Guyana Times - Sunday, February 20, 2022

Being an Air Traffic Controller requires dedication, commitment …says aviation veteran Roy Sookhoo

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Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 4926 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022

Guyana to strengthen bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia – after 1-day visit by that country's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

WCB youth dies after crashing motorcycle P11 into minibus

500 women benefit from CIOG’s pap smear drive P37

2 men succumb to COVID; 53 new cases detected in 24 hours P40 His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali and senior members of his cabinet attended a working lunch with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Member of the Saudi Arabia Council of Ministers, His Excellency Adel Ahmed al-Jubeir, at State House on Saturday

Drilling to resume at Wenot deposit next week Page 38

P41 First Lady secures 100 maritime training scholarships for Indigenous women

– Omai says pit has potential for even more gold

55 Hope Estate residents to soon get land titles/ transport after decades Page 39

Labourer gunned down by overseas-based Guyanese over old grievance Page 9

Works at Leonora, Mabaruma Hospitals near completion – Health Minister Page 44

Islamophobia a potent threat to multiculturalism – President Ali – urges religious leaders to “speak out” against all forms of injustice P7

Dr Vindhya Persaud commences delivery of P35 2022 pension, public assistance to remote areas

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Sunday, Feb 20 – 04:00h – 05:30h and Monday, Feb 21 – 04:00h – 05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, Feb 20 – 06:35h – 08:05h and Monday, Feb 21 – 07:10h – 08:40h.

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 during the day.

Expect partly cloudy skies and light rain showers at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North North-Easterly to Northerly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 06:56h and 19:17h reaching maximum heights of 2.71 metres and 2.71 metres.

Low Tide: 12:50h reaching a minimum height of 0.48 metre.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2022

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Guyana to strengthen bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia

– after 1-day visit by that country's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

W

ith the intention of further strengthening ties with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Saturday hosted a working lunch for Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Member of the Saudi Arabia Council of Ministers, Adel Ahmed alJubeir, at State House.

The visiting Minister led a delegation which included Counsellor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norah Mohammed Al Bassam; First Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdullah Al Muaiqil; Secondary Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Naif Abdulaziz Alnuwaiser and three others.

At the working lunch, President Ali was accompanied

by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh and Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd.

The Arab officials were in Barbados meeting with officials on Friday before flying to Guyana on Saturday.

Upon their arrival around noon, the Arab delegation was welcomed by Minister Todd and other officials from the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry.

The President’s office did not provide much information to the media with respect to discussions held between the two sides on Saturday.

However, over the last

President Dr Irfaan Ali and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir

eighteen months, Guyana and Saudi Arabia have intensified their collaboration and continue to enjoy cordial and mutually beneficial relations.

The Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry had said on Friday that this visit of the Arab Minister will, therefore, “serve as an impetus for the further enhancement of relations between the two countries.”

Only Tuesday, President Ali held a meeting with another visiting team from Saudi Arabia at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, following the opening day of the inaugural International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana, which was held in Georgetown last week.

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, had joined the meeting virtually.

The visiting delegation, which was here for the Energy Conference, was led by the Arab nation’s Governor of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Adeeb Al Aama.

Guyana has been on the radar of Middle Eastern states in recent years as a result of its blooming oil and gas industry.

In fact, Saudi Arabian company, Aramco Trading Limited, last year was awarded a one-year contract to lift Guyana’s share of oil from the Stabroek Block after coming out with the best responsive bid during evaluation.

The 12-month deal to market Guyana’s oil runs from September 2021 to August, 2022. Additionally, the company was also awarded a single-lift for last September to avoid the country having to forfeit its one million barrels of

crude.

Meanwhile, that same month, the Guyanese Head of State had met with His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

During that engagement, the two countries discussed partnership and collaboration in oil and gas as well as issues relating to COP26 and the development of a nuanced approach to a decarbonised world.

Moreover, Guyana last year applied to the Saudi Arabiabased Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) seeking financial support for the Hinterland Electrification Programme, and intends to use some of the proceeds to fund the construction and rehabilitation of two small, hydropower plants at Lethem, Region Nine.

These are a 1.5 Megawatt (MW) plant at Kumu and a 0.7 MW plant at Moco Moco.

The IsDB is one of Guyana’s newest development partners; Guyana joined in 2016.

Its goodwill was demonstrated when the bank offered Guyana a US$900 million package for mainly infrastructural development works in the period 2018-2020.

President Ali had met virtually with IsDB President, Dr Bandar Hajjar last June during which they discussed plans for rebuilding in the aftermath of the countrywide floods.

Guyana established formal diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on February 22, 2012.

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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

Energy for development

I

t might seem strange to most of us, but the idea of “progress” as humans moving to some teleologically determined end-state is actually quite a modern idea, arising as it did during the “European Enlightenment”. But aside from its philosophical foundations, what is quite observable (and measurable) from our present position is the correlation between “progress” and “energy consumption”. This, of course, is due to the Industrial Revolution, which started in the late 18th century and has transformed human productivity. Initially, everyone used wood to fuel that Revolution, but coal took over in the 19th century, to be soon overtaken by petroleum. But whatever is the source, one can get a very good idea of living standards in any country by the amount of energy it consumes. In 2019, when the US still maintained its almost century-old rank as the “most developed” nation, with 4% of the world’s population, it used 17% of the world’s energy.

This demand for energy in the thrust for development and progress is not going to change soon. While Gandhi’s encouragement to settle mankind’s differences peacefully might have retained traction in the modern world, his position on villages’ non-industrial development has fallen on barren soil. So, as we in Guyana at long last have obtained the wherewithal to notch up our developmental trajectory towards takeoff in our own Industrial Revolution – ironically, through the serendipitous presence of petroleum and natural gas off our shores - we have to accept that the threshold issue will be the supply of adequate energy. While our constant “blackouts” since the 1970s might seem more of an annoyance than anything else, it symbolised our position on the developmental sweepstakes. We have been unable to supply electricity, the most fungible method of supplying energy, not only to our houses to power the devices that make our lives comfortable, but to our factories to manufacture goods for our own use and export.

Against this background, we, the citizens of this country, must appreciate the PPP Government’s decision to place energy supply right up there with roads and bridges in the utilisation of the funds from our Natural Resource Funds - at this time holding all of our oil revenues since the beginning of its production in 2019.

Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project (AFHEP), which had to be abandoned in 2013 by the Contractor Sithe Global because the then Opposition APNU/AFC announced they would not support it if they were to obtain political office, is now back on stream. The logistics of providing its projected 165MW of electricity to GPL via a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is being finalised. Power will be supplied to homes and businesses at US7.7cents/ kwh, one-quarter its present rate. The Prime Minister, in charge of this sector, has also announced that there is a second hydroelectric project of the same scale on the cards.

A PPA is also being negotiated for a wind farm at Hope Beach with GPL, which will finally supply power from this source to the national grid. Solar energy farms have already been launched at Mabaruma, and these will be multiplied exponentially across the hinterland communities. All of this “green energy” will complement the 250MW generating power plant at the Wales Development Authority (WDA), which will be fuelled by natural gas supplied by the Exxon consortium from the Stabroek Block via its “gas-to-shore” project. Among the various fossil fuels, coal is the dirtiest, followed by heavy oil. We do not use coal, and heavy oil will be phased out for natural gas, which is the least polluting.

The WDA is very critical in that it will also be the catalyst for our transformation into a manufacturing powerhouse through the use of the natural gas as a feeder stock for the production of urea (critical for our agricultural expansion), methanol, and even synthetic proteins. The cheaper electricity should also encourage the expansion and establishment of other manufacturing concerns. Those naysayers in the Opposition who push instant gratification are anti-national.

His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali, and Prime Minister Mark Phillips, along with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Adel Ahmed al-Jubeir, at State House on Saturday (Office of the President photo)

Nascimento misrepresented Bisram’s position on cultural centres

Dear Editor, Reference is made to retort of Mr Kit Nascimento (Feb 18). I agree with the writer on a few points, as we share similar goals. Nascimento seemingly misunderstands and misrepresents my position on Indian regional cultural centres (ICC).

Is there a hidden motif, given that Mr Nascimento worked in propaganda for over six decades, including serving the PNC that seized the Indian Immigration Fund?

I do not disagree with the trust of his argument for a “one Guyana policy”, but it is not defined. My position on the NCC or ICC has nothing to do with the vision of President Ali to build a united nation; but, as an activist who spent five decades combating racial discrimination, I have a patriotic duty to expose injustice and to further the culture of Indian Guyanese who were victimised for 28 years under the PNC regime, which Nascimento dutifully served.

Since Nascimento served Burnham loyally, he would have an abiding interest in defending the policy to confiscate the Indian Fund.

The appropriation and confiscation of the Indian Immigration Fund to construct Burnham’s edifice of what he calls a National Cultural Centre (NCC) is a very sensitive matter for Indians. The appropriation of the fund capped a long list of abuses of the Indian population, including, but not limited to, race riots, Wismar Massacre of Indians, independence date, confiscation of agricultural land, banning of foods and other items related to the Indian cultural diet and religious practices, and rigged election.

There was massive discriminatory practice and victimisation of Indians. The governance of Burnham left a bitter taste in the mouths of Indians. Indians viewed Burnham’s policy as a deliberate act to seize money left for the descendants of Indian pioneers.

Burnham was ‘rubbing it in the Indian population’ by using the Indian Fund to construct the NCC. The proposal was unanimously rejected by the Indian population, which by 1972 constituted over half the population. Burnham had no right to use the fund for Carifesta. It is noted that Nascimento’s wife, Gem, supported the confiscation of the fund to build the NCC. Kit Nascimento was a loyal servant of Burnham for some twenty years, having broken off from Peter D’Aguiar’s UF, where he cut his political teeth.

As Nascimento noted, the use of the Indian Fund for the NCC is a longstanding issue that Indians have not forgotten or been able to overcome.

Till this day, over fifty years, they remain opposed to it.

Countless Indians of that era have refused to set foot in the NCC; they want the return of their ancestors’ funds.

I was told the late Pt. Reepu Daman Persaud did not set foot in the NCC until Lata Mangeshkar performed there. As the host, Pt Reepu had no choice but to accompany her to the hall. Other prominent Indian leaders also boycotted the NCC. Among them were Fenton Ramsahoye, Isahak Bashir, Dr. Balwant Persaud, Yacoob Ally (who was jailed for having a pound of imported salt), Mohammed Insanally, Pt Ramlall, Pt Churkeeman Tiwari, and others.

Dr. Jagan, who was indisputably the de facto, if not de jure, leader of Indians (overwhelming majority anyway), opposed the use of the funds to build a national cultural centre. He supported regional cultural centres. The fund would have been used to build regional Indian cultural centres before Burnham’s installment in office, but the matter got swept away during the PPP administration (195764) by the wave of more important political issues of the time, including political independence, race riots, etc.

Regarding my missive, I received countless compliments and plaudits from prominent Indians for what can be described as the Indian position on the Indian Fund.

Nascimento misunderstands and misrepresents my usage of the term cultural genocide. Culture must be autonomous, meaning that each group must be allowed to engage in its own practices, and alien culture must not be foisted upon a group, as Burnham attempted during his long 20-year reign in office to deculturise Indians and others. Replacing a group’s ancestral culture with an alien (creole or other) culture is cultural genocide, and we must guard against such national practices. This is completely different from cultural diffusion, which is “the synergy” Nascimento refers to.

Government cannot mix portions of different cultures and call it Guyanese culture, or national culture, or synergy of all of our different cultures. African Americans and other groups reject such synergy in America. It is also rejected by ethnic groups the world over. Africans, Indians, Amerindians, Chinese, Portuguese and others have

their own culture.

Nascimento misquoted me (don’t know if he did so deliberately). I never wrote that Government should use the people’s money to build regional Indian cultural centres.

What I stated was the Indian Immigration Fund with interest must be returned, and the Indian community, including Gem Madhoo, myself, and all other Indians would decide on the fate of the funds. I am in favour of Indian cultural centres. Gem wants to build regional theaters. I don’t see that as a necessarily opposing proposal.

Dr Jagan, the late Pandit Reepu, and other prominent Indian leaders also favoured regional Indian cultural centres. It was/is also my position that if the Government is offering subventions to any ethnic cultural centres, it must do the same to all groups.

The African Tipperary Hall in Buxton was modernised in 2011 with the people’s money.

Nascimento had/has no problem with it, but he has a problem with the people’s money being used to build an Indian cultural centre. I do not know if Government provides subvention to the (African) Lichas Hall in Linden (Mackenzie). If it does, for fairness and cultural equity, similar subventions must be given to cultural centres elsewhere.

Nascimento says the NCC was built for the celebration of “our Caribbean and national culture and identity”. What is this national culture and national identity? We don’t have one people or one culture. One national cultural centre divides the nation. We have several cultures and identities, not one. We need regional cultural centres, or theaters (to use Gem’s term).

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

5

News

Putin oversees nuclear drills, US says Russian forces ‘poised to strike’ Ukraine

R

ussia’s strategic nuclear forces held exercises overseen by President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, and Washington accused Russian troops massed near Ukraine’s border of advancing and being “poised to strike”.

