Guyana Times - Sunday February 28, 2021

Guyanese artist on a mission to win Global Art Award Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 4573 guyanatimesgy.com

P13

THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Former APNU/AFC Minister signed off millions in contracts to own company – record reveals Berbice mother, newborn baby die Opposition admit hours apart flaws in their poorlySee story on page 9

Page 12

Page 3

…health Ministry launches probe negotiated Liza permit

PRICE

$120 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Father accidentally crushes toddler to death P29 P22 37 new COVID-19 cases recorded

159 persons P21 charged for DUI in 3 months Govt removes red tape for access to Presidential P22 Grant After 5 months

P8

Lusignan Prison escapee recaptured

Haitians, Cuban travelling from Guyana arrested in Brazil for P27 illegal entry

AG orders Leguan Stelling contractor to vacate site

…sends formal notice of termination of contract Vaccination rollout

Page 29

Schools likely to reopen after Easter holidays – Manickchand

Page 23

APNU/AFC called out for low project implementation P26 rate …pace now 95% under current PPP Govt – Edghill

2

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

3

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Sunday, February 28 – 04:30h – 06:00h and Monday, March 1 – 04:30h – 06:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, February 28 – 05:15h – 06:45h and Monday, March 1 – 05:50h – 07:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Expect sunshine during the day. There will be partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 17:43h reaching a maximum height of 2.88 metres.

Low Tide: 11:16h and 23:38h reaching minimum heights of 0.39 metre and 0.36 metre.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS F

08 09 15

19 21 23

26

FREE TICKET

Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

02 10 15 16 25 LUCKY 3

5

4

4

4

Afternoon Draw

0

3

Berbice mother, newborn baby die hours apart …Health Ministry launches probe

H

ealth authorities have launched an investigation into the death of a 31-year-old mother of three, who died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Saturday morning.

Dead is Vanessa LewisSahadeo of Williamsburg, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), who died hours after her newborn. The newborn baby died at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

After giving birth to her fourth child, Lewis-Sahadeo was transferred to GHPC is an unconscious state where she succumbed a few hours later. She was rushed to the city medical facility after reportedly developing complications at the regional hospital.

Her father, Eric Lewis, a painter, told this publication that he was told that doctors were forced to remove her uterus in New Amsterdam.

Lewis-Sahadeo had gone to the prenatal clinic at the Port Mourant Hospital and was expected to return within two weeks. However, within a few days, she went into labour.

According to her mother, Charis Cecil, on the evening of February 21, her daughter called and told her she was getting labour pains.

“So, I told her that we will go to the hospital tomorrow (Monday) and she said that she don’t want to go to New Amsterdam, she would go right at Port Mourant.”

The grieving mother explained that they visited the Port Mourant Hospital the following morning where Lewis-Sahadeo was admitted and then transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

“They told us that her pressure was low and her blood was low. So, they gave

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

06

11

13

14

15 17 20

PAY DAY

SUPER PAY DAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2021

01 02

07 08

13

11

04 06

16 18

21

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

$66.13/barrel

-1.13

Rough Rice

$234.99/ton

-0.38

London Sugar

$455.10/ton

-2.76

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1735.60

$1736.60

Low/High

$1716.70

$1871.10

Change

0.00

0.00%

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

us a prescription to buy some tablets and give to her,” the mother recalled.

She detailed that she was only able to have telephone conversations with her daughter during the rest of the week as LewisSahadeo remained a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital. She said because of COVID-19 guidelines she could not see her daughter but nonetheless took food for her every day. “…but me and she does talk on the phone every night. Friday night she tell me that they taking her to the labour room in the morning and she want her sister to bring food because after she deliver she would be hungry.”

She said she received a telephone call on Saturday from someone who identified themself as a nurse at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

“She tell me that she have something to tell me and she take a long time and then say that the baby died and that they had to remove her womb,” the mother said.

This, the woman said, prompted her to rush to the hospital and according to her, when she arrived there her daughter was on a stretcher.

“They had doctors around her and one of them had something in his hand pumping and every time he squeeze it she shaking,” she recalled, adding that she tried to find out from the doctors what the matter was but none of them responded to her.

“Like is Cuban doctors and they can’t understand me so they just talking in their own language all the time and I can’t understand what they saying, and nobody tell me anything till I start to cry because I see like she dead already then a nurse come and tell me that she is not dead and they taking her to Georgetown,” the grieving mother said.

According to Cecil, they waited hours for the ambulance to transport her unconscious daughter to the city medical facility.

“The ambulance come and it did not carry her, it take somebody else. We wait a long time before it come back and then they put her inside.”

Asked what time she arrived at the New Amsterdam Hospital, Cecil said it was sometime before 16:00h, adding that when the ambulance returned to New Amsterdam to collect her daughter it was almost 18:00h.

“Whole week she was at the New Amsterdam Hospital, none of them could not check her to see if something wrong. Now they telling me that the baby died inside her and so they had to take out her womb. When we ask them to see the baby they say that we can’t see the baby and that the baby was deformed,” the woman said.

The woman’s parents called for a thorough investigation into their daughter’s and grandchild’s death.

Dead: Vanessa Lewis-Sahadeo Probe launched

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry on Saturday afternoon said it has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of LewisSahadeo, which occurred at the GPHC. “Based on information available at this time, Ms Lewis-Sahadeo was admitted to the Maternity Ward of the New Amsterdam Hospital on Monday where she gave birth and subsequently underwent emergency surgery. She was later transferred to the GPHC where she subsequently died,” the statement said while noting that the Ministry extends condolences to Lewis-Sahadeo’s relatives.

The Ministry is assuring that the circumstances that led to her death will be investigated thoroughly.

(Andrew Carmichael)

4

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 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

Parliamentary Debates

T

here has been great consternation in the citizenry over the tone, tenor and substance of Budget Debate 2021. As part of the tradition inherited from the English House of Commons, Parliamentary debates are a major plank in the edifice of democratic, representative governance. With the political system driven by the logic of agglomerating majorities, the competing parties invariably adopt positions in opposition to each other, so as to distinguish themselves. As such, it is expected that during debates in Parliament, statements can become pointed.

However, over the centuries, Parliamentary rules have evolved with the aim to encourage debates that positively enlighten the populace on the merits or demerits of the matter being debated – here, the Budget presented by the new PPP Government. What are some of those rules?

Firstly, that each side would be given an opportunity to present its position on the subject, starting with the side that had proposed the motion or the Budget, and followed by the Opposition.

As is implied by its name, the “Opposition” is supposed to identify flaws or weaknesses in the Government’s proposals, and propose alternative measures if they so desire. While MPs are speaking, there are several interruptions that are permissible: points of order, point of information, and point of personal privilege. “Points of Order” can be invoked at any time if the speaker on the floor has violated a rule of the House. The objector must state the particular rule alleged to have been violated, after he is acknowledged by the Speaker and asked to do so. The clock is stopped at this juncture. The “point of information” is, as implied, to seek clarification on an assertion being made by a speaker.

The “point of personal privilege” works similarly to the “point of order”, and is used when a Member believes he/she has been misquoted, or personally insulted, or offended by the speaker on the floor. MPs are permitted to heckle, boo, or thump desks to indicate their approval or disapproval of what is being said from either side of the House.

And this is where it is felt that matters were allowed to get out of hand, especially on the first day of the Budget Debate. Heckles, by convention, are supposed to be short, witty and substantive remarks, which are normally ignored or answered by the speaker in a similar manner and spirit.

However, during the Budget debate, there were sexist, homophobic, and even scatological insults hurled in very demeaning tones. There could have been two types of responses, neither of which was resorted to. Firstly, the persons being insulted could have responded on “points of personal privilege”, on which the Speaker could then have made a ruling. But even without such objections, since the sexist and homophobic insults violated norms and legal enactments of the State, the Speaker could have pointed this out to the offender.

Additionally, the Speaker could have demanded “order” when the exchanges became too boisterous and violated the norms of acceptable behaviour in the House.

But there is a larger issue in play that must be addressed: that Guyana seems to be part of a global trend where deepening and extreme polarisation of societies now characterises democracies. This trend is reflected in the polarisation of the representative parties which are prepared to violate the age-old norms that have evolved to encourage party representatives to seek higher ground for the benefit of the country at large - in debates.

Herein lies the danger for Guyana, which, since the 1950s, has already been a deeply divided society and has episodically erupted in violence that has pitted the supporters of the two major parties against each other.

We have just come out of a very contentious elections wherein the PNC blatantly attempted to rig the elections in full view of the world, and yet insist they have won the elections while refusing to release their SOPs. The society remains tense, and Parliament should calm, rather than intensify, this tension.

First Lady Arya Ali, sharing a photo opportunity with parents to whom she donated tablets in order for their children to have access to education through e-learning platforms (Office of the First Lady photo)

GECOM must step up and deliver LGE in free and fair manner

Dear Editor, The concretisation of the PPP/C’s commitment to supporting scheduled Local Government Elections (LGE) in 2021 has been appropriately represented in the National Assembly by Nigel Dharamlall, Minister of Local Government. It follows public statements made on behalf of the Government by the Hon Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh, President Dr Irfaan Ali, and Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.

Unquestionably, there is no need for redress, and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) must step up to deliver the 2021 LGE in an unprecedentedly free and fair manner.

Without any doubt, several remedial changes are required towards such delivery, given the disappointing depths of eroded confidence to which GECOM has fallen.

Evidence of cross-cutting, biased positions taken by the justifiably condemned Chief Elections Officer demands immediate fixes; which MUST commence now, since any result with the current culprits are likely to result in confusion and recounts, wasting taxpayers’ money.

Several other areas which necessitate review, or possibly clearer policy, are presented hereinafter for consideration. Attention and possible revisit must be given to the increasing number of Local Authority Areas (Municipalities/NDC) for which there was no consultation with the then main Opposition party. In many

instances, the outcome was an inadequacy of councillors' representation for a specific area, although there had previously been approved constituencies that were published in the Official Gazette.

This occurred particularly in areas where a significant demographic shift of population occurred due to the PPP/C housing drive. Some newly sub-divided constituencies now bear a significant imbalance of the number of residents and distance assigned to one candidate competing to be elected as councillor against the other. A more equitable system is required.

The gerrymandering, impromptu shifting of existing boundaries by the GECOM CEO, which cut across divisions and sub-divisions, has created a nightmare for not only the voters who previously attended certain polling stations, but also for the position that informs the support of specific candidates to be backed for elections as councillors.

Often, when a boundary is capriciously shifted, particularly in new development locations, the description of the boundaries placed in the Gazette is inconsistent with any specific ground with markings. For transparency, GECOM needs to do much better in this respect.

In the creation of new divisions and sub-divisions, the boundaries defining the previously established positions come in to question, bringing to the fore queries in regard to legitimacy. This is because, within the existing

regional structure, divisions/ sub-divisions are already legally created and published in the Gazette. Further, the newly created areas are placed in the Gazette without any regard to the changes and their effect on the previously defined positions.

In context, I would argue that the creation of new divisions and sub-divisions may be done administratively to facilitate the elections, but should not be considered as new, unless legally approved as part of the Regional structure.

Another area of concern is the condition under which proxies are issued, which are often the subject of abuse; and the time to correct the misnomer, when discovered, is not sufficient.

Reassessment of the applicable verification procedures is necessary.

The casting of ‘lots’ as a solution to resolving issues of ties at LGEs is not readily accepted by most contestants involved in these elections. A more equitable remedy, rather than the option of chance, should therefore be implemented.

Also, the process for replacing a councillor in case of death or continuous absence should be driven by total constituency voting specifics. In this respect, in the case of someone who is elected as an individual rather than on a party slate, consideration should be given to the following: a. Conducting a by-election b. Selecting the candidate who had secured the

next highest number of votes in the constituency c. Mutual agreement by the general council of elected counsellors on an individual from the contestants.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in preparation for the upcoming LGEs, interested stakeholder organisations, individuals, and political parties are urged to consider the requirements of communities in the various constituencies and Local Government areas. We must recognise the advancement of the standard of services required to mirror the pace of development, which more likely would be moving exponentially under this PPP/C Government.

Likewise, community leaders must be able to provide initiatives that would catalyse a partnership to influence the parallel development of our Local Government areas.

Consequently, the selection of candidates should satisfy the conditions identified, considering the adequacy of representation in terms of gender and ethnic balance; an untarnished character within our laws; reputation, suitability, relationship with the community; availability and capacity to serve and perform, together with knowledge of community structure.

Continued improvements and partnerships are what we must strive for, once GECOM uphold their responsibilities and deliver a free and fair LGE. Sincerely, Neil Kumar

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021

5

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

ERC failed to take action when it should have done so during and after March 2, 2020 (Part 1) Dear Editor, Given what is unfolding in the public domain, I feel compelled to offer a response, as I did when I disassociated myself from an apology the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) issued to Member of Parliament Catherine Hughes.

On numerous occasions, I argued that the ERC must be non-partisan, consistent, and timely in its action and in keeping with its mandate to provide meaningful intervention in regard to the political impasse that lasted from 2018 to 2020. On those occasions, I was firm that the good work done through messaging for racial healing and numerous interactions with stakeholders across the country would be overshadowed by what appears to be a sense of partisanship. Sadly, the ERC, in my view, failed to offer impactful and definitive responses, and take action when it should have on election-related matters before and after March 02, 2020.

It is no secret that the ERC was heavily criticised for not responding to aspects of what transpired, especially during the five-month period following those elections.

One may question why my response now; its relevance and the timing. Both, in my view, allow for clarification. I did speak out internally with the expectation that the Commission, as a whole, would have responded in a manner expected and in keeping with its mandate.

While support was found in a few, in the end, the majority prevailed.

In hindsight, maybe I should have gone public long before.

I have been consistent in stating internally that any utterance or action taken by anyone, once it leads to disharmony, must be of concern to the Commission. I held firm that whilst ethnic-related contentions are the main thrust of the Commission’s mandate, those contentions are not in isolation of discontent being derived from political developments, especially given the historical impact of elections here.

Others argued that only matters that are premised on ethnic infractions are within the mandate of the ERC. I held my position that the ERC itself was birthed out of political discord, with the sole intent of trying to prevent same. The Commission eventually agreed, and wrote some political parties to bring attention and caution on the use of language not necessarily premised on racial infractions during the 2020 election campaign, which language was deemed to be undesirable and unhelpful to the promotion of harmony.

Some, however, were adamant that no other intervention was necessary during the period of the electoral impasse. The race-related infraction argument and a negative impact on integrity were cited as major reasons.

