64 minute read
Boys, 17 arrested for shooting at cops
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM 2 women succumb to COVID, cases rise by 92
– active cases surpass 500
The Health Ministry on Friday reported that two women who had tested positive for COVID-19 have succumbed, thus bringing to 231 the total number of deaths by this disease in Guyana.
One of these two women is a 37-year-old from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and the other is a 79-yearold from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). They both died on May 18, and their vaccination status is unknown.
A whopping figure of 92 new infections accompanies the report of these fatalities on Friday, and confirmed cases have climbed to 64,174. From just a few daily cases being reported last month, the pandemic has taken a deadly turn locally. New statistics provided by the Ministry have shown that 504 persons are in isolation, two are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 25 are in institutional isolation, and four are in institutional quarantine.
An analysis of these new cases shows them dispersed among six administrative regions, with four being in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam); seven in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); 56 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); five in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); 17 in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) and three in Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Upper Berbice).
Of those who had been infected by this disease -- 29,395 males and 34,466 females -- 62,315 persons have since recovered; the recovery rate in Guyana is approximately 97.5 per cent.
The most recent vaccination figures in Guyana indicate that over 441,000 first doses and 340,500 second doses have been administered to adults. This is approximately 86 per cent and 66.4 per cent respectively of that demographic. For children aged 12 to 17, more than 25,000, or 34.7 per cent, are completely vaccinated. Booster coverage has surpassed 63,000 doses.
These numbers have been stagnant within the
Rape survivor says she expected more love, comfort, care from her mother
…feels satisfied perpetrator was found guilty
Child rapist Aduke Josiah
An 18-year-old woman who is the survivor of adolescent rape told the Demerara High Court on Thursday that she expected more love, comfort, and care from her mother after the traumatic incident.
“When he raped me, I was just 15. I felt very painful and ashamed; I also felt very depressed. This incident left me feeling shameful with all the people that found out about my story…” the young woman shared in a victim impact statement.
The man she spoke of is 36-year-old Aduke Josiah of Plum Park, Sophia, Greater Georgetown. Josiah was found guilty of child rape last month by a 12-member jury after a trial before Justice Priya SewnarineBeharry. The prosecution’s case is that the teen was left in Josiah’s care when he raped her on April 8, 2018. Following the incident, the teen informed her mother who made a report to the Police.
The rape survivor said that no one knew of the conflict raging inside of her until she was given a chance to tell her story to the court. In fact, it was the most horrifying experience for her.
She expressed, “It left a mark of pain in my heart to know that my maiden was taken by someone it didn’t belong to. I learned to cope my best with my family not wanting to talk about this incident at all. It was very hard; it was not easy at all for me.”
The love and care she expected from her mother were not forthcoming. Although her mother was aware of what happened to her, the teenager shared that her mother would constantly abuse her. “…It was very abusive as a mother to a daughter. I expected more love, comfort, care, and protection but instead, I was verbally, physically, and emotionally abused,” she said.
Nevertheless, she added that her heart is at peace and her mind is relaxed and calm now that she has told her story to the court. Though it took her four years to receive justice, the woman said that she feels satisfied because Josiah took something from her that did not belong to him.
“He made me live with that memory repeating over and over in my head every day of my life.
This is an incident that affected me emotionally, physically, and mentally for many days. I will not eat, lashing out at others, feeling depressed and crying having this memory repeating over and over in my head that I will never forget.”
Josiah will be sentenced next Tuesday.
GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD
MAY 20, 2022 UPDATE
NUMBER OF NEW CASES
NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION
NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION 92
25
504
NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU
NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE
TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)
TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)
TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020 2
4
34,643
29,531
64,174
NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES 62,412
TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED 441,071
FULLY IMMUNISED 340,572
TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS 1231
DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020
REGION 1 2520
REGION 2 2522
REGION 3 8131
REGION 4 31,819
REGION 5 2398
REGION 6 5944
REGION 7 2426
REGION 8 886
REGION 9 4043
REGION 10 3485
HERE IS HOW YOU CAN BE SAFE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Wear a face mask.
Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.
Wash your hands or use handsanitizer
If you have any symptoms, call the COVID-19 Hotline.
GET MEDICAL ADVICE ON COVID-19 FROM MOH 24/7 HOTLINE NUMBERS: 2311166; 226 7480; 624 6674; 624 2819; 624 3067 OR 180/181.
past weeks, and authorities are urging Guyanese to get their immunity boosted.
The World Health Organization has published its latest comprehensive set of World Health Statistics up to the year 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to an estimated 4.5 million excess deaths in that year. These disruptions are likely to set back global progress on both life expectancy and healthy life expectancy made in the first 20 years of the century. If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotlines: 231-1166, 2267480, or 624-6674 immediately, or visit www.health. gov.gy.
Global figures show that almost 517.6 million people have tested positive for the virus, and 6.2 million have died. In the Americas, more than 154.2 million confirmed cases have been reported, with over 2.7 million deaths.
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM 5 youths get cash grants from IDPADA-G to fund business ventures
Winners of IDPADA-G Youth Committee’s Second Annual Invest-A-Thon/Pitch Competition
Five youths were awarded, on Friday, with cash grants from the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly – Guyana (IDPADA-G) to invest in their businesses.
Clinton Samuels of COBBEC Vision received $500,000; Earlecia Hieronymo of Khayr Organics - $250,000; Brian Smith of Dragonfly Geospatial Aerial Productions - $150,000; Jermaine Hall of Country Boy Farming Supplies - $75,000; and Delon Simpson of Kukki Aquaculture - $50,000.
The young business owners were the top five winners of IDPADA-G Youth Committee’s Second Annual Invest-A-Thon/Pitch Competition, which ran for a 3-week period and ended on May 1. 54 youths from across Guyana with businesses and ideas needing investment opportunities applied to take part in the competition, from which 20 were selected to advance to a preliminary round to pitch their businesses in front of a panel of judges, after which the top 5 winners were selected based on their scores submitted by the judges.
At the prize-giving ceremony held at the secretariat of IDPADA-G on Friday, Chair of the Youth Committee, Ascena Jacobs explained that the initiative was birthed after realising the lack of access to funding opportunities for start-up businesses.
“We know businesses have a hard time, especially young people, acquiring capital from the bank to start their business. Some persons may not have an established business, but they have an idea and are not able to take that idea off the ground without money. So, this initiative was birthed because of that. Awarding winning contestants cash prizes to take their businesses to the next level, or take their business idea off the ground,” Jacobs said.
In his remarks, Chairman of IDPADA-G, Vincent Alexander said that the Invest-A-Thon/Pitch Competition falls within the mandate of the work of IDPADA-G, since it fits neatly into the theme of the Decade “Recognition, Justice & Development”. He charged the winners to be further inspired, to continue the course which they have embarked on, and commit to sustaining their businesses for future generations.
IDPADA-G has committed to providing further support for the participants through mentorship and coaching to develop their businesses.
“Separately and apart from the award of prizes, IDPADA-G’s Youth Committee and IDPADA-G at large, will find ways and means in which we will continue to work with all of the contestants so that we can continue to provide them with the kind of inspiration to do what they have embarked on. And as people of African descent, to attempt to inculcate the right disposition towards business, and to understand that business is not about early gratification… We are undoubtedly talented, we undoubtedly have ideas, we undoubtedly are industrious. Sometimes the aspect of gratification can be a source of problem,” Alexander said.
Samuels, who is the firstplace winner of the competition, said that the competition was an opportunity of his lifetime and the training received has helped him to nurture his business and bring it to the stage front.