With Western fears of war rising, the White House said US President Joe Biden’s national security team told him they still believed Russia could launch an attack in Ukraine “at any time” and he planned to convene his top advisers on Sunday to discuss the crisis.

Foreign Ministers from the G7 group of rich nations said they had seen no evidence Russia is reducing its military activity in the area and remained “gravely concerned” about the situation.

After Kyiv and Moscow traded accusations over new shelling near the border, France and Germany urged all or some of their citizens in Ukraine to leave. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Russian forces were beginning to “uncoil and move closer” to the border.

“We hope he (Putin) steps back from the brink of conflict,” Austin told a news conference in Lithuania, saying an invasion of Ukraine was not inevitable.

Russia ordered the military build-up while demanding NATO prevent Ukraine from ever joining the alliance but says Western warnings that it is planning to invade Ukraine are hysterical and dangerous.

Moscow says it is pulling back, but Washington and allies say the build-up is mounting.

Washington and NATO say

A Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is launched during the exercises by nuclear forces in an unknown location in Russia, in this still image taken from video released February 19, 2022 Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via Reuters

Moscow’s main demands are non-starters, but in Ukraine fears are growing over Putin’s plans.

Venting his frustration at a security conference in Munich, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the global security architecture was “almost broken”. He urged the permanent members of the UN Security Council, Germany and Turkey to meet to draw up new security guarantees for his country.

“The rules that the world agreed on decades ago no longer work,” Zelenskiy said.

“They do not keep up with new threats ... This is a cough syrup when you need a coronavirus vaccine.”

World Bank President David Malpass told Zelenskiy on Saturday the bank was readying funding to Ukraine of up to US$350 million.

The Kremlin said Russia successfully test-launched hypersonic and cruise missiles at sea during the nuclear forces drills. Putin observed the exercises on screens with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko from a “situation

centre”.

In his most pointed prediction so far, Biden said on Friday he was convinced that Putin has made the decision to invade Ukraine in the coming days, and Austin said on Saturday the nuclear forces exercises were stoking concerns around the world.

“President Biden continues to monitor the evolving situation in Ukraine, and is being updated regularly about events on the ground by his national security team,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

“They reaffirmed that Russia could launch an attack against Ukraine at any time.”

G7 Foreign Ministers called on Russia to choose the path of diplomacy. “As a first step, we expect Russia to implement the announced reduction of its military activities along Ukraine’s borders. We have seen no evidence of this reduction,” they said in a statement.

Zelenskiy said he had an “urgent” phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron and dis-

cussed possible ways of immediate de-escalation and political-diplomatic settlement.

Macron is due to speak with Putin today.

The nuclear drills follow manoeuvres by Russia’s armed forces in the past four months that have included a build-up of troops -- estimated by the West to number 150,000 or more -- to the north, east and south of Ukraine.

New helicopters and a battle group deployment of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and support equipment have been moved to sites in Russia near the border, according to US-based Maxar Technologies, which tracks developments with satellite imagery.

Moscow-based analysts said Saturday’s exercises were aimed at sending a message to take Russia’s demands seriously.

“Ignoring Russia’s legitimate rights in this area adversely affects the stability not only on the European continent, but also in the world,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by his Ministry as telling his French counterpart by phone.

A NATO official said the alliance relocated staff from Kyiv to the western city of Lviv and to Brussels for safety reasons.

The United States and other countries have moved diplomats to Lviv.

Russian-backed rebels seized a swathe of eastern Ukraine and Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Kyiv says more than 14,000 people have been killed in the conflict in the east.

Separatist leaders in east-

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko observe training launches of ballistic missiles as part of the exercise of the strategic deterrence force, in Moscow, Russia February 19, 2022 Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/ Kremlin

ern Ukraine have declared a full military mobilisation after ordering women and children to evacuate to Russia, citing the threat of an imminent attack by Ukrainian forces, which Kyiv denied.

Kyiv and Western leaders say the mobilisation, evacuation and increased shelling are part of a Russian plan to create a pretext for an invasion.

Russia’s FSB security service said two shells landed on Russian territory near the border, Russia’s Tass news agency reported.

Ukraine’s military accused Russia of faking pictures of shells to make out they were Ukrainian, and said mercenaries had arrived in separatist-held eastern Ukraine to stage provocations in collaboration with Russian special forces.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister demanded an independent international investigation of the alleged incidents and the military said two soldiers had been killed in shelling by pro-Russian separatists in east

Ukraine.

The two Russian-backed, self-proclaimed republics in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions were hit by more than 1400 explosions on Friday, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said. And almost 2000 ceasefire violations were registered in the area by OSCE monitors on Saturday, a diplomatic source told Reuters.

Multiple explosions were heard overnight into Sunday in the centre of the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, a Reuters reporter said. The blasts’ origin was not clear.

There was no immediate comment from separatist authorities or Kyiv.

“It’s really scary. I’ve taken everything I could carry,” said Tatyana, 30, who was boarding a bus with her 4-year-old daughter.

Russian news agencies said 10,000 evacuees had arrived in Russia. Separatist leaders say they aim to evacuate 700,000 people. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Nascimento misrepresented Bisram’s position...

Nascimento misquotes me (don’t know if it is deliberate) on the use of proposed regional Indian cultural centres. I never stated these should be used exclusively to stage Indian cultural programmes.

Nascimento and his wife are of the view that Indian cultural centres would “further divide the country”.

Africans have the attractive Lichas Hall in Linden and the majestic Tipperary Hall in Buxton. Amerindians have Benabs where they host cultural activities. Why would regional Indian cultural centres lead to the division of the country, but African cultural centres won’t? Every group has a right to its cultural centres. In Switzerland and Belgium, each ethnic group has cultural autonomy, and its own centres or theatres.

These don’t lead to further division. Instead, different centres lead to cultural appreciation and national unity.

On the usage of the NCC

by Indians, its use for Indian programmes has been very minimal. And the attendance

of Indians at the NCC has also been very sparse and limited to a few programmes.

The bottom line is that Indians have consistently opposed the use of their ancestral money to build a national cultural centre. Their wishes should be honoured.

Nascimento defines culture as “the customs, ideas, and social behaviour of a particular people or group of people”. That undermines his own contention that each group should not have its own cultural centre, whether private or state-funded.

The expression “let a thousand flowers bloom” is a misquotation of Chairman Mao Zedong, who said, “Letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend is the policy for promoting progress…”. However, that slogan was meant to make critics and dissidents of his cultural revolution comfortable enough to show themselves. Those who did were executed, somewhat akin to Burnham’s policy of victimising those who opposed his usage of the Indian Fund.

When Nascimento speaks of supporting Guyanese culture, this is what he supports: The National School of Dance; The National School of Music; The Burrowes School of Art; Castellani House; Mashramani; Teachers Training College – all publicly-funded institutions that drive culture in Guyana, and which are all AfricanGuyanese-dominated.

Not one of them promotes Indian culture. That is racial and cultural prejudice, and every fair-minded person who values justice and democratic society would understand the predicament of the Indian Guyanese community, which is continually silenced whenever its members speak about this national prejudice and injustice. The silencing is part and parcel of the genocidal policies which are both physical and cultural.

I support the “One People” policy that is meant to promote respect among all the nationalities or peoples who make up Guyana, and give them equitable treatment.

There is no evidence that it is being borrowed whole

from the Burnhamist doctrine of oneness, whereby all non-supporting groups were expected to disappear culturally, socially, and physically into the miscegenation that is nothing less than genocide.

Nascimento hardly needs reminding of this, since he was a loyal supporter of the Burnham dictatorship, and as head of Burnham’s information service, was the chief propagandist for the anti-Indian racist doctrines.

Finally, I agree with Nascimento that we must give recognition to our cultural roots, and who we are today – peoples of different ethnicities and cultures, and people who are extremely divided as a result of our toxic politics. We must not marginalise any group’s culture, or define what is their culture. And, most importantly, we must not usurp funds belonging to any ethnic group to promote the culture of an-

FROM PAGE 4

other group.

As his wife, Ms. Gem Madhoo, proposed, would she and he champion the installation of the plaque stating the NCC was built with the Indian Immigrant Fund?

Would they also champion the inscription of Indian cultural insignia inside and outside of the NCC? Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram (PhD)

6 FEATURE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

I

must reiterate that cats are mainly house creatures, and require love and attention. They enjoy clean and peaceful surroundings. If anything displeases them, they are likely to leave, and may not return.

Cat bed

As cat owners must know, cats would sleep for as many as fifteen hours a day, and much of that sleep takes place in the daylight hours.

They are not deep sleepers – hence the term “cat nap” – having perfected the art of light sleep while still getting rest. They do appreciate comfortable sleeping quarters. You should initially earmark a draft-free corner for the cat bed, which could be a towel; a soft, flattened cushion; or one of the many options that are available on the market. Do not be perturbed if, after all your effort, he/she prefers to sleep elsewhere.

In choosing a cat as a pet, you have agreed to live with Mr/Ms Independence!

Eventually, he/she would identify with a favourite spot, and the bed could be positioned accordingly. Cats instinctively seem to like high places to sleep.

Urinating and defecating in the house

Are you prepared to have your feline ward defecate/ urinate in the house? An important need for the housecat is its litterbox. We are lucky here. Because cats are so clean, they naturally migrate towards the litterbox.

In other words, they are easy to train.

The litterbox could simply be a flat pan lined with newspapers, on top of which you may place clean sand/

FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS WHEN A CAREGIVER DECIDES TO ADOPT/ ACQUIRE A CAT AS A NEW FAMILY MEMBER

straw/sawdust to serve as litter. It should be close to double the length of the animal at adulthood. Of course, the commercial market also offers litter box/litter options and those you may find more suitable to the management of odour and urine absorption.

After a meal, you should place the animal in the box, and move its front legs in a scratching motion, the same movement that cats make after they defecate. It is a simple and straightforward approach to house training your new kitten/cat. If you have chosen to make a litterbox, keep it clean, and change the litter daily, or even after every usage. If you have purchased a litter box and litter, then follow the instructions for cleaning.

Washing the pan regularly and disinfecting is important. Please dry the pan to remove the disinfectant scent.

Cats do not seem to like the smells of soap/bleach/jeyes fluid/pine sol.

Scratching the furniture

Are you prepared to accept the scratches on your furniture? Let us acknowledge that all cats in “catdom” love and need to scratch, due to the genetically anchored need to sharpen their claws.

But should we be offering our prized (and expensive) furniture to fulfil our cat's needs?

At the outset, let me tell you what you must not do. You do not try to stop the cat from scratching by using some unacceptable, crue l

methods. You do not beat the cat, or try to hurt its paws. You need to train your pet as soon as you acquire him/her. A simple and successful regime involves the construction of a scratching post. Tack a piece of carpet onto a one- or 2-foot-high post that is firmly fixed to the ground. Show the cat how to use the post by holding the front legs and moving them down the carpeted post. You may even decorate the post with a toy, that bobs up and down, which would serve as playful distraction.

There are several types and styles of commercial scratching posts that you may consider, instead of constructing your own.

May I also suggest that you begin the training exercise while the animal is a kitten, or before it begins to get into the habit of scratching the furniture? If the cat still seems to prefer your furniture to the scratching post, then place some naphthalene balls near to the predilection spot (e.g., on the furniture legs or on the flat surfaces of the bed, wardrobe, cabinet etc.), but out of reach of the cat. The smell would act as a deterrent.

Another option, though not preferred, is to surgically remove the FRONT claws.

This procedure must, of course, be done by your veterinarian, and to be considered only in those obstinate cases. Your veterinarian would guide you in making this decision if he/she considers it as the only alternative to having to get rid of the cat from your home.

Cat fights

Cat fights also represent a big problem that cat owners must acknowledge.

Usually, the fights are between males. Most of the time, these fights take place during the mating season, and may involve cats that you own, or your cat and one that is roaming in the neighbourhood. Cats fight viciously and without remorse. The injuries are sometimes life-threatening. And it is not easy to part the fight, not so much because it is dangerous to the persons who interfere, but because the fight does not take place in one spot.

They may begin fighting on your property, but the continuous fight could end up in the yard of your neighbour twice removed.

So, what can you do?

Saying "Shoo, kitty! Shoo!" will surely have no impact.

Pulling the tail of one cat away to dislodge his jaws/ claws from his adversary might result in a serious laceration on your hand.

Cats are that fast.

I suggest you make a loud noise to distract them, or douse the fighting pair with water from a water-gin, bucket, or garden hose. That sudden intervention would perhaps give the cat that is not faring too well enough respite for him to beat a hasty retreat. You may also consider neutering the animal, as intact males are more inclined to aggressive behaviour.

Unfortunately, there is really no proven successful way to separate fighting cats. Please be careful when you intervene, but intervene if you should.

H A P P Y MASHRAMANI! PLEASE FOLLOW THE ANTICOVID PROTOCOLS.

I

ndians are most argumentative when it comes to agreeing on the nature of Reality, including their identity as “self” or “atman.”

Several schools of philosophy emerged over time – some theistic and a few atheistic – as they discussed the nature of Reality, including questions of atman (individual consciousness), paramatman (universal consciousness) and prakriti (matter).