The reality now is that integrity has seemingly been lost as a result of inaction.

The differences of opinions led to many vibrant exchanges on how the Commission should treat with election-related mat-

ters. Almost in every instance, my views and suggested course of action were in the minority.

On numerous occasions I documented my concerns, and even tabled a motion for the Commission to officially state its position on the role of the second Caricom team and the recount. This became necessary since many were not inclined to recognise Caricom’s involvement and the actual recount and its findings. I still believe some haven’t.

When the motion came up for debate, the findings of the recount were already made public and Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali had already been sworn in as President. The motion was rendered irrelevant by the majority; and this, in reality, means there is no officially documented position of the ERC on those two issues.

I even questioned the rationale of the Commission sending a congratulatory message to President Ali when there was seemingly no official recognition of the process that had led to his swearing in.

I must, however, relate events prior to that, in order to demonstrate what seemed to be a sense of deliberateness to avoid any meaningful statement on political developments, reportedly by the majority, in order not to offend the then Government.

A commissioner who was vehement that any suggested intervention by the ERC in the electoral impasse would negatively impact integrity ensured that the word “rig” was removed from a letter sent recently to President

Ali. That commissioner was instrumental in changing the context of a press release which is referred to later in this letter, and was vocal on the need to apologise to Mrs. Hughes.

I disagreed with the position that fundamental issues which led to the genesis of the political impasse were deemed to be outside the realm of the Commission’s mandate. I believe that in any endeavour to resolve situations or conflicts, the genesis has to be identified, and related parties confronted with the facts. If not, it could be seen as avoiding the real issue, with possible impact on the mediator’s credibility.

I also pointed out that, from the standpoint of the ERC, it is not about who wins, but about adherence to constitutional procedures in deriving the winner.

Constitutional transgression is an affront to democracy, and creates an enabling environment for discontent.

If the Commission could have pronounced, as it did, on some language used during that said campaign, why could it not pronounce on constitutional transgressions that led to an escalation of racial tension? That was my concern.

That, in my view, makes it imperative for the Commission to not stand on the sidelines - or appear to be so doing - on particular political developments that precipitate disharmony. While the Commission is expected to be non-partisan, I argued, it must take a side; the side of what’s right – Guyana’s side.

An objective examina-

tion of related positions taken could reveal a seeming hesitancy to call “a spade a spade”. The same goes for an objective examination of con-

stitutional transgressions.

Dear Editor, I grew up in the town of New Amsterdam, and continue to live there. However, as it is, the streets are full of those who are destitute, many of whom (and I am sorry to be blunt) are drug addicts, commonly called junkies. These junkies are always parading the town, and are always asking for fine change so they can go get their daily fixes.

The other night I stopped at a shop with my mom, and one of these characters was staring at, and approaching, persons. One woman even told my mom that the guy is very dangerous. The same guy came up to our vehicle and stared at me until I drove off. One might think I would have been afraid, and at times I am, because no one knows if those junkies have weapons on them, or what might cause them to react and how they may react.

I recall that, about a month ago, two of the known junkies in my area of the town were struggling to fetch an entire wardrobe, and because one was exhausted, the other was about to beat him so they can continue moving. Mind you, the ward-

robe seemed brand new.

Two weeks ago, as I was driving home, I had to pass an empty house in Charles Place. The usual suspects have already stripped the house of windows and doors, and, that particular day, I saw one guy stripping the house of its PVC panels. I stopped and started recording, and asked why he was doing this. He said the house is vacant and he needs those things.

In addition to the drug addicts, there are places that have been abandoned, and vagrants have decided to convert those places into their washrooms. One particular place is Sam Hughes’s old workshop located at 26 Strand, New Amsterdam.

I can say this is 100% true, since this is right next door to my home.

I am therefore pleading with the Minister of Human Services and Social Security, the Minister of Home Affairs, the Mayor of N/A, and the Regional Executive Officer to look into this matter of junkies roaming the town, which continues to be a major issue for the township.

Respectfully, Neaz Subhan Commissioner, ERC

Major issues with junkies and drug addicts in N/A

Sincerely, Tanya Niamatali

6

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Page

Foundation

How Young Adults Develop Addiction—and Overcome It not hover over their adult children, they should be on the lookout for signs of substance use, including making excuses or spending excessive amounts of time in isolation. Parents can also play a pivotal role in helping their children find a treatment centre that works best for them, initiating the first stage of their recovery journey.

Addiction is a disease that impacts people of all

By: Alexandra Helfer LPC, LMHC, LADC, CASAC 2

S

ubstance use disorders (SUDs) can have a lasting impact on a person’s life, damaging their self-esteem, physical and mental health, work or school performance, and relationships with loved ones, among other negative outcomes.

Battling a SUD during one’s formative years can be especially destructive.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 5.1 million young adults— defined as those between the ages of 18 and 25— struggle with alcoholism or drug addiction. Equally concerning, 87 per cent of these young adults have not received addiction treatment.

Without the necessary supports early on, young people may continue to suffer from negative thought patterns and behaviours well into adulthood.

How Addiction Affects Young People

Alcohol and drug use frequently start from adolescence. During this time, teens tend to better familiarise themselves with their likes and dislikes.

As a result, they are more likely to experiment—including with substance use.

Unfortunately, doing so carries a greater risk of harm for young people, whose brains are still developing into their mid-20s. Substances specifically impair the area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, which regulates decision-making abilities.

Therefore, repeated use of drugs and alcohol can lead to a vicious cycle of addiction, along with the toxic choices and behaviours that can accompany it and affect young adults in the long term.

Because drugs and alco-

hol can often be viewed as a rite of passage for young adults by American society’s cultural norms, those with SUDs may not even recognise that they have one. It can be more complicated for young adults to

distinguish “social drinking” or drug use from a drinking problem or drug addiction when use among their peers is widespread.

Even young people who are aware that they have an issue may face barriers to treatment, including stigma and the general fear that sobriety is “social suicide.” While there are considerable challenges for young adults, recovery is

achievable.

Alcoholism and drug addiction risk factors among young adults

When a young person is willing to reach out for professional assistance, part of the role of the treatment

team is to help the client understand the root of their SUD in order to spark positive change. While the catalysts for addiction vary from person to person, there are myriad reasons why those aged 18 to 25 start using drugs and alcohol, making them more prone to developing a substance use disorder.

Many in this age range are college students, who face unique concerns: peer pressure, a desire to fit in with a certain group, the stress of college coursework, and a need to relax and connect with others outside of classes. More broadly, a young person’s addiction can also stem from a parent or other family member’s alcohol or drug use, or substance use within their friend group. Those aged 18 to 25 may also struggle with their identity and place in the world, especially if they feel removed from their personal, professional, or academic endeavours.

These individuals may regard drugs or alcohol as an escape from their racing thoughts.

Overlap between addiction and co-occurring disorders

Another addiction risk factor is the prevalence of a mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety. SAMHSA notes that 8.8 million young adults struggle with these mental

health conditions, and nearly half go untreated.

Data from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH) shows that people aged 18 to 25 display higher rates of both mental illness and serious mental illness than adults between the ages of 26 and 49. Mental health treatment receipt rates are likewise lower for younger people. Left untreated, feelings of hopelessness and other overwhelming negative emotions can cause people to turn to substances as a form of self-medication or comfort. If the substance use turns into a fully-fledged addiction, however, the person may need to explore options for treating both the SUD and co-occurring mental health disorder.

How to help a young adult with addiction

Just because young people do not generally seek treatment does not mean that assistance is unavailable. Many rehabs offer treatment programmes tailored to the specific needs of teens and young adults. Such programmes typically offer individual and group therapy as well as family counselling sessions, since addiction is a disease that does not just affect the person with the SUD. Mental health professionals can help a young adult reframe their potentially negative mindset about sobriety, emphasising that connecting with others and having fun is possible without drugs or alcohol.

In addition to formal treatment, having support at home is key.

When parents provide encouragement and take a more active role, such as by arranging appointments with a counsellor or a recovery coach, their struggling young adult is more likely to stay on the path toward long-term recovery. While parents should

ages, but the risks for young adults can be even higher.

Aside from altering brain function, substance use can lead to addiction, overdose, alcohol poisoning, and other severe consequences for young people. Early interventions and treatment are needed to help adolescents and young adults make healthy choices that support their physical, mental, and emotional growth. (Excerpt from Psychologytoday.com)

7

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

8 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

After 5 months

Lusignan Prison escapee recaptured A

fter five months of being on the run after escaping from the Lusignan Prison on the East Coast of Demerara, James Moore was recaptured on Saturday morning by ranks of the Guyana Police Force during a raid exercise in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

The prisoner was recaptured in A Field Sophia at about 06:15h.

According to Police, a cordon and search exercise was conducted in several areas

Recaptured: James Moore

in the city including Sophia, Tiger bay, Stabroek Market Square, Bourda Market, and Cross Street, Werk-enRust, during which the prison escapee was recaptured.

The 23-year-old prisoner, who hails from New Road Dairy, West Bank Demerara, and Dennis Street, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, had escaped on September 29, 2020, while he along with 13 other inmates were working in the kitchen at the Lusignan Prison.

On Saturday, acting Director of Prisons Nicklon Elliot said Moore will be charged for escaping from lawful custody.

Moore was serving a three-year sentence for armed robbery at the Lusignan Prison.

On February 16, four prisoners, including an inmate on death row, escaped the high-security from Mazaruni Prison in Region Seven.

Those who escaped are 25-year-old Imran Ramsaywack of Adelphi Village, East Coast Berbice (ECB); 44-year-old Kenrick Lyte whose last known address was Grant Good Intent, Lower Pomeroon River; 22-year-old Samuel Gouveia of Goedverwagting,

Of debates and...

H

Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot

East Coast Demerara (ECD), and 22-year-old Rayon Jones of Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

It was reported that during the unlocking of the Solitary Division at the Mazaruni jail, the padlock was observed to be tampered with, and further checks revealed that two bars within the cell were cut and the four men were missing.

While the men remain at large, the father of Rayon Jones has since been charged for harbouring the convicts after he gave them shelter and a change of clothes shortly after their escape.

…dildos ere we are, at the end of February, and the fallout from the budget debate is still reverberating in the body politic. Imagine what’ll happen when we get to the Ides of March!! But if there’s one silver lining behind that dark cloud in the hallowed halls of Parliament, it’s that this is one of the first debates since the fall of the PNC in 1992 that have grabbed the attention of the populace so firmly! During the Burnham years, all Guyana used to be glued anxiously to their radios during budget debates (there was no TV) to hear what new taxes were being imposed!

Another positive development has been the responses from some of the panned Parliamentarians who penned letters to the press explaining their positions. Not enough… but some. So, we’re making progress!

None, however, from either side of the House has been bold enough to explain their gender-based attempts at “humour”. Or, as we say, to “tantalise”. The act that elicited the greatest adverse comments was from a doctor/ MO who’d brandished a dildo to make a point about the ineptness of the PNC. Your Eyewitness had assumed - as evidently most commentators had - that the use of the dildo was gratuitously for dramatic effect, but he has now been informed via a letter in the press that a dildo was actually bought! Wrote the good doctor/MP: “The rehabilitation department of the Ministry of Health, this time Centrally, at around 2017, requested a piece of equipment to assist with persons having lung problems. That piece of equipment can be useful to persons with lung and breathing issues, especially the bed-ridden and CVA/Stroke patients. The request was made for a “MECHANICAL CHEST VIBRATOR” – a vibrating machine/equipment that is placed flat on the chest area to stimulate the lungs. The then Ministry of Public Health bought a vibrating DILDO instead! For the Rehab Dept to use on the patients!”

The doctor/MP concluded by asking a question of the condemnatory public: “Can you imagine the consternation of the Rehab staff? Unto today when they speak of it you can hear the disgust in their voices.” Your Eyewitness can certainly empathise with the medical staff. Here they have a patient experiencing a life-threatening stroke and they’re supposed to use a dildo to resuscitate him/her?

Then there’s the issue of dildos being banned in Guyana, with the doctor/MP questioned as to how he was able to get the one he swung in Parliament; the implication being he must’ve used his privilege to get it past customs. Well, shouldn’t that question be now directed at the personnel who brought in the one for the MoH Rehabilitation Department? …vaccines Seeing the news that India is providing 80,000 COVID-19 vaccines, your Eyewitness channelled the Rev Dr Martin Luther King and thundered, “I have been to the mountain and have seen the promised land!” The land, that is, of not trying to change what Aristotle had perceived more than two millennia ago: we’re essentially and fundamentally SOCIAL beings!

With us now being able to vaccinate another 40,000 citizens - starting with the elderly, who’re most at risk after the frontline health workers - we should be heading towards that Holy Grail of “herd immunity” by the end of this year. And that has nothing to do with the happy fact that we’ll be able to herd together to our heart’s content after that!!

But even after that happy state is reached, it’ll take years, if ever, to overcome the damage that’s been done to our collective psyches by this prolonged, enforced isolation and rules - like not being able to take a swig in one fluid motion without having to remove your mask! …double standards The Reg 10 nurses’ union want the hospital CEO to be moved for joking that some nurses are with their “sweet man” when they should be at work.

After the scatology by our Honourable MPs, shouldn’t the CEO also have immunity?

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

NEWS

9

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Former APNU/AFC Minister signed off millions in contracts to own company – record reveals

R

ecords have revealed that Executive Member of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and former Telecommunications Minister under the David Granger-led Administration, Cathy Hughes signed off on a number of contracts from her then Ministry to her own company.

Hughes’ company, Videomega Productions, has previously been in the spotlight owing to it receiving Government contracts.

However, Hughes had previously claimed that after 2015 she relinquished all control of her company.

According to a tax invoice dated June 19, 2018,

AFC MP Cathy Hughes

According to the invoice, payments became due upon

A list of the transactions done by the Ministry with the then Minister’s company

and seen by this publication, the former Minister and now AFC parliamentarian signed off on a number of contracts related to the company boosting the Public Telecommunications Ministry’s Facebook page.

Contracts were dated January, February, March, April, May and June 2018.

the receipt of the invoice, which carried Hughes’ signature, as well as the stamp of both Minister and Permanent Secretary of the Public Telecommunications Ministry.

In a breakdown seen by this publication, it was revealed that between 2016 and July 2018, the com-

pany received $6 million in payments from the Public Telecommunications Ministry. The first payment dates from 2016 and amounts to $1.137 million for ads.

The company then received payments for television and radio advertisements during an unspecified period in 2017.

But in December 2017, it received $68,400 in payments for the collation and transfer of footage for a Community Information Communication Technology (ICT) hub.

