traffic, as drivers are known to break the rules and bully their way when there is no Police presence. The authorities could also designate more routes for traffic diversion, especially during rush hours and in areas where there is a heavy traffic build-up.

However, the long-term solution with the expansion of the country’s road network would take some time.

The East Bank/East Coast road expansion project, once completed, would bring much relief to the travelling public. The new roadway would serve as a corridor for communities on the East Bank of Demerara, including Perseverance, Mocha, Providence, Eccles, Peters Hall and Aubrey Barker Road. Instead of going through the hectic Georgetown traffic, the new road link would allow drivers the option of diverting from the East Coast and onto the bypass road to access the East Bank of Demerara.

We urge the authorities to continue to look at ways in which the road network in Guyana could be further expanded, improved, rehabilitated and maintained.

Workers giving the finishing touch to the model of the proposed Ram temple that Hindu groups want to build at a religious site in Ayodhya, New Delhi, India (Reuters)

Much-needed road link on East Bank of Demerara Dear Editor, Our country at present is having a number of developments, despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A much-needed development is the Diamond-to-Eccles Bypass Road, which would reduce traffic conges-

tion on the East Bank Demerara highway. Most Guyanese welcome this project under the President Irfaan Ali Administration.

Another important subject that has to be looked at is vehicle weight control.

Weight stations must be set up, because

the cost of maintaining the road would be burdensome for us, the tax payers.

Finally, I received my COVID-19 grant without any objection. Thanks!

Yours faithfully, Parmanand Ram

Former President, private citizen and, perhaps, criminal defendant Donald Trump’s new reality

By George T Conway III

T

he question came out of the blue and has haunted me ever since.

It was Jan. 17, 2017, three days before Donald Trump’s swearing-in, and my wife and I sat with him in the near-empty main cabin aboard the Trump Organization’s Boeing 757 en route to Washington for a pre-inaugural gala.

So, asked the president-elect: Should he retain or fire Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the powerful Southern District of New York? I gave what I thought was an obvious, anodyne answer: All other things being equal, it’s better to have your own people in place. Within two months, Bharara was gone.

To the charge of naivete that night, I plead guilty: I didn’t consider then that Trump might have had his personal legal interests in mind. But it is impossible to escape the self-interested intent behind his question.

From the earliest days of his administration, it became painfully apparent that in all matters — including affairs of state — Trump’s personal well-being took top priority. Four years and two impeachments later, he has managed to avoid the full consequences of his conduct.

But now that run of legal good fortune may end. Trump departed the White House a possible — many would say probable, provable — criminal, one who has left a sordid trail of potential and actual misconduct that remains to be fully investigated.

As Trump himself well understands.

Long-standing Justice Department opinions hold that presidents can’t be prosecuted while they are in office. Given that any such protection was temporary, some of Trump’s advisers believed that one reason he decided to seek reelection was to avoid criminal exposure.

Indeed, in the weeks leading up to

November’s election, Trump reportedly confessed to advisers that he was worried about being prosecuted. Fear of indictment also seemed to animate Trump’s frenzied efforts to overturn the results of the election he so clearly lost. During a 46-minute Facebook video rant in December, Trump complained that “these same people that failed to get me in Washington have sent every piece of information to New York so that they can try to get me there” — a reference to state prosecutors who apparently have ramped up their investigation of his personal and corporate affairs.

A desperate fear of criminal indictment may even explain Trump’s willingness to break any number of laws to stay in office despite losing his reelection bid, democracy and the Constitution be damned. He considered unfathomable measures such as declaring martial law and having the military somehow “rerun” the election. He risked further potential criminal exposure with his appalling — and, unbeknown to him, taped — conversation with Georgia’s secretary of state, during which he threateningly demanded that the official “find” enough votes for him to win the state, and by pressuring a Georgia elections investigator to “find the fraud” that didn’t exist.

And then, as the clock wound down on his time in office, he committed the ultimate impeachable offense for a president: fomenting a violent attempted putsch at the Capitol to stop Congress from confirming Presidentelect Joe Biden’s electoral victory.

Prosecutors and jurors may have to decide whether it’s also a crime.

Private citizen Trump stands stripped of the legal and practical protections against prosecution that he enjoyed during his tenure: constitutional immunity; a protective attorney general; a special counsel operating under self-imposed and external

constraints; and the ability to invoke the presidency in litigation, even meritless litigation, to delay state prosecutors’ investigations. No longer will he be able to claim interference with his public duties, or to remove those who might allow damaging investigations to proceed. But Trump’s problem is ours as well: How the Biden administration addresses these issues will have long-lasting implications for the rule of law in America — along with potentially enormous political consequences.

President Biden himself should stay out of it, and rightly seems intent on doing so. His Justice Department, however, can’t and shouldn’t. Previous presidents and previous prosecutors gave former presidents a break for their misdeeds: President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard M. Nixon; independent counsel Robert W. Ray (Kenneth W. Starr’s successor) reached a plea deal with President Bill Clinton on Clinton’s last day in office.

Trump deserves no such grace. His wrongs are far too many to ignore.

His demonstrated contempt for the constitutional and legal order is simply too great. That was clear enough before Trump’s repellent and possibly criminal efforts to overturn the election results, for which he was duly impeached. Now, an effort to hold Trump to account in the criminal justice system is essential and unavoidable.

To deal with Trump, and to do so fairly, Attorney General-designate Merrick Garland, once confirmed, will need to use the mechanism of a special counsel. Indeed, given the astonishing breadth of Trump’s wrongdoing, Garland may need to appoint more than one to get the job done swiftly and thoroughly. What follows is a guide to how and why the case or cases, United States v Donald John Trump, must be pursued. (Excerpt from Washington Post)

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

5

News

Legislation to restructure Natural Resources Guyana gets 50 vaccine Fund likely this year – Finance Minister carriers from UNICEF

T

he Government has started looking at possible legislative amendments to restructure the Natural Resources Fund (NRF), Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance in the Office of the President, Dr Ashni Singh has said.

The Natural Resources or Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) to date, has over US$185.3 million, representing both revenue and sales from Guyana’s four oil lifts for 2020.

Sharing Guyana’s economic prospects with LatinFinance on Wednesday, Dr Singh said the Government has identified several issues with the Fund’s design and will be making moves to reform the account held at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York.

“It’s very likely during the course of this year that we will be bringing legislations to the Parliament to restructure the Fund, to strengthen the way it operates and the way that it is governed, to strengthen the transparency with which it operates and to ensure that it is designed and operates in a manner that addresses the immediate economic development

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh

needs of the country and its long-term sustainability,” Dr Singh told the virtual Guyana Finance and Investment Roundtable.

Noting that it was still in its early days, the Finance Minister said Government is currently considering the final design that will be taken to Parliament.

“I wouldn’t want necessarily to pre-empt the final design, but our main objectives would be to ensure that we have a Fund that … the revenues that are generated from the oil and gas sector are used in a way that is consistent with long-term sustainability and resilience of the economy into the long term. We are still very much in the

process of considering what the amendments to the legislation will look like.”

Dr Singh would only divulge that the Fund will be managed in a way consistent with the highest standards of transparency and in accordance with the “paramount economic objectives of sustainable economic development.”

The Natural Resources Bill No 14 of 2018 was tabled in the 11th Parliament in November 2018 by the former Government.

Without the vote of the then PPP/C Opposition, the Act was later passed in the National Assembly and assented to by former President David Granger.

The Bill set out to establish the Natural Resource

Fund to manage Guyana’s natural resources wealth.

The purpose of the Fund is to “manage the natural resource wealth of Guyana for the present and future benefit of the people in an effective and efficient manner by (a) ensuring that volatility in natural resource revenues do not lead to volatile public spending; (b) ensuring that natural resource revenues do not lead to a loss of economic competitiveness”.

The Bill said Petroleum revenues shall be directly paid into a bank account denominated in United States of America dollars and held by the Bank as part of the Fund.

Petroleum revenues shall include all revenue from royalties, whether paid in cash or in kind; Government’s share of profit oil received under the terms of a Production Sharing Agreement or other agreement; Government’s share of profit gas received under the terms of a PSA or other agreement; and any income tax or corporate income tax levied on the profits of companies or individuals undertaking production operations, among other measures.

to fight COVID-19

UNICEF’s Area Representative to Guyana and Suriname, Nicolas Pron, and Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony during the donation on Friday

T

he Health Ministry’s capacity was on Friday morning boosted with a donation of two solar refrigerators and 50 vaccine carriers from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony thanked UNICEF for the timely donation.

UNICEF’s Area Representative to Guyana

and Suriname, Nicolas Pron noted that while the equipment will be primarily used for the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, it will also contribute to the sustainability of a broader immunisation campaign.

The donation comes as the country is ramping up its preparation efforts for the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine.

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021

Page

Foundation Æsop’s Fables

G

etting ready to live and work in space takes a lot of preparation.

It can take up to two years of training to become an astronaut and get assigned to a mission. Astronauts face challenges from how to deal with weightlessness to dangers from space debris and malfunctioning technology when they travel and live in space (at the International Space Station).

Let’s get started!

When exploring space, astronauts complete many physical tasks and must be able to twist, bend, lift, and carry massive objects to do their work.

Even “walking” takes different physical effort in the reduced gravity environment of space, with astronauts pushing and pulling themselves from one place to another.

And being physically fit and continuing regular exercise (2 hours a day on the International Space Station!) is the most effective way to counteract the effects of weightlessness on the human body to maintain muscle strength and good bone health.

Astronaut workout

If you are an astronaut who lives and works in space, where do you sleep? And eat? And work? breaststroke.

Bear Crawl

Get down on your hands and feet (facing the floor) and walk on all fours like a bear, without your knees touching the ground. Try to go 20 feet. Rest for a minute. Bear crawl back to where you started. Repeat.

***Crab Walk***

Sit on the ground and put your arms and hands behind you, with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Lift yourself off the ground (facing upwards). Try to go 20 feet. Rest for a minute. Crab walk back to where you started. Repeat.

***Jump***

Jump as high off the floor as you can, and land lightly. Keep jumping for 30 seconds.

Extra challenge: Start your jump in a squat position and return to squat when you land. Jump for 30 seconds.

Stretch

In the reduced gravity environment of space, NASA has found that the height of astronauts increases approximately 3% over the first 3 to 4 days in space. Everybody’s body stretches in space! Stretch with your arms high above your head and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 4 times.

Balance

How long can you balance on one leg? Try to balance on your right leg for 60 seconds. Now try to balance on your left leg for 60 seconds. Try each leg again, this time with eyes closed.

Extra challenge: Pass a ball back and forth with a friend while balancing on one leg.

Float

FOR CHILDREN

Get used to the position of floating in space.

Lie on your stomach and stretch your arms out like an airplane. Hold for 30 seconds. Relax, then repeat 4 times.

Extra challenge: Raise your chest up and move your arms like you are swimming using the

***Breathe***

Life in space can be stressful.

Breathing exercises can relax you. Take a deep breath in as you raise your arms over your head. Let the breath out as you drop your arms down. Repeat for one minute or more.

Now that everyone is warmed up, let’s get to the ‘spacewalk’.

Supplies

• Timer • Work gloves (2 pairs) • 4 carabiners or binder clips • 50 feet of thin rope or heavy string • 2 empty plastic jars with screw-on lids, such as a peanut butter jar • LEGO® bricks (10 bricks in a container with a lid)

• 4 chairs • Stopwatch

Setting up the spacewalk and work stations

• To create the spacewalk area, set 4 chairs in a square about 8 feet apart.

Tie lengths of rope securely from one chair to the next to form a square, and then cross the rope diagonally across the middle of the square and secure to the chairs to create slide wires for astronaut tethers. There should be some slack.

• To prepare a tether, cut 2 feet of rope and tie one end to a carabiner or to the metal loop of a binder clip. Tie the other end of the rope to a second carabiner or binder clip.

• On one chair, set an opened jar and a closed jar on the seat.

• At the opposite chair, set the box of LEGO bricks.

• On a remaining empty chair, place sets of gloves.

The spacewalk today includes:

• Opening one “vent” (opening a closed jar) and closing another “vent” (closing an open jar) • Increasing the length of a robotic arm (connecting 5 LEGO® bricks) As part of your spacewalk, you must remain attached to your tether and slide wire. In order to get to both work stations, you must slide your carabiners/clips to an adjacent rope and then attach yourselves to that rope.

And to protect against the hostile environment of space, you need to wear gloves. Astronaut gloves have multiple layers, so put on two pairs of gloves.

