Guyana Times - Sunday APRIL 24, 2022

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Church, Mandir, Masjid housed in one building in Berbice Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 4988 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022

Guyana to receive US$106M from Liza Unity FPSO's 1st oil lift Page 3

GAICO investment de-risks further development in maritime services sector – President Ali Page 5

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

US-based P12 Guyanese busted with cocaine in luggage at CJIA …20-year-old nabbed with 8.9 lbs ganja at EBD

“We want to develop an P27 electric mobility road” – GEA Head …as 6 charging stations to be established

Shots fires as bandits snatch vendor’s gold P11 chain, motorcycle

…as company commissions new US$7.5M dredge at Nismes

New 4-lane highway to be built from Crane to Schoonord …to complement major Region 3 Page 7

2 men found dead in car at Marriott Hotel parking lot Page 9

developments, Wales Development Zone ...suspected cyanide found in vehicle

“They said that was impossible” – Berbice man on dream of planting grapes in Guyana Page 15

There is “renewed interest” in P27 Guyana’s agri sector – Minister to Crabwood Creek residents World Book Day

Lacklustre P24 performance will not be accepted – Minister on new Literacy Dept

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SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Sunday, Apr 24 – 11:00h – 12:30h and Monday, Apr 25 – No closure.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, Apr 24 – 11:20h – 12:50h and Monday, Apr 25 – 12:40h – 14:40h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily

WEATHER TODAY There will be light rain showers and thundery showers during the day. Expect light rain showers and partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Westerly to North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 11:11h reaching a maximum height of 2.15 metres.

Low Tide: 17:32h reaching a minimum height of 1.01 metre.

SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2022

LOTTERY NUMBERS H

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DAILY MILLIONS

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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

$106.65/barrel

-1.58

Rough Rice

$290.7/ton

-0.49

London Sugar

$530.50/ton

Live Spot Gold

-1.96

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1932.30

$1933.30

Low/High Change

$1926.50 0.00

$1957.30 0.00%

Guyana to receive US$106M from Liza Unity FPSO's 1st oil lift

T

he Guyana Government will be receiving US$106 million for its first oil lift entitlement from the Liza Unity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, a lift that has already been sold via a competitive bidding process to an ExxonMobil affiliate.

The announcement was made by the Natural Resources Ministry on Saturday. They explained that the lift of 1 million barrels of Unity Gold crude, at a rate of US$106 per barrel, is being made between April 23 and April 24. The oil will be loaded onto the vessel MV DIMITRIOS by the terminal operator.

“The first cargo of Guyana’s lifting entitlement was sold to ExxonMobil Sales and Supply LLC following a competitive bidding process by the five companies, inclusive of the covertures of the Stabroek Block.”

It was explained that ExxonMobil LLC had the best bid when it comes to the pricing differential for the crude.

Further, the Ministry made clear that there will be no marketing fee for the lift and that further, the lift is a one-off arrangement with the company.

“The GoG will be working to ensure that Guyana receives the best price for each cargo from both the Liza and Unity Gold crudes. The forecasted price for this first lift of the Unity Gold crude for Guyana is US$106 per barrel,” the Ministry further explained.

It was previously revealed by Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat that this month could see as many as two oil lifts being undertaken, with lifts from the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity FPSO vessels potentially crossing paths.

Bharrat had explained in an interview with this publication

that Liza Destiny is already scheduled to lift its 1 million barrels of oil in April - its second lift for the year. Meanwhile the Liza Unity FPSO, which started producing oil in the Liza Phase 2 development in February of this year, could mark its first oil lift as well.

According to Bharrat, they got approximately US$95 million for the last lift. And with Brent crude prices averaging US$120 per barrel at the time he spoke, he noted that Guyana could expect to make over US$100 million for each lift, should both lifts from the Liza Destinyand Unity be completed in April.

The historically high oil prices (oil prices have not exceeded US$100 on the global market since 2014), is part of the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It is, however, a double-edged sword where Guyana is concerned. That is because of the sharp rise in oil prices at the local pumps.

Guyana, with US oil giant ExxonMobil as the operator, began producing oil on December 20, 2019, in the Stabroek Block.

The first ever payment of US$54.9 million for an oil lift was received in February 2020.

Since Exxon found crude in commercial quantities offshore in 2015, there has been 28 oil

finds to date in the Stabroek Block and an estimated recoverable resource of over 10 billion oil-equivalent barrels.

United States oil giant, ExxonMobil is currently undertaking four production projects Liza 1, Liza 2, Payara and Yellowtail in the oil-rich block.

Production capacity is currently at 120,000 barrels per day (bpd) with the Liza Destiny FPSO in operation.

Meanwhile production only recently started in the Liza 2 development, which is said to produce even lighter crude than Liza 1. It is also estimated that when the Yellowtail development project comes on

stream, production will climb to 810,000 bpd by 2027. The US oil major anticipates at least six FPSOs producing 1 million bpd by 2030.

The oil rich Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). Exxon, through its local affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd (EEPGL), is the operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

(G3)

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guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 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

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Inequality and wealth

or most of our history, we were ruled by Imperial powers that organised the economies of their colonies so that most of our wealth was directed to develop their economies to heights that are still unmatched. Walter Rodney described this process very well in his groundbreaking “How Europe underdeveloped Africa”, and we can simply substitute “Guyana” for “Africa” to appreciate the systemic conditions, some of which stubbornly persist. Within Guyana, one of the effects of colonial rule was a tremendous income inequality, that began when slaves received absolutely no income for their labour and the ruling elite replicated the living standards of their “mother countries”. This was continued during the Indentureship period and afterwards.

With Independence in 1966, there were attempts to rectify this skewed income distribution, but those failed ignominiously during the co-operative socialist experiment of the PNC and its denouement between 1964-1992. After 1992, the PPP attempted to rebuild the shattered economy, and while it succeeded in alleviating extreme poverty and moving us from a Highly Indebted Poor Country to a Middle-Income Developing Country status, our inequality level remained high. One 2017 study showed that our Gini coefficient - which measures inequality - improved “marginally” by 2010, but this was only because the “middle class” had benefited from the 1989 IMF programmes.

In 2013, however, the French economist Thomas Picketty created quite a stir when his book, “Capital in the 21st Century”, became a NY Times best seller. Using painstakingly-collected data for the past 250 years - which included our colonial period - he showed that the rate of return on capital usually exceeded the rate of economic growth. This meant that owners of wealth - who were mostly in the colonial countries, including the US - would become steadily richer than ordinary income-earners – unless extraordinary shocks or high taxes destroyed their wealth. As such, during the 20th century, in which we became independent, the income disparity was very severe in Europe and the US, and it was only the disruptions of two World Wars and a Great Depression and high taxes that evened out matters somewhat. With the rise of neoliberal economic principles deployed by Reagan in the US and Thatcher in the UK in 1980, the historic income disparity once more manifested itself. By 2011, the top 20% of Americans owned 86% of the country's wealth, and the bottom 80% of the population owned 14%.

What all of this means is that wealth disparity and high inequalities are an inevitable consequence of economic growth based on purely capitalist principles. We are thus stuck with a dilemma: all other non-capitalist modes of economic growth (eg socialism) have either failed abysmally (as in USSR) or succeeded marginally (eg Cuba) but pure capitalist growth ineluctably leads to severe inequalities because of Picketty’s seminal equation. By the time Picketty’s book came out, the contradictions in the neo-liberal model had already led to an economic crisis in 2008, from which the economies of the West still have not recovered. Some say that the wars since then may be the classic response to engender growth and increase equality. What was to be done? Picketty proposed that the rising inequality can only be reduced or possibly reversed through state intervention. These would include improving the education system (to create the diffusion of knowledge, diffusion of skills, diffusion of the idea of productivity) and progressive taxation as the main mechanisms that would lead to lower inequality.

In his new book released in 2020, “Capital and Ideology”, Picketty further emphasises the role of radical progressive taxation, but recognises that there is a need to educate the populace on these measures. He points to the example of Sweden, which moved from being one of the most unequal societies in the world to one of the most egalitarian today.

With at long last Guyana being faced with the prospect of acquiring great wealth, we should initiate conversations on how it would be distributed to create the least inequality consistent with growth.

Education Officers displaying various tools used to improve literacy on Saturday at Reading Affair and Literacy Clinic hosted at New Central High School in observance of World Book Day (Education Ministry photo)

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s Mahasamadhi

S

ri Sathya Sai Baba was born on the 23rd November, 1926 in the village of Puttaparthi, in Andhra Pradesh state of India.

On 24th April 2011, our beloved Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba left his physical form. Our organization has since observed 24th April each year as the Aradhana Mahotsavam day (Maha Samadhi Day) of our dearest Bhagawan. – a Day of Remembrance.

As we celebrate Sri Sathya Sai Aradhana Mahotsavam every year, we express our love and gratitude for the grace, guidance, and blessings we receive from Him. Bhagawan has said on numerous occasions that He will never forsake or disappoint His devotees. If we only hold on to Him with absolute faith and love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, He will guard us, protect us, and take us across this ocean of life.

The Sai Organization continues to carry forth the mission started by Sri Sathya Sai Baba who, by His selfless love, universal spiritual teachings, and exemplary life dedicated to social service which touched the hearts of millions of people all over the world. Each year, and particularly on this day, devotees commemorate His life and legacy by remembering Him and practicing His teachings.

Swami, as Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was lovingly called, when in His physical form thought lessons to His Devotees by way of his own action of selfless service to the less fortunate by organizing and blessing projects such as taking water to communities in India that were in need. He also built a hospital and university where services are all free of charge, which is accessible to all without any discrimination or prejudicial treatment, all are seen and treated as equal.

By way of the example He set, Devotees of Bhagawan around the world through guidance and support from the leg of The Sai Organisation in their respective territories carry out Seva (charitable) activities covering but not limited to education, health, food and clothing distribution and housing , where these activities are done in some cases in

collaboration with government agencies , not for profit organisations and mostly independently. The source of fund for these activities are purely from the free will and honest intent of His devotees as He firmly thought

by His example that there must not be any soliciting of funds or support in kind.

Bhagawan spent His life in His physical form in India travelling around to give His message to his devotees, initiate and commission Seva projects, give His blessings to devotees and having Darshans at the Puttarparti Ashram where large gatherings of His devotees travelled from around the world to see and have His blessings and seek His intervention on personal problems they were experiencing to which He lovingly reciprocated. Only once did he leave India which was a trip to Uganda and Kenya in 1968 where he interacted with Devotees from those two East African countries and Tanzania.

Bhagawan said “My life is My Message” and lived a life of humility,

kindness, firmness, fairness, moral fortitude and saw all men and women as embodiments of God whose purpose are to live in love and to promote peace as sparks of the divine.

Very early Bhagawan delivered lessons to his devotees to have “Ceiling on Desires “ in tandem with “Serve the Plant” as his message sought to inspire the careful use of planet earth with control of our desire and by extension making sustainable use of earth to avoid the impact of climate change. To this effect, the Sai

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Organisation has an arm that deals directly with climate change matters looking towards food security and the avoidance of natural disasters which are sources of human suffering.

Bhagawan spread the message of spirituality and embraced all forms of prayer, devotion and spiritual activity, once the intent is to promote peace and love in the world and resulted in men and women of the world living in universal brotherhood and saw the “Brotherhood of Man and the Fatherhood of God”, and that men and women do not hurt but help one another as he lovingly dictated “Hurt Never, Help Ever”.

“Love alone can reveal the Divinity latent in all. Love is God. Live in love. Love lives by giving and forgiving; Self lives by getting and forgetting. Love is selflessness; Selfishness is lovelessness. Do not waste your life pursuing the narrow interests of the self. Love!

Love! Become what you truly are―the embodiments of love.”

What is our duty as His devotees? In a message to Charles Penn, our Beloved Baba gives us a mission statement to live by :"Allow yourself to impart that purity of heart within you towards all human beings and all living creatures and do not reach for the fruits of your work."

Compiled with excerpts from Sathya Sai Speaks, vol. 14, Ch.45, December 25, 1979.

Jai Sai Ram. Sri Sathya Sai Organization Guyana.

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

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News

GAICO investment de-risks further development in maritime services sector – President Ali …as company commissions new US$7.5M dredge at Nismes

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AICO Construction and General Services has commissioned its new dredge at Nismes on the West Bank Demerara (WBD), which was hailed

by President Dr Irfaan Ali as the precursor for de-risking investments in maritime and docking services.

The commissioning of the Malavi dredge, part of a US$25 million investment, was held on Saturday at Nismes. According to President Ali in his keynote address, GAICO’s investment will likely de-risk the sector and encourage other investors to step forward.

