Guyana Times - Sunday November 21, 2021

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Former Guyana Times journalist admitted to Bar Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 4838 guyanatimesgy.com

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

605 men committed suicide between 2016 and 2021 – Dr Persaud — says many were exposed to violence at an early age Page 29

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Malnourished Venezuelan migrants found P31 in Reg 1 Female among 6 busted with air pistol, P33 ammo

Fire ravages OPR office — 98% documents, DPP office saved

Policeman injured after colliding with P33 truck 500% increase in DUI cases recorded in P31 Reg 6

— Police to clamp down on errant road users

Page 2 Firefighters battling the intense blaze on Saturday at the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), which is housed in the Guyana Police Force’s Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown

Economist projects Major opportunities oil pushing Guyana’s for Guyana to banking assets to convert waste over $3 trillion into value-added Page 34

Page 3

– says lending rates in Guyana can be improved

products – GMSA

Pres Ali to hold high-level trilateral meeting with Brazil, Suriname Presidents next year

Page 9

P12 Reg 4 pensioner is latest COVID-19 fatality, 89 new cases reported

Small-scale miners given green light to operate in Marudi P33

2 NEWS

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Fire ravages OPR office

— 98% documents, DPP office saved

A

ravaging fire on Saturday afternoon tore through the wooden structure which housed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Police Force's Office for Professional Responsibility (OPR) at Eve Leary, Georgetown.

The OPR’s office was completely destroyed by the blaze, while hours of battling the flames aided in the Guyana Fire Service’s (GFS) efforts in saving the DPP’s office.

The OPR is the Police Force’s internal investigative unit and housed the barracks for officers from the Force’s headquarters and one other office.

The fire reportedly started around 13:50h according to Fire Chief Kalamadeen Edoo and firefighters from the West Ruimveldt, Central, Alberttown and Campbellville Fire Stations were immediately dispatched to the scene.

The Fire Chief said the Fire Service received reports

The building on fire

that the construction department at the Eve Leary Police Station was on fire, and upon arriving at the scene, firefighters realised that it was the OPR’s office on fire.

“Immediately we went into firefighting mode and we were able to contain the fire. There were a few difficulties in terms of accessing water from the hydrant; the pressure was not to the full

pressure that we would have needed but we made contact with GWI, and they started to boost the pressure…”, he said.

Edoo said due to the frequency of fires that have been occurring as of recent, the Fire Service is even more alert, since public buildings are being destroyed.

“It is a concern at this point and time and we are

taking notes of such, and will do further investigations to find out what is the reason.”

Meanwhile, at the scene, Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie told reporters that the building housed several offices while reassuring the public that the Police have systems in place to account for the files and other materials in the OPR office that were destroyed.

He also added that systems are also being put in place to ensure that the fire does not hamper the Force’s progress.

“The area where the fire would have started, efforts are being made to make sure all are safe. As a matter of fact, we have already taken out all of the documents from the DPP’s office…together as a team we will put systems in place to ensure that it doesn’t hamper our progress.”

As the fire was ripping through the OPR’s office, several files from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chambers were being taken to safety. At one point, the staffers were seen throwing scores of files from the upper flat of the building in an effort to save them.

The DPP, Shalimar AliHack was at the scene and did

Fire Chief Kalamadeen Edoo

Professional Responsibility, but in respect of these, twothirds of the building was on fire so I don’t think there was much that could’ve been saved here,” Benn said.

The Minister said that Guyana is currently experiencing a trial by fire, and it is putting the lives and the employment of individuals

Files being removed from DPP Chambers

not speak to reporters, however, the Communications Officer, Liz Rahaman said they were informed about the fire, after receiving several calls that their office was engulfed in flames. They immediately rushed to the scene.

She said the DPP’s office was able to save 98 per cent of

at risk. He added that the Government is still working to fulfil its mandate.

When asked how he feels about the Fire Services’ response to the blaze, Minister Benn responded “I am not happy”.

Further, Benn stated that

A closer shot of the burning building

their legal files after members of the Police Force were mobilised and assisted in moving the documents to safety.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, who was on the scene coaching firefighters on how to put out the blaze, told reporters that the fire has put the operations of the OPR’s office in disarray along with the operations of the DPP’s Chambers.

“Their files and documents would have to be taken somewhere, where they will have to be re-sorted out, and put them in a condition where they can be accessed properly… the operations related to this building are completely perturbed…”.

“When I got here, there were mattresses and files being brought out of the Office of

it appears that a subliminal message is being put around the country starting from some pyrotechnic-minded person in the United States while nontin that the PPP Government will stand firm.

On the scene, vendors who were vending not too far away from where the fire started, told Guyana Times that they heard loud explosions coming from the building, and sometime later, smoke was seen emanating from the OPR’s building.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, as a probe was launched. This fire come just more than a month after the Brickdam Police Station was completely destroyed by fire, displacing some 398 ranks.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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Sunday, Nov 21 – 00:00h – 06:00h and Monday, Nov 22 – 04:00h – 05:30h.

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Sunday, Nov 21 – 05:25h – 06:55h and Monday, Nov 22 – 06:00h – 07:30h.

Economist projects oil pushing Guyana’s banking assets to over $3 trillion – says lending rates in Guyana can be improved

FERRY SCHEDULE

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WEATHER TODAY There will be light rain showers during the day.

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High Tide: 17:23h reaching a maximum height of 2.65 metres.

Low Tide: 11:00h and 23:24h reaching minimum heights of 0.7 metre and 0.57 metre.

Economist Winston Brassington

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ith the projected economic growth in Guyana on the back of oil and gas exploration and production, an economist is projecting that Guyana’s banking assets could rise to $3 trillion, ushering in indirect benefits for Guyanese.

Guyanese economist Winston Brassington recently participated in an American Chamber (AmCham) webinar where he made these projections.

According to Brassington, who once headed the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Privatisation Unit, the growth of Guyana’s oil and gas sector will be parallel to the growth in local banking assets.

“When we look at how the sector has grown in the last 30 years, from 1990 to 2020, we’ve seen strong growth in the assets of the banking sector, in a compound annual growth rate of bank assets of about 13.5 per cent in the last 30 years. We know that we’re growing very fast in this decade, because of oil and gas.”

“Some speak of a fivefold increase in GDP by the end of the decade. If we see that, then our bank assets will grow from end of last year of $168 billion to over 3 trillion GYD. And that’s using a compound annual growth rate of 17 per cent,” Brassington said.

Brassington, who these days heads the gas-toshore task force, went on to note that with the growth in banking assets, banks would have more leeway to pass on the benefits to consumers. As it is right now, the economist noted that there is room for improvement when it comes to lending rates.

“Now with all of this in context, I believe that lending rates can come down substantially. Once it’s trending down, I think it can come down much

further. At 5 per cent, it would still be considerably above the average lending rates in the US.” “If we use the Bank of Guyana statistics, if the bank were to double their loan to assets ratio, then total loans can increase significantly. If we look at the banking sector growing as we project, by 2025 we can have Private Sector loans and advances at over $700 billion,” Brassington further explained.

Guyana, with ExxonMobil as the operator, began producing oil on December 20, 2019, in the Stabroek Block. Guyana’s oil revenues are being banked in the New York Federal Reserve Bank, where it is earning interest.

Developmental drilling has started on Exxon’s second development, the Liza Phase 2 project. Back in May 2019, Exxon was granted approval by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to go ahead with its Liza Phase 2 Development offshore Guyana.

The oil company had said that the project will have the capacity to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day. Exxon had also revealed that the Liza Phase 2 development was funded at the cost of some US$6 billion, including a lease

capitalisation cost of approximately $1.6 billion, for the Liza Unity FPSO vessel. For the Phase 2 Development, six drill centres were planned, along with approximately 30 wells – 15 productions, nine water injection and six gas injection wells.

The US$9 billion Payara development, the third development, will meanwhile target an estimated resource base of about 600 million oil-equivalent barrels and was at one point considered to be the largest single planned investment in the history of Guyana.

The Yellowtail development, which will be oil giant ExxonMobil’s fourth development in Guyana’s waters, will turn out to be the single largest development so far in terms of barrels per day (bpd) of oil, with a mammoth 250,000 bpd targeted.

In all, six ExxonMobiloperated Guyana producing projects are predicted by 2027, with plans for an eventual 10 in total.

Additionally, oil revenue is expected to triple when the Liza Unity FPSO begins production at the Liza Phase 2 next year.

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Criminal and violent youths

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ontrary to what Police statistics have been telling us for years, crime is not decreasing, but is actually increasing here. Even more troubling is that, along with the rest of the Caribbean, more than eighty percent of those crimes are committed by young persons; suggesting that, having already chosen the path to criminality, these youths will ensure that the Police would be challenged to effect a real reduction in crime.