The tradition of debating and refining the instruments of valid knowledge is a vigorous one in India. And so, several schools of philosophy emerged over time.

Generally, one may say that the individual (atman, or individual consciousness) is innately divine. It has a relationship with the Highest Reality, or paramatman. It is confined in a body (jivatman) in the material world, and tends to see everything through the material senses.

When it loses its ability to make rational decisions, it becomes lost or fallen in divinity. Bhagavad Gita (2:58-63) outlines this process.

How does one rise into divinity then? How does one reclaim one’s “self”, or true nature? There are many teachings on this, depending on the school of philosophy to which one belongs.

The renowned eighth-century Indian theologian and philosopher Adi Sankaracharya, in one of his philosophical treatises named Bhaja Govindam, taught how to reclaim divinity. The text is also called the Moha Mudgara, or the Hammer that destroys Delusion.

He is a towering philosopher who unified diverse philosophical thoughts into the Advaita doctrine that spread like wildfire across India. He was a great reformer, and attained samadhi when he was thirty-two years old.

The philosophy of Advaita Vedanta states that only the Highest Reality (called Nirguna Brahman) exists and is eternal, and other realities like atman and prakriti are not real (in the sense of not being infinite). The individual atman is not different from Brahman. The world is “relatively real.” This Highest Reality, or Nirguna Brahman, has no attributes, and is indescribable, eternal, omniscient, etc. It alone is absolute and infinite.

Advaita teaches that one needs to attain that state of consciousness. To arrive at that state of consciousness, where one is established in divinity, Sankara taught the most efficient path of Knowledge/Jnana. Bhaja Govindam is a rhythmic piece of sublime poetry praising Govinda, a personal deity. It prescribes surrender and devotion as preparatory stages for knowing Brahman. It calls on humans to ponder the impermanence of pride and attachment to family, wealth, youth etc. Death is inevitable. Therefore, one is advised to consider the finite vs the infinite, and the wisdom that would yield permanent happiness.

To rise from a fallen spiritual consciousness, to strive toward divinity during this lifetime, Sankara says to human beings, in Bhaja Govindam (verse 9), “Being in the company of good persons (saints) leads to non-attachment. Nonattachment leads to freedom from delusion. Freedom from delusion leads to awareness of Reality. The understanding of Reality gives rise to emancipation. Emancipation leads to the liberation of the atman (jivanmukti) while still alive.

Therefore, the promise of emancipation, or liberation, or union with the Highest Reality is an achievable goal during one’s lifetime. Such jivanmuktis are free from the cycle of birth and death; i.e: they are liberated. This state of existence describes what happens when one rises in divinity. It is achievable in the here and now.

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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Islamophobia a potent threat to multiculturalism – President Ali – urges religious leaders to “speak out” against all forms of injustice

President Dr Irfaan Ali addressing the Family Summit on Friday evening

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resident Dr Irfaan Ali said that Islamophobia has no place in civilised societies and is counterproductive to multiculturalism, in which all are recognised, valued, and respected.

The Guyanese Head of State made this assertion during his virtual address to the Family Summit hosted by the TARIC Islamic Centre of Ontario on Friday evening, under the theme “Countering Islamophobia - Effective Strategies, Resources, and Best Practices”.

“Islamophobia is a social disease. It fosters hatred, prejudice, bias, and discrimination against persons on the basis of their identification or perceived identification as Muslims.

It is disruptive to social cohesion and social harmony.

As such, Islamophobia also represents a potent threat to multiculturalism.”

Day one of the threeday event also had messages from Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau;

Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, and Mayor of Toronto, John Tory.

Respect for all

President Ali outlined three important principles in countering Islamophobia, including the importance of laws that promote and protect religious freedom and protect religious communities from being denigrated; greater inter-religious dialogue, and the importance of embracing religious and cultural identity.

The President acknowledged that as multicultural societies, both Guyana and Canada recognise the need to engender respect for internal diversity, and both countries also face the challenges associated with multiculturalism, including ethnic prejudice and discrimination.

“We can help each other by sharing our experiences and by identifying what has worked for each of us.

This Family Summit is an opportunity for us to do so.”

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A cautionary tale… …for today’s Guyana e’ve all learned about the Aesop fable “The Ant and the Grasshopper”, haven’t we? Well, with all these new textbooks being created to be politically correct, you never know! So, your Eyewitness will give you a reminder.

There’s this ant who works his butt off through the brutal heat and rains during the summer months. What with us having “summer classes” in Guyana nowadays, we should appreciate how hard it is to labour during the “summer”!! He builds his house, and puts aside supplies for the winter. This would be akin to the “out-of-crop for sugar workers”!

In the meantime, he’s visited by a grasshopper, who laughs at him, thinks he’s a fool for working all the time and being a “miser”. The grasshopper, in contrast, plays, dances, and fiddles away the summer. Comes the winter, the ant is snug in his house with ample food to tide him over, while the grasshopper, with no food or shelter, freezes to death!

Back in the day, your Eyewitness had taken to heart the moral of the story, explicitly spelled out by Aesop: be responsible for yourself, so you should work hard and plan for the future!!

But after reading about the debate on the new Atlantic Readers, your Eyewitness suspects the new version might be the same up to when winter arrives. Instead of freezing his tush off, the grasshopper calls a press conference and indignantly demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well-fed, while he’s cold and starving. All the TV and press – but, more importantly, social media - broadcast videos of the shivering grasshopper, contrasted with the ant comfortably throwing back at his laden table!!

The insect kingdom - except for the ants in their anthill homes - is stunned and outraged!! How the heck can the Government accept that the ant could have all this wealth while the poor grasshopper is all hungry and cold?? They mount protests in front of the cameras, calling for “Justice”.

One Aphid - who, of course, sucks the juice out of leaves sings plaintively, “It ain’t easy being green”, and everyone starts crying while waving their six legs and segueing into “We are the world”!!

A group called “Justice for Grasshoppers” is soon formed, and they stage a march past the anthill - ending with a picketing exercise in front of the Insect Czar’s office. One big Reverend Locust goes on his knees to pray, and is immediately joined by all the grasshoppers as the good Reverend condemns the ants to eternal hell for their greed. The Czar gets his share of damnation denouncements for “aiding and abetting” the ants’ greed!!

What to do??

W

…and its dénouement The Insect Czar’s advisors advise that the protestors’ claims of the ants getting rich off the backs of the poor grasshoppers were riling up the rest of the voting insects. The head of the Insect Trade Union demanded that the ants be taxed to make them pay their “fair share”, so the grasshoppers could receive their “fair share” of the national patrimony!! The Legislature passes an “Economic Equity Bill for Grasshoppers” that fines the ant retroactively from the beginning of summer.

Not able to pay the fine, the ant’s home is seized by the Czar, who gives it over to the grasshopper. The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading grasshopper friends finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food. They’re in a Government-owned ant house, which, you’ll recall, just happens to be the ant’s old home. It crumbles around them, since the grasshoppers don’t maintain it.

The ant disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again.

Moral? You’re a fool to work hard! …from another tale You remember Jack, who put his thumb into his mouth and pulled out a plum? Its modern version is: you put in money donated to create a sugar packaging plant.

But you pull out a metal fabrication plant!!

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

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Labourer gunned down by overseas-based Guyanese over old grievance

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he Police are on the hunt for a 44-year-old overseas-based Guyanese of Norton Street, Georgetown, who reportedly shot and killed his daughter’s boyfriend over an old grievance.

The shooting reportedly took place in the wee hours of Saturday at Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown.

The dead man has been identified as 25-year-old Leon Gittens, a labourer of Cowan Street Kingston, Georgetown.

Based on reports received, Gittens had an intimate relationship with the suspect’s daughter, 21-year-old Shertoya Brandt who told detectives that her father had

Gunned down: Leon Gittens

threatened to kill the young man back in January after accusing him of verbally abusing his mother.

However, on Friday at about 16:00h, the suspect’s daughter went to her half-sister’s residence at Freeman Street, East La Penitence,

Georgetown, to collect a few pieces of clothing that the suspect had left for her threeyear-old daughter.

Later that day, at about 22:00h, Gittens turned up at the address to collect his girlfriend, but soon after left the house to purchase an item. He reportedly returned at about 23:55h.

Upon his return, the half-sister was reportedly in the yard to attend to her dog when she observed her father, who was decked in a blue dress with a wig on his head, entering the yard. At the time, he was armed with a black handgun.

Upon seeing this, she became fearful and ran into the

house, opened a door, and exited. Soon after, three loud explosions were heard emanating from the house, followed by the suspect running away from the scene.

The half-sister, Police stated, went back into the house where she found Gittens lying motionlessly on his back in front of a bedroom with her sister by his side. He was reportedly in a pool of blood. In tears, his girlfriend confirmed that her father had shot Gittens. An alarm was raised and the now dead man’s brother, who is a serving member of the Guyana Police Force, was contacted.

He arrived at the scene, picked up his injured broth-

er, and took him to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Doctors have confirmed that Gittens was shot twice - once to the upper right-side chest and once to the centre of his abdomen. His body

was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.

At the scene, one warhead was found. The Police are in the process of reviewing CCTV footage while efforts are being made to locate the suspect.

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One Guyana and national identity

I

believe that the Government’s call for a “One Guyana” is to remind us, the citizens of this country Guyana, that we must see it as a “common venture”.

And no one can argue with this, even as we must reject conceptions of “oneness” that are oppressive to our existing diversity. The representation of our “six peoples” on the just-released $2000 bill signals to me that the ideal is a unity of a “One Guyana” state with the diversity of its nation as six ethnicities. That “nation” and “state” are not identical, and Ravi Dev must be disarticulated, while creating a commonality of outlook as “Guyanese” is acknowledged.

Whether we like it or not, the modern state is a reality: it is the unit within which we act, and has sovereignty in the international arena. At independence, the reality of our coming together ensured we had no common culture “looming out of some immemorable past”, as some other countries had.

People identify with the state to the extent they see themselves reflected in it – and that’s partially why some keep on honouring their ethnicities. The challenge is: how do we, within our Guyanese state, construct a “unity” of our peoples that accepts our diversities?

We propose that we demarcate our cultural sphere as a private one, with minimal state intervention, and build the overarching unity we need in the public sphere. What we are suggesting is that we move from the idea of a unitary “national culture” as a site for identification to the shared practice of a political ideology as the basis for engendering such identification with the state of Guyana. Rather than those, such as Rex Nettleford, for example, who demand that all ethnic groups assimilate into Creole culture to become “one nation”, we propose that a feeling of “we, the people” – of “Guyaneseness” – can be engendered in the process of our conscious construction of a democratic state.

We situate this construction of a national outlook within what we have labelled “Project Democracy” – the creation of conditions wherein we are all treated as one, equally, by the state. Equality of opportunity, human rights, encouragement of diversities, due process, justice and fair play and rule of law may seem dry compared to the warmth of the blood ties of some “one nation”, but they can engender the unity of public purpose and the recognition of individual worth wherein we can be proud of our common citizenship. Citizenship of Guyana has to become something that has concrete meaning to all of us.

Universalism is never power-neutral; its defenders always have a certain interest in it. Contra to the proponents of the universalism of Creole Culture for the Caribbean and Guyana, we should not repeat the American mistake (they privileged European culture) here, and privilege any one group’s culture.

Similarly, since the state itself has to justify its legitimacy through the goals of all its citizens living by the principles and values of its ideology, the status quo would inevitably be challenged by those excluded.

The movement towards allowing citizens to constantly authenticate themselves ideologically is always enabled: multiculturalism becomes part and parcel of the “nation by design”. The present Ministry of Culture signals a singular culture, but a “Ministry of Multiculturalism”, which focuses on practices that empower all cultures, is more appropriate for our reality.

For Guyana, then, our ethnicities would be defined outside our “Guyaneseness”, and to be African-Guyanese, AmerindianGuyanese, or Indian-Guyanese etc would not be contradictory in any sense. The first part of our identity would be specific, while the latter would be universalistic. The “nation” would now be a heterogenous space that ethnically-imagined communities can live in, and even voluntarily share, as we increasingly do with foods. To be Guyanese would be to share moral precepts – norms, values and attitudes – rather than shared cultural experience and practice.

Guyana is therefore at a critical juncture, where we are attempting to get a handle on ensuring that state power is equitably distributed even as we face a deluge of outsiders.

Multiculturalism is not just about cultural practices, it is also a signifier of the power relations of the society. It is only when power is distributed equitably that the ideological values mean anything to the culturally embedded individual.

This, I believe, is the content of a national identity for One Guyana.

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

WCB youth dies after crashing motorcycle into minibus T wenty-one-year-old Devon McCalman of No 10 Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB), is the country’s latest road fatality following an accident along the No 8 Public Road on Saturday.

Based on reports received, the young man, who was not a licensed

driver, was at the time riding a motorcycle bearing registration number CF 2986 when he collided with a minibus, BXX 4066, driven by a De Edward Village, WCB resident.

According to the Police report, the motorcyclist was riding behind the minibus which stopped

to collect a passenger.

The motorcyclist, who was reportedly speeding, slammed into the rightside rear portion of the minibus.