“I’m sure that it now derisks other investors who want to invest in such facilities. Because it is an area that requires tremendous investment as Komal (Singh) would have said. So, these investments that are coming on stream, allows us to build our machining, our fabrication and marine

industry, to another level. We have to decide who we want,” President Ali explained.

“We have to decide, do we want to be the centre of the growth of the marine industry. And if we want to be the centre of the growth of the marine industry, what are the list of the services that we must provide?”

President Ali pointed out that the entire Caribbean is filled with wealthy yachters. He noted that all of those yachts require servicing, parts and docking. Guyana also presents unique geographical advantages, such as being outside of the hurricane belt. The President also spoke of developing a two-channel system.

“We can develop a stateof-the-art fabricating and machining capabilities in this country. And we can emerge as a servicing hub for the yachting industry in

the region. How do we get there? We get there by careful planning and a thorough understanding of the opportunities that lie ahead. And this is the real dimension of growth and development of our country.”

“We’re operating in a river with a one-way channel. Just using the projection of the most basic of growth in this river, within five years, we have to get that to two-way. We have to create a two-way channel.

And if you want to project further, not just a two-way but a diversion channel on the west side of the river.”

In addition to their current fleet of vessels (which includes Hopper Dredges, Cutter Head Dredges, Hydraulic Cutter Head Dredges, Tugs, Barges, Supply Vessels and Backhoe Dredges), GAICO is now increasing their dredging capabilities by adding the Malavi, a trailing suction

hopper dredge.

Malavi, according to GAICO in a statement, represents an additional investment that will increase the dredging capabilities in Guyana and the region, ultimately creating more jobs for Guyanese. According to GAICO’s Chief Executive Officer Komal Singh, the vessel is important for the company as it is trying to meet the emerging demands of the Private Sector.

“This is a momentous occasion for GAICO as it will enable increased capacity and provide us with another opportunity to build local capacity within our team.

As we strive to meet the emerging demands of the Private Sector in Guyana, we remain steadfast to our values and principles of

putting people and safety first.”

GAICO is meanwhile also building a wharf and dry dock facility at Nismes.

The completion of the first phase will see a laydown yard, a one-fingerpier and the wharf front at the Nismes foreshore area.

This facility, according to GAICO, will allow materials and equipment to be offloaded from vessels and stored until they are ready for further transport.

According to the company in its statement, as new infrastructural work in Region Three increases, there will be an increased demand for construction material produced outside of the region.

“By allowing ships to moor at the facility, sup-

plies headed to Region Three could be discharged straightaway – reducing transportation costs.

Beyond this, however, this facility is strategically positioned to support the oil and gas sector directly – particularly, the forthcoming gas-to-energy project in nearby Wales,” the company said.

Other dignitaries joining President Ali at the commissioning ceremony were Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, Minister within the Public Works Ministry Deodat Indar, Private Sector Commission Chairman Paul Cheong and members of the diplomatic community. (G3)

6 FEATURE

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PUPPY NUTRITION I

had mentioned in my column of April 10, 2022 that the first two questions with which veterinarians are mostly confronted when there is a new and first-time acquisition of a pet to a caregiver’s forever home are: 1. How do we toilet train our pup/kitten?

2. What do we feed the new member of the family?

Over the last two weeks, we dealt at length with the issue of potty training.

Today we shall begin with the puppy feeding protocol (and when I say puppy, I mean kitten as well, unless I particularly and specifically refer to kittens).

The young pup should be sucking its mother until it is 3-4 weeks old. It is extremely important for the pup to consume its mother's milk for the first 3 days of its existence.

I use the “rule of thumb", which advises that the pup should not be introduced to solid food until about two weeks after its eyes are open. [Note that the puppy’s eyelids are closed until 1214 days have passed. Please do not try to pry the eyelids open].

When the puppy is just over a month old, you may commence offering the puppy solids. Small quantities of a minced meat mixed up with a bit of rice or bread can be introduced. I know the new science is advising that we should keep milk and dairy products away from dogs. I will not contradict those scientists (not least with those who may be associated with commercial dog food producers), but,

at an early age, dogs have been given milk (which has a balanced nutritive value) with no obvious deleterious effects, and even thereafter.

The introduction to solid food, as with babies, is a messy and often comical affair. Pups would walk into the bowl and scatter the contents all over the floor not really knowing how to handle this new food con-

tainer. I advise that you lift each pup and position its mouth into the bowl.

Optimally, each pup should have its own bowl.

For large litters, this may not be practicable, but once the smartest (and perhaps the hungriest) pup understands the routine, and how to get at the food in the bowl, the others would follow.

I should also mention that, at 4 weeks of age, the puppy’s teeth are getting sharp, and they can injure the mother's nipples.

She herself would keep the pups away. However, some mothers, with a great maternal instinct, would accept the pain and continue to nurse their pups. You have to help the mothers,

by removing the pups and introducing them to the partially-solid food in the bowl.

Conventional wisdom has it that the puppies can be removed from the mother at 6-8 weeks of age. Common sense must, however, override conventional wisdom.

A litter of ten healthy and hyperactive pups can be

very stressful on the mother. She may experience rapid weight loss, and her breasts and nipples may become sore and inflamed. At this early stage of the puppies’ lives, we hesitate to treat the mother with antibiotics - topically to the nipples, orally, or by injection.

The suckling puppies would ingest the antibiotics directly from the treated nipples, or indirectly from the milk.

This would interfere with the building of natural immunity to the environmental microbes, the growth of microflora in the gut, and the supply of antibodies in the mother’s milk. Do keep a watchful eye on the mother’s well-being in determining when to introduce the

semi-sol-

id foods.

Within the context of breast feeding, I will share with you my doubts relative to advertisements of chemicals with fancy scientific-sounding names, which the producers promote as being better than what nature provides. I recall that, during my Africa days, there were advertisements of a huge child food conglomerate advising mothers that its manufactured product was better than mother’s milk for their babies.

This thrust was conducted globally, not only in developing countries. When the WHO called the company into question for false advertisement, it quickly changed its advertising text to "Next to mother's milk, our product is the best", a slogan which was also questionable.

Please note that, at 3 weeks of age, the puppies should be dewormed. At 6 weeks of age (at just about the time when you are preparing to give away/sell the puppies, and the first vaccination and second deworming have been administered), the pups can leave your home and their mother. The new caregiver would be expected to continue with the deworming/ vaccination schedule determined by the veterinarian.

Next week we will pay special attention to special feeding protocols for young animals.

O

n Friday, April 8, 2022, some two hundred mourners gathered for the last rites of their loved one at the Kaashi Dhaam cremation site at Ruimzeight, West Coast Pandita Dr Indrani Rampersad Demerara, Guyana. They arrived 15 minutes later than scheduled, and Mr Gary Hinds, an official of the Guyana Ministry of Health, stopped the cremation until it pleased him to allow the pandit to start the final rites, or antyeshti samskara, for the deceased.

Mr Hinds will face the backlash in the cosmic world, and one looks forward to an earthly backlash from his superiors. Karma never fails.

An eyewitness, the revered Swami Aksharananda (Swamiji), renowned Hindu scholar and Principal of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan in Guyana, expressed his shock and disapproval of how things unfolded. What unfolded was tantamount to a desecration of the dead at the point of the final rites for the human remains.

Desecrate: to violate the sanctity of; to treat disrespectfully, irreverently, or outrageously Swamiji noted that the hearse bearing the last remains of the deceased arrived at the cremation site some 15 minutes later than planned, angering the officer of the Ministry of Health, Mr Gary Hinds, who stopped the cremation from proceeding. Swamiji tried reasoning, but Mr Hinds was unmoved. Mr Hinds eventually felt some compassion [note the tone of sarcasm here] and allowed the cremation to occur at 2:55 pm. Such was the power of Mr Hinds. Imagine the psychological trauma to the family.

When Swamiji spoke with Mr Hinds on the issue, Mr Hinds told him that the family’s late arrival had “wasted” his time, and that he was prepared to “waste” more time to “teach the family a lesson”, and that this would give him “personal satisfaction.”

The shocked Swamiji contacted the regional health official, who assured him that Mr Hinds was acting outside of his remit, and this would be investigated.

Swamiji approached the family to encourage them to proceed with the final rites. Still, they were so traumatised and afraid of further desecration of their dead that they preferred to wait for Mr Hinds’s permission to proceed.

They were vulnerable.

Mr Hinds allowed the cremation to start at 2.55pm, having punished the family to his satisfaction. Instead of being in the appropriate frame of mind to perform the final rites for their loved one, and bid a respectful goodbye, here were the mourners, standing in fear before a bit of mortal, who was wielding the power of the enslaver through his office at the Ministry of Health.

This must never be forgotten!!!

But when you appreciate the contempt with which Hindus and their dharma continue to be held in the Caribbean, you might better understand why such bullies continue to exist. The religions of the enslaved Africans and the Hindus were banned and demonised by their Christian slave owners. Many people were forced to abandon their ancestral religions and dharma and wear Fanon’s white mask on their black and brown skins. Alas!

That white mask is fixed on many and their successive generations in the postcolonial world like the Caribbean.

It is essential to ask: Why would any human being function as Mr Hinds did? Perhaps human beings are motivated by: * Confidence that there would be no official backlash or punishment. * A lack of self-esteem, so they can feel big and powerful. * A psychological disorder. * A search for compensation for some littleness in body, mind, and spirit; and * Perhaps, just perhaps, such human beings may be expressing plain contempt and hatred for people who are different from them.

In 2015, Antigua charged and deported three Hindus for committing the crime of practising Hindu rituals deemed “obeah” (a religious practice criminalised in the Caribbean, though some countries have since been decriminalising such laws). Hindus have fought long battles to practise their dharma. Is Mr Hinds guilty of Hinduphobia/Hindudvesha? Aggression is one stage of Hinduphobia/Hindudvesha. I shall address the latter next week.

The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

NEWS

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SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

New 4-lane highway to be built from Crane to Schoonord …to complement major Region 3 developments, Wales Development Zone

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that a new four lane highway will be built from Crane to Schoonord, which would provide a diversion and mitigate the traffic build-up from Crane all the way to the West Bank of Demerara (WBD).

The President made the announcement while at the commissioning of GAICO’s dredge. According to the President, he has already inspected the alignment and the four-lane highway will be a much-needed investment.

“You know we have the plan to build the new highway from Parika. But because of the speed of development in the region, we now have to go with a stop gap. And we have to build an alternative highway, a fourlane highway, from Crane to Schoonord.”

“Because that is where there are huge traffic backups now. And yesterday we went to look at that alignment. An alignment that is just about 3.5 miles long.

To have a diversion from Crane, all the way to the West Bank, as an initial

phase,” President Ali said.

This new planned highway is part of a series of road infrastructure that the Government is currently undertaking across the country, including in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara).

Preliminary works have already commenced for an alternative highway from Schoonord to Parika that will run through the backlands. This road, which will be connected to the new Demerara River bridge that will be built, is expected to open up vast virgin lands for commercial, agricultural and housing activities.

Additionally, that highway will also pave the way for the construction of a road from Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), to Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

The new Demerara River bridge will meanwhile offer easy connectivity to both the existing East Bank Demerara Road as well as the new Diamond-to-Ogle bypass on the eastern side of the river and to the existing West Bank Demerara road and the new Parika-to-

Schoonord road on the western side of the river.

The new bridge will also offer critical connectivity to the new Wales Development Authority, which will be a major centre of productive activity when it comes on stream. President Ali also spoke about this project, as well as its offshoots.

“You have the pipeline coming in. The pipeline alone will create hundreds of jobs, that leads into the power plant. And then you have the natural gas plant that will separate the different component of the gas, creating a whole new range of industries.”

“Looking at least at a medium scale fertiliser plant to meet our local demand.

These are the types of development that will support what we want to do.

And all of that will come under the Wales Development Authority,” President Ali said.

The Government intends for the Wales Development Zone (WDZ) to be one of the largest industrial zones in the Caribbean. It is an integral part of the gas-to-shore project, which will see gas

President Dr Irfaan Ali

from the Liza field offshore Guyana being pumped onshore to generate power.

The main objective of the initiative is to transport sufficient gas from the

Stabroek Block’s petroleum operations to supply some 200-250 megawatts of energy to the national grid, leading to a significant reduction in electricity costs.

The project will be located in the Hermitage section of the WDZ, with approximately 150 acres allocated for it. It is expected to come on stream by late 2024 and will likely cut electricity costs by more than half. Importantly, there are plans for an industrial park comprising industries that could use gas, steam, and/or electricity.