Another thing we do not need are more “studies” on the phenomena, as in other areas of national life that present challenges. We have reams of such studies filed away and gathering dust in various and sundry storerooms of our policy makers’. For instance, in January of 2019, there was the UNsponsored “Caribbean Summit on Youth Violence” – and by extension “crime” - held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Georgetown. Immediately we can get a glimmer of why these interventions never get anywhere.

One block from the Marriott, there is Tiger Bay, which has earned its reputation for being a nest of young criminals since the 1960s. The Mighty Sparrow had declared, “I don’t care if the whole a BG burn down/But they will be putting me out me way/If they tackle Tiger Bay/An bun dung de hotel/ Where all me wabbin does stay.” “Wabbin”, of course, being “girls of the night”, with their attendant retinue of pimps and “choke and robbers”. But the point was that, at the august conference on “youth violence”, no one saw fit to invite some of the subjects being discussed. In a word, they had been reduced to “objects”, to be examined like specimens and discarded after the paper was written and the grants collected.

During the two-day affair, participants were involved in discussions revolving around “the promotion of healthy masculinity, youth-driven responses to criminal gangs, and addressing risk and protective factors for youth violence, among others.” Referring to a United Nations (UN) report, the Caricom Secretary General noted that 80 per cent of prosecuted crimes are committed by youths between the ages of 19 and 29, and offered the perennial “insights” on “causes”: “There are a number of socio-economic determinants of crime, of the least of which is the high youth unemployment in the Region of 25 per cent in 2017.”

In Guyana, the unemployment rate among that age cohort hovers around 45%. Then just as predictably, there were the homilies about what was to be done, starting with the role of families in imparting positive values to their children to prevent them descending into criminal paths.

For the policy makers from Guyana and the Commonwealth present in the ritzy hotel, he identified, “The Crime Prevention National Plan and the Caricom Youth Development Action Plan are two of the main policy frameworks which guide and design the implementation of policy and programmes in Member States, to address crime and violence from a prevention perspective through addressing the underlined social factors”.

The Social Cohesion Minister George Norton promised feelingly, “We must all continue to implement programmes and activities that seek to develop and enhance youths’ selfesteem and confidence; promote tolerance, respect for laws and rules; and empower them to be change agents in our societies”.

He explained that such programmes must include an avenue for youths to be able to shake off their aggression, and release stress and anger which would have built up owing to insecurities. “These programmes would include sports and recreational activities, educational and cultural programmes, mentorship and counselling programmes, creation of youthfriendly spaces across countries; consultations and practical and life skills training.”

The reasons why, almost three years later, we are nowhere closer to addressing youth violence and crime lie in the fact that, as the Minister was speaking, he and his PNC Government were violating the constitution with their specious “33 is not the majority of 65” argument to fend off the workings of the PPP’s successful NCM. This segued into the elections rigging and other illegalities.

Apart from abandoning their promises, what values were youths being taught?

Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Hilton Todd on Friday received a courtesy call from His Excellency Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi, Non-Resident High Commissioner of Tanzania to Guyana. The High Commissioner was accompanied by Mr Frank Mhina, Minister Counsellor in the Tanzanian Embassy in Brasilia. During his exchange with the High Commissioner, Minister Todd spoke of the several commonalities between Guyana and Tanzania, including the two countries’ shared colonial history, developmental challenges, and resource dependency

Guyana’s 7% salary increase when looked at comparatively and in context of prevailing global circumstances Dear Editor, I am not one to dabble in politics or anything of the sort, but I feel compelled to write this letter to you to share my view on the recently announced 7% salary increase for Public Servants. I will keep this as short as possible, and get straight to the point.

At a time like this, when everyone is faced with challenges that were brought about by the pandemic, there is a growing need for more disposable income to reach the people. People need more money, so that they can survive at a time when prices are rising. We examine the situation in our neighbouring countries, or even in Caricom countries, and we see how people are crying out for help. It is not just something that is confined to Guyana. Everyone needs help, and even a 7% increase in salary will help in some way or the other.

I did some research on salary increases in other Caricom countries, and what I found is something that I am sure would never see the light of day from the Opposition end.

In Antigua, the Government has been struggling to pay salary increases to its workers. In fact, an article that was published by Nation News on September 7, 2021 outlined the challenges the Government has been facing with paying the increase. The main issue was the pandemic and the impact on the country, especially with lockdowns and so forth.

Shifting focus to Jamaica, we see that they also had a struggle with salary increases because of the pandemic.

Reports from the Jamaican Government as well as the Jamaica Gleaner publication outlined that workers would receive a 4% salary increase come 2022, but they would be getting retroactive payment from April 1, 2021.

Looking at these figures, it is clear that Guyana has done better by offering a 7% increase and retroactive salary from January 1, 2021.

If this does not put into perspective how good we are getting in Guyana, allow me to point out the situation in Dominica. The Dominica News online publication reported early in March 2021 that public officers would be getting a 1.25% increase. This is far less than what Guyana’s public officials are getting, in addition to it being retroactive.

I think it is very important for people to consider all the facts before launching on social media to criticise the Government. I saw that many of the Opposition members, like Duncan, Jones and McDonald to name a few, were using the comparisons put out by the PPP/C to say that even though those countries received lower increases than Guyana, they pay higher wages, and as such, the people have more spending power.

Even though that may be true, every single country struggled to settle at a specific percentage because of the pandemic. They could not give their workers anything sizable, and many could not make it retroactive.

Guyana has given 7% retroactive across the board, which, in the context of

Guyana, is noteworthy, especially with the pandemic still in full swing.

Sincerely, Alvin Hamilton

ICC T20 World Cup Dear Editor, In my last letter to the press, just prior to commencement of the ICC T20 World Cup, I predicted that the team the Roger Harperled Selection Panel selected would not win the World Cup, and it came to pass.

In fact, their performance was atrocious and embarrassing, and it is time the West Indies Cricket Board take decisive action to remedy the situation and start the rebuilding process to make the West Indies team great again.

To begin with, when the contract of the Roger Harperled Selection Panel ends at the end of this year, it must not be renewed; a new Selection Panel must be appointed.

I would like to recommend three names: Brian Lara, Sir Curtly Ambrose and Shiv Chanderpaul. I know these men would select the best team available, and would not show favouritism or insularity.

Secondly, it is time to get rid of the old men of West Indies cricket, namely Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russel and Andre Fletcher. Either ask them to announce their retirement like Dwayne Bravo did, or fire them. As for Gayle, the man has no shame, he wants to play in the next World Cup in Australia, although he has been failing for the past five years and will be over 43 years

old by then.

Finally, the new selectors must select a young team with an eye on winning the next World Cup in Australia. The captain should be Shimron Hetmyer, with Nicholas Pooran as the vice-captain; and the core of the team should be Evin Lewis, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Dominic Drakes, Odean Smith, Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie. The next five players should consist of an off-spinner, leg-spinner, a fast bowler, and two more quality attacking batsmen.

My 15 would not include Roston Chase, Oshane Thomas and Hayden Walsh jnr. It is clear as day that Chase is no T20 player. He should play only Test cricket, while Thomas and Walsh are mediocre bowers who would be punished at the international level.

So, come on, Ricky Skerritt and Kishore Shallow, put West Indies cricket first and fulfill the mandate that you promised cricket fans by making the West Indies team the best in the world.

We, the cricket fans, are waiting and watching to see your next move after the debacle of the last World Cup. Yours faithfully, Imtiaz Baccus

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

Policing in Guyana’s multicultural society Dear Editor, The recent letter by retired Assistant Commissioner Conway was very revealing and insightful. Focusing specifically on the opportunities for policing in a multicultural society, and the importance of being sensitive to the differences in the cultures in our society, the problem becomes very complex. The difficulty is further amplified by the historical political climate and growing mistrust between the two main cultural components of our complex society.

Currently, the GPF is dominated by African Guyanese, and Indian com-

munities have a healthy level of mistrust for the Police. On the other hand, the African communities are more trusting, and when they interact with the Police, they see a member of their community who is approachable and can be confided in and trusted to do right by them.

As for the Indian populace, feelings for the Police are not the same, and instead of seeing someone who is trustworthy, the Indian community sees a PNC Opposition member, who will not do right by them, especially in a situation where the suspect is African Guyanese.

If, on the rare occasion the Police officer is from the Indian community, then the expectation is that the officer would help, and can be trusted to deal fairly with members of the Indian community.

Unfortunately, this sentiment is rooted in the incidents that occurred during the massacre of Indians in the 1960s by the African community in what is now known as Linden.

According to numerous accounts of the events, many of these atrocities were carried out with the help of some members of the Guyana Police Force. Thus, the obstacles before us to-

wards improving the image of the GPF are that significant, and the difficulty of overcoming our history of the conflict is quite substantial.

The first step to reconciliation is the removal of denial. We must, as a nation, begin our journey on the path towards an acknowledgment of the horrific events that took place during the 1960s. No longer can we afford to turn a blind eye to the deep-seated mistrust between our communities. Diversification of the GPF is necessary, and must also occur when policing a multicultural society such as ours. Members

of our diverse communities must see those from their culture in their communities engaged in constructive policing, where the focus is to protect and serve fellow members of their communities.