As a result of the collision, McCalman fell onto the roadway where he sustained injuries to his head and other parts of his body.

He was picked up in an unconscious state by public-spirited persons and taken to Fort Wellington Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

His body is presently lying at Anthony’s Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem.

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Islamophobia a potent threat...

FROM PAGE 7

He pointed to the importance of the law as “the guardian of society” and Guyana’s Constitution, which outlaws discrimination on the basis of religion, religious belief, or culture.

“In Guyana, our Constitution protects freedom of conscience. No person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her freedom of conscience. It proclaims that this freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion, freedom to change his or her religion or belief, and

freedom, either alone or in community with others, and both in public and in private, to manifest and propagate his or her religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.”

Canadians, he added, also enjoy the right to religious freedom and freedom of conscience.

The President noted that Islamophobia is not going to disappear overnight.

However, by ensuring that the larger family – society – recognises and respects Muslims and their rights,

WCB youth dies after...

FROM PAGE 11

will go a long way towards ending attacks, bias, prejudice, and discrimination against Muslims.

Speak out against bias

President Ali urged the participants to be consistent in their narrative and to let their voices be heard against all forms of discrimination. He said the Islamic community must be willing to speak out consistently against injustice, biases, issues of democracy and social injustice wherever it exists.

“We have to be consistent with our principles and values…We can’t only speak on an issue when it is in our favour. We have to always be consistent in our narrative.

“We cannot be divorced from all these issues that make up our presence in society.

And that message must be consistent. It cannot be opportunistic. We have that responsibility. And that responsibility is an important responsibility.

Wherever injustice pops up, our voice must be there speaking out against it. “ He emphasised too that as efforts continue to end Islamophobia, so too must be the drive to ensure the true values and teachings of Islam is what is understood by the world.

Dead: Devon McCalman

The man’s aggrived mother being consoled by relatives

A breathalyser test was administered on the driver of the minibus but there was no trace of alcohol in his system. He remains in custody assisting with the investigation.

Meanwhile, the GPF continues to urge road users to exercise care, caution, courtesy, consideration, and common sense when using the roadway. In addition, it encouraged those who are unlicensed to submit themselves to be tested for same before operating any form of motor vehicle.

His mother, Shavon Juburton, told Guyana Times that prior to the accident, she spoke with her son and he told her that he was taking the motorcycle to fuel it up for his employer.

“He say he coming back

just now and he did not reach where he going to buy the gas and I get a phone call saying that my son reach in an accident and he deh bad.

I just pull on some dirty clothes and rush out. While going to Number Eight, the person call me back and tell me to go to Fort Wellington Hospital.”

The aggrieved woman related that when she arrived at the hospital, she was asked to leave the room as medical personnel were attending to her son. Shortly after Police informed her that he did not make it.

Amanda Arjune, who regarded McCalman as a son, stated that the young man had six years of driving experience and she is of the belief that the information from the Police might be in-

accurate.

“It doesn’t sound right to me. It has to be that the bus just pull in front of him and stopped. That is why he had to draw sudden breaks and ended up like that. That is my opinion from the way we see the scene that is how I am suggesting it happened.”

She said she has seen minibus operators driving recklessly and stopping suddenly.

“Just to get $100 they don’t business if they have to take someone’s life they just pulling over in front of people and give you a rash stop...” she stated.

McCalman was the eldest of eight siblings. He worked as a labourer in the rice industry. He was the father of two 1-year-old children.

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FEATURE

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G

uyana is a melting pot of cultures and every celebration takes on some part of that melting pot. It is no different with Mashramani since it is a time to showcase our unity as a people and truly live as “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”.

This year, Mashramani is being observed under the theme, “Guyana Together; Reflect, Celebrate and Transform.”

Mashramani is an Amerindian word which means “celebration after hard work”, and is usually observed on February 23 in observance of Guyana’s Republic status, which was achieved on that date in 1970. Mashramani, commonly referred to as “Mash”, is the most colourful, dynamic, inclusive, cultural and energetic of all the festivals in Guyana.

Each year, since 1970, Guyana has observed its Republic anniversary by hosting a series of activities. These activities usually culminate on Republic Day, February 23, with a grand

display of costume bands, accompanied by Caribbean music, watched by thousands of spectators who either line the routes along where the revellers pass, or occupy the grass verges with

their families and friends to picnic while they enjoy the festivities of the day.

Over the past years, the street parties have continued well into the night.

The flag-raising ceremony, which takes place on the eve of the Republic celebrations, is attended by the President, Prime Minister and other Government officials, as well as Members of Parliament, the Judiciary and the Armed Forces. Later in the day, around 09:00h, the day’s main feature, the “Mashramani Float Parade”, begins.

The celebration came out of the Junior Chamber of Greater Mackenzie, which

was already celebrating Guyana’s independence in Linden with a similar event since Independence in 1966.

It proved so successful that by 1972 it was declared a national event, and the following year, it was held nationally for the first time and annually ever since, in the capital city of Georgetown under the auspices of the Government, although there are events held in Berbice and Linden.

It is a time of revelry and dressing up in costumes and joining the float parades and has evolved in terms of creativity over the years.

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“The National Flag” “The Coat-Of-Arms”

The National Flag of Guyana is called “The Golden Arrowhead”. It bears five colours red, black, yellow, white and green The flag has the unique design of two triangles (one within the other) issuing from the same base. The outer triangle is gold-colored (arrow-shaped) with a narrow border of white along two sides.

The inner triangle is red with a narrow strip of black bordering the sides. The background of the flag is green, representing the agricultural and forested nature of Guyana.

The white border represents the rivers and water potential. The golden arrow represents Guyana’s mineral wealth and the black border, the endurance that will sustain the forward thrust of the Guyanese people. The red of the flag represents the zeal and dynamic nature of nation-building which lies before the young and independent Guyana. The Flag was designed by Whitney Smith, Director of the Flag Centre, Florida, U.S.A.

The national Coat-of-Arms of Guyana is a composite of motifs suggested in separate designs by three Guyanese artists. The design is interpreted as follows: The Amerindian head-dress symbolizes the Amerindians as the indigenous people of the country. The two diamonds at the side of the head-dress represent the country’s mining industry. The helmet is the monarchial insignia. The two jaguars holding a pick axe, a sugar cane and a stalk of rice symbolize labor and the two main agricultural industries of the country - sugar and rice. The shield which is decorated with the National Flower, the Victoria Regia Lily, is to protect the nation. The three blue wavy lines represent the many waters of Guyana. The Canje Pheasant, the National Bird, at the bottom of the shield represents a rare bird found principally in this part of the world and also the rich fauna of Guyana. The streamer below the shield bears the Nation’s Motto “ONE PEOPLE, ONE NATION, ONE DESTINY”.

The Coat of Arms was selected on the recommendation of the National History and Arts Council and approved by the College of Arms, England. It was accepted by the House of Assembly on Friday, 25th February, 1966.

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“The National Anthem” National Anthem of Guyana Lyrics: A.L. Luker Music: Robert Cyril Gladstone Potter Musical Score - Music

Dear land of Guyana, of rivers and plains, Made rich by the sunshine and lush by the rains, Set gemlike and fair between mountains and sea,

Your children salute you, dear land of the free.

Green land of Guyana, our heroes of yore, Both bondsmen and free, laid their bones on your shore; This soil so they hallowed, and from them are we, All sons of one mother, Guyana the free.

Great land of Guyana, diverse though our strains,

We are born of their sacrifice, heirs of their pains, And ours is the glory their eyes did not see, One land of six peoples, united and free.

Dear land of Guyana, to you will we give Our homage, our service, each day that we live; God guard you, great Mother, and make us to be More worthy our heritage - land of the free.

“SONG OF THE REPUBLIC”

Words by Cleveland W. Hamilton Music by Frank Daniels From Pakaraima’s peaks of pow’r To Courentyne’s lush sands, Her children pledge each faithful hour To guard Guyana’s lands.

To foil the shock of rude invader Who’d violate her earth, To cherish and defend forever The State that gave them birth.

We’ll forge a nation’s might soul Construct a nation’s frame; Freedom our everlasting goal, Courage and truth our aim, Unyielding in our quest for peace Like ancient heroes brave, To strive and strive and never cease With Strength beyond the slave.

Guyana, climb the glorious perch To fame, prosperity; Join in the universal search For world-wide comity.

Your people what soe’er their breed Their hue or quality, With one firm never changing creed The nation’s unity.

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“The National Pledge” I pledge myself to honor always the Flag of Guyana, and to be loyal to my country, to be obedient to the laws of Guyana, to love my fellow citizens, and to dedicate my energies towards the happiness and prosperity of Guyana.

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FROM PAGE 19

Many activities are held prior to the main event on February 23; these include the children’s parade, Panorama, Chutney Soca Monarch competition and other cultural activities.

Mash origins

The origin of the word Mashramani has been a source of some dispute that has in the past led to various efforts to clarify the term.

According to historians, the word Mashramani was borrowed from the Arawak word to describe their celebratory period of feasting and dancing after a successful preparation and planting season; meaning, “celebration after hard work”, though other coinages include “celebration of a work well done”, “a venture”, or “cooperative effort”, and “a celebration after a harvest”.

However, it has also been said that the word is not directly an Arawak word, but sounds similar to a word used to describe a festival such as one when the village gets together to celebrate a young couple’s approaching marriage. Regardless, the term Mashramani was officially chosen in 1972 to symbolise the celebrations of the new Republic’s birth.

The first national celebration was described as a “a riot of colour, gaiety and scintillating pan music in the streets of Georgetown for over six hours … as a

number of floats, costumes and steel bands in Carnival style tramped in the city and suburban areas to highlight the Mashramani celebrations in Georgetown,” by the Guyana Graphic on Saturday, February 24, 1973.

Resolution

Second Parliament of Guyana First Session 1969 Resolution NO XXVI WHEREAS the Constitution of Guyana makes provision in paragraph (5) of article 73 thereof whereby Guyana may become a Republic and accordingly cease to be part of Her Majesty’s dominions pursuant to alterations to the Constitution set out in the Second Schedule thereto; AND WHEREAS such provision requires a resolution of the National Assembly, upon a motion introduced by the Prime Minister, that Guyana shall become a Republic and that the said alterations to the Constitution shall have effect on such day after the passing of the resolution as may be specified therein; AND WHEREAS by virtue* of such provision notice of such a motion may be given on or after 1st January, 1969, but not less than three months before the National

Assembly upon the motion; AND WHEREAS in fulfilment of the processes of National Independence it is fitting that Guyana should become a Republic pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution; AND WHEREAS the

twenty-third day of February in each year commemorates the revolt of enslaved peoples on that day in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three in the then Colony of Berbice – being the first significant blow struck for freedom in the territory now comprised in the State of Guyana;

RESOLVED by this National Assembly in pursuance of paragraph (5) of article 73 of the Constitution of Guyana that on the twenty-third day of February in the year one thousand nine hundred and seventy Guyana shall become a Republic and accordingly cease to be part of Her

Majesty’s dominions and that for that purpose the alterations to the constitution of Guyana set out in the Second Schedule to the said constitution shall have effect.

Passed by the National Assembly this 29th day of August, 1966 MB Henry

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“The National Flower”

The Victoria Regia, a water lily, was discovered by Robert Schomburgk, a German Botanist in 1837, while leading an expedition into the interior of what was then British Guiana. In its native habitat of tropical America, the plant is perennial. It grows in 4 to 6 feet of water, the base of the stems being situated in soft mud. From each plant there are seldom more than 4 or 5 leaves. The largest flowers can measure 10 inches to one foot in diameter. When first open, they are white with a sweet smell rather like a ripe fruit; by the second day they are fully expanded and a deeper pink; by the third day, they start to wither.

One of the other national symbols chosen for Guyana is a bird - the Hoatzin or Canje Pheasant.

The adult Hoatzin is about 22 inches long from beak to tail. Its color is reddish-brown streaked with green. The under parts are pale brown. The feathers on its shoulder and sides are edged with creamy-white. There is a crest of very long feathers on its head which gives the bird an almost majestic look. The Hoatzin has a very short and very thick beak, and the skin around the crimson eye is of a pale blue color.This bird can be found throughout the year in areas along the banks of the Berbice River and its tributary, the Canje Creek, and to some extent, on the Abary, Mahaicony and Mahaica Rivers. It feeds on the leaves of aquatic vegetation. The nesting period for the Hoatzin, commonly known as the Canje Pheasant, is usually from April to September.

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M

ashramani is a time to celebrate with the family and a good celebration usually include lots of food. Below are some easy recipes to

make your Mashramani truly delicious and as an added bonus they are super easy to prepare. So grab your apron and get cooking:

Ingredients * 2 lbs giblets and hearts * 1 small lime/lemon * 4 tbsp of vegetable oil * 2 tbsp minced/chopped garlic * 1 small onion chopped * 1 small pepper chopped (optional) * 1 tbsp of complete seasoning * 1 tbsp tomato paste * 4 tbsp Curry powder * 2 tbsp masala * 1.5 tbsp salt

Method

1. Cut giblets and heart into small pieces, and wash with water and juice of lime/lemon.

2. Add 4 tbsp vegetable oil in pressure cooker, let hot for about 2 minutes.

3. Add minced/chopped garlic, onion, pepper and tomato paste to hot oil, and let cook for 1 minute. Add curry powder and masala and let cook for about 2 minute with constant turning.