The Government has already invited interested parties to invest in its US$900 million gas-to-energy project, WDZ. The pipeline, which would end in the WDZ, will measure some 225 kilometres from the Liza field, where the natural gas is produced.

The project will see the establishment of a gas processing plant (GPP) and a natural gas liquids (NGL) facility, capable of producing at least 4000 barrels per day, including the fractionation (or separating out) of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). (G3)

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Changing…

T

…climes here are words for all kinds of fears that we humans have: “phobias” they’re called. There’s that terrifying reaction some of us get when on a great height and fear we’ll fall over at any moment, plunging to our doom: acrophobia. Most common is “claustrophobia” - fear of enclosed spaces like elevators and such like. Well, we just observed “Earth Day”, and from what your Eyewitness can glean from the messages that crossed his feed, there’s a whole lotta folks who fear we humans are destroying planet Earth, on which we live. Is there a word for this fear? Ecophobia.

Your Eyewitness’s personal fear since he was a callow youth was sliding down a bannister which suddenly turns into a razor blade!! You may snicker all you want now, not-so-dear reader, but don’t for a moment think that it was funny. And so it is with your Eyewitness and this fear of us wiping out our planet. He isn’t that het up about the possibility, but doesn’t snicker at those who do. Now, you may ask how could he ignore all the “evidence” provided by those scientists who’ve been studying the matter for decades?

Well, all he can say is that scientists aren’t infallible, are they? And we’ve seen so many of their predictions proven wrong, haven’t we? Wasn’t there that fella named “Malthus”, who predicted back in the 19th century that our population was growing so fast we’d run out of food before the 20th century and all starve to death? There was great wringing of hands, and moaning and groaning by “those who know better”, but hey… we’re still here in the 21st century, aren’t we? And in general, eating much better than old Malthus, thank you!!

Your Eyewitness’s philosophy in dealing with this (unnamed) fear of imminent extinction of our human species is that “necessity is the mother of invention”.

Meaning that: whatever challenge we face, our human ingenuity will rise to the occasion to deal with it. As with Malthus’s fear of the consequences of “overpopulation”, folks came up with new varieties of crops like rice and wheat, that yielded many times the quantities of grain than the traditional varieties. The point your Eyewitness wants to make is: we shouldn’t be getting our drawers and bucktas in knots about our Earth; rather, we should ignore those virtue-signalling alarmists, and reward those who can come up with proposals to deal with whatever is destroying Mother Earth.

The theme this year is “Invest in the Earth”. And for us in Guyana, this doesn’t mean we should leave our oil under the Atlantic - as some luddites are preaching.

Rather, we should support research and investments that’ll deliver more “cleaner energy”. …perceptions One of your Eyewitness’s favourite books from his childhood days (“daze”!?!) is Alice in Wonderland. The challenges Alice confronted once she followed the White Rabbit down that hole might’ve even inspired that bannister-into-razor-blade fear!! Anyhow, there’s one episode where Alice’s size keeps changing and she loses the ability to distinguish between the sizes of objects. It’s like someone who can’t distinguish between the size of a toy cow in their hand and real cows at a distance. No matter how you try to explain the effect of “perspective”, they can’t see that they’re not identical in size!!

Believe it or not, there’s a name for this problem Alice in Wonderland syndrome (AIWS), also known as Todd's syndrome or dysmetropsia. Your Eyewitness thinks a great many supporters of the PNC are suffering from AIWS. They’ve swallowed the PNC line that whatever minnows-like shenanigans the PPP might’ve pulled during the 2020 elections, they’re equal to the whale-like rigging the PNC attempted!!

How do you treat collective AIWS? …political attitudes?

Maybe the answer to the question above is unfolding even as we write? To wit, that as the PPP continues with its countrywide blitzkrieg-like development projects that benefit all, the scales will fall from their eyes?

The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

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

NEWS

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SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 men found dead in car at Marriott Hotel parking lot ...suspected cyanide found in vehicle

covery was made. “…he observed Teixeira sitting in the driver’s seat, and all the windows of the vehicle were half-way down. The employee said he opened the front passenger door and discovered Paishnarine Hansraj… sitting in a crunch-like position. Both Teixeira and Hansraj appeared to be motionless,” the police report detailed.

Dead: Paishnarine Richie Hansraj (right)and Justin Teixeira

T

wo Guyanese men were found dead shortly after midnight on Friday in the parking lot of the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

Dead are Paishnarine Hansraj called ‘Richie’, a 25-year-old singer/music producer from Hague Backdam, West Coast Demerara, and 34-year-old American Airlines flight attendant, Justin Teixeira. It is suspected that they died by suicide.

Their motionless bodies were discovered sometime around 00:16h on Saturday by a staff of the Marriott Hotel, where Teixeira was staying as a guest.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times that the police are awaiting a post-mortem examination (PME) to confirm the cause of death of both men.

Initially, investigators had suspected a drug overdose after a plastic container with a white hard substance was found in the back seat of the vehicle. However, this has since been ruled out after several narcotics tests were conducted on Saturday.

Officials from the Guyana Forensic Laboratory informed detectives that they suspect the substance to be sodium cyanide – a chemical that is lethal to humans even in a small quantity.

But without local capacity to confirm these suspicions, samples will have to be sent to an overseas laboratory for further testing.

Based on further information reaching Guyana Times, Hansraj was frothing at his mouth when they were found.

According to police reports, Teixeira had reportedly suffered a seizure moments before midnight, and his relatives were alerted.

A 28-year-old employee of the Marriot Hotel reported that they received a phone call from Teixeira’s mother at about 23:30h, informing them that the flight attendant was having a seizure and asked if someone can check on him.

Another employee was sent to Teixeira’s room on the sixth floor but it was empty. The hotel staff then went to Teixeira’s vehicle – a black Vezel motorcar (PAC 2607) – in the parking lot, and the gruesome dis-

Both the Police via 911 and ambulance with an EMT were summoned to the scene, where the two men were pronounced dead by a doctor.

The police said no marks of violence were seen on the exposed parts of the two bodies, which were escorted to the Memorial Garden Funeral Home awaiting the PME. Nevertheless, investiga-

tions, including the review of CCTV footage at the hotel, are ongoing.

Meanwhile, persons close to the men believe this was a premeditated act. In fact, Hansraj made a suspicious statement in his last social media post about an hour before their bodies were found. He said, “I hope the world find peace today I love you all!” This post was made at 23:10h on Friday.

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Shots fired as bandits snatch vendor’s gold chain, motorcycle For Indian Arrival Day

I

ndian Arrival Day in Guyana - May 5 - is just two weeks away, and as has been the case since 2004, it will be officially commemorated as “Arrival Day”; meaning that the arrivals of all the other groups Portuguese, Chinese, West Indians, “liberated” Africans - who were brought as “indentured servants” after the abolition of slavery on Aug 1834 to work on the sugar plantations, are supposed to be subsumed under a date that really has no significance for them.

Ironically, this is contra Ravi Dev to the recommendation of the Select Parliamentary Committee which conducted hearings from Dec 2003 to April 2004 “To Review The Public Holidays Act”. As a member of the Jaguar Committee for Democracy (JCD) and ROAR, I had long agitated for the recognition of Indian Arrival Day, and was a member of the Committee.

In the introduction to the Act, the stated rationale was: “Guyanese of Indian origin, who form a large portion of the country’s population, had, for a period of in excess of the past forty years, been calling for 5th May to be declared a statutory public holiday, in observance of the arrival of the first batch of Indian indentured labourers who came to the then British Guiana in 1838.” Yet the resolution that was passed in Parliament by the PPP majority gave the Committee as its remit to consider “Arrival Day; that is to say, the 5th May”, as a Public Holiday. “Indian Arrival Day” had been changed to the generic “Arrival Day” over the protest of the Opposition, including me.

During the public hearings, written and oral submissions were made by 9 organisations. Of these, 5 agreed to have 5th May, “Indian Arrival Day”, being declared a National Holiday.

These were the Guyana Islamic Trust (GIT); Guyana Indian Foundation Trust (GIFT); Rise Organize and Rebuild (ROAR) Guyana Movement; Indian Arrival Committee (IAC); Guyana Indian Heritage Association (GIHA). They represented the widest gamut of Indians in Guyana. None of the nine organisations agreed, or even suggested, that the arrival day of all indentureds should be lumped together.

After the hearings, the Committee announced its decision with the rationale: “The proposals and counter proposals supporting 5th May must be seen in the context of Guyana’s realities. Having regards, therefore, that:- the call to designate 5th May as a National Holiday was made over 40 years ago, with increased support over time; Indians constitute the majority of the population of Guyana; they have made significant contributions towards the development of Guyana; while there were different assessments as to the nature of, or meaning of, Indian Arrival, all respondents accepted its landmark status as a seminal event that had permanent consequences for all Guyana.”

The decision, however, was crafted to fit its Procrustean remit: “Arrival Day, that is to say, the 5th May, or, if that day is a Sunday, the following day, be included in the Public Holidays Act as a public holiday.”

To its credit, the Committee offered a “Caveat: While the aforesaid recommendation is in keeping with our mandate, the Committee wishes to note that all the submissions favouring 5th May as a Public Holiday recommended that it be designated “Indian Arrival Day”, as is the case in Trinidad and Tobago.”

As was the practice before 2004, all commemorations following the declaration of May 5 as a public holiday continued to observe it as “Indian Arrival Day”, with no noticeable acknowledgement or participation by the descendants of other ethnic indentureds. However, after the APNU/AFC coalition assumed office in 2015, on January 6, 2017, President Granger issued an executive order designating January 12 as Chinese Arrival Day, and, on 27 February 2017, issued a public notice proclaiming 3rd May each year as Portuguese Arrival Day. At the commemoration of the latter, he offered his government’s rationale based on their policy of “social cohesion”: “Social Cohesion recognizes that Guyana is now, and always will be, multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural.”

From my understanding of the PPP Government and Pres Ali’s articulation of their “One Guyana” vision for Guyana, they have a similar vision for the unabashed celebration, rather than conflation, of our diversity.

I recommend that Government officially recognise May 5 as “Indian Arrival Day” for all the rationales offered by the Select Parliamentary Committee of 2004.

The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

P

olice in Regional Division 4 A have launched an investigation into a robbery under arms, and a shooting.

Reports are that Sophia vendor Glenroy Griffith was robbed at B Field Sophia by gun-toting bandits.

According to Police, the 27-year-old man was robbed of a 16 pennyweight gold chain valued $176,000, and a grey Honjue motorcycle, CL 5439, valued at around $388,000, by eight males, one of whom was armed with a handgun.

After the robbery, the scene was visited by a party of policemen who were informed that Griffith was liming with some friends on a bridge at B Field Sophia when he was approached by a male called “Peter”, who is known to him.

At the time, the suspect was in the company of anoth-

er male.

Police said the suspect reportedly dealt Griffith a slap across the face and drew a handgun at him, while simultaneously snatching off the gold chain from his neck.

The suspect and the other man then ran away from the scene and make good their escape.

Griffith subsequently

went to the Turkeyen Police Station where he made a report and was told to wait on the patrol vehicle to visit the scene, but instead, he left and went away.

Later on, Griffith was at home on his veranda when he observed the suspect, the suspect’s brother and about six other men approaching from the northern direction

towards his bridge.

One of the suspects reportedly drew a handgun and fired several shots in Griffith’s direction, but the victim managed to flee the scene and scaled his neighbour’s fence.

Another one of the suspects then left with Griffith’s motorcycle which was parked on the road in front of the house, while the others escaped.

Police later visited the scene and also went to a house in A Field Sophia where one of the suspects was told of the allegations made and arrested. He remains in custody at the Turkeyen Police Station.

Checks were made in the area by the Police for the other suspects but they were not found. Several persons in the area, when questioned, stated that they heard loud explosions but did not see anyone. (G9)

12 NEWS

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

US-based Guyanese busted with cocaine in luggage at CJIA …20-year-old nabbed with 8.9 lbs ganja at EBD

A

25-year-old woman of Lamaha Gardens, Georgetown; and Jamaica, Queens, New York, was busted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) with a quantity of cocaine stashed away in her hand luggage.

The suspect was an outgoing passenger on a JetBlue flight B6-2166.

Reports are that around 21:05h on Friday, a search was conducted on the USbased Guyanese’s luggage by a Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officer at the CJIA. During the search, the suspected narcotic was found in the woman’s hand luggage, concealed in the walls of her laptop bag that was inside.

She was escorted to CANU headquarters in Georgetown for further questioning. She remains in custody.