This is a key step towards encouraging a national culture in which the Police are respected and trusted to help safeguard our citizens. Such increased cultural sensitivity within the Force would help make our land of six peoples adhere more uniformly to our laws, and would also help guide the Force towards less perceived and real bias in how citizens are treated

by the Police.

Officers would also benefit from the increased diversity within the GPF, and begin to better understand and respect the cultural differences of the diverse communities within our society.

As mentioned previously, the way forward is not the easiest, but it is becoming more necessary as cultural realisation continues within our multiplex of communities and the divide between our cultures increases.

Best regards, Jamil Changlee

Parika businesses blocking roadways, Police seem incapable of handling situation Dear Editor, Please allow me space in your newspaper to highlight an issue that needs to be urgently addressed by law enforcement authorities in Parika, East Bank Essequibo (Region 3), as it is causing much frustration to citizens.

This is in relation to vending on the roadside in

Parika. For some time now, stallholders have been occupying the roadways to display their goods, especially clothing, and preventing the free flow of traffic and people. Some vendors, even though they are renting shops along the roadside, are now coming out to occupy the roadways.

Persons cannot walk in the corners of the road, they are now forced to walk in the path of oncoming traffic. Even other vehicles cannot park or stop properly, they have to do so in the middle of the road, most times creating a bottleneck.

I should mention that this is a huge commercial

area where there are several banks and offices etc, and citizens would like to go about their business freely. As a bus driver myself, I am extremely frustrated over the situation.

Several complaints have been made to the Parika Police to take action, but it seems that the issue is proving to be some

form of challenge for them to address. In some cases, when the Police warn the vendors to take their items off the roadways, they comply for a day or two, but soon go back to breaking the rules.

I am pleading with the Commissioner of Police and the Region Three authorities to look into this

matter urgently, and take stronger action against persons breaking the law.

One could only imagine what would happen as the peak season approaches, if this matter is not addressed forthwith.

Yours truly, Concerned citizen

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

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Foundation

Myths and Advice About Being Proactive ...It's not just a buzzword or cliche but key to creating the best possible future

BY: Thomas S Bateman DBA

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hat is the deep meaning of “We should’ve been more proactive”?

By changing how we think and behave, we influence our futures.

Studies show benefits ranging from stronger job performance to career success to addressing the harmful consequences of climate change.

However, proactive is buzzwordy, easy to underestimate, and considered a mere cliché. Here are some common myths and higher-impact meanings: A myth: Being proactive boosts productivity by getting busy instead of procrastinating, thus completing assignments by their deadlines.

This is the familiar meaning of being proactive. Searching Google for proactive images reveals people working hard to achieve ambitious goals, like the mountain biker riding up a ridge with a 45-degree incline.

One cartoon shows a figure concentrating on work while the other leans back with feet on a desk; another shows people walking while one leaps ahead in a deer-like stride. The clear themes are taking action and being out front.

However, proactivity really is much more: thinking about the directions you–or your team, employer, or others–are heading, strategically exploring new possibilities, and changing strategies or paths toward a more desired future.

Most studies of proactivity in the workplace focus on actions that make significant positive impacts. It’s also proactive to resist and slow or prevent destructive change, like voicing your concerns and arguing for a better direction when a boss, company, industry, or government heads down a wrong path.

A myth: Some people are proactive, and some are not.

George Bernard Shaw identified three kinds of people: those who make things happen;

those who watch what happens; and those who wonder what happened. It’s an interesting comment, but it’s most helpful to think of proactive less as a kind of person (a trait) and more as a special class of behaviours.

You might have thoughts about how proactive you are. But your tendencies don’t need to dictate your behaviour. If you want to be more proactive, you can try new actions and persist in your efforts. Recognising such “free traits”–tendencies like introversion or extraversion and low or high proactivity that you can override when you want to–offer countless new options.

Proaction is a path you choose, not something others dictate. This is not to suggest doing whatever you want, anywhere and anytime.

The vital point is that we usually have options we don’t consider, let alone pursue. For example, if rushing an assignment close to the deadline, maybe you could choose quality over efficiency and request a short extension, explaining your reasons and then providing superior, memorable work.

A myth: Being proactive is risky, as likely to have bad outcomes as good.

People sometimes recall when they tried to be proactive about something, and their boss disapproved, or worse. Often, they never try again.

One of Gary Larson’s Far Side cartoons shows a school of fish fighting their way upstream. On

some nearby stairs, also heading uphill, is a shady character dressed in a long raincoat with the collar turned up, and a fedora pulled down. Poking out of the bottom of the raincoat is a fishtail. This lone fish is trying to avoid detection, criticism, and ridicule. Its efforts to find more efficient and effective methods are uniquely proactive, but its colleagues might prematurely reject an innovation with the potential to save their species.

Risks exist, and failures happen.

But overall, data show employees’ proactivity contributing to higher job performance in the form of sales, supervisor ratings, customer service, creativity, and team performance; career successes (promotions, bonuses, pay raises); psychological well-being (job, life, and career satisfaction, lower stress, and less burnout); and selfchosen leadership roles (taking charge, entrepreneurialism, speaking up about important issues, and others perceiving one’s charisma).

When taking care of COVID-19 patients, the most proactive doctors and nurses effectively applied their strengths, resulting in stronger resilience, thriving, and high job performance. The research shows clear benefits of behaving proactively–not immediately or in every episode, but ultimately generating better futures for oneself and others.

A myth: Not being proactive is a personal failure of self-control.

Creating positive change or actively resisting and preventing harmful change is more challenging and time-consuming than not— and therefore rare.

Even the first step–choosing to pursue a proactive goal–is unusual.

One study uncovered more than 2000 self-identified goals of company presidents and CEOs. Very few of those goals involved instigating notable change. Most of these top executives, most of the time, were pursuing business as usual.

If one study isn’t convincing, consider how often people ignore problems, don’t help others who could use some, and let good opportunities pass by.

A person’s disinclination to be proactive could stem from reasons including disinterest, lack of time, and previous frustrations or collective failures of teams, organisations, societies, or governments. Influential entities and leaders fail others when they ignore the long-term consequences of their actions, neglect or exacerbate problems, and miss high-potential opportunities.

Proactivity might not be a personal failure, but placing it front-of-mind can capitalise on its vast potential.

A myth: Being proactive is always beneficial.

Poor choices can make even the timeliest and most energetic actions destructive. People can be proactive in counterproductive, unethical, and illegal ways that harm others and sabotage themselves. Proactivity, like other superpowers, may be used for good or ill.

Climate change is just one of today’s many vital arenas marked by far too little proactivity.

Opportunities exist everywhere for strategic proaction that avoids worse futures and steers toward better ones. Revisiting Shaw, “We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.”

(Excerpt from Psychologytoday. com)

“T

EPA AND TOURISM

ourism Awareness Month 2021 gives all and sundry equal opportunity to experience the beauty and pristine nature of Guyana” – Hon. Oneidge Walrond, Minister of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce

The quality of the environment, both natural and manmade, is essential to tourism. However, the relationship of tourism with the environment is complex. It involves many activities that can have adverse environmental effects.

Many of these impacts are linked with the construction of general infrastructure such as roads and airports, and of tourism facilities, including resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses and marinas. The negative impacts of tourism development can gradually destroy environmental resources on which tourism depends. On the other hand, tourism, specifically eco-tourism, has the potential to create beneficial effects on the environment, by contributing to environmental protection and conservation. It is a way to raise awareness of environmental values, and it can serve as a tool to finance protection of natural areas and increase their economic importance.

The Infrastructure and Project Management Department at the EPA is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that tourism operations are compliant with the Agency’s rules and regulations. This entails the Environmental Authorisation process, which identifies potential sources of pollution and proposes measures that would minimise negative impacts.

The Department also conducts inspections of existing operations, such as hotels and resorts, and works with the Communications Department to produce educational materials for the sector.

Some environmental considerations in the tourism sector include water quality and availability, solid waste

management, sewage, and impacts to local communities.

Various types and components of tourism operations produce very different environmental impacts, requiring very different environmental management tools. This is why the EPA’s permit conditions vary for the different types of activities that fall under the tourism sector. Most environmental technologies used in tourism already exist in other sectors.

In addition to permitting and compliance, the EPA also conducts investigations into complaints, as with other sectors, in keeping with its mandate to promote, facilitate, and coordinate effective environmental management and protection and the sustainable use of Guyana’s natural resources.

HAPPY TOURISM MONTH, GUYANA!

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O ECEA Programme, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN; or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Major opportunities for Guyana to convert waste into value-added products – GMSA A

s Guyana continues to develop and seek out avenues to modernise its economy, the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) believes that there are tremendous opportunities for the country to transform its large volume of waste into value-added products.