More contracts followed. On January 1, 2018, Videomega Productions received $956,519 in payments for the publishing of advertisements for ICT planning and education officers and business analyst, as well as an advertisement for a technical administrative assistant. With the exception of the assistant, all the ads were 8x38 in size.

The ad for the assistant was 10x38.

The company got another payment of $119,670 on January 1, 2018, for boosting the Ministry’s Facebook page. It then went on to receive a plethora of contract payments in the month of July 2018, amounting to $2.332 million in total and all pertaining to the Caribbean ICT Roadshow.

They include payments of $333,564 and $276,222 for 33-second radio and television broadcasts for the show. There was also a payment of $1.156 million for advertising, $235,980 for television and radio broadcasts and $287,052 for camera-ready artwork.

It had come to light back

3 nabbed with over 3kg ganja

P

olice have arrested three persons after over three kilograms of marijuana was unearthed in the car in which they were travelling along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway.

According to reports, Police conducted a stop and search exercise on the highway, based on information received on Saturday.

Reports are that during a search of the car, a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems were found on the floor of the back seat of the vehicle.

The vehicle, its occupants and the illegal substance were taken to Timehri Police Station where the narcotic was

The 3.122 kilograms of marijuana that was found on Saturday

weighed and it amounted to 3.122 kilograms.

The trio has been detained pending charges.

The invoice signed off by former Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes

in 2019 that Videomega Productions had received contracts not only from the Public Telecommunications Ministry, but from several other Ministries. In fact, the company seemed to be the APNU/AFC Government’s go-to company for video production and advertisements.

The company itself released several invoices for work it did to arrange advertisements for various Ministries. A total of $3.6 million was paid to the media houses, but according

to Videomega Productions, all it pocketed was a 15 per cent agency commission totalling $481,577.

For instance, the Natural Resources Ministry commissioned Hughes’ company to produce full-page full-colour camera-ready artwork that was placed in almost all the dailies on March 22, 2018.

This cost $406,501.

Ads were also placed in all the dailies for the tobacco legislation media campaign, on behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, in October

and November of 2018.

These two campaigns cost $1 million each.

Videomega Productions further received contracts from the Energy Department to produce television Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for the department, which was coordinating preparations for Guyana’s oil and gas sector.

It had been reported that the company was also contracted to produce brochures. It is unclear at this point in time what, if any, tendering process the then Minister’s company went through to get these contracts.

When the transactions had come to light, Hughes had insisted that she played no part in the running of her company after 2015 and had no knowledge of the Government contracts it was receiving.

“In May 2015 upon my assumption of the role of Minister of Tourism, I relinquished any involvement in the day to day running of Videomega Productions.

Russel Lancaster was appointed Manager and is responsible for the operations of the company. I have since been informed that the contract was for the production of three sixty-second television Public Service Announcements,” the then Minister said in a statement in April 2019.

“The value of the contract is $832,200. The award of this contract was never brought to my attention neither would I have been aware of it in the normal conduct of the company’s business,” she had also said.

Efforts to contact Hughes for a comment on the latest revelations were futile. (G3)

10

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

11

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Finding Roots: Indentured Labour Route Project

O

ne feature of Indian immigration to Guyana as indentured labour is the painstaking records that were kept by the colonial regime following the abolition of slavery.

Technically, the Indians recruited to work on the sugar plantations were subjects of the (British) Indian Government, which had to try to be consistent to “protect” their rights - beginning with recording their “passage” to their colonies - to keep track of them.

Each indentured worker, including children, had his particulars recorded, including name, date of birth (or more frequently an approximate age), father’s name, caste, village, district, nearest police station, height and any distinguishing marks. The records from each ship were all bound together and now reside in the Walter Rodney Archives. The Birth Certificates of the first generation born in Guyana would include the name of the Ship that brought their parent and the year it arrived. So for instance, my Nana, Ramlagan, born on Nov 19, 1986 and who raised me, was the son of Rambisoon who arrived in Guyana in 1888 on the ship Ravi Dev Allan Shaw. He came from the village of Ishmailpur in the District of Gaya (where Buddha received enlightened) and was 5’2” with a scar on his inner left thigh.

In this manner the records of all 238,979 Indians who arrived in Guyana between 1838 and 1917 are there in the archives and can be physically retrieved if anyone wants to know their ancestry. But unfortunately, after more than 150 years for most of the “ships’ records” are crumbling and there is a need to preserve them so that future generations - here and in our diaspora - can trace their roots. Back in 2012, there was a project - funded privately and by UNESCO - to digitize those records but for various reasons that need not detain us at this point, the project was aborted.

Fortunately, there is hope. In 2011, an International Scientific Conference entitled “NEW PERSPECTIVES ON INDENTURED LABOUR (1825 – 1925)” was held at the University of Mauritius.

Two resolutions were adopted: the creation of an International Committee for the establishment of the International Indentured Labour Route Project (IILRP); and the creation of the Indentured Labour Global Database Initiative (ILGDI) consisting in the elaboration of an International database of indentured migration.

In 2014, this initiative received the imprimatur of UNESCO and by 2017 a detailed Plan of Action was announced.

“CONCEPT OF THE INDENTURED LABOUR ROUTE PROJECT “The aim of the Indentured Labour Route project will be to bring together all countries having experienced the migration of indenture and other forms of contract labour in the 19th and mid20th centuries. It will strive to contribute to nation building efforts and to a greater understanding among peoples and societies across the indentured diaspora as well as within the countries themselves.

The project would also give indentured labourers and their descendants a voice. The indentured and their descendants need to have the opportunity to present their version of their experience. In other words, it is important to look for the indentured thought and experience as seen, felt and witnessed by the immigrants and their descendants. The project may benefit from experiences, lessons learnt, resources, experts from the UNESCO Slave Route Project. The focus is the indentured labourer and their descendants.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INDENTURED LABOUR ROUTE PROJECT (ILRP) In line with the recommendation of the World Heritage Committee to gain a greater understanding of the global impact of the indentured labour system, the International Scientific Committee defines the objectives of the Indentured Labour Route Project as follows: 1. Share current research to establish international research networks and programme at the basis of the Indentured Labour Route project; 2. Tighten the links among countries where indenture took place and better appreciate the existing historical interrelations between these countries; 3. Better appreciate these links to support the discussion on the Indentured Labour Route Project and substantiate the bases onto which it will rest; 4. Develop and implement projects and activities via national committees for the dissemination and promotion of the history of indenture; 5. Establish new research perspectives and disseminate knowledge and recognition of indenture as an international phenomenon.

6. Promote the history of indentured labour as it is an underresearched topic.

National Committees would be formed in each country and their first order of business would be to digitize the intent urged records in our National Archives.

12 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Opposition admit flaws in their poorly-negotiated Liza permit …Govt correct to address flaring – Bharrat

E

xxonMobil’s current level of flaring offshore Guyana raised concerns from Government on the poorly-negotiated Liza permit that was signed by the former coalition Government.

On Friday, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat told the National Assembly that when the document expires next year, it will be corrected to fix this inherited issue.

In the permit, ExxonMobil is allowed to flare up to 14 billion cubic feet of gas.

“It is a known fact that we inherited this issue.

We inherited this prob-

lem. The EPA permit under the APNU/AFC permitted Exxon to flare 14 billion cubic feet of gas. This was the agreement signed by the APNU/AFC Government.

They signed that. In the Liza Production Licence, which will expire next year, we will correct their wrongs once again.

A motion was brought

by Member of Parliament, David Patterson asking for the Liza permit to be strengthened to that of the Payara permit – which was signed by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic.

According to Bharrat, this indicates that the coalition

realised where they flawed in their bargains.

“I’m happy that the Honourable Member recognise that the Payara permit is far more superior and better negotiated than the Liza permit. Our hymn tune for the oil and gas sector will and always be transparency and accountability. That is our promise to the Guyanese people.

We will ensure that the oil does not become a curse to our country and people,” the Minister emphasised.

Earlier this week, oil giant ExxonMobil said it was expecting the technical team at the MAN

one of whom was armed with a gun. He was instructed not to move, while the men relieved him of some $600,000 before making good their escape.

Following the robbery, the man identified one of the men to the Police, and the suspect was taken into cus-

tody.

Police said after being questioned, the man denied the allegation. A search was conducted at his [the suspect’s] home, but nothing was found in relation to the robbery.

Investigations are ongoing. (G9)

Drunken excavator operator robbed by armed bandits

A

42-year-old man who hails from Houston, East Bank Demerara (EBD), is now counting his losses after he was robbed by two armed men while imbibing at Itaballi Landing Mazaruni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Reports are the excavator operator was robbed at about 22:30h on Thursday.

The victim told Police that he was consuming alcohol with his employer and colleagues at a bar in the community when he became intoxicated and left the group to go and urinate.

He said he went onto a pontoon to do such and was approached by the two men,

Liza Destiny flaring gas offshore Guyana (Annette Arjoon photo)

Energy Solutions workshop in Germany to make recommendations when it comes to the repairs and upgrades to its flash gas compressor, so that the company’s operations offshore Guyana can be returned to normalcy.

In an update provided on Tuesday, Exxon’s Governance and Public Affairs Advisor Janelle Persaud explained that the flash gas compressor is currently being reassembled at the German workshop.

“Over the weekend, the MAN team completed adjustments to achieve the required clearances on the discharge side of the compressor and has started verifications of internal machinery profiles. Technical experts are also finalising near-term recommendations for repair and potential upgrade to the discharge silencer,” she explained.

When it comes to the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and

Offloading (FPSO) vessel, Persaud explained that Exxon continues to manage production and flare levels, while attempting to maintain a careful balance between sustained production and environmental considerations. It was only a few days ago that ExxonMobil had announced that an “axial vibration” was to blame for the failure of its compressor, which had to be shipped to Germany and which had led to the company’s controversial routine flaring offshore Guyana.

In the latter part of January, Esso Exploration & Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) had announced that it was experiencing technical problems with the seal on Liza Destiny’s flash gas compressor. 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 which Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had referred to as “unacceptable”. The former President had explained that when one does the calculation at a rate of $30 per tonne, it would work out to a fine of $39,000 per day. Added to this is the fact that, so far, the volume of flaring reported by ExxonMobil has not been independently verified by the Government.

“We’ve been looking at it, and the EPA has been looking at the issue. Clearly, it is unacceptable… Exxon is flaring using about 16 to 18 million standard cubic feet of gas per day. So, the EPA has worked this out and they said that’s about 1300 tonnes of carbon emitted per day,” Jagdeo was quoted as saying. (G12)

FEATURE

13

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

By Lakhram Bhagirat

I

t is no doubt that Guyanese are a talented bunch of people.

Whether it is in the field of art, academia or sports, Guyanese will leave their indelible mark.

Staying true to the Guyanese

including members of the Middle East Art Collector Association.

The Global Art Awards harness the insights and talents of 8 judges each year. Each artist is competing for prizes amounting to over US$10,000 including their own exhibition at the Tokyo International

Hezron Henry posing with some of his pieces

spirit, Georgetown born artist Hezron Henry or HezronH as he is known in the art world, has been making his mark on the global art scene. His digital art piece, “Sovereign”, has been nominated for a Global Art Award in the Digital Category.

The Global Art Awards is scheduled for Tokyo in June. However, the preliminary stages of the competition have commenced with voting on the website. The entry with the most votes in each category will advance to be reviewed by a panel of judges consisting of some of the world’s most respected professionals, collectors, gallery owners, art critics, entrepreneurs and United Arab Emirates (UAE) High Society

Art Fair, gallery exhibition opportunities and professional consultations among others.

The 38-year-old Henry is currently a marketing executive in the Turks and Caicos. He moved there with his family back when he was just 13 years old.

“As a child, I spent much of my time drawing, at the time my mother was a nurse and I would wait for her to get off work sometimes or waiting to go to school. During this time someone recommended she enrol me in art school due to my love for it and potential they saw.

At this time we lived in Georgetown, my mum worked at the (Georgetown) Public Hospital. This was also during my formative years.

I was enrolled for summer classes at E R Burrowes School of art and I attended every summer for approximately 5 years. Much of which I would have spent time with other young people twice my age due to my advance skill,” Henry told the Sunday Times during an interview.

For him, art has been and continues to be a medium through which he expresses himself.

His art, currently, focuses on portraiture and figurative art with much utilisation of faces as the focal point.

“I’ve been focusing on fine art in particular and illustration as well.

Both areas I have employed traditional and contemporary mediums; acrylic on paper or canvas etc, digital painting and also a combination of both mediums. As an artist, my aim is to delve into the concept of identity via the depiction of figurative portrait art. The art explores facets of identity through the lens of colour, culture, individuality in society and the community as a whole,” he related.

Though he has dabbled in art his whole life, Henry only took it up professionally about 4 years ago when he began accepting commissions and invitations to participate in exhibitions both on his home island and the international scene.

Henry believes that our aura illuminates spaces of darkness and drives ideas through vision, endowing minds with fragments of personality shimmering through a kaleidoscope of colours. His work is an exploration of this, via illustration, acrylic and digital painting; adapting traditional painting mediums to his signature style. His art is laden with vibrant colours and a link is es-

tablished highlighting the emotive power of colour.

He believes that it is most important that artists make no apologies for their work; his passion is an honest artistic expression, creating an experience people can enjoy and connect with on an ethereal level.

Surpassing over 2000 entrants worldwide as Wacom’s “The Next Level” winning artist, Hezron has exhibited in cities across Australia, New Zealand, and most recently Trinidad and Tobago; widening his ever-expanding boundaries.

HezronH’s piece, “Sovereign”

“I have to say faces and personalities remain a constant inspiration in the concepts that revolve around me creating a piece of work. Much of what has become my signature style was born from reading comics as a child; particularly creations of Jack Kirby and the colour palette he employed in his illustrations,” he said.

Through the years, he has had many memorable experiences but

his favourite remains the time he sold out his entire collection called “Crown” at the “Exclusive Evening of Art” Exhibition in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.

He was informed that he broke 2 records of the now 6-year major annual art event. His collections sold that night included 4 floor pieces and 1 auctioned piece. Within 10 mins of the doors opening, a buyer purchased the entire floor collection.

The other record; no other artist had sold all of their pieces in one night.

Some of the places he’s exhibited or that have been featured include: 2020 - Drawn Vol 4: Leaders in Contemporary Illustration 2020 - Exclusive Evening of Art Exhibition, Group Show, Providenciales 2020 - Editorial Illustration, Turks and Caicos Magazine, Edition 23 2019 - Across Boundaries Exhibition, Group Show, Trinidad and Tobago National Museum 2019 - Apparel Collab, Konk 2018 - Fabric Prints, be?che?