Meanwhile, ranks of the Guyana Police Force on Saturday arrested two males

A CANU rank has discovered the cocaine in a US-based Guyanese’s luggage at CJIA

ports, acting on information received, a party of ranks from the Criminal Investigations Department

The ganja that was found at Farm, East Bank Demerara

including a 20-year-old labourer of Farm, East Bank Demerara, after he was found in possession of a large quantity of marijuana.

The discovery was made sometime between 07:30h and 08:15h at Last Street, Herstelling, EBD. According to Police re-

(CID) Headquarters conducted an operation at Last Street, Herstelling, during which the young man was seen crossing a bridge that connects the two neighbouring communities.

He was entering Last Street with a bulky multi-co-

loured handbag in his hands.

The 20-year-old man was approached by a rank who conducted a search of the bag, and four brown, bulky, scotch-taped parcels were found inside.

The parcels were opened in the man’s presence and all of the parcels contained leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The 20-year-old was told of the allegation and arrested.

At CID Headquarters, the suspected cannabis was weighed in his presence and it amounted to 8.9 lbs, which is equivalent to 4.037kg.

The suspected cannabis was marked, sealed and later lodged.

Meanwhile, the suspect has implicated another man, and that person was also arrested and is in custody.

Further investigations are being conducted.

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14 FEATURE

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Aranaputa cash-crop project bearing fruit R

esidents of Aranaputa village and surrounding areas in the North Rupununi are now able to source fresh vegetables following the successful completion

and operation of a cashcrop project in the community.

The shade-house project was undertaken by the Aranaputa Peanut Factory, in collaboration

with the Inter-American Institute for Agriculture (IICA) and the National Agricultural Research Extension Institute (NAREI), through funding provided by the Basic

Needs Trust Fund (BNTF).

Aranaputa, which is sometimes called the Aranaputa Valley, given its location between the mountainous terrain of the area, is located within the

The shade-house which is located in the compound of the peanut butter factory at Aranaputa, North Rupununi

Annai district.

Planting of crops in the village commenced some five weeks ago, and pakchoi, lettuce, celery, tomatoes and eschallot have thus far been successfully

date.

Sears said community support workers (CSW) from the area were identified to participate in the project, given their availability and their ability

This plot of lettuce at the shade-house is ready for reaping

cultivated in the plot, and are ready for sale. Reports are that persons within North Rupununi have already indicated an interest in purchasing the produce.

According to Sonia Sears, who serves as manager of the peanut processing factory, where the shade-house was built, training was undertaken in March this year for three days, and 15 persons were identified for training under the project. She said the project was slated for commencement last August, but a few delays resulted in shifting of the

to pass on the knowledge gained to other residents.

She said several workers from the factory were also trained in plant techniques and general agriculture practices.

As regards the benefits of the project, Sears noted that the produce is readily available for sale, and produce will also be sold to schools in the area for the hot meal project undertaken there.

“So we don’t have to send for greens to Lethem, we have all the necessary greens right here,” she added.

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FEATURE

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“They said that was impossible” – Berbice man on dream of planting grapes in Guyana … exploring more exotic fruits

backyard and replace it with a mixture of sand and compost.

“Grapes need sandy soil, and we have clay here,” Gilead said. He pointed out that, at the same time, he also had to ensure that he maintained the right pH. He started with four grapevines, and then ordered different varieties.

“What happened was that by

Devon Gilead tending to his flourishing grapevines in Berbice

By Andrew Carmichael

A

s a child, Devon Gilead was so in love with apples and grapes that his ambition was to go to the United States to work on farms planting these fruits, or to have his own vineyard. However, as he got older, this ambition did not materialise, even though the dream was still there, although it was rapidly fading. Reluctant to give up on his childhood dreams, Gilead decided to look at alternatives.

“About six years ago, one night I sat down and studied this thing, ‘why apples and grapes can’t grow in Guyana?’. So, I asked some staff from NAREI [National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute] if grapes can bear here in Guyana, and they said, ‘No, grapes need curtain chilling hours to bear, and the climate has to be cold’. But I did some research…,” the 41-year-old told Guyana Times.

He said grapes are being cultivated in Kenya. “Both apples and grapes are growing there, and they don’t have snow there.”

On a mission to prove that the fruits can be cultivated locally, Gilead researched the soil pH needed for the cultivation of the fruits, and upon testing the pH in his yard, he discovered that his yard was perfect for cultivating the fruits. After ordering grape cuttings and purchasing strawberry plants, Gilead set out on his mission.

He had some success with the strawberries, and he invited NAREI staff to

visit his yard, where he was cultivating strawberries and grapes.

“She said the grapes can’t bear because grapes need certain chilling hours. It is impossible for it to bear,” he told this publication as he walked though his flourishing grapevines at his New Glasgow Housing Scheme home in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Six months later, the vines started to blossom, and when the grapes were ripe, Gilead contacted NAREI and informed them that his grapevines were bearing.

“They said that was impossible,” Gilead recalled, adding that he promised to give the staff $10,000 each if they found that he was not being truthful.

“They checked to see if I bought grapes from the market and tied them onto the vine. They asked me how I got them to bear,” he recalled.

Gilead currently has four different types of grapes in his yard: Moon drop grapes, which grow to almost three inches in length; Jupiter grapes, which is a cross between the Muscat and Concord grapes; Vanessa Wine grapes and the Veriko grapes. However, only the Jupiter vine is currently bearing.

Challenges

“For the first, it was very challenging, because grapes need sandy soil,” Gilead told this publication. He explained that in order to combat those initial challenges, he had to excavate about four feet of the earth in his

the time the stems reached to this country, they were dried up. So, I had to keep investing and investing before I could have gotten it right,” he said.

Gilead explained that he has invested millions of dollars in his grapevine project.

He said he purchased in excess of 1000 plants, but only 230 survived.

TURN TO PAGE 19

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FEATURE

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THE MUD THAT MAKES US

I

– An extraordinary “earth-engine” shaping and reshaping Guyana’s Coast

magine yourself relaxing somewhere along the 280 miles of Guyana’s seawalls. Many of us choose to face inwards, away from the muddy water that, at first glance, seems dirty. But this water holds a fascinating secret, one that has shaped our past, and may now hold the key to a prosperous future on this coast.

This water carries millions of tons of sediment, a vast natural resource of liquid land birthed by the Amazon and transported over thousands of miles to our coastal doorstep. In our previous article, “Through Time and Space: The remarkable forces that shape Guyana’s Rupununi Wetlands,” we traced some of this sediment back to the Rupununi. But this mud speaks of a much bigger story, of colliding continents and giant rivers. A story that begins in the snow-covered peaks of the Andes. The Andes run along western South America, and are the world’s longest mountain range. Formed when two sections of the Earth’s crust collided around 50 million years ago, these mountains are also among the highest in the world (second only to Mount Everest and the Himalayas). Extreme winds, temperatures, and fast-moving water often combine to rapidly erode the Andes, breaking down rocks into fine sediments that are then swept up into small creeks and rivers at the headwaters of the Amazon River.

Almost all of the mud we see on the seawall began its journey like this, high in the Andes. Starting in these creeks, this sediment is transported some 4,000 miles across the continent to the mouth of the Amazon River. In fact, the Amazon River delivers over 1.1 billion tons of suspended sediment and 270 million tons of dissolved organic matter into the Atlantic Ocean every year. This enormous plume of mud, which can be seen from space, kickstarts a giant “earth-engine” that has powered the creation of Guyana’s coast for millions of years.

Known as the “world’s muddiest coast”, the 1,500-kilometre stretch of shoreline between the mouths of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers hides an underwater landscape that is unlike anything on Earth.

As the Amazon plunges into the Atlantic, fresh water and salt water collide with ocean currents, pushing back against the enormous discharge of mud. In this complex mix of tidal forces, the Amazonian sediment is transported back towards the coasts of the Guianas, eventually forming massive mud banks. These mud banks can grow up to 30km wide and 60km long, almost twice the distance between the Kingston seawall and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

What’s even more remarkable is that the mud banks then become mobile and begin a slow “walk” from the mouth of the Amazon River towards Guyana. All along the way, as the mud bank passes in front of the shoreline, it slows the high waves coming from the Atlantic Ocean. When slowed, these waves are forced to drop their gifts of sediment and nutrients, leading to the creation of mudflats and sand bars that are exposed at low tide.

Mangroves and other salt-loving vegetation then begin to grow out onto these exposed mudflats, expanding further into the ocean.

This is how Guyana’s Low Coastal Plain was formed, and why Guyana’s most fertile soils are found there.

As the giant mudbank out in the ocean continues along its journey west, its buffering effects slowly disappear, and the newlyexpanded shoreline once again gets exposed to direct strong waves.

This triggers a period of erosion, also called the “inter-bank” phase.

Along the coasts of French Guiana and Suriname, this cycle of buildup and erosion continues to result in the gaining of land, where the coasts of both countries have grown over the last few decades.

In Guyana, however, our unique colonial history resulted in the large-scale construction of seawalls and dams directly along the coast, forever changing the behaviour of costal currents, and interrupting this natural earth-engine. Hard coastal structures like concrete seawalls cause wave energy to be deflected, creating more turbulence and much higher wave heights along these humanengineered shores, and ultimately making it difficult for mudflats to form and remain.

With climate change bringing more severe storm surges and higher-than-normal spring tides, Guyana’s coast has never been more vulnerable.

Home to 90% of the Guyanese population and 75% of the country’s agricultural lands, the health and vitality of our entire country depends on the management of our coast, and the mud that made it. This is even more true for our capital Georgetown, which, according to the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), is at risk of being largely under water by 2030.

The good news, however, is that we can restart the powerful earth-engine that made our coast in the first place; putting Nature to work as we build a resilient future. By combining traditional “grey” sea defences (concrete walls, sea dams, jetties, etc.) with “green”, naturebased approaches (mud, mangroves, saltmarshes, etc.), Guyana can once again gain the advantage in its battle with the sea. We can go beyond simply defending our lands and families from the ocean and begin to expand land into the sea.

We find ourselves at a moment in time when we must build and design with Nature in mind. Taken together, nature-based approaches are among the most affordable, durable and commonsensical solutions to development. As small island states and coastal peoples across the globe fight desperately to stay above the waves, Guyana is in the very enviable position of being able to harness nature to secure our continued prosperity on this coast. Together, we can mount a joint and integrated response, one that matches the sweeping forces and time-scales involved; an approach that brings together State agencies, communities, business interests, scientists and Government; an approach that we will explore in “Generation Restoration: How developing with Nature can shape a better future for Guyanese”, the third and final article in this series.

So, next time you visit the seawall, take some time to look at the mud, for in it lies the stories of our past and the key to our lasting prosperity on this remarkable coast.

For more information on Conservation International, please visit: https://conservation.org.gy/

The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

“They said that was...

in excess of $80M for the plants he needs to cultivate the 7.1 acres.

Expanding

Gilead has set his sights on expanding his project, and wants to be Guyana’s main supplier of grapes. The project would see him providing employment for several persons, but he plans to provide employment for a vulnerable group.

“I plan to employ single parents. They would have to know (how) to take off certain leaves from the vines.

I know women have a lot of patience when it comes to plants, and grapes need a lot of attention, so I think the fittest persons to employ are women; they would do a wonderful job in the vineyard,” he explained.

Not only does Gilead intend to produce table grapes, but he also wants to produce wine grapes. Apart from wine, grape juice would also be a part of the project.

“You can also make jelly, and the seed you can make grape seed oil; that is good to nourish your skin and hair.

The leaves have a lot of medical benefits. They are rich in calcium and potassium…so

FROM PAGE 15

Exotic plants

you can make tea bags with the leaves also,” he disclosed.

The grape leaves, he added, can also be cooked. “Every part of the vine is used for something,” he declared.

Gilead has said he wants to make his vineyard a tourist site, allowing people to visit and see some of the different varieties of grapes.

There are some 200 varieties of grapes worldwide.

He also hopes to be able to extend his project to allow schools to visit, and provide training for children who have future plans of having their own vineyards.

The budding entre-

preneur has been promised 7.1 acres of land by Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, and Gilead currently has 230 plants for the project. According to him, 640 plants can be cultivated on a one-acre plot. The cost for one of the stems is US$80, which is about Gy$18,000.

“I will set the 230 plants, and when they are one year old, I can cut the stem and set it. From the 230, I should get about 50 cuttings from each, so I should have over 11,000 plants. That should be able to plant a few acres,” Gilead explained.

Otherwise, it would cost

Gilead has also invested in other exotic plants. These include apples, which he always wanted to plant since his boyhood days, and kiwi.