The pronouncements were made by GMSA President Rafeek Khan and its past President Norman McLean during an interview with the State media on the Amaila Falls Hydro Project and what it means for the manufacturing sector.

Khan, in his contributions to the discussion, went off on a tangent and spoke about how the country can use its manufacturing and other kinds of waste to generate energy.

“You’ve seen it happen in the rice industry where you have gasifiers, trying to use gasifiers to take the waste out of rice husk and create energy.

We should be doing those things as well for, let’s say, our coconut waste, our wood waste…

The amount of waste that we have from our primary products, because we’re still focused as a nation, and reliant on primary products. Our secondary manufacturing cannot even be thought about if you have not figured out a way how to make it affordable in terms of manufacturing products. So other options of energy should be on the table, not just your hydro, but also your gasification,” Khan explained.

In March 2015, a $40 million state-of-the-art rice husk gasifier was commissioned by an Exmouth, Essequibo Coast rice farmer in an effort to reduce the cost of fuel consumption at his Ramlakhan and Sons Rice Mill. The equipment works with the gases derived from the rice husk. The gases emitted are cleaned of solid particles, tar/carbon and water/moisture, and directed into the combustion chambers of a 250kW power generation set, replacing 70 per cent of the diesel normally required.

In July 2019, a gasifier was commissioned at the University of Guyana (UG) with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint on the campus. UG’s Vice Chancellor Dr Paloma Mohamed-Martin had revealed that the equipment will have the capacity to produce 10-12 kilowatts of clean energy and that it will be used for research in other biomass materials (eg, grass pellets, coconut shells, rice-hull pellets among other biomass sources to produce biochar and electricity).

According to the GMSA President, these are the kinds of avenues that the country could tap into to further decrease its energy costs.

“Countries wish to buy our waste, whether it’s plastic, whether it’s timber, whether it’s husk, whatever it might be, but the cost of freight to transfer the waste from Guyana to those countries that can to recycle our waste, is prohibitive. Now we need to start seeing how we can convert those waste…as much as 70 per cent of your input of your manufacturing sometimes

Hydropower Project, which was the flagship of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), is expected to deliv-

Norman McLean

GMSA President Rafeek Khan

goes to waste, that could into products,” Khan explained.

Meanwhile, McLean provided another perspective on how the country can further utilise its wastes to make value-added products, highlighting the situation as the country’s markets where there is tremendous waste of fresh produce.

“You know what is the wastage that we get from the markets…you go to any market anywhere and you see the level of wastage…if we are having cheap power, we can start to freeze, can and do all those things and reduce the wastage of foods and make it more economic for our people,” the Private Sector representative posited.

“We’re not preserving, we’re not freezing, we’re not canning any of the stuff. It’s just left and if it’s not sold in two or three days, and nobody comes to buy it, then you’re looking at wastage,” he added.

“Monenco” during an extensive survey of hydroelectric power potential in Guyana. Various studies have since justified and strongly supported the construction of the AFHP. The revival of the 165-megawatt Amaila Falls Hydropower Project was one of the promises made by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in its manifesto.

The project was initiated under the previous PPP/C Administration but was scrapped by the coalition Administration which had controlled the National Assembly by a one-seat Opposition majority.

The Amaila Falls

Amaila support Meanwhile, both GMSA representatives have expressed major support for the Amaila Falls Project, noting that it is long overdue.

Explaining that the success of the manufacturing sector is heavily dependent on the energy costs, McLean lamented that so many years have passed and yet Guyana – The Land of Many Waters – remains without a working hydropower facility.

“Goat musse bite us,” he expressed, noting that the country’s neighbours such as Suriname, Venezuela and Brazil, all have hydropower.

“From 2015 to now, nothing has happened and I really believe we have missed the bus and lost a glorious opportunity to make a success of hydro…I think it’s sad that after all these years, all the waters that we have, all the rivers and rapids, that we have been unable [to develop hydro],” he contended.

In fact, McLean related that the country has made attempts to develop hydro prior to Amaila, but those ventures also failed.

“We had Tiger Falls on the Demerara River which was to be powering the bauxite operation at Linden, and then we had the major thing which Burnham promoted, at Upper Mazaruni at Sand Landing, that failed as well. And now, Amaila…”

He admitted that Guyana had the Tumatumari Hydropower Plant but that too, is now non-functioning. “It’s sad,” McLean expressed.

The Amaila Falls Project was first identified in 1976 by the Canadian company

er a steady source of clean, renewable energy that would have been affordable and reliable, and was envisioned to

meet approximately 90 per cent of Guyana’s domestic energy needs while removing dependency on fossil fuels.

8 NEWS

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Celebrating…

I

…Men’s Day? n case you didn’t know, Friday was International Men’s Day (IMD). It’s not sanctioned by the UN; they instead commemorate UN International Toilet Day on Nov 19!! Imagine that!! Your Eyewitness wonders whether they’re signalling what they think of men with that gesture. Toilet? Never mind, 80 countries across the world do recognise the same day set aside for men - including Guyana.

What’s interesting about IMD is that it was started back in Feb 1992, but was commemorated only by tiny Malta. But they switched in 2009 after a Trini by the name of Jerome Teelucksingh announced to UNESCO that he was celebrating IMD on Nov 19, which was his father’s birthday!! And the rest is history!! So, with a Trini kicking off a day for men, the mind is boggled as to what he thought ought to be done!! The limbo?

Turns out there are “Six Pillars of IDM”. These are: (1) To promote positive male role models; not just movie stars and sportsmen, but every-day, working-class men who are living decent, honest lives. (2) To celebrate men’s positive contributions to society, community, family, marriage, child care, and to the environment.

(3) To focus on men’s health and wellbeing; social, emotional, physical, and spiritual. (4) To highlight discrimination against males; in areas of social services, social attitudes and expectations, and law. (5) To improve gender relations and promote gender equality.

(6) To create a safer, better world; where people can be safe and grow to reach their full potential. All your Eyewitness can say is that it doesn’t look like that Trini fella had much to do with the “Pillars”. Not even a mention of a River Lime every weekend?

Well, this year’s theme was “Better relations between men and women.” Now, this is always a good thing, since all we have in this world are men and women.

And if we can’t have good relations between them, life is certainly gonna be “nasty, short and brutish”!! Let’s face it fellas, it’s women who give us the nicer things in life and make it worth living. It’s not for nothing we call women our “better half”. In fact, in Indian Philosophy, women are seen as the provider of all energy that drive human existence. We male slobs are seen as inert matter without them!!

Anyhow, in Guyana, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security held a panel discussion with men mostly from the army! - dubbed “EngageMENt”. (Got the (pained) pun?) The thrust of the discussions seemed to be about getting men to share more responsibilities in the homes, and to work to reduce violence against women.

OK…but what happened to the Trini’s call that “Men wanna have fun”? …our oil fame Have you noticed all the attention we’re getting now that we struck oil? Seems that the furriners who’re flocking our shores don’t know - as the Opposition and other critics insist - that things are actually quite “brown”. To listen to the naysayers, you’d believe that we’re fast sinking into some bottomless pit of darkness, rather than slowly building the foundation for our economic and social takeoff.

But the furriners know better - one bigwig from the UK even said we’re one of the fastest growing economies in the entire world!! This must mean SOMETHING, shouldn’t it? The problem with the Opposition and the naysayers is that they want the Government to wave a wand and have everything fixed right away. But we know that ain’t gonna happen, don’t we? It takes time, for instance, to build the infrastructure necessary to support a modern economy. And it ain’t just roads, bridges and hotels; it includes a modern financial system. Have you had to withdraw money from a bank recently?

Yep! Stone Age!! …COVID-decreased fatalities With COVID…you gotta always keep your fingers crossed. But it does appear that, barring the appearance of a new strain, we’ve turned the corner on the COVID pandemic.

Take THAT, vaccine-hesitant enablers!

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

NEWS

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Pres Ali to hold high-level trilateral meeting with Brazil, Suriname Presidents next year

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali will be off to Paramaribo, Suriname, next year to attend a high-level trilateral meeting with the Heads of State of both Suriname and Brazil, as part of Guyana’s efforts to advance diplomatic collaboration and several shared initiatives in the Guiana shield.

On Friday, Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd met with Brazilian Senator Francisco de Assis Rodrigues and his delegation from Brazil.

During the meeting, the upcoming trilateral meeting in Paramaribo in January was underscored as an opportunity for further bilateral discussions.

According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, a meeting in Georgetown, Guyana, between President Ali and President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil will follow the trilateral meeting in Paramaribo.

Minister Todd also used the opportunity to highlight Guyana-Brazil relations and their significant importance to economic integration in the

region. He also recognised the advantage of Guyana’s unique geographical location in relation to the Atlantic Ocean and alluded to the mutual benefits to be derived from such access for Guyana and Brazil.