2019 Collection 2017 - Feature, Wacom’s The Next Level 2017 Publication 2017 - The Next Level Exhibition, Group Show, Sydney 2017 - The Next Level Exhibition, Group Show, Melbourne 2017 - The Next Level Exhibition, Group Show, Auckland 2017 - Winner, Wacom The Next Level Competition 2017 - EP Cover, Maskanoo, Lady Livz To vote for Henry visit https:// www.theglobalartawards.com/ vote-entries...and search “Sovereign”.

14 FEATURE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

By Lakhram Bhagirat

H

ailing from the picturesque village of Wakapao in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region exposed young Darrin Smith to a lot of beautiful scenes.

From the flora to the fauna of his Indigenous community, Smith knew it was something not seen throughout Guyana.

It was that drive to expose every Guyanese and those in the world to the richness that is Guyana that

Darrin Smith

caused Smith to take up photography as a hobby.

The 26-year-old is currently employed with the Ministry of Public Works as an Electrical Engineer but spends all his free time travelling and taking photos of the scenery and people of Guyana. He is one of the foremost photographers in Guyana and though he has only been doing it for a few years, Smith’s work has shown consistent improvement.

Looking back at his child-

hood, Smith related that much of his formative years was spent in the Indigenous community of Wakapao, where he and his family lived. He remembered walking 45 minutes with his friends to get to school in the mornings and another 45 minutes to go back home in the afternoons.

Like almost every Indigenous child, Smith’s childhood also encompassed time spent in the farms where he learned the ways of the land. Also, if he was not catching fish, you would be sure to find him taking a

He would later combine it into one video piece and post it to his Facebook page where it gained a lot of traction.

“Someone from overseas saw that (first video I posted) and they gifted me a drone and a camera because they were impressed and they gifted me to produce more of that stuff. That kickstarted me more into photography and that was about two years back,” he explained.

Over time, Smith has recorded a lot of improvements in relation to the quality of photos he takes.

Darrin Smith in his element

dip in the black water of his community.

Education also played an integral role in his life with his attendance at the Anna Regina Multilateral School and then the University of Guyana where he qualified himself as an electrical engineer.

“My interest in photography really developed from at home in Wakapao because there are a lot of scenes and wildlife and so that people in Georgetown and the wider world don’t know about so I wanted to showcase that to Guyana and by extension the world. So photography was the best medium because your pictures can reach a long way through social media,” the young Smith related.

He started his venture with just a “cheap camera phone” and spent hours collecting photos and videos.

However, there have been challenges along the way and for him, it has been mainly financial. His photos are a result of his passion to showcase his beautiful land.

“I am working on a special series and a miniseries on Wakapao and I have seen myself improve from when I first started off and the quality is even better. I just do this as a hobby but like if you want to [go to] places to take photos then you have to find your own finances and so normally. I am lucky enough that people would sponsor trips for me and so I could go take photos for them so it is not all of that challenging because there are people out there willing to support your venture,” Smith said.

He advised that everyone should follow their passion.

He urged them to start small and dream big.

FEATURE

15

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

By Lakhram Bhagirat

“A

fter being sent home from University last March due to the coronavirus, my sister and I had to find a way to pass the time being locked up at home, so we decided to give painting a try. With a pandemic going on, it not only brought me peace but also reminded me that although I cannot control what is going on out there, I haven’t entirely lost that control over my life and happiness,” young Khishan Singh told the Sunday Times The 19-year-old business executive is one of the many people who discovered that they had a knack for being creative during the COVID-19 imposed restrictions over the last year. For him, he started with just one canvas but as time progressed it morphed into 40 with 1-3 paintings per day.

It is a feat that would have seasoned artists questioning the quality of his work but for Singh, it is about being lost in a world where he can play with colours and create something that channels how he was feeling exactly.

Essentially, brushstrokes became words and his art was pieces of poetry he could have never found words to express.

Singh currently works as the Business Development Director at Gaico Construction and General Services Inc. Singh’s childhood was

er now I am about to graduate with my Bachelor’s in Accounting/Finance and Business Management and am currently applying to do my Masters of Science in Finance,” he said.

In December last year, Singh collaborated with a group of young creatives and they hosted the Heart Through Art Exhibition at the School of the Nations. It was the exposure he and the other young creatives needed in the middle of a public health pandemic when the entire world was losing hope.

“Many foreigners also attended the ‘Heart Through Art’ exhibition last December and what was shocking was the amount of similarities we had when we discussed about music and painting…. although this may seem trivial, it was a reminder to me that humans really are very

spent closely with his family. They were on the cusp of building a business and it meant all hands on deck. He is extremely close with his sister so while he was a Fourth Form student at The Bishops’ High School and his sister was leaving for college overseas, Singh decided he wanted to join her there as well.

“Bishops’ set my foundation for what I did after and I couldn’t be happier with it. But when my sister left Guyana at the start of Fourth Form, I decided I’m not waiting. So I wrote a few Cambridge IGCSE (in addition to my math and English CSEC exams from Third Form) privately and applied to St George’s University in Grenada in 2017. 4 years lat-

much alike despite international borders.”

Before the pandemic, he had never tried painting, but as a child, Singh used to do pencil sketches which were not too bad. However, life caught up with him and he stopped.

“I mostly do abstract paintings. The idea behind it is that although it may look a bit rough and confusing at first glance, upon closer inspection, you can see the meaning and the detail within the different colours. It also represents a bit of my impatient personality but proves that despite that, you can still make a work of art. A lot of my paintings have been inspired by my mother’s imagination, but apart from those I focus on bringing my mu-

sic interests into it, and whatever comes to mind when I put some colour on the canvas.”

Art is something that has always been quite misunderstood and underappreciated in Guyana. People tend to prioritise socially perceived ‘high class’ jobs such as doctors and lawyers over the Arts. While they are indeed very important, society would not be the same without creative and imaginative thinkers. You see the world and our country are built on the concept of interdependence, you take one pillar out of the bottom and the structure is going to be under strain, and over time it’s going

to tumble down.

It is that very notion that caused Singh to never give up his pursuit of music and now he has incorporated painting.

“My guitar journey started 13 years ago in grade 2 at School of the Nations, and after those lessons, I fell in love and decided I needed to learn more.

That was when I met my new teacher, he worked in the GDF and taught me some of the things I still use today.

Unfortunately, life got very busy and I ended up having to teach myself as I went along the years.”

Back in early 2019, he had his first formal performance on stage at Hard Rock Café, Guyana. It was him, his guitar, two mics and a room full of hungry faces at

each table.

“Art stretches across different sort of media, you don’t have to paint to call yourself

an artist, nor sing, nor draw, whatever you create is seen as your work of art. Don’t let anyone discourage you from creating something that the world deserves to be a part of, but you also need to keep in careful consideration, to have not only a plan B but also multiple sources of livelihood. Much like countries experience Dutch disease, people can get caught up with one, new thing. So just focus on keeping your options open and work towards something that’s not only going to bring you happiness, but also the luxury to continue to fuel that energy.”

16

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

17

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

18 FEATURE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

HEALTH TIPS

FROZEN SHOULDER (ADHESIVE CAPSULITIS) condition include swelling, pain, and stiffness; and this condition is more frequent between the ages of 40 and 60.

CAUSES OF FROZEN SHOULDER

Dr Tariq Jagnarine Family Medicine, Endocrinology/Diabetes

F

rozen shoulder is the common name for adhesive capsulitis, which is a shoulder condition that limits one’s range of motion.

When the tissues in the shoulder joint become thicker and tighter, scar tissue develops over time, and this limits the range of motion of the shoulder, with the joint not having enough space to rotate properly.

Common symptoms of this

Having a hormonal imbalance, diabetes, or a weakened immune system makes individuals more prone to joint inflammation. A long period of inactivity due to an injury, illness, or surgery also makes persons more vulnerable to inflammation and adhesions, which are bands of stiff tissue. In serious cases, scar tissue may form, and this severely limits the range of motion of the shoulder. Usually, the condition takes two to nine months to develop.

RISK GROUPS FOR A FROZEN SHOULDER

Common risk factors for frozen shoulder are: * Age: Being over 40 years of age. * Gender: 70 percent of people with frozen shoulder are women. * Recent trauma: Surgery

or and arm fracture can lead to immobility during recovery, and this may cause the shoulder capsule to stiffen. * Diabetes: 10 to 20 percent of people with diabetes develop frozen shoulder, and symptoms may be more severe. The reasons are unclear.

Other conditions that can increase the risk are:

* Stroke * Hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid * Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid * Cardiovascular disease * Parkinson’s disease SYMPTOMS Persons can become aware of a frozen shoulder when it begins to hurt. * The pain then results in limited movement of the shoulder. * Moving the shoulder less and less increases its stiffness. * Eventually, persons are unable to move the affected shoulder as they once did.

Reaching for an item on a

high shelf becomes difficult, if not impossible. * When it’s severe, everyday tasks that involve shoulder movement, such as dressing, become a monumental task.

STAGES

Symptoms are usually classified in three stages, as they worsen gradually and then resolve within a 2-to-3year period. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) describes three stages: * Freezing, or painful stage: Pain increases gradually, making shoulder motion harder and harder. Pain tends to be worse at night.

This stage can last from 6 weeks to 9 months. * Frozen: Pain does not worsen, and it may decrease at this stage. The shoulder remains stiff. It can last from 4 to 6 months, and movement may be restricted. * Thawing: Movement gets easier and may eventually return to normal. Pain may fade but occasionally recur.

This takes between 6 months and 2 years.

Over 90 percent of people find that, with simple exercises and pain control, symptoms improve. A frozen shoulder normally recovers, but it can take 3 years.

DIAGNOSIS

The feeling of pain with stiffness of the shoulder would be one of the first signs of a new, developing frozen shoulder. A physical exam would help to assess the range of motion through specific movements, such as touching the opposite shoulder with the other hand.

A few tests may also be necessary, such as an X–ray to check for arthritis or other abnormalities. This may sometimes require an arthrogram for the X-ray, which involves injecting dye into the shoulder joint to help visualise the structures in more detail. * Magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI) to rule out a tear in the rotator cuff or other pathology.

TREATMENT

Conservative therapy: Involves leaving a frozen shoulder untreated, but the pain and stiffness can remain for up to three years. A combination of the following can speed up the recovery and help with the symptoms: * Physical therapy * Medication * Surgery * Home care

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is the most common treatment for a frozen shoulder. The goal is to stretch the shoulder joint and regain the lost motion.

Results can take as much as a few weeks to nine months to resolve. A home exercise programme of gentle range of motion exercises is important.

If no change is observed after six months, consider other treatment modalities.

Medications

To treat the pain and reduce the joint inflammation, it is recommended that an anti- inflammatory medication like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium or diclofenac be used. A steroid injection in the shoulder joint may also help.

Home Care

Placing an ice pack on the shoulder for 15 minutes at a time at several times per day can help to decrease pain.

Physical therapy exercises can be done at home. Most people with a frozen shoulder can improve their condition without surgery.

Surgery

If physical therapy doesn’t improve the condition, surgery is an option. From a surgical standpoint, options include manipulating the shoulder and putting it through a full range of motion under a general anaesthetic to help break up any adhesions. Another option is arthroscopic surgery. This type of surgery involves making a small cut in the shoulder and using a camera called an “arthroscope” to remove scar tissue or release it. This allows the shoulder to recover its lost motion.

If the frozen shoulder is the result of an injury, surgery is usually more successful if it’s performed within a few weeks of the injury. Surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis. Postoperative physical therapy is usually required as well.

Many patients have their full range of motion back within three months. Some people still have pain or stiffness afterwards, or can’t handle the pain of physical therapy.

PROGNOSIS

Most people recover within two years without treatment. Physical therapy and pain medications speed up this progress. If surgery is needed, it’s important to continue the therapy exercises in the following months, so that the problem doesn’t return. Early treatment helps keep the condition from getting worse.

Persons who are diabetic need to properly manage their blood sugar levels in order to help reduce the risk of contracting a frozen shoulder.

Frozen shoulder cannot be prevented if it is caused by an injury that makes shoulder movement difficult. Anyone who experiences such an injury should consider exercises for maintaining mobility and flexibility of the shoulder joint.

19

FEATURE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Acute kidney injury: Protein or blood in the urine

Dr. Haimchand Barran MMSc Internal Medicine/ Infectious Diseases Fellowship -- Nephrology Nephrology Department – GPHC

A

s mentioned in previous articles, some patients with COVID-19 have displayed kidney damage through acute kidney injury (AKI), mild proteinuria (protein in the urine), hematuria (blood in the urine), or slight elevation in creatinine (blood marker testing for kidney function). Today we will cover protein and blood in the urine in our continuing series.

Protein in the urine

People with proteinuria have unusually high amounts of protein in their urine. The condition is often a sign of kidney disease.

Your kidneys are filters that don’t usually let a lot of protein pass through. When the kidney is damaged, proteins such as albumin may leak from your blood into your urine. You can also have proteinuria when your body makes too much protein.

Kidney disease often has no early symptoms. Protein in your urine might be one of the first signs. Your doctor may spot proteinuria on a urine test during a routine physical. Over time, as it gets worse, you might have symptoms that include foamy or bubbly urine; swelling (edema) in your hands, feet, belly and face; urinating more often; shortness of breath; fatigue; loss of appetite; upset stomach and vomiting; and muscle cramps at night.

Some common things that can cause proteinuria include dehydration, inflammation, low blood pressure, fever, intense activity, high stress, kidney stones, taking aspirin every day, and very low temperatures.

Conditions that damage your kidneys can also make you have too much protein in your urine. The two most common are diabetes and high blood pressure.

Other serious conditions that can cause proteinuria include immune disorders such as lupus; kidney inflammation (glomerulonephritis); a blood cancer called multiple myeloma; preeclampsia (which affects pregnant women); a buildup of protein in your organs (amyloidosis); cardiovascular disease; intravascular hemolysis; a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed; kidney cancer, and heart failure.

Things that might make you more likely to have protein in your urine include obesity; being over 65 years of age; a family history of kidney disease; and being of African-American, NativeAmerican, Hispanic, or Pacific Islander descent.

Some people get more protein into their urine while standing than while lying down. This condition is called orthostatic proteinuria. A urine test, called a urinalysis, can tell whether you have too much protein in your urine.

Blood in the urine

Having blood in your urine can be a sign that something is wrong with your kidneys or another part of your urinary tract. The medical name for blood in your urine is hematuria.