Meanwhile, Hieronymo, the second-place winner said her participation has now enabled her to muster up the courage and confidence to present herself to investors.
“The feedback from the judges, the feedback from the crowd, has allowed me to assess my pitch deck and to tweak the areas I needed to tweak so that being presented with another opportunity to pitch my business and pitch myself, I know exactly what to say and what to do. It gave me the upper hand to access financing for business because, with the experience, I can say I’m already a pro pitcher,” she said.
Simpson, the fifth-place winner, whose business is aquaculture focused, said that the experience, more so the advice from the judges, opened his eyes to focus on the business aspect of his operations. The knowledge, he said, will be applied to his business going forward.
Many members of the public lauded the initiative, echoing the importance of empowering youths of African descent in Guyana.
The International Decade for People of African Descent 2015-2024 was proclaimed by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly under the theme “People of African descent: recognition, justice, and development”. The Youth Committee seeks to create initiatives such as these, to empower African youths and provide them with access to opportunities that will aid in their development.
GNBS to digitise measurements with $12.5M metrology portal
Celebrating World Meteorological Day 2022 under the theme “Metrology in the Digital Era”, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has launched a metrology portal in an attempt to digitise the way the Bureau gathers information on measurement.
This new system will create a much easier flow of information gathering for the GNBS and steer the company into the digitised era. The metrology portal will increase efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of accurate and reliable measurement services.
The portal essentially digitises the services offered by the Legal Metrology and Industrial Metrology & Testing Services Departments of the Bureau, reducing the need for the manual completion of checklists and other paper-based methods of conducting business.
This portal allows stakeholders - from the comfort of their homes or at any location - to request metrology services, at any time while promoting an environmentally friendly paper-free approach.
This is according to the Head of the Legal Metrology Department, Shailendra Rai.
“The main objectives of developing the metrology portal are to transform the operations of the legal metrology service department and the industrial and testing department from a paper-based system to a fully digital system. And this is basically in keeping with our theme this year for World Meteorology Day. It also would increase the operational efficiency of the departments in the provision of verification and calibration services and also improve interactions between the GNBS and its customers,” Rai said in his remarks at the launching ceremony.
He added that previously with the paper-based system, a form was used to compile the relevant information.
“With the implementation of this portal, we’re now able to input the information digitally into the portal and it also makes provision for the acquisition of more detailed information which would be critical for the Bureau in the provision of verification and calibration services. And also, it helps to capture more information as well, on the types and the different levels of measuring instruments used by our clients.”
Further, he explained that the new operating system would play a key role in the scheduling of inspections. He said that with the portal’s help, inspections would be scheduled digitally and more effectively.
“In addition to that, we have the scheduling of verification activities. Previously, similar with the paper-based system, you used to write on a form, we would schedule inspectors and on the day in questions, we would instruct the inspectors who would do what activities. With the new digital system or the portal, inspectors are now programmed in advance. As soon as the client call and they make a request and we prepare, we input that information, we assign the inspector to the task,” Rai explained.
Though the system is up and readily available for GNBS clients, the company is working on making advancements to the system.
According to the head of the industrial meteorology and testing department, Donna Canterbury, the GNBS has already started working on advancing the portal with the intention to have payment options on the system. Republic Bank point-of-sale system, Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) and PayPal are all the electronic online payment methods being considered by the Bureau.
Legal Metrology Department Head Shailendra Rai
Boys, 17, 15, arrested...FROM PAGE 14
After several minutes of giving chase, the ranks managed to apprehend the two males on the black motorcycle: a 17-year-old from Tucville Squatting Area, Georgetown, and a 15-yearold from South Sophia, Greater Georgetown.
A search conducted on the suspects unearthed an air gun in the 17-year-old’s possession. A wound suspected to be inflicted by gunshot was also seen on the teen’s lower right foot. He was accordingly escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital to seek medical attention.
The 15-year-old lad is also presently in Police custody, assisting with investigations.
Meanwhile, Police said on the same day they received reports that a Brazilian national was robbed in the vicinity of Eping Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown by four males on two motorcycles.
Reports are the victim, Francesco Alves De Arujo Junior, a 28-year-old business administrator is currently staying at Roraima Inn located at Eping Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. He was robbed of $3000.
Police stated that the victim arrived in Guyana on Tuesday and was heading to Eping Avenue after purchasing a meal from the nearby Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).
While in the vicinity of Roraima Inn, he was confronted by the four perpetrators.
The two pillion riders immediately dismounted the motorcycles, and one was armed with a knife which he placed to the victim’s neck. He then relieved the victim of his cash, after which they made good their escape on the said motorcycles.
The victim subsequently made a report to the Alberttown Police Station. While there, he identified the 15-year-old suspect who was in Police custody at the said Police station in relation to the shooting of the officers, as one of the suspects who robbed him.
It is suspected that after robbing the Brazilian national, the suspects came face to face with the cops, and tried to make good their escape.
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM GOAL scholarship extended to women in maritime for years of service
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill with women in maritime
Thirty-five women in the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Transport and Harbours Department who were celebrated for their 25 years of service have been offered scholarships through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) for further self-development.
This year women in maritime are, for the first time, being celebrated for their active contribution to the sector. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) last year declared May 18 as “International Day for Women in Maritime”.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “TrainingVisibility-Recognition: Supporting a barrier-free working environment”.
At the celebratory ceremony, Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill committed to ensuring that the women are provided with the opportunity to receive training. He said, “the Government has a policy position where training and self-development is important,” as he encouraged women to keep breaking barriers.
“Empowering women is making a difference in our country. There was a time where women were owned by men and we had to break those barriers. We have women who have broken the glass ceiling, and we have to continue to empower women into that path. When you elevate yourselves, it is just not just you, it is the whole society that is being elevated.”
Minister Edghill further elaborated on the significant role women played in the maritime department over the years. He said, “you are not weak; you are not insignificant. I can say on behalf of the PPP/C Government, you are recognised, valued and we celebrate you for the role you have been playing and continue to play for the success of maritime affairs in Guyana.”
Government, through the Public Works Ministry, has resumed the cadet programme, of which 50 per cent of the enrolment figure will be women. This measure is implemented to ensure gender equality in the maritime department.
Minister within the
Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar also recognised and applauded the women for their unwavering contribution, and commitment to Guyana’s maritime sector.
“I am very proud of this gathering, very, very proud. It takes some amount of fortitude. Since 2015, the maritime space in Guyana became valuable, and the maritime jobs became more lucrative outside of Government. All of the tier one and the subcontractors; all of the maritime operators, everybody is looking for persons with experience in the sector. You guys did not pick up and you left, you stayed and you served Government and continue to do so with distinction. We are very proud of this team, very, very proud and it is led by women.
“I believe with all of you in Transport and Harbour and in MARAD you would have kept those organisations glued together very strong. And I want to thank you from the Government’s side, and from my side too, personally staying on, making sure that we charter all of the stormy waters in the past. This is a time of glory.”
All of the women were awarded with a token of appreciation for their contributions to the Transport and Harbours Department and the MARAD.
Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill handing over a token to a woman in maritime Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, handing over a token to a woman in maritime
US$190M contract signed for construction...
FROM PAGE 10
Regarding the construction of a bridge across the Kurupukari crossing, which forms part of the trail, the Public Works Minister has said there are several options being considered by the Government.
Meanwhile, Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, delivering the feature address at the ceremony, re-emphasised that Government continues to work diligently and tirelessly to transform the economic and physical landscape of Guyana, and this catalytic road project is another demonstration of the Government’s commitment to expediting this transformation.
