Guyana Times - Saturday March 6, 2021

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

Issue No. 4579

THE BEACON OF TRUTH SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021

PRICE

PNCR-led Coalition “barefacedly” sought to rig 2020 elections – former party member See story on page 7

– accuses party of control freakism, bullyism in resignation letter – says Opposition MPs displayed most distasteful tactics to derail passage of 2021 Budget

I am prepared to meet with President Ali – Harmon Page 16

...but is yet to explicitly recognise Ali’s Govt

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

P14 Guyana records 30 new COVID-19 cases in 24h …active cases now at 430

Mother of 3, 1 other busted P2 with 100 lbs ganja remanded to prison

Minister McCoy addresses concerns P13 raised by Timehri CDC

Bagotstown P15 man found dead in home was murdered – autopsy

Losing a child is one of the most heart-wrenching pains a parent can endure – President Ali Page 9

– as he attends funeral service of infant accidentally killed by father President Irfaan Ali consoling the parents of Adan Kiritpaul on Friday as persons bid farewell to the infant who was accidentally crushed by his father

Family demands tougher penalties for healthcare workers in death of mother, newborn

Page 16

Govt to develop ICT masterplan – VP Jagdeo

…aims at reducing costs, increasing bandwidth Page 3

Taxi driver P15 robbed of motor car by men posing as customers Serial rapist remanded P12 for allegedly battering sex worker

2 NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mother of 3, 1 other busted with 100 lbs ganja remanded to prison

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mother of three is among two Berbice, Region Six residents who were remanded to prison on Friday afternoon after they were busted with over 99 pounds of marijuana by agents of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) earlier this week.

Veerasammy Armogan called Vishal of Grant 1779 Crabwood Creek Corentyne, Berbice, and Alma John of Lot 68 Glasgow Village, East Bank Berbice, were arraigned virtually before Magistrate Renita Singh at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court. They were intercepted on March 3, 2021.

Both of the defendants

Remanded: Alma John

and the prosecutor attended the hearing from a

Remanded: Veerasammy Armogan

Georgetown court, while the presiding Magistrate joined

the Zoom call from Berbice.

Defence Counsel Keoma Griffith represented Armogan and made a vigorous application for bail on his behalf but John was unrepresented during the arraignment.

According to a statement from CANU, the mother of three appeared very emotional at Friday’s hearing as she sought bail on her own behalf. Magistrate Singh had considered bail for both defendants but ultimately denied bail.

The matter was adjourned to March 26, 2021, for the prosecution to disclose statements.

Armogan is accused of being the principal offender to the enterprise and would have procured several persons to traffic the narcotic.

One such person was John, whom he got to store the drug at her EBB home.

According to CANU, John actually wheeled, using a wheelbarrow, the narcotics out to a vehicle and assisted to load same into

The parcels found during the CANU bust

its trunk.

The anti-narcotics agency previously reported that law enforcement officials conducted an operation in New Amsterdam and intercepted the motor car with marijuana packed in several bulky plastic-wrapped parcels.

There was a total of 25 parcels containing ganja which when weighed amounted to some 44.974 kilogrammes or 99.1 pounds.

Initially, CANU had stated that three persons – two males and a female – were arrested pending investigations into the bust.

Back in January, CANU had unearthed two “rice bags” containing 15 parcels of over 80 pounds of marijuana after they were dropped at Dukestown, East Berbice.

It reported that acting on information received, the ranks went to the commu-

nity of Dukestown where they observed three males walking along a dam, two of whom were carrying bags on their shoulders. But upon seeing the CANU officers, the men dropped the bags and fled into the bushes.

Previously, Head of CANU, James Singh had said that the agency was embarking on several operations countrywide.

“CANU is extending its operations across the country – Berbice, Essequibo.

The aim is to disrupt the routes and to also deter persons. We are not waiting at the airports or wharves. We are coming where you feel comfortable, we are not going to allow any community to become contaminated, we are working closer with the community policing groups and other agencies. We want to continue to build public confidence and trust,” Singh had stated in December.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, March 6 – 10:30h – 12:00h and Sunday, March 7 – 00:30h – 02:00h and 11:00h to 12:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, March 6 – 10:00h – 11:30h and Sunday, March 7 – 11:35h – 13:05h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY There will be light rain and light cloud during the day. There will be partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 09:53h and 22:46h reaching maximum heights of 2.32 metres and 2.13 metres.

Low Tide: 16:07h reaching a minimum height of 0.91 metre.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS G

04 06 11

25 26 28

FREE TICKET

2 Bonus Ball

FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2021

DAILY MILLIONS

01 09 23 25 26 LUCKY 3

6

8

9

2

Afternoon Draw

4

5

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

02

04

05

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09 19 20

PAY DAY

SUPER PAY DAY

THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 2021

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13

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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

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$69.36/barrel

+3.78

Rough Rice

$238.10/ton

-0.95

London Sugar

$463.50/ton

+0.32

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1700.10

$1701.10

Low/High Change

$1687.00 0.00

$1708.80 0.00%

Govt to develop ICT masterplan – VP Jagdeo …aims at reducing costs, increasing bandwidth

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he liberalisation of the telecommunications sector came within weeks of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C) ascension to office and now a wider plan is being scoped in developing a masterplan for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the country.

This was according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during a recent Private Sector event, where he noted that an aggressive approach has been undertaken to achieve this goal.

The idea is to work on policies now that the long-awaited liberalisation has reached fruition.

“We’re now working on a series of policy-related issues to give effect to the legislation that brought about liberalisation. So, you’re going to see a major shift in this regard…Parallel to that, we are working on a masterplan for ICT for the country and in that, a serious virtual module for the education sector.

This is a set of reforms that are worked on aggressively in the Government,” the Vice President noted.

According to him, these efforts are geared at lowering costs while improving the quality of service offered to the Guyanese people. For this, the PPP/C Administration has looked at incentivising companies to make investments and also approving as many new entities to join the market – thereby growing competition.

Jagdeo asserted, “We want higher quality services, that is higher bandwidth…

We want it urgently. We’re going to incentivise the company to make the investment to get there. We want the cost to come down. That is why we have decided to license anyone who wants to bring in and operate a new subsea fibreoptic cable…We believe the more access or more cables that are terminated here will push down the cost of bandwidth to our people.”

Government has been proactive in working with stakeholders in the diffusion of ICT across all sectors and regions of Guyana as a means of economic and social empowerment for Guyanese.

Against this backdrop, the 2021 budget proposes the removal of VAT on data for residential and individual use.

This year, the Universality Fund will be established - a feature of the new telecommunication’s regulatory regime through which access to modern telecommunications services can be funded for our poor and vulnerable communities including those in our hinter-

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

land regions.

The Telecommunications Act and regulations provide for contributions to this fund from operators and it is expected that a minimum of $360 million will be made available to the fund this year. A plan is being prepared that will specify feasible projects to be implemented by the Private Sector which will boost connectivity for businesses in unserved and underserved communities.

Last October, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who is the subject Minister with responsibility for Telecommunications, had announced that Government issued Commencement Orders, fully bringing into force the Telecommunications Act 2016 (the “Act”) and the Public Utilities Commission Act 2016.

It would afford Guyana to align its telecommunications regime to those found in other countries in the world, including most Caribbean countries, ending a 30-yearold anti-competitive telecommunications monopoly, that had “left Guyanese weary, frustrated and lagging behind in the telecommunications arena.”

The legislation creates a “clear, harmonised framework and a level playing field for the sector that is currently lacking, and which are characterised by transparency and non-discrimination in the issuance and monitoring of licences and authorisations to use the spectrum, seamless interconnection and access between and among telecommunications networks and services, and price regulation where required to ensure competition

and at the same time guarantees equal treatment of stakeholders, to the ultimate benefit and protection of consumers.”

The Telecommunications Act 2016 was first laid by the Government in the 9th Parliament in August 2011, and laid again in the 10th Parliament in 2012, after extensive consultations with both the public and operators. During the life of both Parliaments, the Act enjoyed commendable bipartisan support. It spent considerable time before a select committee, chaired by Carl Greenidge, and included Former Prime Minister Samuels Hinds, and then Minister Mohamed Irfaan Ali. The Act was finalised before the 2015 elections and was enacted by the coalition Government in 2016 by Minister Catherine Hughes, again with bipartisan support.

“It must be emphasised that these legislation straddled Administrations, and were the subject of extensive negotiations with stakeholders which lasted nearly a decade,” the Prime Minister had said, adding that although the benefits of the Act were well known to the APNU/AFC coalition, for “some inexplicable reason in 2018 and again in 2019, APNU/AFC only brought a few sections of the Act into force, frustrating the intent and objective of the Act by denying Guyanese the benefits flowing therefrom.”

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021

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

Opposition’s descent into lawlessness

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s the nation observed at the consideration of the estimates in the National Assembly, which was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Guyanese witnessed the complete descent into lawlessness in Parliament as the Opposition disrupted Committee of Supply in its bid to deviate from Parliamentary norms of bringing a motion to the House on an issue it wants to be urgently addressed.

The disorderly actions taken by the APNU/AFC in the National Assembly were uncalled for, as the Speaker never refused to deal with the allegations made by Opposition Member of Parliament Tabitha Sarabo-Halley that Government MP Minister Kwame McCoy had assaulted her. As a matter of fact, following Parliamentary norms, the Speaker requested that a motion be brought to the house. Even more bizarre is that, while APNU/AFC sought to have their own way on how the Speaker should handle the matter, the Guyana Police Force have already said that they are investigating the allegation.

The suspension of seven Opposition members from the Parliamentary proceedings for the day by the Speaker was justified, as their disrespect was flagrant.

The travesty that occurred in the National Assembly should never have started if our elected members, in the first instance, behaved and had the decorum befitted an MP. This appalling behaviour, however, is not surprising as, having witnessed what occurred after the March 2, 2020 elections and the subsequent five months, one would have a very good idea of how low the Opposition can descend.

As a matter of fact, during the elections period in 2020, the APNU/AFC did not see their action to steal an election as unusual or weird in any way, but, rather, they were acting as though it is their democratic right to derail and discard the will of the Guyanese people. The consideration of the estimates for 2021 provided yet another opportunity for the APNU/AFC to redeem themselves and to prove that they are serious about the betterment of the Guyanese people.

Thursday’s behaviour is also reminiscent of the consideration of the estimates for the Emergency Budget 2020, when they voted against $845 million that was intended to bring relief to the Amerindian residents and villagers.

It would be good if the APNU/AFC were to prove that they have matured politically by joining with the Government in tackling issues that would help in the development of Guyana, rather than disrupting the National Assembly, having not made any meaningful contribution. More so, their nonparticipation demonstrates a failure to make representation for the thousands of Guyanese who had voted for them.

As this newspaper had outlined previously, the Government has laid out a detailed plan for the development of Guyana for the next five years. It is quite clear that the Government has a full grasp of the challenges facing communities, and has made the necessary budgetary allocations to address those challenges. What is now required is that personal political interest be put aside by the Opposition and the national interest take the forefront of their agenda.

The current administration have always signalled their willingness to meaningfully engage with the parliamentary Opposition to push the national development agenda forward.

Only on Thursday, the need for the Government and Opposition to engage on national issues was discussed

by President Dr Irfaan Ali, who candidly said the APNU/ AFC need to own up to their error, which would facilitate a way for future engagement. In owning up to this error, Ali advised Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon to come clean to his supporters, and stop spreading falsehood about the legitimacy of the Government. This is a necessary step in undoing some of the wrongs that were done when the country’s democracy was under attack during the attempted rigging of the 2020 national elections.

Therefore, rather than adopting the current aggressive confrontational approach of attempting to discredit every developmental plan for Guyana, the Opposition should serve the people of Guyana by showing respect for Guyanese by meaningfully engaging in the developmental agenda of the administration.

Residents celebrating with national flags and fireworks on Wednesday after Hai Duong authorities ended 34 days of social distancing amid the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Chi Linh city, Hai Duong province, Vietnam. The country has been leading in the fight against the coronavirus disease in the region with only 2,488 cases and 35 deaths so far (Reuters, Thanh Hue)

Granger and “the Big Lie” Dear Editor, Guyana is forever indebted to her true son of the soil, Dave Martins, not only because of his brave stand against “Riggersville,” but primarily so because of his popular tune “Famous Lies”, sung with the pure West Indian rhythm of the “Tradewinds.”

Guyanese are astonishingly amazed that he had the vision and foresight to compose the theme of that rollicking tune that conceptualises humorous happenings generations ago and articulates the lyrical verbatim which are essentially so pertinent to the essence of today’s society in good old Guyana.

Lying, cheating, deceiving, dishonesty, fooling, tongue-twisting, hiding, wearing different masks and hats, and masquerading as an angel in the day and devil at night are the pillars which laid a solid foundation to form the cornerstone for rigging, racism, rottenness, fraud, falsity, foxiness, coalition, collusion, corruption, misappropriation, malfeasance and misdemeanors.

Like they say, “Who fits the cap draws the string”, and the leader of the pack who qualifies for this infamous honour is no one else but, yes, of course, the one and only Mr. David Granger. He relentlessly, viciously and cunningly pursued vigorously and consciously a devious campaign factoring a slew of shenanigans, impropriety and mischief. Endorsing, empathising and enacting the heredity of propaganda, division and confusion, the past president’s ingenuity reflects a consolidation of collaboration and conviction, sincere to the ideals of fomenting political contention, social ruckus and economic chaos.

As a result of the APNU/ AFC party “winning” the 2015 election (a PPP/C party petition is still rotting in court, and may never be heard), this occupation of governmental administration safely paved the pathway for control and personal distribution of state assets, the victimisation and eradication of any opposing elements, the replacement of non-cooperators, the appointment of party loyalists as reward for favours, the militarisation of strategic positions, and the manipulation of an overall structure which would guarantee the rise of dictatorship and the demise of democracy.