Astronauts can spacewalk for many, many hours. But this spacewalk is a race against the clock.

See how quickly you can complete the tasks. (https://www.startwithabook.org)

A

man wished to purchase an ass, and agreed with its owner that he should try out the animal before he bought him. He took the Ass home and put him in the straw-yard with his other asses, upon which the new animal left all the others and at once joined the one that was most idle and the greatest eater of them all.

Seeing this, the man put a halter on him and led him back to his owner.

On being asked how, in so short a time, he could have made a trial of him, he answered, “I do not need a trial; I know that he will be just the same as the one he chose for his companion.”

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt aiming to inspire Guyanese to explore local destinations

Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond

W

ith Guyana on the brink of massive transformations and development in its tourism sector, the PPP/C Government is working to promote domestic tourism and is urging Guyanese to visit more local destinations.

This plea was made by Tourism Minister, Oneidge Walrond, on Thursday at the launch of the fourth video of the “Guyana: Yours to Discover” series, titled “Colours of the Rainforest” produced by Captain Michael Charles.

Minister Walrond noted that there is a “…new thrust towards inspiring locals – Guyanese – to explore our beautiful country by spending more time visiting local destinations.”

According to the Tourism Minister, with international travel restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is an opportune time to promote domestic tourism. She noted that the concept of domestic tourism is already resonating with the Guyanese population – evidenced by the

plethora of photos splashed across the various social media platforms of visits to local destinations – this is something they want to widely encourage.

As such, Walrond disclosed that while tourist attractions in most administrative regions have already been established, the groundwork has been laid to create similar attractions in other regions, particularly in hinterland communities.

The Minister pointed to Region One (Barima-Waini) which recently launched the “Jonestown Trail” in Port Kaituma; and Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) which has the Mahaica Bird Tour.

Likewise, she noted there are similar tours in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and a myriad of tours and attractions in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), the Minister added, is also strengthening its community tourism product. Walrond added that her Ministry has also been working with several Indigenous communities – Warapoka in Region One; Wakapao in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Karasabai in Region Nine to

develop tourism packages.

“I cannot underscore the importance of this initiative particularly the financial benefits tourism provides for families in these hinterland communities… Suffice it to say that every region in Guyana is now actively developing its tourism offerings so that tourists – whether local or diaspora – can have a unique, exciting and memorable experience regardless of where they visit,” she stressed.

According to Minister Walrond, the Tourism Ministry is resolute with the growth of the sector in Guyana and will continue to work with regional bod-

ies and stakeholders to implement ideas and develop a robust tourism industry, capitalising on its eco-tourism as it prepares to revive the sector from the fallout due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“Despite the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is an exciting time for tourism in Guyana. There is now a buzz in tourism development across the country, coming out of collaboration between the Ministry and regional tourism bodies including the development of several branded hotels…

With COVID-19, travel was brought to a halt. However, during the downtime, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce has focused its attention on training and promotion. The vision is that there must be established protocols to keep both visitors and locals safe when travel resume,” she stated.

Concomitantly, Walrond underscored that it is critical to continuously spotlight Guyana’s destinations during the pandemic so that they could remain at the forefront in the minds of visitors waylaid by travel restrictions.

On this note, she posited that the production and release of the video is timely.

“I’m always happy to support any initiative that showcases destination Guyana.

I remain optimistic that Guyana’s tourism sector will recover and these videos like this can prove to be essential tools in the recovery process,” the Tourism Minister said.

Further, Minister Walrond described the “Colours of the Rainforest” video as a pulsating and ex-

hilarating journey across “Destination Guyana”. She added that the sounds and colours of the rainforest are at their best in the video, which creatively captures the tranquillity and therapeutic qualities of Guyana’s rainforest.

The Minister said she hopes it captivates Guyanese to begin to explore Guyana more.

Guyana has been making its mark in sustainable tourism, having been named the “Best in Sustainable Tourism” at LATA Achievement Awards back in 2019, which took place during “Experience Latin America”, Europe’s largest B2B travel conference focused on the Latin American region. (G8)

8 NEWS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police unearth drugs, gun during Canje River raid

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Wasn’t (only) me...

These cultivated cannabis plants were destroyed by Police

he Guyana Police Force on Wednesday destroyed a whopping 400,000 cannabis plants – which were being cultivated between Ekura and Sand Landing in the Canje River.

The eradication exercise was conducted between 04:30h and 17:30h.

According to Police, the cannabis plants

were cultivated on 12 farms across 12 acres of land, measuring four to five feet in height. They were destroyed along with eleven makeshift camps, six water pumps, two generators, two ploughing machines and a quantity of cannabis seeds.

Additionally, an outboard 15-horse-

Some of the dried cannabis which was also found at the location

power engine, two grasscutters, and a shotgun with spent shells were found abandoned. They were lodged at the Central Police Station. Police are continuing their investigation. (G12)

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…say Patterson and AFC o the surprise of absolutely not a single soul, the AFC came out swinging in defence of their General Secretary David Patterson. He, of course, was condemned for receiving (as “gifts”) from MARAD, Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Demerara Harbour Bridge and CJIA - all with the Government’s money and all controlled by his Public Infrastructure Ministry. Not to regurgitate the sordid details, the AFC had to be aware that the “gifts” weren’t just the $15,000 perfume, but were very pricey bling worth $504,000 (gold bracelet), $700,000 and $300,000; and beds and other bedroom furniture worth over $6.4 million!! Patterson wasn’t stingy with the taxpayers of Guyana’s money, as junior Minister Annette Ferguson also shared in some of the loot.

So, what’s the AFC really telling us? That the 50% salary increase Harmon had announced to discourage corruption as soon as the coalition took office wasn’t enough?

That the ostentatiously announced “Code of Conduct” announced by their co-Leader Raphael Trotman - which their Executive (including Patterson) must’ve helped draft - which addressed “gifts”, wasn’t enough to guide Patterson? After all, Article 3 of that Code prohibits public officials from accepting “any gift, benefit or advantage from anyone, [except] personal gifts from a relative or friend”. Do the AFC and Patterson think gifts bought with taxpayers’ money are exempted?

Well, the AFC insisted that Patterson was a man of “integrity”, skirted around those (inconvenient) issues, and launched several defenses. Firstly, they insisted it’s the Permanent Secretary of a Ministry who’s “responsible for its financial management”. In throwing the PS under the bus, the AFC is telling us that while Ministers (like Patterson and Ferguson) knew that the gifts were being paid for by their Ministry, they felt it was okay just because they weren’t responsible for finances! Talk about sophistry! Or sleaziness!

But the AFC’s final defensive manoeuvre takes the cake; this is the Shaggy defence: “Wasn’t (only) me!!” Yep! That’s right!!

But we know the real reason for the AFC’s rallying around Patterson, don’t we? This looting of the public treasury by Ministers and their flunkeys was rampant during the APNU/AFC’s “governance”, between 2015 and 2020.

They were all collecting “gifts”! No wonder they fought so hard to justify the rigging. Remember those Russian spies?

They didn’t want the bling and beds to stop flowing! …so, let the cat guard the milk?

Now, if it was just the looting of the treasury, one could’ve said, “Let the law take its course”. That is, let Patterson and Ferguson be charged for corruption, like Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was in late 2019, after he accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of champagne and cigars from friends, and the money wasn’t even from their treasury!!

But, in the meantime, we have the not-soinconsequential matter of Patterson heading the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). As we should all know by now, this is one of the fundamental institutions in parliamentary democratic governance which allow the Opposition (who always selects the Chair) to keep the Government on the straight and narrow.

Your Eyewitness has a question for the AFC: Why would they want to have a tainted fella like Patterson checking up on possible PPP shenanigans?

Is their justification that “it takes a thief to catch a thief”? …says Granger PNCites are criticising Granger for keeping a low profile.

Why’d they want the man to have to answer why he signed the elections petition affidavit “Sept 25”, when the lawyers insist it was “Sept 18”?

To admit he’s possibly senile?

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

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Man on bail for “broadsiding” Police seeking extradition Linden Town Council employee $40M insurance fraud

of wanted former insurance manager

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ocal Police are moving ahead to seek the extradition of Zameel Shaheed, a former manager at Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited, who is accused of defrauding the insurance company of over $40 million.

In August 2019, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had advised that extradition proceedings be initiated for him to be brought here to face the charges. In March 2019, Shaheed, who has reportedly fled to the United States of America, was slapped with 45 fraud charges.

However, Police were unable to locate him and those charges filed before Principal Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus were withdrawn.

The charges have now been reinstituted, this time before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

On Friday, the Police Prosecutor informed the court that new information has surfaced about the fugitive’s whereabouts, and as such the process to initiate his extradition to Guyana will commence.

Shaheed, who had resided locally at Ocean

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man was on Friday granted $25,000 bail after it was alleged that he assaulted Nieve Mc Almont, an employee of the Linden Mayor and Town Council, who went to his yard to demolish a structure.

Lindsay Parks was ar-

raigned before Magistrate Wanda Fortune at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on January 21, 2021, at Wismar Housing Scheme, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), he assaulted Mc Almont, so as

to cause him actual bodily harm.

According to the facts of the matter, Mc Almont went to Parks’ yard to demolish a structure, when he was attacked and “broadsided” by him with a cutlass.

The case will continue on January 26. (F1)

4 bandits invade businessman’s home

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View, Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, is accused of defrauding the insurance company of over $40 million. He had failed to show up in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts several times to answer to the charges. As such a warrant was issued for his arrest.

It was reported that Shaheed was the manager of the Claims Department at Demerara Mutual Life Assurance. Between 2013 and 2017, it is alleged that he authorised transactions amounting to more than $40 million to 16 persons who were not entitled to claims. It is alleged that Shaheed, however, collected the monies for his own use and benefit.

The matter was reported and an investigation was conducted after which the

charges were instituted.

Following an audit, Shaheed reportedly submitted his resignation while overseas.

In 2019, the Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited filed a lawsuit against Shaheed in which it was seeking $40,500,000 being the total value of fictitious insurance claims which were allegedly fraudulently approved by him and consequently paid by the company to persons with no legitimate health insurance claims.

At that time, the High Court had granted an interim freezing order, restraining him from removing his assets from Guyana until the hearing and determination of the lawsuit, in the event the court rules in favour of the insurance company. (G1)

51-year-old business owner was on Thursday evening robbed by four bandits, after he was held at gunpoint at his Thomas Street, South Cummingsburg home.

Reports are that Bing Tao Su operates a restaurant at the place where he lives with his wife and daughter.

At the time of the robbery, the businessman was closing the eastern shutter on the lower flat when he was confronted by four suspects – one of whom was armed with a black handgun. The suspect pointed the handgun at him and relieved him of $45,000 that

was secured at the counter of the restaurant.

The men then made good their escape on Thomas Street, then west onto New Market Street, Georgetown.

A report was made and Police combed the area but came up empty-handed.

Investigations are continuing. (G12)

10 NEWS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sophia man shot Diamond man on trial for 2007 after attacking cop killing at Mahdia

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28-year-old man of Plum Park, Sophia, was shot on Friday after he armed himself with a glass bottle and attempted to attack a Corporal of the Guyana Police Force while being arrested.

Based on information received, the incident occurred at about 11:00h.

The Corporal and three other ranks were on mobile patrol in the Plum Park area when they observed suspicious behaviour from four males at a roadside shop.

The ranks stopped to question the individuals when they saw a male throw a Ziploc bag on the ground which contained a small amount of suspected cannabis seeds, leaves and stems.

He then ran away and made

good his escape.

Police said that the ranks went in search of the suspect, and he was found at a shop, however, while in the process of arresting him, he picked up a glass bottle and attempted to hit the Police Corporal – who dodged to prevent any injuries.

The suspect then continued his advances while using obscene language. After being warned to desist, he continued and the rank discharged a round to the man’s left upper thigh, having sensed danger.

The man was escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where an X-ray was scheduled to assess his condition. The GPF has since said that an investigation has been launched.

lmost five years after he was charged for killing a man at White Water Landing, Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), 50-year-old Alvin Calder is presently on trial for the offence before Justice Gino Persaud at the High Court in Essequibo.

Though he was initially charged with murder, State Prosecutor Lisa Cave has indicted Calder for manslaughter. According to the charge, on April 12, 2007, at White Water Landing, Potaro, Essequibo, Calder, formerly of Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara, unlawfully killed Joseph Willy called “Jeff-man”.

Upon his arraignment before the Judge, Calder pleaded not guilty.