“This project is part of a much wider and more comprehensive plan… We want you to be able to ultimately drive from Paramaribo to Corriverton, to Georgetown, to Linden, to Lethem, to Bon Fim, to Boa Vista and beyond. Not just as a joyride, but our vision for Guyana is one where, if you are a farmer producing produce in Linden, you must be able to load up your produce and drive unimpeded to Lethem to sell it.”
According to Dr Singh, the same goes for any other sector, including the manufacturing industry in Guyana.
The Senior Finance Minister recalled the rigorous process in mobilising resources for this project. “It wasn’t easy to get here,” he posited.
On the other hand, British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, explained that funding for this Linden-to-Mabura Hill Road is part of the £300 million UK CIPF initiative from which eight countries, including Guyana, have benefited from funding for climate-resilient projects.
“[This] is the biggest project within the Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund. It is also the biggest project within the Caribbean Development Bank,” she stated.
Having traversed the current Linden-to-Lethem trail several times, the British envoy underscored the ease of travel that this road will bring when it is completed.
“I don’t need to tell you how transformative turning that into an all-weather will be. And that is the reason why this project has been chosen. So, the Caribbean Development Bank, with the Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund, is looking to find projects which are going to be economically transformative, but also those that promote climate resilience. And for this road, we all know that this needs to be a climate-resilient road,” Miller noted.
She added that the road will also be economically transformative for sectors such as mining and forestry, as well as provide easy access for hinterland communities, thus improving social lives.
Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, in brief remarks, reminded that this project was conceptualised under the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government, and further reiterated the administration’s commitment to finishing the entire project from Mabura Hill to Lethem.
Also attending the ceremony were the Chief Executive Officer of GOInvest, Dr Peter Ramsaroop and leaders of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
The Linden-to-Mabura Road forms part of the Government’s transport infrastructure integrated development plan, which includes a new high-span bridge across the Demerara River and the bridge across the Corentyne River linking Guyana and Suriname. The development of this all-weather road will bolster trade and commerce to unlock the vast opportunities in linking Guyana with Brazil. The improved road network will also support ease of travel, the transport of goods, and the provision of services between hinterland communities and Georgetown.
This project is the first link of the highway between Linden and Lethem, and is the first segment of the approximately 450-kilometre roadway.
In February last, the Caribbean Development Bank issued its no-objection for negotiations to commence, with the most responsive bidder, Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A. from Brazil, being awarded the contract for the upgrading of the road.
Ten contractors were prequalified, and after a thorough evaluation process, the Brazilian company was found to be the most responsive bid, indicating full compliance with all environmental, social, health and safety requirements.
Construtora Queiroz Galvao S.A is a large Brazilian Contractor, established in 1966 and specialising in the construction of refineries, roads, bridges, commercial offices, residential buildings, highways and sewage systems worldwide.
Unveiling of a plaque ahead of construction of the Linden-to-Mabura Hill Road
Regional
Ecuador tribunal orders former Vice President back to prison
Ecuadorean Vice President Jorge Glas attending a trial for alleged corruption by case Odebrecht at the National Court of Justice in Quito, November 24, 2017
An Ecuadorean tribunal on Friday ordered former Vice President 2020 of using money from contractors to fund campaigns for the political moveJorge Glas, who served fourand-a-half years in prison on a bribery conviction, to immediately return to jail, annulling a decision that freed him last month.
Glas was sentenced to jail in 2017 after a court found him guilty of receiving bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht in return for giving the firm state contracts.
He was also convicted in ment of former President Rafael Correa. Glas was released in early April after a court in coastal Santa Elena backed a habeas corpus petition saying his well-being was at risk. But a higher court in the same province annulled that decision after a petition from the SNAI prison agency, which argued that procedural errors mean Glas must serve the rest of his sentences for the convictions.
“The immediate locating, capture and transfer of citizen Jorge David Glas Espinel to the social-regional rehabilitation centre Sierra Centro Norte Cotopaxi is decreed,” the Santa Elena Justice Court said in a statement.
Glas’ lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the Interior Ministry said it would comply with the court order.
Glas’ first conviction carries a 6-year sentence. His conviction in the second case - where Correa was also sentenced - carries an 8-year term.
Correa has said the convictions are political persecution and is fighting extradition from Belgium, where he has lived since he left office.
“Evil has once again triumphed, but the definitive victory will be ours. Never doubt it,” Correa wrote on Twitter. “Jorge, please, resist.” (Excerpt from Reuters) Leftist Colombian presidential candidate Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla vowing to tackle grating inequality, held a big lead ahead of the May 29 vote, a poll showed late on Thursday, though center-right rival Federico Gutierrez saw an uptick in support.
Petro, who was the mayor of Bogota between 2012 and 2015, had 40.6 per cent support, according to pollster Invamer. That is three percentage points lower than what he had in an April 22 poll.
Gutierrez, the former mayor of Colombia’s second-biggest city Medellin,
US tags Cuba as uncooperative in counter-terrorism efforts
The Biden Administration on Friday once again placed Cuba on a shortlist of countries the United States alleges are “not cooperating fully” in its fight against “terrorism”, further inflaming tensions with the Caribbean island nation.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in an assessment on “antiterrorism efforts” published Friday in the US Federal Register, named Cuba among five countries – along with Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and Syria – that the US Government said fall short of its expectations.
The Department of State is required by law to provide this list annually to the US Congress.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez anticipated the move on Thursday, calling a draft notice from May 11 signed by Blinken “one more lie” coming from Washington.
“The United States again maintains the slander of saying that Cuba doesn’t cooperate sufficiently in the fight against terrorism,” Rodriguez said on Twitter on Thursday, calling it a “pretext to continue an unceasing economic war universally repudiated”.
Relations between Washington and Havana have been fraught for decades and were dealt a setback by former President Donald Trump who in June 2017 reversed an historic rapprochement begun under his predecessor, former President Barack Obama.
Trump later designated Cuba a “state sponsor of terrorism” days before leaving office. Critics called that decision unjustified and aimed at complicating incoming President Joe Biden’s approach to Cuba.
Bottom of Form
Last year, Havana’s crackdown on street protests during the height of the coronavirus pandemic prompted Biden, who condemned the crackdown, to impose new sanctions on Cuba. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Sons of ex-Panama President to be sentenced on US money laundering charges
Two sons of former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli will be sentenced on Friday in a US court for their roles in helping launder millions of dollars in bribe payments Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht made to a high-ranking Panamanian official.
Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of between 9 and 11 years for Ricardo Martinelli, 43, who shares the same name as his father, and Luis Martinelli, 40.
The case stems from Odebrecht’s own 2016 guilty plea to bribery and money laundering charges related to the payment of more than $700 million in bribes to officials across Latin America to win contracts.
The Martinelli brothers pleaded guilty last year to charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering. US authorities say they established offshore bank accounts in the names of shell companies to receive bribe payments Odebrecht made while their father was president from 2009 to 2014.
Prosecutors argued in court papers this month that their recommended sentences for both men would demonstrate that people “who cheat and steal from their own people to enrich themselves, and profit from the same, will be held accountable.”
Both men, who were extradited to the United States from Guatemala, have requested sentences of time served, meaning they would spend no more time in custody. Lawyers for each of the brothers argued they should be credited for the nearly two years they spent in jail in Guatemala. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Colombian leftist Petro holds lead in presidential race, poll shows
has 27.1 per cent support, up from the 26.7 per cent he got in April.
If no one wins more than 50 per cent in the first round of voting and the two men head to a June run-off, Petro would win 52.7 per cent against 44.2 per cent for Gutierrez, the survey showed.