He explained that kiwi is expected to take eight years to bear, but he believes that his kiwi plants would bear in about three years’ time.

This, he said, is because the plants would be exposed to favourable weather all year round.

“We don’t have snow in Guyana, just rain and sun; so, we have a greater advantage than the cold countries,” he said.

Although Gilead already has apple trees, he also has hundreds of seedlings. Those, he said, would be planted on the outskirts of this 7.1-acre vineyard.

The experimentalist also has granadilla vines growing in his yard. The fruit belongs to the passionfruit family.

20 FEATURE

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Church, Mandir, Masjid housed in one building in Berbice

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dherents of the three major religions in Guyana: Christianity, Hinduism and Islam, occasionally come together to pray at certain functions, but it is most unusual for them to be heard worshipping in the same building every day.

In Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne), however, there stands a building which caters for the adherents of all three religions to engage in worship under one roof. The Dharm Shala (shelter, or rest house)

The Dharm Shala in New Amsterdam accommodates a church, a mandir and a masjid in one building

situated in the town of New Amsterdam is that building.

Founded in 1941 by the late Pandit Ramsaroop Maharaj, who had a vision to alleviate the needs of the poor, sick, and destitute in what was then British Guiana, this building was initially used as a school for children in the community before eventually becoming a place where adherents of the three major religions could engage in worship.

Sai Suraj Narain of the Sri Sathya Sai organisation told this publication that the building

was constructed to cater for the elderly, among others.

Narain said that to facilitate the residents at their various places of worship would have been a challenge, so the plan was conceived to construct the building and divide it into sections for worship. “…so they have one area which is used as a chapel and another section which is used as a mandir…” he said. The area at which one enters the building is being used as a mosque, and there are curtains separating the three sections.

“The Sri Sathya Sai organisation… was asked to take up the mantle of performing services. We embrace all three religions, so we have the entire building opened up - the entire building - to all three (religions),” he said.

“We believe there is one God; it is just a different culture between the Muslims, Hindus and Christians. So, we embrace all three,” he explained.

There is an altar with a cross on it in the small section of the building referred to as the Chapel, and there is an altar

with several murtis in the small space referred to as the mandir.

There is also an area designated as a mosque. Caretaker Akeeza Jones explained that, apart from the homeless, the institution houses people who have been discharged from the National Psychiatric Hospital and are not being accepted by their families, along with persons who suffer from disabilities.

Jones said the building which is now being used for worship was once used solely as a mandir, but it has been tailored to accommodate other

religions.

“At this home, we have a lot of sick people, and it is very hard to…get them to go to their different places of worship, so all of them come here…,” she explained. “We have had people coming from all around the country to visit, and they are very pleased with what we are doing and how we are doing it,” Jones said.

All Guyanese are being called on to live in unity and love, because nothing bridges a divide, Jones explained.

(Andrew Carmichael)

21

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

22 FEATURE

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Aranaputa cash-crop project...

Gillian Gonsalves, who oversaw aspects of the project’s implementation, told the Guyana Times that she was trained by the BNTF to identify the shade house design that was best suited for the area. She was also trained in how to preparing a plan for such a project as well as prepare the land for cultivation.

Gonsalves said too those participants were trained in shade house manage-

ment and record keeping.

At the moment, she serves as manager of the shade house and while she chatted with this newspaper, she was busy preparing plants for cultivation.

Over the years, farming in the Rupununi was explored in many ways. In 2017, residents of the village of Kwatamang , which is also located at Annai, successfully embarked on the cash-crop project utilising an old corral. At the

site a variety of crops were planted but residents noted at the time that marketing of the produce was an issue.

Residents of Aranaputa are planning to embark on an ambitious marketing strategy in order to sell their produce which will be planted continuously at the site with scope for expansion once the demands of the project exceed its current state. (Alva Solomon)

Pak-choi and tomatoes are among the cash crops grown at this facility

FROM PAGE 14

FEATURE

23

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

HEALTH TIPS

DIFFICULTIES IN GETTING PREGNANT

Dr. Tariq Jagnarine Family Medicine, Endocrinology, and Diabetes

O

nce the choice is made to try having children, any delay can seem like waiting for something that would never happen. Every trip to the store can bring reminders of all the other pregnancies going on. Every monthly cycle without success can bring disappointment, or feelings of failure.

Couples may begin to feel like there is something wrong. After all, how is it possible for babies to be born every day, but not for them (couples) to get pregnant? They may become anxious, depressed, or even desperate.

How long should it take to get pregnant?

If it’s the first months of trying for a baby, it might be surprising to couples that getting pregnant isn’t happening as quickly as expected.

Most healthy couples would conceive within one year, if they are actively trying to conceive.

If couples are under the age of 35 and have been trying to get pregnant for a year or more, they should talk to a doctor -- a family physician, or gynecologist, or endocrinologist. If they are over 35, they should see a specialist after 6 months of actively trying.

POTENTIAL CAUSES OF INFERTILITY INCLUDE:

• TIMING In order to become pregnant, sperm needs to come in contact with the egg during ovulation. Not every day of the month is fair game for this!

If couples just started trying, or haven’t narrowed in on an exact ovulation window yet, they could just be trying to get pregnant at the wrong time during the month. Tracking menstrual cycles can help address this issue. It’s important to remember that even if a woman has determined when she is ovulating, it’s not a guarantee that sex during that time would result in pregnancy. A healthy 30-year-old has about a 20 percent chance of pregnancy each month.

• OVULATION ISSUES

For women who are not ovulating, it can be nearly impossible to become pregnant. In this case, couples can speak with a fertility specialist about additional tests and procedures they can offer to help regulate and identify why ovulation isn’t occurring.

• SEMEN/SPERM ISSUES While it’s true that men can produce sperm their entire lives, there is also a question of sperm quality. The number, shape, and motility (movement) of sperm can affect fertility. If there is a concern, a semen analysis can be done.

• AGE-RELATED ISSUES No matter their gender, all people can find it harder to produce children as they age. Generally speaking, a person with a uterus in their early 20s and 30s has a 1 in 4 chance of getting pregnant each month.

After age 30, the chance of becoming pregnant decreases though, and by the time they are 40, they have a 1 in 10 chance of getting pregnant each month. By the time a person with a uterus is 45, their chances of becoming pregnant are very low.

The fertility of a person who produces sperm would also decrease with age, but that’s not as predictable as the decline of a person with a uterus.

• F A L L O P I A N TUBE ISSUES If fallopian tubes are blocked, eggs won’t be able to get to a safe place for fertilisation and implantation.

• UTERINE ISSUES In order to become pregnant, the fertilised egg must be implanted in the uterus. A misshaped uterus or buildup of tissue in the uterus are two examples of things that can prevent this process from happening as expected.

• BIRTH CONTROL Some types of birth control can impact or delay future fertility, even if they are reversed or otherwise stopped.

OTHER MEDICAL ISSUES

There are many medical issues that can impact your fertility. Some common ones include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis.

Persons with a history of multiple miscarriages or a genetic or other medical condition can have their fertility negatively impacted.

In some cases, there may be unexplained infertility, a somewhat controversial diagnosis of exclusion. This means that, even after testing, there may not be an obvious cause to explain why couples are not getting pregnant.

INCREASING CHANCES

• P I N P O I N T OVULATION TIMING The greatest chance of getting pregnant is having sex in the days before and during ovulation. To determine the ovulation period, track the menstrual cycle: • Take the basal body temperature before getting out of bed — every morning at the same time -- using a special thermometer that can read to a tenth of a degree. Ovulation is typically detected by a slight temperature decrease, and then a temperature increase for 3 days in a row.

• Look for changes in cervical mucus. Before ovulation, estrogen levels will rise, which can cause cervical mucus to increase and be thinner and more slippery. This is a sign that it’s good to have sex for conceiv-

ing. When ovulation has occurred, cervical mucus will typically become cloudy, thick, and sticky.

• Use ovulation strips. These work a lot like pregnancy tests, and can be purchased at pharmacies.

Tracking ovulation by using basal body temperature and cervical mucus changes can help pinpoint when to begin using the test strips.

• R E Q U E S T MEDICAL TESTS If unable to identify ovulation using the above methods, speak with a doctor about seeing a specialist.

A fertility clinic can handle more involved testing, like blood hormone tests and ultrasounds of the ovaries, to determine whether ovulation is occurring.

Tests over the course of one’s cycle are done to track hormones. They can also look for fallopian tube

blockages, or other uterine issues that may impact conception.

USE SPERM-FRIENDLY LUBE

Couples should think about what lubricants they are using. Certain lubricants can affect sperm negatively. Avoid things like: • Astroglide • K-Y jelly • Saliva • Olive oil Lubricant, fertility-friendly options include: • Pre-Seed • Mineral oil • Canola oil Make lifestyle changes to get as healthy as possible, and put oneself in the best position to be pregnant. Regular periods, diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle can help the body to get in a better alignment.

Some suggestions for ways you can change lifestyle in-

clude: • Working towards, or maintaining, a healthy weight • Avoiding caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, and drugs • Finding ways to manage or decrease stress • Taking prenatal vitamins The first step in getting pregnant is identifying any potential roadblocks.

Sometimes just a little tracking of the monthly cycles can result in pregnancy. If the months keep passing and there are no signs of a baby, a fertility specialist can work with couples to maximise their chances of getting pregnant, and address any underlying issues.

While the road to a baby may not be a quick one, the journey that leads to ‘a little one’ can be life-changing. Don’t give up hope!

24 NEWS

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

World Book Day

Lacklustre performance will not be accepted – Minister on new Literacy Dept T he Education Ministry on Saturday launched its new National Literacy Department at a Reading Affair and Literacy Clinic held at the New Central High School in observance of World Book Day. Education Minister Priya Manickchand said that literacy is not just a national issue but it is also a global matter that is being addressed.

She said that low literacy rates have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused many pupils to experience learning loss due to the schools being closed for over two years.

However, to address this, she said that the Ministry thought it best to establish a National Literacy Department intended to develop national strategies which can be implemented in the education districts and communities to ensure children are learning to read and that their reading skills align with their age. According to a release from the Education Ministry, Manickchand said that the work of the new de-

the priority we’re placing on this and we’re establishing and funding a whole department,” Manickchand is quoted as saying in the release from the Education Ministry.

Priorities

Education Minister Priya Manickchand interacting with a student at the Literacy Clinic

partment will include training and retraining of teachers, community volunteerism and parental and community involvement.

The mission, she added, for the education sector as it relates to literacy is that each child must be able to read and comprehend by Grade Two and in Grade Four those skills must be solidified. The Education Minister said that the personnel within the Ministry with responsibility for literacy as well as teachers in the classrooms across Guyana will be held account-

able for the rollout of the programme and the outcomes which follow.

Lacklustre performance, she added, will not be accepted since this results in large numbers of children suffering in the end.

“So I want you to understand the position we are in. We’re not throwing up our hands and blaming anybody. We are saying that we have established a whole new post called the Assistant Chief Education Officer for Literacy. That is how important we think it is and that is

Further, she said that parents will have to straighten their priorities since children who cannot read will not be able to achieve the better life that they wish.

Chief Education Officer, Dr Marcel Hutson said that the launch of the department is key to the transformational process of the Ministry of Education. He said that if a child is not able to read at a certain grade, it becomes extremely difficult for that child to transition or to matriculate which is to move onto secondary school, do well, and ultimately move on to higher learning.

“Being literate is fundamental to one’s own development, the development of your family and by extension the development of a nation,” the CEO noted. He told the parents in atten-

dance that they have a fundamental role to play in the process. He said that collaboration is needed at various levels including within the classroom, at the level of the school’s leadership, at the level of the departments and at the level of the home and community.

The Assistant Chief Education Officer (Literacy), Samantha Williams also spoke at the launching and said that as the world observes World Book Day under the theme “I am a reader”, a 2019 UNESCO report had said that over 773 million children cannot read or identify basic letters. She said that since this data was recorded pre-COVID, one can only imagine what a post-pandemic analysis would reflect since most learners have been out of school for almost two years.

She said that reading is a basic skill everyone must acquire to have all opportunities available to them for success. She said, “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”

Williams said that the Education Ministry does not believe that learning and knowing to read should be treated as a privilege but rather it must be seen as a right of each person. The department, which was launched Saturday, she added, is strategically positioned to improve the reading, creative thinking, writing, speaking and listening skills of all learners and citizens. She said that though the department was formally launched in 2008, today is significant since it now has a broader mandate and full autonomy to implement programmes that will not only transform Guyana but create a nation of readers.