Media reports are that Calder was only apprehended in 2016, nine years after he allegedly killed the man. It was reported that the men were involved in a drug deal that went bad.

Moreover, Willy had allegedly owed the accused $150,000 for goods he had taken from his shop and had refused to pay him despite several requests.

According to reports, on the day in question, Calder saw a relative of the now dead man and confronted her over the monies he had owed. After Willy learnt of the confrontation, he reportedly approached Calder armed with a cutlass. At that point, it was reported that Calder shot him twice, and then made good his escape. (G1)

Accused killer: Alvin Calder

Man accused of robbing GDF rank remanded

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33-year-old man, who is accused of robbing a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lieutenant after asking him for a drink of water was on Friday remanded to prison. Melvin Jeane of Mango Lane, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The unrepresented man pleaded not guilty to the

Robbery accused: Melvin Jeane

charge which stated that on January 21, 2021, at Market Street, East Ruimveldt, while being armed with a gun, he robbed GDF

Lieutenant Kaya Dover, of items including jewellery, electronic gadgets and documents to the value of $430,000.

The Police prosecutor revealed that Jeane and Dover are known to each other.

On the day in question, at around 04:45h, Dover was about to enter his yard when he saw Jeane staggering on the road.

According to the Police, Jeane walked up to Dover and asked him for some water. As the GDF rank turned around to give him the water, Jeane whipped out a gun, pointed it to the rank’s head and robbed him. Following the robbery, Jeane ran away but the soldier gave chase and subsequently made a report at the East Ruimveldt Police Station. Dover later showed Police ranks the yard in which Jeane entered after allegedly robbing him.

Upon arrival, Police ranks searched the yard and found a national identification card, GDF identification card and a Republic Bank card belonging to Dover.

Following investigations, Jeane was arrested and charged for the offence. (G1)

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 23,, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana sends COVID-19 samples to CARPHA for analysis over new variant concerns …76 new cases recorded

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eports of the new COVID-19 variant in Jamaica and Trinidad has led Guyana to send samples to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for analysis.

According to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Friday, they are awaiting those results.

It was highlighted that although this variant has higher transmissibility, it is spread the same way – via droplets. As such, wearing a mask correctly can protect against infection.

“These things take some time to do and interpret so we await the results from that…The transmission is the same, it’s through droplets or aerosols and therefore if you wear a mask to protect your nose and mouth, then you will prevent that transmission…In terms of speed of transmission, the new variant in some cases have been shown to transmit faster and that’s what we have to look out for,” Dr Anthony indicated.

Scientifically, the vaccines developed for COVID-19 have proven effective against other strains. After tests were conducted, medical professionals were able to determine conclusively that the shots work.

The Minister added, “What we know is that the virus is going to continue to evolve, probably about one mutation every two weeks and most of these mutations

are of no significance. Some of them, however, are going to change how the virus transmits, how it becomes severe or in some cases, it will become weaker.”

New cases

With 76 new cases of the novel coronavirus being recorded on Friday, the country’s total confirmed positives are now at 7143.

Thus far, 3656 males and 3487 females have contracted the virus.

The Health Ministry’s dashboard showed deaths remaining at 170.

There are seven patients in the Intensive Care Unit, 34 persons are in institutional isolation, 604 are in home isolation and 11 in institutional quarantine.

A total of 6328 persons have recovered – 51 of which were reported in one day. In total, 45,865 individuals have

necessary.”

He said the Ministry is equipped to provide any

been tested.

A breakdown showed that four cases were detected in Region One (Barima-Waini), four in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 56 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), one in Region Five (Demerara-Mahaica), six in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), one in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), one in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The number of cases in Regions Two (PomeroonSupenaam) and seven Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) remain at 219 and 573 respectively.

Spikes have been recorded in Moraikobai, New Amsterdam, Waramadong and St Cuthbert’s Mission.

Health teams have since been sent to these locations to monitor the detection of active cases and recovering patients.

The Health Minister acknowledged that officials and leaders in villages can play an important role in reinforcing the safety measures to enhance compliance.

“The persons who are in positions of leadership and positions of influence, like community leaders, religious leaders can really help us by helping to spread the education particular to COVID, model the best practices of COVID…and help us to get that message across because the Ministry of Health alone or the Task Force cannot do all of the education work that is

information necessary on the virus so that it can be passed on through the

village leaders. The onus is on community leaders to assist. (G12)

12 NEWS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

COVID-19 symptoms can last months after recovery – Minister …Ministry collecting data on reinfections

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he novel coronavirus, COVID-19, does not affect everyone equally. While some may experience little to no symptoms, others contract the worse form of the virus that lingers months after recovery.

These factors, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said, should convince the general public to comply with the stipulated guidelines in order to protect themselves.

Speaking during the update on Friday, he noted that the symptoms would remain for months for some persons because the virus would have disrupted various organs in the body. Data shows that the infection can affect the brain, digestive system, respiratory system, kidneys and skin. There are cases where heart complications have arisen.

“This virus, apart from that critical phase when you’re in the hospital, once you recover and you’re discharged you can end up with something that is called long COVID-19, where other organs of the body can be affected. That is something that people have to bear in mind,” he added.

According to the World Health Organisation, most people suffering from the coronavirus experience mild symptoms to moderate illness. Some 10 to 15 per cent of the cases progress to a severe disease and five per cent become critically ill.

It states, “For some people, some symptoms may linger or recur for weeks or months following initial recovery. This can also happen in people with mild disease. People are not in-

ed that more research and time is needed to understand the long term effects, why symptoms recur and the likelihood of full recovery.

Reinfection

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony

fectious to others during this time. Some patients develop medical complications that may have lasting health effects.”

The Organisation pointed out that there are many case reports whereby pa-

tients do not regain their previous state of well-being after recovering. Risk factors for the persistence of symptoms can vary from high blood pressure, obesity or mental health conditions. However, it indicat-

Reinfection is also another occurrence which has been detected. This quashes the belief of many that a recovered COVID-19 patient has developed permanent immunity from the virus.

“You also have a category of persons who, when they get infected, they get better. But they can also get reinfected. We have seen that with this virus, it is possible to get reinfections. So not because you got COVID, that means that everything is fine. If you got COVID-19, you’ll probably develop some level

of immunity but there is a possibility based on the reinfections that people can get reinfected,” Dr Anthony underscored.

For this, persons need to ensure that they follow the basic guidelines of wearing a mask, have proper sanitisation and hygiene practices; and stay an appropriate distance away from each other.

The Ministry is currently collecting information on the disease and reinfections in Guyana and this data will be analysed in the future.

Symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough, tiredness, diarrhoea, pains, sore throat and loss of taste or smell. The more serious symptoms are difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain and loss of speech or movement. (G12)

Paddy bug infestation worsens – Mahaica farmers …call for permanent solution

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addy bug infestation in Mahaica, Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), continues to affect rice farmers – who are now complaining that the situation is seemingly worse.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Friday, the farmers indicated that a permanent solution is needed to eradicate this challenge.

Presently, they are still using insecticides every week to spray the insects in order to keep crops alive.

However, the bugs are not killed by these chemicals.

Instead, they migrate to other crops.

“What we are doing is trying to prevent these bugs from living on the crops because the sprays that we use don’t kill them. It does just keep them away. Right now, we need something that will work long-term cause spraying every week is costly, very costly,” he explained.

The affected communities range from Branch Road in Lower Mahaicony to Burma, Champagne village, Tiger Ranch, Weldaad, Washington, Golden Fleece

on the West Coast of Berbice.

As a result of the widespread issue, the profits generated from each acre of rice continue to dwindle.

Another farmer indicated that approximately $40,000 is spent on pesticides, with additional costs to hire persons to carry out the spraying exercise. For this, they are calling on authorities to produce a solution that will eradicate the pests permanently or provide resources to cushion their expenses.

Last September, farmers harvesting paddy in

Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) said damage due to paddy were recorded at 10 per cent at that time.

Collectively, rice farmers had spent in excess of $1.5 billion in 2019 to control the bugs.

Throughout a crop, farmers would normally be able to control all other pest and diseases which may confront them but when it comes to paddy bugs, it is described as one of the major players as far as pests are concerned.

Back then, President of the Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA) Leaka Rambrich was quoted as saying, “We can’t say if the chemical is poor or if the

Farmers have been trying to ward off paddy bugs for years

spraying that is being done is not the right spraying or the bug is dying and others are migrating. All these things we need to have a study of. I am lobbying for the Government to do a paddy bug programme, pattern it with the pink mealybug programme that we had.

They need to put that into the budget; a $200 million programme and you will have a comprehensive study of the bug.”

Prior to 2015, the Government had budgeted $90 million for a paddy bug programme. However, the programme was scrapped with the change of Government.

There are about nine different species of the paddy bug. There is no current data to indicate which one is affecting farmers the most.

In addition, there is no data on where the bugs go when the crop season is halted.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Linden teen to serve 80 Pensioner died from hours community service for narco-trafficking ECD fire

smoke inhalation, burns – PME

The pensioner’s apartment that was destroyed by fire

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ionel Kyte, the 68-yearold pensioner who perished in the Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara fire on Monday, died from smoke inhalation and burns about his body.

This was revealed by Police, after the post-mortem examination was conducted

by Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh. The body has since been released for funeral arrangements.

Kyte would have died at his Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown home after the blaze erupted at around 16:20h. It completely destroyed the wooden house, which was being rented by the pensioner.

The elderly man, who was said to be ill, lived alone at

the house.

The landlady told investigators that she observed smoke emanating from the house and on further inspection, discovered the main door to the building was locked.

Having made this observation, she raised an alarm and neighbours formed a bucket brigade in efforts to extinguish the fire.

Shortly after, a fire tender from the Campbellville Fire Station arrived at the scene and went into action to douse the flames. An investigation conducted afterwards discovered the badly burnt body of the pensioner in the kitchen.

Kyte is the third person in less than two weeks to have perished in a fire which started at their homes. (G12)

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Linden teen, who pleaded guilty to narcotics trafficking was sentenced to 80 hours of community service by Magistrate Wanda Fortune following his appearance at the Linden Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Eighteen-year-old Shamar Mankou of Lot 693 Phase 1 B Wisroc Housing Scheme, Wismar, was arrested and charged by Police for the offence of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking on Thursday. According

to the prosecution’s case, Mankou was walking on the road with a brown shoulder bag when Police conducted a search on his person and found a transparent plastic bag with cannabis leaves, seeds and stems. The cannabis which was later weighed amounted to 37 grams. The community service is to be executed at the Wismar Police Station in Linden. The sentence carries a default sentence of six months’ imprisonment. (G13)

Lone gunman stages daring LBI robbery …escapes with $8M, victim’s car

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lone robber on Thursday afternoon escaped with over $8 million and a motor car after he managed to rob a 26-yearold resident of La Bonne Intention Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Police reports state that Kevin Gildharie parked his car in the LBI area at about 16:30h and was allegedly approached by a man who was wearing a face mask. The

suspect held onto him and before he could free himself, the man pulled out a handgun and inflicted injuries to the victim’s neck. The robber then drove off in the silver-grey motor car.

Guyana Times understands that the vehicle contained $8,030,000 and one Samsung cellular phone valued at $40,000.

A report was made and Police are continuing their investigation. (G12)

Drugs, improvised weapons found during Camp Street Prison raid

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Some of the items which were found at the Camp Street Prison during the raid on Friday

team comprising of Police officers from Regional Division 4A, ranks of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU), and members of the Prison Service conducted a search at the Camp Street, Georgetown Prison where a number of contraband items were found. The raid was conducted on Friday morning and among the items found were seven improvised weapons; 76 small plastic parcels containing leaves seeds and

stems suspected to be cannabis - amounting to 34 grams; 10 cellular phones; one SIM card; three cellular phone batteries; two nail clips; 16 pieces of paper containing a whitish substance suspected to be MDMA (molly/ecstasy) amounting to six grams; one pair of scissors; three USB cables; one earpiece; five razor blades; one metal grater; one bottle homemade wine and a quantity of small Ziplock bags.

14 NEWS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ultrasound machine handed Charity incinerator to be over to Kwakwani Hospital rehabilitated – Dharamlall

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Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Gregory Harris during the presentation of the machine

he ultrasound machine gifted to the Kwakwani Hospital in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) by President Irfaan Ali was officially handed over to the medical institution on Wednesday. The President made the commitment to donate the much-needed medical equipment during his consultation which was hosted with stakeholders at the Watooka Complex in Linden last week.