Petro has pledged to stop all new oil development and redistribute pension savings, while Gutierrez has promised better salaries and cuts to inefficient Government spending.
Independent candidate Rodolfo Hernandez, also a former mayor, saw a significant leap in first-round support - jumping to 20.9 per cent from 13.9 per cent in April.
Hernandez, a businessman from the city of Bucaramanga who casts himself as the anti-corruption candidate, has attracted attention for his whimsical uploads to social media site TikTok.
In a run-off between Petro and Hernandez, the leftist would win 50 per cent to 47.4 per cent for his opponent, the poll showed.
Support for centrist Sergio Fajardo fell from 6.5 per cent to 5.1 per cent support.
More than 39 million Colombians are eligible to vote in the election. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Brazil’s Bolsonaro calls Musk’s Twitter bid a ‘breath of hope’
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro called Elon Musk’s proposed takeover of Twitter Inc a “breath of hope” as the two met in Brazil on Friday, adding he hoped the US billionaire would help end the “lies” about his widely criticised stewardship of the Amazon rainforest.
Bolsonaro and Musk, the CEO of electric carmaker Tesla Inc and rocket company SpaceX, met to discuss rural internet connectivity and monitoring of the Amazon. The meeting comes at a sensitive time for both men.
Bolsonaro faces an uphill battle to get re-elected in the October, and has become increasingly isolated on the global stage, while Musk was on Thursday accused of sexual harassment in a news report - an allegation he denies.
Bolsonaro, a far-right nationalist, has blasted major social media platforms for their efforts to combat disinformation, including taking down his baseless comments linking COVID-19 vaccines to developing AIDS. Musk, who Bolsonaro called a “legend of liberty,” has vowed to defend free speech on Twitter.
Bolsonaro has been globally condemned for advocating more mining and farming in the Amazon and for Brazil’s environmental backsliding. Recent satellite data show deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon has surged to a 15-year high under Bolsonaro.
Speaking alongside Musk at an upscale hotel in the countryside near Sao Paulo, Bolsonaro hailed the billionaire’s bid for Twitter, saying “it was like a breath of hope.”
“We need, and are counting on Elon Musk for the Amazon to be known by all in Brazil and the world, to show ... how we have protected it, and how much harm is caused by those who spread lies about that region,” he told a news conference. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Argentina found guilty of massacre of Qom and Moqoit people
A woman holding an Indigenous Wiphala flag during the trial in Buenos Aires, Argentina on May 10
Alandmark criminal trial in Argentina has found the state guilty of the massacre of more than 400 Indigenous people nearly a century ago.
The Qom and Moqoit communities had been protesting inhumane living and working conditions on a cotton plantation when authorities shot them dead in 1924.
Until now, no responsibility had ever been officially acknowledged.
A Judge has now ordered historical reparations to be awarded to the communities.
The Qom and Moqoit peoples in Argentina’s northern Chaco region were living partly-enslaved on a plantation settled by immigrant farmers from Europe.
They were underfed, paid with vouchers, taxed for the cotton they harvested and were mostly denied the freedom of movement, the Buenos Aires Times reports, citing court documents.
According to survivor accounts, many children and elderly people died in the massacre, AFP reports. And those who were wounded and could not escape were killed “in the cruellest form possible with mutilations and burials in common graves,” Judge Zunilda Niremperger said.
A Federal Judge had previously ruled the mass killings a crime against humanity, but no criminal trial had ever been held because the defendants had already died.
But on Thursday, after a month of hearings, a guilty verdict was delivered.
“The massacre provoked grave consequences, [those people] suffered the trauma of terror and were uprooted with the loss of their language and their culture,” Judge Niremperger is quoted as saying in the Buenos Aires Times.
The reparations ordered by the Judge include the massacre being added to Argentina’s school syllabus and continuing forensic efforts to find the victims’ remains. No financial reparations were sought. (Excerpt from BBC News)
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2022
19 Around the World
OILNEWS
‘Cruel summer’: Oil set to muster fourth straight weekly gain
Oil appears set to muster a fourth straight weekly gain as product markets remained tight amid strong demand, eclipsing concerns about an economic slowdown that have roiled financial markets.
West Texas Intermediate futures traded near US$113 a barrel and are heading for the best run of weekly increases since midFebruary. Rising demand for motor fuels and shrinking inventories ahead of the summer driving season underscored a fundamentally tight oil market even as broader economic fears shook equity markets. US retail gasoline and diesel prices surged to record levels.
“There continues to be a disconnect between the risk financial markets associate with crude financial assets and the physical market that is trying to digest SPR releases to meet product demand,” said Rebecca Babin, senior energy trader at CIBC Private Wealth Management. “This dichotomy keeps markets fragmented and volatile – it could end up being a cruel summer for energy traders.”
Crude has surged almost 50 per cent this year, also helped along by Russia’s assault on Ukraine that sent shock waves through markets. While the US and UK have announced bans on Russian exports, flows to Asia have picked up. China is seeking to replenish strategic stockpiles with cheap Russian oil even as officials grapple to suppress COVID-19 outbreaks. India has also boosted purchases.
There were mixed signals from China on Friday. While banks cut a key interest rate for long-term loans by a record to bolster a slowing economy, Shanghai found the first cases of COVID-19 outside quarantine in six days. It raises questions on whether the easing of the city’s lockdown will be impacted. WTI for June delivery rose 4 cents to US$112.25 a barrel at 10:26 am in New York. WTI for July, which has greater volume and open interest, rose 10 cents to US$109.99. Brent for July rose 14 cents to US$112.18 a barrel. The global benchmark’s prompt spread, the difference between its two nearest contracts, widened as much as US$2.45 in backwardation — a bullish pattern — compared with US$1.80 a week ago
Traders are also keeping a close eye on refined products market, as a global crunch on inventories coincides with entering the summer driving season. On Wednesday, US crude data revealed continued market tightness with gasoline inventories falling to the lowest since December and a pickup in demand.
Oil’s jump has contributed to the fastest inflation in decades, prompting the US Federal Reserve to vow that it’ll go on raising interest rates until there are clear signs that price pressures are easing. That’s spurred wild shifts in investors’ appetite for risk, swinging equity, bond and commodity markets. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
“We are going to die”: Sri Lanka warns of food shortages
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister has warned of a food shortage as the island nation battles a devastating economic crisis and vowed the Government will buy enough fertiliser for the next planting season to boost productivity.
A decision in April last year by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to ban all chemical fertilisers drastically cut yields and although the Government has reversed the ban, no substantial imports have yet taken place.
Sri Lanka is facing a dire shortage of foreign exchange, fuel and medicines, and economic activity has slowed to a crawl. "There is no point in talking about how hard life is," said APD Sumanavathi, a 60-year-old woman selling fruit and vegetables in the Pettah market in Colombo, the commercial capital, on Friday. "I can't predict how things will be in two months, at this rate we might not even be here.
The central bank governor said on Thursday foreign exchange had been secured from a World Bank loan and remittances to pay for fuel and cooking gas shipments, but supplies are still to flow through.
Inflation hit 29.8 per cent in April with food prices up 46.6 per cent year-on-year.
As anger against the Government spread, Police fired tear gas and water canon to push back hundreds of student protesters in Colombo on Thursday. The protesters are demanding the ouster of the President as well as the Prime Minister.
Sri Lanka's economic crisis has come from the confluence of the COVID-19 pandemic battering the tourism-reliant economy, rising oil prices and populist tax cuts by the Government of President Rajapaksa and his brother, Mahinda, who resigned as Prime Minister last week. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Struggling in Ukraine, Russia paves way to sign up over-40s for army
In a sign of Russia's urgent need to bolster its war effort in Ukraine, Parliament said on Friday it would consider a Bill to allow Russians over 40 and foreigners over 30 to sign up for the military.