“The Senator alluded to the importance of trade between Guyana and the bordering State of Roraima and informed that the State of Roraima has extensive experience in agriculture production, particularly in soya and corn and utilises the most advanced technology.”

“In this regard, Minister Todd and Senator Rodrigues expressed optimism for the opportunities that the linkage road from Linden to Lethem will present for the two countries,” a statement from the Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

Additionally, Minister Todd emphasised that agriculture is the bedrock of Guyana’s economy and informed of Guyana’s leading role in agriculture at the Caricom level. Minister Todd also stated that some of the major priority areas of the

President Dr Irfaan Ali meeting with President Jair Bolsonaro on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly back in September

Government of Guyana include food security and agriculture, energy security and infrastructure with a developmental trajectory focusing on

the diversification of the economy.

“The officials agreed that discussions will continue towards further advancement of

relations, as the Presidents of Guyana and Brazil will meet in Paramaribo in January 2022, for a trilateral meeting.

Thereafter, the Presidents will meet in Georgetown to focus on areas of bilateral cooperation between Guyana and Brazil,” the Ministry said.

Among the projects planned for the Guiana shield that requires bilateral cooperation between Guyana, Suriname and Brazil is a deep-water harbour that is likely to be built by Abu Dhabi Ports. During a press conference last month, President Ali had discussed this project and the ongoing bilateral talks.

“The deep-water harbour, as you know, is a project that is across borders. Brazil, Suriname, and Guyana. We have started discussions with both Brazil and Suriname. All three countries are strongly committed to this project. Brazil has reinforced its commitment, because the deep-water harbour is important in terms of their own efficiency, capability. It affects the cost of doing business for

them very positively.”

During President Ali’s visit to Dubai last month, he had met with officials from Abu Dhabi Ports. The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, who is also the owner, operator, developer and regulator of Abu Dhabi’s maritime infrastructure and Khalifa Industrial Zone (KIZAD), had said they are very serious about investing in Guyana.

President Ali had meanwhile emphasised to the group that his Government is willing to facilitate the project by creating incentives and by ensuring that investments made are feasible for all parties involved.

Moreover, the President had indicated at the time that Guyana wants to build a strong partnership with Abu Dhabi Ports to create a new logistics hub for the United Arab Emirates that will connect business opportunities in South America, Central America, the Caribbean, North America and West Africa.

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NEWS

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ignoring Burnham’s totalitarian legacy

I

n the run-up to the PNC leadership elections, there have been several exposes about the US assisting Burnham to build the party and rig elections during the Cold War. The candidates have been called to take a stand on these foundational party issues in light of their denunciation of the US, which helped stymie their attempt to rig the March 2 elections. I have been writing for decades about Burnham’s post1968 creation of a totalitarian state in Guyana, but, for some reason, no PNC defender has sought to rebut my analysis.

Ravi Dev Maybe the present candidates would?

I used Friedrich and Brezinski’s “six-point syndrome”, which distilled the experiences of Stalinist Russia, Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy to offer the most authoritative exposition on totalitarian regimes, and applied them to Burnham’s rule. In his paper, “People’s Power: No Dictator”, Walter Rodney also dissected Burnham’s “megalomaniac” dictatorship, but noted: “Hitler’s megalomania was backed by the powerful German economy and the might of the German army. Burnham’s megalomania is closer to comedy and farce.” His assassination by Burnham proved otherwise. The explicated syndrome was as follows: A single mass party, led by a dictator. While Burnham allowed other parties to exist during the electoral-rigging era, those parties never threatened the PNC’s rule, and Guyana was effectively a oneparty state. That is: while other parties were permitted to exist, they were never allowed to compete effectively with the PNC. If they ever posed a real threat to the regime, as the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) did briefly by 1979, the totalitarian “sharper steel”, in the words of Burnham, was bared. In 1980 (not coincidentally when Rodney was assassinated), a new Constitution confirmed Burnham’s absolute control over Guyana.

A system of terroristic control. The House of Israel; “Kick down the door” bandits; arbitrary search and seizures by the Police; Police informers in every locality; assassinations; ostentatious marches by the army through Opposition strongholds, etc. kept the Opposition under control, and their supporters in terror. Indians responded to the pressure by mass migration: joining the earlier wave of migrants – primarily Portuguese – who had fled the PPP “initiatives” during their 1957-1964 terms. Soon half the country was abroad. For those who remained, corruption was institutionalised, and became the avenue of relating to, and dealing with, the system. Corruption was power, and absolute corruption became absolute power.

A near monopoly control over mass communication and education. The Government’s nationalisation of, and PNC control over, the media (radio and newspapers; television was not permitted), and establishment of the GPSA in tandem with a programme of harassment of the Opposition newspapers through libel suits and bans on newsprint consummated this imperative. Schools were all nationalised, and Mass Games were introduced to brainwash the young.

A near monopoly control over the “coercive” apparatus of the state. The Guyana Disciplined Forces — Army, Police Force, Fire Service, National Service, People’s Militia and National Guard Service — were expanded exponentially and staffed with a ninety percent African membership. All officers swore personal loyalty to Burnham, to provide — along with the similarly constituted Police Force — the coercive basis for the PNC’s rule. David Granger was in charge of their ideological training.

The central control and direction of the economy. By the PNC’s boast, they nationalised eighty per cent of the economy by 1976, and gave their middle-class supporters sinecures. PNC membership and support for the party’s position became prerequisites for getting and keeping a job. The co-operative, supposedly the cornerstone of the economy, was to be the vehicle for making the African Guyanese “small man” into the “real man”.

A near monopoly over all civil organisations. Trade Unions, religious organisations, schools, cultural organisations, and social bodies were all either subverted or controlled by the PNC intimidation through buying off compliant leadership (like the Maha Sabha), or the creation of paper organisations, which were given governmental recognition and a place at the Government’s trough. Indian Guyanese leaders were placed in highly visible but essentially powerless positions to create a façade of a “non-racial” Government.

An official ideology. The PNC announced in 1974 it was a MarxistLeninist party, and was reorganised as the “vanguard of the masses”.

While there have been interminable discussions as to the “sincerity” of Burnham in his avowal, at a minimum, Marxism-Leninism gave the PNC an appropriate vocabulary and methodical postulate for its innovations and excesses.

This is the Burnhamite legacy that Granger had promised to continue. Will the new leader follow suit, or help the PNC join the democratic world?

12 NEWS

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Reg 4 pensioner is latest COVID-19 fatality, 89 new cases reported A

77-year-old man is the latest person to succumb to the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19), moving the country’s total death toll to 972.

The Health Ministry informed on Saturday that the pensioner hailed from Region Four and died on November 19. He was partially vaccinated and died while seeking medical attention at one of the designated facilities.

However, new statistics

provided by the Ministry showed that 89 new cases were detected within the course of one day, taking the total confirmed positives to 37,273.

In addition, the Ministry reported that 11 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 65 in institutional isolation, 1844 in home isolation and two in institutional quarantine. Throughout the pandemic, 380,376 individuals were tested – of which 17,563 males and

19,710 females were positive. There have been 34,381 recoveries.

A regional breakdown of new cases showed 4 cases being detected in Region One (Barima-Waini); six in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam); five in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); 34 in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); two in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); 29 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); two in Region Seven (Cuyuni-

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD NOVEMBER 20, 2021 UPDATE

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

Wash your hands or use handsanitizer If you have any symptoms, call the COVID-19 Hotline.

Mazaruni); one in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni);

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

89

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

65

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

1844

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

11

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

2

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

19,710

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

17,563

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

37,273

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

34,381

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

392,512

FULLY IMMUNISED

263,455

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS three in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and three in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

With the announcement that booster shots will be available from Monday, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony had indicated that information on how the vaccines can be interchanged will be released on Monday. This is since persons do not necessarily have to take the same booster jab as the initial vaccines.

He stated “In some cases, it can remain the same.

So, if you had two doses of Pfizer, you can get a third dose of Pfizer. With some people, they would like to have mix and matching.

So, if you had two doses of AstraZeneca, some people may want to have one dose Pfizer. We’ll put out that schedule of possibilities of how you can interchange these vaccines. By Monday, we’ll have that out in the public. As people go out to get their boosters on Monday, that information would be available”.

Six months after the second shot is taken, the booster dose can be administered for these two cohorts. For the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine, the booster jab can be administered after 52 days. The Ministry is using the existing vaccines in the country to roll out this new leg of the vaccination campaign. From Monday, shots will be administered to person aged 50 years

972

and older; or any adult patient that is suffering from comorbidities.

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1653

REGION 2

1526

REGION 3

5034

REGION 4

17,569

REGION 5

1372

REGION 6

3050

REGION 7

1778

REGION 8

620

REGION 9

2469

REGION 10

2202

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 2267480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health. gov.gy All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand hygiene.