There are two types of hematuria: if you can see the blood in your urine, it is called gross hematuria; and if you cannot see the blood in your urine without looking at it under a microscope, it is called microscopic hematuria.

Anyone can have hematuria, but you might be more likely to have it if you have a family history of kidney disease; have an enlarged pros-

tate (in men); have a history of getting kidney stones; are taking certain medicines, such as pain relievers, blood thinners or antibiotics; participate in strenuous (difficult) exercises; or currently have, or recently had, an infection.

There are many reasons that might cause you to have blood in your urine. Having blood in your urine does not necessarily mean you have kidney disease. Some common causes are menstruation; strenuous (difficult) exercises; sexual activity; and having a virus, injury or infection such as a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Other more serious problems can cause you to have blood in your urine. Some of these problems include kidney or bladder cancer; irrita-

tion or swelling in your kidneys, prostate (in men) or another part of your urinary tract; polycystic kidney disease; blood clots, or diseases that cause problems with blood clotting; and sickle cell disease.

You may not notice any symptoms if you have microscopic hematuria, but if you have gross hematuria, you may notice that your urine is pink, red or brown. This happens because the blood in your urine gives it a different colour. If you have gross hematuria, you may also get

blood clots in your urine, which can be painful.

If you notice that your urine has a colour that is different from the normal, or if you are experiencing pain when you urinate, tell your healthcare provider. He or she can do some tests to figure out why you have blood in your urine; or what is causing the pain, and what treatment would be best for you.

The treatment for having blood in your urine depends on what is causing the problem. For example, if you have

blood in your urine because of an infection, your doctor might tell you to take an antibiotic medicine. If you have blood in your urine for another reason, you might need a different kind of treatment.

To find out why you have blood in your urine, your doctor might ask you for a urine sample. The urine sample can be used to test for signs of an infection, kidney disease, or other problems. Your doctor will use the results of the urine test to decide if you need more tests, or if you can start a treatment.

Article submitted as part of the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 public information and education programme. For questions, email ministersecretaryhealth@gmail.com.

20 FEATURE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

W

SKIN AILMENTS

e have spent some extra time discussing and giving answers to frequently asked questions about skin problems stemming from Sarcoptes and Demodectic Mange Mites, not lastly because these parasites most frequently cause skin problems in dogs in Guyana and in the wider tropical areas of

the world.

Since these two types of Mange ailments are similar, yet quite different in many respects, I would like to summarise the differences between Sarcoptes Mange (Scabies) and Demodicosis.

SARCOPTES MANGE ● Itching sensation leading to violent scratching Skin around the edges and the ● tips of the ears thickens and are swollen ● The spread incorporates the head; around the eyes; around the front legs and later the hind legs; the underbelly. Not so often the feet and the tail ● The alopecia (hairlessness) is quite (diffuse), incorporating large portions merging into an entire hairlessness of the body. ● The lymph nodes are not swollen and visible ● fected

Dogs can easily be directly in-

●

Dogs can be infected at any age

Reinfection can easily occur ● if the environment is conducive to the flourishing of the mites

● Pretty much all dog breeds tend to contract the Sarcoptic Mange, especially the long-haired breeds, eg German Shepherd ● The microscopic examination of the skin scrapings do not easily reveal the Sarcoptic Mange Mites infestation

– CONTINUED DEMODECTIC MANGE

●

Not much scratching

●

The ears’ edges remain normal

In relatively short order, the entire head ● becomes hairless; soon the neck, then the chest – quickly spreading to the external side walls of thorax (rib cage area); later, the legs and paws and tail also exhibit hairlessness

● Once the animal is healthy, and a secondary infection (usually due to the intense scratching) is not heavily present, and the veterinarian administers the appropriate medication, the prognosis is quite favourable

● The bald patches are circumscript and well defined

● This ailment will not heal itself spontaneously

● It seems that there must exist a predisposition of the skin to pick up the infection

● Efficient drugs are available which promote quick recovery

● dogs

● A successful healing will, in all likelihood, be achieved once the itch/ scratch cycle ceases and the Sarcoptic Mites are destroyed

Once the young animal has been infected ● and cured, it is not highly likely that this type of mange will easily recur in the older dog, but the re-infection could occur

The lymph nodes in the neck area and ● on the back of the hind legs are swollen and quite visible and palpable

The first infection is mostly in young

Short-haired dogs become infected ● more easily with the Demodectic Mange Mite, eg Doberman, Boxer, Dachshund, Fox Terriers, hunting dogs, etc. The Demodex Mite actually seems to prefer short-haired dogs Actually, it is quite simple to make the ● diagnosis from the microscopic examination of the skin scrapings ● ible

The prognosis is doubtful, even irrevers-

Veterinarians have observed and report● ed several cases of the ailment subsiding and disappearing – without veterinary medicinal intervention The success, even with new types of med● ication, is not speedy and the healing process is long and drawn out Once the hair begins to grow on the hith● erto bald patches, success is pretty much expected and guaranteed

NB 1. Biology is not mathematics. In the latter, two plus two is always equal to four, unless one is dealing with a Parliament and certain professionals that believe that a case can be made whereby 33 is not necessarily bigger than 32. In biology, nothing is indisputably fixed, irreversibly anchored and irretractibly exact. Consequently, when a caregiver reads the above, it is not immutable and definitive and unalterably accurate, just as how a woman can carry her baby for 9 months, 8½ months, 9½ months, etc – you get the point that is how “normalcy”, ailments and diseases

work.

2. The above differentiation between the two skin diseases has emerged from decades of experience, and from the observation related by many colleagues, and from discussions at many conferences dealing with pet diseases, including skin ailments.

3. The treatment of skin lesions can be most frustrating and disappointing. Often the caregiver loses trust in his/her veterinarians, or in the family physician for that matter.

Patience is needed. We’ll very likely win in the end; especially nowadays when so many wonder drugs are on the market.

FEATURE

21

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

159 persons charged in 3 months for DUI

W

ithin the last quarter of 2020, some 159 persons were charged for failing the breathalyser tests that were administered by the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

This data was released by Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn after Opposition Member of Parliament Geeta ChandanEdmond asked for such to be provided during the budget debates.

Throughout this period, it was noted that 289 individuals were tested. Persons can be charged for drunk driving if, when tested, their blood alcohol content is found to exceed the prescribed limit of 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, and their blood alcohol concentration exceeds 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

Under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, “A person shall not drive or attempt to drive or be in charge of a motor vehicle on the road or other public place if he has consumed alcohol in such a quantity that the proportion thereof in his breath or blood exceeds the prescribed limits.

If found in contradiction of such, they are convicted of two consecutive offences and can be disqualified for a period of one year from holding or obtaining a licence, or a longer period if the court

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

sees fit for any special reason.

A third conviction for a similar offence shall see the person being permanently disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence.

Benn noted that breathalyser kits were provided to divisions across all regions except Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). These are yet to be supplied with the kits. When asked about the calibration of these testing kits, Benn said in his written response, “Breathalyser kits rely on their original equipment manufactured calibration.”

Only authorised officers are allowed to conduct these tests on civilians who are suspected to be driving under the influence of alcohol.

A few days ago, Benn had revealed that in the past three months serious crimes

have reduced by 21.9 per cent. The Minister said 373 serious crimes were investigated and 267 prosecutions, in this regard, were undertaken.

However, when asked about the number of convictions broken down by the different types of crimes reported from August 2, 2020, to present, Minister Benn explained that “the number of convictions remain a work in progress awaiting judicial reviews”.

In the traffic department last year, acting Top Cop Nigel Hoppie had indicated that there was an increase of 21 per cent in fatal accidents. It shows that 120 accidents were recorded for 2020 when compared to 99 for 2019. There was a consequential 15 per cent increase in fatalities, showing 130 for 2020 compared with 113 for the previous year. (G12)

ACME manager died from brain haemorrhage

A

post-mortem examination that was conducted on the body of Sandra Dee-Barker on Friday at the Le Repentir Cemetry, Georgetown, gave the cause of death as brain haemorrhage due to hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure.

This was confirmed by the woman’s brother, Lex Barker, in a social media post on Friday. It was also determined that Dee-Barker died sometime between Monday and Wednesday.

The 54-year-old woman of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD), was last seen alive on Monday at about 17:30h.

However, on Wednesday morning, she was discovered on the floor of her Regent and King Streets, Georgetown office. She was locked in her office.

According to Police, the

Dead: Sandra Dee-Barker

discovery was made just about 07:45h by a 25-yearold staff.

Police in a statement on Wednesday said the scene was processed and no mark of violence was seen, neither were there any signs of breakage or forced entry.

22 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

37 new COVID-19 cases recorded Govt removed red

tape for access to Presidential Grant

F

rom a total of 654 swabs that were sent for testing on Saturday, 37 persons tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Thus far, Guyana has recorded 8550 confirmed positives.

The Health Ministry’s dashboard showed that there are still 195 deaths.

Some 64,463 persons have been tested thus far, in which 4417 males and 4133 females were positive.

Nevertheless, there are four patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 22 persons in institutional isolation, 358 in home isolation and 18 in institutional quarantine. Recoveries stand at 7971 with 492 active cases.

A breakdown showed that of the new cases there were six in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), 29 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and two in Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

The cases in Regions One (BarimaWaini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) and 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) remain at 1019; 234; 232; 463; 771 and 648 respectively.

On Friday, the Health Ministry extended the COVID-19 Emergency Measures, in which the 22:30h (10 pm) to 04:00h (4 am) national curfew remains intact. All other measures continue throughout the new month and expire unless extended on March 31, 2021.

In another week’s time, Guyana will receive a massive donation of COVID-19 vaccines – this time from the Government of India, which has promised some 80,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the country.

…$820M budgeted to build capacity among Amerindian youth – Sukhai

G

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said on Friday “The Government of India been generous enough to allocate vaccines to the Caribbean in general.

I think they’ve allocated 500,000 doses to the Caribbean and in that allocation, Guyana is going to get 80,000 doses.”

“We are now working on the exact date and time when those vaccines are going to arrive. But we’re getting a donation from the Government of India of 80,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine,” the Health Minister added.

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was developed in the United Kingdom and is being manufactured in India by the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer.

India has already donated 170,000 AstraZeneca vaccines to the Caribbean – 70,000 to Dominica and the remaining 100,000 to Barbados from which

Guyana was given a portion.

Guyana rolled out the administration of the COVID-19 vaccines to frontline workers two weeks ago. Those jabs have already been used to vaccinate some 2000 frontline healthcare workers.

Earlier this week, Dr Anthony had said his Ministry will go ahead and administer all the vaccines donated by Barbados as the first dose and await the arrival of follow-up jabs for the second dose. Meanwhile, Guyana is now awaiting the arrival of some 104,000 vaccines from the COVAX facility, which will arrive sometime next month.

Additionally, the country is also expected to get donations of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine and China’s Sinopharm vaccine, which were already given emergency use approvals here in anticipation of their arrival.

overnment has injected a significant $820 million to train and build capacity among indigenous youth, under the recently resuscitated Community Support Officers (CSO) initiative.

This was announced

by Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai during her budget presentation to the National Assembly on Friday. The programme is expected to present youths from Amerindian Affairs Minister hinterland communiPauline Sukhai ties with all the necessary resources to develsure they tie up the documenop their skills. tation for that programme.”

“In this year, the training Meanwhile, Sukhai called component of the CSO pro- out the former Government gramme has been budgeted for failing to increase and $820 million is going to- the presidential grant to wards building capacity and Indigenous communities, empowering Amerindian and also creating a series of youths. That is what you call red tapes to challenge these interest in youths. That is stakeholders from collecting what you call delivering on their monies. Due to this, she our commitment to young said 40 per cent of communipeople,” the Minister shared. ties were unable to access the After taking office in 2015, grants. the APNU/AFC had disman“They put on conditions tled this programme and re- and requirements for accessplaced it with the Hinterland ing the presidential grant, Employment and Youth that only a mere 40 per cent Service (HEYS) initia- of the communities and viltive. However, Sukhai re- lages across the hinterland vealed that none of the 2500 were able to access those enterprises under HEYS cur- funds to stimulate some form rently exist. of economic activities. That is “They have claimed that a complete shameful act,” the 2500 businesses and en- Minister lamented. terprises have been creatShe said upon taking ofed. It has been documented fice, the PPP/C distributas such. When you go into ed these funds to almost all the communities, you can- communities and removed not find even more than one the conditional requireor you find zero…There is no ments. Another allocation of programme. How many busi- a whopping $1.73 billion is nesses and enterprises exist also set aside for COVID-19 in Kako, Waramadong, Wara support.

Water, Kato, Kaibarupai, “In the last three months, Tuseneng, Shulinab? They almost all the villages in the can take their time in hinterland, 213 Amerindian Opposition now and go with villages have accessed the lenses or microscopes to ex- presidential grant fund. We amine where those fantom have $300 million, where enterprises and businesses another 220 Amerindian exist,” she elucidated. villages and satellites will Opposition Member of receive those grants to stimParliament Vincent Henry ulate their economy. To comtold the National Assembly plement the presidential that Government should grant fund, we have prohave continued the HEYS vided $1.73 billion to supinitiative, instead of resusci- port Amerindian communitating the CSO programme. ties, villages and satellites to But Sukhai clarified withstand and mitigate the that apart from the pro- harmful and negative impact gramme’s failure, there was from the pandemic.” correspondence from former Additionally, she Indigenous People’s Affairs slammed the Opposition for Minister, Sydney Allicock failing to visit these comto former Finance Minister, munities when they were in Winston Jordan indicat- power, noting that this coning that they had already tributed to their removal planned to discontinue the from office during the 2020 initiative. elections.

“They claim that we have “Every single village you not renewed the HEYS pro- go to, one of the most comgramme, but there is cor- plaint you get is that within respondence from the then the last five years, they have Minister writing to the not seen any Minister coming Minister of Finance stating to any community…The rethat in 2019, there was no sult of the elections was glarmore money to address the ing. Amerindians are sensiHEYS programme and he ble Guyanese. Amerindians had to disconnect all the staff have been educated for 23 in the region and the entire years under our Government programme and that he was and they can judge and they going to keep four staff to en- have judged you well.” (G12)

NEWS

23

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

AG orders Leguan Stelling contractor to vacate site …sends formal notice of termination of contract

S

Maraj Contracting Services, the contractor whose $413 million contract to repair the deplorable Leguan Stelling was recently terminated, has been ordered by the Government to forfeit all payments due and to clear the site, with the threat of legal action hanging over its head.