The equipment was

handed over to the personnel of the Kwakwani Hospital during a visit by representatives of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). The presentation was made by Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Gregory Harris.

The ultrasound machine will now serve residents of the Sub-Region Two (areas along the Berbice River) communities. During the visit, RDC representatives also interacted with hospital staff to ascertain oth-

er needs of the hospital, in an effort to ensure proper healthcare services are provided for the residents of the riverine communities. Regional Chairman Deron Adams also presented personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies to the staff, which were provided by the SB Foundation. The visits by members of the Council to areas all across the Region aims to seek and provide enhancement materials for residents. (G13)

ocal Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall has said the Government will allocate funds to rehabilitate the incinerator in Charity to properly dispose of medical waste in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

He made this disclosure during a recent outreach in the Region to oversee ongoing projects and other works.

Speaking with DPI, he said the previous Administration spent over $10 million to establish two incinerators to boost the Region’s healthcare system. One was built at the Oscar Joseph Hospital at Charity and the other at the Suddie Public Hospital. The incinerators have been inoperable since their completion.

“It is of no use since it was constructed and this is the kind of problem we have in our health sector in the last five years. Nothing was done substantially to alleviate the situation of our patients … an incinerator is quite important in the disposal of medical

Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall and team inspecting the incinerator located at Charity

waste,” Dharamlall said.

He promised residents that the situation would be remedied to safeguard the public’s health.

In response, Regional Health Officer, Dr Ranjeev Singh thanked the Minister for his commitment to addressing the matter as the situation has been quite worrisome for the Region.

“They built two for the

same amount but none were operable so we have to spend a lot of money again to have them running so we can dispose of our infectious waste properly so it would not cause any hazard to residents living in this community,” Dr Singh said, adding that the regional administration hopes to assist the Ministry in this endeavour.

Linden “short drop” drivers propose keeping 50% fare increase

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perators of Linden “short drop” taxis have made a proposal to the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) to keep a 50 per cent increase in fares. In a meeting hosted on Thursday, representatives of the hire car and bus operators con-

sulted with members of the Council and the Guyana Police Force. During the meeting, the hire car drivers who ply the Mackenzie to Wisroc and Mackenzie to Amelia's Ward routes also highlighted numerous concerns. The LM&TC in a statement issued on Friday

noted that “they proposed to the Council that due to the pandemic and the protection of the lives of our citizens, they will continue to transport three passengers at the cost of $150 per person. The Council proposed that this be shared with the citizens and invite the asso-

Hire car drivers at Thursday’s meeting at the LM&TC boardroom

ciations to begin their public consultations by speaking to the passengers, and presenting same on radio and television,” the statement said.

The statement added that the Council stands firm on its decision that school children should continue to pay the original cost of $100 and that consideration should be given to senior citizens, in light of the COVID-19 pandem-

ic. It also outlined that drivers plying the Georgetown to Linden route were invited to the Council's Markets and Security meeting to present their proposal, as it relates to parking.

“The Council is open to hearing the concerns of our residents as to this move that the drivers have proposed, as we look to ensure the safety and economic development of our township,” the statement read.

The hire car operators recently staged a strike action, over the proposal by the authorities to have them return to their regular transportation costs. The drivers, mainly “hundred-dollar car” operators who operate within Linden and those who ply the Linden to Georgetown routes, had increased their fares owing to the reduction to a 75 per cent capacity based on COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.

The hire cars had increased the fare from one hundred to two hundred dollars. However, in light of Government’s decision for vehicles to return to carrying the usual number of passengers, the regional authorities have urged that they return to their original fares. But according to some drivers, the main concern is the move to return to the normal seating capacity owing to COVID-19 risks. (G13)

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Millions of dollars unaccounted for under Region 10 community projects — Hamilton

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everal individuals and groups in Linden, Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Bebrice), are under the microscope for millions of dollars disbursed to them by the APNU/AFC Government for projects that never materialised.

Thirteen groups received a total of $34 million under the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme in 2019 for community development projects. Those groups were required to be registered as Co-operative Societies before funds were released.

On Friday, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, along with Chief Cooperative Development Officer Perlina Gift, fanned out across Linden to get a first-hand look at some of the projects. The first stop was at the Green Jaguar Environmental and Community Development Co-operative Society at Wisroc.

“In the case of the five-point-whatever-million dollars’ project, that money was disbursed and collected by the Member of Parliament of Region Ten,

The building that was supposed to house the Coomacka blockmaking project, which has been abandoned

Mr. Jermaine Figueira, and as a I saw it, where it is located, it’s on some private land that is attached to a homeowner. So, for all intents and purposes, Government money has now become private property, and we can’t have that,” Hamilton is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying.

The team visited another pig- rearing project, valued at close to $5 million in that area.

Over in West Watooka, $6 million was given to a group for a community centre and ICT hub. The incom-

plete building was abandoned in 2019. Hamilton said another $2.3 million was provided for poultry-rearing, but that project never got off the ground and the incomplete chicken coop were taken over by vegetation.

Additionally, the coops at Old England and Coomacka received funds for block-making projects valued at a total of $6 million. The Coomacka block-making project is located in a deserted area, and the abandoned building has no roof, according to documents the DPI report-

Emergency works done for hill approach to Tiger Creek bridge

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The completed Tiger Creek Bridge

mergency works on the hill that approaches the Tiger Creek bridge en route to Mahdia, Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight) are set to begin shortly.

Regional engineer within the Public Works Ministry, Wendell St Pierre made this disclosure in a telephone interview with DPI on Friday.

The engineer said the tendering process has started for repairs to the hill, which had deteriorated due to torrential rainfall and heavy-duty trucks traversing there.

Once a contractor wins the bid, it is anticipated that the hill would be fully upgraded within one week

unless heavy rains result in delays.

Since December 31, the reconstruction of the bridge and its approaches were done after the structure collapsed on November 3, 2020, under the weight of a heavy-duty truck. A three-week workplan was devised to complete reconstruction efforts; however, heavy rains frustrated and delayed the contractual works.

Additionally, although it was not included in the contract for the bridge, the contractor cleared the bush around the shoulders of the two hills, on both sides of the bridge, to allow more sunlight to penetrate the road amid the rainy season.

Near the end of the bridge works, the Ministry advised commuters that the bridge would only permit vehicles under 14 tonnes rather than heavy-duty vehicles.

The newly built log bridge was made with greenheart and it is both stronger and rests higher above the creek than the previous bridge.

While the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission was responsible for executing the bridge repairs, the Ministry played a critical role in providing technical assistance.

The Tiger Creek Bridge is the main access bridge after crossing Mango Landing to head into Mahdia.

ed that it had seen.

Hamilton has said these cases are a clear indication of misappropriation of public funds, and those involved would have to account for those sums.

“What we were looking for is $34 million, and we couldn’t find $34 million. We went to a pig-rearing project where persons received $5.9 million, and somebody went overnight and put two pigs; and we went to another pig-rearing project and, based on what was said to me, they are on land they had no authority

The incomplete pig-rearing project under the Green Jaguar Environmental and Community Development Cooperative Society

The abandoned community centre and ICT hub at West Watooka

to be on,” he said.

Hamilton also visited several other projects where monies ($1.5 million to $2.2 million) were disbursed through the former ministries of Communities and Social Cohesion for the enhancement of recreational facilities and agriculture initiatives. The Labour Minister said one man received over $2.2 million for a chicken-rearing project.

However, when he visited

the project, he was told that the individual had migrated.

“So there are two separate types of projects, one for co-ops and communities and then you had individual projects. So you had to have a godfather somewhere for you to just go and collect $2 million and then you disappear,” he said.

Minister Hamilton has said this would not be condoned by the Ministry.

“We cannot continue to

allow people to take public funds and use it for their benefit,” he declared.

The Labour Minister said he has ordered an integrity audit of all co-ops across the country. These audits will begin within a month and be completed within the third quarter of this year.

“I want to know the state of every co-op in this country. Independent auditors will go and audit to see whether they are transparent, and to ensure we can utilise the law to retrieve property that somebody has claimed as their own… Once that is done, we will writeoff those that must die, and those that will live must be transparent,” Minister Hamilton has said.

The SLED programme was set up in 2015 after the coalition Government came into office, and $760 million has been invested over the years. A special audit of the 2019 programme has commenced, and a separate report is expected to be issued by the Audit Office.

16 NEWS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

Legal team update Ministerial Advisory Committee on upcoming case management, other issues

Border Issues Advisor Ralph Ramkarran, Ambassador Cedric Joseph, Ambassador Rudy Collins, former Foreign Affairs Minister Rashleigh Jackson, and Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira at Friday’s meeting

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uyana’s Ministerial Advisory Committee on Friday convened to discuss the Guyana-Venezuela Border Controversy ahead of the case management hearing set for Monday, January 25 at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

During the meeting, the local legal team updated the Committee on the upcoming case management and other related matters.

The Committee is chaired

by Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd, and co-chaired by Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira.

Among those present at Friday’s meeting, apart from Ministers Todd and Teixeira, were: Advisor to the Foreign Affairs Minister on Border Issues, Ralph Ramkarran; Ambassador Cedric Joseph; Ambassador Rudy Collins; former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rashleigh Jackson; National Security Advisor, Captain Gerry Gouveia; Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry, Ambassador Elisabeth Harper; former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Advisor to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge; Senior Foreign Service Officer I, Donnette Streete; former Speaker of the National Assembly,

the request of Venezuela.

President Maduro has claimed that he had asked the ICJ to postpone the hearing for three months, but they only postponed it for 10 days. Venezuela has claimed that it is being short-changed by the ICJ, and that it has not been given sufficient time to prepare for the hearing of the case.

Guyana has approached the World Court, seeking a final and binding judgment to reinforce that the 1899 Arbitral Award remains valid and binding on all parties, and legal affirmation that Guyana’s Essequibo region, which contains much

Also at the meeting were National Security Advisor Captain Gerry Gouveia; Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ambassador Elisabeth Harper; Guyana’s Agent on the Border Controversy, Carl Greenidge; Senior Foreign Service Officer I Donnette Streete; and former Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Barton Scotland

Dr. Barton Scotland; and Ambassador Audrey Waddell.

The case management conference was initially scheduled for January 15, 2021, but was postponed by the World Court, located at The Hague, Netherlands.

Greenidge, who is Guyana’s Agent on the Guyana-Venezuela Border Controversy, told Guyana Times last week that they were informed of the postponement one week prior to the hearing, but are not privy to the reason behind the change.

Nevertheless, Guyana’s Agent explained that, at the upcoming case manage-

ment conference next week, the Court will decide on the time to be allotted to each of the parties, they will find out whether Venezuela will participate, and they will also be given an opportunity to clear up any matters to deal with the procedures which the parties or the court may have.

While Greenidge could not say whether the change had anything to do with the January 7, 2021 decree issued by the Nicolás Maduro Government, which has renewed claims to Guyana’s maritime border west of the Essequibo Coast, it would appear as though the postponement was made upon

of Guyana’s natural resources, belongs to Guyana, and not Venezuela.

However, two weeks ago, the Maduro regime issued a decree, claiming for Venezuela sovereignty and exclusive sovereign rights in the waters and seabed adjacent to Guyana’s coast, west of the Essequibo River – a move which President Dr. Irfaan Ali has staunchly rejected.

The Guyanese Leader has declared that Venezuela’s maritime border claim is a “legal nullity” that will not be recognised by Guyana or any other state in the world.

He added that while this

Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd

latest move by the Spanishspeaking nation is “deeply disturbing”, it will not deter Guyana’s resolve to seek a final and binding resolution at the ICJ. “We have always chosen a path of peaceful resolution of the Venezuelan issue within international law…I remind that sovereignty over this coast and the land territory to which it is attached was awarded to Guyana (then British Guiana) in the 1899 Arbitral Award, whose validity and legally binding character Guyana is confident the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will uphold unequivocally,” President Ali had asserted during an Address to the Nation.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s action has also been widely rejected here by the Parliamentary Opposition, other political parties, civil society bodies and bilateral partners.

In fact, Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon last week reiterated the APNU/ AFC Coalition’s condemnation of the recent decree, adding that it is illegal and can only serve to foment tension in a territorial controversy that is being peaceably resolved at the World Court.

“The APNU/AFC stands resolute in its solidarity with any reasonable action that is taken by the State to safeguard Guyana’s sov-

ereignty… We urge the Venezuelan administration to utilise the International Court of Justice as the forum to present its case, and to cease and desist from issuing these arbitrary decrees,” Harmon stated during a press conference.

