Guyana Times - Sunday February 21, 2021

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Panama to set date “shortly” to discuss rice money owed – Mustapha Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 4566 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021

CGX plans to drill 1st well in 2nd half of 2021

PRICE

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Kenyan suppliers of fake HIV P28 testing kits to Guyana charged

Page 12

…prosecutors disclose kits shipped to Guyana were stolen

…exploration well to be drilled in 1100-foot-deep water

Belle West man murdered, body dumped in septic tank

Major works underway to prepare Rose Hall Estate for 2022 opening

Page 29

$120 VAT INCLUDED

Page 27

Flaring offshore Guyana

42 new COVID-19 cases detected from 1057 tests P26 Owners of motorbike, cow charged for Berbice fatal accident P30

“Axial vibration” caused failure of compressor - ExxonMobil Page 3

Cyclist critical after being struck by speeding MoH bus P26 Mazaruni Prison break

…currently being reassembled

No Govt has held more consultations than President Ali – AG …says APNU/AFC claims baseless

Intelligence gathering P27 underway as hunt continues for escapees – acting Director

Page 30

Drug mule busted with cocaine in vagina at Ogle Airport Page 9

Bandits rob P32 teen in Sophia home invasion

2 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Husband of Coalition MP resigns from AFC …disassociates self from APNU/AFC

J

oel Edmond, the husband of Opposition coalition Member of Parliament Geeta ChandanEdmond, has resigned from the Alliance For Change (AFC) – the second party member to leave within the past week.

According to a correspondence dated February 20, 2021, that was seen by this newspaper, the Executive Member indicated that his resignation from the party is with immediate effect.

In the letter, which was addressed to AFC General

Secretary David Patterson, Edmond further noted “…

I completely withdraw my support from the AFC Party, hence by further extension my total disassociation from the APNU+AFC.” Edmond served two terms as an Executive Member and thanked the party for the opportunity but stressed that this is not the end of his political career.

“This resignation does not mean the end of my political career since I intend to continue the fight for the

true sense of democracy in Guyana,” he posited.

APNU/AFC had come under heavy fire both locally and from the international community after it attempted to “undermine democracy” in Guyana when it tried to steal the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, throwing the country into a five-monthlong political impasse.

The prolonged elections was only brought to an end after a 33-day recount exercise confirmed that the People’s Progressive Party/

Former AFC Executive Member Joel Edmond Civic secured over 15,000 votes more than the then in-

APNU/AFC Member of Parliament Geeta Chandan-Edmond

cumbent coalition, thus paving the way for the swearing-in of the Dr Irfaan Ali-led Government on August 2, 2020.

Broken, abusive and one-sided

On Monday last, former coalition MP in the 11th Parliament, Reynard Ward also resigned, saying the party is locked “…in a broken, abusive and one-sided relationship…” with the PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

According to Ward, during the pre-coalition era, the party was considered the public’s “pitbull” but is now a puppet to the People’s National Congress.

“There seems to be no hope for a better tomorrow with the current players even with a reshuffle.

The bitterness and backbiting will eat away the very fact that many hard-working hands built over the trust over the years,” the agricultural scientist told Patterson in his letter.

Ward and Edmond have now joined a long list of senior members of the party who have walked away from the AFC, which is the minority party in the coalition.

In August last, longtime member Gobin Harbhajan resigned from the party, stating that it has strayed from its core values.

Two months later, Abel Seetaram, a former Regional Councillor for Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) also resigned and later that same month, Audwin Rutherford, a parliamentarian for Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) resigned, contending that it has lost its way and has been subsumed by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR).

Those were the same reasons given by Linden Alliance, who too had resigned from the party the following month.

Meanwhile, one month prior, former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson had also resigned from the position of General Secretary. But he later withdrew the resignation.

However, the AFC leadership appears unfazed by the fact that its senior membership is dwindling and noted that it has had several “successful recruitment drives” with hundreds of new members joining.

Further, during a press briefing on Wednesday last, AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan and Patterson had brushed off the claims of the party playing a submissive role to the APNU – a longstanding criticism since they joined forces in 2015. (G8)

NEWS

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Flaring offshore Guyana

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Sunday, February 21 – 01:00h – 02:30h and 11:00h – 12:30h and Monday, February 22 – 01:30h – 03:00h and 12:30h – 02:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, February 21 – 10:50h – 12:20h and Monday, February 22 – 12:10h – 13:40h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Light cloud will prevail during the day. There will be partly cloudy skies and light cloud at night.

Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 11:21 reaching a maximum height of 2.12 metres.

Low Tide: 17:36h reaching a minimum height of 1.08 metre.

“Axial vibration” caused failure of compressor – ExxonMobil …currently being reassembled

O

il giant ExxonMobil has attributed the vibration of the axial rotor to the failure of its compressor, which has since been shipped to Germany and which had led to the company’s controversial routine flaring offshore Guyana.

In an update on Saturday, Exxon’s Government and Public Affairs Advisor Janelle Persaud explained that the technical experts at the MAN Energy Solutions workshop in Germany are presently reassembling the flash gas compressor.

She revealed that from their detailed examination of the compressor, they found that an irregular axial vibration of the rotor in

Components of the dissembled compressor

ed the adjustment of all the seals for the suction and are assembling and realigning the seals and the bearings.

A comprehensive root cause analysis is also being conducted.

The governance and public affairs advisor also noted that Exxon “will take full

Liza Destiny

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2021

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FREE TICKET

17 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

07 08 12 23 25 LUCKY 3

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the compressor caused the technical issue Liza Destiny experienced on January 27.

“The resulting vibration within the compressor was the cause of the mechanical seal failure initially reported… As previously indicated, reinstatement could take up to eight weeks,” Persaud explained.

“A key component of the assembly, the discharge silencer, which was transported to Germany separately based on the disassembly sequence on the FPSO, is under evaluation and assessment to determine the scope of repairs required.”

According to Persaud, the workshop has complet-

Evening Draw

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$62.91/barrel

-1.62

Rough Rice

$230.63/ton

+0.65

London Sugar

$481.40/ton

+1.73

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1784.60

$1785.60

Low/High

$1766.90

$1793.30

Change

0.00

0.00%

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

action to incorporate lessons learned for the FPSOs employed in future projects, including Liza Phase 2 and Payara.”

Late in January, Esso Exploration & Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) had announced that it was experiencing technical problems with the seal on Liza Destiny’s flash gas compres-

sor. The problem resulted in Exxon having to reduce its production and also conduct routine flaring.

It was subsequently revealed that Exxon had been flaring 16 million cubic feet of gas per day, an increase from the volume of flaring the company conducted last year which reportedly ranged between 12 and 15 million cubic feet.

It is a situation that Exxon executives have said no one is happy with, even as they work along with the regulatory agencies.

Additionally, it was announced that Exxon is currently producing around 120,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd). Before the flaring, production was at 130,000 bpd.

EPA

While some have called for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to act, their hands are, in fact, tied. At a recent press conference, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had pointed out that Exxon is limited to flaring 14 billion cubic feet of gas.

This is per the approved Environmental Impact

Assessment (EIA), which means that according to calculations, Exxon wouldn’t reach that flaring ceiling at current levels until the end of April 2021. Nevertheless, he had described the company’s current routine flaring as unacceptable.

However, Jagdeo had noted that by June of 2022, when the Liza 1 permit expires and has to be renewed, Exxon will have to submit to the inclusion of fines in the Liza 1 permit that is similar to what is obtained in the Payara permit.

Additionally, President of the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) Manniram Prashad has since described calls from former EPA Director, Dr Vincent Adams for Exxon’s operations to be terminated due to the flaring as “unnecessarily extreme”.

Back in December on the oil company’s first year anniversary since commencing production in 2019, Routledge had expressed disappointment at the equipment issues they experienced and had also assured that routine flaring would not be employed.

(G3)

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021

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

Investigate all Rights Commissions

C

ommissioner Roshan Khan of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has made some stringent comments on his Commission in general, and its Chairman, John Smith, in particular. His criticism went both to the functioning of the constitutional body in fulfilling its 24-point mandate as adumbrated in Art 212B and also in its use of the funds allocated to it. This amounted to some $900M in the last seven years and most recently, Khan has called for an audit of the spending.

We agree with the position of Commissioner Khan but we believe his critique can extend to the other “Rights Commissions” that were introduced conterminously with the ERC. These were given Constitutional imprimatur in Art 212 G and are the Women and Gender Equality, Rights of the Child and Indigenous Peoples Commissions. A review of the background of the Rights of the Child Commission might illustrate our overall concern.

In response to recommendations in 2004 by the UNCRC, the Rights of the Child Commission was formed in 2009; given constitutional imprimatur, and became fully operational the following year. It replaced the National Commission on Children, which was an advisory body to the President from 1992-2009. This body received the overall directive to protect the human rights of children as adumbrated in the UNCRC and Optional Protocols. It receives receive direct funding as a constitutional body.

Its Mission statement is pellucid: “to promote the rights and interests of and respect for the views of children. 2.

Ensure that the rights and interests of children are taken into account at all levels of government other public bodies and private organizations when decisions and policies affecting children are taken. 3. Monitor compliance and make recommendations for the compliance with international instruments to which the government accedes from time to time including those already acceded to and which relate to the purpose of the commission. 4. Monitor, evaluate and make recommendations on policies, procedures and practices organizations, bodies and institutions in order to promote the rights of the child.”

It recruited permanent staff, including a CEO and an investigator in 2013. The ROCC was supposed to submit annual reports to the Guyana National Assembly. But its 2014 Report is typical and shows that the body has not taken its mandate as seriously as it should: 8 of 13 pages of the report are allocated to introducing the members and Executive. Most of its activities are confined to giving speeches in public to children and only one was to brief staff of several institutions that deal with children about the Sexual Offenses Act, as it pertained to children. It said the briefing was “was premised on allegations of sexual abuse at the New Opportunity Corps (NOC)”. This institution has been perennially riddled by allegations of sexual abuse of children consigned there for correctional help, by staff and from reports in the press remains unabated.

Contra to recommendations by the UNCRC, however, boys and girls are kept in the same facility but are supposed to be separated. During the third quarter of 2014, the RCC in partnership with UNICEF, hosted a Child Participation Action Plan workshop. This workshop utilized the Child Participation Framework that was crafted in 2013 to formulate with a “National Child Participation Action Plan” (NCPAP). This Action Plan, the Report said, “will serve as a tangible blueprint and roadmap for establishing child participation in Guyana. The framework document has been shared with Members of Parliament, Government Ministers etc.”

Though this NVPAP was strongly recommended by the UNCRC so as to educate and sensitize children in becoming aware of their human rights - including those concerning sexual abuse, the latter aspect has not been stressed in the exercised mentioned in the Reports. The RCC has complained about the quantum of funding supplied by the government but have not been audited. Overall, it does not appear that this institution is fulfilling its mandate.

As proposed above, we believe investigations in all the Rights Commissions are warranted.

Camila Iachini, 8, performs with her bike during celebrations for the 400th anniversary of the founding of the neighbourhood Petare, in Caracas, Venezuela (Reuters)

The vaccine, India & Guyana Dear Editor, Guyana is unable to procure enough vaccines for front line workers to combat the virus. India is supplying the world, but Guyana’s request is not being met albeit every country is pleading to India for vaccines. Guyana is getting vaccines from Caricom and WHO and Barbados has been generous to share her vaccines with us.

Country after country is scrambling for vaccine to combat the pandemic that has been the centre of global attention. There is overwhelming demand for vaccines to develop immunity to the virus. The world is turning to India which is now the focus to acquire the anti-Covid vaccine because India is the world’s supplier of vaccines and so many other drugs.

The poor countries, WHO, in particular, are seeking India’s assistance for the vaccine. India is the world pharmacy producing over sixty percent of all vaccines and is currently producing most of the vaccines against the Covid virus including a billion does for the WHO. The Western world and Russia have contracted India to produce the vaccines they discovered. India is also producing two vaccines that local companies discovered. Half a dozen other India discovered Covid vaccines are in final phases of testing and could be ready ending of March. Indian vaccine fac-

tories are running around the clock producing over three million doses a day.

It is a mad scramble for vaccines by the world community. The affluent western world, notably the US and Europeans, are focused almost exclusively on producing or paying for the vaccine for their own people. They have virtually no interest or intent, at this time, in procuring vaccines for the people of poor or developing countries.

Their priority is their own people. At any rate, the poor nations would find US and European vaccines very difficult to handle because they have to be kept at very low sub-freezing temperatures of almost minus 70 degrees Celsius.

Also, Western vaccines are unaffordable, probably costing $20 to $30 a shot that would send poor nations into bankruptcy.

Indian vaccines are easy to handle as they can be stored at regular refrigeration and they cost a quarter or a fifth of the above price. And India also gives free vaccines to some poor countries that put in a request. Several countries are recipients of India’s generosity including Barbados and Dominica.

And India can meet global demand but it will take at least a year to produce enough vaccines for protection of vulnerable people globally – those with co-morbidities (or underlying conditions) and the

aged.

India is facing challenges to vaccinate her own people. Just over a month, India vaccinated ten million front line workers.

There is a target to vaccinate 300M Indians by August. But India is also attending to global demands for vaccines making meeting domestic and international demands difficult.

Nevertheless, India’s Covid diplomacy is winning plaudits for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has been authorizing export of vaccines worldwide to inoculate front line workers. Many of the vaccines are given to poor countries free.

After having sent consignments of testing kits, testing machines, personal protection equipment, masks, respirators, and medicines to many countries to help them combat the COVID-19 pandemic from last March to last December, India is now reaching out to them with supplies of vaccines – termed “vaccine diplomacy” with no quid pro quo.

It is done for altruistic reasons to save humanity from this dreadful disease.

Poor developing countries have turned to India for her vaccines because they can’t afford the western vaccine and lack the capacity to store it, and they distrust Chinese vaccine.

They are turning to India to meet their urgent needs.

India has so far sent vac-

cines to SAARC countries, except Pakistan, which out of pride, has not asked India for help, Caricom countries, OAU, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Morocco, among others.

Other countries asked and heir supplies are being organized. India has committed to supplying vaccines to some 100 countries in addition to meeting the request of WHO that has ordered one billion for the poor countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The US had pledged $4B to WHO for purchase of vaccines over the next three years.

If Guyana has not received a commitment to get vaccines from India, a plea should be made.

President Irfaan or VP Jagdeo should try to reach PM Modi for his personal intervention for Guyana to secure a consignment of vaccines. India would respond positively.

India must be saluted for her achievements to develop multiple vaccines and for supplying the world to combat this global menace. It is hoped that India will be rewarded with the goodwill of the world at international forums especially on issues affecting her and in gaining support on India’s position on climate change and other global matters.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

guyanatimesgy.com

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

We must say, ‘Down and out’, to all riggers Dear Editor, The PPP/C led Government under the auspices of President Dr Irfaan Ali, its General Secretary, and Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, has enhanced the foundation for the fortification of our democracy. Of course, this position resonates with the generous allocation of funds for the holding of Local Government Elections due this year, for which the government must be commended. Those in the leadership of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), need to step up and stop the ‘pussy-footing’ around their expected obligations; because our citizens will no longer tolerate their suboptimal inefficacies.

It is without any doubt that GECOM must demonstrate intent towards correcting the anomalies which served to inform the almost absolute lost confidence and diminished credentials of the institution.

No doubt, there has to be a remedial approach that seeks to influence the immediate preparation for the holding of free and fair Local Government Elections (LGEs).

The Commission must put on its next Meeting Agenda, a definitive position regarding the LGEs. It is one that

demands the Chairperson to be assertive and decisive on the way forward.