4. If needed, add 4 to 8 tbsp water to loosen up mixture, and cook/turn for about another 4 minutes 5. Add chicken giblets and heart, and salt then mix well, now leave to cook for about another 20 minutes with occasional checking and turning. Add one cup of water, place lid on cooker and pressure for 15-20 minutes.

6. Finally, after cooking in pressure cooker, take off lid and let cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until liquid had evaporated. Serve with dhal, rice or roti. (Guyanesefood.com)

Ingredients * 4 oz flour * 1/2 tsp cream of tartar or 1 tsp baking powder * 1/4 tsp baking soda * 1 oz margarine * 2 oz cheese, grated * 1/4 tsp salt * 1/2 tsp dry mustard * 4 tbsp milk * beaten egg to glaze (optional)

Method

Sift together flour, cream of tartar and soda. Rub in the fat. Add cheese, salt, pepper and the mustard and mix to a soft dough with the milk. Turn on to a floured board, knead lightly to remove cracks and roll or pat into a round about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Cut into triangles, place on a greased baking sheet, and glaze with beaten egg or milk. Bake in a hot oven, 450 degrees, for 10 minutes. (Guyanesefood.com)

Ingredients

* 8 oz cold meat (turkey, chicken, beef) * brown sauce, gravy or stock * 1 onion, chopped * 1 tsp tomato sauce or ketchup * 1 lb cooked yams

Method

Remove skin and fat from meat and mince it. Season the meat well with salt and pepper, and add brown sauce, gravy or stock to moisten. Add onion and ketchup. Place the meat in a greased pie dish. Mash yam and pile the yam crust over the meat and make it neat with a knife dipped in hot water. Cook in a hot oven, 400 degrees, for 10-15 minutes.

(Guyanesefood.com)

30 FEATURE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FROM PAGE 29

Ingredients * 1/4 pt split peas * 2 cloves garlic * 1 hot red pepper * 1/4 tsp ground geerah * 1 lb flour * 1 tsp baking powder * 1 tsp salt * 1 tsp ghee * 1/2 pt cooking oil

Method

1. Boil peas with some salt until it falls apart when squished between fingers. Drain and cool. Grind peas with garlic and pepper. Mix with geerah.

2. Sieve flour and remove a third for spreading and kneading. Add baking powder, salt and half teaspoon ghee, and mix. Add 1/2 pt water and mix to a dough. Knead dough for a short time, then leave to stand for 5 minutes.

3. Divide dough into 6 pieces and spread each to a circle of 1 1/2-2 inches in diameter. Rub with a mixture of the remaining ghee and oil. Fill with a rounded tablespoon of ground peas and seal.

4. Dust in flour and leave to soak for 5 minutes. Heat tawah, roll out pieces and place on tawah. Turn and glaze with oil and ghee mixture. Turn again and allow to cook on both sides. Puri should swell. (Guyanesefood.com)

Ingredients * 2 Eggs * 1 Can Evaporated Milk (12oz) * 3/4 Tsp Vanilla Essence * 5 Tbsp Sugar * 3/4 Tsp Ground/Grated Nutmeg (1/2 to add in mixture and 1/4 to sprinkle on top)

Method

Preheat oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Beat the egg, sugar and milk together. Add vanilla essence and nutmeg into mixture and beat lightly so all ingredients is mixed well. Pour into a greased pan. Grate a little nutmeg on the top. Place the pan into a larger pan half filled with water. Place into pre-heated oven at 350 degrees, for about 50 minutes until set. (Guyanesefood.com)

FEATURE

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

DJ Kash: Celebrating 23 years in music

D

J Kash, born Courtney George, is a Guyanese-American DJ and recording artiste who first gained prominence deejaying and then transitioned into recording music.

The name Kash was given to him by a high school girlfriend, an indirect reference to him always wearing the latest expensive brandname clothes.

DJ Kash was quick to state that he did not like the name at first, but with time and the fact that the name grew on him, he began writing that name on his records every time he would go to a record store to buy music.

DJ Kash grew up in a family where its members loved music. His father was a famous deejay during the 1980s, playing for Blue Ribbon Sound System. He would eventually learn from his father and older cousins, who were also deejays.

Today, the deejay is considered one of the best Guyanese, globally. DJ Kash started his professional career at the age of 14 but noted, “My love and interest in music started when I was 7 years of age. I was always listening to music and mem-

Courtney “DJ Kash” George

orising lyrics.”

His deejaying career started in Jamaica. He subsequently started playing music in Guyana in 2010.

With this came love from his newfound fans and promoters, as well as from those who hated him.

TURN TO PAGE 35

32 FEATURE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sookhoo poses with his certificate after completing a critical Air Traffic Control training course during the initial days of his career

H

ave you ever wondered who the pilots on your flight over Guyana may be talking to on his/her headset?

Well, one such person, an Air Traffic Controller and veteran aviator Roy Sookhoo can tell you many tales of his experiences as a “controller” after some 34 years and counting in the profession.

Sookhoo, who is one of the country’s senior Air Traffic Controllers, is attached to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the umbrella aviation body in Guyana.

The job at hand is considered one of the most stressful ones globally, whereby a human error can be costly to those in flight.

But for Sookhoo and his colleagues, one must be dedicated and mentally strong to complete the tasks which come with the profession. “As an Air Traffic Control Officer, the main challenge is the need to design your lifestyle around your ATC schedule since you are a link in a chain of events that occur daily in aviation and there is a requirement of sincere commitment and dedication towards the job,” Sookhoo said. In addition, he said it requires the “art of balancing your private life and work.”

The former Bishops’ High School student recalled entering the profession back in 1988 as a second option since he was planning to enrol at the University of Guyana to further his studies. At the time he was in the field of mechanical engineering.

He said a technician who was working at the ATC tower at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at the time told him about a vacancy for controllers. Back then, he was working at the now-defunct Sanata Textile Limited. “I thought it would be interesting to do the interview since I previously visited the tower on a Bishops’ High School tour in the early 80s,” he said.

As fate would have it, he applied, and in May that year he entered the profession as an Air Traffic Control Assistant.

Today, he is the Manager - Air Traffic Management and he is also the point person at the GCAA in the event of aviation search and rescue operations, a position he holds after he completed the Search and Rescue Administrator Course at the Singapore Aviation Authority, Changi Village, Singapore in August 2016.

Sookhoo said the late Robert Singh, an aviation veteran who is revered in ATC circles here, was his mentor. “He was very strict and managed the system on the tip of his pen. He was fixed on discipline and once said that there are no excuses for lateness, not even the rainfall since it rained long before we were born,” he quipped.

He said he has had multiple memorable experiences on the job but one which stands out was the 2008 disappearance of a Beechcraft model aircraft, bearing US registration N87V which has not been found to date. The aircraft, which was carrying out geo-surveys at the time over Kamakusa Mountains in Region Seven, had three persons on board two Americans and one Canadian.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

FEATURE

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FROM PAGE 32

Air Traffic Controller Roy Sookhoo shares a light moment with his family

Senior Air Traffic Controller Roy Sookhoo sits at the console at ATC tower, Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA)

Neither Captain James Wesley Barker, 28, First Officer Chris Paris, 23, Canadian Patrick Murphy, a Geophysics Technician nor the aircraft have been found to date since their last known flight on November 1, 2008.

Sookhoo said he was nominated coordinator of the search and rescue mission for the aircraft and he recalled hours upon hours of collaborative efforts between the GCAA, pilots, local airlines, and the Disciplined Services to find the missing aircraft. He said even the latest technologies were used to find the aircraft, all of which prove futile. He said he also experienced some emotional moments when several pilots, whom he grew close to through the profession, perished in different aircraft acci-

dents. Among those were young Caption Niron Mirza, Captain Clement Joseph, and Captain Vic Nandan.

Sookhoo offered some advice for those who are still young in the profession as well as persons who may wish to enter the field. “They are to be dedicated, quick learning skills, possession of excellent intercommunication skills able to mentally retain critical information to make quick and accurate decisions in a timely manner whilst working in this dynamic environment,” he said. Importantly, he noted that they must understand their peers and work for national development, not for fame or favour.

He lauded the move by the Government of Guyana in acquiring the new Bell 412 helicop-

ter which he said has extensive search and rescue capabilities and it can also be configured for jungle extraction. He also listed the efforts of all local pilots in their daily efforts to develop the aviation sector especially Captain Michael Charles whom he noted, continues to be an aviation icon in Guyana.

The passing of the late Captain Michael Chan-a-Sue was a huge blow to the aviation sector and according to Sookhoo, the late pilot provided extensive support for unilateral development of search and rescue in Guyana.

Guyana’s economy is evolving rapidly with the onset of the oil and gas sector and according to Sookhoo, there is a critical demand for persons to take up roles in air traffic control since there is already a boom in the offshore helicopter operations and increasing demand for cargo and passenger flights into the country. “This sector is going to explode into a great commercial entity for Guyana’s development

in the near future,” he said.

As regards his career, Sookhoo said his wife and two sons have stood by his side as his career evolved and he expressed appreciation for their support. He described the staff of the Civil Aviation Department and the GCAA as hardworking and he said they have displayed a great degree of patience and commitment towards him throughout the years.

“My vision is to see the aviation sector develop to a major revenue earner for our country and the need for more emphasis on the development and management of our hinterland aerodrome, development of improved search and rescue capabilities for our airports and overall, nationally towards a quest to save lives a more efficient manner,” he noted. A dedicated church-goer, Sookhoo also thanked the Almighty Father for ensuring he undertakes his duties with much dedication and commitment.

34 FEATURE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

K

idney disease is a major complication of diabetes and hypertension worldwide. The number of persons developing kidney failure continues to increase with each year.

Data from the developed countries shows that kidney failure is among the most expensive medical complication to treat, since there are significant costs associated with dialysis and kidney transplant. In addition, for persons with kidney failure, there is reduced quality of life due to side effects from medications, dialysis, poor nutrition, and mental health issues, among others. Families and caregivers of persons with kidney failure also have added burden and stress for various reasons, such as financial constraints, and providing care on a full-time basis.

The last two years had added challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The healthcare system continues to be stretched and healthcare workers are burnt out physically and mentally.

KFG Chair, Dr Areefa Alladin

Persons with kidney disease and kidney failure felt the strain on the healthcare system as resources were redistributed to deal with excess patient load.

The Kidney Foundation of Guyana (KFG) continued to achieve its mission of educating Guyana about kidney disease through a virtual

Public Relations Officer Nadine Luthers-Williams

platform, during the pandemic. They were able to deliver 12 medical education sessions for 2021 in collaboration with Nephrologists in Canada. These sessions were all free of cost to Guyanese and were well attended by the medical fraternity.

KFG’s World Kidney

Day month of activities was successful with significant media presence using radio, television, and print media.

They saw significant activities on their Facebook page and were able to engage with patients via social media.

The membership of the Kidney Foundation contin-

ues to grow; with patients, and relatives of dialysis patients, on the executive committee. KFG recognises that patient-oriented care is the best care to deliver, and this can only be done if patients’ views are heard and if they are involved in the decision-making process.

World Kidney Day 2022 will be observed on March 10 under the theme “Kidney Health for All.” The Kidney Foundation is gearing up for a month of activities that will be posted on their social media pages. They will utilise all forms of media during the month of March to sensitise the population on kidney health.

This year, the Kidney Foundation will focus on nutrition. Guyanese grow all foods that are necessary for a healthy diet. Sensitising the population on food choices, food preparation, and meal planning may be the simplest and cheapest way to reduce the burden of chronic diseases in our population. KFG is collaborating with various govern-

mental and non-governmental agencies to achieve this goal.

KFG is pleased to see that the cost of dialysis was subsidised in the budget. It is the hope of the foundation that dialysis will become accessible to everyone with kidney failure.

The passing of the Transplant Bill was another step in the right direction for our healthcare system.

This Bill will eventually make kidney transplants more available to those who need them. A kidney transplant is superior to dialysis for those who qualify for a transplant, though not everyone with kidney failure may be a candidate for a kidney transplant.

The Kidney Foundation of Guyana will continue to work to promote a healthy Guyanese population, which can reduce the burden of chronic kidney disease and kidney failure. KFG will continue to advocate for those living with chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.

35 DJ Kash: Celebrating 23 years...

FEATURE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Dr Vindhya Persaud commences delivery of 2022 pension, public assistance to remote areas

FROM PAGE 31

Dr Vindhya Persaud presenting the pension booklet to the oldest resident of Masakenari

H

uman Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud, together with her team, trekked 3.3 miles into the village of Masakenari in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) to deliver pension and public assistance payments for the first half of 2022.

This Minister has continued the delivery programme for pension and public assistance that was introduced in 2021 for remote communities, which allow recipients to receive their pension and public assistance payments for half of the year at one time.

Pensioners of Masakenari also received their one-off $25,000 cash grant and their July-December 2021 payments this way last year.

