Guyana Times - Sunday May 2, 2021

Dynamic Tassa Troupe keeps tassa drumming alive by P15 teaching artform to West Dem youths Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 4635 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021

Gas-to-shore pipeline can be paid for in 5 years – VP Page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

ExxonMobil earns US$2.7B in 1st quarter earnings P30 …in dramatic comeback after 2020 losses

P27 “Take scholarship opportunities” – Manickchand urges youths …GOAL rolls out in Regions 2, 3

…industrial manufacturing from gas positive externality

APNU MP’s “mentally lazy” utterances are downright racist – AG lambasts Amanza Walton-Desir …complaint lodged with ERC

Page 10

Mother of 4 2 more deaths, 121 new stabbed to COVID-19 cases death by boyfriend Page 31

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Police unearth over $793M worth of ganja at Fort Nassau P9

Money changer shot, robbed on American Street P8 $400M modern screening P34 equipment commissioned at CJIA

…17 in ICU

Murdered Linden woman

Wanted boyfriend was planning to “beat out” to French Guiana – voice notes reveal Page 12

ECD man P33 confesses to fabricating hijacking story

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SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Sunday, May 2 – 10:00h – 11:30h and Monday, May 3 – 10:30h – 12:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, May 2 – 09:10h – 09:40h and Monday, May 3 – 09:30h – 11:00h.

Gas-to-shore pipeline can be paid for in 5 years – VP …industrial manufacturing from gas positive externality

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY There will be light rain showers during the day and night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 08:09h and 20:57h reaching maximum heights of 2.42 metres and 2.19 metres.

Low Tide: 14:21h reaching a minimum height of 0.82.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021

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COMMODITIES Indicators

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Crude Oil

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Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

T

he gas-to-shore pipeline being pursued by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government and which it is estimated will cost some US$900 million to build, can be fully paid off or amortised within five years.

This view was expressed by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, during a recent presentation with senior representatives of various media houses. He noted that given the millions that will be saved in energy cost per year when the gas-to-shore pipeline is functional, the project can be paid for within five years.

“There is an agreement between the parties, that this suits the country best. Because if we can save $150 million a year and that’s the outer limit, in five years we can pay back for this pipeline,” he explained.

“Because I think it’s the outer limit, it's inflated when you go to tender. In five years from savings alone we can amortise the whole investment,” Jagdeo further explained to the media houses that were gathered.

Before the PPP entered office, a number of studies on the gas-to-shore project had been done under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

These studies include the Gas to Power Feasibility Assessment in Guyana by K&M Advisors, an Oil and Gas Master plan by Japan Cooperation Centre Petroleum Chiyoda Corporation, a Study on System Expansion of the Generation System

by Brugman SAS and a Desk Study of the Options, Cost, Economics, Impacts, and Key Considerations of Transporting and Utilizing Natural Gas from Offshore Guyana for the Generation of Electricity (2017) by Energy Narrative.

Now, however, the Government is in the process of conducting several studies including geophysical, geotechnical, lidar and environmental impact studies. According to the Vice President, these studies should be completed by next year.

“For the project to happen, to even start designing the things you will bid on, you have to do additional studies.

That is the studies being done now, which will be completed next year. It's only when those studies are done then we can design the pipeline, the power plant and stuff like that and then go out to tender. It's not like we’re going out to tender next week,” he said.

The gas-to-shore project is a game-changing initiative that will see gas from the Liza Field offshore Guyana being pumped onshore to generate power. The main objective of the initiative is to trans-

Models of the gas-to-shore power plants

port sufficient gas from the Stabroek Block’s petroleum operations to supply some 200250 megawatts of energy to the national grid, leading to a significant reduction in electricity costs.

President Dr Irfaan Ali had previously said the gas-toshore pipeline, which will land at Crane on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD), would lead to “big industrial development taking place there that is linked to not only power generation and a power plant.” He also said the investment on the Demerara River’s shoreside would create massive opportunities and a trickle-down effect.

Soon after the Government issued permit licences to Exxon for the Payara Development Project last year, Jagdeo had announced that the Government would turn its attention to negotiating the gas-to-energy project.

A number of factors including geotechnical, geophysical and environmental were examined before Vice President Jagdeo announced recently that the Government had settled on Wales to land the pipelines for the project.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who has responsibility for the energy sector, has previously said that the Government is looking to produce 200 megawatts of power from the gas-to-shore project

by 2024.

Exxon has said that around 30 to 35 million cubic feet of natural gas would be required for the gas-to-shore project.

Recently-released data from

Norwegian research company Rystad Energy had indicated that less than 20 per cent of the 1.8 billion Barrels of Oil Equivalent (BOE) discovered last year was gas.

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SUNDAY, MAY 2, 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

Labour’s opportunities

“L

abour” is a slippery concept. Nowadays we intuitively understand it to mean “work” that is performed for which we must be compensated.

But this raises the vexed, unanswered, century-old question: What about the work that is performed in the home, mostly by women? Should they not be compensated for their labour? And who will compensate them?

But there is another conundrum that arises from the unique nature of labour: when we sell it to that extent, we are also selling ourselves, since we are the ones performing the labour. And this poses the issue that should have been on our minds when we commemorated “Labour Day”, yesterday: the need for workers to retain their inalienable dignity from the facticity of them being human. And that dignity is impossible to maintain when persons cannot have the bare necessities of life, which, in the modern world, demand that persons have a basic income to procure those necessities.

To be a bit hyperbolic to make the point, we can say that a job which provides that income becomes a sine qua non for human dignity. While the state, institutions, individuals, and even family can always offer handouts to the unemployed, these inevitably reduce the dignity of the unemployed, since it constrains their autonomy.

Employment, then, in addition to security of which it is a subset, becomes one of the prime responsibilities of our macro-societal arrangements. These include the state we have formed and the government we have elected to oversee it.

In the evolution of the state and its responsibilities in terms of employment of labour, there have been two paths proposed over the last two centuries. The first was “capitalism”, which leaves the responsibility to “private enterprise” that are owned by individuals and corporations (which are “legal” persons). Communism, however, insists that such an arrangement is inherently exploitative of the workers, because they never receive the full value of their labour, the “surplus” of which is siphoned off into the pockets of the capitalists as “profits”. To regain their dignity, the workers were exhorted to “unite and throw off their chains”. The communists did not consider that the owners/capitalists who launched business enterprises were also providing their own “labour” in the form of embodied knowledge and capital.

Today, after the Soviet Union and its allies abandoned communism in 1989, states are still working out the best combination of state and private enterprise that would lead to delivering the life of dignity to workers who sell their labour. Even Cuba, which has been the longest holdout for the primacy of the state, has been forced into conceding the need for private enterprise. The “mixed economies” which the Nordic countries have long practised have consistently been rated as producing the highest measure of “happiness” for their people. Here, in Guyana, we have already experienced the pitfalls of what was called “state capitalism” under the Burnhamite PNC that expropriated 80% of the economy. The PPP Government after 1992 was hobbled by the humungous debt bequeathed by the PNC. But under the mixed economy - where the state still owned GuySuCo - the country moved from being a Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) to a High Middle Income Country, where workers regained some modicum of dignity. But unemployment remained stubbornly high.

As such, with the oil revenues beginning to flow, the newly elected PPP Government has an opportunity to work out the best mix between state and privately-owned enterprises that would deliver full employment. From the experience of the Far Eastern economies of Japan, S.Korea etc, and now China, we have seen that there can be a dirigiste role for the state to act as a catalyst to move the economy into identified strategic economic activities.

The Government, in our estimation, has made a wise move with the gas-to-shore project at Wales, where, as VP Jagdeo pointed out, it can become the core of a host of manufacturing activities in addition to power generation.

Workers of Guyana, you are about to cast off your chains!

Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips on Saturday distributed over 1500 food hampers to residents of Albouystown and Kingston, in Georgetown. During his visit to the two communities, Phillips conducted a walked-about and also met with residents to listen to their concerns and to encourage them to follow the COVID-19 guidelines and to get vaccinated (Office of the Prime Minister photo)

Guyana must never endure travesty of “rigged and fraudulent” elections Dear Editor, The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), cannot be divorced from the trials and tribulations imposed on our nation over of the past two years. In fact, GECOM’s failure to uphold and deliver on its constitutional mandate is central to the heightened threats to our democratic stability from which our nation still reels, and is desperate for corrective actions and recovery.

The related issues which stem from the PNC’s known and expected treacherous ilk, that only points to the need for a more robust level of administration by those appointed to function autonomously in the elections commission. One should, therefore, blame GECOM solely, for the organization’s facilitation of the PNC’s undercurrent maneuvers that have held our people at ransom.

The laxity of the GECOM Commission to act and addressing this unfavored indecency by secretariat staff under its control is most disappointing. The derogatory actions of key Administrative staff have contributed to the wanton lawless exercise by the PNC led APNU/AFC. By now, the nation is well aware that the desperate court actions among the desperate schemes of the cabal to fool and keep what’s left of its membership interested.

The many elaborate ad-

vantageous contortions GECOM officials allowed the APNU/AFC Coalition, were obvious in the many unbelievable but futile actions taken by this shameless cabal. The High Court’s recent dismissal of the Elections Petition filed by the coalition, is another definitive judicial position of annulment regarding their effort to vitiate the 2020 General and Regional Elections. The Acting Chief Justice Roxane George correctly ruled against the petition, which in many ways, was used to throw the GECOM official under the bus in order to further delay the confirmation of another inevitable PPP/C victory.

It is clear however that none of this would have happened had the GECOM officials done the correct thing to uphold the integrity of the institution. The reaction of PNC’s Opposition leader Joseph Harmon to condemn the Judiciary and the Honorable Chief Justice, is but yet another affirmation that they would stop at nothing to derail a democratic outcome in Guyana.

As a consequence, we must ensure that Guyanese must never put to endure the travesty of ‘Rigged and fraudulent Elections again.’

It must be crystal clear that with the passing of the ‘No Confidence motion” on the night of 21st December 2019, National Elections was due within three months and long realized that the cabal

had long lost the confidence of our people. However, the PNC Cabals took to the underhand manipulation of our Judicial system to effectively to frustrate and postpone National and Regional Elections by filing and placing for the consideration of the courts, the most irrational considerations.

The activation of the plot clearly, has its lineage in the move by PNC/Granger to plant ‘riggers’ in GECOM that were taking direction from the Party. The then Chairman deliberately employed top PNC riggers in the GECOM, and these persons acted in support of the ideals of the PNC were used to delay the Elections.

This Nation had to unite and fought tooth and nail to get the relevant changes step by step. The first victory was the removal of then President Granger’s self-appointed James Patterson as Chairman of the Commission. Then we had the unacceptable ‘House-toHouse’ Registration aborted.

These key actions certainly derailed the PNC’s Plans and led to a measure of uncertainty as the nation came out in their thousands in peaceful protests, to demand that Granger name the date for Elections.

Notwithstanding, with all of the ‘Riggers’ in place at the GECOM Secretariat and the PNC fully prepared to rig the Elections, the PPP/C went to the Polls. These National and

Regional Elections were peacefully and successfully held on 2nd March 2020.

The APNU/AFC declared that the Elections were free and fair.

However, after the verification process was completed in nine Regions the PNC cabals decided to use the GECOM to derail the Elections. They blatantly attempted to rig the Region #4. Votes by introducing the unacceptable spreadsheet.

This is not the first time that the wicked elements at GECOM are using broad sheets to rig Elections and we can no longer tolerate these inefficacies.

Guyana has had enough of ‘Rigged and Fraudulent’, elections and our Nation must do everything to make sure that we achieved free and fair elections at all times going forward. To this end, the thieves in GECOM must be removed. Of note was the reluctance of the GECOM Chairwoman to act given that the petition was still to be ruled on in the Courts. There are certainly no acceptable excuses now!

With the PNC’s history of rigging Elections and their attempts to derail the 2020 Elections, condoning any further undercurrent in GECOM will not be tolerated. It is now imperative that all Guyana struggle for all the necessary changes to take place inside GECOM. Sincerely, Neil Kumar

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Accept US assistance to monitor fish resources Dear Editor, This is in reference to your news item on the US Ambassador’s visit to meet fishermen on the Upper Corentyne (Apr 30). I applaud Ambassador Sarah Lynch’s visit to this remote area. I cannot recollect when was the last time any ambassador, and the top American diplomat credited to the country, visited the Corentyne and held a meeting with business folks and fishermen.

It is not an accident that the Ambassador chose to deliver a message about overfishing. America is deeply worried about an alien power overfishing acquiring rights to fish in waters off the US. Guyanese fishermen are also worried about depleting fish stocks and reduced catch.

Guyana should accept the offer of the US to monitor and patrol our waters to protect fish, or else before we are aware, the stock would be severely depleted.

Conversations I had with people who attended the meeting with Her Excellency said they felt most honored for the visit of a diplomat of the most powerful country.

Every single person praised Her Excellency for the visit, and hopes to have continuous exchanges with her on fishing and farm issues, as well as on increasing

trade between Guyana and America. They want her to visit the Corentyne more often.

I also spoke with other Guyanese who praised the Ambassador for her frank remarks. BerbicianAmericans and other Guyanese-Americans I interacted with are also very pleased with Lynch’s visit.

It should be noted that more Berbicians and their descendants live in America (and the diaspora) than Guyanese from the other two counties.

Every Guyanese-American wants Guyana to strengthen ties with America, and feel Guyana should sign a fishing, security, and trade agreement with the USA. America has been the greatest guarantor of peace, democracy and stability in Guyana, and of security of our sovereignty. The Ambassador said she visited Upper Corentyne to hear firsthand the views of fisherfolks on the illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in Guyana waters. It is something that also troubles fishermen all over Guyana, as they remarked to me in conversations when I was there a few weeks ago.

She also noted that President Biden is very concerned about climate change and unregulated fishing. The President held a Climate

Summit last week, and fishing was also one of the topics discussed. The US will punish countries that don’t regulate their fishing industry, or that allow domestic companies to front for other countries, especially those that the US has signalled as a threat to its interests.

One cannot fool or deceive Uncle Sam, whose intelligence network is wide.

The consequences would be severe, and would include cancellation of American visas, like what happened to APNU+AFC politicians who attempted to rig the elections. Guyanese-Americans are deeply troubled by overfishing in Guyana waters, and illegal fishing especially by those fronting for another government. There are complaints of scarcity and higher-than-usual prices of Guyanese fish in neighbourhood stores. Unregulated fishing in our waters hurts Guyanese at home and in the US, and the rest of the diaspora. There is less Guyanese fish in American markets and at home. Prices are also skyrocketing, as I found out in my visits to markets and in engagements with consumers and vendors in New York and in Guyana.

I visited Upper Corentyne in early April, and engaged fishermen.

Fishermen are deeply trou-

bled by reduced catch in recent years, and particularly so over the last few months.

They complain bitterly about a foreign-owned fishing depot on the East Bank that they fear would further impact on their catch, their income, and on the price of fish for local consumers. Indeed, fish prices have been constantly on the upward tick.

That recent visit and inquiries about pricing have led me to conclude that the price of fish is substantially higher on the Corentyne and in Berbice in general than in the Greater Georgetown or urban and West Coast areas. Reduced catch and price of fuel have reduced the income of fishermen as well as fish vendors.

It is very unusual for a diplomat to visit a far off, kind of a remote rural area.

And diplomats don’t normally engage local people on domestic issues. It must have been an issue that troubles the US for its Ambassador to visit and to send a strong a message on unregulated fishing. Fishing has become a national security issue.

The fishermen should work closely with the US for advice on how to secure their livelihood by not overfishing and allowing the fish stocks to increase.

Now, more than ever, our Government should also

Amanza Walton-Desir is suffering from an inferiority complex Dear Editor, It is pandemic, if not a serious disease in my country, that is, this supposed superiority of one race over another. It makes you want to puke when you hear it.

One would have thought that in a multi-racial society such as ours, this talk of racial supremacy was a thing of the past, but when you view statements made

by Amanza Walton-Desir and others of her kind, you are jolted with the stark reality that this asininity is alive and well in some quarters here.

In a multi-ethnic society such as ours, one has to be devoid of intelligence to ever utter such trash talk, it is obnoxious and highly offensive, and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms ever. I would advise her to apologise to our Indian brothers and sisters forthwith.

No race is superior to another, and the faster these comedians in the PNC get it through their thick skulls, the better. When you carefully interpret her sayings, you get the distinct impression that she is suffering from an inferiori-

ty complex, and when you have such a poor rating of yourself, you mouth these crazy things. The point I am making is that for one to make oneself look good in this case sound good -one must try one’s utmost to belittle or put down another, and that is exactly what this woman is trying to do.

So, let me ask some searching questions: Where are the upper echelons of the party, such as Granger and crew? Haven’t they heard? Haven’t they seen the actions of one of their parliamentary appointees? Being aware of the fact, then why isn’t there a rebuke statement coming from the leader of that party?

Further, I ask: Where are the moral voices, such as The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) and the hosts of them? What is their take on this? In this case, silence means consent; so, are you telling us that you are in agreement with her? Heaven, help us!