Given the recent national and almost global condemnation of the organization, the framework of the foregoing assertions does not require any further or specific justifications. There exists much public evidence of the sinister role played by some GECOM Secretariat staff at the March 2020 General and Regional Elections.

These behaviors leave much to be desired and they have resulted out of necessity, a need for scrutiny and cleansing that would realize the appointment of suitable persons whom the Organization must hold to providing transparent and professional performances.

It is without contradiction that those at GECOM understand that the future of our nation is not only hinged on actual seamless transparency of the Elections body, but the created perceptions formed by the voting public and stakeholders involved and impacted. Infiltration of the institution at various levels has contributed to still existing threats of these ideals, which have resulted in a global embarrassment. The way forward, therefore, demands a swift and objective ap-

proach to realizing this end while ensuring its role in servicing the nation is upheld.

The gruesome treasonous abhorrence of the likes of CEO Keith Lowenfield and others who are before the Courts for ‘fraud and other charges, must result in their immediate divorce from all spaces of Administrative control related to Elections matters. After all, the fact that GECOM Chairwoman Madam Claudette Singh had to write Mr. Lowenfield to go back and produce the correct results in keeping with the publicly witnessed recounts, confirm among others, reasons why she or any other should have jailed him for his fraudulent and deceitful actions if acting as a Judge in the Guyana Courts of law. Why the apparent delays now the apparent delays to cleaning up the institution?

It is important to point out and remind the GECOM Chairwoman that the Commission of GECOM has the sole authority to hire certain staff for the execution of elections work and supervise specific functions. In this respect, Section 18 and 19 of the Elections (Amendment) Act 15 of 2000, respectively, states: “(18) The chief

Elections Officer and the Commissioner of Registration shall notwithstanding anything in any written law be subject to the direction and control of the commission.

(19) For the purpose of removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that the power of the Commission to supervise the functioning of any elections Officer and the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner shall include the power to issue directions to any such Officer or the Commissioner or Deputy Commission in respect of the employment of any person by them in relation to the registration of electors or the conduct of Election.”

Meaningfully, therefore, the Commission under the hands of Chairwoman Madam Claudette Singh has the legal authority to cleanse itself of the improprieties related to the dirty acts conducted by contaminated or inefficient staff.

Aside from the staffing issues which must be addressed, it is expected that the Commission would request and consider a plan and budget toward the realization of the LGEs for this year. Several activities likely to inform preparation for the LGEs should include beginning the updating of the Voters List with a period of Continuous

Registration, followed by the statutory Claims and Objections period.

The changing of Constituency boundaries must be reviewed given that Lowenfield had previously made sudden changes unknown to these boundaries without engaging the PPPC and other Opposition Paries at the time in any form of consultation. The well-publicized gerrymandering approaches were called out but never responded to by the Secretariat since they were designed to frustrate voters in suspected PPPC strongholds.

Further, GECOM must put a proper system in place to employ and sustain a pool of trained staff, both permanent and temporary. The Organization must not and cannot have staff members working as temporary staff for years.

Men and women of integrity who wrote and passed GECOM exams with distinction, must not be overlooked for employment unless there are established criteria that are not biasedly applied.

The Chairwoman and the Commission must objectively assert themselves and not be overwhelmed by the PNC hawks in the Secretariat. I challenged GECOM to explain why is it at the last

Elections the Boundaries and the Staff were changed and hired without the Commissioners participation. Keith Lowenfield and his Cabals had their field days in GECOM employing ‘Phantom personnel’ as they pleased while giving out contracts in city hotel rooms. Besides, training worth hundreds of Millions was conducted in a very ad-hoc and unaccountable manner.

Madam Chairperson Justice Claudette Singh is now in charge of ensuring our LGEs are on stream.

She now has another opportunity to show the world and nation a delivery that breathes confidence and Honour. I believe that Justice Claudette Singh must be given our unflinching support to hold free and fair elections.

As a caveat, let me say that there is no way we must accept the likes of Clairmont Mingo living in Region Five and being the returning officer for Region four, Further, he is a permanent staff at GECOM who was ‘Single “out by the PNC to come to region Four to Rigged the Elections in 2020.

We must say down and out to all riggers.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Patterson still has an opportunity to make a contribution, if he has any!

Dear Editor, Please permit a space in your column to pen my opinion with respect to an article entitled, “Patterson says Opposition received no ‘invite’ to Draft Local Content Consultation” that appeared sections of the media.

First, I would like to address the issue of the first draft local content policy (LCP) document. The document was published in January 2020 by the then APNU government was basically skewed and highly in favor of international companies operating in the oil and gas sector. The document in its entirety, which ironically received widespread applause from the then coalition government, was riddled with loopholes and crafted in a much ambiguous language to allow international firms to evade local content obligations. For instance, the document was void of a lucid definition of what constitutes ‘local content’; what is meant by ‘competitive’ pricing, and; what local content levels/targets (using a sliding scale approach) are to be attained from the date of effective-

ness of license or petroleum agreement, et al.

Indeed, not having a clear definition of local content in place would eventually give way to a lack of enforcement and compliance, respectively. Secondly, the essence of local content is embedded in the procurement process. If there is no definition as to what entails ‘competitive price’, then on what basis would companies be selected, if there is any competitive bidding process in place, to begin with. The point is, as, with the government procurement process, goods and services are usually sourced or procured through a competitive bidding process, of which the lowest bidder usually gets the job. If this fundamental principle is violated in the policy document, then foreign firms would be at liberty to sole source almost all their goods and services, notwithstanding whether our local firms are competitive or have the capacity to satisfy such need. Thirdly, how can we hold international firms accountable if there is no explicit target in place that stipulates the share of local employment

or investment that must be attained within a certain period of time. These are just a few of the many anomalies that form part of the first draft of the local content policy document under the previous administration.

Unfortunately, Mr. Patterson was a staunch supporter of this document.

The second point I want to raise is the duplicitous nature of Mr Patterson. It is of public record that Mr Patterson was not only part of the opposition that blatantly attempted to thwart the will of the people to ap-

point a government of their choice, but is an active member of the opposition that does not recognize the legitimate nature of this government. Further, if my memory serves me well, he was a leading figure behind the attempt to boycott the inaugural address of His Excellency, The President of Guyana, Dr. Ali. So, the question is not whether an invitation was sent to Mr. Patterson, but on what grounds does he deserve to be invited to the Local Content Consultation that was held at the ACCC. First, he acceded to the

content of a document that clearly does not safeguard added wealth transfer to our people from the oil and gas sector, nor does he recognize the legitimacy of this legally elected Government.

Even if, let’s assume, he now recognizes the legality of this Government and is cognizant of the many deficiencies and incompetence that enrobed the then government, nothing precluded him from participating

in the consultation. The event was open to the public. In fact, the document was publicly uploaded to the Ministry of Natural Resources website prior to the consultation and is currently online for comments and questions. So, there is hope. Mr Patterson still has the opportunity to make a contribution, if he has any!

Regards, Mark Parsram

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Mishmash…

M

…on Mash ost of the verities on which countries base their vision of themselves are - upon scrutiny - found to be based on myths. Thomas Jefferson, the “great Democrat” who helped to write the American Constitution that inspired the world to strive for equality, not only insisted that Africans were only three-fifths human, in his personal life, he kept a Black concubine who bore him children who were also deemed to be not “fully human”. Not to forget that the great defender of “reason”, John Locke, worked for the East India Company as it looted and ravaged India.

Well, in Guyana, we’ve got more than our fair share of myths. But with our state barely 50 years old, some of them just stick out like sore thumbs to gouge us in the eyes.

Can’t ignore their cynicism, much less be inspired by them.

For instance, there’s the myth of Burnham “leading” us to independence!! Some leading all right…but certainly not to independence! The strategic disaster to please the British - who’d handed him the country on a platter - led to the Geneva Convention that Venezuela used - and still use - as a Sword of Damocles over our heads.

But it’s his jaundiced use of our Indigenous Peoples that sticks in your Eyewitness’s craw, with Republic Day just around the corner. This was the day in 1970 that Guyana severed the last governmental ties with the British Crown, when the latter’s “Governor General” was replaced by our “President”. More to the point, the British now had no legal ground to object to Burnham’s “dictatorship in the making”.

The cynicism was on display when he picked an Independence celebration from the Upper Demerara mining settlements of Mackenzie, Wismar and Cummingsburg as our National Republican Festival. The communities had just sycophantically adopted his name “Linden”, as they were declared a “township”. You know where the breeze was blowing from! But Burnham was creating a myth to cover his one-man rule. The Linden community had arbitrarily chosen the name “Mashramani” for the festival on the claim that it was an Arawak word for “celebration after a hard day’s work”.

All subsequent research has shown that there’s no such word for any such celebration. It was all made up to show inclusivity! The celebration of Republicanism is based on a big, fat lie - as was the attainment of that Republicanism!!

The goal, of course, was to tell the world that Burnham and the PNC were incorporating the Indigenous Peoples into Guyana’s development.

As we now know fifty-one years later, nothing could be further from the truth: the Indigenous Peoples were left in their state of underdevelopment all through the PNC years.

Time for this myth to be jettisoned! …on Cricket You don’t have to be reminded, dear reader, that your Eyewitness wears his cricket mania on his sleeves. “What do they know of cricket that only cricket knows?” asked CLR James. For us West Indians, we know its influence goes way “beyond the boundary” and, indeed, permeates our very soul. Your Eyewitness is skeptical of the loyalty of anyone who claims to be “West Indian” but isn’t besotted by cricket.

In all its glorious contradictions!

He feels that in terms of Guyana’s role in the regional game, we’ve arrived at a crossroad - and he hopes the powers-that-be don’t muck it up because of their egos.

He’s talking, of course, about the unique opportunity that’s presented itself: a Guyanese, for the first time, has a shot of becoming the President of Cricket West Indies!

From the experience of the other cricketing nations, the success and even the survival of the game depends on its administration.

So, c’mon guys, let’s not derail Sanasie’s March to CWI Presidency. …on accusations The G/town Mayor was all “big and bad” a year ago, when he berated the owner of Giftland for owing $100M in taxes as a “dead beat”. The owner had - not coincidentally called on the PNC to accept the elections’ results!

Eat humble pie, Mayor!

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

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Drug mule busted with cocaine in vagina at Ogle Airport A 23-yearold outgoing passenger at the Eugene F Correia International Airport was arrested after she was busted with a quantity of narcotics in her vagina.

After being busted on Saturday, the Barbados-bound woman also admitted that in addition to the drugs in her vagina, she had also swallowed several cocaine-filled pellets.

destined for Barbados but before boarding, she was seen acting in a suspicious manner.

Police said that at about 11:00h, a physical search was conducted and a bulky

The narcotics which were concealed in condoms

According to the Guyana Police Force, the

woman booked Caribbean Airlines flight #BW 215

package was found concealed in her vagina. The suspected cocaine was wrapped in condoms.

In addition, while being questioned by law enforcement officers, she also

admitted to swallowing 73 cocaine-filled pellets. She has since been taken to a city hospital for the pellets to be excreted. An investigation has since been launched. (G12)

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Diaspora and Girmitiya family

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namoured neither of travel nor mega gatherings, in the case of some Indian diaspora events, I rouse myself to participate every decade or so. They do allow renewal of acquaintances and keeping tabs on life-trajectories. My first was the “East Indian Diaspora Conference” at Columbia University in 1988, which commemorated the 150th Anniversary of Indian Arrival in the Western Hemisphere. Up to then, I had been plodding away in corporate America, and as the Indian-Guyanese community grew in Queens, becoming involved in religious and social activities there.

The Conference brought together Indians from across the Caribbean in general, and academics in particular.

I discovered academics were more political than politicians. Maybe it was that infighting to get tenure? The Indians from Jamaica and some of the small islands - especially Martinique and Guadeloupe - were a revelation, and brought Ravi Dev home both the facticity of our adaptation and retentions of our originating culture in our new circumstances. Lifelong friendships were born.

The following year, I became an organiser of the First Global Conference of People of Indian Origin, (GOPIO). It was at one of the joint organising meetings that a Pandita from Trinidad and I insisted we were “People of Indian Origin” and not “NonResident Indians” (NRIs). That experience brought home the distance we had travelled culturally and religiously since our ancestors had left India in the previous century. But there were still commonalities.

The Conference itself, at the Sheraton in Mid-Manhattan, and the “Political Participation Panel” I co-chaired corroborated my initial reaction that the PIOs from the “indentured” countries and the NRIs marched to different drummers. We organised a break-out session with leaders from Fiji, Trinidad and Guyana who, not so coincidentally, had all been removed from office. All were to be returned to office within the next decade. My biggest takeaway was an impromptu “mauj” session at my home in New Jersey, when Bollywood filmi songs and dhall/rice and bhagee bridged all differences!

Lifelong friendships were sparked, and I learnt a new word from the Indian Fijians - Girmitiya, people of the agreement (the indentureship contract).

Returning to Guyana and deciding to remain after the 1992 elections, I worked with youths in the Hindu community.

In 1993, I attended the 100th Commemoration of Swami Vivekananda’s attendance at the World Congress of Religions in Chicago. The Commemoration was held at the Washington Sheraton, and drew thousands of delegates from India and the Diaspora. Vivekanand was respected by all. One Narendra Modi of Gujrat, with whom I shared a panel, was just another face. More lifelong friendships were sparked.

I went to India in 1997, and spent 21 intense days in Bangalore discussing and analysing Hinduism and its relevance and applicability in a world that had been differentially conscripted by modernity - with hundreds of individuals from India and the diaspora. The differences and commonalities in religious practices between the Girmitiyas and the Indians were again highlighted. On this trip, I practically circumambulated India. More lifelong friends.

Out of contacts made at the 1993 event, the World Hindu Conference was held in Trinidad in 2000, and brought together several old friends once again on the same platform. Narendra Modi was there, came over and stayed at the Tower Hotel, and asked to see a symbol of our sacrifice here. I took him to the Enmore Martyrs Monument. With our sacrifices, he said we had made Guyana our “Punya Bhumi” or Sacred Land, while India was our “Matri Bhumi”, or “Mother Land”.

After a trip to Europe in 1991 with some NRI GOPIO Executives, I decided my field of activity was different from theirs, and moved on. When, in 2003, the BJP Indian Government initiated the annual “Pravasi Bharatiya Divas” (Overseas Indian Day), I never attended, even though I had met several of those who were now in Government back in 1997. The event was too much like a Mela - too may photoops and awards, and not enough discussion and debate on Girmitiya issues.

Until the PBD 2017, organised by now PM Narendra Modi.

This was more substantive, and with focused discussion groups, the perspectives of the PIOs were slowly becoming recognised outside of the developmental potential of the NRIs. The same at the World Hindu Conference in Chicago in 2018.

A family, yes. But with its inevitable idiosyncrasies.

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CGX aiming to drill 1st well in 2nd half of 2021 …exploration well to be drilled in 1100-foot-deep water

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GX Energy Incorporated, which has been given a November 2021 deadline to drill its first well in the Corentyne Block, has plans to drill its first well in the second quarter of this year.

This was revealed by Frontera Energy, CGX’s Joint Venture (JV) partner, which released an Independent Resource Evaluation that was ordered last year into the Corentyne and Demerara oil blocks offshore Guyana.

According to the companies, they are aiming to drill

that first well, the Kawa-1 exploration well, in the second half of the year (July to December). It was explained that the well design has already been completed.

“Procurement of long lead items is in advanced stages and key technical staff have been recruited.

The Joint Venture plans to spud the Kawa-1 exploration well during the second half of this year and expects to drill the well in a water depth of approximately 1,100 feet targeting the Campanian-Santonianaged stratigraphic trap, in-

terpreted to be analogous to the discoveries immediately to the east on Block 58 in Suriname.”