The website of the State Duma, Parliament's Lower House, said the move would enable the military to utilise the skills of older professionals. "For the use of high-precision weapons, the operation of weapons and military equipment, highly professional specialists are needed. Experience shows that they become such by the age of 40–45," it said.
Currently, only Russians aged 18-40 and foreigners aged 18-30 can enter into a first contract with the military.
Russia has suffered huge setbacks and heavy losses of men and equipment in the 86-day-old war, in which Ukraine has mobilised practically its entire adult male population. Despite taking full control of the ruins of Mariupol, Moscow remains far from its objective of seizing all of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. "Clearly, the Russians are in trouble. This is the latest attempt to address manpower shortages without alarming their own population. But it is growing increasingly difficult for the Kremlin to disguise their failures in Ukraine," said retired US General Ben Hodges, a former commander of US Army forces in Europe.
Separately, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday that Russia was forming 12 military units in its western military district in response to rising threats there, citing NATO membership bids by Finland and Sweden. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Russian service members march during a parade on Victory Day, which marks the 77th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Red Square in central Moscow, Russia May 9, 2022
Symptoms of monkeypox include a rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion
Monkeypox cases investigated in Europe, US, Canada and Australia
Cases of monkeypox are being investigated in several European countries as well as the US, Canada and Australia, according to health authorities and local media reports.
The new cases were reported in Belgium, France, Australia and Germany.
This follows infections confirmed in Italy, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, the US, Canada and the UK - where the first European case was reported.
Monkeypox is most common in remote parts of Central and West Africa.
Instances of the disease outside of the region are often linked to travel to the area.
Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which is usually mild and from which most people recover in a few weeks, according to the UK's National Health Service.
The virus does not spread easily between people and the risk to the wider public is said to be very low.
There are now 20 confirmed cases in the UK, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Friday.
There is no specific vaccine for monkeypox, but a smallpox jab offers 85 per cent protection since the two viruses are quite similar.
Authorities in the UK said they had bought stocks of the vaccine and started offering it to those with "higher levels of exposure" to monkeypox.
China's international schools hit by exodus of teachers dejected by COVID curbs
After teaching for three years at an international school in Shanghai, Michael is preparing to break his contract and leave, worn down by stringent measures against the coronavirus.
Following two years of nearly-shut borders, onerous health checks and quarantine norms, a decision at the beginning of April to lock down China’s commercial centre proved the last straw for the 35-year-old. "It has reached a point where the economic benefits of working here don’t make up for the lack of freedom to come and go," the science teacher said, declining to give his full name for reasons of privacy.
Michael is one of hundreds of international teachers heading for the exits as the COVID-19 pandemic and new rules on education reshape the working environment in China.
The situation is prompting international schools that proliferated over the past two decades, as China opened up to foreign investment and talent, to sound warning bells.
Some find their survival is now on the line, while the quality of education stands to suffer in the long run.
About 40 per cent of Michael's peers will leave mainland jobs this year, up from 30 per cent last year and 15 per cent before the pandemic, says a group of 66 schools in China that employs about 3600 teachers.
And hiring replacements for them is getting harder, said Tom Ulmet, executive director of the group, the Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS). "People around the world have been reading about the lockdowns and just don't feel a need to subject themselves to that," he added. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Spanish health authorities have also reportedly purchased thousands of smallpox jabs to deal with the outbreak, according to Spanish newspaper El País.
Australia's first case was detected in a man who fell ill after travelling to the UK, the Victorian Department of Health said.
In North America, health authorities in the US state of Massachusetts confirmed that a man has been infected after recently travelling to Canada. He was in "good condition" and "poses no risk to the public", officials said. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Ethiopia’s Tigray forces announce release of thousands of PoWs
The Tigray rebel forces fighting Ethiopia’s federal army have said they will release 4000 prisoners of war as part of an amnesty.
The Tigray Peoples’ Liberation Front (TPLF) announced the prisoner release on Twitter on Friday, amid an escalating war of words between Ethiopian and Tigray regional officials over provocations and preparations for another round of fighting in the country that has been mired in conflict for more than 18 months.
Ethiopia’s civil war erupted in November 2020 when the Central Government sent troops in to topple the Tigray region’s governing TPLF party, saying it was in response to rebel attacks on army camps.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been driven to the brink of famine, more than two million people have been displaced and more than nine million left in need of food aid, the United Nations has said.
Aid groups said federal forces have sealed off the Tigray region since July 2021, frustrating the delivery of food and desperately needed aid.
In recent months, Ethiopia has relaxed the restrictions somewhat to allow a better flow of aid into the Tigray region.
The Tigray forces decided to release 4208 prisoners of war with an amnesty, out of whom 401 are women, according to the TPLF tweet.
Birhane said those with disabilities, illnesses and women who gave birth in detention were given priority for release.
Bottom of Form
The decision to release the prisoners followed weeks of talks held between military commanders on both sides, according to a foreign diplomat in Addis Ababa, who said talks at the political level have not yet taken place. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
ARCHIE
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CALVIN AND HOBBES
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SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE
DAILY HOROSCOPES
(March 21-April 19)
(April 20-May 20)
(May 21-June 20)
(June 21-July 22)
(July 23-Aug. 22)
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(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
Don't ruffle feathers or get in the way. Find a quiet spot in which to organize your plans. Trust your instincts. Concentrate on physical improvements.
Keep your feelings to yourself. Don't allow anyone to make you look bad or take advantage of you. Consider what you want to achieve and find an innovative way to get things done on time.
Conversations will be informative and will help you make decisions that prompt immediate action. Staying ahead of the competition will give you the stamina to go further than anticipated.
Emotional issues will confuse you. When in doubt, don't make a move. Take a wait-and-see approach, and don't spend money unnecessarily. Consider your options and think outside the box.
Push the envelope and step outside your comfort zone, and you'll discover you have more options than you realize. Focus on what you want and the best way to pursue your objective.
Take a break and relax. Distance yourself from unsavory situations or problems you face. You'll gain perspective once you clear your head and have a chance to see things differently.
Participate in events that interest you, and you'll meet someone intriguing. Refine your look and image to reflect what you want to do and who you want to attract. Don't let anyone intimidate you.
Don't let uncertainty or an unexpected change get you down. Take the initiative and follow through with your plans. Participate in something that broadens your outlook.
Don't wait for someone to outdo you. Take responsibility and bring about changes that will make your life and relationships more enjoyable. Pay attention to loved ones.
Rethink your strategy and what you want to accomplish. Changing how you handle money will provide you the freedom to live life your way. Take responsibility for your happiness.
Know your limits and what you are up against before you agree to get involved in a joint venture. Weigh the pros and cons of doing things yourself. Be practical and make intelligent decisions.
Keep your thoughts to yourself until you are ready to make an irresistible pitch. How you demonstrate your capabilities will be crucial. Precision and attention to detail are essential.
The all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has carried Rajasthan Royals to a top-two finish with a tense win over Chennai Super Kings, the team that represents his hometown, in their final league match.
On a slow pitch, both sides made superb use of the powerplay, before struggling once the fielders went out. Knowing their target played a part in Royals’ being able to plan their innings better than Super Kings.
Super Kings' slowdown was drastic: they could only double their powerplay score of 75 despite the set batter Moeen Ali batting almost throughout the innings. But he, too, went from 59 off 21 to 93 off 57.