Underlying the importance of “looking like we” and “belonging to the party”, it became too obviously and blatantly clear why the Civil Service, all Government agencies, the Police Force and the Army reflected a ninety percent ethnic impartiality at the expense of other ethnicities. Such a robust plan ensured that transparency and accountability would play a role only in the dark room occupied by emptiness. This stifled the work of any serious auditing to reveal the order of the day, and prevented any law enforcement agencies from challenging corroborators. This device stagnated the independence of justice to be upheld and authenticated rules and regulations to be broken, overruled and avoided. Its methodology confirmed the fear and apprehension that the APNU/AFC party’s ultimate aim and objective was to remain and retain political power at any cost, regardless of chick or child, man or woman, national or international force.

An exercise that was systematically stretched over only

a short period of time generated a combustion of energetic and unscrupulous implementation from the very inception of domination, starting with the ludicrous and exorbitant salary and allowance increases for parliamentarians.

This was followed by the thousands of political appointees who did little or no work for the state, worked primarily for the APNU/AFC party, or were only on the books drawing down humongous salaries and wages. Secrecy became the order of the day, and an entire nation was kept at bay and in the dark as to the true state of affairs of the people, party and politics. This sneaky concealment was for the eyes and ears of a few selected men and women who were privileged to be loyally sworn into royalty.

US$18, which converts to almost Gy$4 billion, is a lot of money, and the country’s business is every Guyanese business. It should not have been hidden from the public nose.

Misinforming or not informing the nation voluntarily only says one thing, and that is a mouthful. Making secret and shady deals at the expense of the man in the street in Guyana is not welcome, and is unfortunate to the good health of the nation and its citizens.

Wining and dining at the table of exploiters supports the speculation of sufferers surviving in poverty.

Accepting a contract of 2 percent royalty depicts highway robbery and highlights the trend of “fee-fie-foe-fum” to provide the smell of non-Guyanese blood. The providers of this scheme dug their own hole, but, sadly, it is an entire country which will sink.

Our friendly neighbours, the intelligent, smart and astute Surinamese, certainly belit-

tled the haughtiness of our bombastic academics, politicians and attorneys, who are supposed to be brilliant and honest international negotiators, as aggressors and not pacifiers. Our august defenders of Guyana’s interests were pupils from the imminent school of “Tomfoolery.”

We should remember the words of Sir Winston Churchill, the British “Bulldog” and past Prime Minister of England, who noted that, “In wartime, the truth must be preserved with a body of lies.” In 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain met with German Chancellor Adolf Hitler to find a diplomatic way to avoid war. Adolf Hitler assured Chamberlain that war could be avoided if Czechoslovakia would agree to redraw its border.

Chamberlain agreed, and announced to the British Parliament that Hitler “means what he says.” Hitler took the opposite action. It is one of humanity’s most shocking lies.

Richard Nixon had to resign from the American Presidency because the truth was disclosed about his lies to cover up his misdeeds regarding the Watergate scandal. Bill Clinton lied under oath when he said, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”

Junior George Bush lied in 2003 when he said, “We have discovered weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.” In 1988, the senior Bush made the now infamous statement, “Read my lips. No new taxes.”

The big lie technique is a way of life in Guyana. God save and help Guyana from the lawyers and laymen who are legal liars.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021

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

The Order of Democracy award is a befitting honour

Dear Editor, March 2,2021 has marked one year since Guyana went to the polls with great expectation. All right-thinking Guyanese grasped the opportunity to ensure a change in Government and send the tyrannical Granger Administration into the dustbin of history; but alas, the dirtiest bunch on the planet had other ideas.

The immediate change was held hostage by the immoral APNU/ AFC. For five painful months, Guyana was made to bleed. The drama that unfolded still remains fresh in the minds of all Guyanese. That vicious APNU/AFC refused to accept defeat, and in broad daylight tried desperately to steal an election in clear view of the wide world. What a shameful deed for those culprits in the APNU/AFC to perpetrate that unthinkable stunt in this modern world of today.

Free and fair elections are the bedrock of any democracy, and is a prerequisite for the development

of a country and its people.

Guyana was held to ransom, and people’s lives were put on hold, compliments of the rotten Granger regime. The threat to democracy was very eminent.

However, the APNU/AFC underestimated the will of the people to withstand their most powerful punches and rise to the challenge. With the backing of the international community, the political parties, civil society and the Private Sector, the vast majority of the Guyanese people embarked on the painful path in defence of democracy. The riggers’ feet were kept on fire.

With all the democratic forces united in one common interest, with pressure mounting locally and internationally on the GECOM Chair, and with all options running out for Granger, he was forced to concede. It was a well-earned victory for all that stood up and defended Guyana’s democracy.

The Order of Democracy award could not have come at

a better time. His Excellency President Dr. Irfaan Ali must be commended for his great thought and initiative. It is a most welcome Order. Dr. Ali and the PPP/Government must be saluted. Guyana must never again be placed in such a situation, with the most heinous crime steering down the faces of the beloved people.

Going forward, laws must be enacted speedily for stiff penalties for the riggers, and to stand as a deterrent for such intentions. Any attempt at rigging an election must be labelled a crime against humanity.

Perpetrators must be charged for treason a capital crime punishable by death, and lifetime sentences with no window of opportunity for release from incarceration.

Entrusted public officials the likes of Keith Lowenfield, Roxanne Myers, Clairmont Mingo and others must be made to rot in jail. There must be lengthy jail terms for anyone who instigates, plots, masterminds, prods,

There should be fines and suspensions for those PNC Members

Dear Editor, Ever since the PNC were rebuffed with that storming of Parliament, we were all put on notice as to the true intent of the PNC in the House. Their intentions are to create and sustain an atmosphere of hooliganism and confusion, and they expect no one to stop them.

They were already irritated over the fact that they could not achieve their objective with that Donald Trumpstyle storming of the House, so they have now resorted to the other plan: to make trouble at every available opportunity. The starting point of that thuglike plan was when the Parliamentarian Patterson scaled a Police barricade and kicked an officer in the process. His actions - which were senseless and deplorable, to say the least - should have led to his arrest and charges being laid against him. However, when that did not materialise, Patterson and his PNC thugs became emboldened to carry out more outrageous behaviour.

The tirade continued with some more alarming accusations of missing laptops and missing notebooks, all of which were recovered right at the very place they claim to have been lost. A point to note here is that we are not talking about 5-year-olds who might have mistakenly left their belongings behind and were somehow befuddled as to where they could find them, we are talking about a clear case of grown adults on a deliberate campaign to create a brawl and stir up trouble.

Now, the latest fiasco was set in motion when the notorious Keith Lowenfield ap-

proached Mr McCoy to hurl remarks at him. Now, the questions I would like to ask are: “What was Lowenfield doing there?” and, “Why did he approach the Minister in the first place?” A person of the notoriety of Keith Lowenfield should not be anywhere near the democratic halls of Parliament; his place is in a court of law, when he would have to answer questions as to his attempts to rig the election.

So, in what capacity or under whose instructions he was there is yet to be deduced.

Subsequent to that ignominious meet, it was Miss Sarabo-Halley’s turn to approach the Minister and keep up the tirade. Now, why she did approach the Minister is another cause for concern; however, what is clear is that she was there to bring down the curtain in another public showdown of a street-side brawl.

Now, after that Wednesday evening tirade, two things readily come to mind:(a) The Speaker has to take decisive action as it relates to the preservation of law and order in Parliament and its precincts. At its next sitting, someone should move a motion to suspend the ringleaders from the House. This nonsense has to stop right now! The Speaker’s decision must send the clear message that no longer would thuggish street behaviour be allowed in the hallowed precincts of the House. And when I say this, I am asking the Speaker to disregard any attempts to furnish an apology from the hooligans. This foolishness has gone too far, and no amends can be made

to correct it now.

Secondly, Minister McCoy should take the matter to court, and with the appropriate compensation to go with this matter - the CCTV cameras are there to substantiate his case those brawlers must realise that this nonsense must be brought to a screeching halt.

No more will we tolerate this sort of behaviour. It is high time for this sick joke to come to an end!

Respectfully, Neil Adams

aids and abets rigging of elections.

Unscrupulous politicians like Harmon, Ramjattan, Lawrence, Williams and their backers must be made to hang their heads in shame.

They must be held accountable for their roles in trying to steal the March 2nd, 2020 General and Regional Elections; they cannot feign innocence.

All the masterminds and intellectual authors of the plot to rig those elections must be brought to justice.

They must be accredited with the Order of Disgrace.

Once elections’ results have been certified, laws must be put in place for charges to be brought against anyone for labelling a Government illegal; and for

spreading falsehoods, peddling lies, race hate and racism, and for promoting ethnic insecurity.

The people of this country must never again be made to bear that horrendous burden of waiting five months for a President to be sworn in.

Granger, Harmon and the rest of the cabal cannot doubt their roles, their sinister underpinnings in the criminal plot to rig the elections.

They tried to resurrect the Burnham era, a figment of their dirty mindset. They continue to live in a back-intime mentality, being condemned pathological racists and liars. Fortunately, the world has moved a long way forward. They have become a lost cause and an insult to

the very people and supporters they claim to represent.

This Order of Democracy award is a befitting honour for those who traversed the arduous path to uphold democracy. It also serves as a stark reminder of the journey the trail-blazers endured to protect Guyana’s democracy, and exemplifies the resoluteness of the people.

We must all together pledge never again for the people of this beautiful country to face such depredation and callousness.

Hats off to all those brave hearts who would be named to receive the Order of Democracy award. Great work!

Respectfully, Parasram Persaud

Joint military exercises are becoming necessary Dear Editor, It is clear that diplomacy, tolerance and patience are getting us far, but the recent violation of our airspace by Russian-made Venezuelan fighter jets is changing the dynamics of the relationship between our two countries.

Some consider it naive to conduct joint military exercises at the border, but the recent provocative actions by the Government of Venezuela call into question the need for preventative and preparatory actions in the event of an invasion.

The British have shown, over the years, their steadfast support for our stance concerning the dispute with Venezuela, and the US have also shown a willingness to conduct joint military exercises if invited to do so. We

should not depend only upon diplomacy to protect our homeland. It is preferable, but it would be foolish to not be adequately prepared for the worst while hoping for the best.

We must also be cautious not to be lured into a larger conflict that appears to be escalating between Iran and the US. Venezuela’s partnership with Iran does bring into question the larger intent of the Venezuelan Government.

Involvement of the UK in a measured military exercise at the border would go far to set the correct tone of our response to Venezuela’s increasing military actions, while also securing the integrity of our sovereign nation.

These efforts, although

becoming increasingly more important, should not be in lieu of a strong diplomatic push at the UN, with the continued support of the International Court of Justice. Guyana should also seek the diplomatic support and acknowledgement of China and Russia for our territory as established in 1899.

Given the heightening tension of the dispute, and its potential to evolve into an armed conflict, each member of The National Assembly must search deep within themselves and embrace that spirit of solidarity to help unify our nation in the face of this external threat.

Best regards, Jamil Changlee

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SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021

Page

Foundation Æsop’s Fables

FOR CHILDREN

S

tars are so far away from Earth that, even through large telescopes, they appear only as tiny points of bright light. Stars seem to twinkle because we see them through the layers of the atmosphere — the gases that surround our planet.

The movement of air and dust in the atmosphere bends, or refracts, a star’s light in different directions. Because the light is scattered by the time it reaches our eyes on Earth, stars appear to twinkle. You might think of it as the light traveling a zig-zag path to our eyes, instead of the straight path the light would travel if Earth didn’t have an atmosphere.

Supplies

• 12-inch x 12-inch square of aluminium foil • 2-quart glass bowl • Water • Flashlight • Pencil (optional) This activity works best in a darkened room

Get thinking

In this activity, you will be exploring why stars appear to twinkle.

Have you ever looked at stars in the night sky? What have you observed?

Have you ever looked up high in the night sky at the stars and then moved your head down closer to the horizon. Do the stars seem to change?

Stars closer to the horizon will appear to twinkle more than stars higher up in the sky, because there is a lot more atmosphere between you and a star near the horizon.

Let's get started!

Crumple your square of foil, then open it up, and place it on a table or on the floor.

Fill your clear bowl with tap water and place it on top of the crumpled foil.

Darken the room by turning off the lights. Hold the flashlight about 12 inches above the bowl.

Look at the foil through the undisturbed water. What does the reflected light look like?

Now using your finger or a pencil, tap the surface of the water gently. Look at the foil through the moving water. How does the reflected light look like now?

What happened?

The light rays reflecting from the foil when there was a movement in the water appears to blur or twinkle.

Why? The movement of the water causes the depth of the water to vary. The light rays twinkle because they bend or refract in different directions when they passed through the different depths of water.

This is similar to the light rays from the stars. They appear to be twinkling when you are observing from Earth because they refract differently as the light rays move through the different thickness of air in the atmosphere. The scientific word for this twinkling phenomenon is scintillation. (startwithabook.org)

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wolf pursued a lamb, which fled for refuge to a certain temple.

The wolf called out to him and said, "The priest will slay you in sacrifice, if he should catch you."

On which the lamb replied, "It would be better for me to be sacrificed in the temple than to be eaten by you."

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PNCR-led coalition “barefacedly” sought to rig 2020 elections – former party member – accuses party of control freakism, bullyism in resignation letter – says Opposition MPs displayed most distasteful tactics to derail passage of 2021 Budget

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nother People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) member, Lennox Gasper, has walked away from the party, citing issues such as control freakism, bullyism and deception – which he said was reflected in its attempt to “barefacedly” rig the March 2, 2020 elections.

Gasper, of Linden, Regional 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), joined the PNCR, which is the leading party in the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance Force Change (APNU/AFC) coalition, in May 2016 and served as a Councillor at the Linden Mayor and Town Council.