“Additional prospects and leads on the northern portion of Corentyne have been identified and are being matured by the Joint Venture. The Joint Venture continues to advance its exploration program in both the Corentyne and Demerara Blocks with well locations being selected by the Joint Venture,” the JV also said.

When it comes to the Demerara Block, the JV

spoke of continuing its preparations for the Makarapan-1 e x p l o r a tion well.

According to them, this well is an Aptian stratigraphic prospect.

Other prospects in the block have been identified and are being matured.

The independent report the JV partners had commissioned had revealed that they are potentially sitting on 4.9 million Barrels of Oil Equivalent (BOE) in the Demerara and Corentyne, Guyana oil blocks.

However, the report had hastened to add that there is no certainty that the company can recover the oil or that it is even commercially viable. According to the report, there are a total of 32 prospects in the two blocks, inclusive of 27 in the Corentyne Block and five in the Demerara Block.

These prospects potentially have 4.940 million BOE un-risked and 884 million BOE in them. An unrisked prospect, however, is one where the volume of oil is predicted on the basis that everything goes as planned and the oil is commercially viable and recoverable. The report makes it clear that it cannot give such certainty.

CGX’s holdings offshore Guyana

Last year November, CGX Energy Incorporated had announced that the Government, following discussions on the drilling delays in the Corentyne oil block, had agreed to give CGX a one-year extension until November 27, 2021, by which time they are expected to commence drilling in the Corentyne Block.

Back in May 2019, the former Government had approved a Strategic Joint Venture between CGX Energy Inc and Frontera Energy Corporation to farm into two shallow-water offshore Petroleum Prospecting Licences for the Corentyne and Demerara Blocks – both of which are adjacent to ExxonMobil’s Stabroek Block, where multiple discoveries have been made.

The farm-in joint venture allowed Frontera to acquire a 33.333 per cent working interest in the two blocks.

The agreement should have

seen CGX’s Utakwaaka well in the Corentyne Block being drilled by November 27, 2019, with an additional exploration well being drilled

by November 27, 2022.

In the Demerara Block, an exploration well was supposed to have been drilled

by February 12, 2021, with a further exploration well being drilled by February 12, 2023. However, CGX is yet to drill a well in the Corentyne Block, something which the current Government has expressed concern over. This situation persists even as a number of new companies have expressed an interest in Guyana’s oil blocks.

Additionally, the company had also revealed its decision to relinquish 24.96 acres of land at the estuary of the Berbice River that was earmarked for its deepwater project, following negotiations with the Government of Guyana. (G3)

FEATURE

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ooking back at the years of Mashramani celebrations, a festival with its origin in the bauxite mining town of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), one would note that it has undergone many unique and interesting transformations.

This year marks 51 years of Guyana becoming a Republic.

The Mashramani celebration started when the Junior Chamber – Jaycees – of Mackenzie (a community that now constitutes part of Linden), which had been organising the country’s Independence celebrations since 1966, sought to have a “carnival-like” festival to commemorate British Guiana gaining its Republican status in 1970. Chaired by popular West Indies cricketer Basil Butcher, the Jaycees Republic Committee was formed. It included members such as Jim Blackman, who was named Deputy to complete the task owing to Butcher being selected to the WI team about to tour Australia; resource personnel Adrian Thompson; Wordsworth McAndrew and Arthur Seymour.

Following the formation of the Committee, its members then began consultations so that a relevant name could be chosen for the festival, which was intended to celebrate the much-anticipated “Birth of the Republic.” It was Butcher, who then made the suggestion that an Amerindian or Indigenous

name would be best suited. After the members of the Committee agreed, they contacted several Amerindians, including Allan Fiedtkou, an employee attached to the Geological Department of the then bauxite company, Demba. Fiedtkou suggested a name that he learnt from his grandfather that was used by Amerindians when they gathered to commemorate an auspicious event. As Fiedtkou explained, the celebration would last over several days, sometimes even up to a week. The men would go hunting and the women and children would gather materials to make a benab.

Refreshments would be made and a feast would ensue. According to Fiedtkou, the term for the celebration sounded like “Muster Many” or “Mashirimehi”, and it sounded like “Mashramani” in Arawak.

Subsequent research was unable to confirm it and after several authorities were consulted, the Committee went ahead with the term. Mashramani became known as an Amerindian term for celebration after hard work or a cooperative effort or the celebration after a job well done. As such, the Committee decided to call the festival Mashramani, with the aim of hosting a national observance.

As such, on February 23, 1970,

Guyana’s first Republican festival was staged at Linden.

The Jaycees, then headed

by Jimmy Hamilton, had appointed the team to successfully organise the celebration, which was deemed a success-

jouvert-like observance which became known as “Fo Day Mawnin Jump Up”; the Cde Mashramani contest; a calypso contest called the “Shanto” contest; a steel band contest and an extravagant float pa-

ful one. It featured three exciting days of competition and fun, attracting huge crowds from across the other administrative regions. The celebration eventually managed to secure sponsorship from Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). Guyanese were said to have welcomed the observances with as much splendour as they welcomed the status of becoming an independent nation. There were activities such as “the Revolt dance”, a

rade. Pageantry, in those days, was also a main attraction of the event, with the first winner of the Mashramani contest in 1970 being Hazel Figueira of Mackenzie, Linden.

In 1971, then Home Affairs Minister David Singh declared the celebrations in Linden open and decided that he would take a proposal to Cabinet to make the celebration a national one. With the assistance of the Jaycees Committee, the Minister trav-

elled across the country to inform residents of the celebration. Since then, various activities were shifted to various areas across Guyana.

Enjoyed by many, Mashramani’s popularity quickly grew as it became a national observance. In 1972, it was taken to the capital city, Georgetown, following Singh’s intervention and then President Forbes Burnham granting permission. That year, the bauxite company in Linden sent a 500-strong contingent to Georgetown to participate in the parade.

The move also saw the event being held in Linden, Berbice and Georgetown, but Linden failed to garner much sponsorship to sustain the costume and float parade.

Eventually, it was centred in Georgetown and as the years went by, other areas across Guyana joined in. Throughout the decades, the celebrations have evolved. As a witness to the celebrations in those days recalled, it was somewhat different from the “bacchanal-style” prancing down the streets these days.

Each year, thousands line the streets, with hundreds participating in the annual float parade held in Georgetown.

The parade is usually an annual competition, with big

bands participating.

Additionally, many new activities have been incorporated into the celebrations, including the children’s costume competition, the junior and senior calypso and chutney competitions, chutney dance competition, duck curry competition, folk evening observance, bands concert and national art exhibition.

Traditional activities have remained, including the steel band concert and panorama as well as masquerade jamboree. However, many long for the return of the Mashramani pageant, which was hosted back in those days. While a few pageants were hosted over the years, it has not been on the annual calendar of events.

As for the community of Linden where it all started, the celebration was held approximately a week after the grand float parade in Georgetown. Costumes were usually sponsored by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and a few businesses.

However, the float parade in the mining town can be considered miniature to that of the capital city.

Over the years, Lindeners have longed to see the return of the celebration to the town.

This year, Mashramani is being celebrated virtually because of COVID-19.

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THE VALUE OF MEANINGFUL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

he Environmental Protection Act and Stakeholder Engagement For a number of years, the EPA has been engaging developers in conducting sector and public scoping meetings at the Agency’s discretion, as an integral part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.

Part II of the Environmental Protection Act, Cap. 20:05; Laws of Guyana, under “Establishment and Functions of the Agency” states the functions of the Agency are to: (b)To promote the participation of members of the public in the process of integrating environmental concerns in planning for development on a sustainable basis; and (j) To promote and encourage a better understanding and appreciation of the natural environment and its role in social and economic development.

Stakeholder consultation and the EIA process Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act, Cap. 20:05, Laws of Guyana, stipulated the requirements of an Environmental Impact Assessment. According to the Act Part IV; (2) Where it is not clear whether the project will significantly affect the environment, the Agency shall within a reasonable time publish in at least one daily newspaper a decision for the reasons as to whether the project is exempted from an EIA or requires an EIA. (6) Before an EIA is begun, the Agency shall at the developer’s cost publish in at least one daily newspaper notice of the project and make available to the public the project summary.

(7) Members of the public have 28 days from the date of publication referred in (6) to take written submissions to the Agency, setting out those questions and matters which they require to be answered or considered in the EIA. (8) The Agency shall after consultation with the person chosen to carry out the Environmental Impact Assessment, set the terms and scope of the Environmental Impact Assessment taking into account submission made under Section (7).

What is the responsibility of the developer and EIA consultant?

Section IV of the EPA Act further states; During the course of the EIA, the developer and the person carrying out the EIA shall: (a) Consultant with members of the public, interested bodies and organisations. (b) Provide to members of the public on request and at no more than the reasonable cost of photocopying, copies of the information obtained for the purpose of the EIA. (10) The developer and person carrying put the EIA shall submit an Environmental Impact Statement to the Agency for evaluation and recommendations and publish a notice in at least one daily newspaper stating the documents have been submitted to the Agency and the public has 60 days from the date of publication of the notice to make submissions to the Agency as considered appropriate.

EPA’s procedure for stakeholder engagement for EIA projects?

The stakeholder engagement process is intended to complement existing policies and requirements and is designed to help developers plan and implement stakeholder engagement and public consultations in a more effective and consistent way.

1. The Agency publishes at the developer’s cost in at least one newspaper, that an EIA is required for the project.

4.

During this interactive process, the developer presents a concise description of the project and the consultant, the proposed EIA approach for the project.

2. The Agency would at its discretion recommend to the Developer, the number and most appropriate locations for scoping meetings. To facilitate public participation the Project summary and any other relevant documents are made accessible to the public at strategic locations.

5. The goal of scoping meetings is to identify the potential impacts from the project and alternatives to be considered. It also provides the opportunity for members of the public to influence the Terms and Scope for what the EIA study should cover.

3. Scoping meetings are usually conducted within 28 days Public Notice period with key sectors relative to the project, as well as communities in close proximity to the project site. However, due to challenges such as accessibility, scoping meetings may be conducted outside the 28 days Public Notice period. 6.

When the draft EIA report is submitted to the EPA it goes on 60 days Public Notice. The report again is made accessible to the public online and at strategic locations.

Here again the Agency works with the developer to conduct disclosure meetings on the key findings of the EIA. Members of the public again have the opportunity to say whether the EIA was adequate in identifying the potential benefits, adverse impacts, and mitigation measures.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit. epaguyana@gmail.com, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

FEATURE

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he 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.

T

he 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.

he 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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FEATURE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Words by Cleveland W. Hamilton Music by Frank Daniels

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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.

pledge myself to honor always the Flag of Guyana, and to be loyal to my coun-

try, 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.

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.

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.

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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 • 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 • 3 tablespoons butter, divided • 2 eggs, whisked • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced • 1 small white onion, diced • 1/2 cup frozen peas • 3 cloves garlic, minced • salt and black pepper • 4 cups cooked and chilled rice • 3 green onions, thinly sliced • 3–4 tablespoons soy sauce, or more to taste • 2 teaspoons oyster sauce (optional) • 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Instructions 1.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until melted. Add egg, and cook until scrambled, stirring occasionally. Remove egg, and transfer to a separate plate.

2.

Add an additional 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and heat until melted.

Add carrots, onion, peas and garlic, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onion and carrots are soft. Increase heat to high, add in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, and stir until melted.

Immediately add the rice, green onions, soy sauce and oyster sauce (if using), and stir until combined. Continue stirring for an additional 3 minutes to fry the rice. Then add in the eggs and stir to combine. Remove from heat, and stir in the sesame oil until combined.

FEATURE

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SKIN AILMENTS – CONTINUED

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ANINE/FELINE DEMODICOSIS (aka: Demodectic Mange in dogs and cats) This is a really interesting disease, not least because the Demodex canis mange mites causing the problem have to be present in large numbers in the hair follicles of the skin before the disease symptoms exhibit themselves. Another interesting phenomenon is that a low-level Demodex mite infestation does not create a great itch/scratch display.

Generally, one assumes that if there is a foreign body (e.g., mites) in any part of the skin, the dog or cat would scratch a lot. Biology/nature is indeed strange.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS DISEASE. Q: Does the dog/cat have to be sick with some other disease for the Demodex mite to take a strong hold of the dog or cat?

A: The research literature does seem to be of the view that canine Demodicosis is more prevalent in weak pups and young dogs. Felines infected with the cat mite (Demodex gatoi) can pick up the disease at any age, and even when they are strong and in good health.

Q: Do short-haired dogs get infected more with these mites?

A: I seem to think so, and scientific research tends to support my empirical observation. In fact, I have a theory that dogs, when they are young, actually experience a deficiency in their immune system (at least temporarily). This deficiency tends to disappear as the animals get older; consequently, adult and older dogs do not usually succumb so easily to Demodicosis. Of course, if the adult dog has been bombarded with immune suppressive medication, the pet will more easily be affected with Demodex mites. It follows therefore that if the pet dog is well cared for and healthy, the Demodex mite will not overpower the animal so easily.

The situation in cats is quite different. Sick or healthy, they can be relatively easily infected with the cat-specific demodectic mite.

Q: Can one detect/diagnose Demodectic Mange by just looking at a dog?

A: One should never be too self-reliant and pretend to be allknowing. However, experienced vets can pretty much detect a Demodex infection without taking scrapings and without undertaking extensive laboratory tests.

Having said that, many (most?) untreated dogs afflicted with the Demodex canis mite will look like the Dobermans in the photo below.

But do not let us get beyond ourselves. Let us have a look at the symptoms of Demodectic Mange.

They are: (i) Hair loss, (ii) Some scratching; but not as intense as with a Sarcoptic Mange infection (see last week’s column).

Demodex gatoi (demodectic cat mange) does create a lot of scratching in cats. (iii) Several small, patchy, bald areas emerge at the beginning.

Later, if left untreated, these hairless patches tend to merge and look like the dog in photo #2 above.

Q: Once the diagnosis is accurately made, how can the caregiver treat the affected dog/cat?

A: This generation is so lucky. The treatment of skin mites (Demodex and Sarcoptes and any others) has been revolutionised. Nowadays, we have pharmaceutical companies producing medication specifically for dog and cat diseases – and Hurrah!!, they all work well in killing the mites As part of the total therapeutic intervention, your Veterinarian might actually discontinue any treatment which in his/her opinion would tend to suppress the animal’s innate ability to fight off germs that are getting involved in the mange lesions. Once I am satisfied that the mites have been killed (no live mites seen in monthly scrapings), I tend to be hesitant in introducing antibiotics, etc. Let the animal’s own defense mechanism take over the healing process. Of course, the patient with mange has to return to the clinic as often as is needed.

For me, the cure against mite infestations is only achieved, if there has been no new recurrence during the period of one year after the treatment protocol has been completed.

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COVID-19 and Mental Health

Contributed by: Dr. Davendranand Sharma Professor of Behavioral Health

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he World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that the next pandemic would be a crisis in mental health disorders.

Mental health includes emotion, cognition (thought process), behavior, and the personality of the individual, which all originate in the brain.

Abnormal reaction to any one of the com-

ponents of mental health can occur by three main mechanisms: gene influences, the influence of past experiences of trauma and conflict present in the unconscious, and external stressors.

External stressors are often by events out of the control of the individual, which can impact the brain leading to emotional, cognitive and behavioral disorders.

The COVID-19 crisis is an event which came unexpectedly and has led to significant changes to the lives of everyone, including children, who have to adjust to a new way of life that disrupts their social development in school and play.