Minister Persaud presented the books for 2022 as well, and had the opportunity to hand over the payments and pension

Dr Vindhya Persaud distributing backpacks to the children of Masakenari

book to the oldest resident of Masakenari.

Residents have expressed not only their appreciation for the new delivery initiative, but also for the visit, as the team also took in hampers for the 60plus households and toys for the children.

While there, Dr Persaud engaged with the craftswomen of the village, sharing tips and viewing their intricately done craft pieces. She has expressed an enthusiasm to work with them through the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network - WIIN programme in upskilling and developing new areas, including ICT. She has urged them to advertise on the WIIN GY App to promote their work.

The children also enjoyed quality time with the Minister, as she held an impromptu art class with them, and helped to work on their masks for

Mashramani.

“Not only is Masakenari incredibly lovely and untouched, the Wai-Wai people are such warm and lovely people. There was so much to learn and see, and potential areas to work with residents.

“I was extremely delighted to introduce the WIIN programme and App, and meet with the talented women of Masakenari. Although it took the team a 6-mile walk in and out of the village from the airstrip, I felt humbled to be able to personally take the key support services of pension and public assistance into Masakenari, honouring our Government’s commitment to serving all the people across the length and breadth of Guyana.

“There is work that is planned to improve connectivity there, and the people were very happy that I went in to visit,” Dr Persaud has related.

He started winning Sound Clashes in 2012 and currently holds five titles. He now mentors young and upcoming disk jockeys. As of February 2022, he has released six songs, of which, "Real Bad Guyanese" which features Guyanese Gaddie G, is considered his most popular release.

The DJ/artiste is also the owner of the Real Bad Guyanese clothing line.

One of DJ Kash's most celebrated accomplishments is the fact that he became famous in dancehall and not on mainstream radio or from joining a well-known sound system. DJ Kash is intentionally targeting the Caribbean music market, with an eye on the fast-growing global music market.

His weekly Facebook Live shows help to keep his global fans entertained.

He stressed that deejaying comes first.

Recognising that he can sing and write made him start doing both. For DJ Kash, being in a one-man army comes with many challenges. The slow expansion of his clothing line is one of his many projects to suffer from this.

The favourite of his six songs is

"Badmind." He said he loves that one because he's telling a story related to his own life – people hate him because of his talent. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, DJ Kash would travel to Guyana almost every quarter for events.

The former NYU hospital worker has been working in music full-time for the past three years.

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NEWS

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

500 women benefit from CIOG’s pap smear drive T

he Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) on Saturday held its first-ever pap smear drive at its Woolford Avenue, Georgetown location that benefitted some five hundred women.

In light of the high rate of cancer diagnoses amongst women in Guyana, the CIOG partnered with Eureka Lab to screen women for cervical cancer. Another factor that initiated the activity was the high cost of getting the tests done here in Guyana.

“So, the initiative came about because of the high rate of cancer in our country, to be specific, cervical cancer. So, it was very much inspirational for us, for this to be an initiative for us in helping our women. As we know the cost is approximately between eight to ten thousand Guyana dollars to get screening done and a lot of the women cannot afford this,” CIOG’s General Manager, Shameena Haniff told Guyana Times.

kinds of things because not everybody can afford to go to the institution where they have to pay. It’s better to know early than to not know at all or when it’s too late,” King said.

Nevertheless, Haniff stated that another pap smear drive will be planned, this

Persons at CIOG’s pap smear drive

After the women are screened, the tests would be done at Eureka Lab after which the results would be available within 11 to 14 days. These, according to the information gathered, would be collected by CIOG and distributed to the women.

“After the sampling, it would then have to go to the pathology lab after which we will get the results. We would be dealing with the re-

sults because we have persons coming all the way from Berbice, all the way from the East Bank of Essequibo.

So, what we will do with how we’re structured, we’ll be able to send those results with our representatives in each of the regions, rather than persons having to travel all the way back to Central Georgetown, so it would be easier on them accessing their results,” Haniff

explained.

However, Haniff urged women to get their pap smear tests done as it could save their lives.

Bonita King who showed up to get her pap smear test done applauded the CIOG for its initiative and encouraged her fellow women to come out and get screened as well.

“Well, I think it’s a good thing for the community.

Definitely, we need these

time, she noted it will target men. There were several volunteers at Saturday’s event including Dr Goodness E Onyeukwu, Dr Arlene Andries along with Carol Kumar, Jasmattie RamrajKhan and Shaneza Fiddel, who are all attached to the Guyana Cancer Foundation.

38 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Drilling to resume at Wenot deposit next week – Omai says pit has potential for even more gold

O

mai Gold Mines will continue drilling at its Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) location from next week since it believes that even more deposits of gold are available at the Wenot deposit.

The company recently filed a technical report with SEDAR, which supports the 16.7 million tonnes of indicated gold and 19.5 million tonnes of inferred gold it had announced the Wenot deposit held last month.

In this technical report, consultant P&E Mining explained that extending the Wenot deposit is expected to cost US$2.65 million and be completed in the next 12 months. According to the report, it was explained that exploring these targets could provide opportunities for open-pit mining.

“Some of these targets are drill ready, but others would benefit from further

fieldwork, including mapping with focused mechanical trenching and sampling or geophysical surveys with lithostructural interpretation... target areas for significant follow-up trenching and sampling include Broccoli Hill, Snake Pond, Blueberry Hill, and Fennell West,” the report states.

The consultant recommended the expansion of the Wenot deposit, by using compiled historical data and identified drill targets to guide exploration efforts. It was explained that some of this work is expected to be part of the Phase 1 drilling in 2022. Oher parts are expected to extend into the Phase 2 programme.

In January, Omai Gold Mines had announced the discovery of significant gold values during initial trenching and drilling on the Broccoli Hill target at its Region Seven (Cuyuni-

Mazaruni), Guyana property.

The company had disclosed that trenching exposed a quartz-rich shear zone with samples assaying 29.3 g/t Au, 7.8 g/t Au, 5.0 g/t Au and 2.2 g/t Au along a 40-meter strike. Additionally, the first round of drilling on Broccoli Hill, totalling 690 metres, intersected gold mineralisation with four of the six holes returning assays greater than 1 g/t Au and as high as 4.04 g/t Au over 0.9 m and 0.91 g/t over 6.8 m.

According to Omai’s Chief Executive Officer, Elaine Ellingham, “…our initial trenching and drilling on Broccoli Hill, that commenced late in 2021, has already resulted in several significant gold values.”

To this end, the CEO had said that over the next couple of months, they will

advance some of the property’s prime exploration targets, including Broccoli Hill, that holds potential for new near-surface mineralisation amenable to open-pit mining.

Last year, Omai had announced its impending move to the Fennel pit, having concluded its drilling programme under the old Wenot mine. When it comes to the Fennell pit, the company had also said it would start its drill programme there in the second quarter of 2022. It was explained that previous explorations by gold company Iamgold at the pit in 2007 established Fennell as a primary target on Omai.

“This drilling identified a significant gold deposit beneath the past-producing pit. The Fennell pit produced 2.4 million ounces between 1993 and 2004.

It was mined to a depth of 250m where it bottomed at

Omai’s Wenot pit in Region 7

a barren diabase sill. After production ceased, Iamgold completed the exploration beneath the sill and completed a resource report.”

“This drilling reached a maximum depth of about 960 metres with the deepest holes ending in mineralisation, suggesting even further depth potential.

Omai has started modelling this historic data and plans to initiate a drill programme on the Fennell target in Q2 of next year. This

work will require deeper holes to verify the historic resource and to explore the depth extent of this mineralisation,” Omai had explained.

Omai Gold Mines, which returned to the Wenot and Fennell pits at the Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) site in 2020 after leaving Guyana in 2015, had announced in December 2020 that it would be pressing forward with the 5000-metre drilling programme.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

55 Hope Estate residents to soon get land titles/transport after decades

S

ome 55 residents of Plantation Hope Estate SchemeCum Annexes, East Coast Demerara (ECD), will soon be receiving their titles or transport documents for lands they have been occupying for decades.

On Saturday, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal led an outreach at the Hope Estate Compound, to begin the land verification process. A team of technical personnel from the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) was at the location, assisting with the verification of residents’ documents.

Minister Croal related that the issue was brought to his attention during a recent visit to the area, where a number of residents vented their frustration of not having legal documents for their lands. Croal explained that based on the information he received, the matter dates back to the 1970s,

Minister Collin Croal reviewing a map of the area

and the lands are now being occupied by children and grandchildren of the first sets of occupants.

He told the residents that the PPP/C Government is committed to addressing the issue by ensuring that the occupants of those lands are given their legal documents so that they can move forward with plans

they have to upgrade or construct their homes.

“Immediately once we can verify all the information provided in terms of the persons who are occupying the lands, and once there is no contention of the house, we will process your certificate of title, and as I said, we have about 55 houses in our system for which no title

has been processed for the lands,” the Minister said.

The Housing Minister noted the land titling process will commence within the new week for those properties with no challenges or dispute.

Additionally, back then, the former President Janet Jagan had promised some of the residents who were

relocated to the area they would only be charged $1 for the processing of the titles. Minister Croal said that commitment will be honoured for those persons, while the others will have to pay the usual fee of $92,000.

Additionally, there are a number of residents who received house lots from the CHPA within the area and are still awaiting titles. The Minister also committed to having those titles processed and completed in a timely manner.

Further, he announced that CH&PA is in the final stages of acquiring lands for allocation within the area this year.

The Hope Estate Scheme was originally a Sugar Plantation that was bought

by Mr Walcott, a British investor who started coconut cultivation. In 1955, the Sankars bought the area from Mr Walcott and continued coconut cultivation.

The Late Prime

Minister, Forbes Burnham then bought the area from the Sankars in the early 1970s and formed the Hope Coconut Industry Ltd. The estate was managed by a Board until his death in 1985. NEOCOL (National Edible Oil Company Ltd) then took over its management during the period 1987-1992.

The PPP/C Government took over the area in 1992 and eventually phased out coconut cultivation.

Portions of the land were rented to private farmers for the cultivation of cash crops.

After the flooding in 2005, some 40 affected residents from Mahaica were relocated to a portion of the area developed into a scheme with 88 lots. The Government & Food For The Poor built houses for the affected persons. In 2009, the scheme was extended with a further 270 lots.

40 NEWS 2 men succumb to COVID; 53 new cases detected in 24 hours T GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

he Health Ministry on Saturday reported that two more men who were tested positive for COVID-19 have succumbed, thus taking the country’s death toll to 1210.

The fatalities are a 71-year-old from Region Four and a 52-year-old from Region Three. They both died on February 18 while receiving treatment at a medical facility. One of the men was fully vaccinated while the other was unvaccinated.

However, new statistics released by the Ministry revealed that 53 new cases were detected in the past 24 hours. This now takes the total number of confirmed cases in the country

to 62,638. The infections follow a gender distribution of 28,835 males and 33,803 females.

Along with 12 patients in the designated Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 841 are in home isolation, 71 in institutional isolation, and 10 in institutional quarantine. The data shows that 60,504 patients have recovered from the life-threatening virus while 531,983 swabs were processed.

In analysing new cases, four were detected in Region One (BarimaWaini); six in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); two in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 12 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); four in Region Five

(Mahaica-Berbice); 11 in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne); one in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and 13 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

There were no new cases in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) and Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

Meanwhile, some 429,982 adults or 83.8 per cent have taken the first dose of a COVID vaccine, while 324,175 or 63.2 per cent returned for their second jab.

In the 12 to 17 cohort, 33,294 first doses and 23,914 second doses were administered. This equates to 45.6 per cent and 32.8 per cent, respec-

FEBRUARY 19, 2022 UPDATE

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN BE SAFE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

53

Wear a face mask.

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

77

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

864

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

12

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

10

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

33803

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

28,835

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

62638

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

60,504

Wash your hands or use handsanitizer If you have any symptoms, call the COVID-19 Hotline. tively. Booster shots have surpassed 48,000 but a significant percentage of eli-

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

429,287

FULLY IMMUNISED

323,031

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS gible Guyanese are yet to return.

The Government started administering booster shots after studies around the world showed that the efficacy of the vaccines DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

2491

REGION 2

2449

REGION 3

8003

REGION 4

30,972

REGION 5

2339

REGION 6

5679

REGION 7

2408

REGION 8

887

REGION 9

3948

REGION 10

3462

1210

wanes after six months of receiving both doses.

All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures, which are in effect on February 28, 2022. This order emphasises the need for everyone, 12 years and older to get vaccinated against COVID-19; the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 2267480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health. gov.gy

NEWS

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

First Lady secures 100 maritime training scholarships for Indigenous women

First Lady Arya Ali and Miranda Thakur-Deen of AA Maritime & Offshore Training Institute sign an agreement for the provision of 100 oil and gas training scholarships for Indigenous women

I

n what can be described as historic, HE First Lady Arya Ali has secured 100 scholarships for Indigenous women in the hinterland to be trained in the maritime and offshore industry through a local maritime training school.

Atlantic Alliance (AA) Maritime & Offshore Training School is a 100 per cent owed Guyanese company which the First Lady had been in talks with ahead of the recently-concluded International Energy Conference and Expo.