Where are the women’s groups such as Red Thread and other so-called people who are quick to speak out on matters of this na-

ture? Where are they now?

Are they so stunned by her remarks that they cannot speak? I patiently await a statement from these women’s groups.

Moreover, how could any sane Indian feel comfortable sitting in that party? How can any sincere Indian, knowing full well that they are among people who do not see them as equals, sit with them and accept such hogwash?

I call on those few remaining Indians to seriously consider their standing amongst that grouping, and hastily make their retreat? Come join a party that treats all men and women as equals.

But these utterances

come as nothing new, because, from time to time, statements like these filter through. It was one of that party’s top official who said “we provide work for people who look like me and not like Jagdeo”. Well, if this is not racism, then what is?

You see, in the fashioning of a modern, multiracial society, where peace and goodwill flourish, there is no place for persons of the likes of an Amanza WaltonDesir. Our goal is to build a society where all ethnicities feel secure and free in all respects, one that is free from racism, hatred and malice.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

team up with the US to monitor fishing. Unregulated fishing does not serve our interests.

Her Excellency Sarah Lynch has been reaching out in a subtle way to Guyanese in several parts of the country, and in addressing issues that have been impacting on their livelihood.

The US is interested in good governance, increased trade and investment, enhanced development of Guyana’s youth and women’s entrepreneurship, and increased security. And the US has been very supportive in these areas; and Guyanese are grateful for the assistance. The Ambassador’s visibility is cheered. She should visit more places and make America’s views known, particularly when the US is displeased with Guyana’s ties with other countries, espe-

cially those in the East that threaten US interests.

Guyana’s relationship with the US should be strengthened. I say this from my knowledge and expertise in studying US foreign policy and national security issues.

When ties become sour, serious consequences follow, as happened in 1953, 1964, and 2015. The US stood with us in 1992 and 2020 in protecting democracy and allowing a government to be sworn in that won a free and fair election. Our gratitude to the US must be everlasting. Our commitment to the US should trump everything else. Now is the time to reinforce Guyana’s partnership with America by accepting the offer to monitor depletion of our resources.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Issue an apology, or resign from Parliament Dear Editor, Once again, I wish to write as it relates to the video that has been circulating on social media. The one with that member of Parliament calling a particular group of Guyanese mentally lazy.

I wish to state that I am an Indo-Guyanese, my parents and their parents are all Indo-Guyanese, and we are not mentally lazy.

The fact that this member of Parliament has not issued an apology simply means that she thinks it is okay! Well, no sir, it is not okay! You cannot sit in an

honorable house, proclaim to serve the people as is your job whether in Government or the Opposition, and make such reckless statements! I am baffled as to how such a person, who believed that they won the elections, would make such a statement! When the public and the world at large still awaits to see one statement of poll from their party!

Please, madam Member of Parliament, issue an apology or resign from the house!

Sincerely, Tanya Niamatali

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Foundation

The Magic of Play: W

ith the help of a frilly dress, tiara, and magic wand, your 3-year-old is transformed into the queen of a magical universe where her hobby horse is a winged unicorn. When you're asked to taste the pink clouds, you agree that they're a lot like bubblegum.

Your son pulls a sheet over his shoulders and runs as fast as he can across the lawn. The air lifts the fabric; your boy's legs leap into the air. "I'm flying, mommy!" the 4-year-old says. He's a superhero, out to save the backyard from dragons hiding behind the bushes and find treasure buried in the sandbox.

Parents of preschoolers have a front-row seat to some of

the pony will pop out of the barn!").

Now, as preschoolers, they take this knowledge and combine it with a growing imagination to come up with fantastical ideas about why and how things happen.

Pretend play lets kids try out new roles for themselves (like superheroes, princesses, wild animals, or even parents) and allows for creative problem-solving. But it also helps them deal with another hurdle of the preschool years: intense emotions. Baby dolls might be put in "time out" and scolded for actions suspiciously similar to your little one's latest offence.

An imaginary friend (who's a bigger troublemaker than your child ever could be) might be dreamed up to help your child deal with feelings of guilt and remorse following a moment of lost control, such as hitting a playmate.

Self-control is a tough skill to learn, and pretend play helps kids practise it as well as play out the frustration it creates.

ery day to play on their own. Aside from encouraging creativity, it teaches them to use their own resources to amuse or soothe themselves. * Limit screen time. When kids watch a movie or even an educ a tional programme, they experience someone else's make-believe world instead of using their own imaginations. Some subjects on TV are not appropriate for preschoolers. Young kids also are more influenced by advertising since they can't tell the difference between commercials and actual programmes. The same goes for digital advertising inserted in online games and apps.

Experts recommend limiting screen time (which includes TV, DVDs, computers, smartphones, and tablets) to no more than 1 hour of quality programming per day for kids 2 to 5 years old.

When the magic ends

The day will come when the princess tiaras collect dust and your little ones no longer believe they can fly. It's a bittersweet moment. You'll miss glimpses into that world where anything is possible. But it's a sign that your child's brain is

How to encourage imaginative play

the most imaginative theatre ever produced. These are the so-called "magic years" — when a child's brain is developed enough to imagine grand stories but not yet complex enough to reason the way adults do and ask, "But can that really happen?"

Here's why imagination is so important and what you can do to foster these magic years.

How preschoolers view the world

There's a lot that very young children aren't yet able to grasp about the world around them. As a result, they "fill in the blanks" and often make up their own sometimes magical explanations for how things work.

This time, which peaks during the preschool years, was dubbed "the magic years" by child development expert Selma Fraiberg, PhD, in 1959 when she wrote a book of the same name.

Babies use their senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, and sound) to explore their world. As they develop, they begin to understand the basic function of things ("If I push this button,

Imaginative play begins in a child's mind. But that doesn't mean parents can't join in. Here are some ways to encourage your child's world of make-believe: * Go along with it. When young ones leap through the air and tell you they're flying, don't tell them they're only jumping. Instead, feed the fantasy: "Wow, you're so high up! What can you see on the ground? Maybe you should take a rest on that nice puffy cloud." Or even better, start flying with them. * Choose old-fashioned toys. Blocks, dolls, arts and crafts, and moulding clay are all toys that require creativity and therefore spur imagination. * Limit electronic toys. Whether it's a handheld entertainment system or a "junior" laptop, try to avoid toys that need batteries. Creativity is stifled when the toy, rather than the child, directs the play. * Read to your child. And while reading, ask mind-opening questions: "If you were the caterpillar, what would you eat?" and "What do you think will happen next in the story?" This not only encourages imagination but promotes language skills and fosters an interest in books. * Schedule downtime. Make sure kids have free time ev-

developing as it should.

The prefrontal cortex — the area of the brain just behind the forehead — has made the connections it needs to process more high-level thinking. So, the way a child thought the world worked is now not necessarily how it actually does work.

Take, for example, vacuum cleaners. A 2-year-old might throw a tantrum because he fears that, just as the dog hair got sucked up off the carpet, he will too. But a year or two later, he might pretend he's being chased by the vacuum "monster" — and gain confidence from knowing that it will never get him.

By age 6 or so, kids are becoming aware that fears like being swallowed up by a vacuum are irrational — there's no way your entire body can be sucked up that little tube! — and instead might want to take control and do the vacuuming on their own. This scenario will be repeated again and again as a child's brain learns to tell the difference between the possible and the impossible.

This time in childhood, sometimes called "the age of reason," is also when kids begin to form a conscience, differentiate between right and wrong, and act not just on impulse but because something is the "right" thing to do.

The age of reason explains why many second-graders are masters at sharing — they can consider the feelings of others. And it also explains why monsters that once hid under the bed have suddenly disappeared. A child this age realises that since he or she never saw the monster, it probably does not exist.

This is also a time when your fantastical answers to their increasingly complex questions will no longer cut it. Thunder can no longer be a bowling match in the sky and the moon definitely isn't made of cheese. But just because your kids have reached the age of reason doesn't mean they can't imagine a bowling match in the sky or a moon made of cheese — it just means that now they'll be in on the joke.

And as they grow, their imaginations and creativity will translate into art, music, and creative writing, and help with critical thinking.

The critical thinking that inspires kids to dig deeper for information and grasp more complex ideas is their next key skill. And it's the tool that will turn them into decision-makers and problem-solvers who will make you proud as they mature into their teen years. (Excerpt from kidshealth.org)

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SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Money changer shot, robbed on America Street

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wo motorcycle bandits shot and robbed an America Street, Georgetown money charger during a daring daylight robbery on Saturday.

Injured is 49-year-old David Wilson of Eccles, East Bank Demerara (ECD). He was rushed to the hospital where he is nursing a gunshot wound to his upper left leg.

Reports are that the robbery occurred at about 11:30h while Wilson was standing on the pavement of America Street, Georgetown.

According to Police, the bandits turned into the street from Avenue of the Republic on an XR motorcycle that did not have a number plate. Wilson gestured to the two men to find out if they wanted to change foreign currency when the motorcycle came to a stop.

The area on America Street, Georgetown where money changer David Wilson was shot

The pillion rider jumped off, brandishing a handgun and demanded that Wilson hand over the cash in his hands.

Police said that Wilson was reluctant and the suspect discharged a round to his upper left leg, after which he handed over the cash and the bandits made good their escape on the motorcycle.

He has informed Police that

he handed over $600,000 after he was shot.

Police have since launched an investigation.

Three years ago, 60-yearold Rockford Richardson, also called “Bigger”, of Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown, was shot to his left thigh and relieved of $120,000 at the same spot Wilson was shot.

He too was a money changer on America Street.

Reports at the time were that the man parked his car on High Street, Georgetown, in preparation to head towards America Street, when he was confronted by two bandits on a motorcycle.

The pillion rider armed with a gun reportedly jumped off the motorcycle and demanded that Richardson hand over the money he had in his possession.

Fearful for his life, Richardson reportedly handed over the cash, and the bandit discharged a round that hit Richardson to his left thigh before jumping back onto the motorcycle which sped away.

He was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted a patient. (G9)

Lost love…

W

…of labour hat can we say about labour the day after “Labour Day” that wouldn’t sound laboured? Most Guyanese are sick and tired of the unwillingness of the labour umbrella groups to bury their differences and get on with the business of representing the interests of labour. Haven’t they learnt “there’s strength in numbers”?

After all, even though they’re competing for bigger pieces of the (economic) roti, haven’t business representatives remained quite focused, thank you?!

But that’s the crux of the matter, isn’t it? Business mavens may have their political preferences, but when it comes to their actions, they’re always willing to do what’s best for their business, and work with whichever party is in power. And that’s the problem with the labour organisations. They put political preferences ahead of their memberships’ interests, and so, once the political parties are divided - and by definition they have to be - labour will be divided. It’s as simple as that!!

But maybe there’s hope. Recently, the sugar union GAWU - which isn’t only aligned with the PPP, but its president is one of their MPs - has been speaking out quite candidly against management of the Governmentowned GuySuCo, just as vigorously as when the PNC was in power and had thrown 7000 of its members on the breadline! It even came out in protest when its wage issue was being kicked down the road by management. That’s healthy and very responsible. The Govt, as owner, was also very responsible in bringing the two sides together and hammering out a compromise. Sugar brings in foreign reserves.

Unfortunately, the same level of responsibility isn’t displayed by the PNC-aligned unions. In fact, when the latter was in office and played fast and loose with its promises, not a squeak was uttered. As a matter of fact, the president-for-life TUC leader and leader of a bauxite union pretty much became a defender of the status quo that placed workers’ interest at the bottom of the totem pole.

Then there’s this other affiliate union of the PNC the GPSU - which was comatose over the preceding five years, but suddenly found its (stentorian) voice. Surely its members can’t be oblivious to this blatant hypocrisy. The leadership in the form of another president-for-life, Patrick Yarde, is threatening strike action. To what end? He’s become like the boy who cried “Wolf!” one time too many.

The entire productive economy is under threat from the COVID-19 onslaught, and the Government is forced to walk between the raindrops in balancing workers’ imperatives to work and keep body and soul together and still keeping the nation safe.

And the TUC wants to cut the limb on which we all perch?!

…and PNC corruption Corruption is a cancer that can destroy any society. If not excised promptly, it metastasizes like a cancer from within, and eventually makes ever institution collapse.

Soon the body politic dies. So, just as with all cancers, the secret for successful treatment is early detection and excision! That will obviously affect the infected institution, but eventually that institution will recover; and, most importantly, corruption will be prevented from spreading.

Within months of the PPP settling into office, we’ve seen some possible symptoms of corruption in one state corporation. But, to their credit, the subject Minister jumped into action with his officers to staunch the damage to the institution. President Ali then weighed in to emphasise that there should be no sacred cows when it comes to corruption in his administration, and that he’ll show zero tolerance for any manifestation.

It’s quite unfortunate that the PNC - from its first incarnation - left a legacy of corruption in everything it touched, starting with rigging elections.

The people will have to ensure this is eradicated totally!

…for the ERC So, will the ERC censure PNC MP Amanza Walton-Desir for saying “PPP supporters” are congenitally “a bunch of mentally lazy people”?

How many times will PNC officials get away with their provocative racist rants?

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

NEWS

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SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police unearth over $793M worth of ganja at Fort Nassau

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olice on Saturday stumbled upon over $793 million worth of marijuana on the left bank of Fort Nassau, Berbice River.

Reports are that a party of policemen were conducting an eradication exercise when they saw five makeshift camps which were found linked to

One of the camps had marijuana being dried and processed.

Several salt bags with plant fertilisers were seen near the fields. About 15 feet away from the camps, there were corresponding farms with suspected marijuana plants measuring from

fields of marijuana plants.

At four of the camps, cooking utensils and small amounts of foodstuff were seen with hammocks and mattresses along with cuttings of marijuana.

six inches to about nine feet, planted on fifteen beds.

A closer inspection of the camp also revealed a quantity of seeds, leaves and stems suspected to be cannabis in a

kitchen area of the camp.

The marijuana plants, camp and drying area were photographed and subsequently destroyed by means of cutting first and then setting same on fire.

The total amount of marijuana plants seen was over 20,000 along with about 300lbs of dried and compressed marijuana, Police said, adding that the estimated street value for the cannabis is $793,786,750.

No arrest was made.

10 NEWS

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU MP’s “mentally lazy” utterances are downright racist – AG lambasts Amanza Walton-Desir …complaint lodged with ERC

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pposition Member of Parliament (MP) Amanza WaltonDesir continues to be called out for comments she made targeted at supporters of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), who she described as “mentally lazy.”

Attorney General and PPP Executive Anil Nandlall on Saturday slammed the Opposition MP for her comments, noting that her stereotypical analysis is “completely misconceived” and “palpably wrong.”

“More importantly, her utterances are downright racist, discriminatory and absolutely repulsive.

Utterances like those have no place in any modern, democratic and civilised society, moreover, one which is as multi-ethnic as ours.

Indeed, protection against such stereotyping is guaranteed to every citizen of this land as a fundamental

Screengrab of the Politics 101 show when the comments were made. From left, host Dr David Hinds and Opposition MP Amanza Walton-Desir

right by the Constitution of Guyana,” Nandlall said.

“That a parliamentarian, masquerading as a political leader from the official, constitutional opposition in a country can conceive those thoughts and worse yet, proceed to express them, publicly, is evidence of a demented mind and decayed political cul-

ture.”

Nandlall also highlighted the fact that neither Walton-Desir nor her political party have retracted or criticised the comments.

He noted the contrasting silence as compared to when they rallied to her defence after her performance as legal advisor at the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority

(GCAA) was called into question.

“The fact that there has been no retraction thus far, nor a word of criticism from her political leader or colleagues alike, compounds the toxicity. The silence of those who were so loud in her defence a few months ago, when a Minister of the Government spoke critically of her professional performance and work ethics, is indeed deafening. In the end, it all culminates in illustrating how unadulterated bigotry has assumed normalcy in this society.”

Comments

The offending comments were made by WaltonDesir during a recent show “Politics 101” hosted by the Working People’s Alliance’s (WPA) Dr David Hinds, who was present and nodded in approval to said comments.

“Unfortunately, that part of the political divide

on the PPP have a base that prefer if they say this is what is going to happen, men are going to come and rape your children, they believe that. Because the burden of sorting things out for themselves, is too great,” Walton-Desir said during the show.

“And so they remain trapped, all the while believing they are free to think and self-determine.

They don’t have the freedom of self-determination.

Because freedom requires responsibility… so we have a bunch of mentally lazy people. The PPP understands this very very well and so they capitalise on it,” Walton-Desir added, to nods of affirmation from Dr Hinds.

Walton-Desir had gone on to insist that the other side of the political divide, the supporters of A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), possessed these self-determining qualities.

“Contrast the supporters of the PNC for example, who are far more inquisitive and enquiring and who have a greater appreciation of the democratic process,” Walton-Desir went on to say during the show.

Complaint lodged

The Indian Action Committee (IAC) has meanwhile lodged a complaint with the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) over Walton-Desir’s comments.

According to the IAC in its complaint, it is impossible given Guyana’s political context, to mistake the Member of Parliament’s (MP) comments for anything but a racial attack and they, therefore, urged that the investigation be swift and thorough.