The COVID-19 crisis can affect an individual’s brain, causing mental health disorders in a number of ways: directly by the viral impact on the affected persons’ immune system and also by changes in brain function by direct entry into the brain, causing a wide variety of neurological problems, including delirium and vascular disorders.

Neurochemical changes occur which can lead to emotional problems and behavior problems, including aggressive behavior and confusion. Impulse control disorders and addiction disorders are included in the behavioral disorders; anxiety and depression in the emotional disorders; and poor

concentration, overthinking and worrying in the cognitive disorders.

Indirect effects are the secondary consequences of the COVID-19 crisis. Depression and anxiety are felt as a reaction to financial difficulties and social isolation. Changes in schedules may cause sleep disorders with increasing tiredness during the day.

A marked decrease in recreational activities may lead to family tension and persons may experience increased irritability and mood changes. Compensatory overuse of cell phones, which some persons are on for many hours of the day, can cause brain wave changes and in some cases seizure episodes.

Fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus and dying can lead to panic attacks where persons experience short bursts of heart racing, shortness of breath, increased sweating, feeling as if everything is unreal, and experiencing extreme fear.

Persons of different age groups show different reactions. The elderly, who are a vulnerable group, experience depression, which is insidious and presents quiet worry, loss of appetite, fatigue, and sometimes hopelessness with thoughts of dying.

Working adults generally would experience more anxiety related to finances and parenting, with concerns about contracting the viral illness, leading to obsessional extreme cleansing and phobias, including fear of contamination.

Children

Children of different age groups show different responses. Young children age 1 to 6 years can experience helplessness, fear, sleep terror, nail biting and depression, manifested by withdrawal from social activities. Older children and adolescents may show mood changes, more social isolation, loneliness, anxiety and obsessional diversion by cell phone overuse.

The psychological consequences of the COVID-19 crisis can also be divided into acute and chronic effects, and can also be experienced by health workers and by those who are affected indirectly, such as the family of the patients who succumb to the illness.

Acute effects include emotional shock, acute grief reactions and acute stress disorders. These reactions consist of an intense period of confusion, disbelief, denial, anxiety, agitation and mood changes.

Feelings of de-realization and depersonalization may also occur and people often talk about this experience as being unreal and feel that it is a bad dream from which they would wake up and find life as before.

The time frame for acute reactions depends on the individual’s personality, life experiences, maturity, coping capacity, and professional support received.

Generally, acute reactions continue to be intense for several days and would usually last up to a month, during which time the individual would go through the stages of grief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression,

and hopefully come to accept the reality of the horrific pandemic and associated loss which allows for resolution of symptoms.

Supportive counseling is the usual method of helping individuals through this period.

However, if a grief reaction continues to be intense after the first month and is associated with abnormal symptoms, including hallucinations, alcohol abuse, prolonged depression or persistence of denial and anger, this would be pathological grief and would require specialist treatment.

PTSD

Health workers are prone to experiencing “burn out” when their cognitive capacity could be compromised resulting in problems with judgment. Acute stress reactions which persist for more than a month are called post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is a serious consequence.

Post traumatic stress disorder, if untreated, causes significant distress and is associated with substance abuse disorders, especially alcohol abuse and dependence.

Common symptoms of this disorder include feelings of de-realization and de-personalization, depressed mood, persistent high anxiety or arousal states, and nightmares.

Avoidance behaviors could include fear of going outdoors and obsessive cleansing.

Individuals who are particularly prone to developing this disorder include children, the elderly, people with mental health problems, and frontline workers themselves.

Frontline workers are a special group of vulnerable people primarily because of the denial of their own emotional feelings and the use of defenses like isolation of emotions to cope with the enormity of the crisis and to try to remove unpleasant visual images and memory.

Unfortunately, these defenses result in emotional numbing. PTSD and may lead to alcohol abuse in an effort to block out painful memories. The management of PTSD requires specialist treatment and involves primarily psychotherapy, including treatment of associated conditions like substance abuse.

Psychological consequences can be mitigated in their intensity by adequate preparation and response. This should include public education on stress management and information on the availability of support systems and on how to access these services.

The training of personnel to be able to recognize and deal effectively with emotional reactions is of value. Utilizing psychological first aid for frontline workers involved in the crisis may help to prevent stress reactions in persons providing relief and care.

A national Mental Health and Psychosocial Support system (MHPSS) is recommended by the WHO and PAHO as valuable for preventing and managing emotional and other mental health problems associated with the COVID-19 crisis.

Article submitted as part of the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 public information and education programme

FEATURE

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

HEALTH TIPS

FILARIASIS (ELEPHANTIASIS)

Dr Tariq Jagnarine Family Medicine, Endocrinology/ Diabetes

L

ymphatic Filariasis (LF) is a debilitating disease that can cause swelling in the extremities and genitals area, once it has manifested, it cannot be reversed. Around 60,000 people in Guyana are already affected by filaria, and approximately 90% live in endemic areas, at risk of contracting the disease.

The Ministry of Health, Guyana, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization

(PAHO) launched the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign in Guyana since 2017. The yearly exercise will see health workers and volunteers visiting homes, workplaces and schools in eight regions throughout the country (1, 2,3,4,5, 6, 7 and 10) to administer the pills.

The countries of the Americas agreed to a collective approach to the elimination of communicable diseases throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The Elimination Initiative identifies a wide range of diseases and related conditions, including lymphatic filariasis, as potential candidates for elimination in the Region, and enables countries to consolidate efforts and resources towards ending these diseases and ensuring public health.

Filariasis is a tropical disease caused by parasitic worms that are spread through mosquito bites. The skin gets thick and hard, resembling an elephant’s skin. Although medically known as lymphatic filariasis, the term elephantiasis is commonly used because symptoms include swelling and enlargement of the arms and legs.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that 120 million

people worldwide are affected by filaria.

Causes

The following 3 types of parasitic roundworms cause elephantiasis: * Wuchereria bancrofti * Brugia malayi * Brugia timori Wuchereria bancrofti worms cause 90 percent of all cases of elephantiasis. Brugia malayi causes most of the others.

TRANSMISSION

Mosquitoes are responsible for spreading the parasites that cause filariasis. * Firstly, mosquitoes become infected with roundworm larvae when they take a blood meal from an infected human. * The mosquitoes then bite someone else, passing the larvae into their bloodstream. * Finally, the worm larvae migrate to the lymphatics via the bloodstream and mature in the lymph system.

RISK FACTORS

Elephantiasis can affect anyone

who is exposed to the parasites that cause the disease. The risk of exposure is greatest for people who: * Live long-term in tropical and subtropical regions like Guyana * Are regularly bitten by mosquitoes * Live in unhygienic conditions The regions where these roundworms are found include: * Africa * India * South America * Southeast Asia

SYMPTOMS OF FILARIA

Most people who are infected will not show symptoms, despite damage to the lymph system and kidneys. Those who do get symptoms most commonly experience swelling of the: * Legs * Arms * Breasts * Genitals * Also, they can have impaired immune function because of damage to their lymph system.

They tend to get more bacterial infections of the skin, causing it to become dry, thick, and ulcerated with repeated infections.

* Other symptoms during these repeated bacterial infections include a fever and chills.

DIAGNOSIS

The Diagnosis is mainly done through taking the following: * A medical history * Inquiring about symptoms * Performing a physical examination * A blood examination would be required to confirm a parasitic infection. In most parts of the world the roundworms are most active at night, so the blood sample must be collected during this time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). * Alternative tests may be used to detect the parasites, but they may show negative results because symptoms can develop years after the initial infection. * X-rays and ultrasounds may also be done to rule out other conditions that could be causing the swelling.

TREATMENTS

People with an active infection can take medications to kill the worms in the blood. These medications stop the spread of the

illness to others, but they do not completely kill off all the parasites.

Antiparasitic drugs that may be prescribed include: * Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) * Ivermectin * Albendazole * Doxycycline (an option) Other symptoms may be managed with: * Antihistamines * Analgesics * Antibiotics Not everyone with elephantiasis will need medication. This is because they may no longer carry the worms in their system despite the presence of symptoms. People can manage the swelling and skin infections in these cases by: * Gently washing the swollen and damaged skin every day with soap and water * Moisturizing the skin * Elevating swollen limbs to improve the flow of fluid and lymph * Disinfecting wounds to prevent secondary infections * Exercising regularly to support the lymphatic system, as directed by a doctor * Wrapping the limbs to prevent further swelling TURN TO PAGE 24

24 FEATURE

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HEALTH TIPS FILARIASIS (ELEPHANTIASIS)

FROM PAGE 23

Surgery may be recommended in rare cases to remove damaged lymphatic tissue or relieve pressure in certain areas, such as the scrotum.

Some people with filariasis may wish to seek emotional and psychological support in the form of: * Individual counselling, support groups and online resources COMPLICATIONS Without medical treatment, the microscopic parasites may live for years in the lymphatic system, causing destruction and damage. The lymph system is responsible for transporting excess fluid and proteins and fighting infections. Fluid builds up when it does not function correctly. The accumulation of fluid leads to swelling of the tissue and reduced immune function.

Filariasis is associated with several physical and emotional complications, including: * Disability: Filariasis is a leading cause of permanent disability across the globe. It may be difficult to move the affected body parts, which makes working or engaging in household tasks more difficult. * Secondary infections: Fungal and bacterial infections are prevalent among those with elephantiasis because of damage to the lymph system.

* Emotional distress: The condition can cause people to worry about their appearance, which could lead to anxiety and depression. * Loss of Jobs * Stigma and Discrimination

during pregnancy or persons seriously ill.

Some of the most common side effect of these include: headaches, drowsiness, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps

PREVENTION The best way to prevent filariasis is to avoid mosquito bites. People who visit or livein countries at risk should: * Sleep under a mosquito net * Cover up their skin with long sleeves and trousers * Use insect repellent * Participate in the mass drugs administration campaign by take your filarial Pills when visited by health care workers. These pills includes: Diethylcarbamazine (DEC), Ivermectin, Albendazole, they are given base on person’s height from the age of 2.

These drugs are not given

TAKEAWAY Filariasis is a tropical disease spread through mosquito bites. People living in affected tropical or subtropical areas are most at risk of infection. However, shortterm visitors to these regions have a very low risk of getting filaria or related conditions.

People with symptoms of the condition, including swelling and skin thickening, should see their doctor immediately.

This disease symptoms can be managed through medications, lifestyle changes, and emotional support. To avoid its complications- TAKE YOUR FILARIA PILLS!

NEWS

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Panama to set date “shortly” to discuss rice money owed – Mustapha

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griculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said Panamanian authorities are to set a meeting shortly, for discussions to start on the $1.9 billion rice money that is owed to Guyana.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Saturday, he noted that Guyana is prepared to start engagements but is awaiting this official confirmation. On Friday, the rice millers were brief on the situation and this will follow suit with the Guyana Rice Millers Association. The Minister said he is expecting a response from Panama’s Agriculture Minister in the new week.

“The last time, I sent an official letter and I understand that the Minister will propose a date shortly. Next week is budget debate but I am willing when that date is set.

I have already met with some rice millers yesterday (Friday) and updated them and I will be meeting officially with the Guyana Rice Millers Association because Panama would have owed them lots of money. I will meet them in the new week but I am waiting on the meeting between the Minister of Agriculture in Panama and myself,” Mustapha indicated.

The Spanish-speaking country had previously committed to pay-

File photo: Rice being loaded onto a ship

ing the money. There were also commitments to continue trade with Guyana.

However, efforts to engage Panama to release the money proved futile in the past, prompting Guyana to approach the InterAmerican Institute for Cooperation (IICA) earlier this year. The entity brokered a meeting between the two Governments to find a way to settle the outstanding debts.

The owned money is from a contract under the previous coalition Administration. The rice

was shipped by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) on behalf of local millers who were required to pay an export commission.

When asked about the reason for such a lengthy delay in January, Mustapha had responded, “That contract was signed by the previous Government. I think they did not do anything. When we came into Government, then we sought to address the issues and that money was since 2019 and we got into Government last

year. Close to a year, then the matter was raised by us and then we started to pursue the matter…

Hopefully, the Minister and myself can meet and resolve this matter as early as possible.”

The Panama rice market was secured under then Agriculture Minister Leslie Ramsammy back in 2014. But under APNU/AFC, there have been controversies that featured the Panama market. One such controversy was in 2018, when a shipment of rice from Guyana was rejected on arrival in Panama since it did not meet the stipulated specification outlined by that country. Reports had indicated that the rice was of substandard quality, prompting the rejection. The ensuing debacle had led to calls for a comprehensive investigation and the resignation of the GRDB Board and then Agriculture Minister Noel Holder.

In another engagement with Minister Mustapha, he said the PPP/C Government took office and it found that no action had been taken by the previous coalition Administration to intervene on behalf of the farmers and millers to ensure that the outstanding payment was made. In spite of pleadings for help, the APNU/AFC Government had insisted that it

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

was not responsible for farmers being owed by millers for rice that was shipped to Panama and had taken a back-seat approach to the issue.

Meanwhile, Mustapha had highlighted that there were no clear-cut policies by the previous APNU/AFC Administration regarding agricultural development.

He posited that the officers who are employed in the agriculture sector should not be blamed for the decay, but the politicians who were tasked with setting policies. (G12)

26 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

42 new COVID-19 cases detected from 1057 tests F rom 1057 swabs that were taken for analysis on Saturday, 42 persons tested positive for COVID-19. Now, the total confirmed cases are 8399 – 4351 males and 4048 females. Some 7729 have since recovered, leaving 481 active cases.

The Health Ministry’s dashboard showed that deaths have remained at 189.

Nevertheless, 10 persons are still seeking treatment in the Intensive Care Unit, with 34 in institutional isolation, 437 in home isolation and 16 in institutional quarantine.

Guyana has tested 58,802 persons thus far.

New cases

New cases were detected across six administrative regions, with one in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam); three in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); 32 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); one in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); three in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Today, the resumption of the Guyana-Suriname ferry service begins, which oper-

Cyclist critical after being struck by speeding MoH bus

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pedal cyclist has been left in an unconscious state and is being supported by a ventilator after he was struck by a speeding minibus attached to the Health Ministry on Friday Reports are that the accident occurred at about 06:10h on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, in the vicinity of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).

According to Police, the pedal cyclist was proceeding south along the eastern drive lane of Vlissengen Road, holding a mattress on his head when he suddenly swerved right onto the western drive lane in an attempt to cross onto the western side of the road.

During the process, the cyclist allegedly ended up

in the path of the minibus which was proceeding south along the eastern drive lane of Vlissengen Road at a fast rate of speed.

The driver of the minibus reportedly swerved right in an attempt to avoid a collision but still collided with the pedal cyclist. The minibus continued in a southwestern direction and ended up colliding with a CCTV camera pole on Vlissengen Road, where it came to a halt.

As a result of the collision, the pedal cyclist fell onto the roadway and received multiple injuries about his body. He was subsequently picked up in an unconscious state by two Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital

Corporation (GPHC).

The cyclist sustained five broken ribs and injuries to his lungs among other injuries, Police said.

The minibus along with the pedal cycle were lodged at the Kitty Police Station and the driver is presently in Police custody assisting with investigations.

Just weeks ago, a 17-yearold pedal cyclist was hospitalised after he collided with a vehicle belonging to the Local Government Ministry along the Port Mourant Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The accident is said to have occurred on Monday at about 16:30h. The injured teen is from Babu Jaan, Corentyne, Berbice.

Based on reports received, the driver of the vehicle was proceeding along the said public road at a moderate speed when the cyclist rode into the path of the vehicle.

The driver reportedly told Police that he attempted to bring the vehicle to a stop but the cyclist was already in close proximity, thus resulting in a collision.

The teenager fell onto the roadway and received multiple injuries about his body.