Guyana’s March 2018 application to the ICJ was filed based on the recommendation of United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, following failed Good Officers’ Process between the neighbouring states.

In a majority decision on December 18, 2020, the ICJ ruled that it has jurisdiction to adjudicate over the border controversy case.

This was after Venezuela, which has refused to participate in the legal proceedings, had written the court to say that the UN SG had exceeded his authority under the 1966 Geneva Agreement when he referred the case to the ICJ, and therefore the court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter.

The ICJ found that both Guyana and Venezuela had consented to judicial settlement when they signed the Geneva Agreement, since the judicial process via the ICJ is one of the means available to the SecretaryGeneral in determining the controversy. Hence, the Court’s decision is binding on both parties. (G8)

Martinique authorities suspect case of COVID-19 variant

H

ealth authorities are investigating a case in which a returned national may have contracted a variant of COVID-19 overseas.

The case was reported to the Regional Health Agency (ARS) by the Fort-de-France CHU laboratory.

The ARS said in a statement on Thursday that the suspected patient, who travelled during the holiday season, presented with COVID-19 signs on his return to the French-speaking island.

“The RT-PCR test he was subjected to was positive…the human test showed a mutation of the S pro-

tein of the virus. Sequencing is underway at the National Reference Center for Viruses and Respiratory Infections in Lyon, for confirmation,” it added. The ARS said it had carried out contact tracing and eight contacts were placed in isolation.

“None of the contacts has so far presented any sign suggestive of

COVID-19 and the first tests carried out are negative,” it added.

The development in Martinique was disclosed on the same day that the Ministry of Health in Trinidad and Tobago confirmed that a national who returned to the island from the United Kingdom had tested positive for the UK

COVID-19 Variant of Concern (Variant B117). It was the first confirmed COVID-19 variant case in the twin-island republic.

According to research, the UK strain is more easily spread from person-to- person than previous strains. It is estimated to be 50 per cent more transmissible. (CMC)

NEWS

17

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Man jailed 16 years for killing 16-Y-O girl in 2017 A

33-year-old man has been jailed for 16 years after he admitted to killing a teenage girl, with whom he shared a relationship back in 2017.

Ryan Singh pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and was sentenced by the trial Judge, Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall, at the Berbice High Court.

The body of 16-year-old Parbattie Lalkpal, called “Roseanna” was discovered at her Number Two Village, East Canje home on July 22, 2017, only minutes after an altercation between herself and the then 29-year-old man.

Prior to his sentence, Singh told the court that memories of the incident still haunt him, and he pleaded for mercy.

Dead: Parbattie Lalkpal

It was reported that Singh and Lalkpal’s relationship was marred with violence and the teenager was reportedly ending the relationship when she was killed.

Following the incident, Singh, of West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown, went into hiding but was subsequently apprehended.

Dead: Munisperen Iyasammy Monien

Meanwhile, 19-yearold Yuvraj Singh of Guava Bush, Albion Front, and 22-year-old Carlos Ballers, of Williamsburg, Berbice, also admitted to killing 53-year-old Munisperen Iyasammy Monien of Lot 45 Clifton, Port Mourant, Corentyne, on March 31, 2018.

The man’s body was found in a pool of blood in a storeroom at the Sukhsram General Store.

Convicted killer: Ryan Singh

After the discovery was made, it was also discovered that money which was being kept in the store was missing.

It was also reported that when the store was closed on the day in question, $1.5 million was left in a locked draw inside the building.

Police later arrested all of the employees following a theory that the robbery/ murder was an inside job.

Two days later, one of

Convicted: Carlos Ballers and Yuvraj Singh

the employees, confessed to plotting the robbery and also implicated Singh, who later also confessed.

Police had also arrested and charged one of the men’s parents after he told investigators that his mother washed his bloody clothes and was given some of the stolen money.

After the woman was

arrested, she took investigators to her backyard where the money was buried. She was charged with accessory to murder but was found not guilty in the High Court.

Justice Ramlall has ordered a probation report on the two killers. They will return to court on February 11 for sentencing.

Mexican President, Biden discuss migration, British PM says new COVID coronavirus, development

variant may be more deadly

M

exican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he discussed migration, the coronavirus pandemic and cooperation on development during a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday afternoon.

The presidents’ call was “pleasant and respectful” and everything indicated that relations between Mexico and the United States would good, and would benefit both na-

B Mexican president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador

tions, Lopez Obrador said on Twitter. (Reuters)

TCL closes Packaging subsidiary

ritish Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the new variant of COVID-19 first identified in England may be associated with a higher level of mortality although he said evidence showed both vaccines being used in the country are effective against it.

Johnson said the effect of the new variant, which is already known to be more transmissible, was putting the health service under “intense pressure”. “We’ve been informed today that in addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant – the variant that was first discovered in London and the southeast (of England) – may be associated with a higher degree of mortality,” he told a news briefing.

Johnson said however all current evidence showed both vaccines remained effective against old and new variants.

Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance said the evidence about mortality levels was “not yet strong”, and came from a “series of different bits of information”, stressing there was great uncertainty around the data.

He said once people reached hospital, there was no greater risk, but there were signs that people who had the UK variant were at more risk overall. “There’s no real evidence of an increase in mortality for those in hospital. However, when data are looked at in terms of those who’ve been tested positive … there is evidence that there’s an increased

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson

risk for those who have the new variant, compared to the old virus,” he said.

He said for a man in his sixties, the average risk was that 10 in 1,000 people who got infected would be expected to die, but that this rose to roughly 13 or 14 people in 1,000 with the new variant – a 30-40 percent increase.

“I want to stress that there’s a lot of uncertainty around these numbers and we need more work to get a precise handle on it,” he said.

“But it obviously is a concern that this has an increase in mortality as well as an increase in transmissibility.”

But Al Jazeera’s Neave Barker, reporting from London, said scientists seemed more concerned about the growing evidence that suggested new variants recorded in South Africa and Brazil had features that could reduce the potency of the vaccines that have been developed so far.

“They know that the UK variant can be treated but these other two there may be some problems,” he said.

(Al Jazeera)

Biden, Canada’s Trudeau to meet next month, collaborate on vaccines, medical supplies

C T

CL’s Packaging Limited will cease operations next month as the TCL Group says it has become uneconomical to continue.

Some 50 workers will be affected.

In a statement issued, the group said effective February 15, the Paper Sack Manufacturing Subsidiary will no longer be operational.

It added that given the ongoing capital investment required for equipment upgrades, it became

non-viable.

The move is expected to protect the group’s largest investment - its cement, concrete and aggregate manufacturing operations, safeguarding national and regional construction sectors, economies and interests.

The TCL Group said it will extend counselling services to the 50 workers through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) as well as the consideration of re-tooling training. (T&T Guardian)

anada’s Justin Trudeau and US President Joe Biden plan to meet next month, the prime minister’s office said on Friday, following a call between the two leaders in which they agreed to join forces to combat coronavirus in North America.

Trudeau, who has been keen to embrace the new president and turn the page on the often tumultuous Donald Trump years, was the first foreign leader to speak with Biden since Wednesday’s inauguration.

“They discussed collaboration on vaccines and acknowledged that the two countries’ efforts are strengthened by existing exchanges of medical per-

US President Joe Biden

sonnel and the flow of critical medical supplies,” according to a read out of the call.

The two also agreed to expand cooperation on continental defence and in the Arctic, and said their respective top defence and foreign affairs would be meet at the earliest opportunity.

Canada’s Justin Trudeau

Trudeau earlier on Friday hailed Biden’s arrival as a “new era” for bilateral ties but the relationship has begun with an early disagreement after Biden scrapped the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to the United States on his first day in office on Wednesday.

Pipeline builder TC

Energy Corp said it would eliminate more than 1,000 construction jobs in coming weeks due to the cancellation.

“The prime minister raised Canada’s disappointment with the United States’ decision on the Keystone XL pipeline,” according to the read out, which noted that Trudeau also brought up the “the importance of the softwood lumber industry, and urged the removal of duties.”

The long-running dispute saw the Trump administration impose tariffs against what it saw as unfair subsidies for Canadian exporters of softwood lumber, which is used in home construction. (Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021

Regional

New Brazil coronavirus Venezuelan Opposition says variant found in nearly Maduro Government violated half of Amazon city cases COVID response agreement

A

variant of the novel coronavirus already accounts for about half of new infections in the Brazilian Amazonian city of Manaus, raising concerns about a greater risk of spread, a researcher warned on Friday.

A team led by immunologist Ester Sabino collected genomic data from COVID-19 tests in Manaus that indicated 42 per cent of the confirmed cases were infected by the new variant, which has mutations similar to the British and South African variants.

“That was the frequency that appeared in our

December data. We are finishing January now and it is increasing,” said Sabino, a University of Sao Paulo professor whose team’s preliminary results have been published on the Virological.org forum.

She said it was quite likely the new Brazilian variant is more transmissible than the current dominant strain, although it has not been proven definitively, because it has mutations shown to have that effect in other variants.

The Amazon’s largest city is currently suffering a brutal second wave of COVID-19 cases that has overwhelmed

its hospital system and exhausted oxygen supplies, leaving dozens of people to die in their homes and intensive care wards, doctors say.

Manaus has resisted lockdowns and social distancing is not enforced, but researchers believe the surge is also worsened by the new variant, which was first detected two weeks ago in Japan after four people travelled to the country from Manaus.

It was absent in genome surveillance samples seen between March and November, underscoring how quickly it has appeared and reproduced. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Honduran abortion law: Congress moves to set total ban “in stone”

Honduras is a staunchly Catholic country with a conservative majority in Congress

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arliament in Honduras has initially approved a bill that will make it virtually impossible to legalise abortion in the country.

The new measure will require at least three-quarters of Congress to vote in favour of modifying the abortion law, which is among the strictest in the world.

Honduras forbids abortion under any circumstance, even rape or incest.

Its latest move comes in

response to Argentina legalising abortion last month.

Across Latin America, there has been increased prochoice campaigning, known as the “green wave”, based on the colour worn by protesters.

The new legislation in Honduras hinges on an article in the Constitution that gives a fetus the same legal status of a person.

Constitutional changes have until now been permitted with a two-thirds majority,

but the new legislation raises that bar to three-quarters within the 128-member body.

The measure still needs to be ratified by a second vote.

However, support was clear on Thursday: with 88 legislators voting in favour, 28 opposed and seven abstentions.

Honduras has a stanchly conservative majority, which referred to the measure as a “shield against abortion”.

“What they did was set this article in stone because we can never reform it if 96 votes are needed [out of 128]”, opposition MP Doris Gutiérrez told AFP news agency.

Mario Pérez, a lawmaker with the ruling party of President Juan Orlando Hernandez, formally proposed the change last week, calling it a “constitutional lock” to prevent any future moderations of the abortion law. (Excerpt from BBC News)

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enezuela’s Opposition accused President Nicolas Maduro’s Government on Friday of unilaterally changing the destination of medication and equipment provided by the Pan American Health Organization, in a “clear violation” of an agreement to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last June, Venezuela’s Health Ministry and technical advisers to the then Opposition-dominated National Assembly signed an agreement to implement a COVID-19 response supported by PAHO. By October, 340,000 antigen tests and 35 test-reading machines, managed by PAHO, had arrived in the country.

The Ministry and technical advisers had agreed the tests and machines would be sent to 27 hospitals, Miguel Pizarro, designated by opposition leader Juan Guaido as

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro

representative to the United Nations, said in a statement.

But the Government transferred the supplies to its own network of regional laboratories and other centres that Pizarro said in his statement were “not prepared for the care of patients with COVID-19.”

With the equipment in public health labora-

tories, Pizarro said, the Government now has “absolute control” over test results and the country’s COVID-19 data.

Venezuela’s Information Ministry and spokespeople for the Washington-based PAHO did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Only around 3000, or about 1 per cent, of the 3400,000 antigen tests sent to Venezuela have so far been used, Ciro Ugarte, Director of Health Emergencies at PAHO, said on Tuesday while giving a regular weekly update on the pandemic.

Venezuelan authorities have reported 122,260 infections and 1129 deaths from COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Experts say the real number is likely higher, due to low levels of testing. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Mexico calls for internal DEA probe of “fabricated” case against Minister

M

exico’s President said on Friday the US Drug Enforcement Administration should carry out an internal investigation into the conduct of its case against a former Defence Minister, putting further strain on bilateral ties with the new Biden Administration.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the investigation should look into who within the DEA “fabricated” the case against Salvador Cienfuegos, days after Mexico’s Attorney General decided to drop charges.