These revelations by Gasper come on the heels of the first anniversary of Guyana’s General and Regional Elections which were held in March 2020 and the series of events that followed during which the then incumbent APNU/AFC regime attempted to derail Guyana’s democracy in a bid to hang onto power.

“This week, as we observe one year since the vicious attack on our democracy by the coalition, I am fully persuaded that the actions of the PNC-led Coalition in the aftermath of the 2020 General and Regional

Elections were born out of a selfish and unbridled lust for power, without any regard for the interests of Guyana and its citizens. It was indeed an unbearably frightening experience that after 23 [years] in opposition, the PNCR under the coalition banner was barefacedly seeking to rig the elections in full view of Guyanese and the rest of the world,” Gasper said in his resignation letter to PNCR General Secretary Amna Ally.

According to Gasper, whose March 3, 2021 resignation was with immediate effect, he joined the PNCR with the intention of helping the coalition execute a development agenda not just for his region but the entire country. He was convinced that the APNU/AFC would change the political culture and transition the country into a new dispensation of accountability under the promise of a “good life”.

Gasper added, “I was also in high hopes that the coalition would have implemented a rapid-development rescue plan for Linden, given that the party’s narrative over the 23 years of PPP/C rule was that Linden had been deliberately neglected and therefore underdeveloped. This too was not to be.

PNCR member Lennox Gasper has resigned

We in Linden pleaded for job creation and development for four long years, while we watched with envy, as other newer towns were prioritised.”

The former party member recalled that one of the first acts of the APNU/AFC Executive when it assumed office in 2015 was to reward itself with a hefty salary increase. He noted that this was further compounded with scores of new taxes imposed instead of easing the burdens of the Guyanese people.

The former PNC member went on to note that he became a Councillor at the Linden Town Council with the aim to serve to the best

of his ability but was unable to do so as the coalition used lies, deception and bullyism to control the narrative in Linden not just during its tenure but after the 2020 election period as well.

“Regretfully, I could not deliver on [my] promise as a result of the constraints of control freakism imposed by the party and the heartless non-provision of resources by the Government...

Notwithstanding, those developments and the disgraceful abandonment of my town, the stronghold of the PNC/R, I campaigned hard for the coalition again in 2020, hoping that with another term, our frustrations on the ground would be addressed and the shortcomings in governance rectified.

This too was not to be.

The party suffered a devastating defeat at those elections fair and square but chose instead to revert to its old Gestapo tactics of attempting to rig the results in its favour, dragging our hard-won democracy through the gutters for five long months. Throughout this period, the membership was blatantly lied to, in a web of deception and manipulation without any transparent access to the Statement of Polls, which would have most certainly

proved otherwise, had they been revealed.”

Further, he noted that even as the country reflects this week on last year’s dreadful events, the coalition Opposition Members of Parliament, “true to form” displayed the most distasteful tactics to derail the passage of the 2021 Budget in the National Assembly during which they openly trampled on established parliamentary protocols and outrightly disrespected House Speaker, Manzoor Nadir.

This was in reference to the Opposition’s disturbances on Wednesday and Thursday during the Consideration of the Budget Estimates after their demands were not dealt with.

The Speaker was forced to suspend at least seven APNU/AFC MPs for disrupting the proceedings and flouting House rules.

Nevertheless, as he departs the PNC, Gasper urged that the party remove its political blinders and smartly work with the new Government to help develop the town of Linden and Region 10 for the better.

Gasper has now joined a growing list of party members walking away from both the APNU and AFC since it lost the 2020 elections.

In fact, the PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity is embroiled in disunity and internal power struggles that have been played out publicly in recent months with some members accusing the party leadership of not consulting with its membership.

There was also uproar over the coalition’s list of parliamentarians, who were reportedly handpicked by former President and APNU Leader David Granger.

Former coalition MP James Bond, who himself was left out of the parliamentary list, had publicly criticised Granger on several occasions on social media for the exclusion of PNC Chairperson Volda Lawrence.

Additionally, two of the five parties in the APNU fraction – the Working People’s Alliance and the Justice For All Party – have also resigned over this.

Meanwhile, the AFC has also been losing several members. Only last month, the minority party in the coalition lost two senior members, Joel Edmond and Reynard Ward, with the latter accusing the party of being in an abusive relationship with the PNCR-led APNU – a longstanding criticism since the parties joined forces in 2015.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Taking control...

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…of our financing ith our economy set on an exponential growth trajectory on account of our just as exponentially growing oil industry, VP Bharrat Jagdeo had reason to highlight to our Private Sector the challenges of securing financing if they’re to get their fair share of the presented opportunities. The bottom line of the challenge is that our Private Sector - stuck in their mom-and-pop business mentality - just don’t have the experience of dealing with the magnitude of the financing that’s needed for exploiting the opportunities.

Take the gas-to-shore project that the Government has taken the lead in realising so as to slash the cost of electricity. Once that fixed cost of supplying natural gas to the Wales Development Estate is determined, it makes sense for an ammonia and urea plant to be established here. After all, with cheap energy and the raw material being made available in tandem with guaranteed markets for fertilisers, since the Government is committed to agriculture as the linchpin of development to avoid the dreaded “Dutch Disease”, it’s a no-brainer, isn’t it??

But the challenge would be the financing, since a plant to satisfy our present and future ammonia and urea needs would easily cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Are our businesses and banks able and ready to cover such an investment? Your Eyewitness doesn’t think so, and that’s why he supports calls for the Government to take the lead in catalysing these larger productive businesses.

But the VP announced an initiative to help the Private Sector: increasing the number of financing institutions.

Not necessarily only commercial banks, which harvest local savings and don’t necessarily - like Republic Bank intermediate those funds for investments by locals. The VP was reported as saying, “Government is re-exploring the granting of new licences to a number of commercial banks – an area of significant interest. We’ve had a large interest in this sector, and a fairly high number of banks that have applied, so we’re thinking about expanding that a little more aggressively. We are going to be licensing institutions that are non-deposit-taking institutions, so that they can bring in additional capital without putting the local savings at a risk.”

And this last line is crucial. Even though, in the modern financialised world, the banking sector has broken out of the deposit-and-loans commercial syndrome, Guyana hasn’t followed suit. There’s no bank in Guyana that really focuses on investment banking. And on that note, we notice First Citizen Bank from Trinidad attempting to take over the local Scotiabank operations. Your Eyewitness feels we’ve been exploited enough by that other TT bank - Republic Bank.

Please…not another one; especially since it brings nothing new to the table! …of Parliament At long last, the Speaker has decided that enough is enough with the descent of our Parliaments into the sewer through the assiduous efforts of the PNC and its enablers.

The answer was certainly not to allow the PPP MPs to “fight fire with fire”, since we’ve seen that for sure this would only guarantee that Parliament is burnt to the ground. The answer is to bring the PNC recalcitrants to heel by enforcing the rules that have been honed over centuries for that very purpose. As such, the Speaker suspended about five of them, including Lampy, who’s now the PNC’s Chief Whip, and Pampy, for various infractions, so as to get the Budget passed. Lampy refused to take his seat along with his other MPs - even after the Speaker warned him three times. The others kept videoing the proceedings inside Parliament, even though they had been explicitly warned several times that that is not permitted.

The PNC can’t be allowed to derail the PPP’s programme! …Jagan’s legacy Today’s the anniversary of the passing of the first Premier of our country, Cheddi Jagan. While many might’ve disagreed with his political philosophy, none really can deny his pioneering role in pulling Guyana into political modernity through his mobilisation efforts after 1943.

A hat tip to his memory.

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

9 Losing a child is one of the most heart-wrenching pains a parent can endure – President Ali NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– as he attends funeral service of infant accidentally killed by father

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The mother and father of Adan Kiritpaul

resident Dr Irfaan Ali on Friday joined family and frie nds of the Kiritpaul family as they gathered to pay their last respects to their 20-month-old son, Adan Kiritpaul, who died on Saturday last after his father accidentally ran him over while he was reversing out of their De Hoop Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD) yard.

The Head of State offered his sincere condolences to Adan’s family and laid a wreath in the child’s honour. The President, who is a father of a toddler himself, empathised with the young couple.

“To the young father and mother, grandparents, relatives, your faith is being tested, your faith is being tried, I ask you to be patient; I ask you to be resolute in your prayers, to be stronger in your devotion to God Almighty and to come closer together as a family.”

“Comfort each other, surround each other with love and spend more time together. While it does not bring complete healing, it gives us an opportunity to re-connect in faith and hope.

So, my prayers are with you. My prayers will continue to be with you. I pray that your lives be strengthened, that patience be given to you, and that the love of your child continues to live

in you and with you forever,” he said.

The President also noted that losing a child is one of the most heart-wrenching pain a parent can go through and that he understands the void that is left in their lives. The Head of State added that there is no doubt that young Adan brought tremendous joy and tremendous happiness to the family.

“We all know, those of us as parents, how different it is when a child is in the home and how comforting it is to have them there. The essence of the family has to do with the children themselves. We celebrate their accomplishments, just like our parents celebrated our accomplishments. So, one can only imagine the pain of a parent, the pain of a family when we have to let go of a child. I’m lost for words to express to this family.”

President Ali added that support to the family is critical to help ease their pain.

“Importantly, we all could contribute to the easing of that pain, through our prayers, through our thoughts, through our kind words. Here is where the support of the wider family becomes more important, to give that support, that encouragement, that love…

It is times like these that a true meaning of community, family, spirituality and com-

President Ali comforting the family of Adan Kiritpaul

munion among members of the Mandir become critical in giving that support.”

Nevertheless, close family and friends, as well as

residents from the community, turned up in their numbers to offer their condolences. After the service, young Adan was cremated.

President Ali was accompanied by Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Peter Ramsaroop; Deputy

Speaker of the National Assembly, Lenox Shuman, Member of Parliament Faizal Jaffarally, and Justice (Ret’d) Cecil Kennard.

10 NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Herstelling taxi driver found guilty of raping schoolgirl

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32-year-old taxi driver of Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was on Friday found guilty by a jury for the rape of a schoolgirl. Sahadeo Pooran, also called “Omesh”, on September 27, 2019, engaged in sexual penetration with the 12-year-old girl.

He was on trial for the offence before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the High Court in Demerara. Following deliberation, the jury returned a

unanimous guilty verdict.

As such, the Trial Judge deferred sentencing for Pooran until March 24, 2021, for the presentation of a probation report and victim impact statement. The convicted rapist was represented by Attorney-at-Law Eucline Gomes, while the case for the prosecution was presented by State Counsel Nafeeza Baig and Sarah Martin. The trial was conducted at the High Court in

Demerara.

It was reported that on the day in question, the little girl left home for school. She was standing on the road waiting on a taxi to take her to the road head where she would then take a minibus to school. During that time, Pooran drove up to the girl and offered her a “free drop”.

The girl boarded the car and sat in the front passenger seat. There were two other persons in the vehicle

at the time.

After dropping off the two passengers, Pooran took the girl to his residence where he forced her into the house.

He locked the 12-year-old girl inside of the house while he went to drop off someone else.

The girl tried to escape but all the windows had wooden bars, and the doors were also closed.

Pooran returned one hour later, placed a mat-

Rapist: Sahadeo Pooran

tress on the ground, raised the girl’s uniform, and had sex with her. After he finished the act, he told the girl to tell her teacher she was late for school because the vehicle reached in an accident.

The girl boarded a bus and went to school where she told the teacher the lie.

Her mother was summoned to the school but did not believe her story. The girl finally told her teacher what actually happened. As such, a report was made and the suspect was arrested and charged.

Agricola man gets 4 years for giving visually impaired man bag with ganja

Perez Cush

Troy Jacobs

Michael Solomon

Ivor Anderson

man who admitted to giving a visually impaired man a bag containing ganja was on Friday sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.

Michael Solomon of Agricola, East Bank Demerara, appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

He pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on February 12, 2021, at City Mall, Camp Road, Georgetown, he aided Ivor Anderson, who is visually impaired, in trafficking 3.156 kilograms of cannabis.

Apart from the jail sentence, he was fined $2,367,000.

A few weeks ago, Perez Cush, 43, a barber of Newton Kitty, Georgetown; Troy Jacobs, 46, a businessman of Penny Lane, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown;

and Ivor Anderson, 75, were jointly charged for trafficking narcotics. They were each released on $500,000 bail.

According to reports, Cush, Jacobs, and Anderson were intercepted by agents of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) while they were travelling in a Mercedez Benz along Homestretch and Mandela Avenue, Georgetown. A search was conducted on the vehicle and a parcel containing the ganja was unearthed.

According to a statement from CANU, Solomon is suspected to be wanted by the Police from the crime spree era. Police have since revived investigations in that regard. The matter against the other three men will continue at the city court.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

12 NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Serial rapist remanded for allegedly battering sex worker

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37-year-old taxi driver who reportedly preys on sex workers was on Friday remanded to prison on a rape charge.

Thruston Semple of Tucville Terrace, Georgetown, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that between February 24 and 25, 2021, at Georgetown, he engaged in sexual penetration with a woman without her consent. The accused rapist, who had no counsel, was remanded to prison until March 11, 2021.

According to facts presented by the Police prosecutor, on February 24, 2021, at around 22:30h, Semple drove up to the woman who was standing at a location in Georgetown and requested to speak with her during which they arranged to have sex.

Semple agreed to pay the woman $10,000 for her services. He took her to his home and they engaged in sexual activities.

Sometime after, the woman complained that she was experiencing pain.

As such, Semple instructed the woman to perform oral sex on him, but she re-

Alleged rapist Thruston Semple

fused. It was then the man allegedly got angry and placed a knife to her neck while demanding that she please him.

The naked woman complied, and when Semple turned his back, she escaped through a window.