He was picked up and taken to the Port Mourant Public Hospital where he was examined and transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where he was admitted.

The driver was later taken into custody. (G9)

ates between Moleson Creek in Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and South Drain, Suriname.

Importantly, the Ministry advised that as a result of serious health concerns, only Guyanese and Surinamese would be allowed to utilise this facility.

Additionally, every passenger must have a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, and this must be taken within 72 hours of travel.

“All COVID-19 protocols, including the observing of social distancing on board and in the terminal building will be observed.

Guyanese can receive PCR test at all approved medical institutions conducting PCR test in Guyana while Guyanese in Suriname can conduct their testing at Suriname’s Public Hospital and MeDiLab in Paramaribo. Passengers are also asked to have all their travel documents required to travel to Suriname prior to COVID-19,” the Ministry has said.

Meanwhile, the curfew which forms part of the National COVID-19 Measures will remain the same throughout February, that is, from 22:30h (10:30 pm) to 04:00h (04:00 am). It clearly outlines that flights from Brazil are prohibited until further notice.

No one is permitted to host or attend a cinema except for drive-in movies; private party, banquet hall, bar, public swimming pool

or water park, wake or vigil, club, meeting fraternity or any other social activity.

Restaurants and places of worship continue to operate at 40 per cent capacity.

Gyms are to operate at 50 per cent capacity while sporting events are only permitted with approval from the Health Minister.

Symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough, tiredness, diarrhoea, pains, sore throat and loss of taste or smell. The more serious symptoms are difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain and loss of speech or movement. If persons are experiencing symptoms or have been in contact with a positive person, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 6246674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy. (G12)

NEWS

Mazaruni Prison break

27

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Intelligence gathering underway as hunt continues for escapees – acting Director

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he Guyana Prison Service is currently gathering intelligence and any pertinent information that will lead to the recapture of four high-profile inmates – who escaped from the Mazaruni Prison less than a week ago.

This is according to acting Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot who told Guyana Times on Saturday that checks are being made along with other efforts to locate the suspects as soon as possible.

A father of one inmate has since confessed to helping his son and the three other convicts after they broke out of the high-secu-

rity jailhouse. When asked whether he will face prosecution, he informed, “The Police is currently investigating and they’ll determine the way forward on that.”

Last Tuesday, 25-yearold Imran Ramsaywack of Adelphi Village, East Canje, Berbice; 44-year-old Kenrick Lyte, whose last known address was Grant Good Intent, Lower Pomeroon River; 22-year-old Samuel Gouveia of Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara; and 22-year-old Rayon Jones of Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD), broke out of solitary confinement and escaped from the Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)

Belle West man murdered, body dumped in septic tank

The house in which the victim lived and was found

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33-year-old man was on Saturday discovered with chop wounds to his head in a septic tank at Second Street Belle West, West Bank Demerara (WBD), just days after he had celebrated his birthday.

Dead is Colin Anthony King, also known as “Harry” or “Pablo”. Based on information received, King was last seen alive on Tuesday evening during his 33rd birthday celebration at his Second Street Belle West, WBD home.

Guyana Times understands that only a week ago, King moved in with one of his friends, where the party was held.

According to other friends, after the party, they all left and had not seen King since that evening. As such, they decided to search for him at the house during which they discovered his lifeless body in the septic tank.

Speaking with this publication, the brother of the dead man, Jose King, related that he received a call from his sister saying that their brother had died.

“I got a call from my little sister and she told me that Harry passed away… so is come I come and I see it is true… he was living with a guy and he had purchased a motorbike recently and he don’t lend the bike, so people wanted to know how this boy that he living with was riding the bike and that is what draw the attention to this whole thing…” he said Jose King said on Wednesday, his brother’s

Dead: Colin Anthony King

housemate was seen at the house making several checks around the premises.

“I don’t know the person, but what people are saying, it is the same person. They said the person was up and down. Up to last night [Friday night] the person went and check and was seen riding the bike… he has one child and it is a son,” the man said.

The grieving brother related that he along with his family have not seen his brother for the past two years. He said the last time they saw him was at their mother’s funeral in 2019. He said it is quite unfortunate that his brother had to die in that manner, and called for justice to be served.

Meanwhile, neighbours also said they heard no noises or screams coming from the house, so they are unaware as to what may have transpired.

The only thing that was amiss, was a strong stench that was coming from the wooden structure. Police have since launched an investigation. (G9)

penitentiary.

The Guyana Police Force said the father of 22-yearold Jones, Ralph Jones, was further interrogated as part of ongoing investigations by the GPF and the Joint Services, during which he disclosed that he aided their escape.

The elderly Jones told investigators that after escaping from the Mazaruni Prison, his son contacted him by telephone and informed him of his actions.

“Ralph Jones further admitted that sometime after 01:00h the following day, all four of the escapees showed up at his house, where he provided each of them with a change of clothing. He, in turn, collected the clothes that they were wearing and dumped them in an alleyway aback his house in Fourth Avenue Bartica [Region Seven],” the Police stated.

According to the mis-

sive, Police investigators on Thursday went to the location mentioned by the father, where they found a white salt bag that contained a number of items suspected to be belongings of the escapees. These include clothing, footwear, deodorant, topes, pillow and pillowcases, along with a bottle of Red Star rub, a toothbrush and a food bowl.

Nevertheless, the Joint Services are continuing the search for the escapees, and encourage all law-abiding citizens to report to the nearest Police station or call 455-2238, 455-2222, 4552241, 226-4585, 225-2700, 225-3650 or 911, should

they be seen. The Police assure that all information will be treated with strict confidence.

Ramsaywack and Lyte were on death row, while Gouveia and Jones were convicted for manslaughter. Police have since issued wanted bulletins for the men, who will now face “escaping from lawful custody” charges.

On Wednesday, Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot told this publication that the Prison Officers who were on duty when four high-profile convicts escaped were being questioned by the Police.

Asked whether there is any suspicion of collusion

between the officers on duty and the escaped prisoners, the Prison Director posited that this will be determined by the probe.

Elliot confirmed that the authorities had received information that the prisoners might have stolen a boat from a nearby village to aid in their escape. A team was dispatched to the location to investigate. This newspaper understands that the boat owner was questioned for failing to report that the vessel was missing, but was subsequently released.

Other facts revealed that the boat owner’s relative was killed by one of the escapees. (G12)

28 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Kenyan suppliers of alleged fake HIV testing kits to Guyana charged …prosecutors disclose kits shipped to Guyana were stolen

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he Kenyan suppliers of the alleged fake HIV kits to Guyana, who reprotely used Caribbean Medical Supplies Incorporated as their conduit in a scandal that rocked the local health sector last year, are now facing charges for their crimes in their home country.

According to news reports out of Kenya news agency k24tv, three businessmen - Erick Mwangi, Jones Olouch and Robert Njoya - were recently charged in the Milimani Law Court with selling expired and fake HIV kits to consumers in Kenya and abroad.

The news report also indicated that prosecutors revealed that the trio allegedly stole HIV test kits and exported them to Guyana.

According to the report, Mwangi was charged separately with exporting 400 packets of counterfeit UniGold HIV test kits to Guyana on December 30, 2019, using

The three businessmen - Erick Mwangi, Jones Olouch and Robert Njoya - during their court appearance. Photo taken from k24tv

the Jomo Kenyatta Airport.

These alleged test kits which found their way to Guyana when Caribbean Medical Supplies Inc reportedly sold them to what was then named the Ministry of Public Health in 2019.

The presence of the fake kits was uncovered when their Irish manufacturer, Trinity Biotech, wrote to then Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence in January

of 2020.

In its correspondence, the company had revealed that counterfeit boxes of the Uni-Gold HIV test kit were created, complete with fake expiry dates and the expired kits were then repackaged in said boxes.

Additionally, Trinity had pointed out that only Trinidad-based Transcontinental Medical Products Limited was the

authorised distributors of the testing kits, further raising questions as to why the Ministry bought the kits from Caribbean Medical Supplies in the first place.

In the aftermath of the scandal, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had issued an alert naming Guyana and Caribbean Medical Supplies and reporting confirmed cases of fake HIV testing kits.

In fact, WHO had revealed that through its Global Surveillance and Monitoring System (GSMS), it had been informed of the distribution of at least 8240 fake HIV rapid diagnostic tests, fake kits that were also circulating in Kenya.

When it comes to Caribbean Medical Supplies, the company has since been hauled before the local courts by the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD), which seized a quantity of the fake testing kits from the Public Health Ministry storage at Diamond, East Bank of Demerara (EBD), as well as various other locations last year.

Caribbean Medical Supplies’ Area Manager Davendra Rampersaud made a court appearance at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court in November of 2020, where he denied the charge that on January 16, 2020, his company supplied 400 units of the fake Uni-Gold test kits with misleading representation, in violation of the Food and Drugs Act of 1971. The matter was adjourned to March 2021.

Caribbean Medical Supplies has previously denied knowingly supplying expired goods to

Caribbean Medical Supplies Area Manager Davendra Rampersaud makes another court appearance next month

the Government and had claimed to have thoroughly vetted their Kenyan supplier.

Back in 2017, the company was flagged by Auditor General Deodat Sharma in his 2016 report for having $7.6 million worth of outstanding deliveries in September 2017.

It was pointed out in the report that the Ministry kept $167 million worth of cheques (including the $7.6 million for Caribbean Medical Supplies) on hand rather than refunding them to the Consolidated Fund.

(G3)

COVID-19 test for baby that died suddenly returns negative

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he COVID-19 swab that was performed post-humously on a four-month-old baby that suddenly died in her sleep has returned with a negative result.

The child, who hailed from Siparuta Village, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), died suddenly after she went to sleep last Wednesday.

Her 33-year-old father had told Police that his child was having difficulty breathing moments before she fell asleep. About 15 minutes after, he discovered that she was not breathing.

The child was taken to the Skeldon Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Guyana Times was informed that the results re-

turned on Friday, indicating that the baby was not positive with the coronavirus.

This is the second child to succumb suddenly within the past few days. In recent reports, a two-year-old of Barima Kariabo, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini), began suffering from high fever on February 9. On February 13, the child’s condition worsened and the toddler became “motionless” hours after.

He was rushed to the Barima Kariabo Health Centre and then to the Mabaruma Hospital. The child was seen by a doctor who pronounced him dead on arrival. A post-mortem examination later ruled the cause of death as pneumonia. (G12)

NEWS

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Major works underway to prepare Rose Hall Estate for 2022 opening

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s the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) gears up to have the Rosehall Sugar Estate grinding for the second crop in 2022, $900 million has been set aside in the national budget for the rehabilitation of the factory.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sasenarine Singh is adamant that the corporation will achieve the timeline for reopening, stating that management has no reason not to while pointing out that Government has already set aside $9 billion for the industry.

The corporation is expected to spend $900 million on the Rosehall Estate. This money, the CEO noted, will go towards ensuring that Rosehall Estate is in a position to produce sugar.

The Estate was closed in December 2017 by the then APNU/AFC, leaving hundreds of workers on the breadline. At the time, the David Granger-led Government had claimed

that GuySuCo was a liability to Guyana since it had been producing sugar at costs higher than it was receiving for the finished product on the world market.

However, Singh, late last week, said that land preparation is currently being done, as cane lands are being cleared and equipment for the project is currently being procured. The CEO said a new fertiliser bond at Rosehall is to be constructed and one of the chemical bonds is to be rehabilitated.

The money for this is part of the $2 billion earmarked in the 2021 National Budget for capital works to be undertaken by GuySuCo to help in the turnaround of the sugar industry. That money, he added, will also be used for the purchase of critical agro-chemicals at Rosehall.

“When we went to Rosehall for the first time in September (2020) what we found was a scrapyard.

Have you ever seen Sanford and Sons? It was worse than

Body of man fished out of canal on Corentyne

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he body of a 60-yearold man was on Friday fished out of a canal at Fyrish, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

Dead is Janki Goberdhan of Lot 3 Fyrish Village.

The discovery was made at about 19:30h on Friday by a 53-year-old villager. Following the discovery, the Police were summoned and the body taken

to the Port Mourant Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Goberdhan lived alone, neighbours said. According to Police, the man lived in a one flat wooden and concrete building. His body was found lying in a drain with his face downwards. There are reports suggesting that Goberdhan was an epileptic. Police are investigating. (G4)

that. That is what we found at Rosehall,” Singh disclosed to reporters.

Meanwhile, back in 2017, there were 17 functional tractors but according to the CEO, when he took over in September last year, there were three tractor frames.

“Batteries were gone, alternators disappeared, starters were gone, and radiators gone; all sorts of destruction happened. We had to rebuild from scratch and that is what is making this process so difficult.”

According to the CEO, the workers were able to rebuild three tractors with the parts that were left and the three frames. Additionally, over 500 punts at Rosehall are to be fixed but with more than 50 per cent currently being unserviceable, about 200 new punts will have to be built. Moreover, some of the roads in the cultivation area will also have to be rebuilt.

Rose Hall Sugar Estate

“Which were left to deteriorate beyond belief,” the CEO said while noting that the rehabilitation of those roads will be undertaken by staff of the sugar corporation.

“So, we are spending about $900 million from the sugar bill at Rosehall in areas like the sugar bulk wharf which is a health and safety risk today. Yet we still have

to operate it because we need it. These are emergency operations that have to be done this year.” He said the evaporators at the Estate have to be changed.

The entire factory, he added, is in a state of disrepair.

“We have to repair some and we have to change some.

If we don’t do these things then we cannot do the pro-

cess of crystallisation, which means there is no sugar. We met an industry that was destroyed and I want to thank the sugar workers who have kept three of these Estates ticking over and against all odds,” Singh said.

Currently, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government is in the process of restructuring the industry. (G4)

30 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

No Govt has held more consultations than President Ali – AG …says APNU/AFC claims baseless

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ttorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, SC, on Saturday rejected claims by the coalition that the PPP/C Administration does not hold consultations with the people.

The Attorney General said to date, no Government in Guyana’s history has been more inclusive than the President Dr Irfaan Ali Administration.

“I want to reject out of hand, this baseless allegation that the Irfaan Ali Administration is not consulting. Every day there is some form of consultation taking place in our Government; compare it with APNU/AFC over the past five years and it is chalk to cheese. I see Basil Williams talking foolishness about consultations. He held consultations in relation to the SARA Act where he consulted widely with civil society, he received 100 rec-

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

ommendations and never incorporated one in the bill,” the Attorney General is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying. Nandlall also noted that every day, Ministers are in the fields consulting with the people who elected them. Just last weekend, President Ali was on the East Coast meeting with the people on community projects and fostering unity.

“The Ministers of

Housing recently had a big … consultation in relation to the Mandela Avenue to Eccles road, that is currently in the newspaper. I accompanied the Minister of Agriculture to Corentyne, Berbice, where we consulted with the farmers about the construction of two roads, one at 58 Village and one at 52 Village. The President consulted with the people on West Coast Demerara for the construction of a new highway from the bridge to Parika,” the AG said.

The Attorney General also noted that the Government consulted with several Opposition parties in preparation for Budget 2021. Added to that, he said, after only six months in Government, the Administration sent two bills to the Select Committee, the Hire Purchase Bill 2020 and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Amendment Bill

2021.

“Why you think we are sending it to the Select Committee? So that the Government will sit with the Opposition, civil society and stakeholders and go through the bills clause by clause, hear from them.”

Pointing to the recently amended Law Reform Commission Act, Attorney General said prior to the amendments, it provided for no form of consultation and allowed the Minister and President to elect the entire Law Reform Commission.