According to a letter seen by this publication, Attorney General and Senior Counsel Anil Nandlall wrote to Sattrohan Maraj of S Maraj Contracting Services, reminding him that despite the company being granted several extensions, a project that was supposed to be completed by June 18, 2019, is still not complete.

In fact, Nandlall pointed out that despite the extensions granted by the Transport and Harbour Department (T&HD), the project has been delayed for approximately 20 months.

And according to the AG, the company has only completed a minimal amount of the scheduled work.

“As a consequence, your company has committed a fundamental breach of the terms of the contract and as a result thereof, the

A section of the Leguan Stelling

Government of Guyana hereby exercises its right to terminate the contract with immediate effect,” the letter said.

Nandlall further pointed out that the Government will enforce contractual provisions to reclaim the performance bond of $43.3 million; the mobilisation bond of $81.3 million; 10 per cent of the contract sum and the value of works not performed.

“In addition, the Government of Guyana reserves its right to institute legal proceedings against

your company for compensation for breach of contract and unjust enrichment.

Please arrange to have the site cleared immediately,” Nandlall further informed the contractor.

This comes just days after Public Works Minister Juan Edghill had announced that the contract for the Leguan Stelling would be terminated, owing to the contractor’s inability to complete the project.

The Minister and his team had met with residents who echoed their concerns

about the slow pace at which the project is being done. On this note, Minister Edghill had stated that the contractor would have applied for an extension to complete the project but he posited that it is unacceptable.

However, in a subsequent release issued by the Minister, he stated that on February 19, he met with the contractor along with a team from T&HD and was guided by the special report on the rehabilitation of the Leguan Ferry Stelling conducted by the Audit Office of Guyana.

Based on the Audit Office report, it was determined that the contractor, S Maraj Contracting Services, is incapable, unable, and does not possess the wherewithal to successfully execute the project.

The contract with S Maraj Contracting Services was signed on September 20, 2018, under the leadership of David Patterson, the then Minister of

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

Public Infrastructure as it was named under the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

The contractor would have received $199,435,000 in payments. This is outside of the normal procurement practices and a breach of the Fiscal Management Accountability Act, a breach the audit report highlighted.

Presently, actual works and materials on site are esti-

mated at about $100 million.

This is only the latest in a series of contracts the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government has had to come in and revoke from recalcitrant contractors.

Other contracts are already being litigated.

Last month, the Government instituted a lawsuit against Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited and Caricom General Insurance Company in which it is seeking in excess of $413 million in damages in relation to the breach of contract for the rehabilitation of the St Rose’s High School.

The Government has also taken BK International and the North American Fire and General Insurance Company (NAFICO) to court over breach of contract in the construction of the Yarrowkabra Secondary School.

The Government is seeking over $717.8 million in damages.

(G3)

24

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FEATURE

25

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mother recalls journey to delivery as athletic Berbice twin sisters give birth However, she noted that she is very happy that both deliveries were successful despite knowing that one of the daughters was not going to have a normal delivery.

By Andrew Carmichael

T

win sisters Amesha Thuesday Grant and Amela Latahsa Thuesday on Wednesday gave birth to their babies some 13 minutes apart at the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital.

The infants – a girl named Cassidy Miracle Grant and a boy named Myron Kingsley Rajgopaul – arrived at 09:10h and 09:23h, respectively. Both babies weighed some 3 kilograms. Amesha and Amela were both admitted to the hospital on February 23.

Despite being identical twins, they thought differently of each other from the time it was revealed that the other was pregnant.

Amela was the first to become pregnant and to reveal her pregnancy, but being unmarried, her first hurdle was to speak to her mother about her pregnancy.

She said much to her relief, her mother took the news well and was very excited.

“She was amazed and excited but was waiting on the right time,” Amela told Guyana Times.

The new grandmother, Earlene Thomas sat with the girls as they spoke with this publication. She said that she was surprised but happy.

“I was surprised but happy because she always says that she doesn’t want children,” the mother of seven told this publication.

Amesha revealed that as the big sister – by a mere five minutes, she always expected that Amela would one day become a mother.

Twin sisters Amesha Thuesday-Grant and Amela Latahsa Thuesday with Keenon Rajgopaul and Ron Junior Grant

According to Amela, it was a big challenge to break the news to her mother.

“My mom... her reaction was the best. I never expect that reaction from her because she always want to hear and see us do good... as mother you won’t want your girl child to be in certain things but when I told her I was pregnant, she was like, ‘I knew. I was just was waiting for you to come to me’. She said that Amela you’re now going to be a mother, so do your best…”

According to Thomas, at one time it seemed as though her twins were not going to become mothers. Both of them were athletes and part of the Hopetown Plane Athletics Club and repre-

sented Guyana on the track in the USA. Amesha was better at the 100 and 400 metres while her sister also ran the 400 metres but her main event was the 200 metres.

As girls, they also danced and Amesha is a member of the Number 5 Conquerors Football Club.

According to Thomas, arrangements were made for Amela to go to the New Amsterdam Hospital for admission.

“That is the date they give her at the clinic to go to the hospital and when I at the hospital with her and they admitting her, the other sister called me and tell me that she getting pain… it was so confusing.”

Meanwhile, at the New Amsterdam Hospital, some staff members were baffled on Tuesday when they saw what appeared to be a patient being admitted for a

second time. The twins wore identical clothing to the hospital. Amesha got married last December to a Police Constable and now the couple has two children.

26 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC called out for low project implementation rate …pace now 95% under current PPP Govt – Edghill

T

he project implementation rate of the Public Infrastructure Ministry was a worrying average of 59 per cent under the last Administration. This is according to Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, who said the rate has since almost doubled under the current People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government.

During Day Four of the Budget Debates at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Edghill compared past and current project implementation rates. According to him, the then Public Infrastructure Ministry of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government had a project implementation rate ranging from 57 to 61 per cent.

“You know what was our implementation rate at the Ministry of Public Works for 2020? (It was) 95.7 per cent, moving from 57 and 61 per cent over the last five years.

We’ve got to right the wrongs,” Minister Edghill said.

The Minister further spoke of some of the proj-

The Sheriff-Mandela upgrade is one project that languished under the APNU/AFC

ects the Government is currently implementing. When it comes to roads, Edghill explained that consultations were done countrywide when the PPP Government got into office, with Neighbourhood and Regional Democratic Councils.

“If you look around now, we had an emergency budget. And I can say this without fear of contradiction, because it’s happening across the country. Everyone wants their roads fixed. You know what we did when we went into the Ministry? We sent out

our engineers to every NDC and RDC to consult.”

“Each NDC was to name the two top priority roads for fixing. We didn’t discriminate by where Indians live and where Africans live. We fixed roads. As I stand here to speak tonight, 168 roads are under construction throughout Guyana,” the Minister further said.

Projects

When the PPP came to power in August of 2020, the Public Works Ministry inherited a number of projects

that were at various stages of inertia. These included the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion, the Ogle to Diamond bypass road and the Sheriff-Mandela upgrade project.

When it comes to the Sheriff-Mandela project, it was revealed last year that GY$2.7 billion of the US$66 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan funding was already spent, but the project was at a standstill.

An additional GY$553 million had to be allocated in last year’s emergency budget by the PPP Government to complete the project. That project is now on course for completion by August of this year.

The Ogle to Diamond bypass road, financed through a US$50 million Line of Credit (LOC), was stalled when the PPP took office. However, the President Dr Irfaan Aliled PPP/C Administration has since redesigned the project into three phases to fit the LOC and work has commenced. The road will now run from Ogle to Haags Bosch at Eccles in the first phase,

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill

then from Eccles to Diamond, and finally from Diamond to Timehri to connect to the CJIA. The CJIA expansion project was not only at a standstill but mired in controversy after the former Government took over what was supposed to be a fixed price US$138 million contract and accepted downgraded works from contractor China Harbour and Engineering Company (CHEC). The contractor has since been tasked by the current Government with revising the scope of works to include the original terms of that contract.

During the February 12 reading of the budget, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh had announced the allocation of $25.6 billion for the development of roads and bridges. He had said $23.7 billion will be spent on roads while $1.9 billion is earmarked for bridges.

According to the Minister, the sum includes works to upgrade a number of existing roads and bridges as well as initiate new projects. Dr Singh explained that funds have been earmarked to complete the construction of a four-lane highway from Eccles, East Bank Demerara, to Mandela Avenue, Georgetown – an initiative that will reduce travel time for “tens of thousands of commuters”.

He also said funds will be directed towards the development of the road between Moleson Creek and El Dorado in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) – in anticipation of the Suriname-Guyana River Crossing. The Finance Minister had noted too that sizeable finances have been set aside for the development of roads in the hinterland regions. (G3)

NEWS

27

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Haitians, Cuban travelling from Guyana arrested in Brazil for illegal entry

F

ederal Police in neighbouring Brazil have arrested 27 immigrants – 26 Haitians and one Cuban – who illegally entered the border town of Bonfim from Guyana.

The Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) in Guyana said in a statement that the more than two dozen immigrants were intercepted during the course of Friday evening and Saturday morning.

In addition to the 26 Haitians and one Cuban, the Federal Police also arrested taxi drivers who were waiting to transport the immigrants onwards in Brazil.

CANU said some of the Haitians arrived in Lethem during this past week and were initially denied entry into Brazil but authorities were suspicious that the immigrants would try to sneak into the neighbouring country through Guyana’s porous borders “…It was suspected that they would try to use other routes to cross over, hence the information was passed on to Brazilian counterparts by CANU who then alerted their law enforcement units within the area,” a statement from CANU added.

Only recently, Brazil’s

Federal Police and CANU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to share information and conduct joint operations, involving narcotics and other criminal activities.

According to CANU, the arrest of these illegal immigrants can be described as an example of excellent cross-border cooperation.

“This is one of the successes coming out of this arrangement. The movement of persons through unofficial crossings not only poses a security risk but also a health risk due to the ongoing COVID pandemic,” the Guyanese agency noted.

Guyana has previously been flagged as a transit point for narcotics trafficking but more recently, has seen increases in both Haitians and Cubans using the country as a transit point to get to other neighbouring states – some passing through the region to get to the United States through Mexico.

Back in December, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall had disclosed that the Brazilian Government had complained about immigrants abusing Guyana as a transit point – a practice which Government is grappling with.

The 27 illegal immigrants who were arrested in Bonfim, Brazil

“We have a complaint from the Brazilian Government to say that Guyana is being used as a transhipment point for people smuggling into Brazil. And we are being blamed for this.

We are not an island. We are a mainland. And we have extraordinarily wide borders that are almost impossible to monitor and police,” Nandlall had said during an interview with Trinidad’s Morning Edition in December 2020.

In fact, last November, another 26 Haitians suspected to be victims of human traf-

ficking were detained by the Guyana Police Force. It was reported that 13 of the Haitians were first picked up by Police acting on reasonable suspicion and information, at a hotel on South Road and taken to be interviewed by agents of the Trafficking In Persons (TIP) unit.

The remainder were picked up on November 8, 2020, after being intercepted at a Police roadblock in Linden. At the time, the Police became suspicious that the 10 men, nine women and seven children

were being smuggled to Brazil through the GeorgetownLethem route.

Chief Magistrate Sherdel Issacs-Marcus had subsequently issued deportation orders which was sought by the Force’s Immigration Department.

However, the Association of Haitian Nationals in Guyana subsequently, successfully, approached acting Chief Justice Roxane George on December 3, to block the deportation until the constitutionality of their detention comes up for the hearing of arguments.

At the time, the Haitians were in protective custody at the Hugo Chávez Centre pending the outcome of the court case but earlier in December, they were released after it was unclear how long the legal proceedings would last. The immigrants, whom court documents say had lied to the Police during their initial detention, were also asking to be released from the Centre.

They were dropped off at a guest house on South Road, Georgetown, on December 10, 2020.

But one week later on December 17, the 26 Haitians left the city dwelling.

When Guyana Times visited the guest house after it was informed of their disappearance, it was confirmed that the 26 Haitians, including children, were no longer there.

This newspaper was told that two Route 94 minibuses (which operate the Georgetown to Lethem Route) had picked up all the Haitians from the South Road building that afternoon and left.

While the whereabouts of those Haitians has been unknown since then, the High Court has since quashed the deportation order in a ruling last month. (G8)

28 NEWS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine: FDA approves single-shot jab

U

S regulators have formally approved the single-shot Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, the third jab to be authorised in the country.

The vaccine is set to be a cost-effective alternative to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and can be stored in a refrigerator instead of a freezer.

Trials found it prevented serious illness but was 66% effective overall when moderate cases were included.

The vaccine is made by the Belgian firm Janssen.

The company has agreed

to provide the US with 100 million doses by the end of June.

The UK, EU and Canada have also ordered doses, and 500 million doses have also been ordered through the Covax scheme to supply poorer nations.

President Joe Biden hailed it as "exciting news for all Americans, and an encouraging development", but warned that the "fight is far from over".

"Though we celebrate today's news, I urge all Americans - keep washing your hands, stay socially dis-

tanced, and keep wearing masks," he said in a statement.

"As I have said many times, things are still likely to get worse again as new variants spread, and the current improvement could reverse."

Results from trials conducted in the US, South Africa and Brazil showed it was more than 85% effective at preventing serious illness, and 66% effective overall when moderate cases were included.

Notably, there were no deaths among participants who had received the vaccine and no hospital admissions af-

ter 28 days post-vaccine.

Overall protection was lower in South Africa and Brazil, where virus variants have become dominant, but defence against severe or critical illness was "similarly high".

South Africa began administering the unapproved Johnson & Johnson jab to healthcare workers as part of a study earlier this month. It came after early trials suggested the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine offered "minimal protection" against mild disease from the variant dominant in large parts of the country. (BBC)

Niger state, overwhelming the school’s security detail. One boy was killed during the raid.

After their release, boys were seen by a Reuters witness walking with armed security through a dusty village, some struggling to stand and asking for water. A government official said the boys were aged between 15 and 18.

The release comes just a day after the raid on a school in Zamfara state where gunmen seized 317 girls. Police on Saturday mounted a hunt for the girls, while parents waited in the school compound for news on their daughters.

One of them, Lawal Muhammed, was hopeful his daughter would be released, saying the abductors wanted a ransom which could be paid.

“These ones ... are already after ransom, so I know and believe that when the government settles with them, they will be able to release our daughters,” he told Reuters.

School kidnappings in Nigeria were first carried out by jihadist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, but the tactic has now been adopted by other militants whose agenda is unclear.