The 100 scholarships will be awarded through the Office of the First Lady over a four-year period and will benefit Indigenous women from Regions One, Two, Seven, Eight and Nine. It is intended to provide technical training to support Guyana’s rapidly expanding oil and gas sector.

On Thursday, The First Lady cemented the historic deal by signing an agreement with Miranda ThakurDeen and Asif Hamid, Executive Directors of the School, in the presence of a number of other stakeholders including the Centre for Local Business Development and Lloyd’s Register.

This agreement follows plans by the Government, which has been moving aggressively, to equip Guyanese to benefit from the opportunities being made available in the oil and gas sector.

“We are talking about One Guyana and this is a demonstration of us, the Government, creating that one Guyana that we speak of. We are aware of the many issues that affect the Indigenous people of Guyana, including access to tertiary education and tertiary level training. So, this is a major step towards creating opportunities for them in the oil and gas sector and ensuring that they are part of the success story of our country,” the First Lady related.

She also lauded the school’s commitment to en-

suring that it gives back to the people of Guyana. “I am beyond happy to share this moment with a local company because it not only highlights the importance of local content, but it shows in a tangible way how committed this company is to giving back to our people,” she added.

Thakur-Deen said the decision to partner with the Office of the First Lady was an easy one for the school’s Board because of the work Ali has been involved in.

“We noticed the First Lady is a leading advocate for women and has been championing women’s rights since she took office. Her period poverty project shows her commitment to women and advancing their rights, and we wanted to be able to support the work that she is doing,” she stated.

The Maritime Institution will provide unique training programmes which focus on teaching practical skills to both local and international students through a blended approach. The school’s courses are accredited by Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ). It is currently awaiting accreditation from the National Accreditation Council of Guyana, while plans are underway for it to become a TVET Certified Institution.

“Our mission is to prepare and provide competent, top quality, and experienced marine professionals. Our curriculum empowers students to take on leadership roles, encourage rigorous self-discipline, promote curiosity and provide graduates with skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the Global Maritime & Offshore Industry,” the school’s other Executive Director, Hamid noted.

AA Maritime & Offshore Training School currently has lecturers that are internationally certified industry experts with backgrounds in the oil and gas industry.

The institution comprises 20 classrooms with digital and in-house libraries, aug-

First Lady Arya Ali and Directors of AA Maritime & Offshore Training Institute in the company of other stakeholders, including the Centre for Local Business Development and Lloyd’s Register, after the signing of the agreement

mented reality simulators, and technical workshop facilities.

It also intends to begin issuing certification for TVET welding & fabrica-

tion courses which will be certified by the American Welding Society (AWS).

42 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana has $37.7B in untapped silica sand resources – Pres Ali – resource is used in making cell phones, solar energy panels

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hile Guyana is well known for its gold, diamond, timber and, in recent years, its oil resources, a lesser-known fact is that Guyana is sitting on $37.6 billion worth of silica sand resources – from which is derived the material to make cell phone and solar energy farm components.

The value of this potential resource was touched on by President Dr Irfaan Ali, during the International Energy Conference and Expo held at the Marriott Hotel last week. President Ali was at the time highlighting Guyana’s rich natural resources in a pitch to foreign and domestic investors.

“Our silica sand reserves are estimated at 1.5 billion tonnes, valued conservatively at $37.5 billion. I’m just positioning this, so you can understand the Guyana we are speaking of. And this has always been,” President Ali

said.

“We never had the capital or the resources to build the diversified economy that we’re talking about. We’ve always spoken of the promises and the dreams and aspirations, of generations of Guyanese. Today, with hard work and simplicity and humility, we have the ability to make that giant leap not only for Guyana but for all of humanity. And we must do it.”

Guyana is blessed in other areas. According to the President, there are an estimated US$35 billion in gold reserves, US$1 billion in quarrying reserves and US$750 million in diamond reserves. He also spoke of the potency of Guyana’s agricultural investment potential, including the ability to tap into the food processing markets and benefit from the viable land for poultry, dairy and cattle production.

The design for the Lethem solar PV farm. Silica sand is also used in the making of PV panels

There is also Guyana’s forestry sector.

“We can sustainably harvest one million cubic metres per year, at present we harvest 400,000 cubic metres (of timber) valued at US$80 million a year. The sector presents opportunities for large scale downstream processing, prefab housing, prime value-added species for niche markets,

partnering with environmental services, reforestation programmes and forest plantation, all linked to new emerging and potential markets,” the President added.

President Ali also spoke of the country’s tremendous potential in the adventure tourism and golfing industries, considering the wide expanse of eco-tourism locations and available land.

A sand pit

Guyana has over the past year been canvassed by various investors seeking opportunities in a number of industries. It was only earlier this month that a group of United Kingdom (UK) based businesses were in the country exploring investment opportunities in a variety of sectors that could see millions of dollars in investments being injected into the Guyanese economy.

The “British Business Mission” had conducted a four-day visit to Guyana during which they networked with both local Private Sector and Government officials as they scope out opportunities for potential investments. The delegation was hosted by London-based The Caribbean Council, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and the British High Commission’s Department for International Trade.

At a press conference held as they wrapped up their visit, Managing Director of The Caribbean Council, Chris Bennett outlined that some of the projects that are being floated would see multimillion-dollar investments be-

ing made here.

In fact, to further strengthen ties, GCCI and The Caribbean Council during the press conference signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for future collaboration between the two organisations.

Moreover, representative of Signature, Counsel Bernhard Maier spoke about the vast need for arbitration services in Guyana not just at the Private Sector level but also at a State level.

The representatives from the Scottish headquartered Woolard & Henry Ltd talked about potentially setting up a basalt and glass fibre plant in Guyana to cater for the massive infrastructure growth by replacing steel with basalt materials. He said there has been positive response to this.

Another company that also saw success in its discussions so far is Dar Group, which specialises in engineering, designing and project management services.

Managing Director Andrew Loudon said there is vast opportunities to tap into with Government’s Silica City project.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Reduced health measures linked to COVID-19 surge in Americas – PAHO Director

C

omplacency around mask-wearing, travelling, and indoor gatherings created a perfect opportunity for the new Omicron variant to spread rapidly throughout the region and increase deaths.

This was according to the Director of Pan American Health Organisation, Dr Carissa Etienne during a recent media briefing.

“Reduced public health measures were insufficient to reduce the scale of this wave. And now we’re dealing with the consequence: a rise in infections is driving a surge in deaths,” she cautioned.

While still very high, COVID-19 infections declined by 31 per cent and deaths continued to rise by 5.6 per cent this week.

“Undoubtedly, Omicron overtook us…Every time infections

surge, there is a heavy toll on our families and communities…

COVID-19 is a preventable disease. And right now, we’re losing far too many lives. As Omicron arrived, we didn’t use all the tools we had developed to slow the spread and prevent infections.”

More than half of deaths in the latest surge occurred in people over the age of 65 but many others occurred among those yet to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Unvaccinated people of all ages still fill up hospitals and ICU beds.

To ensure more equitable access, PAHO’s Revolving Fund has now delivered 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in coordination with COVAX.

Pan American Health Organization Director, Dr Carissa Etienne

The PAHO Director thanked donors for contributing 30 per cent of the 100-million dose milestone and urged countries to focus on filling in critical gaps in vaccination coverage, to ensure that at least 20 million more people are fully vaccinated, particularly high-risk groups.

Dr Etienne also highlighted that countries must be vigilant about implementing public health measures quickly. They must adjust hospital systems to accommodate new surges while ensuring healthcare workers have the tools they need to safely treat COVID-19 patients.

“We need to activate our responses more rapidly to keep pace with the current wave and stay ahead of future surges of this very fast, very serious virus… We won’t overcome this

pandemic unless we protect these groups, and then go beyond to cover everyone who is eligible,” the PAHO Director underlined.

Turning to the COVID-19 situation in the region, countries of the Americas reported 3.3 million new cases and more than 34,000 COVID-19 related deaths.

In North America, the United States recorded the highest number of deaths in the subregion – 17,000.

Countries in Central America and in the Caribbean reported a surge in COVID-19 deaths, as well as an increase in hospitalisations, reaching 19 per cent in some countries and territories of the Eastern Caribbean.

In South America, deaths in Brazil reached the highest numbers ever, setting a record for this wave.

44 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Works at Leonora, Mabaruma Hospitals near completion – Health Minister

U

pgrade works for the Leonora and Mabaruma Hospitals will soon be completed, adding additional capacity for the management of patients soliciting services at these facilities.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Friday stated that works on regional hospitals across the country are ongoing while adding that some other projects will come on stream later this year.

At the Leonora Hospital in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Mabaruma Hospital in Region One (Barima-Waini), works are almost completed.

Both hospitals will soon be recommissioned.

The “Smart Hospital” concept comes under an $835 million fund by the former United Kingdom Department for

Mabaruma Hospital

International Development and was implemented by the Pan American Health Organisation’s Department of Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief with the Health Ministry.

The Diamond Diagnostic Centre, Leonora Diagnostic Centre, Mabaruma and Lethem Regional Hospitals and the Paramakatoi Health Centre were identified to be upgraded.

Works at the Diamond

Leonora Hospital

Diagnostic facility were completed to the tune of US$984,439, catering for emergency services such as obstetrics, gynaecology, surgeries, paediatrics, orthopaedics, pharmacy and laboratory services among others.

Meanwhile, the refurbishment of the operating theatre, Intensive Care Unit, recovery room, and maternity ward at Mabaruma have been completed as well.

For the West Demerara Regional Hospital in Region Three and Bartica Hospital in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), tenders will open by March for companies to undertake the rehabilitation project.

“Hopefully, by mid of this year, we will be able to start construction at West Demerara and Bartica, similarly we are in the process of going out to tender for a company to do the construc-

tion.”

Since the pandemic, intensive care and bed capacity has been bolstered across regional facilities and the Infectious Diseases Hospital. Speaking on the COVID-19 equipment that Government had invested to manage patients, the Minister said this will be integrated into normal operations post-pandemic to treat other illnesses.

“During COVID, what

we have done is take sections of the hospital and use them as isolation areas and we have expanded the capacity there. Currently, we do have patients and we have, over the last year, been able to add beds to that section. We have given them ventilators, oxygen, monitors and all the instruments that they need to properly manage a COVID-19 patient. When there is no longer a great need for this type of isolation unit, we will more than likely move those equipment to areas of the hospital where we can manage patients with other conditions.”

Dr Anthony reassured that at all regional hospitals are equipped adequately. A re-evaluation will be done after infections have dropped to determine if these resources will be shifted.

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022

WI vs India: T20I Series, 3rd match…

India looking to test bench strength

I

ndia will be mighty pleased with their gains from the 2-0 lead they have over West Indies in the lead up to the T20 World Cup later this year in Australia.

Their top order - including Virat Kohli - got off the blocks quicker, Suryakumar Yadav cemented his place further in the middle, Venkatesh Iyer provided the finishing touches India expected from him, Harshal Patel showed his death-bowling expertise, Bhuvneshwar Kumar proved he still had it in him, and Ravi Bishnoi bagged wickets with an economy under six in both games combined.

With Kohli and Rishabh Pant skipping the dead-rubber on Sunday, India can now also give a chance to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who last played a T20I in July 2021, and Shreyas Iyer, who is on his new IPL home ground.

Still winless on the tour, West Indies looked like they had narrowed the gap between the two teams on Friday night, but they still need to smoothen some edges. In the opening game, they lost their footing after a good powerplay, and could post only 157. In the second game, they were chasing in dewy conditions, but left too much for the end by posting just 41 runs in the powerplay and 73 in the first ten.

– as West Indies still search for first win on tour just 4.87 in the series, West Indies have got a solid quota of four overs in the middle overs against both right- and left-hand batters.

Team news

They have also not found much support from their sixth bowler, possibly because they have played only two frontline bowlers, and the rest of the job rests with their numerous allrounders. It made India's chasing job easier when they needed 65 from eight overs in the opening game; in the second, they hammered 98 off the last eight.

In the spotlight

Ishan Kishan was supposed to give India the rapid starts they had been missing in T20Is. But, in the two games so far, Kishan has struggled against both fast and spin bowling; not against pace and turn, but while facing Sheldon Cottrell's swing early on, and then Roston Chase's stifling lines from

around the wicket in the middle overs.

The man who went for a whopping INR 15.25 crore (approx US$ 2 million) in the IPL megaauction recently has crawled to scores of 35 off 42 and 2 off 10 balls so far.

Roston Chase, on the other hand, went unsold at the auction, but has put up performances with the ball India may not have expected from him in this format.

He got a chance in the XI in the first place only because Jason Holder wasn't fit, but retained his place with 2 for 14 from four overs, dismissing Rohit Sharma and Kishan; and followed it with 3 for 25 with the wickets of Rohit, Suryakumar and Kohli. With five wickets and an economy rate of

With Kohli and Pant not available for the third game, India can now pick Shreyas and Gaikwad, and even try Deepak Hooda in place of Venkatesh.

How they change their bowling attack with the series in the bag remains to be seen. They have Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan and Kuldeep Yadav as options.