FEATURE

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– says Leandro Grant, a school dropout who is now an electrical foreman

O

ne’s teenage years can be very rocky, particularly when one has to battle peer pressure, learning disabilities, poverty and depression, among many other things which often contribute to many teenagers becoming school dropouts.

While dropping out of school is not encouraged, many prosperous men and women in today’s society had been school dropouts, with perseverance as the backdrop to their success stories.

The story of Leandro Grant, who moved from being a school dropout who lost his mother in his young adulthood to being an electrical foreman, is a living testimony of this fact. Grant, a humble, determined, and inspiring resident of Kwakwani, Region 10, Upper Berbice River, was unfortunately unable to complete his secondary education, due to his family’s financial deficit at the time of the fourth year of his secondary education.

He was forced to not only cut ties with his secondary education, but to seek employment to aid in sustaining himself and his parents, primarily his mother, who was at the time bedridden with an unknown illness.

“Life growing up like everyone

else, there were good times and bad times. Things were not well with us financially, so I dropped out of school in fourth form to assist my parents,” Grant said.

Fresh into the world of work, he entered the logging sector as a chainsaw operator/choka-man, after which he turned to carpentry with the hope of gaining a skill, but that stint was shortlived. He worked for some time as a salesman at a general store, but while being able to sustain his family was well-pleasing to him, it was, on the other hand, not what he has destined his life to be.

The 30-year-old always had a passion for things electrical, patterning his father, who was an electrician. His academic shortcomings created a barrier, but he was encouraged by family members to knock that barrier aside and apply for a LinesmanElectrical Course offered to youths by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) in collaboration with the Kwakwani Utilities Incorporated (KUI) back in 2009 in the community.

Grant explained that that was one of the best decisions he has ever made, and that was the doorway that led to many oppor-

tunities, despite the battle to stay afloat in his economic situation.

“It was kind of difficult to just train alone. I needed to continue assisting my family, and, as such, I return to the life of a logger while I continued my course, which was not full time,” Grant recounted.

He successfully fought the odds and completed the short course, which aided him in gain employment with the KUI, a utility company subsidised by the Government, as a meter reader on September 1, 2010.

The enemy called death strikes

The joy of being integrated into the public sector with a skill was tempered in 2011 when the Grim Reaper took Grant’s mother from this life after she had been bedridden and was battling an illness unknown to the family for approximately one year.

“Life was not the same. Many days, when you go home to have lunch, you accustom gracing your mom’s presence; but things change. I was hurt at the outset, but I always conditioned my mind for this day, because the pain she was going through was not easy,” the downhearted Grant stated.

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FEATURE

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Put your mind to what you...

Kept his eyes on the prize

This determined and self-driven man, who is the third of four children, said he had to quickly dust himself off and get back up after the passing of his mother. “I said to myself that I have to get past the hurdle of not being able to write CSEC and gain employment, and I can get up and dust myself off from this too; and I used this as a booster and keep the fire burning, since I was tasked to maintain my younger sibling,” he posited.

With no CSEC subjects, he went on to acquire several certificates relating to his job. Grant worked tirelessly in his endeavours to better himself over the years at KUI. He said his hardworking, persevering, and honest attributes landed him a spot as an Electrical Foreman in 2018. His promotion came with much criticism, and he was even threatened with losing his job when the

APNU/AFC lost the 2020 elections, but he remained steadfast in the face of what he classed as “mere talks”, and maintained his humble disposition, since he was optimistic that the PPP/C Administration would rely heavily on young, industrious, and talented minds to get the job done.

“I am a pushy guy. Even before I became a Foreman, I was carrying out the duties of one. I never sit around awaiting instructions on what next to do; is either I ask, or do what is to be done next. My punctuality played a major role in this as well. I was never absent or sick, no matter what the circumstances may be.

When my mother was ill, I worked right through.

“When the PPP/C Administration took office, a lot of persons were rallying for me to be fired on the grounds that I am young and not a holder of a CXC certificate. It never bothered me. I knew I had what

it takes, and I continued to be the humble person I always am, and here I am on the job to this day,” he said.

Being groomed for higher heights under new management

When this publication asked Grant what it is like to work under the company’s fairly new General Manager David Adams, he said, “The man (David Adams) does really push me. I might be an Electrical Foreman, but I have been entrusted with duties occasionally that are outside of my job description, which I take on with confidence; and (it) has really boosted me over the past eight months he is here. He pushes you to be somebody better, while also acknowledging the hard work you are doing.”

Grant recently obtained a scholarship to study “Photovoltaic Power

FROM PAGE 13

China” which will cement his knowledge in the Government’s transition to renewable energy while simultaneously acquiring a Diploma in Electrical Studies. The school dropout who is now an Electrical Foreman and aspires to be KUI’s General Manager extends praise to his family and workers for believing in him over the years.

“I would like to thank my family for always believing in me. Even my workmates, although I might be younger than many, they encourage me to do better. I would like to thank my friends, and not forgetting my wife, who has always been by my side,” he said.

Grant’s advice to school dropouts is: “While life is filled with many challenges, it is up to you to determine your future. Despite what you are going through, there are better days ahead. You may not have CSEC or degrees, but put your mind to what you want to achieve.”

16 FEATURE

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Former Guyana Times journalist admitted to Bar

F

Devi Seitaram along with Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall (right) and Senior Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy

ormer Guyana Times journalist, 32-yearold Moonmattie Devi Seitaram also known as Devi Seitaram was on Friday admitted to the Bar by Justice

Simone Morris-Ramlall of the Supreme Court in Georgetown Seitaram was called by her fellow Berbician, Tuanna Hardy, a senior prosecutor

in the office of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).

During the proceedings to admit Seitaram, Justice Morris-Ramlall spoke on the

importance of upholding the standard of the legal profession and observing the ethics which guide the behaviours of legal practitioners.

Seitaram was sworn in after the Judge said she was satisfied that she would be a valuable addition to the profession. Seitaram also gave brief remarks where she spoke about her humble beginnings and her upbringing.

She also spoke about becoming a trained journalist but decided to change careers as she desired to become an attorney-at-law. At the time, she was residing in Jamaica and worked with the Minister of Tourism, Jamaica.

However, Hardy spoke about the recently admitted attorney’s inability to fund her education and undertaking fundraisers and a GoFundMe to assist with her studies.

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18 FEATURE

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Former Guyana Times journalist...

Fortunately, she completed her law degree in two years - a journey that ordinarily takes three to four years - then went on to the Norman Manley Law School where she completed her

Legal Education Certificate in September 2021.

Seitaram, who resides in Jamaica, is awaiting her admission to the Bar in that country. She expressed a desire to open a practice in

FROM PAGE 16

Guyana where she can use her skills to help those who are in need of legal representation.

Among her motivations to become an attorney are to assist in creating laws and

New Attorney-at-Law Devi Seitaram, along with mother Lilowtie Seitaram and younger brother Joel Seitaram, at the High Court on Friday

policies to help the people of Guyana and those who are disenfranchised, especially her birth county Berbice.

Seitaram worked at Guyana Times from April 2010 to 2012. Whilst there, she represented the company at the Climate Change workshop held in Miami that was hosted by Reuters.

She then resigned and migrated to Jamaica where she started her journalism degree at the University of the West Indies. After completing her journalism degree in 2015, she had initially applied to read for a Master’s degree in economic development but was accepted into the law programme as her second option.

The brilliant young woman told <<<Guyana Times>> that she was forced to work more than one job to offset

her tuition and living expenses.

“One night I was so tired a pot of hot water fell on me and burned both of my legs.

I was preparing for exams and that still didn’t stop me.

I was lying in bed for eight days but in between, I was still studying but I had informed my professors what had happened,” she recalled.

She persevered and was able to complete her studies.

An emotional Seitaram said it was the hardest thing she has ever done in her life.

“It was challenging going to school full time. At one point I couldn’t afford it but I said you know what I’m not going to quit. I’ll take on more jobs. The pandemic helped me because I was able to work from home, attend school and take on odd jobs by using my writing skills

and my journalism qualifications so everything had a purpose in life,” she stated.

Her advice to young women is to never settle for anything in life. “I was in an environment where girls weren’t expected to go further than secondary school. I was discouraged from being a journalist because I’d have to work with men etc but no matter what people said I kept going because I had a vision for my life. I knew I wanted to make an impact in society and I often prayed for purpose over my life.”

She encouraged young women to be independent, become educated, and “go after your goals”. The young attorney’s aim is to also be admitted to the Jamaica Bar so that she can practice law there as well.

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SPAYING AND NEUTERING MAKES SENSE

L

ast week, we discussed the option of spaying/neutering as a method of pregnancy prevention. This is such an important issue that we feel it should be given even more prominence than the articles we usually present. Today's publication is taken from an editorial I wrote for a GSPCA Newsletter some time ago. The argument is still valid so many years later, perhaps even more so.