The woman alerted persons in the neighbourhood, who came to her rescue. She was given a sheet to cover her-

self and was later taken to the hospital.

For his part, the Police prosecutor objected to Semple being released on bail. The prosecutor pointed out that the man is awaiting trial for similar offences. When given a chance to speak, Semple said that the allegation against him is a “lie”. He claimed that it was a situation of domestic vio-

lence.

However, Police had stated that on February 24, 2021, ranks responded to a 911 call of a man beating a woman. As such, a mobile patrol was dispatched to the area. According to the statement, when Police arrived at the scene, they were informed by residents that the man had beaten the woman who was in a semi-conscious state.

An ambulance was summoned and the man was taken into custody. Semple is presently listed for trial at the Demerara High Court on rape charges.

He allegedly raped two sex workers. The charges against him state that he raped one of the women between November 30 and December 1, 2017, and the other between January 3 and January 4, 2018. He was granted bail pending trial.

It was reported that he picked up the women at a location in Georgetown and promised to pay them $10,000 each to have sex with them. After the women performed various sex acts on him, Semple reportedly threatened them. He then dropped them off at the location where he picked them up without giving them a cent.

Convicted killer applies for leave to appeal 51year jail sentence

Convicted Killer Dellon Henry, called “Nasty Man”

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lmost three years after he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 51 years’ imprisonment, 23-year-old Dellon Henry recently applied to the Guyana Court of Appeal (CoA) for leave to appeal his conviction and sentence. He was found guilty in 2017 by a jury.

The statutory timeline for filing an appeal is 14 days after a conviction or dismissal/discharge. Henry has retained Attorney-atLaw Glenn Hanoman.

Henry, also known as “Nasty Man” was found guilty of the September 29, 2015 murder of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown footballer, Dexter Griffith, who was shot six times about the body in an area in his community called “Warlock”. It

Dead: Dexter Griffith

was Justice Sandil Kissoon who imposed the custodial sentence on Henry.

For the entirety of Henry’s trial, he professed his innocence and when it was time for him to have his say, he told the court that he was in jail from 2006 to 2014 as a teenager and that he had no knowledge of the Warlock area where Griffith was gunned down.

The murdered footballer’s brother, Keshawn Griffith, had testified that while in hiding, he had seen the defendant, Henry, firing a gun moments after his brother was shot. The now dead man’s mother, Lavern Griffith, had recalled running to the Warlock area from her home where she and other relatives saw the footballer lying in a drain.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

NEWS

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SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Minister McCoy addresses concerns raised by Timehri CDC

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inister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy on Friday met representatives of the North Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) Community Development Council (CDC), during which several issues affecting the community were discussed. The meeting was held at the Minister’s office.

The new CDC was formed in November 2020 and is led by Chairwoman, Fanica Lewis. Minister McCoy was able to resolve some of the issues immediately including concerns regarding the rehabilitation of the community centre ground, roads, ownership of land, and accessing support from the Small Business Bureau for women-led businesses in the area.

In his remarks, the Minister, who holds responsibility for Public Affairs, said that the Government is serious about citizens’

the meeting and everything we discussed. I must say that from meeting Minister McCoy in November, he has already had an outreach within the community, and now he has met with us. He made some promises to us to help us with community development and indeed, he is greatly assisting.”

She continued, “We understand that Rome wasn’t built in a day but because we know development is on its way, we are patient. In addition to that, the community centre ground was really something we wanted

Public Affairs Minister Kwame McCoy meeting with representatives of the North Timehri CDC

engagement and ensuring that the needs of every community across the country are addressed efficiently.

“We are here to serve you and serve your communities and therefore, it is our responsibility to listen

to you and address whatever concerns you may have.

In turn, I would ask that as the CDC, you play your part in the community you have been elected to serve.

Engage your fellow residents, find out what are the

Convicted killer applies for...

It was reported in September 2015 that after being shot, Griffith had managed to stand and walk a short distance in an attempt to escape from Henry, but he eventually fell unconscious to the ground while his assail-

addressed and he has been successful in getting the letter from the Army to say it has been handed over to us.

So, I have to say a big thank you.”

The group, through the interventions of Minister McCoy, will have a series of follow-up meetings with other Government agencies, including the Labour Ministry, Local Government Ministry and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) in the new week to iron out some of the concerns raised.

ant escaped. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

In sentencing Henry, Justice Kissoon commenced at a base of 50 years, from which three years were deducted for the time the convict spent

FROM PAGE 12

on remand pending trial.

To the remaining 47 years, the Judge added four years for aggravating factors which included brutality, cruelty, and premeditation. The Judge also noted that a gun was used to commit the crime.

issues facing them, build relationships with the businesses in your communities and let’s work together to make people’s lives better,” he encouraged.

Lewis, following the meeting, said that since the establishment of the CDC, the Government, particularly Minister McCoy, has been very supportive whenever he is called upon.

“I am very pleased with

news@guyanatimesgy.com

14 NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana records 30 new COVID-19 cases in 24h

…active cases now at 430

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he Health Ministry on Friday stated that Guyana recorded 30 new COVID-19 cases, thus raising the overall positive cases to 8729. The 30 new cases were from 593 samples that were collected and sent for testing.

The new statistics provided by the Ministry revealed that the death toll remains at 200, with the latest fatality recorded on Thursday.

The Ministry also stated that five patients remain in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 39 in institutional isolation, nine in institutional quarantine and 386 in home isolation. A total of 4492 males and 4237 females have recovered from the virus. To date, Guyana has tested 69,071 individuals.

An analysis of new cases showed that one was detected in Region One (Barima-Waini); four in

Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 20 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); one in Region Five (Demerara-Mahaica); one in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and three in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Cases in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) remain at 234, 245, 421 and 656 respectively.

Meanwhile, with the 20,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine received this week, Guyana will be able to immunise 10,000 persons – starting with the healthcare workers.

According to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, it is one of the effective vaccines developed and will prevent transmission.

“We have just received

the Sinopharm vaccines and this is one of the effective vaccines that are around.

The efficacy, as we have seen from the scientific literature, is about 79.4 per cent which is really good.

And it means that if somebody receives the vaccine, that it would prevent them from getting the disease.”

Dr Anthony added that while there is still a small chance of getting the virus, it will be in a milder form.

He said Guyana was fortunate to benefit from this tranche, as there is some scarcity now with China vaccinating its large population.

He indicated, “There is still that small percentage of chance that they can get the disease but if they do get the disease, then it would be in a milder way and in most cases, all the studies have shown that you don’t get the severe form. These vaccines are very, very ef-

fective. They have been used in a number of countries around the world, especially in the Middle East.

There are several countries in South America that has given it emergency use authorisation.”

In a few days, Guyana will receive a massive donation of vaccines – this time from the Government of India, which has promised some 80,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the country. The country is also awaiting 100,000 doses from the COVAX mechanism, also slated to arrive in March.

India has already donated 170,000 AstraZeneca vaccines to the Caribbean – 70,000 to Dominica and the remaining 100,000 to Barbados from which Guyana was given a portion. Those jabs have already been used to vaccinate some 2000 frontline healthcare workers.

15 Bagotstown man found dead in home was murdered – autopsy NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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post-mortem performed on the body of 31-yearold Raoul Melville, whose body was discovered by his son on Thursday morning at his Lot 43 Norton Street Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara home revealed that the man was murdered.

The examination was performed by Government pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary, who gave the cause of death as brain haemorrhage due to multiple blunt trauma to the head.

According to reports, the man was last seen alive on Wednesday evening.

Based on information received, Melville was

ed. Although there was no sign of forced entry, the Police have reported that the bedroom of the de-

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Dead: Raoul Melville

alone at his residence, and all doors to the premises had been secured from the inside.

However, when his son went to check on him on

Road, heading towards the Railway Embankment, when he observed the four men standing next to a shop.

However, as he approached the men, they reportedly stepped into his path, circled him, and dealt him several lashes about his body with the cutlass.

While beating him, the men relieved him of his valuables. He was robbed of one cell phone and $2500 in cash. Following the robbery, the men made good their escape on foot.

No one has been arrested, and investigations are ongoing.

Taxi driver robbed of motor car by men posing as customers

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taxi driver was on Thursday evening held at knife and gunpoint and robbed of his motor car at East Street, Georgetown, by two persons who pretended to be passengers.

The 65-year-old victim of Fifth Street Alberttown, Georgetown, reportedly told Police that he picked up three men at around 13:30h along East Street, Georgetown, in the vicinity of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and they asked to be taken to Mercy Wings, Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

Guyana Times understands that while in the vicinity of Mercy Wings, one of the men, who was in the back passenger's seat, whipped out a knife, placed

The Police are, however, searching the area for CCTV cameras in order to retrieve the footage.

Female security officer robbed by lone bandit

Haslington man beaten, robbed by cutlasswielding bandits Haslington, East Coast Demerara (ECD) man is now nursing minor injuries about his body after he was beaten and robbed by four men, one of whom was armed with a cutlass.

The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday evening at about 21:55h at the Haslington Tarmac Road, ECD. The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Randy Leacock of 293 Haslington Housing Scheme, ECD. Based on reports received, Leacock was riding his bicycle south along the western side of the Haslington Tarmac

ceased was ransacked.

Up to press time, no arrests were made in connection with the murder.

it to the victim’s neck, and demanded that he stop the vehicle.

As the vehicle came to a halt, the bandits demanded that he hand over the keys to the car. The taxi driver reportedly tried to resist the suspect but was dealt one blow to his face with a black handgun by the suspect who was in the front passenger’s seat.

As a result, the taxi driver exited his vehicle and raised an alarm. It was then the suspects escaped with the victim’s car.

The man was allegedly robbed of one silver-grey Premio motor car bearing registration number HD 1777 and valued at $3.3 million along with one cell phone.

Investigations are ongoing.

Thursday morning, he saw the western door of his father’s house open. The child then saw his father’s motionless body lying on the floor in the hall area.

The son immediately raised an alarm and the Police were contact-

33-year-old security officer was on Thursday robbed of her mobile phone, $5000 in cash and a shoulder bag containing personal documents while walking along Melsha Road, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The incident occurred at around 06:55h. Reports are the female guard was walking on the said road, when she noticed a man on a bicycle with a cutlass approaching her.

As he got closer, the man allegedly jumped off the cycle and instructed her to

hand over her bag. In fear for her life, she complied after which he made good his escape. Investigations are ongoing.

Only recently, a 24-yearold vendor was robbed of approximately $100,000 in cash, her mobile phone, ID card and one gold chain after she was ambushed by two males in the vicinity of James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown.

It was reported that Chandroutie Mahatoo was being towed by her younger brother on a bicycle, heading along James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown,

when they were confronted by the two suspects who were riding separate bicycles.

The suspects reportedly came off of their cycles and blocked the path of the victim and her brother.

One of the suspects allegedly whipped out a firearm from the waist of his pants and pointed it at the duo. In addition, his accomplice also pulled out an ice pick from his waist. Out of fear, the young lady immediately handed over her bag containing the mentioned articles after which the men made good their escape.

16 NEWS I am prepared to meet with President Ali – Harmon SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

...but is yet to explicitly recognise Ali’s Govt

O

pposition Leader Joseph Harmon said he is prepared to meet with President Dr Irfaan Ali in the best interest of advancing the cause of the Guyanese people.

This comes on the heels of President Ali on Thursday putting the ball in the court of the Opposition Leader for them move on and have talks so that they can, not only develop the country but also enhance the lives of all Guyanese.

However, in a statement on Friday responding to the Head of State, Harmon said he is prepared to put the country first.

“I have stated from the outset and I reaffirm now, once again, that I am prepared to meet with President Ali at a mutually convenient time in the interest of meaningful dialogue and consultation and with a view to advancing the interest of the people of Guyana,” Harmon posited in the missive.

In fact, the Opposition Leader reiterated some points

President Dr Irfaan Ali

he raised during his recent Budget Debate submission which he said will move the country forward and which should form part of the agenda between the President and himself whenever they meet.

These include: agreeing that constructive engagements based on clear principles and broadened stakeholdership at the national, regional and community level is a sine qua non for Guyana’s development; immediately shift from ethnic marginalisation and vindictiveness; agree to meet to cause redress on what has occurred;

agree to collective focus on poverty and the plight of poor citizens; agree that there is need for immediate and urgent protection of our sovereignty and national patrimony; expand the COVID-19 task force to include Opposition representation; and agree that there is urgent need to update Guyana’s elections laws to ensure a List of Electors which reflect the reality of Guyana.

But while he is prepared to meet with the President, the Opposition Leader believes that the demand to recognize the PPP/C government is an “absurd proposition.”

On Thursday, President Ali told reporters that he is open to talks with the Opposition but pointed out that it is impossible for the Government and Opposition to move forward if the legitimacy of the Government continues to be undermined.

“The Leader of the Opposition needs to recognise the Government with the President and I don’t want no implicit recognition, he must

Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon

go out there publicly and say, the Government is legitimate and he recognises the Government, the President, and then let’s talk… I am ready to speak to all Guyanese and I’ve been doing that, the question is, is the Leader of the Opposition ready to speak to the legitimate leader of the country.”

“He [Harmon] has a responsibility to his supporters to come clean now... The hardest thing in life is to recognise that you have made an error, to own up to that error and then to say that listen,

I am owning up to this error but let’s move forward… The Leader of the Opposition has a choice you know,” the Head of State posited.

According to Ali, he wants to develop a country that benefits all of its people.

“I want a Guyana for all Guyanese. I want a Guyana that is better for members of the Opposition, that is better for members of the media, that is better for the sugar workers, that is better for the bauxite workers, that is better for the public servants; I want a Guyana that is better for everyone,” the President stated.

Only two weeks ago, prominent Guyanese-Canadian Attorney-at-Law, Selwyn Pieters called on the Guyana Government and Opposition to find ways of working together for the betterment of the country. However, he recognised that this cannot happen if the Opposition continues to refer to the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic Administration as “illegal”.