“The IAC therefore forthrightly condemns in the strongest possible way and rejects such comments which it believes are repugnant, describe that group of Guyanese as being mentally enslaved, intellectually incapable and inferior to supporters of the Party

Attorney General & PPP Executive Anil Nandlall

she represents. Her tirade, which was demonstrative of her blatant disrespect to the Guyanese she wantonly and deliberately targeted, is totally counterproductive to efforts to foster national unity.”

“Further, the IAC is not unmindful of the reaction of Dr Hinds when the comments in question were made. His sustained shaking of his head in the affirmative, can only be interpreted as him being in agreement of what was said

by Mrs Walton-Desir. An absence of any semblance of condemnation from him and the leadership of her Party, can only be seen as tacit support of the comments,” the IAC said.

The IAC reminded that Indo-Guyanese, like all others, have made and continue to make invaluable contributions to the development of Guyana and for the advancement of Guyanese. According to them, these contributions are evident in every sphere of our society both at home and in the Diaspora.

“The IAC believes that such comments have no place in our society and is unbecoming of someone who holds the esteem position of a Member of Parliament.

Having viewed her comments as racially insensitive, offensive and derogatory, the IAC has since lodged an official complaint with the ERC and has brought it to the attention of the Honorable Speaker of the National Assembly,” the IAC said.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 more deaths, 121 new COVID-19 cases …17 in ICU

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wo more persons have succumbed to COVID-19, moving the country’s death toll to 298.

The latest fatalities are two females: a 71-year-old from Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) and a 73-yearold from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

They both died while receiving care at a medical facility on Friday. This means April ended with an alarming 65 deaths.

On Thursday, a 57-yearold female from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) died while receiving care. On Wednesday, two females: a 63-year-old and a 59-yearold from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) also succumbed.

Guyana’s active coronavirus cases have moved up to 1807 after 121 new positives were detected within one day. On Saturday’s dashboard, the overall confirmed cases rose to 13,404 – a breakdown of 6736 males and 6668 females.

Some 17 patients are seeking treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while 89 are in institutional isolation, 1701 in home isolation and 10 in institutional quarantine. The country has recorded 11,299 recoveries while 123,880 were tested.

Of the new positives, three were from Region One (Barima-Waini), three from Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), 18 from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara),74 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), two in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), six

in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), eight in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), two in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and five in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) did not report an increase, as cases remained at 256.

For the new month of May, the Health Ministry informed that the gazetted COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 17) state that the curfew remains from 22:30h to 04:00h. Only essential services are authorised to operate on a 24-hour basis. Other services are expected to close operations by 21:30h. Casinos were also given the green light to operate.

No one is permitted to host or attend a cinema except for drive-in movies; private party, banquet hall, bar, public swimming pool or water park, wake or vigil, club, meeting fraternity or any other social activity.

In order for Government to consider removing some of the COVID-19 measures currently enforced, a significant percentage of the adult population would have to be vaccinated.

During the latest coronavirus update, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said many countries have removed certain measures because they were close to herd immunity. For Guyana to consider such a move, the population needs to get vaccinated. As of Thursday, over 136,000 persons received their first dose of the vaccine.

The adult population is estimated to be around 500,000.

“If we work hard enough and people take the vaccine, we would get to a point where we can remove those measures. But as of now, we have to maintain them and continue using them.

Israel, for example, is one of the first countries that would have gotten close to herd immunity and they have removed masking because most of their population would have already gotten the vaccine. They’re showing what is possible and if we work hard enough and make sure that every adult here receives their vaccine,

then some of the measures we can remove,” Dr Anthony shared.

In light of the scarcity of vaccines, the World Health Organisation had asked for

infected persons to wait for three months before getting inoculated because they would have already gained some antibodies. Guyana did not impose that restric-

tion due to the availability of shots and as a result, persons can get a vaccine immediately after their recovery.

“If someone is symptomatic, then by using the ques-

tionnaire that we have, we’ll be able to find that out and we’ll advise them accordingly. If you’re mildly symptomatic, then we would be able to use that questionnaire and ask you to wait until you recover. Generally, that would take 10 days. Having completed your recovery period, then you can come and get the vaccine…In terms of asymptomatic cases, most of those asymptomatic persons would not know themselves that they have COVID…In such circumstances, we’ll give the vaccine,” he was quoted as saying. (G12)

12 NEWS

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Murdered Linden woman

Wanted boyfriend was planning to “beat out” to French Guiana – voice notes reveal Linden. Police have since been on the hunt for Alleyne, who is in hiding.

Voice notes

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he boyfriend of murdered Shonette Dover, who is the prime suspect in her death, was making plans to flee to French Guiana while the young woman was still “missing”.

Almost one month after she was reported missing, the decomposed body of 20-year-old Dover was found in a shallow grave

in her boyfriend’s backyard on Friday. The discovery was made after the dead woman’s 15-year-old relative confessed to investigators that she witnessed the suspect, 21-year-old Shaquawn Alleyne, “accidentally” shooting Dover while he was cleaning a gun.

The couple lived together at Canvas City, Wismar,

Following Friday’s shocking discovery, several voice note recordings of conversations the young man had with a friend in French Guiana have since been circulated.

In the recording, the voice purported to be that of Alleyne can be heard pleading with the friend to help him “beat out” of Guyana and go to French Guiana, where the friend is living. These conversations were had during the period when it was reported that Dover was allegedly missing.

“Ah done mek up meh mind and tell yuh wah I want do. Support me nah man? Me ain’t leff nothing in Guyana. Me ain’t gat no chick or child…

The backyard where Shonette Dover’s body was found

Me ain’t able deal with the stress hay. Yuh rather hear I deh ova here and kill me f**king self? Cause the stress too much and ah can’t tek it no mo. Listen to meh and wuk with meh nah man?” Alleyne pleaded

with the friend in one of the recordings.

However, the friend can be heard responding to Alleyne, urging him to think before he acts. The friend cautioned him that if he flees then it would appear as though he is guilty and then he would be wanted by the Police. The friend even warned that he would appear on Interpol’s wanted list and would never be able to return to Guyana.

In response, Alleyne said he already thought about all of that and that he does not really care how it would look if he flees Guyana. He further claimed that everyone is going after him.

“The Police all ah them trying fuh f**k round me right now. I is gah deh going to the station every Wednesday and every Friday, and all ah dah. Me ain’t getting to do me working hours… and it looking bad buddy… Me ain’t able deal with duh man. I just gon leff every f**king thing behind buddy. Me ain’t get time with nothing… leff everything and just roll out partner, and duh’s wah I want do,” the suspect said in one of the voice notes sent to his friend.

Alleyne further requested his friend to help him get to the country and accommodate him when he gets there.

“All I want you gimme the strength once I meet over deh. I gah meh lil money, I gon try meh best once I meet ova deh. Dah is all I asking you buddy, at least I come ova deh, come by you and what’s not.”

Given Alleyne’s persistence in trying to get out of Guyana, the friend questioned him as to the reason behind his urgency to leave.

“Everybody trying fuh f**k round me. Yuh done see the girl cousins and them trying fuh f**k round me and all kind sk**t, saying but how I mek the girl go away and wan set ah thing… I just wan go lang me way and just start life brand new sk**t, so duh’s why I just pushing suh bad fuh roll out and jus leff everything,” Alleyne responded.

He went on to tell the friend that no one else knows of his plans to “beat out”.

“Nobody else ain’t know nothing that I beating out.

Me ain’t tell nobody nothing that I beating out.

Duh’s how I want do it buddy… I got nuff trade. I is nah no dunce. I could learn the language. I just want ease me head, get some time for meself, choose the life I want choose and then after that now, I gon decide to mek contact with me family,” the suspect can be heard saying.

He further stated, “I done think it over buddy.

Nights I think it over. Me ain’t wan no girl no mo, me ain’t want be in no relationship no mo and them thing… Me ain’t want get no relationship with no girl, and them sort ah thing…”

“And I can’t try something new in Guyana buddy. Cause you know, I can’t be with no man in Guyana around me family, around certain people, around me friend them and them sort ah thing… So duh’s why I wan roll,” Alleyne allegedly said to the friend.

Confession

Dover’s teenage relative broke her silence during interrogation between Thursday and Friday.

In giving a detailed account of what took place, the teenage relative told the Police in the presence of a Child Care and Probation Officer that on April 5, 2021, Alleyne was “oiling his brownish gun in their living room” and soon after, she heard a loud explosion as if a squib went off followed by Alleyne saying “oh shoots, I shoot the girl.”

The teenager explained that she saw her sister lying on the floor with her mouth open and blood was on her face. “I tell he let’s take her hospital and he said no she dead already.”

In a panicked but yet composed state, the teenager said that she and the suspect went to his father’s home and told him what had transpired.

TURN TO PAGE 33

FEATURE

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SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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n Wednesday, May 5, we will be commemorating “Indian Arrival Day” – which is still officially dubbed “Arrival Day”, supposedly because the Government wants to acknowledge the contributions and impact of all indentured labour on the incipient creole society formed after the abolition of slavery in 1838. There would be a total of 341,500 indentureds, consisting of 239,756 Indians; 30,585 Portuguese/Madeirans; 42,512 West Indians; 13,355 Africans;

14,189 Chinese; and 1282 “others”. Below, we expand on the economic impact.

The movement for the abolition of slavery and the agitation (in Guyana and in India) for humane working conditions for the indentured labourers left a legacy of sensitivity to the exploitation – economic and otherwise - of labour. In fact, the Trade Union Movement was conceived to agitate for economic justice on behalf of workers, and was launched by Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow in Guyana as far back as 1919, long before political parties appeared on the scene. Most of our modern politicians came out of the Trade Union Movement. The ethnic organisations BGEIA, LCP, NPC, etc., formed coterminously by mostly middle-class elements, were also concerned about the economic status and progress of their members. This was truer of the nascent Indian middle-class, which had a greater number of members from the world of business than the African/ Mulatto Middle class, which had sought improvement of their lot through education for jobs in Government services and the professions.

Specialisation The historical development of the colony, by and large, led to ethnic economic specialization, and this was to have far reaching

Indentured Immigration and its aftermath consequences. Within a decade of the abolition of slavery, the large swathe of Africans who had left the plantation to found the Village Movement were channelled into becoming an urbanised workforce of lower civil service clerks, messengers, transport workers, dock workers, shop assistants, artisans, masons etc. The unbroken wave of internal migration, continuing to the present, soon created a large African urban underclass that could be used to depress urban wages.

Many Africans went into the hinterland to prospect for gold, and opened up a new industry.

Those Africans who remained on the sugar plantations constituted the majority of factory workers, who were then locationally separated from the mostly Indian field workers.

When the bauxite industry was developed following WWI, the workers recruited were primarily Africans. The Portuguese and Chinese, small in numbers, also gravitated to the urban centres directly after serving their indenture contracts, with some remaining as shopkeepers in the newly formed villages. The majority of Indians, even after indentureship, remained on the plantations or formed rural settlements near the plantations – focusing primarily on rice (which became an industry), vegetable cultivation, and cattlerearing.

Economic competition was sustained with the ruralto-migration continuing as a constant feature of the colony’s development, since the towns were promoted as centre of “civilised” life and higher standards of living. This rural African migration precipitated severe contradictions in Georgetown, as the newer arrivals depressed wages – producing an African underclass that grew sharply as economic opportunities stagnated. The early success of the Portuguese

migrants in business, which squeezed out many Coloured/ African entrepreneurs, led to several African–Portuguese riots, notably in 1848, 1856 and 1888. The Portuguese were adjudged by the Africans to be granted special privileges and to be unfairly moving ahead.

Competition On the sugar plantations, the interminable flood of new immigrants – including from the West Indies and Africa - depressed plantation wages. Contrary to what some ideologues in the present are preaching, there was no significant economic competition between Indians and Africans in the 19th century.

It was the beginning of the movement of Indians into the elite, urban-centred occupations after the end of indentureship in 1917. However, that precipitated the greatest stresses in the society, some of which are still to be resolved.

The Indians, building on their

Ravi Dev

successes in rice, cattle- rearing and petty retailing, began to open businesses in Georgetown by the 1920s, and also to enter the independent professions of medicine and law. These were very highly prized occupations in colonial society, and they helped to define status, and when some Indians began to percolate into the Civil Service by the 1930s, the Coloured/African elite began to feel threatened.

The Indians were seen as a threat for a variety of economic reasons – in addition to the cultural and political

ones. These were pointed out by the Mulatto/African middle class. Firstly, the Government had financed part of the cost of bringing indentured immigrants to Guyana from the national treasury, into which the Africans had paid taxes. This was akin to rubbing salt into an open wound, since the many African leaders had convinced the average African that the immigrants – but especially the more numerous Indians - had undercut their leverage to bargain for greater wages on the plantations after the abolition of slavery. In fact, the majority of Africans had decamped the sugar plantations by 1848, after the failure of their 1846-47 strike for higher wages at a time when there were more Portuguese, West Indian Africans and Africans from Africa as indentureds than Indians.

We have also written before of the cost-constraints on the Guyanese sugar planters.

Secondly, Africans feared that the Indians, with their

immigrant drive for economic advancement, coupled with their greater numbers (by the end of indentureship), would become so economically dominant that even if they were to occupy only their proportionate share of the valued economic platforms, Africans would be overwhelmed.

This fear increased as the Indians slowly began to follow the path that was earlier trod by the rural African to the urban centres.

Unlike as with the earlier African migrants, because of their distinctiveness, the Indians stood out for continued comparison.

The fear was mixed with the scorn of cultural superiority: the African resentment against the Portuguese, was turned to the Indian.

This resentment in the African/Coloured population was very entrenched by the beginning of modern political mobilisation in 1950, and exploded in the 1960s when Martin Carter, channelling Fanon, claimed, “a city of clerks turned a city of men’.

14 FEATURE

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uyanese, will on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 observe East Indian Arrival Day; an occasion commemorating the 18rd anniversary of their arrival, bringing with them their ancient customs, food and culture from India.

Under a system of agreement, an order in the Council of Britain was passed on July 12, 1838 making provision for indentured immigrants to travel to Guyana for a term of five years.

On January 13, 1838 the Whitby left the shores of India with 249 immigrants on board and arrived in Guyana on the 5th May 1838 after a voyage of 112 days. Five immigrants died during the voyage. The Whitby proceeded first to Berbice and landed 164 passengers at Hilbury, East Bank Berbice, nearly 12 miles from New Amsterdam.

East of the capital, the same day it returned to Vreed-en-hoop, West Demerara and landed 80 passengers.

Out of the 244 immigrants that came with the Whitby they were 233 men,

5 women and 6 children. The first man to step on shore in Berbice was Anant Ram while in Demerara the first man to disembark was Nutha Khan.

On January 29, 1838, the Hesperus sailed from Calcutta sixteen days later than the Whitby,

with 165 persons on board. It arrived at Port Georgetown on the night of May 5th 1838, 13 immigrants died during the voyage including two persons who fell over-board. Out of the 152 immigrants that came on board the Hesperus, were 135 men, 6 women and 11 children.

On January 26, 1845 ‘Lord Hunger’ left Calcutta with 162 passengers on board, the ship arrived in Georgetown on May 4, 1845, and ten persons died on the way. Next ship was the ‘Success’, which arrived on July 21, 1845 with 231 passengers, 14 died on the way.

Next was the ‘Nester’, which arrived on December 26, 1845 with 233 persons and brought 500 bags of rice.

On February 2, 1846 ‘Manchester’ then the ‘Thetis’ followed by the ‘Tamerlane’ the ‘Martin Luther’ and ‘Troy” in succession, then the ‘John Wickliffe’, the ‘Bussorary Merchant’, the ‘Aurora’, ‘Lady Mekennaway’ and lastly the ‘SS Ganges’, which docked in Georgetown on April 18, 1917.

Bringing that period, 79 years238,979 indentured labourers journeyed from India to Guyana to

the years the community spirit has manifested itself in various situations-forming groups singing Ramayan, Bhajanas reading of the Holy Quran and observing the various festivals and holi days etc.

The plantation owners and the colonial administration feared the unity of the workers and used several techniques to destroy it. By January 1840, there was evidence that the Indian labourers were being mistreated. Far more significant were the uprisings, which frequently led to tragic deaths of immigrant workers protesting illegal wages,

Sample of an ad announcing the arrival of white indentureds

work under colonial administration.

They were distributed to various locations on the coastland of Guyana.

The plantation system and conditions were not favourable at all. The immigrants worked from sunrise to sunset and were so poorly paid that they were just able to exist.

They slaved and provided luxurious living for their masters. They brought with them a rich culture and heritage together with a language.

The indentured immigrants were disciplined and found satisfaction in honest and productive work. They were kind, hospitable and generous and they lived contented lives. They made tremendous sacrifices so that their descendants would be able to enjoy a better standard of living.

The foremost characteristic of the struggle of the East Indian immigrants against indenture and plantation system was their unity.

Their unity had been forged on shipboard. Those who came on the same ship were considered as ship brothers and sisters-“Jahaji”.