My colleague Dr. Waldron wrote in that same newsletter about the unhappy experiences of abandoned animals. One of the reasons given for carrying out what seems to be such a cruel and dastardly act ("straying" the animal) is that owners cannot cope with the puppies and kittens that are presented to them twice a year by their pets. Well, let us be quite clear on this: Straying an animal in order to solve this problem is both cruel and illogi-

cal, even illegal. The abandoned pet will still continue to produce offspring; only, in this instance, there is no owner to help protect both mother and puppies/kittens.

There is one option that this article would like to emphasise, which could help solve the particular problem of unwanted puppies and kittens. Owners can have pets spayed (females) or neutered (males). This would entail a surgical intervention which costs somewhere between $8,000 and $10,000 for a dog according to the size and gender, and $5,000 to $8,000 for a cat. By comparison, I should mention that animal clinics and hospitals in the United States of America

charge the US equivalent of $20,000 and $40,000 (and more) for exactly the same operation, using exactly the same drugs (and skills). The above-mentioned prices are just for the surgery. The medication costs associated with the post-surgical care are much higher than those prescribed by local vets.

Also, it is almost compulsory in the USA, Europe, and most other countries with sophisticated small animal practices that the dog/cat has to remain overnight in the vet's clinic, at a cost.

Note that I am not making a value judgement about veterinary costs in other countries, or their post-surgical patient recuperation regimes; rather, I am maintaining that local veterinary surgeons do not usually charge exorbitant fees for surgeries. The market, in all likelihood, cannot sustain high prices, and the whole issue would become counter-productive. Pet owners would not spay/neuter their animals, and there would be a proliferation of unwanted offspring.

In addition, I must mention that several veterinarians perform these surgeries gratis on behalf of the local humane societies. Most commendable!

Spaying (ovariohysterecto-

my) involves the removal of the ovaries and the uterus (womb) from the adult female dog/cat. It makes sense for all sorts of reasons, not only for ensuring that no unwanted puppies or kittens come into this world. There is enough evidence in the literature to show there is a risk of the emergence of particular ailments within the reproductive system of males/females that have not been castrated/spayed. For example, male dogs can develop testicular and penis cancers, and females can get infections of the womb, and mammary and vaginal tumours. Furthermore, during the mating seasons, dogs and cats tend to roam far away from home into other animals' territories. Fights may ensue, from which serious injuries may be sustained. Some of the lesions can be of such magnitude that the animal dies or has to be euthanized, or

has to make frequent visits to the veterinarian in order to be kept alive.

Also, you do not want some huge roaming dog/tomcat violating your small female, possibly impregnating her; or worse, injuring her during copulation, even if this may be a relatively rare occurrence. In fact, the very unstoppable attention (and concomitant noisy nocturnal visits) by oversexed beaus during the mating season is in itself distressing. I should mention that scientific literature has recently been documenting a common feline viral disease which is similar to AIDS, and which can be transmitted during mating. The moral of the story is that once the ovaries and the womb have been removed from the females, they would not come into heat, and therefore would not be mated.

We shall continue to discuss this subject next week.

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FEATURE

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HEALTH TIPS

CIRCADIAN RHYTHM (BIOLOGICAL CLOCK)

Dr. Tariq Jagnarine Family Medicine, Endocrinology/Diabetes

C

ircadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioural changes that follow a 24hour cycle. These natural processes respond primarily to light and dark, and affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes. The brain receives signals based on the environment, and activates certain hormones, alters our body’s temperature, and regulates our metabolism to keep us alert or draw us to sleep.

Some may experience disruptions to their circadian rhythm because of external factors or sleep disorders.

Maintaining healthy habits can help us respond better to this natural rhythm of our body.

There are several components that make up the body’s circadian rhythm.

It is one of four biological rhythms in the body.

influence the circadian rhythm. The rhythm may adjust based on the work hours, physical activity, and additional habits or lifestyle choices.

schedule, eating, or drinking late at night, watching screens too close to bedtime, or not having a comfortable sleeping space.

Age is another factor that influences the circadian rhythm. Infants, teens, and adults all experience circadian rhythms differently.

Disruptions to the circadian rhythm may be experienced, but the rhythm can get back on track if a healthy 24-hour schedule is promoted, such as: * Trying to adhere to a routine each day. * Spending time outdoors when it’s light outside, to boost the wakefulness. * Getting enough daily exercise — twenty or more minutes of aerobic exercise is generally recommended. * Sleeping in an environment that promotes rest, with proper lighting, a comfortable temperature, and a supportive mattress. * Avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine in the evenings. * Powering down the screens well before bedtime, and engaging in something analog, such as reading a book or meditating. * Do not nap late in the afternoon or evening.

Circadian rhythm in babies

Newborns do not have a circadian rhythm developed until they are a few months old. This can cause their sleeping patterns to be erratic in the first days, weeks, and months of their lives. Their circadian rhythm develops as they adapt to the environment and experience changes to their bodies.

Babies begin to release melatonin when they are about three months old, and the hormone cortisol develops from 2 months to 9 months old. Toddlers and children have a fairly regulated sleep schedule once their circadian rhythm and corresponding body functions mature. Children need about 9 or 10 hours of sleep each night.

* Circadian rhythm in teens (sleeping late)

First, cells in the brain respond to light and dark.

The eyes capture such changes in the environment, and then send signals to different cells about when it’s time to be sleepy or awake. Those cells then send more signals to other parts of the brain that activate other functions that make us more tired or alert.

Teenagers experience a shift in their circadian rhythm known as sleep phase delay. Unlike in their childhood years, with early bedtimes around 8 or 9 pm, teenagers may not get tired until much later in the night.

Melatonin may not rise until closer to 10 or 11 pm, or even later. That shift also results in a teenager’s need to sleep later in the morning. Their peak sleepy hours at night are from 3am to 7am — or may even be later — but they still need the same amount of sleep as children.

* Hormones play a role

* Circadian rhythm in adults

* Cells in the body

Hormones like melatonin and cortisol may increase or decrease as part of the circadian rhythm.

Melatonin is a hormone that makes us sleepy, and the body releases more of it at night and suppresses it during the day. Cortisol can make us more alert, and the body produces more of it in the morning.

* Other factors

Body temperature and metabolism are also part of the circadian rhythm. The temperature drops when we sleep, and rises during awake hours. Additionally, the metabolism works at different rates throughout the day.

Other factors may also

SOLUTIONS

Adults should have a pretty consistent circadian rhythm if they practise healthy habits. Their bedtimes and wake times should remain stable if they follow a fairly regular schedule and aim for seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Adults likely get sleepy well before midnight, as melatonin is released into their bodies. They reach their most tired phases of the day from 2am to 4am, and from 1pm to 3pm.

Older adults may notice their circadian rhythm changes with age, and they begin to go to bed earlier than they used to, and wake in the wee hours of the morning. In general,

this is a normal part of aging.

Causes of Disrupted Circadian Rhythm

Sometimes it is not possible to follow the circadian rhythm, and the lifestyle needs and internal clock clash. This can occur because of: * Overnight or off-hours work shifts that go against the natural light and dark times of day. * Work shifts with erratic hours.

* Travel that spans the course of one or more different time zones. * A lifestyle that encourages late-night hours or early wake times. * Medications’ use. * Stress. * Mental health conditions. * Health conditions like brain damage (cancer, infection, and trauma), dementia, head injuries, or blindness. * Poor sleep habits, including lacking a sleep

Effects on Health

Maintaining the circadian rhythm is vital to health. If we experience a disruption to the circadian rhythm and struggle to get the proper amount of sleep, we may experience both short-term and longterm consequences to our health.

Disruption to the circadian rhythm can cause health conditions in several parts of the body in the long term. Those include the organs, cardiovascular system, metabolism, gastrointestinal system, skin etc.

This can make persons more susceptible to diabetes, obesity, and mental health conditions as well.

Short-term disruptions to the circadian rhythm may result in problems with memory, or lack of energy. It may also take longer to heal an injury by not getting enough sleep.

Reach out to a doctor if experiencing prolonged difficulties sleeping, or extreme fatigue during the day, to find out how to realign with the circadian rhythm and get proper rest.

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FEATURE

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A knack for empowering young athletes - Ninvalle focused on development on International Men’s Day

Ninvalle in action!

T

he name Steve Ninvalle is quite a popular one among Guyana’s sport fraternity.

Even more so, Ninvalle is widely known in the Caribbean Region for his strong advocacy in the sport of boxing.

Working his way up from a sports journalist to now holding the position of Director of Sport (DoS) in Guyana, Ninvalle’s personal growth is remarkable; however, his care for the development of young athletes is another of his most prominent features.

On the occasion of International Men’s Day, Guyana Times sat down with this interesting character named Steve Ninvalle, who currently wears many hats, to get an idea of his thoughts on the celebration of the contribution of men worldwide.

The day is, in fact, something that he is receptive to, noting that it is great that men can be celebrated similarly to their female counterparts.