The US arrest of Cienfuegos in October on drug charges ruffled feathers in Mexico, which retaliated with restrictions on

DEA intelligence gathering.

Lopez Obrador then angered Washington by publishing a large dossier from the case that the United States had provided in confidence.

Mike Vigil, a former chief of international operations for the DEA, called the case solid and said Mexico was “shooting itself in the foot” by continuing to claim that evidence was fabricated.

“The current Administration has shown itself to be an unreliable partner in pursuing criminal cases,” Vigil said in an interview. “The idea that the evidence is fabricated is sheer nonsense.”

The ongoing fallout risks further souring ties just as Biden takes over from Donald Trump, with whom

the left-leaning Mexican President had struck an unlikely friendship.

Both Governments said Lopez Obrador and Biden would speak by phone on Friday afternoon. They gave no detail about what subjects the call would include.

While tensions over security have simmered in the first days of Biden’s Administration, Lopez Obrador has praised him for quick action on immigration reform. Mexico has kept up cooperation on immigration issues that began under Trump, putting pressure on Central American Governments to break up a large US-bound caravan earlier this week. (Excerpt from Reuters)

the coronavirus pandemic.

A German Foreign Ministry spokesman said the federal Government’s position on the Falkland Islands had not changed.

“The activities of private companies cannot be attributed to the Federal Republic of Germany and have no international consequences,” he said.

The Argentine Government said Lufthansa asked for permission for two flights that are due to carry scientists and logistical support staff from Hamburg to Mount Pleasant in the Falklands, where they will continue onboard the ship “Polarstern” to Antarctica to conduct climate change

research.

Argentina said the German Government also asked for its permission for the Polarstern research ship to dock in Port Stanley, the capital of the British territory.

The two, 15-hour flights are scheduled for Feb 1 and March 30.

Argentina’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Lufthansa had asked its civil aviation authority and regional authorities to fly over Argentina and use the Argentine Patagonian town of Ushuaia as an alternative airport should it be unable to land in the Falklands. (Excerpt from Reuters)

JSC hears secondary students Germany rejects Argentina’s quitting school for jobs claim on Falklands recognition

S

ome secondary school students are quitting classes and taking up jobs—and there are major challenges with the remote learning system for some primary school pupils particularly.

Both issues were aired at Wednesday’s meeting of the Parliamentary committee (Social Service and Public Administration) which interviewed Education Ministry and education stakeholders on the hybrid learning system, which was implemented following the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

The issue of secondary students leaving classes to get jobs was revealed

by Association of Principals of Public Secondary Schools President Sherra

Carrington-James. She said some secondary schools’ information showed this. If the figure might be 30 students, she estimated, “That’s 30 too many.”

Carrington-James said it would be a challenge to get them back even when school buildings reopened and they could be lost to the system forever if the situation wasn’t addressed.

National Primary Schools Principals Association President Lance Mottley said there was also absenteeism among primary school students. He said there are challenges in the pandemic landscape that exacerbate absenteeism, including parents having to work. He wasn’t sure how widespread the statistics were.

The Education Ministry had a figure of 39,861 students not participating in classes but this was said to involve mainly those who lacked Internet access or devices.

The findings showed that parents’ major problem was difficulty in focusing on their own work plus their children’s. The issue of concentration persisted, with parents agreeing it was difficult to keep their children focused with remote learning.

The biggest challenge for teachers was work-life balance. Only 34.4 per cent of primary teachers and 41.2 per cent of secondary teachers agreed they were able to maintain a healthy worklife balance. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

G

ermany on Friday rejected a claim by Argentina that a request by airline Lufthansa to fly over Argentina en route to the Falkland Islands implied a recognition of them as Argentine territory.

Argentina and Britain have long disputed ownership of the Falklands, with Argentina claiming sovereignty over the Britishrun islands it calls the Malvinas. The dispute led to a brief war in 1982.

Lufthansa said it made the request for two flights supporting a polar research expedition because the normal route via Cape Town has been suspended due to

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS US stimulus, continued Iran sanctions supportive of oil prices – Goldman

T

he new US Administration’s plans for large fiscal spending and little urgency to lift sanctions on Iran are constructive for oil and gas prices, Goldman Sachs said on Thursday.

“On our estimates, a $2 trillion stimulus over 2021-22 would... boost U.S. demand by about 200,000 barrels per day,” the bank said in a note.

US President Joe Biden’s proposed $1.9 trillion stimulus package aims to jump-start the economy and accelerate vaccines distribution to control COVID-19, which has hammered global oil demand.

Oil prices fell on Friday on worries that new pandemic restrictions in China will curb fuel demand in the world’s biggest oil importer.

The bank also said that since the Biden Administration is looking to strengthen and lengthen nuclear constraints on Iran, the country’s oil exports would remain moderate this year and at 0.5 million barrels per day in the second half of 2021.

The Iran issue will be part of President Biden’s early talks with foreign counterparts and allies, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

“Delays in a full return of Iran production would reinforce our bullish oil outlook since we already forecast a tight 2022 crude market with low OPEC spare capacity,” Goldman said.

Biden also temporarily suspended oil and gas leasing and permitting on federal lands, cancelled a permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada, and halted oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.

“On their own, these actions do not point to a faster tightening of the oil market in 2021-22,” Goldman said, adding the ban still leaves a window of up to two years to drill from elevated outstanding permits. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Pakistan says “onus on India” to restart dialogue

Pakistan’s Foreign Shah Mehmood [Reuters]

P

Minister Qureshi

akistan’s Foreign Minister has thrown down the gauntlet to India to restart direct dialogue between the two countries, saying the “onus lies on [them]” to reverse steps in the disputed region of Kashmir and end alleged rights abuses there before the two countries can come to the table.

Speaking to Al Jazeera in a wide-ranging exclusive interview, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi accused the Indian Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of adopting “aggressive rhetoric” and “acting irresponsibly”.

“Who vitiated the climate?

Obviously the Indians. Now if things have to improve,

the onus lies on India,” he said, referring to steps taken by Modi’s Government to revoke a special constitutional status for Indianadministered Kashmir in August 2019 and a subsequent security crackdown in the region, which lasted several months.

Pakistan and India have fought two of their three fullscale wars since gaining independence from the British in 1947 over Kashmir, and the Himalayan territory remains at the heart of continuing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Bilateral relations between the two rivals stalled around September 2016 after India said its military conducted a “surgical strike” on Pakistani territory.

Islamabad rejected the claim although it said at the time that two soldiers had been killed in “cross border” fire

by Indian forces.

In July 2018, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan attempted to restart dialogue after he won the election.

Qureshi said there were currently “no formal or informal parleys going on” between the two countries, including meetings between former officials that are commonly referred to as “Track II dialogues”. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Coronavirus: UK variant “may be more deadly”

E

arly evidence suggests the variant of coronavirus that emerged in the UK may be more deadly, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.

However, there remains huge uncertainty around the numbers - and vaccines are still expected to work.

The data comes from mathematicians comparing death rates in people infected with either the new or the old versions of the virus.

The new more infectious variant has already spread widely across the UK. Johnson told a Downing Street briefing: "In addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant - the variant that was first identified in

Previous work suggests the new variant spreads between 30% and 70% faster than others, and there are hints it is about 30% more deadly

London and the south-east - may be associated with a higher degree of mortality.

"It's largely the impact of this new variant that means the NHS is under such intense pressure."

Public Health England, Imperial College London, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Exeter have each been trying to assess how deadly the new

variant is.

Their evidence has been assessed by scientists on the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag).

The group concluded there was a "realistic possibility" that the virus had become more deadly, but this is far from certain.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the government's chief scientific adviser, described the data so far as "not yet strong".

He said: "I want to stress that there's a lot of uncertainty around these numbers and we need more work to get a precise handle on it, but it obviously is a concern that this has an increase in mortality as well as an increase in transmissibility."

(Excerpt from BBC News)

“Choose - I kill you or rape Thousands in Nepal you”: abuse accusations protest against surge in Ethiopia's war dissolution of Parliament

T

he young coffee seller said she was split from family and friends by an Ethiopian soldier at the Tekeze river, taken down a path, and given a harrowing choice.

“He said: ‘Choose, either I kill you or rape you’,” the 25-year-old told Reuters at the Hamdayet refugee camp in Sudan where she had fled from conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

The doctor who treated her when she arrived at the camp in December, Tewadrous Tefera Limeuh, confirmed to Reuters that he provided pills to stop pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases, and guided her to a psychotherapist.

“The soldier ... forced a gun on her and raped her,” Limeuh, who was volunteering with the Sudanese Red Crescent, said the woman told him.

“She asked him if he had a condom and he said ‘why would I need a condom?’”

Five aid workers for international and Ethiopian aid groups said they had

received multiple similar reports of abuse in Tigray.

The United Nations appealed this week for an end to sexual assaults in the region.

Among a “high number” of allegations, particularly disturbing reports have emerged of people being forced to rape relatives or have sex in exchange for basic supplies, the UN Office of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict said in a statement on Thursday.

Ethiopian authorities have previously denied rights abuses, pointing the finger instead at the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the region’s former ruling party whose forces they accuse of insurrection.

Women and girls in refugee camps within Ethiopia appear to have been particularly targeted, and medical centres are under pressure for emergency contraception and tests for sexually-transmitted infections, the statement said.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

T

hree former Nepali Prime Ministers joined thousands of demonstrators on Friday to protest against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s abrupt move to dissolve Parliament and call snap elections.

Oli dismissed the legislature in December, accusing members of his own party – including the former rebels – of noncooperation, and called for new elections in April.

The move plunged Nepal into fresh political uncertainty after years of instability, short-lived Governments and earthquakes that devastated the country in 2015.

A senior Police official said an estimated 25,000 people had gathered to protest near Oli’s office and more marches were planned across the Himalayan nation, which lies between India and China.

Former Maoist commander and co-chair of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Kamal

Dahal, who led the 19962006 uprising, told demonstrators in Kathmandu that Oli was attempting to “derail the peace process”.

Former Prime Ministers Dahal, who led a decade long Maoist resistance that ended in 2006, and Jhal Nath Khanal, were also at the rally.

All three former Prime Ministers are from Oli’s party but oppose the dissolution.

Oli’s Government has also weathered accusations of corruption and criticism of its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

But his decision to dissolve Parliament came after months of clashes with Dahal, who helped Oli come to power when their political parties merged in 2018.

Following the Parliament’s dissolution, two factions of the NCP have informally split and have described themselves as the legitimate faction and staked claims over the party’s election symbol and its name. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Canada deporting thousands even as pandemic rages

C

anada deported thousands of people even as COVID-19 raged last year, data seen

by Reuters shows, and lawyers say deportations are ramping up, putting people needlessly at risk in the midst of a global health emergency.

Like many other countries, Canada is struggling to stop a second wave from spiralling out of control, and its political leaders are begging residents to stay home to prevent the

spread.

Lawyers and human rights advocates are decrying Canada’s November decision to resume deportations. Until now, the extent of the country’s pandemic deportations was not known, but recent interviews with immigration lawyers and scrutiny of Government numbers has shed light on the situation.

Canada counted 12,122 people as removed in 2020 875 more than the previous year and the highest num-

ber since at least 2015, according to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) data seen by Reuters. The Government said this was necessary and done safely.

The CBSA said the high number last year is because it includes people who decided to leave on their own, termed “administrative removals.” In 2019 there were 1657 administrative removals, compared with 8215 last year.

Even subtracting those numbers, that leaves thou-

sands of people deported as the pandemic raged and Governments cautioned against travel of any kind for safety reasons.

Even as Canada continues to deport non-citizens during a health crisis, US President Joe Biden paused deportations for 100 days within hours of being sworn in on Wednesday.

Canada officially imposed a moratorium on deportations in March that it lifted at the end of November.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

20

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

Get involved in something that interests you. Do your best to improve your resume or lifestyle. A discussion you have with someone regarding work will give insight into possibilities.

Do what you can to help others, but don’t pay for someone else’s mistake. Offer love, support, innovative suggestions and hands-on help, but not your hard-earned cash.

Tell a loved one how you feel.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Ask, and you shall receive. Refuse to let others interfere with your plans. If you follow your heart, opportunities will develop. An optimistic attitude will create a stir.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

SUDOKU

If you rush into something prematurely, you’ll have second thoughts.