The amended Act now calls for consultation with the Private Sector, the labour movement, the Rights Commissions, religious organisations, consumer representatives, and the National Toshaos Council before the Commission is appointed. Further, since taking office, President Ali has extended several invitations to the coalition to have discussions on the way forward for Guyana’s

President Dr Irfaan Ali

development, all of which were rejected. This includes the meeting with former Presidents, which former President David Granger

declined, consultations on the preparation of Budget 2021 and the recent consultation on the Local Content Policy.

Miner stabbed to death during confrontation with Brazilian

A

29-year-old miner of Third Avenue, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), was on Friday stabbed to death by a Brazilian national, whom he first attacked.

Dead is Randolph Semple.

Reports are at about 18:00h on Friday at Pedymachi Black Water Backdam, Cuyuni River, Semple was at a shop when he approached the suspect, who was at the time on the roadway on a motorcycle, and dealt him a stab to the back with a knife and ran into another nearby shop.

The injured suspect then armed himself with a knife

and approached Semple and dealt him a stab to his upper chest and subsequently escaped.

It was reported that Semple walked about 400 feet away from the shop before falling to the ground, where he remained motionless.

The matter was reported to the Police, who, upon arrival at the scene, observed the shirtless body of the deceased on the roadway with what appeared to be a stab wound to the upper mid-area of his chest.

The body was taken to the Bartica Hospital mortuary. An investigation is ongoing. (G9)

Owners of motorbike, cow charged for Berbice fatal accident

F

ollowing the death of a Crabwood Creek, Berbice man in December 2020, the owner of the motorcycle he was riding at the time of the accident has been charged for permitting an unlicensed driver to use the vehicle and with breach of insurance.

The bike’s owner, Maneshwar Manniram, appeared at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court on Friday before Magistrate Alex Moore and pleaded guilty to both charges. He was reprimanded and discharged.

Meanwhile, the owner of the cow which the rider rode into was also placed before the same Magistrate, charged with suffering cattle to stray.

Guradat Mahadeo, a Crabwood Creek cattle farmer, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was placed on $30,000 bail. The case will continue on April 13.

On December 19, 22-year-old Akram Hack

Dead: Akram Hack

died after crashing the motorbike he was riding into a cow along the Crabwood Creek Public Road.

Hack’s friends had said that they were all imbibing at a shop when the construction worker took the keys to the motorbike, stating that he was going home for an item. He crashed and died shortly after. (G4)

NEWS

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Co-op societies not serving RBC Eastern Caribbean sale approved people to be struck off T

L

abour Minister Joseph Hamilton said that the Ministry intends to terminate co-operative societies in several communities if the findings of an integrity audit currently being conducted indicate they are not fulfilling their mandate.

The Minister made this statement on Wednesday during his guest appearance on NCN’s “Budget in Focus.”

He said while the Ministry can account for the existence of 512 co-ops, only half of those entities can be considered to be operating in the interest of their respective communities.

As such, the offending entities would be struck off to ensure the people are served, in keeping with the PPP/C Government’s overall goal to foster sustainable social and infrastructural development.

“Once you strike out all …the assets properly come under the supervision of

Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton

the Department of Co-ops.

So, we can utilise this asset that people are utilising privately to help to develop the co-ops to give training to people because a lot of these co-ops fail not because they don’t have money, it is their management,” the Minister is quoted by a Department of Public Information report as saying.

Those societies are responsible for a massive asset base which Minister Hamilton believes could be used to develop initiatives that improve people’s lives.

Israel eases restrictions following vaccine success

I

srael is easing lockdown restrictions as studies there reveal the Pfizer vaccine is 98.9% effective in preventing hospitalisations and death.

From Sunday, shops, libraries and museums can open but social distancing and masks are still required.

The health ministry says it is the first stage of returning to normal life.

Israel has the highest vaccination rate in the world. More than 49% of people have received at least one dose.

The country entered its third lockdown on 27 December after a resurgence of the virus.

Under the easing measures, people are now able to enter shopping malls and tourist attractions such as zoos. A number of other facilities are now able to reopen including gyms, hotels and synagogues. However they require a "green passport", a certificate that can only be obtained once you have been vaccinated. A small number of people who have recovered from the virus and are not currently eligible for the vaccine are also able to obtain the certificate.

The passport, which is contained in an app, is issued by the health ministry and will be valid for six months, one week after the second dose.

Crowds are now allowed back at concerts and sporting events have reopened at 75% capacity but they have a cap of no more than 300 people inside and 500 outside.

Despite the easing of restrictions, Israel's airport will remain closed for another two weeks. On Saturday, the health ministry said studies revealed the risk of illness from the virus has dropped 95.8% among people who have had both doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

It also found that the vaccine was 98% effective in preventing fever or breathing problems. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he expects 95% of Israelis over 50 to be vaccinated over the next two weeks.

Earlier this week, the Gaza Strip received its first doses of the vaccine after Israel approved the transfer through its border. The shipment included 2,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine which will be used on patients who have had organ transplants and those with kidney failure, an official told Reuters news agency.

It comes as the Palestinian Health Ministry struck a deal with Israel's Health Ministry to vaccinate 100,000 Palestinians who work in the country.

(BBC)

“I believe co-ops should be doing scholarship programmes for people in their communities or bursaries and that is where we have to go because co-ops have a lot of latitudes to do things.

But we have to retool these entities… We will help them to fashion and strengthen themselves,” he said.

Reflecting on a similar approach taken to strengthen the Public Service Credit Union, Hamilton noted it is time these entities demonstrate accountability and transparency.

he Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) has approved the sale of Royal Bank of Canada in the territories of the Eastern Caribbean.

On Friday, Governor Timothy Antoine of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank confirmed that RBC assets will be sold to a consortium of indigenous banks within the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) jurisdiction, viz. 1st National Bank (St. Lucia), Antigua Commercial Bank, National Bank of Dominica, Bank of Montserrat, and Bank of Nevis. The sale includes operations in Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Governor Antoine made the announcement of the approval at a press briefing following the 98th Meeting of the ECCU Monetary Council on Friday at ECCB headquarters in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis.

He said, "On the question of RBC, the ECCB has approved the application for the sale of the RBC operations in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union to a consortium of indigenous or national banks. That process is now moving forward, and an announcement will be made in due course. But the idea is to conclude that transaction not too long from now. So that is moving forward. In fact, I can tell you only yesterday [on Thursday, 11 February 2021] we submitted to the finance ministers a vesting order or vesting orders, which is an important legal instrument to transfer assets from one bank or banking entity to another. So that process is moving forward."

The sale of RBC to Caribbean banks follows the similar acquisitions of Canadian based banks by Caribbean entities. In 2019, much of Bank of Nova Scotia's stake in the Eastern Caribbean was sold to Trinidad and Tobago's Republic Bank. In October last year, BNS declared

that it had reached an arrangement for the sale of its services in Antigua and Barbuda to the Eastern Caribbean Amalgamated Bank Limited (ECAB). That settlement is subject to regulatory permissions and other conventional closing requirements.

The Governor also addressed the recent decision by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) that a majority stake in First Caribbean International Bank Limited (FCIB) would not be sold after a bid was rejected by Caribbean regulators.

“In terms of the sale of CIBC, I would simply confirm that regulators across the region considered it.

Central Bank of Barbados is the lead regulator, based on the jurisdiction of CIBC FCIB. But all regulators, including the ECCB, were involved in that discussion, and came to that decision which has been conveyed and you are correct the application was denied.” (T&T Guardian)

32 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Bandits rob teen in Sophia home invasion

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rmed bandits on Friday stormed a Sophia, Greater Georgetown house and robbed a 19-year-old male of over $400,000 in items.

The robbery occurred at about 13:00h at the A Field Sophia residence.

According to Police reports, the teenager was at

home in the kitchen, participating in a virtual classroom session with the top half of the door of his home left open, when two males – one armed with a handgun – entered the house and held him at gunpoint.

The suspects reportedly searched the entire house and relieved the victim of a

total of $430,000 worth of jewellery, cellphones and cash before making good their escape.

The Police said several persons in the area were questioned. CCTV camera footage in the area is being reviewed by investigators.

An investigation has been launched. (G9)

US Customs nab Jamaican smuggler with cocaine in sandals and body

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he United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency said that officers at Miami International Airport apprehended a Jamaican smuggler with cocaine in a pair of sandals and in the smuggler's body.

“During a baggage inspection, CBP officers discovered a white powdery substance and a tiny drug balloon, or pellet, concealed within a pair of sandals,” said CBP, stating that the items weighed about 1.3 pounds and were “field-tested positive for cocaine”.

“Upon questioning, the Jamaican traveller admit-

ted to swallowing cocaine and was taken to a local hospital for an X-ray examination,” CBP added. “The X-ray showed the presence of foreign objects, and the individual later passed 28 pellets testing positive for cocaine.”

Miami International Airport Acting Port Director Robert Del Toro said: “Swallowing drugs is an extremely dangerous method of concealment and CBP officers are highly skilled at thwarting smuggling attempts.

“It's important to deter this type of illegal activity which can be fatal if a pellet

bursts,” he said.

CBP said more than two dozen pellets tested positive for cocaine.

It said border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations.

CBP said officers screen international travellers and cargo, and search for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, “and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, US businesses, and our nation's safety and economic vitality”. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

NEWS

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Bolsonaro's nominee to run Petrobras stresses need for "balance" in fuel pricing

B

razilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s nominee to lead Staterun oil company Petrobras said on Saturday the company needs to find “balance” in fuel pricing, considering the impact on shareholders, investors, sellers and consumers.

Joaquim Silva e Luna, a retired army general and former Defence Minister overseeing the State-run Itaipu hydroelectric dam on the border with Paraguay and Argentina since 2019, was tapped on Friday to be the next chief executive of Petróleo Brasileiro SA. Bolsonaro has criticised Roberto Castello Branco, current CEO of the State firm known formally as Petroleo Brasileiro SA, for ignoring the complaints of truckers as he hiked diesel prices 15 per cent this week, tracking global markets higher.

Petrobras shares plunged on Friday due to growing investor fears of political in-

terference in fuel pricing, which has triggered billions of dollars in losses over the past decade.

Luna was cautious in some of his first public comments since Bolsonaro made the announcement in a late Friday social media post, seeking to allay concerns that the company would lose autonomy to set prices in Brazil, where it dominates the market.

“There is no way to have interference in the pricing policy. There’s executive management ... and we have the capacity to handle the issue. We’ll reflect on the economy as well as on the trucker who has no cargo to transport,” he told Reuters in an interview.”We need to find a balance, considering the shareholder, the market, oil prices, the currency, as well as the people, because gasoline and diesel prices have an impact on the whole chain of production. We cannot ignore this reality,” he said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Queen rewards 2 Bajans for generosity to the homeless

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wo Barbadians who have been providing free home-cooked meals to a homeless shelter every week for more than a decade, have been rewarded

by Queen Elizabeth.

Trevor and Pamela Headley were on Friday named as winners of the 171st Commonwealth Points Of Light award in honour of their exceptional voluntary service.

A release from the British High Commission

said the two purchase all of the ingredients to prepare hot meals in their own home, and have continued to deliver the meals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to support those living in the Clyde Gollop Night Shelter For Homeless Men. The Commonwealth Points Of Light awards celebrate inspirational acts of volunteering across the Commonwealth.

(Excerpt from Nation News)

34

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021

Regional

Argentina Health Minister resigns over COVID vaccine scandal

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rgentina’s Health Minister has resigned after reports surfaced that people in the South American nation were using connections to jump the queue and receive COVID-19 vaccines.

In a statement posted on Twitter on Friday, Gines Gonzalez Garcia said individuals were able to sidestep proper procedure for vaccinations due to “unintended confusion” in his office while he was away.

“Responding to your express request, I present my resignation from the position of Minister of Health,” Garcia wrote in a letter

addressed to President Alberto Fernandez, who

had sought the Minister’s resignation.

“I express my gratitude to the vast majority of the Argentine people for their commitment and support for the policies we implement to rebuild our federal health system, with greater equity, access and quality,” Garcia also tweeted.

The scandal broke after an Argentine journalist said he had received a COVID-19 jab after speaking directly to the Minister.

Garcia will be replaced by one of his deputy Ministers, Carla Vizzotti, who was responsible for securing the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, which the country has deployed since December.

country is safe in this part of the territory”.

Florian noted that the Dominican military recently caught “some people wanted” by the Haitian justice system and “some criminals” who were handed over to the Haitian National Police in the border province of Dajabon.

The former Mayor of Port-au-Prince Ralph Youry Chevry was arrested last Sunday in Dajabón together with the former official Wenson Pierre, the

Haitian policeman Antonine Maquendy and the civilian Wiquenesonnt Despiene because they did not have passports or visas to enter the national territory, said the Ministry of Defence.

Chevry, against whom the Haitian Government has issued an arrest warrant, has not requested asylum in the Dominican Republic, said Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez on Friday.

He also affirmed that Haiti had not asked for his extradition.

Florian assured that the surveillance by air and land would be maintained to “provide all the security” as a result of the socio-political situation that Haiti is going through.

He also warned that “the persecution against undocumented people who were doing agricultural and construction work will begin to be regularised” since the authorities granted grace for these people due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Argentina's Health Minister Gines Gonzalez Garcia stepped down late on Friday amid a COVID-19 vaccination scandal [Matias Baglietto/Reuters]

Dominican Republic deploys thousands of troops along border with Haiti

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he Dominican Armed Forces have deployed 7200 troops on the border with Haiti and so far this year have intercepted and returned more than 38,000 Haitians who illegally crossed the territorial division to the neighbouring country.

Speaking with reporters on Friday, the general commander of the Dominican Republic Army, Julio Ernesto Florian Perez, said if more soldiers are needed “we will use them so that the

Argentina gave priority to healthcare workers in its coronavirus vaccination programme and vaccinations for people over age 70 began on Wednesday in the province of Buenos Aires.

Argentina is not the only country in Latin America facing a coronavirus vaccine scandal, fuelling public an-

ger and resentment.

Peru’s Health and Foreign Affairs Ministers resigned this month after reports surfaced that hundreds of Government officials, including former President Martin Vizcarra, received jabs before vaccines were widely available. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Landslide win for opposition party in Turks and Caicos Islands’ general election

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he main opposition Progressive National Party (PNP) secured a landslide victory when the citizens of this British Overseas territory went to the polls in a general election on Friday.

Led by businessman Charles Washington Misick the PNP obtained a landslide 14 to 1 victory over the incumbent People's Democratic Movement (PDM).

According to the territory's supervisor of elections, Dudley Lewis, the opposition party won nine of the 10 electoral district seats and all five of the At Large seats.

Misick, who is 70, is a former Chief Minister and the brother of former premier Michael Misick.

The PDM in a major defeat, saw their leader, Sharlene CartwrightRobinson, who was elected the country's first female premier in 2016, losing her seat.

The only successful PDM candidate was former Health Minister Edwin Astwood who won the Grand Turk South.

Meanwhile, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) in a statement on Saturday said that the Caricom Elections Observation Mission (CEOM) that monitored the polls, said that the process was free and fair “and the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands must be commended for this.” (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

More women seek training with guns

Defence Tactics Instructor and Range Safety Officer at AA Tactical, Joshua Lee, demonstrating the use of a firearm to Melissa Reid

M

ore women are expressing a need for firearm training and are looking at tactical ways to protect themselves from attackers.

So said the secretary of the South Stra Shooting Sports Range in Claxton Bay. Lalchan said the Range had over 900 members out of which 38 per cent were women.

Speaking exclusively to Guardian Media, Lalchan said many women were calling the Association daily to find out how to get to the rifle range, how to apply for training and how to acquire Firearm Users Licenses (FUL).

“As the nation grows and the crime situation gets worse, these women are crying out for help. There are lots of women who feel the need to protect themselves now,” Lalchan said.