According to Pieters, who was an election observer at the contentious March 2 polls and had spoken out against the blatant attempts to “frustrate” the tabulation process of the Region Four votes, it is time to move on.

He added, “There has to be a coming together in some way for the development of this country. Like how long will this [political] stalemate go on with just a small population of 750,000 people.”

Moreover, Pieters, who had participated in several major Commissions of Inquiry (CoIs) in Guyana and has been an activist on a plethora of social issues here, said that the APNU/AFC coalition needs to step up and be a stronger parliamentary Opposition that is able to hold the Government accountable.

The Canada-based Guyanese attorney said the coalition Opposition is not performing up to par, adding that he is not pleased with the performance of Harmon as Opposition Leader.

Family demands tougher penalties for healthcare workers in death of mother, newborn

F

ollowing the announcement by Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony that those responsible for the deaths of Vanessa Sahadeo and her newborn child were suspended, family members have expressed dissatisfaction with the punishment, and are calling for

tougher penalties against the healthcare workers.

“I am not satisfied with that,” the deceased father, Eric Lewis told Guyana Times in an interview on Friday.

On Thursday, Dr Anthony related that one doctor and two nurses were suspended after they

were found to be negligent in taking care of their patient, 31-year-old Sahadeo and her newborn baby.

After giving birth to her fourth child at the New Amsterdam Hospital on February 26, Sahadeo was transferred to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GHPC) in an unconscious state where she succumbed a few hours later.

She was rushed to the city medical facility after reportedly developing complications at the New Amsterdam Hospital where the newborn baby had died.

However, the distraught father called for justice for his daughter and grandchild. He related that it is a very serious issue and the

Vanessa Lewis-Sahadeo

announcement made by the health Minister is disappointing.

“This is murder… murderers don’t get suspended, it has manslaughter or

murder charge,” he said in a very strong voice.

There are reports that the woman’s bladder was cut during the delivery and according to Lewis, that is unacceptable. An autopsy performed on the woman indicated that she suffered extensive bleeding.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman David Armogan while addressing the Region Six RDC on Thursday explained that since the incident, pregnant mothers have lost confidence in the Maternity Department at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

“What happened after that death, the Maternity Ward virtually became empty because people lost confidence in the maternity section and as a result of that all those who were preparing to get babies went away. I don’t know where they went and got their babies but a lot of them picked up their bags and walked,” the Regional Chairman noted.

Only Thursday another newborn baby reportedly died at the New Amsterdam Hospital and to date, the institution has not issued a statement.

Applications open for Youth Ambassadors Programme

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he United States Embassy in Guyana has announced the opening of the application process for the 2021 Youth Ambassadors Programme (YAP) with the Caribbean.

The programme for 2021 will be a five-week virtual programme during the months of July and August.

Through the virtual exchange, participants will develop their leadership skills, strengthen their ability to serve their communities; and foster relationships and mutual understanding among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups and create networks of youth leaders in the Western Hemisphere.

Sponsored by the US Department of State, the YAP exchange programme is part of the US’s continued commitment to the prosperity of Guyana and the region. Afterwards, students

will develop and implement projects that serve the needs of their communities in the months that follow.

“During their exchange, h i g h school

s t u dents and adult educators from the Caribbean region and the United States will explore themes such as civic education, leadership, cross-cultural connections, community service, and youth and social transformation through experiential learning activities; leader-

ship trainings; civic participation at the community level; mentoring by community, business, and NGO leaders; engaging with host families, and volunteering,” a statement underlined.

This programme is open to current residents and citizens of Guyana who attend a public high school and are 15-18 years of age, with at least one semester of high school remaining after August 2021. Interested students and mentors are asked to visit the US Embassy website at http:// georgetown.usembassy.gov/ yap.html for more information and applications. The deadline for applications is April 12, 2021.

To date, 56 students and 10 adult mentors have participated in the Youth Ambassadors Programme for Guyana since September 2012.

NEWS

Guyana-Suriname back track tragedy

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SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

3rd body discovered 21 days after disappearing in river

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ore than three weeks after the Guyana-Suriname back track tragedy in the Corentyne River, the body of 48-year-old of Sharida Hussein of Lot 27 Pilot Street, New Amsterdam, was found on Friday.

The woman went missing along with two others on February 9, in the vicinity of Number 63 Beach, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), after arriving in Guyana via the illegal route from Suriname.

Police stated that at about 13:30h, a team of Police and the woman’s teenage son made the discovery at

Number 48 Corentyne foreshore.

On February 11, the bodies of 31-year-old Alwin Joseph, a father of one of Suriname was found at the Number 60 foreshore while the body of 75-yearold Babuni Harihar, called, “Dorris”, was found among some mangroves at Number 69 Village.

At that time, they were still in search of Hussein, who was considered missing. An autopsy revealed that both Joseph and Harihar died of drowning.

It was reported that the trio was dropped off at a mud-

flat in the Atlantic under the pretext that they were on the Number 63 Beach.

The Dutch-speaking country had closed its borders as part of a series of measures put in place to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. As such, many people had been illegally crossing the Corentyne River to enter both countries using what is known as the “back track”.

The three who have all now been confirmed dead were travelling by night when there is less visibility.

After being put off on land, Joseph reportedly telephoned a brother in the USA

Dead: Sharida Hussein

and told him he had arrived in Guyana. However, Hussein telephoned her son telling him that she and two others were in waist-high water and the place was dark.

It was later revealed that the trio was in fact dropped off on a sandbank and then walked into the Atlantic thinking that they were getting onto the mainland.

Authorities in Suriname have since arrested the boat captain, a sailor and a taxi driver who took the now dead persons to the vessel.

Joseph, a Guyanese by birth, had been living in Suriname with his wife and children ad was returning home for business.

Harihar had been returning to Guyana after visiting Suriname while Hussein was returning after a holiday.

Harihar and Hussein were in Suriname since December and were forced to extend their stay after the borders were closed.

International Women’s Day 2021

End inequality, gender-based violence – international bodies

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nternational Women’s Day will be celebrated on March 8, and as such, calls were made by several organisations to end inequality and enable women to strive beyond the limiting beliefs.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in a statement noted that the global community celebrates women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements with International Women’s Day (IWD).

The day is also a call to action for accelerating progress towards gender equality and eliminating gender-based violence.

“ECLAC Caribbean recognises Caribbean women as powerful changemakers

and calls on individuals of all genders to #choosetochallenge harmful behaviours and practices against women and girls taking place in homes, workplaces, and communities. Individually, we are responsible for our thoughts and actions each day and must choose to speak up in the face

of gender inequality. Collectively, we can bring an end to GBV and create a more inclusive society for Caribbean women and girls,” the organisation underscored.

The organisation went on to say that gender-based violence (GBV) has long

11 touts arrested for soliciting passengers

The touts at the Brickdam Police Station on Thursday

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total of 11 persons were arrested on Thursday for soliciting passengers and are expected to make their court appearance in the new week.

On Friday, Police said ranks of the Traffic Office Brickdam, Georgetown, conducted an exercise to eradicate touts around the various minibus parks of Georgetown, and the 11 persons were arrested.

Over the years, touts have taken up positions at several car and minibus parks in the city, solicit-

ing passengers for drivers.

Many young adults have made it their daily profession so as to earn some form of income.

Even though it is a means to earn income for many, it is illegal within the constraint of Guyana’s laws and is often viewed as a public nuisance.

Scores of passengers would have complained bitterly about this phenomenon, claiming that their bags are being pulled and tugged as they approach the various parks.

They are even alle-

gations of persons being grabbed and forced into buses they do not travel in.

Touts would work around the clock - until most buses stop operating.

The men would equip themselves with caps and umbrellas to shield themselves against the weather, standing at strategic locations of the bus parks awaiting the arrival of passengers to fill incoming buses.

In some instances, touts only load buses that they are familiar with as the drivers would pay them after.

been a serious issue in the Caribbean, but the public reaction to a recent spike in femicides in Trinidad and Tobago has demonstrated how Trinbagonians can collectively challenge GBV and fight discriminatory beliefs and attitudes that allow such violence to continue.

“Collective efforts of this nature come at a crucial time as the COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed a ‘shadow pandemic’ of violence against women across the world.

Emerging data demonstrate that Caribbean women have not been spared from this violence, with lockdowns and other confinement measures increasing pressures at home and limiting opportunities to escape abusers and access protection.”

ECLAC subregional headquarters for the Caribbean is working alongside other UN partners in the subregion to collect data on how Caribbean women’s lives have been affected by the pandemic to en-

sure gender-responsive economic recovery and women's leadership and participation in COVID-19 responses at all levels.

While both women and men experience GBV, most GBV is inflicted on women and girls by men. In light of the alarming levels of GBV taking place in the subregion, ECLAC also called on Caribbean governments to uphold their mandate to protect women and girls’ fundamental right to live free of violence and to offer meaningful opportunities to seek redress for acts of violence.

It added, “Across the subregion, the response of law enforcement and state institutions must be strengthened so that GBV survivors can access justice and appropriate support. When Police, health and justice officials operate in a culture where GBV is tolerated, women and girls are often denied their right to report abuses and access protection from their abusers.”

Meanwhile, the Caribbean Development Bank, VicePresident (Operations), Isaac Solomon noted that while there is much to celebrate, there is an urgent need to overcome the status quo.

As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, women stand on the frontline, comprising over 70 per cent of health and social care workers globally. However, because of gender inequality, their contribution is often unrecognised and forgotten.

“We, at CDB, join the global community in honouring women's invaluable contributions to social, economic, cultural and political advancements of their communities and countries, particularly in our Region. We salute you!”, said Solomon at the opening of CDB’s International Women’s Day Roundtable “Women in leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World”.

In addition, women and girls are facing massive gender-based violence in the Caribbean Region. A 2019 study by CDB and partners shows that 55 per cent of women in five Borrowing Member Countries experienced at least one form of violence.

According to UN Women, gender-based violence has intensified since the outbreak of the pandemic which resulted in a shadow pandemic. Going forward, CDB is looking longterm at a green and inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 crisis that will have economic, environmental and social resilience at its core.

CDB General Counsel Diana Wilson Patrick said, “CDB will continue to employ its Gender Marker Analysis Framework for examining the extent to which investment loans and technical assistance projects are gender mainstreamed, with provisions for including gender action plans within interventions, to ensure gender issues are addressed throughout the project cycle.”

Man gets bail for allegedly grabbing postwoman’s buttocks

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33-year-old man who allegedly grabbed a postwoman’s buttocks when she went to his yard to deliver mail was on Friday released on $30,000 bail after being slapped with a sexual assault charge. Jason Yarris, a labourer of Bent Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Police stated that on September 24, 2020, at Bent Street, Werk-en-Rust,

Georgetown, he committed a sexual assault by touching the woman’s buttocks without her consent. Yarris was instructed to return to court later this month.

According to information received, on the day in question, the postwoman was riding her bicycle in the vicinity of Bent and John Streets, Werk-enRust, Georgetown, delivering mail.

However, as the woman entered Yarris’ yard, he ap-

proached her and pulled her bicycle. The woman pulled the bicycle from Yarris, and in turn, he grabbed her butt and walked away.

The woman continued her duties. While doing so, Yarris attempted to grab her breasts. Out of fear, she screamed and neighbours went to her rescue.

She later made a report to the Police and based on investigations, Yarris was arrested and charged for the offence.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021

Regional

SVG gets technical assistance In Brazil’s Amazon, from disaster management expert isolated Indigenous people A welcome COVID vaccine

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n army helicopter flew to two isolated Indigenous villages in Brazil’s Amazon jungle this week with a welcome cargo coronavirus vaccines.

The Hupda communities lined up to get their shots.

Traditional medicine prescribed by a shaman is highly respected here, but there was no resistance to receiving the vaccine by China’s Sinovac Biotech.

“We are grateful for the vaccination, so we will not catch the disease,” said Hupda chieftain Jorge Pires in the village of Santo Antanasio, near the Colombian border and a 25-minute helicopter flight from the nearest military outpost.

Following criticism by Indigenous leaders that echoed internationally last year that their vulnerable communities were being “decimated” by COVID-19, Brazil’s Health and Defence ministries have mounted a vaccination campaign reaching remote reservations and villages.

So far 265,244 Indigenous people have had a first dose, and 124,063 the second dose, of 400,000 covered by the Ministry’s Indigenous

Catarina Hupdah, 69, from the Indigenous Hupda ethnic group, reacts while receiving a Sinovac’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine shot, at the Indigenous village of Santo Atanasio, during an operation for vaccinating Indigenous communities in the Upper Rio Negro bordering Colombia, in the Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira district of Brazil’s Amazonas state, Brazil, March 3, 2021. Picture taken March 3, 2021

health service Sesai.

According to the service, 50,000 Indigenous people have been infected and 589 have died from COVID-19.

That does not include half of Brazil’s 800,000 plus Indigenous population not covered by Sesai because they have moved off traditional lands and reservations.

Brazil is battling a COVID-19 outbreak that is worsening, with record deaths reported in the last three days, reaching

1910 dead in 24 hours on Wednesday. So far, 260,000 people have died and 10.8 million infected, the second-deadliest after the United States.

In the second village of Taracuá Igarapé, there have been no cases of COVID-19 thanks to its isolation, but preventing coronavirus from taking hold is paramount to protecting Indigenous communities that live under one roof and cannot practice social distancing. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Do not become complacent, vaccine-rich Chileans warned

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hilean authorities have warned citizens to keep protecting themselves from the coronavirus despite the country’s highly successful vaccination programme amid fears that the end of the Southern Hemisphere summer and return to work and school could bring a fresh spike in cases.

Chile’s top public health official, Paula Daza, told Reuters in an interview that despite almost 26 per cent of the population now having received a vaccine dose, Chileans should not lower their guard just yet.