Excess of any kind will set you back one way or another. Be sensitive to the needs of others.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Reconnect with an old friend or colleague, and it will provide insight into new possibilities that can improve your earning potential. Do something that’s mentally stimulating.

Work hard, and it will ease your mind and allow you to enjoy time with a loved one late in the day.

A change of plans will turn out to be to your advantage.

Don’t be afraid to make the first move.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Get your responsibilities out of the way, and offer to help a friend or relative. What you do for others will be appreciated and will encourage better relationships.

SCORPIO

Emotions will surface when you are interacting with old friends and relatives.

Take action, and do your best to make things happen. Your input will be appreciated.

Romance is favored.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Change the way you hanSAGITTARIUS dle money. Put a budget in (Nov. 23place, and consider investDec. 21) ments that will keep you from overspending. The less available cash you have on hand, the better.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Revisit the past, and you’ll avoid making the same mistake twice. Look over your options, and don’t feel pressured to make decisions if uncertainty prevails.

Take an unusual approach.

Take your time, plan your actions and head in a direction that will satisfy you mentally, physically and financially. Say no to anyone asking for too much and yes to those offering equality.

Set your sights on your goals, then proceed. Don’t make promises you are going to have trouble honoring. A kind gesture you offer a friend or relative will make a difference.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021

21

Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board honours Kieron Pollard for ICC T20 selection G

lowing tributes were paid to Red Force cricket team captain Kieron Pollard when the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) honoured the 33-year-old allrounder for being selected by the ICC to be part of their “T20 Team of the Decade.”

In an impromptu ceremony on Tuesday, and in the presence of fellow members of the 2020 Super50 Cup squad and team officials at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva, Pollard was hailed as someone who has made a great impact in world cricket.

President of the T&T Cricket Board, Azim Bassarath, led the tributes by giving a short his-

tory of Pollard’s brilliant career, starting in 2006, when he made his debut for the national team against Barbados in a four-day regional match.

Bassarath said the hard-hitting batsman has since never looked back, and graduated to become one of the most explosive players in the shortest form of the game.

Pollard, a medium-fast bowler, initially caught the eye in the Stanford T20 tournament in Antigua & Barbuda, and was part of the national team that won the 2008 title, which earned them a place at the prestigious Champions Trophy tournament in India.

Bassarath said it was

there that Pollard announced himself on the world stage with a spectacular innings of 54 in just 18 balls, which helped propel TT to the final of the competition.

“Since then, Pollard has, over the past 13 years, established himself as a key member of IPL champions Mumbai Indians, which he captained in last season’s

British Athletics Indoor Championships cancelled – amid COVID-19 concerns

T

he British Athletics Indoor Championships, an event that was due to be held in Glasgow in February, has been cancelled.

The Championships were to be held at the Emirates Arena for the second year running, and were to serve as trials for both the European and World Indoor Championships; but British Athletics has cancelled the event “to ensure the safety of all those due to participate”.

British Athletics has said that testing all those involved for COVID-19 would “not sufficiently mitigate the

risks”.

“British Athletics recognises (its) wider social responsibility, to reduce COVID-19 transmission and to not overburden the NHS,” a statement read.

“The logistics of safely staging (these) national championships comprising approximately 500+ attendees need to be balanced with the risks to those involved, the local community, and the medical climate.”

British Athletics is currently exploring how it can stage an event to enable competitors to achieve qualification for the European Indoor

Championships, scheduled to take place in Poland in March.

British 400m runner Zoey Clark has described news of the cancellation as “not altogether unsurprising”.

“They have been saying it is going to go ahead for a

while, but there has been a lot of doubts in our minds as to whether they can host it safely,” she said. “It is so disappointing for everyone, who has gone so long without races we were really looking forward to having this one.”

(Adapted from BBC.COM)

Leicester City to lose striker Jamie Vardy for “a few weeks” – due to hernia operation

L

eicester City striker Jamie Vardy will be out for “a few weeks”, as he needs a hernia operation, manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed.

The 34-year-old Vardy has scored 11 goals in 18 Premier League appearances this season, with only Son Heung-min, Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah being above him in the scoring charts.

Vardy has averaged a league goal approximately every 134 minutes, a rate that only six players can better this term, although he has not found the net in any of his past five appearances.

Rodgers is therefore confident that Leicester’s season will not be badly impacted by the loss of Vardy, as they prepare for a run of matches that include meetings with Everton, Leeds United, Wolves and Liverpool, before the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie with Slavia Prague.

“Jamie Vardy will be out for a few weeks,” Rodgers said on Friday. “As you know, we’ve been managing him over this last number of months, and he’s been absolutely fantastic.

“We have a window now that allows him to have a minor operation on his hernia,

and then he’ll be back within a few weeks. He’ll be out for that period; it’s one that doesn’t keep him out for too long, but it’s just a repair in and round that hernia area.

It’s (an operation) we feel he can’t really put…off much longer.

“We were hoping to do it a few weeks back, but this is a window (wherein) we can get it done, and that will obviously leave him with a good part of the season where he can be really influential for us,” said Rodgers.

Leicester, who are two

competition in the United Arab Emirates when regular skipper Rohit Sharma was injured,” said Bassarath.

Also, late last year, the Trinbago Knight Riders under Pollard captured the Caribbean Premier League T20 title, defeating the St Lucia Patriots in the final at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad & Tobago.

“Pollard has been a role model for all young cricketers, and is admired all over the world (while) playing in the respective T20 leagues, which shows that the region can produce cricketers of the highest quality,” said Bassarath.

“The T&T Cricket Board is well pleased with Pollard’s latest achievement, and as he joins a special group of cricketers, with only Chris Gayle of Jamaica being the other Caribbean cricketer to make the grade,” said Bassarath.

In response, Pollard said he is honoured to be recognised by the T&T Cricket Board, and urged up-andcoming cricketers to work hard if they aim to become successful on the national, regional and world stages.

“The motivation is there for you, as the top cricketers are well paid and you get the opportunity to travel all around the world plying your trade. Apart from T20, there is now T10, which

further opens up opportunities for you, which you must work hard to take,” said Pollard.

He said the Red Force cricketers, who leave for Antigua & Barbuda on January 29 to participate in the tournament, which runs from February 7 to 27, should be ready to accept the challenge of playing in a bubble because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The West Indies whiteball team captain has said the Red Force squad, which has a strong combination of experience and youthful talent, is keen to bring the Super50 Cup back home, after a five-year drought.

Pollard is urging the players who did not make the final 15 for the Super50 tournament to continue working at their game, and not be discouraged; as their chance will come, and they must be prepared to make full use of it.

In attendance at the short function on Tuesday were the following persons: Cricket Operations Officer of the TTCB, Dudnath Ramkessoon; Coach of the Red Force Team, David Furlonge; Team Manager Sebastian Edwards; and TTCB coaches Kelvin Williams and the former West Indies wicketkeeper David Williams. (Adapted from TT Guardian)

Guyanese Carlston Harris signs contract with UFC

points behind

O

league leaders Manchester United, travel to Brentford in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday. (Adapted from Sportsmax)

ne of the most prominwaent welterweights outside of the UFC has joined the organization. Guyanese Carlston Harris signed a contract with the organization.

The signature was revealed by Combate.com on Thursday morning.

Harris , became known in Brazil , where he became known as the champion of the XFC 77 kg tournament . It didn't take long for

him to sign with Brave CF , where he was the organization's welterweight champion. Carlton is on a twowin streak. In his last fight, he knocked out Alexsandro Santos Rodrigues at Shooto Brazil 101. Carlton stands out for having a balance both on his feet and on the mat, with 4 wins by KO / TKO and 3 wins by way of completion.

Their debut date is expected to be announced shortly.

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021

WI v Bangladesh ODI series…

Mehidy Hasan and Tamim Iqbal move Bangladesh into 2-0 lead

M

ehidy Hasan registered his best bowling figures as Bangladesh beat a depleted West Indies side by seven wickets in the second ODI in Mirpur. They now have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Mehidy bagged 4 for 25, and Mustafizur R a h m a n and Shakib Al Hasan each chipped in with two wickets a s the West

Indies’ batting collapsed for the second successive game. At one stage the Windies w e r e tottering at 71 for 7, but Rovman Powell, surprisingly batting at No. 8 even in this inexperienced lineresisted with the tail and struck a 66-ball 41. He was the last man out as West Indies were

points from two World Cup Super League games, while the West Indies are yet to open their account.

In the morning, Jason Mohammed opted to bat on a used pitch. After being bundled out for 122 in the first ODI, West Indies decided to strengthen their batting by bringing in debutant lefthanded opener Kjorn O tt l e y in place of fast bowler Chemar Holder, but the gulf between the two sides was evident right from the start.

Sunil Mehidy Hasan Miraz Ambris fell bagged 4 wickets in the fifth over, when Mustafizur squared him up with one that moved away off the seam. The batsman got an outside edge towards backward point, where Mehidy took a sharp catch.

Ottley and Joshua Da Silva looked solid for a while, but failing to rotate the strike, there were 47 dot balls in the first ten overs.

Once spin was introduced, it was the same story as in the first ODI, as 36 for 1 became 41 for 5 in the space of 28 balls.

Ottley, who had moved t o Tamim Iqbal led the 24, charge with a half century

tried to go over extra cover against Mehidy, but failed to clear Tamim Iqbal. Three balls later, u p , Mehidy had his second wicket when Da Silva was bowled as he played for the turn against a straighter one.

In the next over, Andre McCarthy tried to slog-sweep Shakib, but just like in the first ODI, he failed to pick the arm ball, and was bowled.

West Indies had added only two more to their tally when Kyle Mayers, who had scored an impressive 40 in the last outing, was run out for zero while responding to Mohammed’s call for a quick single.

Mohammed and Nkrumah Bonner gave s o m e Shakib Al Hasan semblance chipped in with 43 of stability during their 26-run stand for the sixth wicket, before b o w l e d Shakib struck with yet out for 148 i n another arm ball, this 43.4 overs. time sending back Mohammed.

Bangladesh faced little At the other end, Bonner trouble during their chase, chopped Hasan Mahmud onto especially after Liton Das gave his stumps, and it looked like the them a breezy start.

West Indies might be all out for Tamim Iqbal, meanwhile, a score under 100; but Powell looked happy to play the then struck a couple of lusty anchor’s role, scoring 50 off 76 blows to take the side past the balls as the hosts chased down three-figure mark during a 32the target in 33.2 overs. run stand with Alzarri Joseph for Bangladesh now have 20 the ninth wicket.

O n eve of match, Joseph had

t

h e the

Rovman Powell top scored for the Windies with 41

ex p re s s e d his desire to develop into an allrounder, and he took a small positive step in that direction today, but Mustafizur’s cutters proved too good for him, and he ended up edging one to gully.

Powell and Akeal Hosein added 28 for the tenth wicket, before Mehidy returned to dismiss Powell and wrap up the innings.

Bangladesh started their chase positively, even though Joseph found some swing with the new ball and kept Iqbal in check. Das, however, played some sublime drives through the off side against both Joseph and Mayers, to ensure the score kept moving at a decent rate.

Das’s innings was nevertheless cut short on 22, when Hosein trapped him lbw with a quicker one.

Hosein had picked up 3 for 26 in the first ODI, and he again impressed with his clever changing of pace. He found turn as well, but both Iqbal and Najmul Hossain Shanto played

him calmly to take their side past 50.

Their 47-run stand was broken when Shanto hit Mohammed straight to short midwicket.