She said that the department remains resolute in supporting the Ministry to provide education service that will equip every citizen with functional literacy skills. The new department is located at 74 Princes and St Stephen’s Streets at the building that was once known as the St Stephen’s Primary Annex.

NEWS

25

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Bandits snatch businessman’s Russia renews attack on Mariupol $1.5M gold chains and missiles hit Odesa, Ukraine says

P

olice have arrested two of three males who committed robbery under arms on a 30-yearold businessman of Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara (WCD), on Friday.

At about 20:30h, the businessman was robbed, Police said. Two of the suspects were identified as a 22-yearold taxi driver of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, and a 37-year-old of D’Urban Street, Georgetown, who are now in Police custody assisting with investigations.

Police said the two suspects in custody are slated to appear in court this week.

Commander for the Division, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Siwnarine said the armed

robbery occurred at the Riddim Flow Chill Spot, Crane Housing Scheme, by three men, two of whom were armed with small handguns.

Businessman Ren Persaud was relieved of 12 gold chains valued at $1.5 million.

The scene was visited by Police ranks after the robbery, and it was revealed that the victim operates Riddim Flow Chill Spot located at Crane, WCD, in the lower flat of his dwelling place.

On the day in question, the businessman was playing pools at his shop when he was approached by the three suspects (two of African descent and the other of Amerindian descent).

One of the identifiable

males was armed with a small black gun and another was also armed with a small black handgun, while the third suspect was unarmed.

They then held the victim at gunpoint and relieved him of the gold chains.

The men reportedly discharged two rounds in the air, before making good their escape in a waiting white Toyota Fielder motor car with registration number PZZ 3371.

Acting on information received, the ranks went to Barber Shop Street, Crane, WCD, where they found the said motor car abandoned on the road. Two of the suspects were later apprehended.

Police are currently looking for the third suspect.

(G9)

R

ussia resumed its assault on the last Ukrainian defenders holed up in a giant steel works in Mariupol on Saturday, days after Moscow declared victory in the southern city and said its forces did not need to take the plant.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the country's army was not ready to try to break through the siege of the port city by force. But he told an evening news conference that Kyiv had every right to do so.

Zelenskiy also announced that the top American diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and US Defense

Secretary Lloyd Austin would visit Kyiv today and that he planned to discuss the types of weapons Ukraine needs to battle the Russian invasion and he expected concrete results.

US President Joe Biden's administration has not yet confirmed any travel plans for Blinken and Austin. The US State Department declined to comment on the matter.

The Pentagon also declined comment.

The attack on Mariupol, the biggest battle of the conflict, has raged for weeks as Russia seeks to capture a city seen as vital to its attempts to link the east-

ern Donbas region with Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula Moscow seized in 2014.

Moscow-backed separatists have held territory in the Donbas region for years.

In the Black Sea port city of Odesa, at least eight people were killed, Zelenskiy said. Two missiles struck a military facility and two residential buildings and two more were destroyed on Saturday, the Ukrainian armed forces said.

The death toll could not be independently verified. The last big strike on or near Odesa was in early April. (Excerpt from Reuters)

26

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27 “We want to develop an electric mobility road” – GEA Head NEWS

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…as 6 charging stations to be established

I

n creating an environment for increased usage of electric vehicles in Guyana, the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) is seeking to establish a new electric mobility road and six charging stations.

Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr Mahender Sharma shared that there are some 116 electric vehicles in operation in Guyana.

Encouraging Guyanese to

There is “renewed interest” in Guyana’s agri sector – Minister to Crabwood Creek residents

T

he magnitude of Guyana’s booming oil industry is garnering more attention and investment opportunities each day, but agriculture is also stepping up as another industry of interest in the region.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha met with residents of Crabwood Creek, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), on Saturday where he shared that this sector is beginning to make waves again, with potential for continued economic growth even after oil resources are depleted.

“We have seen a renewed interest in our agriculture sector. We are an oil and gas producing country. Oil and gas is taking the attention in the country and investors. I think agriculture is also taking the attention and making waves in this part of the world. This shows our Government’s commitment towards this sector because we recognise its importance to our country’s development,” the Minister asserted.

Cash crops have been expanded in recent months but non-traditional crops were also undertaken. High-value crops like broccoli, cauliflower and carrot are to be cultivated this year with the construction of 300 shade houses.

For corn and soya cultivation, the Agriculture Ministry had set out an aim to expand to 3000 acres this year and 25,000 within three years. The intention is to create a domino effect of benefits in livestock and other branches.

“Then we can be self-sufficient to produce our own feed because we want to develop the livestock sector too. As a country, we are looking at different ways to reduce the food import bill and you in the agriculture sector, have that important role to play to help us to develop this sector and have food security,” he told the farmers.

He added, “We are moving on. We are not only stagnated in one type of crops. We are consolidating, expanding and ensuring that there is more yield per acre in the crops that are planted.”

In Region Six, yield for rice has increased to 6.5 tonnes per acre from 2.6 tonnes per acre. Some 65,000

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

acres are cultivated but authorities are actively seeking to open more lands.

Addressing farmers who were affected by the mass flooding last year but did not receive Government’s relief monies, Mustapha said a second tranche will be delivered.

He said they are still investigating issues where some persons collected the relief despite being unaffected by the floods, and hinted at consequences for those culpable. When the next delivery is made, names of eligible persons will be published for scrutiny, so as to ensure transparency. The Ministry is also looking into cases where officers were involved in such practices.

“I’ll be investigating that and consequences will come.

Some of them have already parted company with us because of the dishonesty. That must not happen again…

Before we share the next tranches, we’ll publish the names so that we can have people come and look at it.

Let us identify those persons that does not deserve it,” he relayed.

Government had rolled out the $7.8 billion flood relief compensation package for ordinary citizens who lost crops and livestock after the countrywide inundation in mid-2021.

Approximately 52,000 households were affected in categories of homestead farmers, kitchen gardens, and households exclusive of farms/gardens.

Infrastructure needs of Crabwood Creek farmers were brought under focus, and met with commitment from the Agriculture Minister to improve these areas. Those who are finding difficulties in accessing markets for their produce will also be assisted. (G12)

consider a transition from internal combustion vehicles, he has lauded the benefit of cheaper operation.

While there are concerns with the range, causing persons to deliberate considerably on the feasibility, Dr Sharma contended that many persons do not exceed the acceptable radius on a daily basis. Nevertheless, six EV stations are in the pipeline to enable accessible charging.

“We’re partnering with GPL to do this. That will produce some comfort, reduce the range anxiety.

We’re yet to confirm with the groups as to the areas we intend to place it at. It’s an active conversation. Even without the EV stations, once you’re in a 50-to-60-mile radius, you’re just fine. Most of us rarely go out of that radius,” the GEA Head has outlined.

He added that an electric mobility road is the solution to concerns from consumers, but Guyanese should also consider the reduced duties attached to such vehicles.

“We want to develop an electric mobility road.

We’re working with some of our development partners on that but Government has reduced the taxes. So, an electric vehicle that is more than four years, there are no duties and no taxes. If it’s [less] than four years, you only pay 14 per cent VAT. There is already an incentive for you to look at those.”

Unlike combustion vehicles, electric vehicles are propelled by electromagnetism and propelled by an electric motor. It is charged using electricity, eliminating oil changes and other features distinct to gasoline or diesel vehicles.

In the scope of renewables, businesses were previewed to the advantages of getting onboard with solar energy.

“The benefit of solar is that it is matured, proven technology. It is the virtual low-hanging fruit and I think it is very well suited to the business cycle. You start your business at 8am and close by about 5pm.

That follows the sun-cycle almost perfectly. Solar

Guyana Energy Agency CEO, Dr Mahender Sharma

is an important area,” the CEO noted.

Sharma pointed out that the GEA can conduct an investment-grade energy assessment free of cost.

Businesses would have to reach out to the Agency, and engineers will be deployed to monitor consumption over a one-week period. Thereafter, recommendations will be made on the appropriate investment needed, payback costs, carbon dioxide savings and other data.

“The GEA can assist with that and it is something you can access right now. Solar presents this unique opportunity. Energy efficiency, I think, is the other virtual

low-hanging fruit…Your consumption matches those sunshine hours and it is a great opportunity.”

He expounded that no duty is imposed on the importation of renewable equipment, such as solar panels, wind power generators and others used to generate electricity from renewable energy.

Last year, the GEA informed that Guyana has saved some $488 million in energy costs, with the installation of solar panels on Government buildings across the country over a span of seven years. Some 291 buildings sport the environmentally friendly and cost-effective power generation mechanism. (G12)

28 NEWS

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

6 new COVID-19 cases from over 800 tests T

he trend of lowered COVID cases is continuing, as the Health Ministry reported only six new cases for Saturday. This was detected from 838 tests that were sent for analysis.

Updated statistics via the Health Ministry’s dashboard has shown one patient in the Intensive Care Unit, 88 persons in home isolation, four in institutional isolation and 32 in institutional quarantine.

There are 62,092 recoveries from the 29,186 males and 34,227 females who tested positive. COVID-19 tests have

amounted to 590,638 since the virus was first detected here.

Most recent vaccination statistics show that 439,616 or 85.7 per cent of adults have taken a first dose and of that amount, some 338,785 or 66 per cent are fully vaccinated.

For adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, approximately 34,475 or 47.3 per cent of them have received their first dose, while some 25,217 or 34.6 per cent of them are fully immunised.

In addition, 61,347 persons have returned for their booster shots thus far.

During the past year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had reported over 70 different types of outbreaks, which were being tracked.

Most do not require significant efforts to contain or address.

Systems have been activated to track emergency diseases.

Recently, children in the United Kingdom were presenting signs of Hepatitis.

When an analysis was done, the specific virus causing Hepatitis could not be determined. It has been classified as Hepatitis of an unknown type as officials await further

Deadly Bachelor’s Adventure fire ruled as arson – GFS

T

he Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has confirmed that the fire that claimed the life of 51-yearold Nicola Marshall Jacobs at Bachelors Adventure, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Wednesday was an act of arson.

According to the Police, the fire started at about 13:00h, and based on their investigations, the woman had lived alone in the house.

She was last seen alive at about 11:00h.

When the fire ensued, ranks of the Melanie Fire Service arrived at the scene and extinguished the blaze. According to the Fire Service, the building was not affixed with electricity nor was the building insured.

The woman’s partially charred remains were later found among the debris.

Initially, a family member had told Guyana Times that they were of the belief

Dead: Nicola Marshall Jacobs

that the woman might have locked herself in the house and set it on fire.

The late Nichola Marshall Jacobs had reportedly left her martial home about five years ago, and had been having a relationship with another man, with whom she lived with up until the time of her demise.

The couple was renting the property that was owned by one Norma Garnette.

The family member said that on Tuesday, Jacobs had

allegedly visited her legally married husband’s home and had taken her identification card and $8000, and asked him to keep them.

The woman’s husband reportedly questioned her about the relationship she was having with her lover, but she had left without responding.

This publication was further informed that Jacobs’s lover wanted to end the relationship. It is suspected that this might have prompted the woman to commit the act.

In a report from the Guyana Fire Service a day later, it was confirmed that the fire was indeed an act of arson. However, the Fire Service was unable to say who committed the malicious setting. The family is now baffled as to if the fire was indeed set by Jacobs, or if someone else committed the act. (G9)

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD APRIL 23, 2022 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

6

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

4

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

88 1

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

32

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

34,227

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

29,186

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

63,413

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

62,092

REGION 1

2519

REGION 2

2494

REGION 3

8061

REGION 4

31,371

REGION 5

2381

REGION 6

5781

REGION 7

2423

REGION 8

887

REGION 9

4025

REGION 10

3471

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN BE SAFE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Wear a face mask.

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

439,616

FULLY IMMUNISED

338,785

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020

1228

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.

investigation. Similar cases have surfaced in other countries within Europe.

Commenting on the matter on Friday was Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, who explained, “It’s totally unrelated to COVID. At least, that’s the thinking at this point in time. Like with everything else, this is one of those diseases that would be tho-

roughly investigated and we’ll see what the results would be.

We haven’t seen anything like that in Guyana but we’ll continue to monitor and see what other issues might pop up.”

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 Hotline 231-1166,

226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health. gov.gy.