A further contributing factor to unity was that everyone came with an inter-faith mind of mainly Hindus and Muslims and there was also a belief that the caste system has been lost through the crossing of ‘Kaala’ Pani (Black Water). Through

bad conditions and the exploitation of their women.

There were eight main disturbances on sugar plantations leading to shooting by colonial police from Devonshire Castle in 1872 to 1948 at Enmore. At Vreeden-hoop, West Bank Demerara an English nurse Betsy Ann testified that she had witnessed the flogging of immigrants with the cat-o-nine tails, and another woman Elizabeth Caesar witnessed the flogging of immigrants under the manager’s house after which, salt pickle was rubbed on to their backs.

Figures show that one out of every five immigrants was brought before the courts; not for offences of a criminal nature but for resistance to a plantation system, which was supported by the judiciary and colonial administration.

There were no trade unions until recent times.

The East Indians have contributed in a significant way to build Guyana’s economic and social structures. It was indeed the unity of principle and action among East Indians that brought overwhelming success to our dear land of Guyana.

(Adapted from an article by Shan Razak; 2013 Guyana Times newspaper)

FEATURE

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SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Some of the members of the Dynamic Tassa Troupe

By Lakhram Bhagirat

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assa drumming is distinctive and is rooted in the culture of the Indian immigrants brought to this part of the world by the British.

In Guyana, Tassa drumming is heavily associated with wedding celebrations, it can be practised at literally any celebration. Welcoming a new baby, you can play

Navindra Jaimangal as the pro cutter

Tassa; having a birthday party, play some Tassa; liming with your friends, play some Tassa.

The artform is beautifully intricate and speaks its own language. The Tassa drums are expertly beaten by the cutter and foulé, encouraging its listeners to begin swaying unconsciously.

The dhol (bass drum) brings in the extra oomph that levels the sound to mesmer-

ise the audiences. The jhals (a pair of thick brass hand cymbals) round out the entire rhythm to captivate the listeners.

In order to understand the intricacies of Tassa drumming, one must understand what exactly is the Tassa. The Tassa is a bowlshaped drum that is hung from the neck and played with two thin and very flexible sticks.

Young Devin

Owing to its history and association with the Indians, the Tassa has evolved over the years. Initially, the Tassa was half a sphere in shape with a diameter of 20 inches and a depth of 12 inches. It was fashioned out of clay by skilful potters and baked in a very hot kiln until it became very tough, the Indian Caribbean Museum of Trinidad and Tobago says.

Back in the day, the opened end of the Tassa was

covered with dried goat skin after all particles of hair

had been carefully removed.

This piece of circular skin was tightly pulled over the drum and held in place by strips of “deerskin”. The drier the goatskin, the better the sound that comes from it, hence when it is played one would notice that the surface is heated periodically to retain that clean, clear tenor sound.

The Tassa drummer would usually play using two pieces of specially selected sticks (chope) with padded ends that make contact with the Tassa when struck.

Tassa is usually used in accompaniment with a large bass drum (dhol) and brass cymbals (jhal).

Now, the Tassa has evolved. It is no longer being made of clay rather it has been replaced by a metal bowl which is in fact obtained by cutting empty helium tanks. The goatskin has also been replaced by a

synthetic covering which is held in position by specially designed nuts and screws.

One advantage of this new covering is that it does not need heating.

For almost 7 years, Navindra Jaimangal along with his siblings have been keeping the tradition of Tassa drumming alive along the west corridor of Guyana through their Dynamic Tassa Troupe. Navindra and his brothers Chanshekhar and Chanderpaul started the Dynamic Tassa Troup in 2014 after playing alongside the Rising Star Tassa Troupe for a number of years.

The Jaimangal brothers have been around Indian musical instruments for their entire lives since they are actively involved in the Hindu temple. Their talents were encouraged in the Windsor Forest Arya Samaj Mandir under the supervision of national award

winner Pandita Dhanrajie Haimraj.

Navindra started out as a dholak (Indian drum) player and it was from then he moved into the Tassa realm.

Today, he is the pro cutter for the Dynamic Tassa Troupe.

“Dynamic was formed in 2014 which is six years now but we were playing longer than that time. I would say about 15 years now but professionally we started in 2014. It all started through mandir playing dholak and so we had that basic knowledge of the instruments.

My chacho (paternal uncle) from Trinidad gave us our first Tassa and from then we started to rehearse and so on. When we went to weddings we were always fascinated by the Tassa so we practised and we got better and better,” Navindra said.

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Dynamic Tassa Troupe is rooted in the Windsor Forest Arya Samaj and currently has 11 young members.

These talented individuals believe that music has always been one of the finest art forms and that Tassa drumming pushes the boundaries of all rhythms.

With hours of practice and development of their skills, the Dynamic team has mastered the art of Tassa drumming. However, they are not just keeping it to themselves but rather they are sharing it with anyone who is interested.

They are training a new cadre of Tassa drummers every Wednesday at the Meten-Meer-Zorg Mandir on the West Coast of Demerara.

“We do the classes because it is our way of giving back and serving. We want everyone to learn just as how Pandita Dhanrajie Haimraj encouraged us we want to be able to encourage others and that is why we are offering this free classes,” Navindra said.

The group of young men is now joined by Chandani Jaimangal – the lone female and she is a force to be reckoned with. According to Chandni, making the step of entering a maledominated field was never strange since she grew up watching her brothers play the drums. Eventually,

Lone female Chandani Jaimangal as one of the foulé

Adesh Rabichand and his dhol

she too became engrossed with learning the skill, which she has managed to perfect.

Presently, Chandni accompanies the troupe to all events, sometimes it is weddings and on other occasions, it is to perform for the President at State House. She previously shared with the Sunday Times that accepting the invitation to play at State House is one of her most memorable memories.

Another thing she loves about being a member of the troupe is travelling to different locations.

The youngest member of the troupe is 11-year-old Devin. He is training to become a jhal player and told me that he finds playing with the troupe “fun”. He was roped in after he expressed interest and attended practice.

“I am a jhal player and I like playing.

Tassa is fun and I does really enjoy it,” the shy pre-teen said.

The other members of the team include Subhash Haimraj, Mohan Singh, Deepak Rupchand, Kevin Somwaru, Jagdeo Persaud, Haresh Hanoman, Ryan Persaud and Adesh Rabichand.

Navindra explained that they have been making their own Tassa drums over the years.

“We made this (Tassa) from

helium bottles and it was welded and fabricated and the films are drum heads that we had to pull very tight to have this high-pitched sound. We copied the design from Trinidad and we took it to the welder and improved it more. Jaal is made out of brass and all was bought from Trinidad.

“The dhol is a hollowed tree trunk and this is a mango tree. The thickness is one inch inside and we use deerskin or goatskin. We apply this drum masala to both sides of the drum. The hand side have to get a thin amount so that we get that high pitched sound, the bass side have to get a little bit more so you get that heavy sound because without masala it will sound very similar to the Tassa with that high pitched sound. So this is what actually control the sound in the dhol and when we are setting up the bass we have to lose up the ropes and take out or apply more until we get that perfect sound,” he explained.

To care for the dhols, Navindra would keep them away from moisture and extensive sun heat. He rubs castor oil to the skin to keep the elasticity.

The Dynamic Tassa Troupe has all intentions to continue bettering their craft while imparting the knowledge they have gained to those willing to absorb it.

FEATURE

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I

ndian cuisine is known around the world for its varying ranges of aromatic spices, which is clearly differentiated from other types of cooking.

Here in Guyana, Indian food is quite common, with notable variations since it was brought to this land during the arrival of East Indians in 1838.

In India, the streets are usually bustling with merchants who market their dried spices such as cumin, masala, chilies, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom and mustard seeds among others. Ginger and coriander are also prevalent to achieve

certain distinct tastes. In India, there is an array of sweet and savoury dishes depending on the location. In fact, each state captures a different palate but these have been uniquely merged into one here in Guyana.

When the indentured immigrants arrived, the cooking techniques were brought from their motherland. Up until a few decades ago, these practices were well-preserved just as how the way it was done in the early era.

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now it is occasional to do things that we used to do every day. People, of course, learn new ways.”

Presently, many of the ingredients used in Indian cooking are sold extensively in supermarkets and local arcades. Adding to that, some spices are processed and packaged by locals, eliminating the tedious task of grinding these elements.

Sweet meats

During a conversation with my grandmother, Homattie Seenaraine she revealed that in her young childhood, it was a norm for Indian food to be prepared on a daily basis. On most occasions, dhal or lentils was a staple with a few curried vegetables.

If rice wasn’t prepared to accompany a curry, roti or dhal puri was made.

“This is what we were taught to cook. Dhal was a regular food. Every afternoon, people would return from the farm and they would made this and other vegetables, whatever was available at that time. Sometimes, dhal puri if there was enough time.”

She distinctively remembered ‘seven curry’ being prepared on im-

portant events when persons from the village would be invited. It is still known as one of the most popular dishes, having seven components mainly rice, lentils, a chutney and four to five vegetable dishes all served up in a lotus leaf, which surprisingly serves conveniently as a plate.

Back in those days, the use of a mortar and pestle was quite common. The mortar was a hollow bowl, usually made of stone and the pestle would be used to crush spices and other herbs. The traditional fireside was used primarily for all cooking.

Adding to that, achar or pickles would be made from weeks ago and

stored in jars. Seasonal fruits such as mangoes would be picked and prepared to last for as long as they could by using mustard oil and other natural preservatives.

In a modernized setting, the prevalence of these foods is still widespread. However, there is an indentation caused by western influence by persons of the younger generations. While many of the foods are still prepared, it is mostly done

on special occasions, religious holidays like Holi and Diwali or just a few times a week as compared to every meal.

Of course, there are other items such as samosas, which have gained popularity through increased connection to India. In this way, other dishes are being introduced to the Guyanese strata.

“There is a lot of western influence on the Indian cooking because

Barfi, kheer, gulab jamun, ladoo, jalebi and many others are the most common sweet delicacies which originated from India. Having survived many tweaks and changes in the Guyanese culture, the recipes are passed from one generation to the next.

Growing up in a very traditional home, a variety of these were prepared and distributed to neighbours on auspicious occasions. A common favourite was seemingly kheer, made with rice and milk with cinnamon, sugar and cardamom. Raisins and other dried fruits was also added. This was served with gulab jamoon, a sweet, syrupy sphere which earned its unmistakable taste from just a few drops of rosewater. Jalebi, on the other hand, is another syrup based delicacy but models a crunchy texture.

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FEATURE

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DEVOTION IS AGELESS: The case for adopting a senior dog

“Paws” PERSPECTIVE | Paws for a Cause - Guyana

D

octor’s Note: Paws for a Cause Guyana (“Paws”) is a local animal welfare group operating and registered in Guyana as a non-profit inc. Paws works to prevent animal cruelty; to promote humane, ethical, and responsible pet ownership; to advocate for controlling the animal population via spay and neuter campaigns; to educate the public; and to assist in cases of reported animal neglect and abuse. Paws’ work extends beyond dogs and cats, and includes all wildlife in Guyana. Occasionally, Paws will contribute a “Paws Perspective” to the Sunday Times ‘Pet Care’ Column, detailing their experiences in animal welfare.

With the world still in the grip of a pandemic, it’s safe to say that we’ve all contemplated our mortality and

the mortality of our loved ones. We’ve realigned our priorities, and considered how we want to live out the rest of our days. That in itself is a luxury, and we often take even the thought of security for granted. We get to think about our future. We get to make contingency plans, and create a support system, and work to achieve our dreams.

But what about animals? Dogs age too, but they don’t have those luxuries for obvious reasons.

Quite often, dogs are strayed once they get too “old”, which usually has little to do with their age and more to do with the fact that they’ve lost the ‘cute puppy’ look. Once they’re strayed, they don’t last long on the street, because they’ve lived their entire lives off the street. As we say, “They ain’t got road sense.” Sometimes, they might luck out

slightly and end up at a shelter, but we can tell you from experience that it is incredibly difficult to get them adopted, and they may end up living out the rest of their lives there.

At the end of the day, adopting any rescue dog is a worthwhile and commendable thing to do, but we implore you to consider giving an older dog his golden years. Their bodies may grow old, but we can absolutely promise you that their love, devotion and loyalty to you will be ageless.

Consider some of the reasons below: They have an incredible capacity for love, even though they have suffered trauma.

Senior dogs have such a deep capacity for love, and it is even more astounding when they’re a rescue dog. Senior rescue dogs are the ones

that are more likely to have suffered abuse, cruelty, and neglect on top of abandonment. They are the ones who would have been tied to posts with no shelter from the sun or rain or dust.

They are the ones who would have been starved and are dehydrated, the ones who would have suffered for so long that their skin has sunken between their ribs.

They are the ones that flinch when you raise your hand to pet them, because they think you’re about to beat them.

They are the ones that don’t understand why their owners, their whole world and the love of their lives, took them somewhere and never came back for them. Puppies who are abandoned have certainly been through it, but they are too young to have seen the darkest parts of the world over and over again. Yet,

some of the sweetest dogs we’ve ever met are the ones who are on the road to recovery from a trauma.

All of our animals have come to us having experienced some sort of trauma, but senior rescues are particularly emotional.

Our Palmyra was rescued after a video on Facebook went viral - his owner clearly had anger issues, and he was caught on video beating Palmyra with the broadside of a cutlass.

Ted had been hit by a car, and his paw & leg were mangled and swollen.

Moonshine came to us with multiple healed scars and hairless patches of skin.

Faith was so unrecognisable that we couldn’t figure out her breed until weeks after.

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Bolt had no hair, and his skin looked like dirty concrete. Mama was so scared after being spayed that we believe she had been abused on top of being starved and pregnant when she was taken in.

We firmly believe that rescue dogs understand when they have been given a second chance at life, and love you even more for it.

They may already be trained.

Because senior dogs would have likely had homes before; they would already have had some amount of training, and would be able to understand basic commands. You may not have to teach the old dog new tricks, unless you want to, as there is evidence that older dogs have a greater attention span than puppies.

Our foster mama Lizzie came to us so well trained that you

just have to point to the kennel and she jumps right in. When she is on a walk, she is calm and curious, doesn’t pull on the leash, and will often just sit at your feet observing the goingson. She rarely even jumps out the kennel until you’ve clipped the leash to her collar.

Our foster Roxy escaped her enclosure the other day, and spent a while just trotting around the exterior of her enclosure. The second she saw us, she lit up, left her very important sniffing, and ambled comfortably over to us with a big smile.

When Rep literally showed up at our gate, she immediately responded to whistles and basic commands.

You may be saving their lives Older dogs at shelters aren’t necessarily there for bad behaviour. Senior dogs are more

likely to be strayed or put down, partially because health issues that develop later in life can be costly.

Another sad reality is that they are no longer considered “cute.” They aren’t puppies anymore, their fur may be greying or thinning, or they have been neglected for so long that minor health issues have grown into almost insurmountable issues.

If the owner were unwilling to take care of them when the minor issues arose, there is an almost certainty that the owner would choose the easier option straying or putting down.

When we took in Rusty, we thought that he had distemper, a fatal disease that could easily have been avoided with a vaccine. We later found out he had nerve issues, and just needed a bit of care.

We have rescued many

pregnant mothers, who have likely been abandoned because they got pregnant. Their owners never bothered to spay them, and when they found themselves in the family way, they were strayed. Lilie & Jessie were both “short foot fluffy” pregnant mamas. From our experience, “short foot fluffy” dogs are a cinch to get adopted, so we believe that they were strayed because they were pregnant.

While Lilie’s pups were all born in good health, she herself was very underweight, covered in tangled fur as well as ticks and fleas.

Jessie birthed 12, and, sadly, all died, likely due to compromised immune systems.

She had a very difficult birth, and had to be given medication to speed the labour along and save her life. Jessie had such a bad eye infection that it could be treated only with antibiotics that we were unable to give her while she was pregnant.

Both Lilie and Jessie were spayed and found their forever homes. Without all of the treatment, Jessie herself would

have certainly died, and if, by some miracle, did pull through, would have likely ended up pregnant again.

Older dogs are calmer than puppies Adopting any dog is wonderful, but is also a big responsibility. We always ask every potential adopter to consider their family, and existing pets who will interact with the dog, and whether they have the time and energy to keep up with a younger puppy. Older dogs can cause less destruction to a home, and can make instant companions, as they would have already lived through their overly energetic years. They are ready to live a leisurely, calmer life.

Because puppies are brand new to the world, they tend to be more destructive than older pups, simply because they have more energy, less training, and do not know the difference between what a toy may be and what is not. Plus, they may be teething, or need a level of mental stimulation that you may

not be familiar with.

Older dogs tend to stay close to you because they just want to be near you. They may also be afraid you’ll leave them, and one day, for no reason, they find themselves without love; without a family, a home, a roof, a meal.

We have in our care many senior dogs and cats who don’t ask for much - just the kindness of living out the rest of their lives in a loving home, and, more than likely, a napping companion!

Please contact us if you’d like to give it to them.

If you’d like to offer comments, support, or follow our work, find us on Facebook. com/Pawsforacause.gy, on Instagram @pawsforacause. guyana, subscribe to our YouTube Channel, drop us a line at pawsforacause.20@gmail. com, or visit our website at https://www.pawsforacausegy. com.