Royals scored 47 off their first five overs, but the next eight overs brought them just 37 runs, and that at the loss of two wickets. In the end, Ashwin, promoted to # 5, hit three sixes in his 23-ball 40 not-out to go with his bowling analysis of 4-028-1, to ease Royals home from 43 required off the last four.
Moeen Special
It might be all gloom for Super Kings this season, but it is not possible to be gloomy when Moeen is on song. That he had come in early meant Super Kings
R Ashwin has reason to be pumped; he had returns of 1 for 28 from four overs before scoring 40 not out in 23 balls
SCOREBOARD
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS INNINGS (20 overs maximum)
Ruturaj Gaikwad c †Samson b Boult 2 Devon Conway lbw b Ashwin 16 Moeen Ali c Parag b McCoy 93 Narayan Jagadeesan c Parag b McCoy 1 Ambati Rayudu c Padikkal b Chahal 3 MS Dhoni (c)†c Buttler b Chahal 26 Mitchell Santner not out 1 Simarjeet Singh not out 3 Extras (w 5) 5 TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.50) 150/6 Did not bat: Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, Matheesha Pathirana Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Ruturaj Gaikwad, 0.6 ov), 2-85 (Devon Conway, 7.3 ov), 3-88 (Narayan Jagadeesan, 8.4 ov), 4-95 (Ambati Rayudu, 10.2 ov), 5-146 (MS Dhoni, 18.6 ov), 6-146 (Moeen Ali, 19.1 ov)
BOWLING O-M-R-W
Trent Boult 4-0-44-1 Prasidh Krishna 4-0-32-0 Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-28-1 Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-26-2 Obed McCoy 4-0-20-2
RAJASTHAN ROYALS INNINGS (Target: 151 runs from 20 overs)
Yashasvi Jaiswal c Pathirana b Solanki 59 Jos Buttler c Ali b Simarjeet Singh 2 Sanju Samson (c)† c & b Santner 15 Devdutt Padikkal b Ali 3 Ravichandran Ashwin not out 40 Shimron Hetmyer c Conway b Solanki 6 Riyan Parag not out 10 Extras (lb 8, w 8) 16 TOTAL 19.4 Ov (RR: 7.67) 151/5 Did not bat: Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna, Obed McCoy Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Jos Buttler, 1.4 ov), 2-67 (Sanju Samson, 8.3 ov), 3-76 (Devdutt Padikkal, 11.2 ov), 4-104 (Yashasvi Jaiswal, 14.5 ov), 5-112 (Shimron Hetmyer, 16.2 ov)
BOWLING O-M-R-W
Mukesh Choudhary 4-0-41-0 Simarjeet Singh 3-0-18-1 Mitchell Santner 3-0-15-1 Matheesha Pathirana 3.4-0-28-0 Moeen Ali 4-0-21-1 Prashant Solanki 2-0-20-2 began the acceleration in the fourth, and not the customary fifth, over. First, he went after the hard lengths of Prasidh Krishna, which is usually a good bet against Moeen. Then Ashwin's away turn didn't matter, as he took 16 off the fifth. The last over of the powerplay was the best of the lot: Moeen hit Trent Boult for boundaries to square leg, midwicket, long-on, third man, point, and extra-cover.
He brought up his halfcentury off the 19th ball, and it was the second-fastest fifty for
Super Kings.
The slowdown
The slowdown began with
Ashwin making a comeback in the eighth over. Devon
Conway went to sweep him, but the ball turned out to be too full, and it trapped him lbw. Obed McCoy then used his slower ones to good effect on the slow surface. Add Yuzvendra
Chahal and an experimental middle order to the mix, and Moeen found himself taking on more responsibility than he would have liked.
Not that it was easy to hit out. MS Dhoni, who had earlier announced he was going to play at least one more season for Super Kings, was dropped twice, but he couldn't find any timing either. At one point, 45 balls went without a boundary, a drought Dhoni broke with a four off Chahal in the 15th over.
However, the trio of Ashwin, Chahal and McCoy continued to stifle the life out of the innings, with only 30 coming off the final four overs.
Jaiswal's impetus
Jos Buttler has had a sensational start to the tournament, but he has now scored 63 in his last five innings at a run a ball.
Thankfully for Royals, Yashasvi Jaiswal has stepped into the breach, after being reintroduced to the XI midseason; he single-handedly made the powerplay count after Buttler got out in the second over and Sanju Samson kept finding fielders.
Jaiswal raced away to 31 off 17, even as the other 13 balls in the first five brought them just 16 runs.
The Royals’ slowdown
The spreading of the fielding and the introduction of spin, however, brought a similar challenge for Royals. When Samson went to force the pace, he found the tall Mitchell Santner in the way of a straight drive.
Devdutt Padikkal got frustrated too, and tried a big slog sweep off Moeen, only to be bowled for 3 off nine.
The Ashwin endgame
This is when Royals promoted Ashwin, whom they have previously used as a pinch anchor and a pinch hitter, but not in such a critical situation. As Ashwin got himself in, the ask went up to 67 off the last seven overs, with Jaiswal also finding it tough to maintain the
Jimmy Butler has said the Boston Celtics "whipped our tail on our home floor" in their 127-102 beatdown of the Miami Heat in Game 2.
The return of “Defensive Player of the Year” Marcus Smart from a foot injury ignited the Celtics on the offensive end just as much as defensively, with the team hitting a red-hot 20-of-40 from three-point range.
The Boston five, who played at least 30 minutes: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Grant Williams, Al Horford and Smart, shot 17-of-29 from long-range and combined for 23 assists, which was two more than Miami had as a team.
Speaking to post-game media, Butler said the Celtics "tried to embarrass us", but pointed out that the Heat were always going to be facing an uphill battle against such an outlier shooting performance.
"You do have to move on, but I don't like to move on from this; it has to hurt," he said. "They tried to embarrass us; they did embarrass us. I think we got to realise that, or use it as fuel, but realise that the game can get out of hand when you're playing against a really good team like them that can score the ball and get stops. "They made shots that they missed last game. That's just what it is. It's going to be hard to beat anybody when they shoot 50 per cent from the field and 50 per cent from three. They were the more physical team overall, and they got one on the road. "Overall, we just have to be better. We've got a tough job to do to go over there and win, but if they did it, we can do it as well," he said.
He added: "I look at it as 'It can't get too much worse'. They whipped our tail on our home
Yashasvi Jaiswal brought up a 39-ball half-century scoring rate of the powerplay.
Ashwin then skipped down the track and lofted Moeen for a six. Jaiswal repeated that dose to legspinner Prashant Solanki, but holed out when he attempted again. Dhoni gave Solanki an over at the death, in which he got rid of Shimron Hetmyer with a slider.
With 38 required off 19, though, Ashwin slogged Solanki from wide outside off and against the turn to target the short boundary; and he nailed it.
The slinger Matheesha Pathirana didn't have many runs to work with, but it was 24 off 14 when Ashwin ramped him over short third man to ease the pressure again. In the 19th over, Ashwin targeted the short boundary against Mukesh Choudhary's left-arm angle, before sealing it by steering Pathirana behind point in the last over. (Cricinfo)
floor. I guess if they do it on their home floor, it's supposed to happen, but I don't see us doing that again. "The first half has been brutal for us in both of these games. We just got to come out and play harder from the jump, and be ready, because they be throwing some haymakers in the first half."