In a statement late Friday,

the presidency said President Muhammadu Buhari had urged state governments “to review their policy of rewarding bandits with money and vehicles, warning that the policy might boomerang disastrously.”

The unrest has become a political problem for Buhari, a retired general and former military ruler who has faced mounting criticism over high profile attacks by the gangs known locally as “bandits”.

Buhari replaced his long-standing military chiefs this month amid worsening violence.

(Reuters)

Nigerian schoolboys freed as forces search for 300 abducted girls

G

unmen in Nigeria on Saturday released 27 teenage boys who were kidnapped from their school last week in the north-central state of Niger, while security forces continued to search for more than 300 schoolgirls abducted in a nearby state.

Schools have become targets for mass kidnappings for ransom in northern Nigeria by armed groups.

On Feb. 17, 27 students, three staff and 12 members of their families were abducted by an armed gang that stormed the Government Science secondary school in the Kagara district of

T

COMPLAINTS’ MANAGEMENT AT THE EPA

he Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established on June 5, 1996 under the Environmental Protection Act, Cap. 20:05, Laws of Guyana, to oversee the effective management, conservation, protection and improvement of the environment.

The Act also requires the Agency to take the necessary measures to ensure the prevention and control of pollution.

In doing so, addressing environmental violations is integral to the work of the Agency; these usually occur in the form of environmental complaints. It is the responsibility of everyone to identify and report poor environmental practices. Therefore, complaints’ management is a vital aspect of environmental and human health protection.

In accordance with Part V, Section. 19 (1) (a) of the Environmental Protection Act, Cap. 20:05, Laws of Guyana, “a person shall not undertake an activity that causes or is likely to cause pollution of the environment, unless the person takes all reasonable and practicable measures to prevent or minimise any resulting adverse effect”.

Addressing environmental complaints The Environmental Protection Agency continues to receive a large number of complaints related to various environmental nuisances. With an increase in industrial and other development activities, this has become overwhelming, and has placed additional pressure on the Agency’s resources to have them addressed in a timely manner. In this regard, the Agency has developed a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for expeditiously and efficiently addressing environmental complaints. The SoP provides for the complaints to be managed by a single hub, which would enable the Agency to track the status of any complaint at a given time, and provide accurate updates.

The Agency, in 2019, received 571 complaints, while, in 2020, a total of 581 complaints was received. The majority of the complaints were related to noise, odour, and improper waste disposal.

A collaborative approach The Agency’s work enables Guyana to contribute to global and national environmental protection and conservation. As such, the Agency’s approach to complaints’ management allows for the Agency to collaborate with other key organisations to eliminate complaints’ backlogs and bring resolution to many of the recurrent complaint matters. Given the many challenges we face, especially in this new COVID-19 pandemic, adhering to the restrictions has limited the Agency’s time of response.

Agencies such as the Local Government Ministry, Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, Regional Democratic Councils, Guyana Forestry Commission, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, and the Central Housing and Planning Authority have, over the years, assisted the Agency in resolving many complaint matters.

Standard operating procedure for complaints’ management You, too, can assist the Agency! Members of the public can report environmental complaints by utilising any of the following methods: Complaints 24-hour Hotline Number: 592-225-5469; or E-mail: complaint@epaguyana.org.

Please note, complaint reports MUST include: i. Nature of the complaint. ii. Name and address of business/entity/person causing the pollution. iii. Name of the complainant, (person making the complaint) and iv. Contact information and address of complainant.

You can also message us on Facebook or Instagram.

Complaints can also be made at our Regional Offices at Whim, Berbice and Mackenzie, Linden: 2. Whim Office – 337-2201; and 3. Linden Office – 444-2313.

Remember your first line of action should be to make contact with your local government authority (Regional Democratic Council/Neighbourhood Democratic Council) on the matter.

Please be assured that the Agency would treat all information received from the public with strictest confidence.

Complainants, however, should be willing to attend court and testify, should the matter require legal action.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, c/o ECEA Programme, 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.

NEWS

29

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Vaccination rollout

Schools likely to reopen after Easter holidays – Manickchand

E

ducation Minister Priya Manickchand on Saturday announced that Government is looking to have schools in Guyana fully reopened after the Easter holidays but in the meantime, classrooms will remain closed for the month of March, except for Grades 10, 11 and 12 students.

According to Manickchand, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has advised that schools continue to be closed to the traditional classroom learning in the new month.

“For now, we remain close to face-to-face learning… So, for the month of March, we’re going to stay close to face-toface learning for every grade except for Grades 10, 11 and 12,” the Education Minister noted.

Manickchand pointed out that her Ministry has not taken any decision without consulting with and the advice of Dr Anthony, who has been looking at ways that his Ministry can accommodate the return of classroom

learning to the benefit of everyone involved, especially students.

In fact, she noted that this will become more a reality now that the Health Ministry has rolled out its COVID-19 vaccination campaign earlier this month.

“Once that goes smoothly and as plan, we anticipate that we’re going to be able to open schools sometime after the Easter holiday – not too long after. Please remember, while that is our intention and a desire, that would be dependent upon further advice of the Health Ministry about how well the vaccination programme happen, and how successful they were with the numbers they had anticipate they wanted to meet,” Minister Manickchand asserted.

Meanwhile, the Education Minister pointed out that while students continue to benefit from learning; getting back to faceto-face learning as soon as possible remains a priority. She added that there are certain risks that as a

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

Government they need to take into consideration.

“The research suggests that the more schools stay close, the more long term disadvantages we will have.

The more students are likely to drop out and the more students are likely to suffer from severe learning loss.

The recommendation is that, as quickly as we can go back into the classrooms at all levels. Guyana is noting that.

“We are deeply concerned as other countries around the world that even after COVID goes – after we’ve dealt with it and contained

Father accidentally crushes toddler to death

A

Mahaica, East Coast Demerara father accident crushed his son to death when the lorry he was driving ran over the child.

Dead is 20-month-old Adan Kiritpaul. Police said that based on investiga-

tions, the father was navigating the motor lorry out of his yard when he looked out his rear-view mirror and saw something between the wheels. Police said that the man stopped and disembarked only to discover his son lying motionlessly and

his head crushed.

An alarm was raised and the Police were called.

The child was taken to the Mahaicony Public Hospital and was pronounced dead.

The father has since been taken into custody.

it that we might be left with long term problems that we will need to address. So, we want to minimise that as far as possible. But in the meantime, we have a duty in the Government to keep our teachers, children and families safe. How do we make that balance work?” she contended.

Manickchand further outlined that Government has since employed some non-traditional methods in the education system of engaging students.

These include refashioning the Guyana Learning Channel to deliver education in a scheduled, timetabled way that matches the curriculum; delivering education on the radio; and crafting and creating worksheets that are specific to and follow the curriculum on a weekly basis for each subject, among others.

“Those facts and notes are accompanied by lessons and activities [which] would try to reinforce that learning.

We know that none of those or even a combination of them would not replace the value of a trained teacher in front of a classroom. But that is what we do in the absence of being able to go back in the classroom,” the Minister posited.

She reminded that when Government sought to resume face-to-face learning for some grades in October last year, parents were told that if they are not comfortable then their children will continue to be facilitated for at-home learning.

“Many schools have adopted a blended approach.

They do some of the academic work online and they do some practicals in the classroom. Some schools have gone back out fully and some have really avoided going back out. So, we really left it up to the schools and the PTAs to determine what is best for each individual school,” Manickchand stated.

On this note, nevertheless, the Education Minister implored schools and teachers to continue with these new learning techniques to serve the best interest of children.

“We encourage teachers to continue to engage students online by various means… We encourage

teachers to continue to mark worksheets and I encourage parents to continue to give us the hand you’ve been giving us. We know this has not been an easy time for anyone… This is soon to be over, there is a short time left,” Manickchand said while adding that Government is working feverishly to keep the population safe while trying to get students back into classrooms physically.

Guyana two weeks ago rolled out the administration of the COVID-19 vaccines. That batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine was donated by the Government of Barbados and it has already been used to vaccinate over 2000 frontline healthcare workers.

Last Monday, Dr Anthony said that they would go ahead and administer all the vaccines donated by Barbados as the first dose and await the arrival of follow-up vaccines to administer the second dose. He subsequently announced on Friday last that Guyana will be getting 80,000 doses of the AstraZeneca jab from India in the new month.

Meanwhile, Guyana is currently awaiting the arrival of another batch of 104,000 vaccines from the COVAX facility (co-led by WHO, UNICEF, Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations). (G8)

30

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021

“Counsel said we will compel Cricket Ombudsman to do his job”, DCB President says

W

hat is the next move as it relates to the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB’s) elections?

That is the question being asked by many at this point.

Elections that were to be held on Friday, February 26, were postponed because the Essequibo Cricket Board raised numerous issues in relation to preparation.

According to President of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB), Bissoondyal Singh Snr, counsel has advised the DCB of a move to the court to compel Cricket Ombudsman Kamal Ramkarran to do his job.

“We will be moving to court to compel him to do his job, and that will be done (on) Monday morning. Failure to do so, we will ask the court to call it,” the DCB President has said.

After Friday’s events, Singh has said he is uncer-

Demerara Cricket Board President Bissoondyal Singh Snr addressing the media on Friday at Umana Yana

tain whether or not Attorneyat-Law Ramkarran should be the Cricket Ombudsman, but he said the DCB would meet and make the necessary deci-

BCB hosting four grass-roots tournaments across Berbice today

P

lans by the proactive Berbice Cricket Board to promote the game of cricket at the grass-roots level would receive a major boost when four tournaments are played across the Lower Corentyne area today.

The tournaments would be played at the Kennard Memorial Ground at Bush Lot, Corentyne; the Whim ground, the Chesney ground, and at the Fyrish ground. These tournaments are respectively being sponsored by former cricketers Mankarran Singh, Vishal Nagamootoo, Narsingh Deonarine and Hemnarine Chattergoon.

At the Whim ground, teams that would be vying for the Nagamootoo Brothers Challenge Cup are Whim; Tain, Block Four; Belvedere United, and Rose Hall Town Tigers. Vishal Nagamootoo is a former national wicketkeeper, while his elder brother Mahendra played Test cricket for the West Indies.

Former RHTY&SC and Port Mourant player Mankarran Singh is the sponsor of the Karran and Son Tournament, which would be played at the Kennard Memorial Ground at Bush Lot. The teams that would participate in this tournament are: Kildonan, Ramnarine Memorial, Kennard Memorial, and #43 Village.

Former West Indies middle order batsman Narsingh Deonarine is the sponsor of the Deonarine Cup, for which the Chesney, Jai Hind, Albion Open and Sand Reef Tigers teams would compete. Play in this tournament would take place at the Chesney ground.

And former West Indies under-19 player Hemnarine Chattergoon is the sponsor of the Chattergoon Brothers Challenge Cup. His home team Fyrish, together with teams from Kilcoy, Courtland, and the Nigg Intruders, would be

sions.

Singh is also contending that, based on the Guyana Cricket Administration Act, the presence of two County

Boards and the full quota of delegates means elections could have been held on Friday last.

Singh’s attorney, Arudrunauth Gossai, was surprised at the turn of events on Friday. He said he and the Ombudsman had on Thursday successfully fought against an interim order to stop the Guyana Cricket Board from holding elections.

“Now, the law is clear: The Minister sets a date for the first elections, which the Minister did; and so, in my mind, anybody (who is empowered) to change that election date must be the person who fixed it. And so, in the absence of the Minister directing the Ombudsman that the election is not to be held today, the Ombudsman was bound under the law to conduct election,” Gossai told media operatives via telephone on Friday.

Cricket Ombudsman

Kamal Ramkarran has decided that the GCB elections would not be held until the complaints made by the Essequibo Board are resolved and each county is ready to participate in those elections.

DCB President Bissoondyal Singh and his board were disappointed at that decision being taken, since two of the three county boards - Berbice and Demerara - were present and constituted a quorum under the Guyana Cricket Administration Act. Each county board has nine delegates, and 15 delegates constitute a quorum.

The Essequibo Cricket Board did not submit a list of delegates, as Boards were mandated to do by 16:00h on Thursday last.

“In the email sent by Mr Satram, Attorney-at-Law, which I shared with you, Mr Satram has raised the issue of

my function of verifying registers. Now, I have seen no registers, I know that your (DCB) elections were held pursuant to court order, and I believe the same was (done) for the Berbice Cricket Board.

I do not believe the same (was done) for the Essequibo Cricket Board; but if one of the functions of the ombudsman is to verify registers, and the Essequibo Cricket Board raises the issue of the verification of registers, if everyone would agree, sure, registers are above board, then we can proceed. But the Essequibo Cricket Board last night raised the issue of the verification of registers. I could not, in good conscience, proceed (with) elections in their absence, in light of that allegation that there are issues to be resolved; and I could not, in good conscience, proceed to hold elections,” the Cricket Ombudsman has noted.

“Motie in our thoughts, but Hosein performed in Bangladesh” - Roger Harper – Jimmy Adams clears the air on fitness

Jimmy Adams

Narsingh Deonarine

competing for this trophy.

At a special meeting with the 16 teams, BCB President Hilbert Foster disclosed that the BCB is investing heavily in grass-roots cricket in an effort to renew the passion for the game after the one year break due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He warned that no form of indiscipline would be tolerated, and urged that there be investment in youth development.

One main objective of these tournaments is to allow other clubs, apart from powerhouses Albion and RHTY&SC, MS, to win a Berbice Cricket Board title. Clubs are reminded that all players have to be attired in white, and teams are expected to be present at the venues half an hour before game time.

Players are also asked to provide their own drinking water, and are reminded that face masks are compulsory both on and off the cricket field.

Moreover, players are asked to observe social distancing, and no spectator would be allowed into the venues, while the use of alcohol would be strictly prohibited.

Presentation of prizes would be done by representatives of the BCB and sponsors immediately after completion of the tournaments.

Roger Harper

By Brandon Corlette

C

ricket West Indies Lead Selector Roger Harper has clarified decisions regarding the selection and non-selection of some players in the West Indies white-ball squad to play Sri Lanka from March 3.

Harper has said that Guyana’s Gudakesh Motie has done well in the Regional Super50 tournament, but leftarm spinner Akeal Hosein gave a good account of himself in Bangladesh.

“Motie certainly had an outstanding season, and certainly drew attention to himself, but Akeal Hosein acquitted himself very well in Bangladesh, and he is a leftarm spinner as well. But Motie is in our thoughts,” Harper told the media in a virtual media briefing on Saturday.