Animal welfare is everyone’s business. You do not have to be an animal person - you just have to be a kind person.

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NEWS

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The science of COVID-19 COVID-19 and surgery

staff within surgical institutions, the pandemic has resulted in:

Contributed by: Dr. Navindranauth Rambaran, FCCS DMT, MBBS, PGDip. Surgery (UG) Trauma Surgery (u Ottawa) Head Dept. General Surgery, GPHC Associate Professor in Surgery Chairman of the Medical Council of Guyana

S

evere acute respiratory syndrome Corona virus-type 2 (SARS Co-V-2), which causes the COVID-19 infection, was first documented in Wuhan Hubei Province, China after a number of cases of pneumonia of unknown origin occurred in late 2019.

A pandemic was subsequently declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020.

The virus continued to spread rapidly throughout the world and, to date (November 12, at the time of writing), has infected 49.7 million and resulted in 1.2 million deaths globally.

No region or country has been spared, though infection and mortality rates vary among countries. Some countries, including New Zealand and Australia, have been successful in keeping rates of infection down, while America and parts of Europe, including Britain, have experienced significantly higher rates of infection and mortality.

The Caribbean picture has shown a mixed pattern, with many smaller territories such as Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, being able to contain the disease relatively early in the pandemic, while others with larger populations, such as Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Jamaica, have experienced rising infection rates over several months.

Surgical services

The pandemic has impacted surgical services in several profound ways.

Importantly it has resulted in significant deployment of surgical resources to treat COVID-19 patients and has increased the demand for other critical resources, including ventilators and blood components.

Together, with the increased risk of transmission to both patients and surgical

• Reduced surgical staff to care for patients with surgical issues • Reduced surgical bed space • Shortage of blood components • Increased surgical operative complications among COVID-19 patients • Transmission of the disease to surgical staff • A suspension of non-urgent surgeries

Classification of patients

Patients who need surgical services can be broadly categorised into two areas.

First, there are electives, that is, those whose conditions require surgery for improved functioning and quality of life but, which are non life-threatening.

This category includes appearance augmentation surgeries. Thus, there is no danger when such surgeries are done on a schedule of over weeks to several months.

On the other hand, the second category, which is the emergent type of surgical conditions, does require urgent surgical intervention to prevent deterioration of health and in many cases to prevent death (reduce mortality).

This category includes patients with cancers, life-threatening infections and injuries.

Risks and nonoperative management

Evidence has emerged which shows patients who undergo surgery and contract COVID-19, in some cases from -7 to +30 days of surgery, have increased respiratory complications and worse surgical outcomes than those who are uninfected.

Due to this risk, many surgeons have opted to operate on COVID-19 infected patients only if safe non-surgical options are unavailable.

During this period, surgeons carefully select patients for non-surgical management, including those with uncomplicated appendicitis, cholecystitis and diverticulitis. Of course, failure of conservative management would result in the surgical operation being conducted.

Suffice it to say that many COVID-19 patients, who required emergency life-saving operations during the pandemic, have been successfully operated on, while guarding against the potential for bad outcomes.

Risks to surgical staff

Due to the potential for increased aerosolisation of viral particles during oper-

ative procedures, there is a significantly higher risk of transmission to surgical staff when performing surgery on patients with COVID-19.

These risks can however be mitigated by improved safety protocols that have evolved during the pandemic.

These include the use special personal protective equipment (PPEs) by surgical staff, such as, impervious surgical suits and goggles and the refitting of operating rooms with air filters and new dynamic airflow systems.

Outpatient surgical services

New strategies have been utilised in the organization of surgical outpatient services to reduce the need for patients to visit surgical clinics, thereby decreasing the risk of COVID-19 transmission among patients and staff.

These new strategies to treat and follow up patients include: • Telemedicine • Virtual Clinics • Telephone follow ups • Call-in inquiry services for patients A smaller number of patients with special needs or with deterioration of their surgical conditions are still required to visit the clinics in person.

Backlog of surgeries

The cancellation of routine/elective surgeries for the reasons already cited has resulted in an increased backlog of cases.

Since there is the risk of deterioration of surgical conditions, as the wait time for surgery increases, patients need to be re-assessed and other solutions sought, even as the pandemic persists.

One solution being looked at is the phased restart of certain types of non-urgent surgeries over the next several weeks and months. This process will prioritise patients based on the seriousness of their condition and also prioritise those surgeries that can be done in an ambulatory fashion, that is, surgeries which can be done as same-day admission and discharge.

This approach to restarting routine surgery keeps in mind the possibility of a resurgence in COVID-19 infection rates during the roll out, hence making any necessary scaling back less complicated.

Need for increased resources

Surgical facilities must now adopt new recommendations and emerging benchmark safety measures when conducting surgeries in the

future.

These changes will likely result in an overall increase in the cost for surgical services that must be met by institutions, government and patients alike.

These changes include: • New and more efficient surgical pathways for scheduling and conducting surgeries (same-day surgery being one key example) • P e r i o p e r a t i v e screening and COVID-19 testing • Purchase of special PPEs for surgical staff • Redesign of surgical facilities and operating rooms

tutions were the standard for many types of surgeries.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendectomy and colectomy are some examples of such surgeries. These surgeries were temporarily on hold in many institutions due to the perceived risk of increased aerosolisation of the virus during these procedures.

However, evidence-based reports which have now emerged suggest that surgical facilities can safely restart laparoscopic, endoscopic and other minimally invasive procedures by making simple adjustments to reduce the aerosolisation risks.

Minimally invasive surgeries

Second wave of COVID-19

Before COVID-19, minimally-invasive procedures were on the increase and in most modern surgical insti-

From a surgical perspective, a return to full surgical operational capabilities is desired. While this au-

thor looks forward to a roll out of routine surgeries in the near future, the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19 infection must be kept in mind and guarded against by all stakeholders.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and, in this critical phase as we fight to further lower infection rates, surgical facilities through its staff will continue to do life-saving surgeries and offer other important surgical services, while at the same time planning for the next phase of routine surgical operations.

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

24 NEWS

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

HEALTH TIPS MENOPAUSE - PART 1

Dr Tariq Jagnarine Fam Medicine, Endocrinology/Diabetes

M

enopause is a transition into a new phase of life. It begins when the menstrual cycle finishes.

Menopause is not a health problem, and some experience

it as a time of liberation.

However, hormonal changes and other factors involved can cause discomfort. Menopause usually starts between the ages of 40 and 58 years in developed countries, where the average age is 51 years. For some, it will occur earlier due to a medical condition or treatment, such as the removal of the ovaries.

Around the time of menopause, many females experience physical symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and a reduced sex drive. It can also lead to anxiety, changes in mood, and a reduced sex drive. These symptoms may start before menstruation ends, and they can last for several years. The impact on a person’s quality of life can range from mild to severe. However, there are ways

of managing these symptoms.

Each person will experience menopause differently. Many have full, active lives throughout the transition and afterward, and some feel relieved by no longer having to deal with menstruation or birth control.

Maintaining a healthful diet and getting regular exercise can help a person feel better and boost their overall health in the long term. For those who experience menopause symptoms, treatments and support are available.

It can last for several years, and there are three stages: • Perimenopause is the transitional time that starts before menopause and includes the 12 months that follow a person’s last period.

• Menopause starts either 12 months after the last

period or when menstruation has stopped for a clinical reason, such as the removal of the ovaries.

• Postmenopause refers to the years after menopause, although it can be difficult to know when menopause finishes and postmenopause starts.

CAUSES Menopause is a stage in life, not an illness. Most women experience natural menopause during midlife. However, surgery and other factors can cause menopause to start earlier.

• Natural menopause A female’s reproductive years last from puberty to menopause — from one natural transition to another.

Toward menopause, the levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone in

the body fall because they are no longer necessary to support reproduction. These changes trigger menopause.

• Surgery and treatment If a person undergoes surgery to remove their ovaries (hysterectomy), they will experience menopause. If this happens before middle age, this may be referred to it as “early menopause.”

• Medically Induced Some treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, can cause the ovaries to stop working either temporarily or permanently. The likelihood of this happening depends on the person’s age and the type and location of the treatment.

A person who experiences menopause because of a clinical treatment will experience the same symptoms as a person who experiences natural menopause. However, the symptoms may appear more abruptly, because the physical change is more sudden. A person may also experience sadness or depression about an early loss of fertility.

• Premature menopause Some people experience menopause earlier than others for reasons other than medical interventions. Menopause is considered to be “premature” if it develops before the age of 40 and “early” if it starts between the ages of 40 and 45. Early menopause naturally occurs in around 5% of females.

Sometimes, menopause develops early if a person has: • A genetic condition that affects the chromosomes, such as Turner’s syndrome • An autoimmune disease • An infection, such as tuberculosis, malaria, or mumps SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Around menopause, various physical and mental changes can occur, causing symptoms.

Some of these start before menopause, and some continue after it.

The changes involved in perimenopause and menopause include: • Lower fertility As female approaches the end of the reproductive stage, but before menopause begins, estrogen levels start to fall.

This reduces the chances of becoming pregnant.

• Irregular menstruation The first sign that menopause is approaching is usually periods occurring less regularly.

They may come more or less frequently than usual, and they may be heavier or lighter.

• Vaginal dryness and discomfort Vaginal dryness, itching, and discomfort may start during

perimenopause and continue into menopause. A person with any of these symptoms may experience chafing and discomfort during vaginal sex.

Also, if the skin breaks, this can increase the risk of infection.

Atrophic vaginitis, which involves thinning, drying, and inflammation of the vaginal wall, can sometimes occur during menopause.

Various moisturizers, lubricants, and medications can relieve vaginal dryness and associated issues.

• Hot flashes Hot flashes are common around the time of menopause.

They cause a person to feel a sudden sensation of heat in the upper body. The sensation may start in the face, neck, or chest and progress upward or downward.

A hot flash can also cause: • Sweating • Red patches to form on the skin Some people experience night sweats and cold flashes, or chills, in addition to or instead of hot flashes. Hot flashes usually occur in the first year after menstruation ends, but they can continue for up to 14 years after menopause.

• Sleep disturbances Sleep problems can arise during menopause, and they may stem from: • anxiety • night sweats • an increased need to urinate Getting plenty of exercise and avoiding heavy meals before bedtime can help with managing these issues, but if they persist, contact a healthcare provider.

• Emotional changes Depression, anxiety, and low mood are common during menopause. It is not unusual to experience times of irritability and crying spells. Hormonal changes and sleep disturbances can contribute to these issues.

Also, a person’s feelings about menopause may come into play.

For example, distress about low libido or the end of fertility can contribute to depression during menopause.

An published in 2018 suggests that there may, in some cases, be a link between menopause and suicide.

• Trouble focusing and learning In the lead-up to menopause two-thirds of women may have difficulty with concentration and memory.

Keeping physically and mentally active, following a healthful diet, and maintaining an active social life can help with these issues. For example, some people benefit from finding a new hobby or joining a club or a local activity.

NEWS

“Do not hesitate to take COVID-19 vaccine” – Region 3 Chair tells residents

P

Region Three Chairman, Inshan Ayube

ositive coronavirus cases in Guyana have steeply increased within the past month, claiming a whopping 65 lives in April.

Chairman for Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Mohamed Inshan Ayube on Saturday urged residents within his zone and the country to protect themselves by getting vaccinated.

While April would have started with 977 confirmed cases in the region, this

that the health facilities are equipped to meet those challenges…The pandemic continues to take lives in our country.”

Amid the initial concerns regarding blood clotting with the AstraZeneca vaccine, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has already clarified that the World Health Organisation through the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) deemed it safe, having witnessed that the benefits

number increased to 1489 by the end of the month – a total of 512 new cases. Ayube shared that Guyanese should display a sense of responsibility in safeguarding their health without hesitation.

“I beseech you on behalf of the Government and the region to ensure that you take the protective measures to counter this pandemic. You have to go and take the vaccine. Do not be hesitant. Your hesitance might be detrimental to you. I appeal to you,” the Regional Chairman expressed.

In the regional effort, it was highlighted that officials have been constantly mitigating challenges to ensure that health facilities are properly equipped.

If persons do not take heed to the precautions and get infected, it can overwhelm the health system.

“The Regional Executive Officer, the Department of Health and the RHO is really working to ensure

outweigh the risks.

“We have had a number of other expert entities review the vaccine, such as the European medical regulatory authority, and they concluded similarly that the vaccine benefits outweigh the risk…

The AstraZeneca vaccine is right now used in many countries and because the benefits outweigh the risks, most countries that had initially put a pause on the vaccines have now restarted,” he stated last week.

Dr Anthony added that from the thousands of people immunised with the AstraZeneca shots in Guyana, there were no reported cases of blood clotting.

“We are very pleased with the results that we have had with these vaccines so far and we’ll continue to use them. Many of the persons who received the first dose would be due for their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine maybe in a month’s time

and we encourage them to come and take their second dose.”

Two versions of the vaccine – produced by AstraZeneca-SKBio (Republic of Korea) and the Serum Institute of India – have been listed for emergency use by the World Health Organisation.

When the vaccine underwent SAGE consideration, it had undergone review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Apart from the AstraZeneca vaccine, Guyana has also been using Sinopharm and Sputnik V, manufactured by China and Russia respectively.

Since then, over 136,000 persons received their first dose without complications and some have already returned for their second shot. (G12)

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A contextual financial analysis of the gas-toshore project (Part 7)

– Potential economic benefits / development impact

I

n light of the development trajectory that Guyana is embarking upon over the next decade coupled with the emerging oil and gas sector, and of course projects such as the gasto-shore project – drawing from the above illustrations.

Hereunder mentioned are some of the long economic benefits that can be derived from these developmental and transformational projects: • Lower energy cost can drive a strong industrialized economy and attract more foreign direct investments. Currently, energy costs accounts for 40% – 50% of the operating costs for manufacturing firms.

• Therefore, lower energy cost can facilitate greater economies of scale and economies of scope for firms and overall national competitiveness.

• From looking at private investment data over the last ten years, the annual average growth in private investment was 39% or by GY$ 22 billion, and averaging GY$116 billion. Hence, 50% reduction in energy cost can result in more than 100% annual increase in private investments or by more than GY$200 billion.

• Development projects such as the housing drive targeting 50,000 allocation of house lots which is about 10,000 per year: assuming that 5,000 – 10,000 new homes are built in a year at an average cost per home $15 million – this can translate to G$75 billion – G$150 billion injections in the economy annually in housing development alone.

• This in turn, will trickle down to increased loans in the banking sector, will also drive demand in other sectors such as the construction and hardware suppliers, contractors/ home builders – thus the creation of more than 20,000 jobs within the construction sector, contracting, homebuilders, banking and tourism.

• Over the next five – ten years the estimated total public and private investment in major infrastructure and developmental projects as outlined in the table above, can amount to GY$7.2 trillion or an average of GY$719 billion annually in public and private investments.

• The current average total public and private investments from looking at the trend over the last ten years was approximately GY$345 billion annually. With Guyana’s development trajectory, this sum can increase annually by 52% or by GY$345 billion over the next decade.

• Post recovery period for Liza 1, oil revenues can reach over GY$100 billion annually.

• Public and private investments can potentially increase by more than 50% annually and can effectively translate to the creation of more than 100,000 jobs and tremendous growth in entrepreneurship opportunities during this period. In this regard, unemployment is currently estimated to be more than 25% or 125,000 persons of the total labour force. This number can be reduced to the lower single digits – around 3 – 5% over the next five years and/or by the end of the decade.

• The implementation of the gas to shore project which will become a major part of Guyana’s energy mix can result in more than 50% savings on fuel imports which is currently over US$500 million, thereby saving about US$250 million in fuel imports annually.

• Savings in the country’s import bill and stronger growth in exports as a result of enhanced national competitiveness attributed to lower energy cost. This can ultimately translate to the country enjoying a trade balance surplus from a deficit position, as it has always been. A trade balance surplus is a signal of stronger macroeconomic stability and a strong and stable domestic currency.

• Guyana can also become a net exporter of energy/natural gas products and by-products within the Caribbean.

To be continued…

About the Author: JC. Bhagwandin is the Chief Financial Advisor/ Analyst of JB Consultancy & Associates, and lecturer at Texila American University. The views expressed are exclusively his own, and do not necessarily represent those of this newspaper and the institutions he represents. For comments, send to jbbankingadvice@gmail.com.

NEWS

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“Take scholarship opportunities” – Manickchand urges youths …GOAL rolls out in Regions 2, 3

Education Minister Priya Manickchand chatting with an applicant at the Leonora Synthetic Track and Field Centre, Region Three

By Rupa Seenaraine and Raywattie Deonarine

T

he Education Ministry took its 20,000 scholarship initiative to Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) on Saturday – a plan under the Guyana Online Academy for Learning (GOAL) that will enable persons to further their studies in a number of disciplines.

Government has undertaken these efforts in ful-

depending on anyone, any opportunity you get that puts you in that place, grab it. To the boys, there is no better feeling of dignity and pride than to be able to look after yourself and your family.