Heat’s coach, Erik Spoelstra, has said he did not feel like his side played poorly, but that it felt like the Celtics wanted revenge for Game 1. "You definitely have to credit Boston," he said. "It's not just that they came in with great urgency and physicality – they did have that for sure – they also played well. They played really well on both ends. "We know what they're capable of defensively – they've done this to some very good offenses. I'm sure they were not happy with us putting up 118 in Game 1, and they came out very disruptive. They got us out of our normal rhythm and flow, and the shot-making on the other end was very tough to overcome. "You get to this point in the Conference Finals: you just have very good teams, teams without many weaknesses; it's great competition. "This only counts as one, and that's what the experienced players and staff in the locker room understand. We don't like it, but they played extremely well," he said. (Sportsmax)
Action in the GCB Female Inter-County 50-Over tournament continued yesterday with Demerara continuing their winning ways by defeating Essequibo by nine wickets in a one-sided affair played at the National Stadium at Providence, EBD.
Heema Singh’s five-wicket haul, followed up by an excellent four-wicket haul by Joann Van Sertima, sealed the deal for Demerara.
Organiser Damodar Daesrath
Agalaxy of softball cricket starts is expected to be on show tomorrow as the second edition of the Dassie and Friends Production one-day round-arm knockout softball extravaganza gets underway at Keele Top, North York in Toronto, Canada.
The organiser of this extravaganza is former national captain Damodar Daesrath, who is promising an engrossing day with ten teams ready to rumble in what should be a spectacle. Action commences from 09:30 hrs.
Apart from acknowledging the kind generosity of the sponsors, Daesrath wishes to thank the competing sides in anticipation of their participation. The two main sponsors are ALARM TECHZ and KP Employment Solutions Inc.
Daesrath wishes to extend special gratitude to Ravi Etwaroo of Cricketzone USA, who is donating an E4 cricket bat to the man-of-the-match in the final.
The winning side is set to collect Cdn$2,000 and a trophy, while the runner-up team would cart off a trophy and Cdn$500. Outstanding individual performances would also be rewarded.
Notably, the day’s games are in memory of the late Johnny Bujan, whose contributions to cricket Canada had been stupendous. Bujan had managed the Canada national cricket team on many occasions, while he had partnered the Brampton Masters Cricket Club for a long time. Bujan died in a vehicle accident in Trinidad and Tobago in 2016 at the age of 48. His services and contributions to game must be recognised, according to Daesrath, who also represented Canada internationally and Brampton Masters.
Meanwhile, team Assassins had emerged as champions last year, and Captain Riaz Kadir recently informed that the team is still brimming with confidence. He has said he is anxious to lift the trophy again, but is cognisant that other skippers have expressed intention of doing same by the end of the day’s proceedings.
Teams participating in Sunday’s extravaganza are: Vikings, Assassins, Young Warriors, Ruff Riders, Leguan Boyz, Phoenix Eleven, Pegasus, Brampton Gladiators, Sunshine, and VIP Boys.
Several seasoned campaigners are expected to exhibit their skills, among whom are: Riaz Kadir, Bobby Parasnauth, Damodar Daesrath, Sunil Ramkissoon, Anil Mahadeo, Avish Rukhram, Troy Gobin, Zaheer Allard, Looknauth Ramsuchit, Avinash Sukhdeo, Rawle Scott, Naresh Roopnarine, Anil Ablacksingh, Devo Ramsawack and Naresh Bhagwandin, among others.
Bobby Parasnauth will be one of the many Guyanese on show
At the spin of the toss, Essequibo elected to bat first, and from the first ball bowled, they were in trouble. Wickets tumbled at a dizzying rate, and runs alarmingly began to dry up. Demerara had Essequibo on the ropes, and they capitalised on every opportunity as their bowlers kept a tight line and length and remained disciplined throughout their allotted overs.
Heema Singh was particularly brilliant with her spell of 5-4 off six overs, which included two maidens. She was able to remove the top five batters with ease, despite some resistance. Joann Van Sertima assisted Singh with figures of 4-20 off her 4.1 overs, and Akaze Thompson chipped in with 1-9 to dismiss Essequibo for 62 in 29.1 overs.
Needing a simple target of 63 for victory off a whopping 300 balls, Demerara pounced on a weakened Essequibo unit, and ended the game in 7.1 overs after spending 33 minutes on the field. Lashuna Toussaint’s score of 25 off 21 balls included four boundaries before she was dismissed by Rhona Jones.
And although the first wicket fell with the score on 45, it didn’t budge the Demerara unit, who were just a few runs away from backto-back victories.
Demerara captain CherryAnn Fraser joined Mandy Mangru at the crease, and the duo guided their team over the line, with Mangru registering an unbeaten run-a-ball 18 while Fraser chipped in with 9 off 5 deliveries.
The action will continue today at the Providence Stadium from 09:00h with Berbice coming up against the Select XI. Guyana is, in early June, preparing to host the Regional Women’s Tournament, and this tourney is being used as a yardstick to select the Guyana team.
Courtney Walsh, coach of the West Indies senior women’s cricket team
Courtney Walsh, coach of the West Indies senior women’s cricket team, has expressed an opinion that return of the domestic competition this year, and a push to introduce the game at the schools’ level across the Caribbean are key factors in successfully developing the women’s version of cricket from a regional perspective.
“We need to get our regional season up and going, and try to get cricket across the schools, if we can, for the females; because we need to get more ladies playing cricket as much as possible in the schools and in the clubs, so we can have a wider pool to look at. And that’s one of the ways of improving going across, so we have to look at the entire structure,” he said.
Obviously, when we have camps …we can finetune, but we definitely need to have them playing more cricket in the middle, so we could see what’s happening. Actually, for the first time, I am very excited about the regional tournament coming up in June, because that would be the first chance we’ve had of looking at most of our locals,” he said.
Walsh, a legendary former West Indies fast bowler, was at the time speaking on the Good Morning Jojo sports show regarding the team’s recent participation in the ICC Women’s World Cup, held in New Zealand.
The Jamaican has said he believes the team surpassed expectations, after being eliminated in the semifinal round by eventual winners Australia.
“Obviously, when you’re in a competition, you want to win it, so it would have been nice to get into the final, to give yourself a chance to win it. But if you look at where we are coming from: in having to go to the qualifiers and leaving the qualifiers and making it to the semifinals, I think (it) was a top achievement by the team, and the ladies need to be complimented for the work that was put in,” he said.
“Obviously, we know we had some lapses along the way, but the end result, I don’t think anybody would argue with that based on where we’re coming from,” the former player has added.
Walsh has said that although all teams would have had COVID-related issues regarding their preparation in the marquee tournament, the regional squad had been significantly hampered by the number of restrictions that had been put in place.
“We haven’t had any regional competitions for at least two seasons; so, on an account of that, we haven’t had the chance to see new talent, to have the girls playing cricket. And the ladies do need (to) play as much cricket as possible to improve their game. And that was one of the setbacks,” he said.
“When you look at the Australia team - and not because they just won the tournament, but they have been a team that has been pretty consistent over the years - they have played a fair amount of cricket, and they have their own domestic league going on in Australia. So, they are always going to have players to look to, and (those are players) who would have a pretty good understanding of the game. So, I don’t think we are as dominant in terms of being up there as we are used to. So, I don’t want to say teams have caught up; I think we need to sort of put some things in place to be able to compete with the teams that are ahead of us,” Walsh has added.
Eventual champions Australia waltzed into the final of the Women’s World Cup with a 157-run dismantling of West Indies in Wellington on March 30. (Article taken from the Antigua Observer and modified)
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Shai Hope raised his bat after scoring a century
the outside edge. Carter was caught by Imlach for six, and Pride were reduced to 178-6 after 58.2 overs.