Global figures show that almost 505.8 million people have tested positive for the virus and 6.2 million have died. In the Americas, more than 152 million confirmed cases have been reported with over 2.7 million deaths. (G12)

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022

IPL 2022…

29

Gujarat Titans steal game from Kolkata Knight Riders -despite Andre Russell’s outstanding performance

Hardik Pandaya scored 67 for the Gujarat Titans

N

o captain has dared to do this in any of the 34 games so far played in IPL 2022, But on Saturday afternoon, Hardik Pandya opted to bat first under sunny skies against Kolkata Knight Riders, and although it was rough going for large parts in a seesaw affair, Gujarat Titans got the two points they needed to regain their spot at

the summit of the IPL 2022 points table.

Having put up 156, which seemed around 20 too few at the halfway stage, Titans needed early Knight Riders wickets, and Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal and Lockie Ferguson picked off four in 6.1 overs, and that ensured Titans got home to an eight-run win despite a late 25-ball 48 from Andre Russell.

Russell's six sixes had dragged Knight Riders to a scenario where they needed 18 off the final over, with the allrounder on strike to

Alzarri Joseph. When he hit a six off the first ball, a Knight Riders’ win was a realistic possibility. But a stunning Ferguson catch at the deep squareleg boundary off a Joseph bouncer with which Russell couldn't connect well sent him back to the pavilion and completely deflated the Knight Riders’ challenge.

Southee, Hardik impress Among Knight Riders' three changes for the game was Tim Southee coming in place of the expensive Pat Cummins. He struck

Linden Town Week Dewar’s Dominoes Final…

Big Landing, Bidders, Cats collide today

W

ith bragging rights and $100,000 at stake along with a winners’ trophy, Cats, Big Landing and Bidders dominoes teams are all primed to battle in the final of the Linden Town Week Dewar’s Dominoes tournament, set for 5.00pm today at Speedy’s Juice Shop at the Amelia’s Ward/Wisrock Car Park in Mackenzie.

Sponsored by Ansa McAL Trading, with Oswald “Speedy” Charles as the organiser, this tournament would generate much interest, since all three teams are supremely confident of emerging victorious and carting off top honours, bragging rights, $100,000 and the championship trophy.

Preening themselves with their confidence yesterday, the Cats, who had won the last dominoes tournament about one month ago, were quick to declare why they know they would win. Their leader, Elroy Cumberbatch, noted that they have been the top team for a long time, and disdained the idea that anyone but them could emerge victorious.

He said, “As the captain for Cats, we won the last GJETSCO tournament, our teams have been very successful recently, and when the final is decided today, again we will come out on top.”

Cats' Elroy Cumberbatch (L), Bidders’ Ian Bacchus (R) and organizer Oswald 'Speedy' Charles (C) posing with the trophies

Big Landing, who gained a bye to the final, seemed well rested and ready to collect the winners’ spoils.

Westwell Peters commented: “My team is a big-game team, and we got the temperament and class.

Big Landing has floored all of them before, and we will again do so on Sunday.”

Captain of the Bidders team, Ian Bacchus, was quick to predict that his team would cart off the top honours, and he gave his reasons why this would be so.

He made this announcement: “Well, first, on paper we have the strongest team; second, we have the experience to go along with it; and thirdly, we are the most feared team in Linden. So, there is no chance for Cats and their backup colleagues, Big Landing! So, we are going to take care of both of them.”

In the semifinals, Cats advanced

with 86 games and Bidders did so with 83; and Stag Boss, with 56 games, was eliminated. Cats player Brian Green had 16 games, while Orin Messiah and Elroy Cumberbatch had each marked 15; and Bidders joined them in advancing as Lyndon Richards got the maximum 18 games, Dereck Johnson got 17, and Ian Bacchus got 15.

For Stag Boss, who were knocked out, John Haynes and Arthur Chung had each shone, while Big Landing had drawn a bye to the final.

Trophies are at stake for the three finalists, along with two bottles of Dewar’s - that new and exciting product being traded by Ansa McAL; but the winner gets $100,000, second-placed team gets $50,000, and third-placers would have to be content with $30,000.

with his first ball when a loosener down the leg side was edged behind

by Shubman Gill in the second over.

Wriddhiman Saha struggled to find fluency, and Hardik walked in at No. 3, the highest position he has ever batted at for the Titans.

Hardik led the charge from one end in half-century stands with Saha and #4 David Miller, and reached his half-century in 36 balls - completing a hat-trick of fifties in the process.

He looked set to change gears for a big flourish at the death, but fell in the 18th over. It was Southee in his return spell who dismissed Hardik, bowling an offcutter that Hardik pulled to the boundary rider Rinku Singh.

Not long after, Rashid Khan was also caught in trying to pull Southee, and the quick finished with 3 for 24.

Russell's four-wicket over Even though Varun Chakravarthy returned better figures (none for 26 in three overs) than he had in previous games, Shreyas Iyer did not go to him for his fourth over. Instead, with the 20th to be bowled, and with Titans at 151 for 5, Shreyas turned to Russell.

And Russell proceeded to take the wickets of Abhinav Manohar, Ferguson and Rahul Tewatia - all caught by Rinku on the longer square boundary to the right-hander’s leg side – and he ended the innings with a diving caught-and-bowled dismissal off Dayal to finish with a four-for in just six balls.

His over not only ensured a tame finish for Titans, but the momentum had switched to the Knight Riders.

Titans pacers in complete control It was the fourth opening pair for Knight Riders in IPL 2022, with Sam Billings - who replaced Aaron Finch [out with a niggle] - opening with Sunil Narine. However, both openers were dismissed by Shami in his newball burst.

Billings lasted just four balls, as Shami's bouncer had him slicing a catch to Saha in the first over of the chase. Narine was then discomfited by a barrage of short-pitched deliveries, and when Shami offered

SCOREBOARD GUJARAT TITANS INNINGS (20 overs maximum) Wriddhiman Saha †c VR Iyer b Yadav 25 Shubman Gill c †Billings b Southee 7 Hardik Pandya (c)c Singh b Southee 67 David Miller c Yadav b Shivam Mavi 27 Rahul Tewatia c Singh b Russell 17 Rashid Khan c Yadav b Southee 0 Abhinav Manohar c Singh b Russell 2 Lockie Ferguson c Singh b Russell 0 Alzarri Joseph not out 1 Yash Dayal c & b Russell 0 Extras (lb 3, w 7) 10 TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.80) 156/9 Did not bat: Mohammed Shami Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Shubman Gill, 1.1 ov), 2-83 (Wriddhiman Saha, 10.3 ov), 3-133 (David Miller, 16.2 ov), 4-138 (Hardik Pandya, 17.2 ov), 5-140 (Rashid Khan, 17.5 ov), 6-151 (Abhinav Manohar, 19.1 ov), 7-151 (Lockie Ferguson, 19.2 ov), 8-156 (Rahul Tewatia, 19.5 ov), 9-156 (Yash Dayal, 19.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Umesh Yadav 4-0-31-1 Tim Southee 4-0-24-3 Shivam Mavi 4-0-36-1 Sunil Narine 4-0-31-0 Varun Chakravarthy 3-0-26-0 Andre Russell 1-0-5-4

him a length ball, Narine could only whip the ball to the fielder at short fine-leg.

The score of 10 for 2 would soon become 16 for 3 when Ferguson's around-the-wicket angle had Nitish Rana caught behind, and Knight Riders were looking at a massive defeat when Shreyas Iyer was the fourth man gone - caught behind again, this time off Dayal's left-arm angle - with the scoreboard reading 34 for 4.

Rinku and Russell push back Venkatesh Iyer walked in at #6, and in Rinku's company, they started to build a partnership. Rashid's first spell was seen off carefully, and Rinku found the occasional boundary to move to 35 with four fours and a six.

With eight overs to go, Knight Riders needed 77, but Dayal had Rinku caught behind in his return spell, quite against the run of play.

That brought Russell in at #7, and

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS INNINGS (Target: 157 runs from 20 overs) Sam Billings † c †Saha b Mohammed Shami 4 Sunil Narine c Ferguson b Mohammed Shami 5 Shreyas Iyer (c)c †Saha b Yash Dayal 12 Nitish Rana c †Saha b Ferguson 2 Rinku Singh c †Saha b Yash Dayal 35 Venkatesh Iyer c Manohar b Rashid Khan 17 Andre Russell c Ferguson b Joseph 48 Shivam Mavi b Rashid Khan 2 Umesh Yadav not out 15 Tim Southee not out 1 Extras (nb 1, w 6) 7 TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.40) 148/8 Did not bat: Varun Chakravarthy Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Sam Billings, 0.4 ov), 2-10 (Sunil Narine, 2.2 ov), 3-16 (Nitish Rana, 4.2 ov), 4-34 (Shreyas Iyer, 6.1 ov), 5-79 (Rinku Singh, 12.1 ov), 6-98 (Venkatesh Iyer, 13.2 ov), 7-108 (Shivam Mavi, 15.2 ov), 8-145 (Andre Russell, 19.2 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Mohammed Shami 4-0-20-2 Yash Daya 4-0-42-2 Alzarri Joseph 4-0-31-1 Lockie Ferguson 4-0-33-1 Rashid Khan 4-0-22-2

he started off by ending Dayal's over with back-to-back sixes.

At the end of the over, the Knight Riders’ dugout was spotted instructing Venkatesh to hang around with Russell, but he failed to do the job, slogging out to deep midwicket in trying to play Rashid against the turn.

Next over, Rashid picked off Shivam Mavi, and finished with 2 for 22.

With 45 needed off four overs, Titans had four seamers with one over each in hand, and Hardik went for experience first, giving the 16th to Shami and the 17th to Ferguson; they both went for a combined 16 runs. The 19th from Dayal went for 11, and the first ball of the 20th from Joseph did go for a six, but Russell's dismissal next ball ensured that Hardik's decision at the toss gave them the result they wanted.

(Cricinfo)

30

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022

IPL 2022…

Sunrisers Hyderabad rout Royal Challengers Bangalore -through efforts of Marco Jansen, T Natarajan Against Delhi Capitals, he was in in the third over and out in the 12th. Against Chennai Super Kings, he was in in the sixth over and out in the seventh.

Maxwell has the ability to score 150 in a T20 match. He should really give himself more time in the middle.

I

Abhishek Sharma scored 47

magine sitting down for an exam, scanning the question paper, and realising you had all the answers.

Royal Challengers Bangalore were coming into this game with four wins in five games; one more and they could go joint-top of the table. Now imagine seeing every one of those questions you were so sure you knew the answers to just magically change to utter gibberish.

Royal Challengers were bowled out for 68, and beaten by nine wickets in a match that lasted for only 24.1 overs.

The curse of April 23 had struck again.

Jansen puts the rage in outrageous One over, three runs, three wickets. If new-ball bowling is an art, Marco Jansen was, at least for tonight, nothing short of Picasso. His first wicket had the batter recoiling from the sound

Damage done: Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli and Sanjay Bangar try to make sense of their side’s collapse

of his castle coming down. Faf du Plessis turned into an ‘S’ by the away movement and was bowled past the leading edge.

His second wicket was Virat Kohli’s, and this was a peach too.

Full and angled across the righthander, it was pitching before he could reach it with the extra cover drive, and it stole the edge through to the slips.

You look at Jansen and his 6’7” frame, and you know he is going to get scary bounce. But if he is also capable of seaming the ball like this - and he got it to go both ways to secure the lefthand Anuj Rawat’s outside edge as well - he is going to be an invaluable asset to any number of teams. He is the reason Royal Challengers crashed to the sixth-

lowest total in IPL history, and then suffered the fourth-biggest loss in terms of balls remaining (72).

The misfiring maraude Glenn Maxwell has been very adamant about attacking the bowlers any time he has been at the crease this IPL. And he has done it so well that, prior to this game, he had the second highest strike-rate (193.10) among all batters who had faced at least 50 deliveries this season.

But is he really giving himself enough of a chance to influence games? He came in to bat in the first over against Sunrisers, and fell in the fifth. Against Lucknow Super Giants, he was in in the first over and out in the seventh.

The perfect game Kane Williamson has won seven tosses in eight games.

That is the cricketing equivalent of pulling a rabbit out of a hat, but he wasn’t satisfied with that.

He knew he could do more; that he could pull rhinos out of that hat.

The moment Williamson saw some early seam movement, he gave Jansen a couple of slips, and Kohli was caught at second slip.

Dinesh Karthik is a phenomenal sweeper of the ball. He went for one here, but only feathered it through to the keeper. The umpire didn’t give it out, so Williamson knew what he had to do: DRS. Bingo!

Williamson unleashed his fastest bowler on the Sunrisers tail, and BAM, he got a wicket.

He recalled his yorker specialist in the 13th over with Royal Challengers seven down, and BAM, he got a wicket.