Any opportunity that you get to further your studies that would help you earn better, grab it like this one.”

Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, who was also at the event, assured applicants that Government is committed to its promises –

Public Service Minister Sonia Parag discussing the application process with a Region Two prospective applicant

filling its manifesto promise of delivering 20,000 online scholarships within its first term in office. Outreaches were already facilitated in several regions.

While the Education Ministry has the responsibility of managing the academic and technical aspects of the programme, the Public Service Ministry awards the scholarships.

At the Leonora Synthetic Track, Region Three, Education Minister Priya Manickchand urged persons within the region to capitalise on this opportunity to develop their careers. She noted that through campaigns in different parts of Guyana, a significant request was more scholarship opportunities for people. As such, the Administration took a decision to deliver to the people.

Leading the outreach, she shared, “Anything that allows you to be able to earn for yourself, to be able to look after yourself or any children that you may have without

a testimony in the delivery of scholarships to fulfil their manifesto agenda.

Indar urged recipients to ensure that they take priority in completing the course materials to the best of their ability, as it will take them one step closer to bettering their lives.

Member of Parliament, Dr Thandika Smith was a beneficiary of a scholarship under the former Bharrat Jagdeo-led Administration.

Hailing from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and braving many hurdles to secure an education, Smith said the rewards of that opportunity was lifelong.

The MP told applicants, “You’re making the right decision. You’re making a decision that will not only benefit you but will benefit your family, your community and it will benefit your country.

What you will be doing eventually is passing on the mantle. All that knowledge that you will be gaining, you will pass it on to the future generation.”

Region Two Over in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam Region), the turnout was also significant on Saturday. The official launch was facilitated in the township of Anna Regina by Public Service Minister, Sonia Parag.

Parag noted that an advantage to the scholarships is that recipients can study at their own pace and upon completion, they do not need to work for the Government.

She said that persons who qualify for the scholarships would do just mere hours of community services depending on their courses. Persons who do not have CAPE can undergo the Bachelor Preparatory Programme (BPP) and once they are successful can apply for degree programmes.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd met with prospective applicants during his out-

Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd assisting applicants with their applications

reach at Johanna Cecelia Secondary School, Region Two. Addressing the gathering, Minister Todd urged Essequibians to take the opportunity as he highlighted the importance of education.

He said that this year, 4500 of those scholarships will be awarded to Guyanese to pursue academic studies at certificate level all the way up to the PhD offered by internationally recognised univer-

sities. However, the scholarships are intended to provide equal opportunities and access to residents in the region and as such, develop a better nation.

Noting that one of the concerns is the issue of unstable internet connection, the Government is committed to ensuring every Guyanese enjoy affordable and accessible internet services. He emphasised that the Government is commit-

ted to ensuring data is available to all the Essequibian applicants.

“The Government is going to transform Guyana together …President Dr Irfaan Ali once said in a speech at Parliament that we have to establish one Guyana, a nation where each Guyanese citizen will be given the opportunity available to become a successful member within society… we need to have an educated workforce which is important for the nation's survival and also to ensure that Guyana is on the move and further attract other counties.”

One of the prospective applicants, Diveya Persaud of Mainstay is hopeful that she changes her life with a scholarship since her parents cannot afford to pay her tuition to the University of Guyana.

Courses are offered from the certificate to PhD level in a number of disciplines.

Interested persons can also register and apply online.

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W

WHAT’S IN THE SOIL?

e all watched in awe as the Perseverance Rover touched on the surface of Mars. It was indeed an achievement for NASA; and, holistically, indeed another leap for man. Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, sometimes referred to as our sister planet.

The Rover is the most sophisticated machine ever built; it has a price tag of over $2.9 billion. The main purpose of this very pricey mission is to explore Mars for life or life forms. The landing site, ‘Jezero Crater’, is a dried up river bed which is proposed to be the most likely place for life forms or their remains to be found in that soil.

However, we often underestimate and take for granted that the Earth is unique, and its soil is special as well. The soil’s ability to sustain life is indeed what sets the Earth apart from every other planet in the solar system. What, then, is in the soil? The soil is the uppermost layer of the Earth’s crust. In short, it’s that which we can feel under our feet, especially barefooted in our unpaved yards. Some even use the expression “treat it like dirt!” Well, that expression of the soil can really be something to behold, as we examine the benefits of the soil.

The soil presents a never-ending cycle of giving, sustaining, and receiving life. The soil is actively in the process of ensuring that our Earth remains habitable.

The soil, as a ‘giver’, maintains the right temperature, provides water for seeds to germinate, and microbes to live and multiply. Without the right temperature or water, the seeds would not have the opportunity to reach their hidden potential to grow.

The soil, as a ‘sustainer’, has the ability to hold within itself the kind of nutrients that are basic for life. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are essential elements to sustain the health of plants, thereby enabling them to provide food for animals and humans. With the correct proportion of nutrients in the soil, the best crops can be grown.

The soil, as a ‘receiver’ is the most efficient receiver of waste remains of living things. As it receives the residues from which it once produced with time, it reintegrates it into its never-ending cycle in preparation to give again.

Over the years, mankind has been so callous in regard to our soil - not appreciating its gifts, and thus destroying it through deforestation, dumping of toxic waste, and suffocation with slabs of concrete - that, In doing so, we damage the organisms and their habitats with our activities: indiscriminately cutting down trees and vegetation; stopping the necessary gaseous exchanges that sustain life in the soil by concreting the entire yard spaces; and, finally, killing ever possibility of producing live where toxic waste is disposed of, especially on the land.

If we value our earth/soil, then $2.9 billion is a great way of restoring our Earth by investing in grass lawns and green spaces; planting more fruit trees; and reducing deforestation by supporting and promoting sustainable management, as proposed in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). Then, maybe, man’s desire for an alternative to our living, breathing soil can turn their focus on the one we have, our own Earth.

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.

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ExxonMobil earns US$2.7B in 1st quarter earnings …in dramatic comeback after 2020 losses

E

xxonMobil has earned US$2.7 billion or US$0.64 per share in the 2021 first quarter, a stunning turn around when one considers their loss of US$610 million in the corresponding period last year at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a press release from Businesswire, ExxonMobil also had a cash flow of US$9.3 billion, which fully funded its dividend and capital expenditures and reduced debt by over US$4 billion. Additionally, the company has been successful in reducing its costs.

“Exxon Mobil announced estimated first quarter 2021 earnings of $2.7 billion, or $0.64 per share assuming dilution, compared with a loss of $610 million in the first quarter of 2020. Results included unfavorable identified items of $31 million, or $0.01 per share assuming dilution. First quarter capital and exploration expenditures were $3.1 billion, $4 billion lower than the first quarter of 2020,” Businesswire said.

When it comes to oil pro-

ExxonMobil Chairman Darren Woods

duction, Businesswire explained that oil-equivalent production was 3.8 million barrels per day, up three per cent from the fourth quarter of 2020. It noted that when one excludes entitlement effects, Government mandates and divestments, oil-equivalent production was up by 2 per cent.

The release featured a quote from ExxonMobil Chairman Darren Woods, who noted that the strong first-quarter results are reflective of higher commodity prices and structural re-

forms geared at reducing costs and prioritising investments.

“Cash flow from operating activities during the quarter fully covered the dividend and capital investments, and we strengthened the balance sheet by reducing debt. We also made progress on our energy transition strategy by launching our new Low Carbon Solutions business, which is initially working to develop innovative, large-scale carbon capture and storage concepts, including the evaluation and advancement of more than 20 new opportunities,” he said.

The Stabroek Block offshore Guyana is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block.

Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds 25 per cent interest.

Exxon has so far made

Liza Destiny

19 oil discoveries offshore Guyana, discoveries which have been credited with being a major source of cash flow for the oil giant. Only last week, oil was found in Exxon’s Uaru-2 well.

Oil was found in the first Uaru well in January 2020, making it Exxon’s 16th discovery in Guyana’s waters.

ExxonMobil has said it anticipates at least six projects offshore Guyana will be online by 2027.

In March 2021, ExxonMobil secured a sixth drillship, the Noble Sam Croft, for exploration and evaluation drilling activities offshore Guyana. A

fourth project, Yellowtail, has been identified within the block with an anticipated start-up in late 2025 pending Government approvals and project sanctioning. This project will develop the Yellowtail and Redtail fields, which are located about 19 miles (30 kilometres) southeast of the Liza developments.

The start-up of Liza Phase 2 remains on target for 2022, as the Liza Unity FPSO prepares to sail away from Singapore to Guyana later this year. The Unity FPSO has a production capacity of 220,000 barrels of oil per day at peak rates. The

hull for the Prosperity FPSO vessel, the third project at the Payara Field, is complete, and topsides construction activities have commenced in Singapore with a startup target of 2024.

These new projects continue to drive investment in the Guyanese economy.

More than 2300 Guyanese are now supporting project activities on and offshore, which reflects a more than 20 per cent increase since the end of 2019. ExxonMobil and its key contractors have spent approximately US$388 million with more than 800 local companies since 2015.

NEWS

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Mother of 4 stabbed to death by boyfriend

Dead: Sueanna Wilson

By LaWanda McAllister

S

creams erupted at the home of 44-yearold Nicola Sueanna Wilson, a mother of four and the owner of Blue Flame snackette that is located at Vreed-en-Hoop on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD), after her lifeless and bloody body was left lying on her stairway by her boyfriend who brutally stabbed her to death before making his es-

cape.

Family and friends flocked the woman’s Lot 57 D’Urban Street, Lodge, Georgetown home on Saturday evening in disbelief at her sudden and brutal death.

The suspect is said to be Lawrence Brummell, a plumber who shared a relationship with the woman for over 10 years.

After committing the act, the man reportedly left the scene and drank a poisonous substance. He is presently hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

While details remain sketchy as to what led to the woman’s death, her 14-year-old son who witnessed the incident said he heard his mother scream and when he went to investigate, he saw the suspect choking her.

The teenager recalled that the man then whipped out a knife and stabbed Wilson in the region of her heart and face. The teen also told the media that the suspect oftentimes hit his mother.

Other relatives who

Suspect: Lawrence Brummell

Sueanna’s body being removed from the home

were at the scene on Saturday said the teen tried to save his mother, but the suspect attempted to harm him too, and he had to retreat.

Another eyewitness, a

neighbour, related to reporters at the scene that he was at home when he heard screams and upon going into the yard next door, he saw the suspect stabbing the woman.

According to the neighbour, the knife was left in the woman’s chest as she collapsed on the veranda of the house. The suspect then went into his car and drove away.

The neighbour further stated that the woman had just returned home when an argument ensued between her and the boyfriend. The neighbour claimed the suspect was accusing the woman of infidelity.

Another relative who was at the scene also told Guyana Times that Wilson and Brummell were at church early on Saturday and seemed quite okay.

Her sister, Sony Wilson, related that she is still in shock and cannot come to grips with her sister’s death. She said on Saturday she travelled from Berbice, Region Six (East-Berbice Corentyne), to celebrate a younger sister’s birthday and was at the celebration waiting to surprise her now dead sister.

“We were there waiting on her [Sueanna] to come over. I didn’t call her phone I said I will wait until she come and surprise her.

That is all I know about the situation … my sister leave and went to the shop and come back and she told me that they just get a phone call that my sister has been stabbed,” the woman explained.

The dead woman’s sister said she immediately left the party and went to the scene, where she found her sister’s motionless body lying on the veranda.

TURN TO PAGE 34

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NEWS

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ECD man confesses to Miner arrested after discharging loaded firearm fabricating hijacking story

P

olice have arrested a miner after he allegedly discharged a loaded firearm at Tamakay Backdam, Middle Mazaruni River, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

According to reports, the suspect of North Rupununi, Lethem, was employed at the mining camp of a Brazilian when at about 17:19h, while armed with a firearm, he discharged several rounds in the

air causing persons at the camp to run for cover.

Following the incident, the owner of the camp made contact with someone he knew who is a licensed firearm holder at Tamakay Landing and related to him what had happened.

The camp owner’s friend and his friend, along with public-spirited citizens then proceeded to the Backdam where they apprehended the

suspect.

Upon searching him, they found in his possession a black .32 pistol along with 50 matching rounds.

The Police were then summoned and ranks from the Enachu Police Station went to Tamakay and arrested the suspect. They also took possession of the firearm that was found in his possession.

Investigations are in progress.

Wanted boyfriend was planning...

“His father told him, don’t tell me stupidness, why you playing with the gun?”

She further admitted that they collected a spade from someone and dug a hole aback the house where the victim was buried after which the boyfriend hid the gun in a tree.

After being provided with this information, a team of detectives travelled to the area led by the teen. They dug about four feet into the ground and the ranks found

the woman’s decomposed body wrapped in a multi-coloured blanket.

A Samsung cellular phone suspected to have belonged to the now dead woman was also found between the sand that was dug out of the hole.

Due to the state of decomposition of the body, it was difficult to see any mark of violence on the most exposed parts. The remains were taken to the Pensioners Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.

FROM PAGE 12

In addition to issuing a wanted bulletin, the teenager and the father of the suspect were both arrested.

Dover’s grandmother, Constance, was still in a state of shock upon receiving the devastating news. She was still hoping that they would’ve found the young woman.

“I didn’t expect something like this would’ve happened to Shonette. I asking God, ‘why?’,” the grieving grandmother said. (G8)

A

Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara man, who claimed that three men who helped him change a flat tyre on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway and subsequently hijacked his car, has confessed to fabricating the robbery.

The man initially went to Police and claimed that the rear left side wheel of his car, PWW 7281, had a blowout at about 14:20h at Loo Creek, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

He claimed that he parked in the corner and an unknown vehicle stopped in front of him with three persons inside and two of them exited the vehicle to assist him with replacing the wheel.

According to Police the man then claimed that after helping him with the wheel, one of the men then went

back to the vehicle they arrived in and took out a cutlass and told him to run, threatening that they would chop him. He claimed that fearing for his life, he ran away while one of the men jumped into his car and

drove away.

Police said that further questioning led to a confession by the driver of the silver-grey Allion motor car that he fabricated the story.

He was arrested as Police continue their investigation.

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$400M modern screening equipment commissioned at CJIA

M

odern screening equipment to the tune of $400 million was on Saturday commissioned at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

The pieces of equipment commissioned were a CTX 5800 Checked Luggage

Narcotics Trace Detector ($15 million); one L3 Pro Vision Scanner and two Closed Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV).

The pieces of equipment have built-in stateof-the-art technologies and were funded by the Cheddi

our fight against narco-trafficking at our main port of entry.

“The new machines have automatic detection capabilities and will allow the screener to manipulate and further examine anomalies detected in passenger luggage. Two

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill; Member of Parliament Sanjeev Datadin and CEO of CJIA Ramesh Ghir commissioning the Pro Vision Scanner

clear arrivals immigration and be escorted to the departure terminal to board their connecting flights. These passengers will enter directly into the departures lounge after

The CTX 5800 Checked Luggage Scanner

Scanner, which cost $290 million; two Smiths HI-SCAN 6040-2is Hand Luggage Scanner ($64 million): two Rapiscan 620 Dual View Hand Luggage Scanner ($36 million); one IONSCAN 600 Portable Explosive and

Jagan International Airport Corporation with support from the Government, a statement from CJIA on Saturday stated, adding that the new scanners will help detect threats to civil aviation quickly and aid law enforcement in

of the new screening equipment will be deployed at the passenger in-transit and staff screening points,” the CJIA said.

According to the airport authority, in-transit passengers will no longer have to

being screened at the in-transit checkpoint.

Employees of the airport, the CJIA said, will be screened separately from passengers, thus improving the process-

ing time for each flight.

The CTX 5800 explosive detection system (EDS), which is TSA certified, quickly identifies threats in checked baggage.

Mother of 4 stabbed...

“I don’t know of them having any problems, he is always calm when he coming to Berbice… we don’t get problem with him. I own him as my brother-inlaw and I always call him brods so I know nothing about any problem…”, she said.

Sony said based on how her sister was dressed, it appears as though she was already dressed to attend her sister’s birthday party.

“This will affect us very bad because this year will be the second year since our mother passed away in that same house and I

FROM PAGE 31

was there with her…this is kind of a shock and a blow because she promised that she was going to come up Sunday coming to tile mommy tomb for Mother’s Day,” Sony explained.

The suspect’s condition remains unclear.

Investigations are ongoing.

NEWS

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“Investment in education is the surest path to personal upliftment” – Dr Ashni Singh

S

enior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh has urged residents of Albion and nearby communities to take full advantage of the 20,000 online scholarship programme being offered by the Government.

Singh told the gathering of mostly young people at the Albion Community Development Ground, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), on Saturday that this initiative is a way of developing their communities.

“I want to speak about it

ents wanted their children to have the best possible education so that they can have the best possible chance of doing well in life, that is the dream of every parent. Take advantage of this opportunity,” the Minister is quoted as saying by the Department of Public Information. Singh, the DPI report stated, urged the youth to uplift themselves and broaden their horizons with the opportunities being offered through the scholarships, which are being facilitated by the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL).