Hope continued to ‘shine brightly’ and gather runs. He reached his eighth firstclass century by driving one to cover, and his fluent innings ensured Pride reached tea at 237-6 after 71 overs, trailing by 253 runs, with another 53 runs needed to avoid the follow-on.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Shane Dowrich settled in nicely, and added 64 runs with Hope for the seventh wicket. Dowrich swept and
Motie bowling while Reifer looks on
By Brandon Corlette in trinidad
The Guyana Harpy Eagles have enjoyed a successful third day in their match against the Barbados Pride in the third round of the Cricket West Indies Regional Four-Day Tournament being played at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad.
Shai Hope had scored a double-century the last time he played against Guyana in a first-class game in 2017,
Motie backed up his century with two wickets
and he continued his love affair with Guyana by scoring a magnificent century this time. Nevertheless, the Barbados Pride were bowled out for 266 after the consistent Veerasammy Permaul had produced a four-wicket haul.
Having declared their first innings at 490-7, the Guyanese enforced the follow-on, and at stumps Barbados were 44-0 after 19 overs, trailing by 180 runs.
Resuming the second day on 48-2, Barbados Pride lost two early wickets in the first session. In yet another hot day at the Oval, Sheyne Moseley was the first man dismissed, bowled by Keemo Paul for 17 when the Pride score was at 49-3.
Roston Chase played some decent shots before he attempted to go over midoff and was caught, to give
Permaul his second wicket.
Barbados Pride were then reduced to 75-4 after 23.2 overs, but Hope looked at his classy best, and despite being dropped on 39 by stand-in wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach off the bowling of debutant Demetri Cameron, the West Indies ODI vice-captain pushed on
Shai Hope driving one to the boundary (Brandon Corlette photos)
and reached his half-century in the process, while Raymon Reifer looked comfortable at the crease.
At the lunch interval, Pride had amassed 147-4, with Hope on 62 from 81 balls while Reifer was on 26. The duo dispatched the poor deliveries and respected the good balls, but a mis-communication caused Reifer to lose his wicket.
Hope had dabbed one into the leg-side and was off and running, while Reifer was half-way down the track. Reifer was run out for 29, after four boundaries, ending an 89-run stand.
Hope continued to score freely, while Jonathan Carter came and looked tentative. Cameron continued to probe, and on a good line and length, he got Carter to push at one that peeled off drove sweetly, and even attempted to counter-attack with some pull shots, despite his short-ball troubles.
He was eventually caught at slip by Johnson, off the bowling of Permaul, for a shot-filled 44. His innings included five fours and two sixes.
At 242-7, the Pride bowlers came to bat, and Permaul and his partner in crime, Gudakesh Motie, kept chipping away at wickets. Motie removed Akeem Jordan for six and Keon Harding for one; and while Hope was shielding birthday boy Jomel Warrican, Permaul drew the centurion forward and found the outside edge. Hope was caught at slip by Johnson for a wellmade 119 from 200 balls. He had struck 13 fours and two
Compliments of
sixes in batting for 286 minutes.
Pride were bowled out for 266 from 84.4 overs, and the Guyana Harpy Eagles
enforced the follow-on. Permaul ended with 4-81 from 22.4 overs, while Motie had 2-37 from 21 overs. The probing Keemo Paul had 2-43 from 15 overs, while
Veerasammy Permaul claimed four wickets
debutant Demetri Cameron had 1-36 from 12 overs.
In Pride's second innings, Kraigg Brathwaite looked comfortable, but while he was on 11, Guyanese were jumping for joy, as they believed he had gloved one down the leg-side off Nial Smith. It proved to be false hope
Moseley grew in confidence, but Permaul and Motie, bowling in tandem, restricted Pride to 44-0 after 19 overs. Moseley and Brathwaite will resume the fourth and final day with Pride 180 runs behind. First ball is expected from 10:00h Eastern Caribbean Time.
Summary for other
matches: TT v LEE. LEE: 357 & 241/7 (47.1) Thomas 84, Powell 83; Cariah 3/33. TT: 140 & 143/6 (51) Cariah 36*; Louis 3/26. TT need 316 runs to win.
JAM v WIN. WIN: 137 & 195 (74.2) Hodge 63; Green 5/46, Merchant 5/72. JAM: 346 (87) King 119*; McSween 4/96. JAM won by an innings and 14 runs.
SCOREBOARD
Guyana 1st Innings 470-9 Barbados 1st Innings
Kraigg Brathwaite c Persaud b Permaul 17 Sheyne Moseley b Paul 17 Sharmarh Brooks lbw b Paul 2 Shai Hope c Johnson b Permaul 119 Roston Chase c Sinclair b Permaul 10 Raymon Reifer run out 29 Jonathan Carter c Imlach b Cameron 6 Shane Dowrich c Johnson b Permal 44 Akeem Jordan c Sinclair b Motie 6 Keon Harding c Sinclair b Motie 1 Jomel Warrican not out 0 TOTAL (10 wickets, 84.4) (15 extras) 266 29/1 (11.5) Kraigg Brathwaite 48/2 (14.5) Sharmarh Brooks 49/3 (16.4) Sheyne Moseley 75/4 (23.2) Roston Chase 164/5 (51.5) Raymon Reifer 178/6 (58.2) Jonathan Carter 242/7 (72.6) Shane Dowrich 257/8 (77.5) Akeem Jordan 262/9 (81.4) Keon Harding 266/10 (84.4) Shai Hope
BOWLING
Keemo Paul (15-2-43-2) Nial Smith (14-2-58-0) Veerasammy Permaul (22.4-4-81-4) Demetri Cameron (12-36-1-3) Gudakesh Motie (21-3-37-2)
Barbados 2nd Innings
Kraigg Brathwaite not out 17 Sheyne Moseley not out 25 TOTAL (0 wickets, 19.0) (2 extras) 44
BOWLING
Keemo Paul (4-1-13-0) Nial Smith (5-2-14-0) Demetri Cameron (3-0-7-0) Gudakesh Motie (4-2-9-0) Veerasammy Permaul (3-3-0-0)
Page 23
Guyana enforced the follow-on
CWI Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams
Guyana celebrating their victory over Leeward Islands in 2019
The best women’s cricketers in the West Indies will be back in action as Cricket West Indies (CWI) hosts the CG Insurance Super50 Cup and the T20 Blaze regional tournaments in Guyana.
The CG Insurance Super50 Cup matches, to be played from June 7 to 17, will be played at three venues: Everest Cricket Club, Enmore Cricket Ground, and the Guyana National Stadium.
The T20 Blaze event, to be played from June 19 to 25, would feature five full days of entertainment for the fans. There will be three matches per day, starting at 10am, 2:30pm, and 7pm under lights at the Guyana National Stadium.
For this year’s CG Insurance Super50 and T20 Blaze, several world-class players would each be representing their home territory in what promises to be a keenly contested three weeks of action. Barbados are defending champions in both formats.
This will mark a significant return to action, as women’s tournaments were not played in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During that period, CWI had continued its investment in the development of women’s players, and had organised several high-performance camps at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, besides hosting international series, including an inaugural Women’s “A” Team series. The West Indies Women’s team had also toured England, Pakistan and South Africa.
“We are delighted to see the return of the women’s regional tournament on our annual calendar, as it is a crucial component of our cricket in the region. We are also pleased to have our international players in action on home soil playing with our regional players.” Jimmy Adams, CWI Director of Cricket, has said. “Our women’s game is showing improvement, as was demonstrated with some good performances during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand earlier this year. Ideally, we want to see further demonstration of that progress as we look to upcoming bilateral series and international events. Very importantly, the regional tournament will serve to identify players who could potentially graduate to our international squads in the near future.” (Windies Cricket)