T Natarajan was excellent once again, his 3 for 10 in three overs taking him up to second

SCOREBOARD ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE INNINGS (20 overs maximum) Faf du Plessis (c) b Jansen 5 Anuj Rawat c Markram b Jansen 0 Virat Kohli c Markram b Jansen 0 Glenn Maxwell c Williamson b Natarajan 12 Suyash Prabhudessai st †Pooran b Suchith 15 Shahbaz Ahmed c †Pooran b Umran Malik 7 Dinesh Karthik †c †Pooran b Suchith 0 Harshal Patel b Natarajan 4 Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva b Natarajan 8 Josh Hazlewood not out 3 Mohammed Siraj c Williamson b Kumar 2 Extras (nb 1, w 11) 12 TOTAL 16.1 Ov (RR: 4.20) 68 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Faf du Plessis, 1.2 ov), 2-5 (Virat Kohli, 1.3 ov), 3-8 (Anuj Rawat, 1.6 ov), 4-20 (Glenn Maxwell, 4.2 ov), 5-47 (Suyash Prabhudessai, 8.2 ov), 6-47 (Dinesh Karthik, 8.5 ov), 7-49 (Shahbaz Ahmed, 9.2 ov), 8-55 (Harshal Patel, 12.1 ov), 9-65 (Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva, 15.2 ov), 10-

spot on this year’s wicket-takers list.

The conundrum Out for a golden duck in back-to-back games, Kohli’s average for the season is a barely-believable 17. That, for context, is just one point better than Mohammed Siraj.

Kohli really could use a break.

But this is a T20 World Cup year,

68 (Mohammed Siraj, 16.1 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2.1-0-8-1 Marco Jansen 4-0-25-3 T Natarajan 3-0-10-3 Jagadeesha Suchith 3-0-12-2 Umran Malik 4-0-13-1 SUNRISERS HYDERABAD INNINGS (Target: 69 runs from 20 overs) Abhishek Sharma c Anuj Rawat b Patel 47 Kane Williamson (c) not out 16 Rahul Tripathi not out 7 Extras (lb 1, w 1) 2 TOTAL 8 Ov (RR: 9.00) 72/1 Did not bat: Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran †, Shashank Singh, Jagadeesha Suchith, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Marco Jansen, T Natarajan, Umran Malik Fall of wickets: 1-64 (Abhishek Sharma, 7.2 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Mohammed Siraj 2-0-15-0 Josh Hazlewood 3-0-31-0 Harshal Patel 2-0-18-1 Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva 1-0-7-0

and now that he is no longer captain, he becomes a resource that India has in abundance a pure batter. And that too an accumulator. So what if he skips the IPL, somebody else does well, and the selectors prefer him at #3?

Just as a thought exercise, imagine Sanju Samson at #3 on those Australian pitches with true bounce. (Cricinfo)

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022

31

Marslowe returns unopposed as BFA President …praises GFF for unwavering support

By Timothy Jaikarran

T

he Bartica Football Association (BFA) hosted their Annual General Meeting on April 6, 2022 with BFA President Alden Marslowe seeking another term at the helm.

At the end of that engagement, Marslowe was returned to the helm unopposed as president, and a new committee was elected.

The new Executive Committee is as follows: President - Alden Marslowe 1st Vice - Sherwin DaSilva 2nd Vice - Kenneth Edwards 3rd Vice - Elwes Jones Secretary - Arita Embleton Treasurer - Carmel Williams Asst Sect/Treasurer Carmelita Daniels Committee Members: Leah Perreira, Ryan Andries, Curtis Joseph, Felicia Jones, Devon Spencer.

In an exclusive interview

with Guyana Times Sport, Marslowe was asked how he felt about being re-elected, and he responded: "For me, it is always an honour to serve my community, especially the young people who love football and want to play. And so, returning as head of the association is the excellent opportunity for me to continue doing what I love to do for the sport.

“The new Executive Committee has within its makeup five women who have indicated their willingness to serve. In fact, some of them are already positioned to serve, including Carmel Williams, who is a member of the GFF Executive Committee, and Arita Embleton, who is Deputy Mayor of Bartica and also functions on the Finance Committee of the GFF. “In this era, women’s football is taking the world by storm, and so it is important also to have women positioned as leaders in

the administration of the sport."

In terms of what is next on the BFA calendar, Marslowe noted that preparations have already been started for the launch of the BFA Senior Male League, which will run alongside the Under-17 Boys League and the Female League.

Going forward, the BFA will be focusing on implementing a series of capacity-building programmes to assist the club’s coaches and administrators. He also mentioned that, despite the pandemic, the BFA has a lot of time and opportunity, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, as he believes that football is not dead.

In fact, he indicated that the response of the Bartica Regatta Football Tournament signals a particular eagerness in both players and fans for a return to play.

The start of the league season will be the official return-to-play, and thus the BFA is upbeat as it

BFA President Alden Marslowe and the newly- elected management committee

aims to take the game to higher heights.

Marslowe divulged that, at present, the BFA are engaging friends who are involved in business to create partnerships in development of the game.

He reiterated that football is not just attractive, but is sufficiently attractive to command the attention of the business community, because of the visibility that is associated with playing of the game.

Hence, the BFA is starting an aggressive campaign for

sponsorship, and he is confident there would be massive response from corporate friends.

"As usual, I once again give honour and gratitude to the Guyana Football Federation for the unwavering support that it has been giving to the association. That support includes materials, equipment, finance, administration and technical input.

The GFF has taken the position of setting the stage for our annual programme, and that makes it much easier for the association to

Space Gym 2.0 set to open on May 3 - to be Caribbean’s biggest and most modern facility

Some of the Space Gym 2.0 instructors who'll be attending to the needs of the clients

E

quipped with the latest gym weights and relevant equipment from the internationally renowned brand Life Fitness, Space Gym 2.0 is set to open its doors to the public on Tuesday, May 3rd, 2022.

A cocktail reception, in which Sport Minister the

Honourable Charles Ramson Jr and other dignitaries would be in attendance to do the official opening and cutting of the ribbon, would be held on May 1st.

The biggest and most modern gym in the Caribbean would also be featuring an outdoor tennis

court and exercise track around it. (Phase two to commence one month after official opening) The gym sports the latest equipment in the fitness industry, manufactured by Life Fitness, an American fitness equipment company that specialises in the production and distribution of

equipment.

A Life Fitness team was in Guyana to install the equipment, and was also engaged in training the Gym Instructors in the management and handling of the equipment, in order to ensure that customers get the best possible experience in their quest to live fit and healthy lives.

Management of Space Gym 2.0 has left no stone unturned in the quest for ultimate customer satisfaction, and has been training the Gym Instructors continuously to ensure quality service and satisfaction for gym members.

The Gym is fully equipped with high-speed internet, which would allow customers to be able to watch their favourite channels while they work out on the bikes, treadmills, or otherwise.

This spanking new facility

foster the playing of the game, running off leagues, and other developmental strategies," he said.

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Long term rates available. Phone: 264-2946-9. www.aracariresort. com

BUS SERVICE also features a Yoga and Zumba Room which would cater to the needs of, among others, the elderly, as the management is deliberately keen on catering to the need of every customer.

There is also a SpaceRide Room (First World style) that is fully equipped with ICG7 model bikes that are all electronically locked into the Instructor’s Bike.

The Gym would be catering to all sports, as it would offer the latest and best options for athletes and individuals to attain their respective fitness dreams.

Among the other amenities would be healthy food and a shakes bar that would be managed by Body Amped Nutrition Center. Adequate security and parking would also be available for customers’ comfort.

Need a bus? Call Us. Matthews Bus Service and Tours. Call: 6392663/673-2348.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Restaurant for Rent – West Bank Demerara (at Aracari Resort, Versailles – between Harbor Bridge and Vreed-en-Hoop). Turn Key Business. Covid-19 Reduced Capacity 60; furnished and equipped.

Phone 264-2946; 626-5290

ENTERTAINMENT Swimming Pool Family Fun & Picnic – Crystal Clear Pool. Kids and Adult Sections. Very Safe. Aracari Resort : West Bank Demerara (Versailles, between Harbor Bridge and Vreed-enHoop)- Every Weekend. DJ Music.

Groups and Excursions welcome.

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TOURS Independence Weekend, May 26th – 29th. Call: 639-2663/673-2348.

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

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

Magnum Independence Cup commences today -$1.4M in cash prizes up for grabs

H

aving bided its time throughout the pandemic, the Magnum Futsal Independence Cup will be back with a proverbial bang tonight.

Having been forced to change venues, the event will now take place at the National Park in Georgetown, with kickoff scheduled for 7pm tonight.

Over 24 teams have been confirmed for this Futsal action, which would feature some of the nation’s biggest names in the format, inclusive of the belligerent ‘Gold is Money’ team.

Organizers launched the highly-anticipated event at the Fireside Grill in Garnett Street, Kitty on Saturday, the Grill also being sponsors of the tournament.

Representing the title sponsors, Jamal Baird, the Senior Brand Manager for Magnum and Campari, spoke of the entity’s corporate social responsibility and its eagerness to stick with the explosive event.

“This is a historic moment for both grassroots football and Magnum Tonic Wine, in

collaboration with San Sports.

This tournament will be our fourth hosting, and (we are) looking forward for it for the future. Magnum Tonic Wine remains humble in the way of giving back (through) corporate social responsibility, and also this will be an exhilarating tournament,” Baird shared at the launch on Saturday afternoon.

Echoing similar sentiments was Lucozade Brand Manager Tristan Freeman, who spoke extensively on the brand’s commitment to providing youths with meaningful pastimes.

Freeman related, “The brand doesn’t just want to be about selling and making profit, we also want to give back; and this is a perfect way of giving back.

Since the tournament initiated, the brand has been with the tournament, and we want to continue to go along that line, by giving back to youths and supporting.”

The Magnum Independence Cup has put Gy$1.4M on the line for the participating teams; with the champion team pocketing $700,000. The second-place finisher would

Representatives of Gold is Money and Alexander Village teams take a grab at the first-place trophy, surrounded by Edison Jefford, Jamal Baird (L), Tristan Freeman, Father Moey, Esan Griffith (R) and the Magnum brand ambassadors

walk away with $400,000; third place with $200,000 and fourth place would have to settle for $100,000. Each cash prize would be accompanied by a trophy.

Aside from those prizes, organizers have committed to rewarding outstanding

individual performances, such as highest goal-scorer and MVP. As such, Organizer Edison Jefford has promised a spectacular tournament, which will see the final being played on May 21st.

“This is the first major football event for 2022. Out

of the pandemic, and we understand the challenges, and this is an established event. We were determined to ensure that it continues,” he expressed.

With a smile, Jefford added: “From that perspective, we believe that this tournament will be very significant for

sport in Guyana.”

Seven games are expected to be played this evening when the tournament commences.

Magnum, Lucozade, MVP Sports, Fireside Grill and Chill and Nigel Hinds Financial Services are among the sponsors of the event.

Flying Ace/Arokium Funeral Home countrywide cycling set for May 1 G

Andre ‘Padlock’ Green won the last race held in Berbice

uyana’s top cyclists will assemble in Berbice on Sunday May 1 for the Flying Ace Cycling Cluborganized and Arokium Funeral Home cycling.

The cyclists would begin the race at Main and Alexander Streets in New Amsterdam promptly from 9:00h, and head towards the Number 43 Bridge on the Corentyne before returning to finish the 60-mile race at the point of origin in New Amsterdam.

This race is a memorial to the late Phillip Arokium, and participation would be in five categories. The first six seniors will be awarded, as would the first three juniors, the first three beginners, the first four veterans and the first three females. The females and beginners’ race would turn back at the Nand Persaud facility at Number 36 Village and finish at Alexander Street after covering 25 miles.

A total of 10 sprint prizes will be up for grabs, and the top riders in Guyana will be

Ms Pearl Arokium, presenting sponsorship to Flying Ace Cycling Coach and President, Randolph Roberts, in the presence of other officials

battling for supremacy while transforming the Corentyne highway in their playfield.

This race will be used as preparation for the three-stage race that is set for later in May. 2022’s red-hot cyclist Andre ‘Padlock’ Green will be aiming to use his home advantage and

continue his rich vein of form, while Team Evolution riders will be hoping for good results.

Flying Ace rider and top junior cyclist Mario Washington will also be in action.

Arokium Funeral Home is no stranger to the sponsorship of cycling, as this is a yearly

initiative. However, this year, a decision has been taken for this race to be held in recognition of the late Phillip Arokium, who would have been 13 years old.

Pearl Arokium and her team will be in attendance to start the race and present the prizes afterwards. (Brandon Corlette)

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