However, he warned that

ter. There are 20,000 scholarships, enough for you and your neighbour.” Singh said these current developments at the national level are strategic to enhance the standard of living.

“The skills that our people have will influence the level of production and productivity that we are able to achieve and will influence the prosperity of our country.

It is logical, the more skilled you are, the more productive you are able to be, and the more effective you are, the more you are able to contribute to national wellbeing.”

“We want each and every

Young people turned out at the Albion Community Development Ground on Saturday for Government’s GOAL initiative (DPI photo)

at a household and individual level. Investment in education is the surest path to personal upliftment. We have all grown up in homes where our parents wanted us to have the best possible opportunity. All of you grew up in homes where your par-

it was not a competition and therefore the young people should encourage each other to apply.

“I will tell you this, in my experience, a rising tide lifts all the boats. The reality is that if all of us do better, collectively we will be doing bet-

one of you to further your education in your chosen field, whatever interest you, we want you to be able to further your education, we want you to be able to uplift and improve your skills, so that you can enjoy a better quality of life.”

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh

Singh said this current period in Guyana’s history

is an exciting transformation period and Government

will ensure that opportunities to enhance and develop skills and improve education reaches every county, town and area of Guyana.

Government’s GOAL initiative is a manifesto promise to improve access to education at every level from nursery to university. GOAL aims to expand the middleand upper-class category of the population through enhancement of access to tertiary education that will support manpower requirements of both the private and public sectors by the year 2025.

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Around the World

India receives essential medical supplies Nigeria gang leader behind school kidnapping shot by rivals from France to combat COVID-19 surge

A

A

notorious gang leader behind the abduction of more than 300 students in Nigeria in December has been killed by a rival gang, officials say.

Auwalu Daudawa was reportedly ambushed while attempting to steal a herd of cattle from an armed group in the north-western state of Zamfara.

Daudawa is said to have carried out December’s kidnapping in Katsina state.

He was given an amnesty as part of a peace deal in February but reportedly returned to his gang earlier this week.

Under the terms of February’s deal, Daudawa was pardoned in Zamfara state after he said he repented and handed over his weapons to the Government.

Members of his criminal gang were promised accommodation by state Governor Bello Matawalle, along with assistance to help improve their livelihoods.

Students abducted from a school in Nigeria’s Katsina state were returned to their families after one week

On Friday, Daudawa and four other members of his gang were fatally shot in an exchange of fire in a forest near the border with Katsina, a local official told AFP news agency.

“He led his men on a revenge mission to avenge the death of two of his men by the rival gang during a failed raid on one of his camps last month,” the official added.

The kidnapping of hundreds of schoolchildren in Katsina state in December,

which was said to have been led by Daudawa’s gang, was one of a number of raids blamed on bandits looking to secure ransom payments.

The students were reunited with their families a week after they were kidnapped.

The government later insisted that no ransom was paid in that instance, but that the boys were released after negotiations with the kidnappers.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Don’t lock out expelled students from online classes!

E

ducation Minister Fayval Williams has asked that students who are expelled from public schools be engaged virtually, instead of being completely locked out of the education system.

She was speaking on issues surrounding absenteeism among students at a virtual post-sectoral debate press briefing on Thursday.

“It can’t be that a student getting expelled for whatever reason [and] that’s the end of the line with regard to his or her education. Those are tough situations but we have to bring solutions to them. We have the technology; let us use it. In particular for those students who have been expelled. If they can’t be in the school environment

physically, they can be there virtually continuing their education. We are in a different world right now,” she stated.

On Wednesday in her 2021/22 sectoral presentation in the House of Representatives, the Minister bemoaned the growing problem of expulsion from school, pointing out that between 2010 and 2017 the percentage of students who found themselves outside the school system had moved from six per cent to 10 per cent. Boys were found to be two times more likely to be expelled than girls.

Williams stressed again the need to engage boys differently in the learning process, noting that one of the main reasons that boys quit

school is their lack of interest in education.

She said the Government was not pushing for boys to be taught differently as a matter of policy, but was rather urging administrators and educators to intervene and accommodate them accordingly.

The education minister said also that pregnancy should not be a reason for permanent drop-out from the education system.

Williams said the programmes in schools to reduce the incidence of teen pregnancy are not working as they should, and that this needs to be taken on with “more vigour and honesty”, and involve boys as well. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Argentina power firms hike prices after freeze since 2019

A

rgentina’s major power distribution firms Edenor and Edesur will hike electricity prices by 9 per cent in and around the city of Buenos Aires, the national regulator said on Saturday, the first rise since a tariff freeze in 2019 to help tamp down inflation.

The National Electricity Regulatory Entity (ENRE) said in a statement that the price increase, coming into effect from Saturday, was needed to “guarantee the continuity, accessibility and normal provision of this essential public service”.

Argentina’s Peronist

Government has kept power prices frozen since the end of 2019 when it came into power amid high inflation that is running at an annual rate of above 40 per cent, which weighs on growth and consumer spending power.

“Since December 2019, the Government of the Frente de Todos has prioritised the need to reduce the impact of rates on the purchasing power of families, businesses and industries, in the context of an economic, health and energy emergency,” ENRE said.

The question of electricity prices had caused ten-

sions between utility firms and parts of the ruling coalition who wanted to avoid a price hike amid rising poverty levels in the recession-hit South American country.

Edenor holds a concession covering 4637 square kilometres in Greater Buenos Aires and the northwestern area of the Argentine capital, which has around 9 million residents.

Edesur serves an area of 3300 square kilometres in the southern area of the capital and in 12 urban districts that surround it.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

mid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, India on Sunday received several essential medical supplies and equipment from France to help fight the second wave of the coronavirus.

According to sources, the medical supply from France was received today includes eight oxygen generators, 28 ventilators, 200 electric syringe pumps, 28 AFNOR/ BS Flexible tubes, 500 anti-bacterial filters, 500 machine filters and 500 related patient circuits. The total weight of these materials is more

than 28 tonnes.

These eight generators are Novair Premium RX 400 Hospital Level Oxygen Generators, with each unit capable of providing yearlong oxygen for 250 beds.

These world-class generators would make 8 hospitals oxygen autonomous for over 10 years, informed sources.

“A testament to IndiaFrance strategic partnership & friendship! 28 tonnes of medical equipment including 8 hospital-level oxygen generators and other medical supplies arrives from France. Deeply appreciate the support from

France. Will bolster our oxygen capacities,” tweeted Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

According to a press release, this airfreight is the first phase of France’s solidarity mission.

Furthermore, a second delivery of oxygen generators and medical equipment is underway due to the numerous contributions made by French companies in India with the active involvement of the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI). (Excerpt from ANI)

US sanctions on oil, banks expected to be lifted – Iran negotiator

I

ran’s chief nuclear negotiator said Tehran expects US sanctions on oil, banks and other sectors and on most individuals and institutions to be lifted based on agreements reached so far at talks in Vienna, Iranian state media reported.

Russia and Western European powers meanwhile gave contrasting accounts of the task ahead in the talks to bring Iran and the United States fully back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, as the talks adjourned for six days.

“Sanctions … on Iran’s energy sector, which include oil and gas, or those on the automotive industry, financial, banking and port sanctions, all should be lifted based on agreements reached so far,” Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was quoted as saying on Saturday by the Iranian state media.

Araqchi did not say un-

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi leaving a hotel before the meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria

der which mechanism sanctions would be lifted or refer to how Tehran would meet Washington’s demands and return to its commitments under the deal.

“We will negotiate until the two sides’ positions come closer and our demands are met,” he said.

Asked to comment, the US State Department referred back to past statements, including remarks on Friday from the US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, who

said the talks were in “an unclear place”.

President Joe Biden is exploring a return to the deal after Washington pulled out in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump and reimposed sanctions against Tehran.

Iran responded as of 2019 by breaching many of the deal’s limits on its nuclear activities.

The remaining partners to the 2015 accord have been engaged in negotiations since early April to try to revive it.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Cuban dissident’s hunger strike challenges Government

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he leader of a group of artists, writers and activists has announced a new hunger strike, just six months after one led to a rare protest in Havana, putting them on a potential collision course with the island’s communist authorities.

A previous group hunger strike by the San Isidro movement in November was broken up by Police, resulting in a rare demonstration of around 300 people in front of the Culture Ministry in Havana.

Since then, the group has been vilified by authorities as outside agitators working with the United States. The few dozen members have been temporarily detained repeatedly and often told they cannot leave their homes with communications cut.

Leader Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara was arrested and some of his art destroyed and seized a few weeks ago as the performance artist protested a Communist party congress by

Dissident artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara speaking during an interview at the headquarters of San Isidro Movement in Havana, Cuba, April 6, 2021

sitting in a garrote.

Otero Alcantara, who is into the seventh day without food or fluids, is demanding his art be returned, freedom of expression and an end to Police harassment.

The government has responded by questioning the authenticity of the hunger strike, surrounding Otero Alcantara’s home with police and cutting internet to the neighbourhood.

People can survive more than a month without food,

but rarely more than 10 days without food or fluids.

Father Ramón Suarez Polcari of the Havana archdiocese, visited Otero Alcantara on Friday and said he had no intention of backing down.

The government also appears in no rush to budge.

Unlike other dissident groups in Cuba, the San Isidro collective is social media savvy and well connected to the Diaspora and exile organizations. (Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021

ARIES (March 21April 19)

37

Ponder what you want to do, and put a plan in place that excites you. Give yourself more credit, and recognize what you have to offer.

You are closer to your dream than you realize.

Speak up, share your feelTAURUS ings and make your inten(April 20tions clear. You can bring May 20) about a positive change that will lead to contentment.

Make decisions that lead to your happiness.

Information you gather will GEMINI (MAY 28- lead to something new and exJune 20) citing. Keep your plans simple, moderate and targeted toward what you are trying to achieve.

Do the work yourself in order to reap the rewards.

Put some muscle behind CANCER your plans, and you’ll be sur(June 21prised how much you accomJuly 22) plish. An unusual idea will turn into something that satisfies you mentally, physically and financially.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Dilbert LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Peanuts

Don’t feel slighted if someone doesn’t want to do what you are doing. Set your sights on what makes you happy, then follow through.

Let go of the past and embrace new beginnings.

Lending a helping hand or learning something new will enrich your life and lead to new friendships. Share your feelings and intentions with someone you love, and a commitment and plan will unfold.

Buckle up and get ready to expand your circle of friends and put greater emphasis on personal growth, domestic improvements or educational pursuits. Refuse to let anyone cynical hold you back.

Go over every detail to avoid getting into something you can’t afford. Think outside the box, and you’ll come up with a feasible way to get what you want. Don’t argue with someone you love.

SAGITTARIUS Consider your options.

A partnership that compen(Nov. 23sates for something you may Dec. 21) be lacking will entice you.

Weigh the pros and cons and what it will cost before you commit.

Enjoy the fruits of your CAPRICORN labor and the ones you love.

(Dec. 22Make your feelings known Jan. 19) and your intentions clear.

The plans you put in place will lift your spirits and encourage romance and peace of mind.

Calvin and Hobbes

AQUARIUS Work alone. Don’t get wrapped up in someone’s (Jan. 20drama. Stay focused on what Feb. 19) makes you happy and how to use your energy to make you feel good about yourself.

PISCES Consider how much time (Feb. 20- and effort you are willing to Mar. 20) put in to get good results.

Share your feelings with someone you love. It’s up to you to make things happen.

38 Government anticipates economic boost from T20 tournament SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021

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RIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Government of St Kitts and Nevis believes the hosting of the Caribbean Premier League would help to stimulate a tourism sector that has been dealt a severe blow by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Sports Minister Jonel Powell has said he expected the popular Twenty20 tournament, scheduled to bowl off on August 28, to have a positive impact, especially on hotels and restaurants, with a boost also anticipated for the services sector. This, Powell said, would translate into increased employment at a difficult time,

bearing in mind the substantial economic benefits that would flow from being able to host the entire CPL here in St Kitts and Nevis, particularly at a time when things are very slow because of the pandemic, we thought it to be a very prudent move to try and get the games here, and we’ve been successful,” Powell said.

“Our tourism sector has taken a very hard hit, like everywhere else in the region, so to be able to get – I think the calculation is over a thousand rooms – at a point in time when those rooms would not necessarily be filled, is a good thing to have.

“To be able to have the entire CPL cohort here for some

when there was little economic activity due to the pandemic.

“We have identified the fact we have been blessed and able to manage the COVID-19 situation very well here, and

six weeks, we are looking at the hotel rooms, the added staff that would need to be hired in order to take care of the capacity, the spillover effect in terms of restaurants and entertainment,

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

the simple things such as catering, transportation – all of these things are opportunities for ordinary people here in St Kitts and Nevis to get jobs at a difficult time.”

Last year, Trinidad and Tobago hosted the tournament in its entirety, as organisers were forced to resort to one territory due to the onset of COVID-19 in the Caribbean. Figures cited by CPL indicated US$51.5 million in sponsorship value having accrued to Trinidad and Tobago throughout the period of the tournament.

In 2019, CPL said St Kitts benefited to the tune of US$22.3 million in terms of “total economic impact”, with 5,964 hotel rooms filled during the fivematch leg of the tournament.

And Powell has said that even though there had been costs associated with staging the tournament, those fell within the recently negotiated hosting agreement, and would be outweighed by the overall benefits to the country.

“It all (costs) would’ve fallen in tandem with our extension of the existing five-year hosting agreement,” he explained while speaking on Starcom Radio’s Mason and Guest.

“It came to an end in 2020, so we would have renegotiated

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that for another five years, and so all of that was considered within the negotiations, and we’ve been Sports Minister Jonel Powell able to work with all reported 44 infections having CPL to offset a lot of costs that would normally recovered.

Health authorities have arise – cost in terms of stadia however kept strong protocols agreements and rentals in in place to mitigate against the particular.”

He continued: “We have spread of the virus, and Powell obviously looked at all associated said CPL would not be exempted.

“All persons coming in will be costs, confident that anything subject to all typical protocols, we may have had to outlay we certainly expect to get back, so quarantine will be required, bearing in mind that we are whether directly or indirectly.

“The type of spin-offs at the moment reviewing our we’ve seen coming back to the protocols even outside of CPL, as people – the service providers, more and more persons become for example - over the past vaccinated,” he outlined.

“Whatever the national years when we’ve had only five protocol is, that will apply in the home matches, we can multiply that significantly and calculate CPL; so, persons will be required what we think we can earn at to present negative PCR tests this point in time. Our tourism three days before travel to St product has taken a hit, like Kitts and Nevis. They will be everybody else, we generally do required to quarantine, and we not have any tourists coming in are looking at options in terms now; so, to be able to generate of the necessary passports as it relates to COVID between now this activity is significant.”

St Kitts currently has no and then,” he has said (Adapted active cases of COVID-19, with from CMC)

Children are the future, the sport in here to stay

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pandemic done for the game of golf? I’ll tell you what it has done: it has given it room for growth, a lockdown was all that was needed. From that lockdown in 2020, golf has seen an increase in tournaments and also the number of new persons who want to learn the game.

But one may ask: now that there is a vaccination rollout and other sports can be played besides golf, what does this mean for the sport? Will the sport still be prominent? Will there be a decline? And will things go back to the old ways?

It is my belief that during the pandemic golf cemented its place, and even as things return to normal, the sport can still thrive and do better than it did in the past. The introduction of the sport in schools has seen the foundation being laid. The game has been introduced into

Lower Corentyne Secondary; Central Corentyne Secondary; Winifred Gaskin Secondary; Manchester Secondary; Skeldon Line Path Secondary; Skeldon High School; Tagore Memorial Secondary; Black Bush Secondary, among others joining.

This may sound a bit weird to many readers, but of the many benefits that golf has, such as fostering friendships, overall physical fitness, developing emotional control, teaching patience and a plethora of others things, it is my belief that the most important one of them all

Guyana’s Open Champion Avinash Persaud engages the children in a game of golf

Secondary; Vryman’s Erven Secondary; Canje Secondary School; J.C Chandisingh; Corentyne Comprehensive High; Port, Mourant Secondary;

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schools, and, so far, with 51 schools in Regions 10, 6, 4, 3 and 2 participating, over 5,000 students now have the opportunity to experience one of the most exciting sports, one that is fully COVID-19 compliant.

Golf is seeing phenomenal growth since it was introduced to Queen’s College, Bishops’ Dr Joaan Deo is grateful that the High, St. Roses High, and sport has expanded exponentially University of Guyana, with many schools, such as Berbice

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is that golf builds business skills.

According to the Colonial Golf & Tennis Club, when asked on the issue of golf building business skills, it was said, “Golf does

teach decision-making skills, etiquette, working with numbers, planning and using strategies — all skills that easily translate into marketable skills in business and the work world. Plus, many business-related jobs use golf games as meetings and a way of bonding with clients and co-workers.”

Anyone who already knows, the game has a leg up in the business world later, even if that’s years in the future.”

In previous interviews with his publication, some of Guyana’s top female golfers; namely, Dr Christine Sukhram has noted Joaan Deo and Christine that the sport can develop an Sukhram, both agreed that individual mentally and physically introduction to the sport And with us guiding the future in schools can be highly generation, it’ll be here for many beneficial.