“Chile has a vaccination strategy under way that is very solid and has reached all corners of our territory and that is very good news,” she said.

“You have to strike a balance, to give people hope because it has been a hard year for everyone ... but we also have to keep warning of the risks.”

Chile ranks sixth in the world for per-capita vaccine shots administered according to Reuters data, with just shy of 4 million people now having received at least one dose of the two-dose vaccines developed by pharmaceutical firms Pfizer/BioNTech and

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. But on Friday, daily confirmed cases of the virus in Chile hit their highest rate in eight months at 5325, bringing warnings from authorities of potential fresh quarantines.

Daza said fatigue with lengthy restrictions on movement and strict sanitary measures coupled with the end of the Southern

Hemisphere summer holiday meant cases ticking up since November could now spike.

She said informal Health Ministry polls around vaccination centres and in shopping precincts indicated people viewed the arrival of vaccines as the end of their ordeal.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

regional disaster management expert has been deployed to St Vincent & the Grenadines to support its national disaster office with the ongoing volcano crisis.

The Bridgetownbased Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) said Police Superintendent Sylvan McIntyre of neighbouring Grenada will spend six weeks in Kingstown to assist the authorities with managing the issues surrounding the effusive eruption at the La Soufriere Volcano under the regional response mechanism (RRM).

T

of them from poor families, have not been able to log on to online classes because they cannot afford smart devices or Internet fees.

“Unfortunately, that is all too likely. Some of them will just have lives which are just much more miserable than they would have been, and others probably are going to end up going into crime,” Professor Clayton said.

He said the typical models for how schools operate — from the primary to more advanced levels — will need to be revamped to teach children how to think critically.

Clayton, a British citizen, said countries like the

multi-hazard complexities.

“This deployment is an example of regional and international collaboration at its finest,” CDEMA’s acting Executive Director, Elizabeth Riley said. CDEMA said funding for the deployment of Supt McIntyre was available through the Caribbean Climate Resilience Initiative, launched last August with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The initiative seeds BB$9 million into helping countries reduce disaster and recover from hazard impacts and climate variability. (Excerpt from Nation News)

Bermuda Senate rejects Govt’s cannabis law

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he ruling Progressive Labour Party (PLP) has reacted angrily after the Senate rejected a controversial law to legalise cannabis, which will now be sent back to the House of Assembly in this British Overseas Territory.

The Cannabis Licensing Act, which sets out a regulatory framework for growing, selling and using the drug, was passed by MPs two weeks ago.

But in the Upper House on Wednesday, Senators opposed the legislation, six votes to five, handing a major defeat to the PLP five months after it was re-elected with a huge 24seat majority in a snap general election.

All three independent Senators – who are chosen by the Governor – and three

opposition One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) SENATORS voted the bill down, giving them the majority over the five Government Senators who voted in favour of it.

Premier David Burt was not immediately available for comment but the PLP chastised the OBA and the independent Senators, alleging they had “voted against the will of the Bermudian voter and stood against jobs and opportunities for Bermudians”.

The PLP also questioned the island’s democratic process, claiming that Government’s plans had been stymied by unelected officials “appointed by an unelected, unaccountable Governor”.

“The cannabis reform they opposed would have further reduced the criminalisa-

tion of Bermudians and created jobs and opportunities for Bermudians,” the party said in a statement following the Senate sitting.

“Now, Bermudians are forced to wait for entrepreneurial opportunities in agriculture, transport, research, manufacturing, and the creation of health products and consumables.

The OBA hit back, saying that the “deeply flawed” bill was rightly rejected because it “failed to address important concerns from the community“.

A joint statement issued by all three OBA senators said: “Cannabis is a complicated issue that requires thoughtful solutions, something the bill severely lacked. (Excerpt from CMC)

Tougher sex offence laws coming

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n avalanche of proposed laws against sexual harassment— in the workplace, streets and via use of cyberspace—is coming.

Draft pepper spray law is also completed and ready for Cabinet next week, plus a note on regulation of public transport, including PH

Prepare for new wave of criminals, misery wo senior academics are convinced that if the education deficit at the primary and secondary levels, spawned by the novel coronavirus pandemic, worsens, Jamaica will be saddled with a new wave of criminals and miserable citizens.

Professor Anthony Clayton, the Alcan professor of Caribbean sustainable development at The University of the West Indies (UWI), and Social Anthropologist Dr Herbert Gayle, who is also based at The UWI, advanced the view in recent interviews with the Jamaica Observer looking at the fallout in the education sector as students, many

Superintendent McIntyre has been a pillar within the RRM, having been a part of CDEMA’s response to events such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Hurricane Irma of 2017 in the British Virgin Islands and Hurricane Dorian of 2019 in The Bahamas.

His tasks under this deployment include reviewing evacuation plans and relief management, assisting the National Emergency Management Organisation with a volcanic hazard table-top exercise and examining the interface of the National Emergency Operations Centre to support the COVID-19 response and

United Kingdom are considering how to begin assessing students’ performance to allow them to advance academically.

Dr Gayle had a similar view, saying the people who will be left behind at the end of the pandemic are the poorer Jamaicans, whether or not they display high levels of intelligence.

Dr Gayle said people with high intelligence quotient (IQ) are not necessarily the ones who are most successful in the long run.

Those who have rich parents, but are not advanced academically usually turn out better in the long run,” he argued. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

taxis, went to Cabinet on Thursday.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi confirmed this to Guardian Media on Thursday as International Women’s Day approaches next Monday.

Calls for tasers, pepper spray and similar protection arose since the murder of teenager Ashanti Riley last November. The issue was being examined

by Government, which was concerned such implements could be used by culprits on victims. Police had supported calls for devices. Reinforced calls for such protection, including by independent Senator Paul Richards, arose when Bharatt was murdered on January 29.

Government subsequently stated that pepper spray will be available for trade on a regulated format with a permit.

The “We The People” group and Gerald Aboud subsequently expressed concern that application time might delay protection for people who really need it.

Some amendments will become part of the sexual offences law which is currently silent on sexual harassment offences.

Amendments are also

Attorney General Faris AlRawi responding to a question during Tuesday’s sitting of the Senate

proposed for other laws, including the Industrial Relations Act, Bail Act and Computer Misuse Act. Amendments will also involve a return to attempts to establish a Sexual Offenders Registry and witness protection for people seeking to report matters, including sexual offences. Government had failed with previous attempts on both issues.

While there is a national policy against sexual harassment, Al-Rawi said the sexual offences law lacks specific sexual harassment offences.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil surges after OPEC+ hold cuts, strong US jobs growth

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il prices jumped about 3 per cent on Friday, hitting their highest levels in more than a year, following a strongerthan-expected US jobs report and the decision by OPEC and its allies not to increase supply in April.

Brent futures rose US$2.10, or 3.2 per cent, to US$68.84 a barrel by 11:25 am EST (1625 GMT). Earlier in the session, the global benchmark hit its highest since January 2020.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose US$1.87, or 2.9 per cent, to US$65.70 per barrel, after earlier scaling its highest since April 2019.

For the week, Brent was up almost 4 per cent, putting it on track to rise for a seventh week in a row for the first time since December, while WTI was up about 7 per cent after gaining almost 4 per cent last week.

Both contracts surged more than 4 per cent on Thursday after the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, together known as OPEC+, extended oil output curbs into April, granting small exemptions to Russia and Kazakhstan.

“OPEC+ settled for a cautious approach ... opting to increase production by just 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) in April while market participants looked for an increase of 1.5 million bpd,” said UBS oil analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Investors were surprised that Saudi Arabia had decided to maintain its voluntary cut of 1 million bpd through April even after the oil price rally of the past two months on the back of COVID-19 vaccination programmes around the globe.

Some forecasters revised their price expectations upward following the OPEC+ decision.

Goldman Sachs raised its Brent crude price forecast by US$5 to US$75 a barrel in the second quarter and US$80 a barrel in the third quarter of this year. UBS raised its Brent forecast to US$75 a barrel and WTI to US$72 in the second half of 2021.

In addition, the market got a boost after a report showed the US economy created more jobs than expected in February.

The nonfarm payroll report “shows that Americans are closer to pre-pandemic behaviour that will drive strong demand for crude,” said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA in New York.

Traders also noted the rising dollar, which hit its highest since November, was limiting the gain in crude prices. A stronger dollar makes oil more expensive for holders of other currencies.

However, analysts and traders have said that slow physical crude sales and recovery for demand not predicted until around the third quarter suggest that the price rally is unwarranted.

“The market suggests a tightness that does not exist.

Therefore, we continue to believe that the price risk is mainly downward and that the current price is overshooting,” said Hans van Cleef, senior energy economist at ABN Amro.

India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer, said that the OPEC+ decision to extend cuts as prices move higher could threaten the consumption led-recovery in some countries.

The recovery in oil prices to pre-pandemic levels has also spurred US oil drillers to return to the well pad. The oil rig count rose by one this week after rising for six straight months, according to energy services firm Baker Hughes Co. (Excerpt from Reuters)

At least 20 killed by suicide car bomb near restaurant in Somalia capital

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t least 20 people were killed and 30 wounded by a suicide car bomb just outside a restaurant near the port in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu late on Friday, an emergency services official said.

The blast sent plumes of smoke into the sky and triggered gunfire, witnesses and state-owned media reported.

“So far we have carried 20 dead people and 30 injured from the blast scene,” Dr Abdulkadir Aden, founder of AAMIN Ambulance services told Reuters.

The blast occurred at the Luul Yemeni restaurant near the port, witnesses said.

“A speeding car exploded at Luul Yemeni restaurant.

I was going to the restaurant but ran back when the blast shook and covered the area with smoke,” resident Ahmed Abdullahi, who lives near the site, told Reuters.

Somalia’s state-controlled Radio Mogadishu reported there was also destruction of property and that Police had cordoned off the area.

No one claimed responsi-

WHO says report on China Czech Republic asks mission on COVID-19 other countries for help origins due in mid-March with COVID patients

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he findings of a WHOled mission to Wuhan, China to investigate the origins of the virus that causes COVID-19 are expected in mid-March, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday.

“The current timing is the week of 14th-15th March,” Peter Ben Embarek, the head of the mission, told a Geneva news briefing.

Ben Embarek, a WHO expert on diseases that cross from animals to humans, had said at the end of the mission last month that the virus probably originated in bats, although it was not certain how it reached humans.

He also effectively ruled out a lab leak.

WHO officials had earlier said that the mission might issue a summary report before its full findings were ready. This is no longer planned.

“What the team has

done to their credit is really worked hard to try to come up with their full report so we can have a proper discussion around the full report,” said Mike Ryan, WHO’s top emergency expert.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “I would like to assure you everything that happened during the trip will be presented transparently.”

The mission has been politically contentious, with Washington saying it wants to review its findings, and some critics suggesting its access in China was too limited.

On Thursday, an open letter from a group of scientists said the WHO mission “did not have the mandate, the independence, or the necessary accesses to carry out a full and unrestricted investigation” into all theories about the origins of the virus.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

More than 800 people per 100,000 inhabitants have been infected with the coronavirus within the past seven days [David W Cerny/ Reuters]

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he Czech Republic has asked Germany, Switzerland and Poland to take in dozens of COVID-19 patients as the situation in its own hospitals has reached a critical point, Prague’s Health Ministry said.

The country of 10.7 million has been one of the hardest-hit globally in recent weeks as many regional hospitals, overwhelmed by the inflow of coronavirus patients, had to transfer them elsewhere, in some cases taking them hundreds of kilometres away.

“The large number of newly infected patients has intensified pressure on the healthcare system, and the number of patients requir-

Senegal protests after Opposition Leader Ousmane Sonko arrested

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arge protests have hit Senegal for a third day as demonstrators burnt cars and clashed with Police after the arrest of an opposition leader on Wednesday.

Ousmane Sonko appeared in court on Friday accused of disrupting public order. He also faces a rape allegation.

He denies the allegations and his supporters say the accusations are politically motivated.

At least one person has died in the rare nationwide unrest.

Senegal is one of West Africa's most stable coun-

At least one person has died as protests hit Dakar and other cities in Senegal

tries.

On Friday Police fired

bility for the blast.

Islamist group al Shabaab frequently carries out such bombings in Somalia and elsewhere as part of its campaign to topple the Horn of African country’s central government and establish its own rule based on its strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

tear gas at Sonko's supporters in the capital Dakar

where some shops and schools closed during the protests.

Police also blocked motorbikes and mopeds, which are popular among Sonko's young supporters, from the city's streets.

Demonstrators have gathered in the city's surrounding areas and in the southern city of Bignona, a stronghold of Sonko.

Two private TV channels that covered the protests have been suspended for 72 hours by the Government.

On Thursday Internet monitor NetBlocks said access to social media and messaging apps was re-

stricted.

Senegal's Government has condemned the protests as a "flagrant violation" of the state of emergency put in place to tackle coronavirus.

The United Nations' special envoy for West Africa Mohamed Ibn Chambas has appealed for calm.

Some of the protesters have targeted Frenchowned businesses such as supermarkets and petrol stations because they say that under President Macky Sall, France has extended its economic interests in its former colony. (Excerpt from BBC News)

ing hospitalisation is growing,” the Ministry said on Friday.

As of Friday morning, there were 8153 COVID patients hospitalised, including 1735 requiring intensive care, Health Ministry data showed.

Across the country, 13 per cent of the overall intensive care capacity was available, while in the capital Prague, the free capacity was at 5 per cent.

The Czech Republic currently has the highest rate of new infections in the European Union.

More than 800 people per 100,000 inhabitants were infected with the coronavirus within the past seven days.

Neighbouring Slovakia transferred its first coronavirus patients abroad this week as its hospitals filled with patients.