Squads

India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad,

3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Ishan Kishan (wk), 6 Venkatesh Iyer/Deepak Hooda, 7 Harshal Patel, 8 Deepak Chahar/ Shardul Thakur, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Mohammed Siraj/Avesh Khan, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal/ Kuldeep Yadav West Indies came close on Friday night, and don't really need a change to their XI, unless they want to try out players they haven't so far, like Dominic Drakes and Hayden Walsh.

West Indies (probable): 1 Kyle Mayers, 2 Brandon King, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Rovman Powell, 5 Kieron Pollard (capt), 6 Jason Holder, 7 Roston Chase, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Odean Smith, 10 Akeal Hosein, 11 Sheldon Cottrell.

Pitch and conditions

Evenings in Kolkata will continue to be pleasant, with dew expected later on, which means the team winning the toss would likely chase again.

Stats and trivia

Yuzvendra Chahal needs one more wicket to become India's sole highest wicket-taker in T20Is. He is currently joint on top with Jasprit Bumrah.

India have won six consecutive T20I series at home. The last series they lost was 2-0 to Australia in February 2019.

Across formats, India have now won 13 series in a row at home. (ESPNcricinfo)

ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand…

Fraser, Campbelle in Windies women’s Squad …Mangru, Shultz in reserve

Shemaine Campbelle

T

he Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s Selection Panel has named

the 15-member squad to participate in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, to be played in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3.

Stafanie Taylor, one of the leading allrounders in the history of the game, will lead the squad, with off-spinner Anisa Mohammed as vicecaptain for her fifth Cricket World Cup. The squad includes several exciting young players who will be competing at the marquee event for the first time.

These are spinner Karishma Ramharack, fast bowler Aaliyah Alleyne, seamer Cherry-Ann Fraser, allrounder Chinelle Henry and opening batter Rashada Williams.

The 15-member squad will be joined by three travelling reserves: Kaysia Schultz, Mandy Mangru and Jannillea Glasgow, as per the ICC’s medical protocols for the tournament.

CWI Lead Selector for Women’s Cricket, Ann BrowneJohn, has said, “The squad selected shows a blend of youth and experience. We have Anisa Mohammed who’s playing in her fifth World Cup, and will help guide the younger ones selected. We have five players who have had their maiden Cricket World Cup selection.

“The team just completed a series against South Africa, where the players got good preparation before the tournament. There were some relatively good showings, with a few players having outstanding performances, and it is expected that they would raise their levels even further during the competition.

“Afy Fletcher’s return strengthens the bowling department, as she continues to be a world-class legspinner.”

The eight-team tournament will start with a group stage round, wherein all teams play each other once before the top four sides compete in the semi-finals and finals.

The West Indies Women

Cherry-Ann Fraser

will open their title chase against host country New Zealand on March 4 at Bay Oval in Tauranga. Their seventh and final match of the group stage is against South Africa on March 24 at Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Semi-final #1 will be played on March 30 at Basin Reserve in Wellington, with semi-final #2 being played on March 31 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

The final will be played on April 3 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

FULL SQUAD * Stafanie Taylor (Captain) * Anisa Mohammed (Vice Captain) * Aaliyah Alleyne * Shemaine Campbelle * Shamilia Connell * Deandra Dottin * Afy Fletcher * Cherry-Ann Fraser * Chinelle Henry * Kycia Knight * Hayley Matthews * Chedean Nation * Karishma Ramharack * Shakera Selman * Rashada Williams Travelling Reserves * Kaysia Schultz * Mandy Mangru * Jannillea Glasgow West Indies Women ICC Cricket World Cup Match Schedule * March 4: vs New Zealand at Bay Oval, Tauranga * March 9: vs England at University Oval, Dunedin * March 12: vs India at Seddon Park, Hamilton * March 15: vs Australia at Basin Reserve, Wellington * March 18; vs Bangladesh at Bay Oval, Tauranga * March 21: vs Pakistan at Seddon Park, Hamilton * March 24: vs South Africa at Basin Reserve, Wellington * March 30: Semi-final #1 at Basin Reserve, Wellington * March 31: Semi-final #2 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022

47

Premiere Insurance sponsors DCB’s hosting of U15 Inter-Association tournament …squads announced

T

he Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) has received sponsorship from Premiere Insurance Company to host the DCB/ Premiere Insurance U15 Inter-Association tournament.

This sponsorship was handed over on Friday February 18 in a ceremony witnessed briefly by the following members of the DCB: Secretary Davteerth Anandjit, Assistant Secretary Ronald Williams, and Administrator Kavita Yadram.

CEO of Premiere Insurance Company, Anil Singh, handed over the cheque at the International Energy Conference and Exhibition 2022, held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel.

Premiere Insurance Inc, one of the newest companies in the insurance industry in Guyana, is al-

Dave Mohabir Georgetown

will

captain

Roupie Rajaram will captain the East Bank Demerara Team

Parmeshwar Ram will captain the West Demerara side

ready making a name for itself. This sponsorship is a positive intervention for Demerara youth cricket and its marketing unit.

Premiere Insurance CEO Anil Singh was high in praise of the DCB, and highlighted Premiere Insurance’s profound interest in collaborating on such a venture, which has immense potential to enhance the cricketing lives of those involved, the U15 players.

He indicated that the company is willing to in-

vest through cricket sponsorship for youths, not only those in Demerara.

He also said he is looking forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship between DCB and Premiere Insurance.

On behalf of the DCB, both the Secretary and Assistant Secretary expressed heartfelt gratitude to Premiere Insurance for taking up the initiative of this sponsorship, and wished the company many successes in the future. They also

said they are looking forward to sponsorship from Premiere Insurance in years to come.

This tournament will commence on Tuesday, February 22, and conclude on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Among the venues to be used in this tournament are Everest in Georgetown, Enmore on the East Coast, Farm Ground on the East Bank, and Meten-Meer-Zorg on the West Coast.

This tournament would be used to select the Demerara U-15 team to participate in the Guyana Cricket Board U-15 InterCounty tournament.

The teams are as follows:

LGC to focus on making golf more inclusive for everyone in 2022 … “Children who accompany their parents can learn and have classes for one month free,” says LGC PRO Anasha Ally

By Timothy Jaikarran

T

he Lusignan Golf Club (LGC), having weathered the storm and taken the game to a new level, is still striving towards excellence, and is aiming to transform the LGC into a worldclass facility.

LGC PRO Anasha Ally is optimistic that, while 2022 has been successful thus far, it would only get better for the LGC with implementation of the new plans on their agenda.

In a sit-down with this publication, she was asked her view on 2022 thus far, and she said, “In terms of the year so far, we’d say that we have had a fairly good year.

We have had tournaments every weekend so far except for one. Despite the rain, we are able to have tournaments still.

“Normally, this time of the year is quiet, but we are ensuring that we have lots of tournaments. I think more or less we have surpassed our expectations, because we have set a bar and set goals in terms of our creditors and balancing our books, (and) we are doing very well in that area.

“Additionally, our membership is growing, as we have been able to add three new members thus far, and we have had more interests.

We have seen an increase in visitors, and as a result, they want to host private tournaments on the course, so that is a positive sign.

LGC PRO Anasha Ally

“We have also had commitments from our regular sponsors for new tournaments in 2022, and we’d like to recognise MACORP and GTT, who have been major sponsors.”

Ally also divulged that, as it pertains to future plans for the club, the LGC intends to create activities which would attract more children to the game. That would allow the young citizenship of Guyana to get an opportunity to receive from golf.

Further, Ally has divulged that it is the club’s goal to make the game of golf more economical for everyone, thus making it more inclusive.

“With curfew lifted, we hope that, after the game, the 19th hole will be utilised in a

better way, and people will stick around and have something to eat and patronise the bar. Also, with it (curfew) lifted, we hope to expand our menu in terms of dinner, to have more items, as we will have more time to prepare, because more people will be able to stay back,” Ally posited.

Ally has said that the club intends to reach out to the communities, and encourage more people by educating them on the values of the sport, thus urging them to check out the course. She explained that, on the plus side, children who accompany their parents to the LGC can learn about the game, and have classes for one month free, as this would encourage them to play the sport.

Upper Demerara Team:

Corey Charles (Captain), Shaukel Fiedtkou, Marvin Lyckerish, Javid Chetram, Keron Phillips, Tyron Lyckerish, Kelroy Welchman, Adie Tukiman, Dellon Cadogan, Roy Piggott, Teron Culpepper, Carlos Clark, Vickram Persaud. Coach is Marlon Fredericks and Manager is Michael Fredericks.

East Bank Demerara Team:

Roupie Rajaram (Captain), Jaden Benjamin, Jordon Benjamin, Khemraj Millall, Shane Shivbarran, Ronaldo Pereira, Jeremiah Downer, Ravindra Singh, Josiah Lim (Vice-Captain), Sayyad Lakeram, Premaul Khiemraj (wk), Altaf Rahim, Trevor Lim, Rajiv Gorakh, Dravid Manohar.

Coach is Daniel Barker and Manager is Fazil Ishak.

Georgetown

Kishan Silas (Vicecaption), Narindra Isurdeen, Emanuel Lewis, Lomar Seecharran, Dave Mohabir (Captain), Dhanesh Persaud, Reyaz Latif, Joshua Charles,

Shane Prince, Darwin LaRose, Brandon Henry, Kwesi Wilkinson, Jonathan Mentor, Ravin Singh, Peter Khan.

Coach is Qisen Nedd and Manager is Shaun Massiah.

West Demerara

Parmeshwar Ram (Cpt), Navindra Sankar (V-Cpt), Shaker Lall, Jaden Wahid, Robin Seecharan, Arvin Suknanan, Adrian Marks, Divindra Balgobin, Vishnu Lokesh, Amrit Persaud, Patrice Hyman, Naresh Sankar, Akeel David, Vickey Lalbachan, Joshua Isaac Williams.

Coach is Jermain Maxwell, and Manager is Lalta Suknanan.

East Coast Team

Alonzo Ramsingh, Yudesh Jaikaran, Arun Gainda (Captain), Ricardo Singh, Ravin Persaud, Joshan Bollers, Aaron Kissoon, Rishi Sewdat, Trilok Nanan, Mikel Sharma, Daniel Kissoon, Munesh Outar, Gopaul Ramchand, Fayuse Ali, Anthony Chan. Coach is Kumar Bishundial, and Manager is Ashmul Ali.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2022

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

guyanatimesgy.com

LGC to focus on making golf more inclusive for everyone in 2022 Pg 47

… “Children who accompany their parents can learn and have classes for one month free,” says LGC PRO Anasha Ally

Premiere Insurance sponsors DCB’s hosting of U15 InterAssociation tournament …squads announced

Page 47

Recap of the action in CWI Regional Four-Day tournament…

Barbados and T&T dominate

– Guyana’s performance MUST improve

Anderson Phillip is the leading bowler

T

he first two rounds of C r i c k e t West Indies’ (CWI) Regional Four-Day Championships are completed, and the remaining three rounds will return in May, after the Test series against England in the Caribbean.

Some Caribbean players have thrown their hats in the ring with strong performances.

Defending champions Barbados Pride are table leaders with 42 points, while Trinidad and Tobago Red Force are on 38.6 points. Both of these teams have won both of their

Kraigg Brathwaite is the leading batsman after the two rounds

matches. Leeward Islands Hurricanes are in third position with 24.6 points, with one win and a defeat; while Guyana Harpy Eagles are in fourth with 21.4 points, with one win and a defeat.

Windward Islands Volcanoes are in fifth with 10.8 points, and Jamaica Scorpions are in sixth with 8.8 points. Both of these teams are yet to register a win.

West Indies Test captain and opener Kraigg Brathwaite is the leading batsman with 341 runs, including a double century.

He has an average of 113.6.

Devon Thomas has 242 runs, while opening batsman John Campbell has 213 runs at 53.25.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles’ batting has been poor. Vishaul Singh is their leading batsman with 143 runs. He has a high-score of 93, and averages 35.75.

Anthony Bramble has 129 runs, and Chandrapaul Hemraj has 124 runs.

Red Force fast-bowler Anderson Phillip is the leading wicket-taker with 12 wickets at 14.25. His teammate, off-spinner Bryan Charles, has 11 wickets at an average of 15.63.

Red Force captain Imran Khan has 10 wickets, while Windwards off-spinner Kenneth Dember has 10 wickets.

Sherman Lewis, Jomel Warrican, Marquino Mindley, Colin Archibald and Veerasammy Permaul have each taken eight wickets. Permaul, the most consistent regional bowler, went wicketless in the second match against Leewards.

In addition to Brathwaite’s double, Campbell and Thomas were the century-makers in the first two rounds. Most of the batsmen wasted good starts, and failed to convert their scores into centuries.

After these two rounds, ten bowlers had five-wicket hauls. Raymon Reifer had the best figures: 6-23, followed by Charles, who had 6-48, and Jomel Warrican, who had 6-78.

In a few days’ time, the selectors, the Hon Dr Desmond Haynes and Ramnaresh Sarwan, who were both present at the different venues in these first two rounds, would select the Test team to play England in March.

(Brandon Corlette)

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