He explained that more women started acquiring firearms a decade ago but this has intensified over the

past few months.

Apart from frequent training at the range, Lalchan said more women are taking part in firearm sporting activities.

Lalchan agreed with the former executive director of the National Operations Centre Garvin Heerah that more women should arm themselves.

“I am appalled and I am totally against violence against women in whatever form. These are our mothers, sisters, wives and it seems that something is wrong with the upbringing some people have in this society. We should be nurtured to be more submissive and caring and to communicate more with the women of the nation,” Lalchan said.

He said based on the number of calls he has received from women recently the membership of women may surpass that of men shortly. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021

35

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Big Oil to see production peak in 2028

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he pandemic shock to demand and the energy transition strategies are set to bring peak crude and natural gas production for Big Oil in 2028, at a lower volume and earlier than previously expected, Rystad Energy said in an analysis this week.

The five integrated supermajors – ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Shell, and Total – will see their combined crude oil and natural gas production peak at 18 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) in 2028, compared to projections from before COVID-19 that had expected the combined production to continue rising until 2030 at over 20 million bpd.

Last year, Big Oil’s combined oil and gas production declined by close to 5 per cent, or by 900,000 boepd, compared to 2019, according to Rystad Energy. In 2020, the five supermajors also incurred a record combined US$76 billion loss due to the crash in oil prices and oil demand, the analysts said.

Over the past year, emission reduction targets and strategies have altered the long-term outlook for the supermajors’ production.

Rystad Energy now sees the majors’ net production at around 17.5 million boepd in 2025 and peaking at around 18 million boepd in 2028. Just before the pandemic, Rystad Energy had expected 2025 production to be at 19 million boepd and 20 million boepd in 2028.

Some of the European supermajors that have committed to becoming net-zero emission businesses by 2050 have already said that their oil production would gradually drop over the years.

BP, for example, said it would boost its investment in lowcarbon energy ten times to US$5 billion a year and reduce oil and gas production by 40 per cent by 2030. Earlier this month, Shell said its oil production peaked in 2019 and is set for a continual decline over the next three decades.

“The key to success for the five majors over the next decade will be to strengthen their business in more resilient regions, restructure and resize to match the market needs, and pay back their high debt levels,” said Rahul Choudhary, upstream analyst at Rystad Energy. (Excerpt from Oilprice.com)

Russia reports 1st case of human infection with H5N8 bird flu

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ussia has registered the first case of a strain of bird flu virus named AH5N8 being passed to humans from birds and has reported the case to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the head of a health consumer watchdog said.

Outbreaks of the H5N8 strain have been reported in Russia, Europe, China, the Middle East and North Africa in recent months but only in poultry. Other strains – H5N1, H7N9 and H9N2 – have been known to spread to humans.

Russia reported the case to the WHO “several days ago, just as we became absolutely certain of our results,” Anna Popova, the head of health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, told

The majority of human bird flu infections have been associated with direct contact with infected live or dead poultry, though properly cooked food is considered to be safe.

Bird flu outbreaks often prompt poultry plants to kill

saga, said his faith in God and belief in the rightness of his cause was sustaining him.

Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critic, returned to Russia last month from Germany, where he had been recovering from a near-fatal poisoning in Siberia in August with what many Western nations

said was a nerve agent.

He was jailed earlier this month for parole violations he said were trumped up.

Western countries have condemned the case and are discussing possible sanctions on Russia.

A Moscow court swiftly rejected Navalny’s appeal on Saturday, while shortening his original jail term by six

weeks. The original term was 3-1/2 years.

Navalny had earlier told the judge he was not guilty of parole violations as a previous court had found.

He said he had been unable to report to the Moscow prison service last year because he had been convalescing in Germany at the time.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

The highly contagious strain is lethal for birds but has never before been reported to have spread to humans

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny loses jail appeal, is fined for slander

K

remlin critic Alexei Navalny lost his appeal on Saturday against what he said was a politically motivated decision to jail him for nearly three years, and was found guilty of slander and fined in a separate case.

The double legal defeat had been anticipated by his supporters, who believe the Kremlin sees the 44-yearold opposition politician as a threat, a notion the Kremlin laughs off. It paves the way for Navalny to be moved from a Moscow jail to a prison camp outside the capital.

Navalny, in a speech to the court that referenced the Bible and the Harry Potter

Myanmar coup: At least 2 killed as Police disperse protesters

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t least two people have been killed in protests in Myanmar against a military coup, the worst violence yet in more than two weeks of demonstrations.

Police used live ammunition to disperse demonstrators in Mandalay, reports from the ground said.

At least 20 people were injured.

Hundreds had gathered for the rally at a shipyard in Myanmar's second-largest city.

The coup saw the overthrow of Aung San Suu Kyi's elected Government.

Protesters are demanding that she be released, along with other members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party.

She is under house arrest, accused of possessing illegal walkie-talkies and violating the country's Natural Disaster Law. The military alleged the NLD's landslide election win last year was fraudulent but have not provided proof.

Rossiya 24 state TV on Saturday. There was no sign of transmission between humans so far, she added.

The highly contagious strain is lethal for birds but has never before been reported to have spread to humans.

their birds to prevent the virus from spreading, and avoid importing countries having to impose trade restrictions.

Seven workers at a poultry plant in Russia’s south had been infected with the H5N8 strain when there was an outbreak at the plant in December, Popova said.

The workers did not suffer any serious health consequences, she added.

Popova praised “the important scientific discovery,” saying “time will tell” if the virus can further mutate.

Siberia’s Vector Institute said on Saturday it would start developing human tests and a vaccine against H5N8, RIA news agency reported. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

3 separate Kabul explosions kill 5, wound 2 – Afghan Police

T

hree separate explosions in the Afghan capital Kabul killed at least five people and wounded two others amid a surge in violence in the war-torn country.

Kabul Police spokesman Ferdaws Faramarz said the first two explosions took place 15 minutes apart and a third targeting a Police vehicle occurred two hours later.

No group immediately claimed responsibility.

It was not immediately clear what caused the blasts.

The majority of attacks in the capital in recent months

have been sticky bombs – explosive devices with magnets that are attached to vehicles and detonated by remote control or timer.

The second explosion targeted a car in a northwestern Kabul neighbourhood in which national army soldiers were travelling, killing two soldiers. A civilian passerby was also killed.

The third explosion destroyed a Police car in western Kabul, killing two Police officers.

Meanwhile, the first blast targeted a civilian car and wounded both travellers in-

side the vehicle.

Kabul Police said investigations were underway.

Afghanistan has seen a nationwide spike in bombings, targeted killings and violence on the battlefield as peace negotiations in Qatar between the Taliban and the Afghan Government have stalled.

The ISIL (ISIS) group’s local affiliate has claimed responsibility for some of the attacks, but many go unclaimed with the Government putting the blame on the Taliban. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

the report by the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OHCA) said on Saturday.

“Assistance remains particularly limited in rural areas due to access constraints and security volatility, and there are acute gaps and challenges across all sectors.”

It came after the Ethiopian Red Cross warned earlier in February that without improved humanitarian access to a region where 80 per cent of the population of six million is still unreachable, tens of thousands of people could starve to death after two months.

Prime Minister Abiy

Ahmed ordered troops into the northern region on November 4, saying the operation was in response to alleged attacks on federal army camps by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the regional governing party that once dominated the country’s Federal Government. Abiy declared victory on November 28 after the TPLF withdrew from the regional capital, Mekelle, and major towns, but low-level fighting continues. Some senior TPLF members remain at large, though the Federal Government has captured or killed a number of former officials. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

UN: Tigray malnutrition “very critical”, response woefully poor

Protesters have been taking to the streets ever since the coup at the start of the month

Clashes broke out in Mandalay when Police confronted protesters and striking shipyard workers.

Reports say some protesters flung projectiles at Police, who responded with live fire and tear gas.

Relatives of one of those killed told Reuters news agency he was a carpenter, aged 36, who was shot in the chest. The other fatality - reports say a boy under 18 - was shot in the head.

The EU said it strongly condemned the violence

and the US embassy in Myanmar said it was "deeply troubled".

On Friday a young woman became the first confirmed death from the protests.

Further demonstrations took place on Saturday in several cities, including Yangon, where residents banged pots and a candle-light vigil was held outside the US embassy.

The security forces mostly left the protesters alone.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

A

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“Despite some progress, the humanitarian response remains drastically inadequate compared to the sheer magnitude of needs across the region,”

36

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021

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FIFA 2022 Qualifying Tournament

TT chooses venue; GFF learns through TT media T

here seems to be some resolution in the issue of venue and host country for the FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifying game between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. However, it comes with a catch.

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) on Saturday released information that indicated that a neutral venue - the Dominican Republic - was chosen to host the game billed for March 25. This announcement goes against the first neutral venue in Curacao, that was in place initially.

The decision to move the Soca Warriors’ home game to the Dominican Republic comes after the Trinidadian Health authorities fiercely refused to allow the TTFA to have a ‘hot bubble’ environment.

The statement from the TTFA read: "The TTFA has therefore taken a decision to stage the match at the Pan American Stadium, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic. The date of the match remains March 25th. The TTFA will provide further information over the coming days in relation to arrangements for the Men’s Senior Team leading up to this important opening qualifying match.

"The Ministry of Health’s protocol and guidelines mandate fourteen (14) days’ quarantine for anyone entering the country. This condition is not feasible, given the FIFA international match window, and the MOH has declined the TTFA’s request of an exemption to facilitate a hot-bubble, which would allow members of both teams, including staff, to arrive within a suitable time period conducive to international football," TTFA’s statement further revealed.

A glimpse at Guyana’s ongoing local preparation

While it looks like the Trinidadian authorities have chosen their desired venue, it is alleged that no formal correspondence has reached the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), under whose premise the game and qualifying tournament falls. As such, no formal indication has reached the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), who are still presumably in the dark.

Bryion Bowen grateful for exposure from Demerara U-19

— says hungry for more, and vows to put best foot forward Story by Timothy Jaikarran, photos by Brandon Corlette

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emerara defeated Berbice in a low-scoring thriller in the Guyana Cricket Board/ Hand-in-Hand Under-19 InterCounty tournament’s final game one week ago to defend their title. Scoring the winning run in a typical West Indian fashion was none other than Bryion Bowen, who smashed a beautiful six to take his side home.

Many would remember Bowen when he was interviewed by this publication in the early part of 2020. Bowen had noted then that he had goals he wanted to achieve, and playing for Demerara U19 was one of them, as this would signal that all his hard work was paying off.

He had mentioned that while he remained focused on his goals, he would have to double down, as his focus was between work and playing cricket. Nevertheless, he worked through it all, going to work every day, maintaining his fitness and practising at his club, all during the dreadful COVID-19 pandemic.

But dreams are dreams, and for Bowen, attaining them at the highest level - playing for Guyana, and on to the West Indies - means that he would stop at nothing to achieve what he has so ardently been dreaming of.

In an interview with this publication, the young fast bowler was asked a series of questions on what he believes the future holds for him. Here is that interview Q: How do you feel about the win?

A: How do I feel about the win? First, I just want to give thanks to God Almighty for giving me the health and strength for being there on that day. I mean, I wasn’t even expecting to bat, as the total was a small one and I thought we would have

chased it pretty comfortably. But nevertheless, I am happy to be able to contribute and take my team over the line.

The win was pretty exciting. I felt overwhelmed and overjoyed.

My team mates were supportive, and there was even family there, so it was really great.

Q: You hit a six to win; what prompted you into the shot?

A: Well, yes, I hit a six to win the game, as we knew we were down and had one wicket remaining; and the left arm spinner was bowling really tight, hitting his lengths, and to top it off, the pitch was spin-friendly.

He was a smart bowler, even to his field setting was very strategic, but I did not want the pressure to get to me, as they were on top.

I studied what would happen if I gave my wicket away. That would put pressure on the other batsman to come, w h i c h was the number 11. But I made up my mind that, if he bowled in my zone, I was going to go after him; and his next delivery was right there, and I hit the winning run.

Q: What's next for you, what do you see yourself doing?

A: Basically, God willing, I will be selected to represent the youth side this year. I’m just looking to put my best foot forward and perform while representing our Guyana

flag. I am also looking that in the future I aim to get into a franchise team and then from there go on to represent Guyana at the highest level and even go on to represent the West Indies at the test level.

Bowen also boasted that while he was only able to play one of the two games, he was able to hit the winning runs and even able to bag the wicket of West Indies Youth batsman Rampertab Ramnauth. He also noted that he was economical in his bowling as well and even managed some edges to the keeper and slips which were dropped. Bowen further reiterated that he was not satisfied with his performance as he is always hungry for more and will continue to push himself to get to the highest level.

Bryion Bowen celebrating as he hits the winning six

BCB/Lewison General Store 2020 Under-15…

Rampertab Ramnauth’s all-round efforts propel Port Mourant to U-15 championship

By Brandon Corlette

W

est Indies youth player Rampertab Ramnauth produced an impressive all-round performance to lead Port Mourant Community Centre Cricket Club to a 30-run win against the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club in a match played at the Jai Hind ground at Albion.

In the final, of the Berbice Cricket Board/Lewison General Store 2020 Under-15 tourney, which was slated for last year, Ramnauth hit 61 and picked up 5-32 in 7.1 overs.

Port Mourant had earlier won the toss and elected to bat first, scoring 159-9 in 50 overs. In response, Albion were bowled out for 128 in 39.1 overs. The classy left-hander, Rampertab led the way for Port Mourant with an attacking 61 after he was dropped on multiple occasions.

He added 35 runs for the opening wicket with his brother, Rampersaud Ramnauth (06).

The solid Romesh Bharrat, batting at three dropped anchor and watched Rampertab attack the Albion bowlers. This duo added 54 runs to the tally, but Ramnuath rode his luck after he was put down on 20, 46, 50 and 52.

The West Indies youth player, who scored 61, hit six fours and three sweet sixes on the small outfield.

He, however, threw his wicket away spooning one to short-mid-wicket off the bowling of Tameshwar Mangal.

Bharrat's painstaking innings ended when Port

Mourant were reduced to 113-3 in 32 overs. He struck a solitary four in his 15. The Port Mourant middle-order was eventually exposed, with Salim Khan (07), Romel Budwa (07) and Vishal William (07) falling cheaply.

At 129-5, with nine overs remaining, left-hander Ganesh Seosahai opened his arm and hit boundaries off pacer Shiv Harripersaud. Batting at number seven, he slammed 17, which included three fours.

Port Mourant had pushed to 158-9 when 50 overs expired. Kumar Deopersaud claimed 2-13 in his 10 overs that included three maidens, while Devon Lalbehari had 2-15 in three overs. Mangal ended with 2-32 in his 10 overs.

In response, Damion Cecil hit a top-score of 30, but that proved insufficient for the Albion lads. Albion lost openers Mangal (04) and AriAfrizal Kadir (02) went in the hut at 22-2, but Harripersaud and Cecil added 62 runs to give Albion hope.

After Harripersaud was removed for 28, which included three fours, and Cecil was removed for (30), which was decorated with three fours, Rampertab, bowling his leg-spin, wrecked the batting order with off-spinner Romel Budwaa in tandem.

Rampertab ended with 5-32 in 7.1 overs, while Budwaa claimed 4-36 in 10 overs.

Berbice Under-15 player Salim Khan had 1-18 in nine overs as Albion lost their final seven wickets for 44 runs.

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021

GFF issues provisional suspensions to players, coaches and match officials …after reports of unauthorised competition at Buxton

S

everal national team players, registered coaches and match officials have been provisionally suspended from all football activities with immediate effect, pending a Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Disciplinary Committee investigation following reports of an unauthorised football event having occurred in Buxton.