Sukhram had said, “‘It is more years to come.”

If two of Guyana’s most tremendous to see a great sport prominent female golfers share like golf being brought and the same vision, then who are we taught in schools, as it’s such a humble sport to help in the to deny that right? Golf has been development of an individual, on the back burner for too long, not only physically but mentally and once the right investment is made, it will definitely be repaid as well,” Dr Deo had also said.

“To see this sport grow and growth in the future. The point now being played in schools is, if the children are our future, is an absolute joy. It has been then golf in Guyana is heading in a struggle to get persons to the right place, and whether or become involved in the sport for not the pandemic ends, golf is many years, and to now see it here to stay. Sooner, rather than become a reality, where so many later, it is hoped that the sport schools are on board, it makes will be among some of Guyana’s me feel quite happy to see the top core sports, and persons sport expand exponentially. can represent this nation at the highest level.

2237230-1

(Ext 55)

NOW!

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021

GCB committed to being inclusive

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he newly elected Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has pledged to be inclusive, rather governing and occupying its position in an exclusive way.

That pledge was made to the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. On March 29, it was the dawn of a new era in cricket in Guyana when the Bissoondyal Singh-led administration took office.

Asked by this publication how significant the GCB elections were, Minister Ramson said he cannot say enough how important it is for sports administrations to be of the highest standard.

“Being able to have the GCB elections under the Guyana Cricket Administration Act is something many people have been trying to do for over ten years. It’s been about

seven years since the passing of the act, but the people have been wanting this election to happen in a more transparent and wider involvement, and a more inclusive way for over ten years. So it’s been huge for the Ministry, because we are directly involved, but it is huge for the sport,” Ramson said.

He congratulated all those who had been involved in the process, and noted that during his engagement with the new GCB, they are committed to be more inclusive.

“I have been able to engage the GCB since then, and they have made their commitment to be inclusive; so they are not intending to govern and occupy their position in an exclusionary way, and that is something important to the Ministry, that they are looking to be much more inclusive in their approach,” Ramson said.

The Minister also said this approach should be used by all sports, since this similar approach is taken by the Ministry.

GCB full slate: President– Bissoondyal Singh; VicePresident– Hilbert Foster; Vice-President Rabindranauth Saywack; Secretary – Ronald Williams; Assistant Secretary Davteerth Anandjit; Assistant Treasurer– Dr. Cecil Beharry; Public Relations Officer– Claude Raphael; Marketing Manager– Mohamed Baksh; Chairman of Competitions Committee; Shaun Massiah; Chairman of Senior Selectors– Ramnaresh Sarwan; Chairman of Junior Selectors– Andre Percival; and Technocrat members with voting rights at executive meetings– Roger Harper and Anil Beharry. (Brandon Corlette)

Kane Williamson replaces David Warner as Sunrisers Hyderabad captain

39

– says Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr

Minister Ramson with the GCB executives at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence

P & P Insurance Brokers makes a contribution to project “CRICKET GEARS FOR YOUNG AND PROMISING CRICKETERS IN GUYANA”

P

K

ane Williamson will take over the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s captaincy from David Warner for the remainder of IPL 2021.

The franchise has also announced there will be a change in their overseas combination for the match against the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.

Williamson’s promotion comes a day after Warner said he took “full responsibility” for the Sunrisers’ loss against the Chennai Super Kings, their fifth defeat in six games. A game prior to that he had described Manish Pandey’s omission from the starting XI as a “harsh” call by the “selectors”.

Although he scored a half-century, Warner appeared a very frustrated figure while he batted in that match, unhappy with both his timing and the way he kept finding the Super Kings fielders instead of the gaps.

Sunrisers somehow made it to 171 for 3 thanks to a fifty from Manish Pandey as well and some clever

finishing from Williamson (26 off 10). But it did not prove anywhere near a competitive total.

“I take full responsibility. The way that I batted was obviously very slow,” Warner told host broadcaster Star Sports after the Sunrisers lost to the Super Kings by seven wickets. “I was hitting a lot of fielders and [was] very, very frustrated... Look I take full responsibility from a batting point of view. I felt [that with] Manish coming back into the team, the way that he batted was exceptional. And obviously Kane [Williamson] and Kedar [Jadhav] towards the back end there, they put some boundaries away and got us to a respectable total. I felt that we were probably just below par from where we were. But yeah look, at the end of the day, I’ll take full responsibility.”

Williamson had captained the Sunrisers in the 2018 season when Warner was barred from the IPL for his involvement in the Newlands ball-tampering scandal. He topped the

run-scorers’ chart back then with a tally of 735 in 17 matches and led the team to its second IPL final in history.

Overall, Williamson’s captaincy record in the IPL reads 14 wins and 12 losses in 26 matches.

Warner had a similar effect on the team when they won the IPL in 2016.

He was their leading batter (848 runs in 17 matches) and has been one of the most consistent overseas performers in the tournament’s history.

“The decision has not come lightly as the management respects the enormous impact David Warner has had for the franchise over a number of years,” the Sunrisers statement said announcing the captaincy change said. “As we face the remainder of the season, we are sure David will continue to help us strive for success both on and off the field.”

Although the franchise hasn’t mentioned anything officially, it is possible Warner might not be part of their match today.

and P Insurance Brokers is the latest Company to provide support for project “Cricket Gears for Young and Promising Cricketers in Guyana”. The popular Insurance Brokers join hands with Former Berbice Senior Allrounder and recently appointed Guyana Cricket Board Technocrat, Anil Beharry and Kishan Das of the USA in their drive to provide Cricket gears for young talented cricketers in Guyana who need assistance. The project which was conceptualize recently, will seek new and used cricket gears which will will then be distributed free of cost.

Option Group and West Indian Sports Complex are the two other companies on board so far.

Two junior cricket bats were donated. Total gears collected so far; seven pairs of batting pads, nice bats, three batting gloves and one cricket bag.

Chief Executive Officer of P and P Bish Panday, a former long serving secretary of Guyana Cricket Board, lauded the initiative and said that he is happy to be part of it. He added that he is fully aware of the many talents lost due to lack of affordability to purchase cricket gears and is also happy that it is a National exercise. He pledged to continue his support whenever

Bish Panday, CEO of P & P Insurance Brokers

necessary. Beharry in reply thanked him and his company for coming on board.

Talent spotting will be done across Guyana along with guidance from club leaders to identify the players. Players must be in school and discipline.

Players above school age will also be considered.

Thanks to Imran and Javed Khan of West Indian

Sports Complex, Option Group, Bish Panday of P and P Insurance Brokers and Senior Journalist, former National and Senior Berbice off spinner Sean Devers.

Anyone interested to contribute can contact Anil Beharry on 623 6875 or Kishan Das on 1 718 664 0896.

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

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

Pollard's sensational takedown stuns Chennai Super Kings

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ieron Pollard's stunning onslaught took the Mumbai Indians to an improbable win over the Chennai Super Kings in a run-fest in Delhi.

The defeat also ended the Super Kings' five-match winning streak.

Chasing 219, Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock gave Mumbai a start of 71 in 7.4 overs.

After that it was all Pollard, who smashed an unbeaten 87 off 34 balls. During the course of his knock, he muscled six fours and eight sixes and, with a little bit of help from Krunal and Hardik Pandya, brought it down to 16 needed from the final over.

With Dhawal Kulkarni at the other end, Pollard decided he was going to face all six balls from Lungi Ngidi. He refused a single on the first ball. The next was almost a perfect yorker that Pollard managed to squirt it between his legs for four.

Ngidi then ended up bowling three full tosses in a row. Pollard pulled the first one for four to fine leg, refused a single on the next. With eight needed from the last two, he smashed the third of those full tosses for a six.

Ngidi bowled the final ball in the blockhole but Pollard dug it out towards the right of long-on and scampered back for the second.

Earlier, Ambati Rayudu played a similar knock to Pollard's, blazing 72 not out off

27 balls on the top of the breezy half-centuries from Moeen Ali and Faf du Plessis.

After being put in, du Plessis (50 off 28) and Ali (58 off 36) added 108 in 61 balls overs for the second wicket before the Super Kings lost three wickets for four runs. But there was no respite for Mumbai as Rayudu smashed seven sixes and four fours to propel the Super Kings to 218 for 4.

Such was Rayudu's onslaught that the last six overs produced 92 runs despite Jadeja crawling at a run-a-ball 22 at the other end. The two added 102 in 48 balls in an unbroken stand for the fifth wicket, making it the first instance in the IPL, and only the tenth in all T20s, that an innings featured two century stands.

In all, the Super Kings hit 16 sixes - the most by any team against Mumbai. Jasprit Bumrah went for 56 from his four overs, his most expensive spell in T20 cricket. Despite them having such a day in the field, Pollard ensured Mumbai finished on the right side.

struck back two balls later when Gaikwad closed the face of the bat a touch early to offer a dolly to backward point.

Kulkarni, though, started waywardly from the other end and du Plessis didn't miss out, glancing the first ball of the over for four. Later in the over, he skipped down the ground to hit the bowler over long-off for a six.

In the next over, Ali timed Boult for a six and a four off successive balls. When Sharma turned to Bumrah in the fifth over, Ali clipped him over square leg for another six.

Continuing in his freeflowing manner even after the powerplay, Ali smashed Jimmy Neesham over midwicket for his third six of the innings. Neesham had a chance to make amends in the same over but could get only fingertips to a return catch du Plessis offered.

There was no stopping Ali though. He struck two more sixes in the next two overs and brought up his fifty in 33 balls.

By the end of the 10th over, the Super Kings had 95 on the board.

Du Plessis, Ali give Super Kings brisk start Ruturaj Gaikwad opened his account with a crisp cover drive off Trent Boult off the second ball of the match. But Boult

Mumbai strike back after Ali, du Plessis fifties Sharma knew Mumbai needed a wicket and he went back to Bumrah for the 11th over and du Plessis welcomed him by smashing the first three balls of the over for six, six and four.

However, Bumrah hit back by by cramping Ali with a short of length delivery from around the wicket; Ali guiding one to de Kock behind the stumps.

In the next over, Pollard dismissed du Plessis after he had reached his fifty off 27 balls, and Suresh Raina with successive slower balls. du Plessis miscued a scoop and Raina holed out to deep square leg.

Pollard almost had Jadeja too, twice, in his second over. On the first occasion, Jadeja got the on-field lbw call overturned on review as replays confirmed the ball had pitched outside the leg stump. The second time, Pollard had himself to blame as he couldn't hold on to a return catch with his outstretched left hand.

SCOREBOARD CHENNAI SUPER KINGS INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) Ruturaj Gaikwad c HH Pandya b Boult 4 Faf du Plessis c Bumrah b Pollard 50 Moeen Ali c †de Kock b Bumrah 58 Suresh Raina c KH Pandya b Pollard 2 Ambati Rayudu not out 72 Ravindra Jadeja not out 22 Extras (lb 2, nb 1, w 7) 10 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 10.90) 218/4 Did not bat: MS Dhoni (c)†, Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Lungi Ngidi Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Ruturaj Gaikwad, 0.4 ov), 2-112 (Moeen Ali, 10.5 ov), 3-116 (Faf du Plessis, 11.5 ov), 4-116 (Suresh Raina, 11.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Trent Boult 4-0-42-1 Dhawal Kulkarni 4-0-48-0 Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-56-1 Rahul Chahar 4-0-32-0 James Neesham 2-0-26-0 Kieron Pollard 2-0-12-2

MUMBAI INDIANS INNINGS (TARGET: 219 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) Quinton de Kock †c & b Ali 38 Rohit Sharma (c) c Gaikwad b Thakur 35 Suryakumar Yadav c †Dhoni b Jadeja 3 Krunal Pandya lbw b Curran 32 Kieron Pollard not out 87 Hardik Pandya c du Plessis b Curran 16 James Neesham c Thakur b Curran 0 Dhawal Kulkarni not out 0 Extras (w 8) 8 TOTAL (19.6 Ov, RR: 10.95) 219/6 Yet to bat: Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult Fall of wickets: 1-71 (Rohit Sharma, 7.4 ov), 2-77 (Suryakumar Yadav, 8.4 ov), 3-81 (Quinton de Kock, 9.4 ov), 4-170 (Krunal Pandya, 16.3 ov), 5-202 (Hardik Pandya, 18.4 ov), 6-203 (James Neesham, 18.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Deepak Chahar 4-0-37-0 Sam Curran 4-0-34-3 Lungi Ngidi 3.6-0-62-0 Shardul Thakur 4-0-56-1 Ravindra Jadeja 3-0-29-1 Moeen Ali 1-0-1-1

Rayudu runs riot Rayudu has had 64 runs in four knocks before this game.

By the end of the Super Kings innings, he had more than doubled his tally.

Despite the mini-collapse in the middle overs, Rayudu didn't hesitate to play his shots. Rahul Chahar was pulled over deep

Mixed fortunes for Ramdhani siblings at Pan Am C/ships square leg in the 15th over and Kulkarni was pummeled for back-to-back sixes in the 16th.

Even Bumrah and Boult weren't spared as Rayudu smashed the duo for three sixes and two fours in two overs.

Rayudu targeted the leg side in particular. Out of his 72 runs, he scored 45 on the leg side, with five sixes and a four. The last ball of the innings summed up Mumbai's day in the field: Rayudu slashed Kulkarni towards deep point but Suryakumar Yadav, moving to his left from sweeper cover, not only dropped the catch but also conceded a boundary.

Mumbai slip after solid start Mumbai started aggressively, and despite Sharma not looking at his best, de Kock and he took the side to 58 for no loss at the end of the powerplay.

Shardul Thakur broke the stand in the eighth over when Sharma holed out to deep extra cover for 35. In the next over, MS Dhoni latched onto Yadav's inside edge off Jadeja. When Ali had de Kock caught and bowled for 38, Mumbai had slipped from 71 for no loss to 81 for 3 in the space of 13 balls.

Pollard takes Mumbai home single-handedly With 138 needed from the last 10 overs, Mumbai knew there was just one way to go about it, and in Pollard, they found the man to pursue the Herculean task. He muscled Jadeja for three sixes in the 13th over before smashing two more off Lungi Ngidi in the next. By the end of 14 overs, Mumbai were 130 for 3. At the same stage in their innings, the Super Kings were 126 for 4.

Pollard raced away to fifty in 17 balls, the fifth joint-fastest in the IPL, and reduced the equation to 66 required from the last five overs.

Krunal was on 17 off 17 balls before slogging Ngidi for two fours and a six in the 16th over.

In the next over, Sam Curran though conceded just two apart from dismissing Krunal to leave Mumbai requiring 48 from the last three overs. du Plessis dropped Pollard in the 18th over, which produced another 17 runs. Hardik smashed Curran for two sixes on the first two balls of the next over but Curran sent back both Hardik and Neesham in the next four balls to keep the game open. Pollard then took it all on himself to seal the game. (ESPNcricinfo)

T

The Ramdhani siblings, Priyanna and Narayan

here were mixed fortunes in store for Guyana’s racquet wielding siblings, Narayan and Priyanna Ramdhani, as the competed amongst some of the best badminton players in the region at the XXIV Pan American Individual Championships 2021 in Guatemala.

Narayan and Priyanna entered the Pan Am Championships, scheduled for April 28 to May 2, with their focus on qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics and the & South American Youth Games ad while they may not have had a stellar outing, that goal is not yet out of reach.

This is the first Senior Pan Am Tournament for both players after playing quite a number of years in the Junior Category.

Amongst the challenges they faced, is the fact that they had limited tournaments for over a year and a half, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, but was able to perform at their best despite the Pandemic’s effects where they were exposed to a lot of restrictions.

This tournament attracted quite a number of top players who were trying to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics slated for July 23 to August 8.

Following a bye in the firstround draw of 64 in the Men’s Singles, Narayan Ramdhani stormed to a victory in the second-round draw of 3. In that game, he was opposing Shae Martin of Barbados, where the Guyanese won 21-18, 21-12 to

reach in the round of 16.

Over in the Women’s singles, Priyanna Ramdhani suffered the first of twos losses the duo would endure in the competition. The Guyanese lost to the Dominican Republic’s No. 1 ranked and experienced player Nairoby Abigail Jimenez: 21-8, 21-12.

Later on, in the Mix Doubles Narayan and Priyanna Ramdhani teamed up for the category, but lost to the Guatemalan pair of Antonio Emanuel Ortiz and Alejandra Jose Paiz Quan: 21-13, 21-13 According to The Guyana Badminton Association (GBA), they are now awaiting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Pan American Federation to inform them about whether or not Narayan will qualify for the Olympics and Priyanna for the South American youth games, after all points in the qualification periods are calculated.

The GBA is said to be extremely happy the players got the chance to participate in a tournament after a long layoff. The siblings’ outing in Guatemala was made possible by: Minister of Sports-Honorable Charles Ramson Jr., President of the GOA-Mr. Kalam JumanYassin, Demerara Bank-Dr. Yesu Persaud, Mohamed’s Enterprise-Mr. Mohamed and Ms. Ayanna Watson for making it possible for them to attend this Championships.

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