Meanwhile, the government introduced a quarantine bonus payment as part of its fight against the coronavirus.

President Milos Zeman signed a law on Friday stipulating that employees receive the equivalent of up to 14 euros a day (US$16.70) if they are in a quarantine officially ordered by authorities.

The payment will be made in addition to the continued payment of wages in the event of illness, amounting to 60 per cent of earnings. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

20

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO

SUDOKU

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Favors will come your way, but before you accept any, consider the cost. You are better off taking matters into your own hands, even if it takes you a little longer to reach your objective.

Look inward; consider what you can do to improve the way you look and what you have to offer. Focus on self-improvement, not on trying to change others.

Persuasive tactics will fail if you are misleading.

Emotions will run high, and problems will prevail if you don't accept the truth and adjust to the changes going on around you. Discipline and intelligence will be your best options.

Do what you need to get ahead without overspending or taking on responsibilities that you aren't capable of fulfilling. A personal change will improve your relationship with a loved one.

Ignore others and concentrate on what you want to do.

Share your feelings with a loved one, find out where you stand and make plans that will help you reach a personal goal. Avoid sharing expenses.

Keep a lid on a potentially explosive situation. Be a good listener and make moderate adjustments that are easy for everyone involved to accept. Keep the peace and show respect.

Check your options, establish what's possible and make your move. Put your time and energy where they will do the most good. Your contributions will be recognized and rewarded.

Stick close to home and protect what's yours. A change may not be welcome, but in the end, it will benefit you. Bide your time. Don't share personal information. Observe others closely.

Cut costs, pay attention SAGITTARIUS to how you handle your mon(Nov. 23ey and put more thought into Dec. 21) saving, moderation and doing what's best for you. Refuse to let someone sweet-talk you into something unwise.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Do what's necessary to avoid being taken advantage of. Don't give anyone access to your personal affairs, investments or passwords. Play it safe with a certain someone until they earn your respect.

An opportunity will have strings attached. Ask questions, be smart and do your due diligence before you commit. A friend or relative will require help. Your assistance will be valuable.

Keep your business to yourself. Search for alternatives before making a decision. Know what you are up against, and oversee every detail. Anger will not solve a problem; careful thought will.

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021

21

Pant's first home Test hundred cuts England down to size ‘A day of two halves’ in Ahmedabad saw India seize control of the fourth Test, as ‘an innings of two halves’ from Rishabh Pant cut England down to size.

Pant’s maiden hundred on home soil was a masterpiece of adapting his game to the demands of conditions and match situation, and by the time he had flamed out, English hopes of hanging in the game had largely gone up in smoke.

Seeking the sort of first innings’ runs that would define the contest, India had stuttered and stumbled to 146 for 6 during the afternoon session, as England succeeded in their attempts to control the run rate while making regular incisions.

Ben Stokes, who hurled himself through 20 overs in the day for the wickets of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and James Anderson set the tone from the outset, as Joe Root shuffled his hand adroitly in defence of his side's mediocre efforts with the bat. But the struggles of Dom Bess left England's four-man attack stretched, as a century stand between Pant and Washington Sundar wrested back control.

Initially, runs came in circumspect fashion as India sought to rebuild, and had Bess been granted that lbw decision when Pant had 35 - Umpire Nitin Menon's “not out” call was upheld by the narrowest of margins on DRS - things could have taken a wholly different course.

As it was, Pant took the game into his own hands.

A

Sparks flew and runs flowed as England's plans to bowl dry were blown clean out of the water on a parched late Gujarati afternoon, with Pant racing on to his hundred in the space of another 33 deliveries. He fell moments later, but Sundar carried on the good work until the close, to leave India in sight of 300 and a potentially decisive lead.

For a while, with India six down and the game in the balance, it was tempting to wonder how much Kohli really did care about the World Test Championship final. Defeat here would cost India their spot, and the captain was one of three wickets to fall - for his second duck of the series - during a morning session which yielded just 56 runs. The dismissal of Rohit one short of fifty then left India in need of some lower-order gumption to keep England at bay.

But, on a pitch that has been tougher to master than had initially seemed apparent, Pant soared above the competition.

If the surface was ‘two-paced’, so was Pant's innings.

His control of the situation was evident in the way he changed g e a r s around the arwatchful rival of half-century t h e from 82 balls new ball at provided the a juncture kindling t h a t for Pant might to ignite h a v e against brought a toiling England opposisome relief, tion late with Root inin the day. Washington Sundar creasingly reluc-

boundaries he conceded, five came via Pant's bat.

But Anderson and Stokes had to share a heavy workload, as Bess failed to hit his lengths once again, all too often contributing to releasing the pressure that England had striven to build up. Even when Bess did belatedly win an lbw decision against Sundar in the penultimate over of the day, it was overturned on review.

England's hopes of limiting India to a score somewhere in the region of 200 had initially been lifted after a disciplined morning session.

Jack Leach struck first, sliding a delivery into

Rishabh Pant

tant to turn to Bess's off-spin as back-to-back boundaries off Stokes put India level on the scoreboard.

Further audacity was to come. Anderson, new ball in hand, was greeted by being pumped for fours through mid-off and cover, before the sucker punch was delivered: an insouciant reverse-scoop over the slips that even forced a wry grimace from England's 38-year-old attack leader.

Pant’s hundred was reached soon after with a slog-swept six off Root, to the delight of a vocal Motera crowd. After steadfastly laying the foundation, this

was back to seat-of-thePant batting, as advertised.

Although Anderson eventually snagged the youngster for 101, as he was caught hammering a pull to midwicket, the scales had shifted.

Sundar brought up his third Test fifty with a backfoot flay through the off side that typified his own increasingly assured innings, and 141 runs were bled through the final session to leave Anderson's figures telling a story in themselves.

He began the day having not conceded a run, and had figures of 17-11-19-2 before the late carnage. Of the seven

Cheteshwar Pujara's front pad fractionally before his bat came through in defence. Then Kohli was extracted via a Stokes bouncer and a feathered edge to the keeper.

Anderson accounted for Ajinkya Rahane with the final ball before lunch, and although Rohit again looked in ominous touch, a marginal lbw decision buoyed Stokes and England further. When R Ashwin chipped tamely to midwicket for Leach's second wicket, the hosts seemed to be on the ropes.

But Pant's innings and his mature partnership with Sundar gave India control of the ring. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD India Shubman Gill lbw b Anderson 0 Rohit Sharma lbw b Stokes 49 Cheteshwar Pujara lbw b Leach 17 Virat Kohli (c) c †Foakes b Stokes 0 Ajinkya Rahane c Stokes b Anderson 27 Rishabh Pant † c Root 101 b Anderson Ravichandran Ashwin c Pope b Leach 13 Washington Sundar not out 60 11 Axar Patel not out Extras (b 8, lb 5, nb 3) 16

TOTAL (94 Ov, RR: 3.12) 294/7 Yet to bat: Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Shubman Gill, 0.3 ov), 2-40 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 23.6 ov), 3-41 (Virat Kohli, 26.4 ov), 4-80 (Ajinkya Rahane, 37.5 ov), 5-121 (Rohit Sharma, 49.6 ov), 6-146 (Ravichandran Ashwin, 58.1 ov), 7-259 (Rishabh Pant, 84.1 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W 20-11-40-3 James Anderson 22-6-73-2 Ben Stokes Jack Leach 23-5-66-2 15-1-56-0 Dom Bess 14-1-46-0 Joe Root

“Tokyo 2020” chief vows to revive public passion for Olympics

“T

okyo 2020” President, Seiko Hashimoto, promised on Friday to revive the Japanese people’s passion for the Summer Olympics, and “turn their concerns into excitement.”

Hashimoto, who took charge of the Games’ Organising Committee two weeks ago, directly addressed low support among the Japanese public for holding the Games during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She told reporters that organisers would do whatever it takes to make the Olympics safe and secure, so that they could gain the confidence of the people, who showed strong support for the Games before the onset of the pandemic last year.

“The people’s passion was there! We want to bring back this feeling, so that we can turn their concerns into excitement and expectations

Seiko Hashimoto, President of the “Tokyo 2020” Organising Committee

for the Summer Games,” said Hashimoto, who had competed in seven Summer and Winter Olympics as a cyclist and a skater. “That requires us to do a good job on safety and security; so, we will do whatever it takes.”

Her remarks contrasted with those of her predecessor,

Yoshiro Mori, who had said that Japan would hold the Games this summer regardless of the situation with the pandemic.

Mori’s remarks had angered many members of the public, who felt he was ignoring their fears about a surge in COVID-19 cases at

the time. Mori resigned last month, after facing fierce criticism for making sexist remarks. Some Games volunteers quit, and some runners withdrew from the torch relay in protest over Mori’s remarks.

Hashimoto has said she would welcome the presence of those who want to return, and she has called participating in the torch relay, which begins on March 25, a “tremendous honour”.

An opinion poll published this week by the Yomiuri newspaper showed 58% of people in Japan oppose holding the Games this year, although that figure was about 20 percentage points lower than had obtained in earlier surveys.

The Olympics are scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8, and the Paralympics are scheduled to be held from August 24 to September 5. (Reuters)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021

BCB 2019 Elizabeth Styles Under-21 finals…

RHT Namilco Thunderbolt Flour, Albion in today's long-awaited clash

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owerhouse teams Albion and Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour are slated to clash in the long-awaited 2019 finals of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Elizabeth Styles Under-21 cricket match today, Saturday March 6, at the Area H Ground in Port Mourant.

The match, which commences at 9:30h, is expected to be highly competitive, as both teams are very strong on paper and there are lots of talented players in both teams.

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said the tournament commenced in 2019 and the final match was set for play in March 2020, but onset of the COVID-19 pandemic had forced its postponement. After obtaining permission of the sponsor, the new date and venue was decided in consultation with the local representative.

The Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt team would be without the services of Captain Kevin Sinclair, who is on international duty with the West Indies. West Indies Under-19 player Kelvon

Anderson would lead that team, being ably supported by Keith Simpson, Slyus Tyndall, Junior Sinclair, Mahendra Gopilall, Jeremy Sandia, Jonathan Rampersaud, Chanderpaul Govindan and Tyreese Sealey.

The Albion team would be led by former national youth player Adrian Sukwah, who is expected to be ably supported by players such as Sarwan Chaitnarine, Mahendra Chaitnarine, Gourav Ramesh, Kelvin Umroa, Antonio Fredricks and Jeetendra Autar.

BCB President Hilbert Foster has said there are 8 final matches to be played off from the suspended 2019/2020 season, and the BCB is seeking to play them off by the end of April because there are plans to host approximately 35 different tournaments in the 2021 season.

The 2021 under-21 tournament would start shortly after this current final has been played, and would be contested by approximately 20 teams in a knockout format.

Canada Softball Bash 10-10 to be played in – winner to pocket Cdn$7,000 early September

T

he victorious team in this year’s Canada Softball Bash (CSB), tentatively set for play in the Labour Day weekend in early September, is set to pocket Cdn $7,000, according to Rajesh Willie, President of Softball Cricket Canada (SCC).

Six teams had participated in the CSB’s inaugural staging in 2020, but Willie is very optimistic that, once all goes well, eight teams would be vying for the top prize later this year. Teams from Guyana are being invited to participate in the CSB. The CSB, a two-day softball extravaganza, was won last year by the Lara X1, which carted off the first prize of Cdn$4,000 and a trophy after defeating the Northern Warriors in a nail-biting final match.

This year, the top team would collect Cdn$7,000 and a trophy, while a monetary prize of Cdn$3,000 and a trophy would again be awarded to the runners-up side.

M o r e o v e r , outstanding individual performers would be awarded encouraging takehome prizes.

Willie described the twod a y event i n 2020 as a huge success despite the COVID-19

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Rajesh Willie

pandemic. The Canada-based Guyanese has said the inaugural staging of the CSB had been arranged to have some fun on the field, and the six participating sides had willingly come on board in this regard. He is anticipating more teams participating in the event this year.

“We want to have 8 teams this year, because there are more players who are interested and would like to participate. And maybe the inclusion of some overseas players as well (would serve to add excitement to the tournament). And that is about giving everyone a chance to be a part of the competition, and also to have every participating team with two under-21 players and one over-50 member,” Willie related.

Willie has reiterated the importance of observing the COVID-19 protocols for participation in the CSB. He has expressed gratitude to the players who participated in last September’s CSB, for observing the restrictions and complying with the protocols during the two days of the tournament both on and off the field.

“For COVID-19, should we give the opportunity to host this competition again, we will try to limit the

number of persons at each ground by having different games at different venues, and ensure that we follow all guidelines set out by the Government of Ontario as they relate to the restrictions. Last year, the players and all who were involved did their best to ensure safety,” Willie informed.

Notably, all matches are slated to be played across the Greater Toronto Area, while the championship game is set for Mississauga.

Willie mentioned that this year’s competition would see more people being involved and that, he said, is the aim of Softball Cricket Canada.

He has said he would like to see more softball leagues coming out and supporting this softball venture. He would like to see more players as well, and more participation from the business community.

Fans are expected to grace the occasion with their presence, he said, a n d added that the CSB should be fascinating from ball one, as an enormous number of high-profile softball players in Canada are expected to be featured.

NOW!

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

President’s T20 Softball Cup…

Parika Defenders highlight tournament with 300+ score

– centuries from Unus Yusuf, Anil Beharry close out day of play

Some of the action at Everest

Anil Beharry scored 104 in a losing effort

By Timothy Jaikarran

S

ome riveting action was witnessed yesterday at various grounds across Georgetown as the first day of the GSCL Inc’s President’s T20 Softball Cup bowled off.

The day was highlighted by many top performances as each team aimed to rack up enough points to book their spot in the semifinals, set for today at 13:00 hrs.