The individuals will be unable to participate in any international or club football until the resolution of Disciplinary Committee proceedings, and could face further disciplinary action. They will be notified of the venue, date and time of their separate hearings in due course.

The provisional suspensions apply to the following:

Coaches:

National team players:

Trayon Bobb, Kelsey Benjamin, Nicholas McArthur, Kevin Dundas, Sese Norville

Match officials:

Dwayne Johnson, Deon Feasall, Roydon Ramsay

Sese Norville

Dwayne Jacobs, Philbert Moffatt, Sharon Abrams, Sherwin Neblett This action, in line with the GFF’s constitutional mandate and responsible governance duties, has been taken following notification of an unsanctioned football event at the Buxton Community Ground.

Further GFF investigations into the participation of other individuals are ongoing and may result in similar disciplinary action in due course.

To defend the integrity of the game and protect the safety and wellbeing of its membership, the GFF Constitution – approved by FIFA – contains specific clauses related to unauthorised football activity.

Under Section 5.3 of the Constitution, registered “players may not take part in football matches that are not under the jurisdiction of the Federation and/or FIFA and /or Concacaf”.

Under Section 13.1(a), “members must comply fully with the Statutes/ Constitution, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA, Concacaf, and the

Albion name training squad for upcoming Speaker’s nationwide T/20 Championship

Devendra Bishoo

Veerasammy Permaul

A

lbion Community Centre Cricket Club has named a strong 26-man squad to commence training in preparation for the Club’s participation in the upcoming National T20 Cricket Championship that is set for mid-March and will run until May 5. The squad, which includes West Indies cricketers Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo, is as follows: Kandasammy Surujnarine, Adrian Sukhwa, Rajiv Ivan, Anthony Bramble, Jonathan Foo, Sharaz Ramcharran, Sarwan Chaitnarine, Jeetendra Outar, Ramesh Kasinauth, Devendra Bishoo, Kelvin Umroa, Ritesh Umroa,Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, Rayaad Karim, Inzam Shazam, Gourav Ramesh, Mahendra Chaitnarine, Antonio February, Leon Cecil, Devendra Latchman, Shiv Harripersaud, Jousha Harichand, Karan Arjpaul, Tameshwar Mahadeo and Parvesh Ganesh All players, with the exception of those currently engaged in national duties, are asked attend an important meeting with the c l u b ’s Jonathan Foo

executives on Monday, February 22, at the Albion Community Centre’s Main Hall, commencing at 16:30 hours. The squad will commence training from Tuesday, February 23.

Apart from intense training and practice sessions, the squad would also be engaged in several practice matches prior to the selection of final team.

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Manzoor Nadir, is hosting this tournament in collaboration with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the Everest Cricket Club, that will first division clubs in Guyana that will be managed by the GCB under its T20 rules.

The tournament is proposed to comprise at least 24 teams, with priority to play in the championship being given to clubs on a first-come first-play basis.

There will be four zones and clubs will draw for the zone.

Each first division club must be willing and able to pay the entrance fee, and manage the logistics related to its involvement in the competition. Uniforms would be provided. The entrance fee and draftnumbered fixtures with dates shall be pre-determined and communicated subsequent to the receipt of expressions of interest

from the indicated first division clubs.

A club that enters the competition then withdraws therefrom shall forfeit its entrance fees. Clubs that fail to show for a match shall be fined a pre-determined fee and be investigated for match fixing by an assigned committee of the GCB. A first division club entering this national T/20 cricket competition shall be a club with generally considered domestic first division size ground and one (a club) that is currently playing or has recently played first division cricket within its association/ committee or county, and/or such team as may be considered as a CGI Franchise, county team or association/ committee team, which can validate the use of a home ground for the duration of the tournament.

Attractive Prizes are on offer:

MVP of the competition would get $1,000,000/or a motor car (depending on sponsorship) First Prize – $1,000,000 Runner-Up – $500,000, Third place – $200,000 Fourth place -$100,000.

All expressions of interest must be on the club’s letter head and addressed to Chairperson of Speakers T/20 Championship, and sent by email to: admin@guyanacricketboard.org.

The closing date for receipt of expressions of interest is Monday, 22 February 2021 at 9:00 hours or 9am.

Federation at all times and to ensure by a statutory clause that these are also respected by its Affiliates”.

Under Section 13.1(h), members are obliged “not to maintain any relations of a sporting nature with entities (eg. clubs, Leagues) that are not Members or Affiliates nor with Members that have been suspended or expelled”.

Section 13.2 states that the “violation of the above-mentioned obligations by any Member may lead to sanctions”.

Furthermore, under current official COVID-19 restrictions designed to saves lives and protect communities, gatherings of more than 10 people are banned. Since the onset of the pandemic, the only football event the GFF has sanctioned with approval from the National COVID-19 Task Force has been the GFF “Bounce Back Classic”, which took place at the turn of the year behind closed doors without fans and under strict health protocols.

The GFF Disciplinary Committee is one of the three independent oversight bodies of the Federation and addresses any alleged breaches of the GFF Constitution.

Ambrose fails in bid to land England pace bowling coach job

W

est Indies fast bowling legend, Curtly Ambrose, has not been selected for the position of England Cricket Board (ECB) elite pace-bowling coach, despite making the shortlist of candidates interviewed.

The ECB put out an advertisement for three vacant positions, pace-bowling coach, spin-bowling coach and batting coach, in December. Interviews were conducted in recent weeks after applications closed last month.

Ambrose, who made known that he had applied for the post a few weeks ago, revealed that he had been contacted but unfortunately was not selected for the post.

“I got a call from one of the panellists yesterday [Thursday] to inform me that I was unsuccessful in my bid. The interview went v e r y well. There were four panellists and everything went according to plan and I thought I did a wonderful job, so I was pretty excited. I thought I probably would have made it but I am not going to really worry too much about it. To have made the shortlist is a

step in the right direction obviously,” Ambrose told the Antigua Observer.

With the Ashes on the horizon, Ambrose, who has taken 128 wickets against Australia (fourth-best alltime, with the best economy rate among the top 5), admits that he was hoping that his previously dominant performances down under might have weighed in his favour.

“I was expecting to be part of the squad considering the World T20 coming up and, of course, the Ashes. You know that when England play Australia in the Ashes, it’s a big one and I thought that maybe because of my tremendous success in Australia that it would have, at least, given me an extra step, but it didn’t work out and I am quite happy with how everything went. In life, we get some good news and some not so good, and you learn to accept it and move on,” he said.

The 57-year-old previously worked as West Indies bowling consultant between 2014 and 2016. He was replaced by Roddy Estwick.

(Sportsmax)

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021

39

5-star Khan, Mohammed and Bravo silence Guyana Jaguars A

maiden five-wicket haul from leg-spinner Imran Khan, backed up by half-centuries from Jason Mohammed and Darren Bravo, led the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force to a comfortable six-wicket win against the Guyana Jaguars at Coolidge Cricket ground in Antigua.

This win ensures the Red Force keep their unbeaten record perfect with five wins in as many matches in this CG Insurance Regional Super50 tournament.

After a great start, Jaguars were shot out for 187 in 41.5 overs, while the Red Force cruised to 189-4 in 40.2 overs.

With the likes of Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine being rested, Darren Bravo won the toss for the Red Force and opted to field first.

Chandrapaul Hemraj, with Jaguars debutant Tevin Imlach, blazed away from the inception and set a solid platform. Hemraj took on the bowling while the well-organised Imlach rotated the strike and hit the bad balls.

The duo added 106 runs for the opening wicket, but Imlach was the first one to go when he missed a sweep shot and was bowled for 38 from 57 balls, including three fours and one six.

Shimron Hetmyer partnered Hemraj and the duo added 22 runs, but Hetmyer again lacked application and, after scoring 10 runs from 11 balls, hit one down the throat of long-

Denesh Ramdin and Jason Mohammed showed their experience and ensured no further hiccups as Red Force ended on 189-4 in 40.2 overs.

Mohammed’s unbeaten

82 from 116 balls included eight fours, while Ramdin was not out on 17. Jaguars will play Windward Islands Volcanoes on Monday February 22.

SCOREBOARD

Imran Khan bowling during his 5-wicket haul (CWI Media/Phillip Spooner Photos)

off in only the second ball of Khan’s spell. Thereafter, things went downhill for the Jaguars, and the final eight wickets were shot out for 59 runs.

After smacking 87 runs from 84 balls, which included six thumping sixes and five fours, Hemraj attempted to cut one but found the edge, and was caught at the wicket.

Christopher Barnwell, promoted at four, made 12, while the returning Leon Johnson managed only three, as did Anthony Bramble.

Romario Shepherd (12) and Kevin Sinclair (11) all bit the

GUYANA JAGUARS INNINGS Chanderpaul Hemraj c Ramdin b Khan 87 Tevin Imlach b Pierre 38 Shimron Hetmyer c Pierre b Khan 10 Christopher Barnwell c Ramdin b Phillip 12 Leon Johnson c Pooran b Khan 3 Anthony Bramble st Ramdin b Khan 3 Romario Shepherd c & b Hosein 12 Kevin Sinclair c Pierre b Hosein 11 Gudakesh Motie not out 6 Nial Smith lbw b Khan 0

Darren Bravo contstructed a half-century

dust as Khan wreaked havoc on the Jaguars innings to end with magical figures of 5-32 from nine overs. He was supported by Akeal Hosein with 2-25.

In response, Red Force lost Evin Lewis for four to off-spinner Sinclair, and Kjorn Ottley went for a similar score off the bowling of Nial Smith. The first two wickets fell for 11 before senior batsmen Jason Mohammed and Darren Bravo batted the Jaguars out of the contest with a 112run partnership.

This duo took the score to 127-3 in 29.3 overs before Bravo was removed by the

consist e n t Gudakesh Motie.

Bravo’s innings of 58 came off 77 balls and included six fours and one six.

Nicholas P o o r a n came and played some big hits, but was removed for a nineball 18, but

Total (10 wickets, 41.5) (5 extras) 187 FOW: 106/1 (20.4) Tevin Imlach 128/2 (24.2) Shimron Hetmyer 142/3 (26.1) Chanderpaul Hemraj 152/4 (30.1) Leon Johnson 156/5 (30.6) Anthony Bramble 158/6 (31.5) Christopher Barnwell 180/7 (39.3) Kevin Sinclair 181/8 (39.6) Romario Shepherd 184/9 (40.4) Nial Smith 187/10 (41.5) Keon Joseph

Chandrapaul Hemraj

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO INNINGS Evin Lewis lbw b Sinclair 4 Kjorn Ottley c Hemraj b Smith 4 Jason Mohammed not out 82 Darren Bravo c Hetmyer b Moti-Kanhai 58 Nicolas Pooran st Bramble b Moti-Kanhai 18 Denesh Ramdin not out 17 Total (4 wickets, 40.2) (6 extras) 189 FOW: 4/1 (0.5) Evin Lewis 15/2 (6.1) Kjorn Ottley 127/3 (29.3) Darren Bravo 155/4 (33.4) Nicolas Pooran BOWLING Kevin Sinclair (10-1-33-1) Romario Shepherd (7-1-43-0) Nial Smith (6-1-26-1) Keon Joseph (6.2-0-47-0) Gudakesh Motie (10-0-36-2) Chanderpaul Hemraj (1-0-2-0)

BOWLING Akeal Hosein (6-1-25-2) Jayden Seales (7.5-0-40-1) Anderson Phillip (6-1-37-1) Khary Pierre (8-2-23-1) Jason Mohammed (5-0-26-0) Imran Khan (9-0-32-5)

GFF Boss urges stakeholders to reject unauthorised tournaments A ll members, players, coaches, match officials and clubs that fall under the umbrella of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) are constitutionally obliged to abstain from unauthorised football events, both for the long-term benefit of football development and the safety and wellbeing of the football community, GFF President Wayne Forde said.

In the current climate, with the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing and lockdown rules still in force, Forde said any such unsanctioned events should be boycotted by the public and handled appropriately according to the law.

“We have been extremely concerned and alarmed to hear several reports of top national players and registered match officials participating in a specific unauthorised football competition in Buxton, alongside images of large crowds convening at the community ground at night to watch,” he said.

“It beggars belief that anyone would put the health of players, match officials and the public at risk at this delicate time, and that this should apparently go completely unchecked by the national authorities and the local police,” he said, urging the National COVID-19 Task Force and Government of Guyana to intervene in the interests of public health.

“Separately, we expect our national team players and registered referees to act as role models and lead by example, both by making responsible decisions for themselves and their loved ones during this health crisis and by following the rules of the GFF Constitution that they are bound by. The behaviour of some of our national players is even more baffling given that the Golden Jaguars are currently preparing for FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month.”

Forde calls for collective action against all unsanctioned football activity in his column in the new monthly GFF newsletter – GFFNOW – which is published today on the GFF website at https://www.guyanafootball. org/gff-now-football-is-back/ and on its social media platforms. The GFF announced provisional suspensions for

several national team players, registered coaches and match officials on Saturday, pending Disciplinary Committee hearings, based on reports of the unauthorised competition at Buxton.

“Under the GFF Constitution, all members and constituents are prohibited from taking part in any football activities that have not been authorised by the GFF. Enforcing this is the responsibility of the Federation as part of its duties within FIFA’s global governance structure.

The Constitution seeks to ensure that all football in Guyana is played to certain standards and in an orderly, structured manner – for the long-term benefit of football development and governance, and the health and safety of the entire football community,” he said.

“If the GFF does not act to defend its Constitution to avoid a state of lawlessness resulting from unregulated football, the Federation’s compliance with FIFA and Concacaf statutes will be threatened, possibly resulting in Guyana’s suspension from football governance structures, international football competitions and funding for football development projects,” he said. “This is what is at stake.”

Forde said the role that the GFF plays in the regulation of football activities is intended to: 1. Ensure that competitions are played in accordance with the Laws of the Game.

2. Ensure that competitions are organised in a manner that places the highest priority on the safety and wellbeing of players, coaches, match officials, spectators and the public.

3. Ensure that adequate medical facilities and certified first responders are on hand in the event of an injury.

4. Ensure that match fixing does not occur and that players and officials are not exposed to intimidation by criminal elements seeking to manipulate results.

5. Ensure that individuals involved in the organisation of any competitions are in good standing with the Federation, have not been convicted of any crime and have the adequate expertise and capabilities required to stage public activities.

6. Reduce the potential for money laundering, illegal gambling and other illicit fi-

nancial activities.

7. Ensure that all conflicts, sporting and otherwise, arising from a competition are adjudicated through the GFF’s FIFA-approved constitutional processes.

8. Ensure that the GFF annual football calendar of activities is respected by all.

9. Protect the image and governance of football in Guyana.

10. Support the rule of law and the orderly organization of public activities under values and regulations that have been agreed by the national football community, with the long-term support of the Government of Guyana and regional authorities.

“Without these structures in place, we risk enabling a lawless free-for-all that will not only jeopardise the sustainable development of the game and our young talent, but also open the door to criminal elements and match fixing,” he said. “Together, all legitimate stakeholders – from the GFF community to the Government of Guyana – must take a firm collective stand and act swiftly now to nip these unauthorised activities in the bud.”

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

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

GFF issues provisional suspensions to players, coaches and match officials

Page 39

Page 38

5-star Khan, Mohammed and Bravo silence Guyana Jaguars

…after reports of unauthorised competition at Buxton

GFF Boss Rampertab Ramnauth’s urges all-round efforts propel Port Mourant to U-15 stakeholders championship to reject unauthorised tournaments

BCB/Lewison General Store 2020 Under-15…

Page 37

Page 39

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