In addition to the comments from Harper, CWI Cricket Director Jimmy Adams spoke about fitness as

it relates to the players. CWI announced that fast bowlers Sheldon Cottrell and Oshane Thomas, along with batsman Shimron Hetmyer and all-rounder Roston Chase, have failed to reach the minimum fitness standard in time for selection consideration, and will all remain in Antigua after the CGI Insurance Super50 Cup to work on their fitness and conditioning.

“That minimum standard is 40, and all the players are aware. Failure to get 40 makes them unavailable for selection. There are going to be times that players, for different reasons, might be unable and incapable of achieving minimum standards.

There are exemptions given to some of these players. The four main areas considered are: age, individual psychological limitations, injury history, and training history,” Adams posited.

With Hetmyer playing in the Super50 and scoring heav-

ily, many are asking how the left-hander could be considered unfit while he is scoring so heavily. Adams has, however, said the fitness standards at the Regional franchise level vary from those at the international level.

“In most systems across the world, there is a higher standard for the international players across different sports than you would find for club players of first-class players,” Adams explained.

When asked if a player who scores a large quantity of runs can be eligible for selection if he cannot meet the minimum fitness standard, Adams said only if that player is returning from injury would consideration be given him in that scenario.

Therefore, the Hetmyer omission must be processed.

“If I run 44 on my last fitness test and that was my target, my next target is going to be five to seven levels above 44. There is nothing stopping

individual franchises from moving that (the minimum standard), but we would encourage that. What we don’t want is to have a setup where you have a team with players who are in my view fit and they are trying to win games with players who can’t stand up physically to the demands of international cricket,” Adams explained.

He further noted that these fitness tests are done at least twice a year, but there are tests that can be done at any time if the coach wants to assess a player.

“For the contracted West Indies player, it is a 12-month process that we manage via the local physio and local coaches,” Adams said.

Harper also spoke about the non-selection of Guyana’s Keemo Paul, who is still recovering from his injury; while Sunil Narine has indicated that he is not ready to return to international cricket, and is still fine-tuning his game.

y

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021

"This is for my grandfather", Kevin Sinclair says about his maiden West Indies call-up

F

rom a humble upbringing to a senior West Indies call-up to the One Day International (ODI) and T20I International teams to play Sri Lanka from March 3, the story of Kevin Sinclair continues to be an inspiration for all.

The 21-year-old Sinclair has dedicated his senior callup to his grandfather Carlton Sinclair.

"I must thank The Almighty for health and strength and guidance. It is a great feeling to be called up. I must say thanks to my grandfather for working day and night with me. He is a security guard, but he still works with me. I just want to say this is for him. This is always his dream, and all the hard work he did with me has paid off," Sinclair told Cricket West Indies (CWI) media.

Sinclair, who now plays his local cricket for Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, has said he is aiming to learn

as much as possible from the senior players in the team. The economical off-spinner has said he developed his bowling from playing more limited overs cricket back home in Guyana.

"I represented Guyana Under-19 (and) did well with the ball. With the bat, coming into senior cricket, I am looking to rectify that in the future and hit more balls, but I am working on the batting," he confided.

Sinclair, who played in

the 2019 Regional Super50 tournament for the victorious West Indies Emerging Players and performed exceptionally, has said this is a special moment for him.

"That was a special moment for me. I must say hats off to Coach Floyd Reifer who worked with me during that period, and he still has talks with me; so, hats off to him," Sinclair says.

Speaking on the selection of Sinclair, CWI Lead selector Roger Harper said: "Kevin Sinclair grabbed our attention in the Super50 Cup back in 2019, and has been consistently economical in the last CPL and the current CG Insurance Super50. He will provide an off-spinning option for the team.”

Sinclair has played 15 List A matches and has taken 18 wickets at a supremely economical rate of 3.02. He has a bowling average of 20.50

GT Tuners eyeing speed and success today

31

CLASSIFIED ADS LEARN TO DRIVE Shalom Enterprise Driving School 2 Croal Street, Stabroek You can also obtain an International Driving Permit covering over 134 Countries.

Contact us: 227-3835 / 627-6155.

WhatsApp: 619-0106. Join us on FaceBook.

PUPPIES FOR SALE Mix Breed Puppies For sale Contact : 253-3114/692-0126

TAXI SERVICE Elegant Cabs 231-1494 / 226-4277 Cell #: 625-6600 24 hrs.

Kevin Sinclair with his grandfather Carlton Sinclair who was presented with the Berbice Cricket Board's Father of the Year award by Angella Haniff

(Stats were compiled before the Super50 final). He also played for the Guyana Amazon Warriors, and in the five T20s he played, he picked up 5

wickets at an economy rate of 4.35 and an average of 12.20.

This youngster has also played 6 first-class matches for the Jaguars. (Brandon Corlette)

GR Taxi

227-1982, 225-7878 219-5000, 227-2100 Wanted: Contract Cars Tel: 614-6202

WANTED One live-in Housekeeper. Must know how to cook. Preferably out of town.Call : 681-8140

Olympic swim hopefuls to test skills at SA Championships

W

R

Another car (Evo X) in the GT Tuners fleet

ound 1 of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club’s Drag Races is finally here, and the GT Tuners Club members are looking to shock the field of competitors when they get on the track today.

With the first full ¼ mile title on the line this Sunday, the GT Tuners Club members are looking to stand up to the likes of Team Mohamed in Round 1 of the races. The Tuners team boasts the experience of threetime 13-second Champion Imran Khan and the wideeyed eagerness of Raymond Seebarran, who is familiar with the longer distances. However, today, everything will be left

A game and we never fear our competition. Whoever comes next to us, and we go down the quarter mile, may the best man win and cross the finish line first,” Khan declared.

Raymond Seebarran, who recently acquired an RX8, is keen on testing his machine, but is confident the team is well poised.

“I did some Endurance racing but I’m a little bit fresh to the dragracing aspect.

I won some championships in circuit racing, but now I’m trying to branch off to see what drag Raymond Seebarran’s Rx8 racing is like,” on the track.

Seebarran shared. He added, Khan isn’t too worried “I think we’re going to be about the competition. “The pretty competitive. You know, quarter mile is unpredictable. we’re in it to win it, that’s Race day is a totally different what we do. The cars are up scenario, but what we do every to par with the competitors drag race, we go out with our in our respective classes, so it

Vivek Joshi’s Rx7

should be a good show for this weekend.”

On the other hand, Vivek Joshi is on the fence about his machine’s ability. As such, Joshi is looking to test his RX7 today with some future modifications in mind.

“Right now it’s a road car, so I want to keep it streetable. And you really can’t get a street car and say it’s going to be a street/track car. This weekend we’ll know exactly how it works on the track, how well it performs; and maybe I can tweak it a little bit more,” Joshi explained.

More than 60 drivers are expected to compete in the drag races at the South Dakota circuit. With strict COVID-19 measures in place, tickets for the event will not be sold at the venue. The drag action will be livestreamed by eNetworks, on the GMR&SC Facebook page. SKAR TV (Channel 102) as well as Tarzee TV in Bartica are also expected to livestream the races.

hile Guyana still moves at a snail’s pace in regard to the restart of sport, the international world is going full speed ahead and, as such, many international meets and events are going ahead as planned.

This means that the private preparations of Guyanese athletes who are optimistic about competing on the international stage this year begin now. In the world of swimming, three Olympic hopefuls are currently preparing for qualification, and are set to test the waters at another international meet next month.

“They’re all in preparation.

Leon is currently in Florida on the scholarship programme, (but) Jamila and Andrew continue to do their workout at the Aquatic Centre,” Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) President Dwayne Scott said about the Olympic trio: Jamila Sanmoogan, Andrew Fowler and Leon Seaton.

Scott went on to share a bit more about the individual preparation by stating, “Andrew Fowler’s programme is going really well. I’ve assigned him with an international coach with international accreditation, and they’re doing really well.”

The Guyanese trio will certainly not be thrown to the sharks at the Tokyo Olympics.

Instead, the group will have the opportunity to test their skills and training at the South American Swimming Championships slated for March.

“All three athletes will be participating in the South American Championships which are happening from the

2237230-1

(Ext 55) GASA President Dwayne Scott

14th to the 29th of March.

They’ve been booked, and they will be receiving their accreditation at latest next week,” Scott divulged.

The GASA boss added, “They’ll be able to gear themselves against other international athletes to test how their preparations are going.”

Questioned about what should be expected of the trio at the competition, Scott answered, “We expect to see good results. Of course, the training is not for them to peak at this event, so we don’t expect to see their best performances; but it will also help us to guage their preparation, to see what more needs to be done to peak their overall performances.”

Nonetheless, the GASA President is pretty optimistic about the group’s prospects for the South American Championships; and further, the Tokyo Olympics scheduled for July 23 to August 8.

“All in all, it’s a good process.

They’re all enthusiastic and hard-working towards their goals, and we look forward to some really good stuff leading up to the South American Championships, leading up to the Olympics,” Scott has said.

NOW!

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Unbeaten Red Force blow away Jaguars to clinch Super50 Cup – Reifer resists with 97*

I

fashion, adding 121 runs in only 19.4 overs and putting the Guyana Jaguars’ bowlers to the sword. Simmons played with control, while Lewis played with aggression.

Lewis was first to be dismissed, going for a 53-ball 57 which included four sixes and three fours. He was removed by the man with the golden arm, Gudakesh Motie, who took his tally to 17 wickets this season. Motie pegged back the scoring rate for a bit, but Simmons kept his cool and continued his merry way.

He then added 100 runs for the second wicket with the classy Darren Bravo, who hit a 52ball 47 that included two sixes and three fours.

Raymon Reifer was left stranded on 97 A f t e r B r a v o ’ s Force reached 362-5 in 50 departure, the Red Force overs, while the Jaguars were batsmen kept coming at the While Simmons blown away for 210 all out in Jaguars. reached his second century of 43.5 overs.

For the first time in this the season and was reprieved tournament, Red Force were soon after his ton in a legasked to bat first. Seasoned before shout to Veerasammy openers Evin Lewis and Lendl Permaul, Nicholas Pooran Simmons started in fine took Reifer to the cleaners, t was another episode of “a defeat in the final” for the Guyana Jaguars when the unbeaten Trinidad and Tobago Red Force recorded a 152-run win to lift the CG Insurance Regional Super50 title at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

Riding on the back of Lendl Simmons’s masterful 146, Red

slamming a 15-ball 39 which included 4 towering sixes and 3 fours.

After Pooran departed, Captain Kieron Pollard came and supported Simmons, who was eventually Lendl Simmons celebrating his century dismissed for 146 from 145 balls when he found the impressive Rampaul peeled Hetmyer at mid-off to give the off the left-hander’s edge and expensive Shepherd his second he was caught behind.

Wickets fell like dominoes. wicket. Simmons has recorded Chandrapaul Hemraj went for the highest score in this season, 14, caught off a poor shortand the highest in the history of delivery from Jayden Seales. the Super50 final. His majestic Leon Johnson came and score included 15 fours and 7 went for a duck at 44-4, while sixes.

Simmons, Pollard and Christopher Barnwell was Denesh Ramdin quickly undone by another quick short amassed 48 runs as the Red delivery from Seales.

After Shepherd departed at Force surpassed that 350-run 55-6, Sinclair and Reifer added mark, the first by any team this 39 runs, while Permaul added season. Pollard was undone 38 with Reifer.

The Red Force by a brilliant yorker from Nial players were buzzing with Smith, but the damage was anticipation, and that extra bit already completed. of pressure was evident.

Ramdin ended on 27.

Reifer, however, continued Shepherd finished with his resistance, and added 71 forgettable figures of 2-105 runs with Motie (28) for the in 10 overs, the highest in the ninth wicket partnership before history of this tournament, he was left stranded on his while Motie was supreme with career best 97* as Nial Smith his 1-43 in 10 overs, as Red was bowled for a first-ball duck Force ended on 362-5 in 50 by Seales.

Thus the Red Force overs. clinched the title.

In the Jaguars’ chase, things Reifer faced 112 balls and went downhill almost from the scored 7 fours and 3 sixes as he start. Tevin Imlach was given watched Jaguars being bowled leg-before at 17-1, while the out for 210.

Rampaul was the prize scalp of Shimron Hetmyer pick of the bowlers, ending was removed at 40-2. Hetmyer with 4-52. hit a breezy 20 from 12 balls, but

Ravi Rampaul

SCOREBOARD Trinidad and Tobago Innings Lendl Simmons c Hetmyer b Shepherd 146 Evin Lewis c Barnwell b Moti-Kanhai 57 Darren Bravo c Shepherd b Reifer 47 Nicolas Pooran c Moti-Kanhai b Shepherd 39 Kieron Pollard b Smith 23 Denesh Ramdin not out 27 Jason Mohammed not out 1 Total (5 wickets, 50.0) (22 extras) 362 FOW: 121/1 (19.4) Evin Lewis 221/2 (38.2) Darren Bravo 288/3 (42.4) Nicolas Pooran 309/4 (44.5) 357/5 (49.3) Kieron Pollard Bowling Kevin Sinclair (10-1-50-0) Raymon Reifer (6-0-53-1) Nial Smith (9-2-59-1) Romario Shepherd (10-0-105-2) Gudakesh Motie (10-0-43-1) Veerasammy Permaul (5-0-46-0) Guyana Innings Chanderpaul Hemraj c Phillip b Seales Tevin Imlach lbw b Phillip

14 5

Shimron Hetmyer c Ramdin b Rampaul 20 Leon Johnson c Phillip b Rampaul 0 Christopher Barnwell c Mohammed b Seales 5 Raymon Reifer not out 97 Romario Shepherd b Rampaul 4 Kevin Sinclair c Seales b Hosein 19 Veerasammy Permaul b Rampaul 13 Gudakesh Motie b Phillip 28 Nial Smith b Seales 0 Total (10 wickets, 43.5) (5 extras) 210 FOW: 17/1 (2.4) Tevin Imlach 40/2 (5.3) Shimron Hetmyer 40/3 (6.1) Chanderpaul Hemraj 44/4 (7.2) Leon Johnson 50/5 (8.5) Christopher Barnwell 55/6 (9.6) Romario Shepherd 94/7 (18.5) Kevin Sinclair 132/8 (31.2) Veerasammy Permaul 203/9 (42.6) Gudakesh Motie 210/10 (43.5) Nial Smith Bowling Anderson Phillip (7-0-40-20) Ravi Rampaul (10-1-52-4) Jayden Seales (7.5-0-40-3) Akeal Hosein (10-136-1) Jason Mohammed (9-0-40-0)

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - lezas@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.