A total of eight matches was played, with six being played at the Everest Cricket Ground and two at the GDF ground in the Masters Category. From those, the results were as follows: At the Everest Cricket Ground, Ariel Masters posted a total of 161 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs, with Fidel Singh top-scoring with 51. This enabled Ariel Masters to defeat Wellman Masters, who mustered a challenging 148 all out, with Rawl Reid ending on 58 not out and the team losing by 13 runs.

Trophy Stall defeated HS

Masters by 53 runs. Batting first, Trophy Stall posted 170 for 3 in 20 overs. Dindiall Lakhan top scored was 93 not out, while Wazir Majid bagged 2/26. In reply, HS Masters could muster only 117 for 9, with Ganpat Gusain top-scoring with 38 as Randolph Ketwaroo picked up 3/24.

Regal Masters beat Corriverton Masters by 8 wickets in a one-sided affair. Corriverton Masters made 189 for 7 in their 20 overs, with David Lukhnauth leading the way with 87. Suruideo Ramdeen picked up 3/48.

Regal replied with a mammoth 190 for 2 in 17.1 overs, with Richard Latif topscoring with 75 and Chien Gittens supporting with 67 not out.

At the GDF ground, Fisherman Masters defeated Better Hope by 2 wickets. Fisherman ended on 129 for 8, chasing down the Better Hope score of 128 all out.

In the afternoon session at Everest, Regal Masters made light work of Better Hope United, winning their encounter by 4 wickets. Better Hope United

GFF honours the memory of late national player Neil “Grizzly” Humphrey

T

he Guyana F o o t b a l l Federation on Friday sent its condolences to the family of former national footballer Neil “Grizzly” Humphrey, who passed away in New Amsterdam last weekend at the age of 65.

The New Amsterdambased Humphrey, with his brother Keith, played for the senior men’s national team during the 1970s.

During his club career, he played for several sides, including Cougars, Caribs, Bermine, and Hearts of Oak. “Grizzly was a largerthan-life character who made a huge impression on football nationally, and in particular in Berbice.

On behalf of the Guyana Football Federation, I would like to send my sincerest heartfelt condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time,” said GFF President Wayne Forde.

After his playing career had ended, Humphrey remained a keen enthusiast, supporter and organiser of football,

participating therein from coaching to refereeing and youth development, including in the Teach Them Young football camps which he ran for more than two decades.

He also served as president of the Hearts of Oak Masters FC and as the local contact for the Overseas Disturbance FC, which is comprised mostly of members of the diaspora from New Amsterdam.

“He will be greatly missed by all, but there is so much to celebrate about his life. He leaves behind an incredible list of achievements in football that have made a permanent mark on his community and beyond,” Forde said. “It is the unsung heroes like Grizzly who make the real difference for the development of young people in our communities.”

posted 68 all out in their 20 overs, Regal ended on 71 for 6 in 10.2 overs. Regal’s principal bowler was Kyume Mohamed, who took 5 for 17.

Wellman Masters whipped Trophy Stall by 60 runs. Batting first, Wellman Masters scored 164 for 6 in 15 overs, with Ernesto King leading the way with 55. In reply, Trophy Stall could afford only 104 for 4 in 15 overs. Top scoring for Wellman was Dindial Lakhan with 38, while Wellman’s principal bowler was Anil Durga, who took 2 for 11.

HS Masters defeated Ariel Masters by 25 runs. HS Masters scored 148 for 4, with Wazir Majid contributing 61 and Keith Fraser supporting with 51. Mark Fung bagged 2/40. In reply, Ariel Masters fell for 123 all out in 14.4 overs.

Meanwhile at the GDF ground, Fisherman Masters beat Corriverton Masters by 39 runs.

Fisherman posted 178 for 9, while Corriverton Masters could score only 139 for 9.

The Legends (050) category

was played at DCC, GYO and MYO. The results for those encounters are: At MYO, Parika Defenders defeated Sunshine State by 207 runs. Parika Defenders posted 311 for 5 off 20 overs. Top scorers were Ramesh Kumar with 82, Ramesh Narine with 75, and Unis Yusuf with 54. In reply, Sunshine State ended on 104 all out.

At DCC, Wellman Legends defeated Enterprise Legends by 8 wickets. Wellman Legends ended on 72 for 2 in 8 overs as they replied to Enterprise Legends’ 70 for 8 in 20 overs.

At DCC, Regal Legends eased past Wellman Masters by 6 runs.

Regal ended on 119 for 7 in 20 overs, despite Gopaul Deen bagging 4/14. This was in reply to Wellman Masters’ 113 for 8 in their 20 overs.

At GYO, Parika Defenders defeated Floodlights by 9 wickets.

Batting first, Parika posted 186 for 1. Top scorers were Unis Yusuf with 101 not out and Ramesh Narine with 66 not out. In reply, Floodlights gave their all, but

Part of the action at MYO

ended on 185 for 3, with Anil Beharry top scoring with 104 not out in a losing effort.

Also picking up victories were: Rockaway Legends, who defeated Enterprise Legends by 4 runs; President's XI, who defeated Floodlights by 6 wickets; and Regal Legends, who dominated Rockaway by 6 wickets.

The Open Category matches were played at the QC ground and the GDF ground. The results are as follows: At QC, Speed Boat won a thrilling encounter by 4 runs.

Speedboat posted 125 for 9 in 19.5 overs. In reply, Regal ended on 121 all out in 18.5 overs.

At GDF ground, Avinash Scrap Metal crushed Essequibo Wild Oats by 103 runs. Avinash posted a mammoth 196 for 8, while Essequibo Wild Oats could post only 93 all out, to lose the match by 103 runs.

Continuing at the QC ground, Speed Boat won by 4 wickets in a match played against Hillfoot Warriors. Speedboat posted 120 for 6 in reply to Hillfoot Warriors’

119 all out.

Ariel then crushed Hillfoot Warriors by 252 runs. Batting first, Ariel made 284 for 7, of which Brian Mangar top- scored with 103. In reply, Hillfoot Warriors ended on 32 all out in 5.3 overs.

In the afternoon session at QC ground, Regal beat Ariel by 7 wickets. Regal ended on 183 for 3 in 16 overs, as Sachin Singh topscored with 90. This was in reply to Ariel All Stars’ 182 for 5 made in 20 overs. Top scoring for Regal was Brian Mangar with 81 not out.

Coss Cutters All Stars defeated Essequibo Wild Oats by 2 wickets. Coss Cutters ended on 131 for 8, made in 17.5 overs in reply to Essequibo Wild Oats’ 130 all out. The chief destroyer of the Essequibo batsmen was Marvin Bobb, with 4/19.

At GDF ground, Xenon All Stars won against Coss Cutters All Stars by 32 runs. Xenon posted 184 all out in 19.5 overs, thanks to Alex Rodrigues contributing 58. In reply, Coss Cutters ended on 152 for 9.

BCB grass-roots tournaments…

Hetmyer Cup, Gordon Challenge Cup to be hosted this weekend

H

aving successfully hosted four grassroots tournaments last weekend, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) would be hosting another three on Sunday as its cricket season continues unabated.

Last weekend, the BCB hosted the following Challenge Cup tournaments at the Fyrish, Chesney, Whim and Kennard Memorial grounds (Bush Lot) respectively: Chattergoon Brothers, Narsingh Deonarine, Nagamootoo Brothers, and Mankarran Singh. In total, 16 clubs participated in those tournaments, and another 12

Tucber Park would have two teams in the contests

would be in action on Sunday as the vibrant BCB pushes on with its effort to bring back the passion for the game at the grassroots level.

West Indies player Shimron Hetmyer and Mrs Nirvani Hetmyer would be sponsoring two Hetmyer Cup tournaments, to be played at the Rose Hall Canje and Young Warriors grounds respectively, while former national player Jeremy Gordon would be sponsoring the Gordon Challenge Cup, to be played at the Edinburgh Ground on the East Bank of Berbice.

The Hetmyer Cup tournament that would be

played at Rose Hall Canje would involve the Rose Hall Canje team, the Goed Bananen Land team, Betsy Ground team, and Pathfinders CC; while the one to be played at the Young Warriors venue would involve the home team, Flying Stars, Mt Sinai and Tucber Park B teams.

Edinburgh, Tucber Park A, Guymine and East Bank Blazers are the teams that would be playing in the Gordon Challenge Cup. Among the players expected to be on show are Isai Thorne, Joel Sietaram, Sasenarine Sukhu, Garfield Benjamin, Jamal LaFleur, Suresh Dhanai, Kishan Gangaram, Gorshan Barran,

Philbert Wilburg and Deonarine Seepersaud.

BCB President Hilbert Foster has said that a total of 10 grassroots tournaments would be played across the county with the objectives of allowing minor clubs the opportunity of winning a title, reviving passion for the game, and identifying new talents for further development.

Teams are reminded that all their players have to be attired in white, and must bring their own drinking water, lunch, face mask and hand sanitizers. Social distancing would be observed, and no spectator would be allowed in the venue.

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021

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

Sri Lanka spinners rout West Indies to level T20I series

Pathum Nissanka playing a slog sweep

W

est Indies went down by 43 runs in the second T20 International against Sri Lanka, played at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

The Sri Lanka spinners routed the West Indies team for 117 runs made in 18.4 overs as the West Indies tried to chase down 161 for victory.

Sri Lanka had earlier posted a strong score of 160-6 in 20 overs, with Danushka Gunathilaka scoring a well-played 56 and fellow opener Pathum Nissanka scoring 37 after winning the toss and opting to bat first. They also added an extra spinner to the starting XI, while the West Indies went into the contest with an unchanged team.

This win has been significant for Sri Lanka, ending their losing streak of 9 defeats.

Openers Gunathilaka and Nissanka contributed 95 runs in 10.2 overs. The champion Dwayne Bravo effected a run-out, and then quickly restricted Sri Lanka to 119-4. Gunathilaka’s 42-ball 56 was decorated with four boundaries and two sixes, while Nissanka made a 23-ball 37.

Young Ashen Bandra made 21 as Bravo ended with 2-25 in his four overs, and Jason Holder and Obed Mc Coy each took one wicket.

In response, the Sri Lanka spinners made webs around the West Indies batsmen. Evin Lewis went for six when the score was at 9-1, and Chris Gayle departed for a run-a-ball 16 to leave the West Indies at 45-2 in 6.1 overs.

Wickets fell at regular intervals, and captain Angelo Mathews made the right calls at the right time. Lendl Simmons, after scoring 21, departed at 48-3, while Holder was out for nine at 60-4.

Things continued downhill for West Indies, as the batsmen played some poor shots. Bravo played a nothing shot and was out for two, while Nicholas Pooran, playing across the line, was bowled for eight. Fabian Allen, who survived a leg-before call earlier, fell for 12, and captain Kieon Pollard, attempting to absorb pressure, found things too hot to handle.

When Pollard departed at 93-8, all hope was lost, but McCoy hit a blazing 23 from seven balls while the West Indies stumbled to 117 all out when Kevin Sinclair (03) was the final man removed.

L a k s h a n Sandakan had 3-10, while “player of the match” Wanindu Hasaranga had 3-17.

West Indies Innings Sri Lanka Innings The final match of the Lendl Simmons

Danushka Gunathilaka c series is set for Sunday Sinclair b Bravo 56 lbw b de Silva 21 March 7 from 18:00h.

Sri Lanka celebrating a wicket

SCOREBOARD

Dwayne Bravo bowled well for West Indies

Sri Lanka openers had a great start

Pathum Nissanka run out (Bravo) 37 Dinesh Chandimal c Simmons b Bravo 3 Angelo Mathews (c) c 13 Holder b McCoy Ashen Bandara c Simmons b Holder 21 Thisara Perera run out (McCoy/Holder) 2 PWH de Silva not out 19 Niroshan Dickwella † not out 0 Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 6) 9 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 8.00) 160/6 Yet to bat: Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera, Lakshan Sandakan Fall of wickets: 1-95 (Pathum Nissanka, 10.2 ov), 2-96 (Danushka Gunathilaka, 10.5 ov), 3-104 (Dinesh Chandimal, 12.5 ov), 4-119 (Angelo Mathews, 15.3 ov), 5-129 (Thisara Perera, 16.4 ov), 6-154 (Ashen Bandara, 19.2 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Fidel Edwards 2-0-19-0 Kevin Sinclair 4-0-32-0 Jason Holder 4-0-36-1 Obed McCoy 4-0-34-1 Dwayne Bravo 4-0-25-2 Fabian Allen 2-0-11-0

Evin Lewis b Dananjaya 6 Chris Gayle c Bandara b de Silva 16 Nicholas Pooran † b Chameera 8 Jason Holder c Dananjaya b Gunathilaka 9 Dwayne Bravo c Mathews b Chameera 2 Kieron Pollard (c) c Chandimal b Sandakan 13 Fabian Allen lbw b de Silva 12 Kevin Sinclair c Nissanka b Sandakan 3 Obed McCoy b Sandakan 23 Fidel Edwards not out 1 Extras (lb 1, nb 2) 3 TOTAL (18.4 Ov, RR: 6.26) 117 Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Evin Lewis, 2.5 ov), 2-45 (Chris Gayle, 6.1 ov), 3-48 (Lendl Simmons, 6.5 ov), 4-60 (Jason Holder, 8.3 ov), 5-65 (Dwayne Bravo, 10.1 ov), 6-66 (Nicholas Pooran, 10.5 ov), 7-89 (Fabian Allen, 15.2 ov), 8-93 (Kieron Pollard, 16.5 ov), 9-116 (Obed McCoy, 18.1 ov), 10-117 (Kevin Sinclair, 18.4 ov) O-M-R-W BOWLING Akila Dananjaya 4-0-13-1 Dushmantha Chameera 4-0-26-2 2-0-42-0 Thisara Perera PWH de Silva 4-0-17-3 Lakshan Sandakan 3.4-0-10-3 Danushka Gunathilaka 1-0-8-1

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