Iqbal, though, kept dealing in ones and twos at the other end - with

an occasional boundary in between - and brought up his 48th ODI half-century. He fell immediately after reaching the milestone, but Shakib, alongside Mushfiqur Rahim, knocked off the remaining 40 runs without further hiccups. (Adapted from ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES INNINGS (50 OVERS MAXIMUM) Sunil Ambris c Mehidy Hasan Miraz b Mustafizur Rahman 6 Kjorn Ottley c Tamim Iqbal b Mehidy Hasan Miraz 24 Joshua Da Silva † b Mehidy Hasan Miraz 5 Andre McCarthy b Shakib Al Hasan 3 Jason Mohammed (c) lbw b Shakib Al Hasan 11 Kyle Mayers run out (Najmul Hossain Shanto/† Mushfiqur Rahim) 0 Nkrumah Bonner b Hasan Mahmud 20 Rovman Powell st †Mushfiqur Rahim b Mehidy Hasan Miraz 41 Raymon Reifer lbw b Mehidy Hasan Miraz 2 Alzarri Joseph c †Liton Das b Mustafizur Rahman 17 Akeal Hosein not out 12 Extras (lb 1, nb 2, w 4) 7 TOTAL (43.4 Ov, RR: 3.38) 148 Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Sunil Ambris, 4.5 ov), 2-36 (Kjorn Ottley, 13.1 ov), 3-37 (Joshua Da Silva, 13.4 ov), 4-39 (Andre McCarthy, 14.6 ov), 5-41 (Kyle Mayers, 17.4 ov), 6-67 (Jason Mohammed, 23.6 ov), 7-71 (Nkrumah Bonner, 24.4 ov), 8-88 (Raymon Reifer, 29.4 ov), 9-120

(Alzarri Joseph, 37.3 ov), 10148 (Rovman Powell, 43.4 ov) O-M-R-W BOWLING Mustafizur Rahman 8-3-15-2 Rubel Hossain 7-0-23-0 Hasan Mahmud 9-0-54-1 M. Hasan Miraz 9.4-0-25-4 Shakib Al Hasan 10-0-30-2 BANGLADESH INNINGS (TARGET: 149 RUNS FROM 50 OVERS) Liton Das lbw b Hosein 22 Tamim Iqbal (c) c †Da Silva b Reifer 50 Najmul Hossain Shanto c Ottley b Mohammed 17 Shakib Al Hasan not out 43 Mushfiqur Rahim † not out 9 Extras (nb 1, w 7) 8 TOTAL (33.2 Ov, RR: 4.47) 149/3 Did not bat: Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Hasan Mahmud, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman Fall of wickets: 1-30 (Liton Das, 5.5 ov), 2-77 (Najmul Hossain Shanto, 16.2 ov), 3-109 (Tamim Iqbal, 25.1 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Alzarri Joseph 10-0-42-0 Kyle Mayers 2-0-15-0 9.2-0-45-1 Akeal Hosein Jason Mohammed 7-0-29-1 Raymon Reifer 5-0-18-1

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GVF partners with Sport Ministry “to take Volleyball to a higher level” – significant benefits to both Federation and athletes anticipated

T

he Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) has fully accepted an offer from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport to enter into a partnership “to take volleyball to a higher level”.

At the Sport Ministry’s second meeting with the Guyana Volleyball Federation, on 19 January at the Racquet Centre on Woolford Avenue, the GVF gladly accepted the offer to partner with the Sport Ministry, as the offer was seen as an opportunity for both the sport and the Federation to make optimum progress.

At that meeting, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport was represented by its subject Minister, the Honourable Charles Ramson Jnr, and a team. The GVF was represented by its President, Levi Nedd, and Vice President Rodney Fredricks.

Minister Ramson Jnr pledged to give full support to the sport of volleyball, and declared that the National Gymnasium can now be fully utilised for all activities of the GVF, especially

with the upgrading works that are presently in progress at the Gymnasium.

He informed that it is mandatory for the following activities to be held, and assured that he would be in full support of their staging: - A virtual male and female beach volleyball tournament, to select pairs that would represent Guyana in French Guiana in the n e a r

future.

- Senior male and female countrywide tournaments that would culminate in inter-county finals.

- Junior male and female tournaments in categories of competition under 17 years of age.

The Minister also advised the GVF to dispatch a letter to the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) seeking affiliation of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

Further, the Minister pledged to construct in Berbice an allpurpose accommodation that would facilitate all levels of sporting activities, including the preliminaries and including volleyball. Moreover, he queried about a needs analysis for volleyball.

In his reply on behalf of the Federation, Nedd expressed great appreciation and deep gratitude for these impending developments.

The tone has now been set for the GVF to resume its sporting activities under the usual COVID-19 restrictions set out by the Ministry of Health.

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23 Hemraj dazzles with bat and ball in final practice match SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021

Story and photos by Brandon Corlette

T

he Guyana Jaguars’ final practice match at La Bonne Intention, ECD was converted into the Chandrapaul Hemraj Show, as the lefthander got good practice for the upcoming Regional Super50 in claiming 5-24 and scoring an unbeaten 93*.

The Jaguars were aiming to get in as much batting practice as possible, utilising the full complement of 50 overs in the final innings. Singh’s XI batted first and scored 175 all out in 39.2 overs, while Johnson’s XI scored 177-5 in 30.4 overs.

Hemraj struck 93*, which included eight fours and six imperious maximums. And as the match was extended, Hemraj eventually scored 109 before he was caught-and-bowled by

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

runs for the ninth wicket, before Shepherd found a reliable partner in Gudakesh Motie and the duo took the score from 121-9 to 175 all out, hitting 54 runs for the final wicket.

Shepherd struck two fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 43, while Motie, owner of the off-side, struck 31 runs that were decorated with three fours, two of which split the fielders at cover.

In addition to Hemraj’s 5-24 in seven overs, Ramaal Lewis, Anthony Adams, Steven Sankar and Richie Looknauth each claimed one wicket, as Singh’s XI made 175 all out in 39.2 overs.

In pursuit of 176, Johnson’s XI had a positive start, compliments of Trevon Griffith, who scored a brisk 21, including four boundaries. He was removed with the score on 27Hetmyer was cleaned up by Nial Smith for a second duck in as 1. many practice matches In came Shimron Hetmyer at

SCOREBOARD

Assad Fudadin looked aggressive in his fluent 39

Devendra Bishoo.

Earlier, Singh’s XI took first strike, and lost Kevlon Anderson for a duck with the score on 1-1. Assad Fudadin then got into his groove and hit Renaldo AliMohamed for clean sixes, one into the covers and one over long-off.

Tevin Imlach came and went for eight, while the man called ‘Badyr’ continued to play some stylish strokes.

Fudadin dominated the 47-

run partnership with Imlach, but after hitting three sixes and four fours, he was adjudged leg before for a shot-filled 39, with the score on 64-3.

Hemraj locked the bottom end, bowling seven overs in an impressive spell that yielded five wickets. The part-time left-arm spinner got the ball to spin, and Singh’s XI lost five wickets for 33 runs as they slumped from 65-4 to 97-8.

Romario Shepherd and fellow Berbician Kevin Sinclair added 24

Singh’s XI A Fudadin lbw Hemraj 39 K Anderson b Cameron 0 T Imlach c Johnson b Hemraj 8 T Chanderpaul c Griffith b Hemraj 7 V Singh lbw Lewis 1 K Savory lbw Hemraj 0 J Foo c Griffith b Sankar 12 R Adams c Griffith b Hemraj 4 R Shepherd not out 43 K Sinclair c Barnwell b Adams 15 G Motie b Looknauth 31 Total: 175 all out/39.2 overs FOW : 1-1, 2-48, 3-64, 4-65, 5-66, 6-73, 7-79, 8-97, 9-121, 10-175 Bowling D Cameron 4-19-1 Ali Mohamed 3-26-0 C Hemraj 7-1-24-5 R Lewis 7-1-16-1 A Adams 6-20-1 S Sankar 6-48-1

R Looknauth

3.2-5-1

Johnson’s XI T Griffith c Savory b Smith 21 C Hemraj not out 93 S Hetmyer b Smith 0 L Johnson run out 0 C Barnwell c Adams b Motie 34 A Persaud c Chanderpaul b R Adams 6 A Bramble not out 9 Total 177-5/30.4 overs FOW: 1-27, 2-27, 3-39, 4-127, 5-147 Bowling K Sinclair 7-27-0 R Shepherd 4-28-0 N Smith 4-24-2 G Motie 8-38-1 K Joseph 4-29-0 R Adams 2-9-1 D Bishoo 1-3-0

"Batting has failed us over – says Jaguars captain the years" Leon Johnson

T

he Guyana Jaguars last won the Regional Super50 tournament in 2005, and the Jaguars captain Leon Johnson has said it is the batting that has failed the Guyana team over the years, and poor batting has contributed to the team’s title drought in this format of the game.

"A lot of the times (when) we lost in the semi-finals and final, I think the batting let us down in those games. The bowling has held its own. The last time we won, in 2005, (Sarwan) scored a lot of runs and Chattergoon scored a 100; and that (batting) has been letting us down in those crucial games for the better part of the last decade," Johnson explained in a recent Sean Devers Sports Watch radio programme.

Johnson has described the batting in the first two practice games as “a bit rusty”.

He is hoping that when the

tournament commences in Antigua, the batting would click and the bowlers would feel supported.

He is of the opinion that this tournament would be one of great difference, since it's the period of the global pandemic.

Johnson has said the situation would be different from what the guys had become accustomed to over the years because some amount of freedom would be lost to life in the 'bubble', and this might take a toll on the players, even if after a lengthy period of time.

Ramnaresh Sarwan, who had scored 462 runs in six innings, including three centuries and two fifties, was the leading run-scorer for the Guyana team in a Super50 Cup in 2005. Chattergoon, the man who landed Guyana the title in 2005, had scored 325 runs in that season.

The closest a batsman had come to Sarwan’s impressive

2005 tally was in 2019, when “Mr C o n s i s t e n t ”, Christopher Barnwell, had scored 351 runs, after having scored 282 runs in 2018. Barnwell is in the Jaguars squad this season, a n d will be aiming t o extend that form, while the mercurial Shimron Hetmyer is available for the entire season.

If these batsmen click, and the Jaguars bowlers continue their usual reliable performance, that title dream may become a reality for the Jaguars.

Jaguars 2021 squad reads: Leon

Johnson (Captain), Shimron Hetmyer (Vice Captain), Assad Fudadin (who returns to Guyana colours), Chandrapaul Hemraj, Trevon Griffith, Christopher Barnwell, Keon Joseph, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair, Ramaal Lewis, Nial Smith, Gudakesh M o t i e ,

Anthony Bramble, Akshaya Persaud and Tevin Imlach. (Brandon Corlette)

number three, fresh from a duck in the second practice match.

Smith bowled a top delivery that moved inwards and kept a tad low, and Hetmyer’s stumps were sent cartwheeling as he departed for a golden duck with the score at 27-2.

Hemraj stepped on the gas, but Leon Johnson (00) was run out on a no-ball by the sharp Anderson at backward point, and the score quickly became 39-3 as Smith, like a laser beam, kept probing away.

On another free hit, Barnwell found Anderson in the hotspot at backward point and was caught.

Hemraj then hit Smith out of the attack in a 14-run over, and the Hemraj-Barnwell partnership blossomed. The duo added 88 runs before Barnwell was

brilliantly taken at the boundary

by Ricardo Adams for 34, with the score at 127-4.

Akshaya Persaud made six, and departed with the score on 147-5 in 25.2 overs; but Anthony Bramble (09) and Hemraj 93 were unbeaten when the target was achieved in 30.4 overs.

The players eventually exited the field with Johnson’s XI having recorded 209-3 after 39.2 overs.

Smith had claimed 2-24 in four overs, while Ricardo Adams had 2-14 in six overs, and Bishoo had 2-27 in 5.2 overs.

The Jaguars have now concluded their practice matches, and will next undergo their COVID-19 tests before their January 30 expected departure to contest the Regional Super50 Cup in Antigua& Barbuda from February 7-27.

Guyana makes the list of eligible federations to compete in FIBA 3x3 Americup 2021

T

Guyana is ranked 23rd

he FIBA Americas Zone Board has confirmed 25 National Federations to compete for the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup 2021. The format foresees 12 men’s and 12 women’s national teams competing in the Main Draw.

The FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup 2021 is scheduled for November 2021, and will be

the best-ranked teams and the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup 2021 host qualifying directly for the Main Draw, and all remaining teams entering the Qualifier. The exact number of directly qualified teams will be determined and communicated once the exact number of registered teams in each category has been

confirmed once the host has been assigned. Due to the number of eligible teams, the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup 2021 will have to be played with a Main Draw and a Qualifier. A number of teams will qualify directly for the Main Draw, while the rest of the teams shall qualify via a Qualification Draw or a Qualification Tournament.

Teams will be assigned to the Main Draw or the Qualifier based on the FIBA 3x3 Federation Ranking in the respective category at 1 November 2020, with

confirmed.

National Team registration would begin once the host for the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup 2021 has been confirmed.

The top-25 ranked National Federations will compete directly in the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup 2021, or in a Qualification Tournament to advance to the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup 2021.

As at November 1st, 2020, Guyana has currently been ranked 23rd in the Americas zone of 43 National Federations in 3x3 basketball.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021

“Batting has failed us over the years”

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

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– says Jaguars captain Leon Johnson

GVF partners with Sport Ministry “to take Volleyball to a higher level” – significant benefits to both Federation and athletes anticipated

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