“I think it's extremely import-

ant. I think it's (fair) that we find ways to celebrate what men do. And when I say what men do, I mean what good men do. I think (that) for some time, they seemed to be a void of good men in the parenting department, and that has magnified itself, and we see it coming out of some of the children and the attitudes of children and what they do. So, allow me to applaud all men who have been trying their best, putting their best foot forward in being good parents and good partners and good fathers, you know, and good grandfathers. You know, it's important,” the Director of Sport shared.

Ninvalle, who is a father and husband, does a lot of juggling of his roles and responsibilities, considering his job description. In addition to those athletes whose careers he attempts to guide, the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President highlighted that great relationships with children are integral to their development, even if you have to be their friend on a few occasions.

“Well, I think there needs to be a balance. But my children, they benefit from having both parents in the same home. That is not the key crease right across the board.

What is important is that, as parents, we serve as guides, and not persons who just pass instructions.

It's also important to have, for want of a better word, to have an open relationship with your children,” Ninvalle stated.

“It's important for them to be

Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle

able to speak to you as a friend and as a father or as a parent. I think with those being the foundations, then you will have children who are good citizens, and that's basically what we are about,” he explained.

He went on to add about his personal experiences, “We (Ninvalle and his children) have conversations that sometimes people may (wonder) ‘Is this really a father or your friend?’, but at the end of it, it's always respectful. We are respectful to each other, and I think that, keeping that up will make sure that they go into society and become good parents too, and be able to pass on that baton that we would have given them: of being structured; being rounded; and being respected, respectable and good persons.”

During his time in sport, the

current GBA President has come across many athletes, some of whom look up to him as a father figure or influential. In responding on how he deals with the challenge of being placed in that bracket, Ninvalle shared that he is honoured to be seen in such a light, but emphasised the need for others like him to use their influence meaningfully.

“You know, I, especially in the sport that I'm the President, we see a lot of anger, and sometimes people don't know where that anger is coming from. And in having cogent conversations with these young athletes, you get to understand that the absence of a parent is the genesis of that anger,” he explained.

Ninvalle continued: “Sometimes it's for you to help to guide and

channel that anger into something that can become productive, rather than becoming counterproductive.

That is why it's important to have conversation. That's the only way you can find out what is going on.

And conversations, whether short or long, will be able to open that door to you that you may be able to help that individual,” he said.

“Those are some of the common things that you see. Being a mentor or a father figure is something that I take, I embrace with both hands, because of the fact that I, more than many people, can understand the need of having both parents. So that's something that I take on, I'm glad that I can be seen as that. And that's something I will continue to do,” he concluded on the topic.

Especially in his sport of expertise, the Director of Sport has noticed the need for mental health awareness. In combatting this problem, Ninvalle disclosed that he has made an attempt for the National Sports Commission to has psychology services readily available.

He related to Guyana Times, “Well, I think it's very, very important. And that's why, from the platform of the National Sports Commission (NSC), we have now included that psychologist to work with sports people, and to make the psychologist much more accessible.

I'm not saying that we came and we started with it, but we made it much more accessible.”

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A knack for empowering young athletes...

On that note, the sports administrator lamented the stigma that is attached to the notion of ‘mental health awareness’, opining that it can be the difference between an athlete medaling or not.

“In Guyana, there’s a stigma that goes along with mental health: that if you see a psychologist, you’re a madman or a madwoman; and a lot of times people shy away from actually getting that help, because they don’t want to be labelled as a madman or a madwoman. Well, you

may be a mad person if you don’t want to get that sort of help. And that’s why we have to be able to reach out in a way, in a confidential way, because mental health issues are so serious, and it manifests itself in so many ways.”

On the same train of thought, Ninvalle added, “So, not only that your body must be fit, but we expect that to have a fit mind and a fit body is the greatest platform for having an athlete that can excel.”

Speaking on ways that other influential figures

FROM PAGE 27

can be a part of the cause, especially in regard to empowering young men, Ninvalle suggested taking some time out to pay attention to their needs, rather than being autorotative.

“Spend some time!

Volunteer! You know, I remember a friend of mine, Mr. Frank De Abreu, the he said to me, ‘Steve, only busy people get things done, or only busy people find time to get things done. It’s a profound statement, but I think that we must look at it as ‘It takes a village to raise a child’. And

Steve Ninvalle handing over a prize to now Olympic Boxer Keevin Allicock if we look at it from that point of view, then we’ll be able to roll our sleeves up and assist the younger generation,” the Director of Sport began.

He went on to solidify his point by sharing, “And if we don’t, as influential, or as mature, or as educated, or whatever you want to call it, if we do not find an avenue, whereby we can assist in guiding and that’s why I started the conversation by saying that it’s important not for us to just pelt out demands and instructions, but to be looked upon as guiding figures, because that is easier to embrace when you guide - if we do not find time to do that, then you’re not part of the solution, you are a part of the problem. And I would want to be at all times a part of the solution.”

Much more than sharing opinions is the ability to put it into action. A firm believer of this, the Director of Sport was kind enough to share just one brainchild geared at empowering youths, particularly athletes. According to the GBA Boss, he would like to see athletes’ education being developed, to match their remarkable talents.

Ninvalle explained his reasoning, saying, “One thing is that, and this is something that I would like to see and I would like to implement…for the persons who excel, we can provide avenues for them to be educated. It goes hand in hand, and many times we can see that we have excellent sportsmen and sportswomen, but that’s all; it stops there.

“There’s a life after

sport, and I would want to make sure that if we can have them be much more rounded, then we can apply that aspect of it.

Of course, this idea, like many others, does not come without stipulations, but for this prominent male figure, it will go a long way to birthing a new generation of successful athletes and adults. That’s a personal goal of mine, but it must be done in a very structured way. In the sense that, if you have this and you do not perform, then, you know, tuition may be lessened, because you must have a way of having checks and balances. And it’s not there for just you go to school for two days and then you sleep for the next five. So, it must be in a structured way,” he repeated.

NEWS

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605 men committed suicide between 2016 and 2021 – Dr Persaud – says many were exposed to violence at an early age

H

uman Services and Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud on Friday related that recent statistics have shown that the suicide rate among men is alarmingly high when compared to that of women.

She made this disclosure at an event to celebrate International Men’s Day at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

“Did you know, 605 men took their lives from 2016 to 2021 and that’s in comparison to 171 women during that time?”

The Minister stated that statistics of this nature are quite alarming and require im-

mediate attention. She noted that the numbers are important in crafting programmes and policies that will direct attention to the causes of suicide.

In addition to this, the Minister also revealed that a recent study among 900 inmates showed that they have witnessed violence at an early age.

“A study was done. And that study was done at the prison. 900 inmates were interviewed. A lot came out, giving a lot of insight to us that was previewed to the results, in that, one in four men saw their fathers beat

their mothers. That’s alarming. It might seem like just one, but it’s one in four.

Also important is the discussion of violence. We would have seen across our country the impact of violence, most of the violence being directed towards women.

And then when we think further, of how many men would have been exposed to violence from an early age. And men said yes.

Six out of ten of you would have experienced violence as boys,” Dr Persaud expressed.

Making a call for these social ills to be eradicated, she encouraged men to reflect on

their childhood days while noting that those experiences contribute to shaping who they are today and what they will become tomorrow.

“All of these things shape the men of today, and all of those things will shape the men of tomorrow. And it is imperative that we not only look at statistics, but we look at how we can address these statistics so that we can eradicate some of the commonest social ills and we definitely ensure that the generations to come have positive messages,” the Minister posited.

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Caricom Ministerial Task Force making progress on regional transport, coconut industry

D

uring the fourth sitting of the Special Ministerial Task Force (MTF), which was set up to advance the agri-food system in Caricom, the participating Member States and regional organisations inspected progress made on several decisions that were taken so far.

Agriculture Minister and Chairman of the Task Force, Zulfikar Mustapha updated that following the last MTF meeting, a number of important activities have been undertaken.

“We saw the successful hosting of Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), which as we know was the first virtual CWA hosted by the region due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Be that as it may, the CWA was very well attended

and generated much positive discussion throughout the region. The COTED Ministerial was convened and delivered a lot of important decisions related to the work of this task force,” Minister Mustapha said.

As Chair of the taskforce, Minister Mustapha detailed as part of his mandate, a number of engagements were facilitated through the secretariat with key stakeholders, particularly on issues surrounding financing for priority commodities.

Some of the areas identified for discussion by the MTF during the meeting were the resuscitation of the Regional Transportation Commission and investment opportunities for coconut in the region.

While speaking on matters relating to the Regional

Transportation Committee, Representative from the Transport Division at the Caricom Secretariat, Dr Pauline Yearwood said that steps have so far been taken to resuscitate the regional transport commission.

“The regional transportation is yet to be fully constituted but this is expected to be completed no later than the 24th November 2021.

The undertaking of a review and amendment of the initial list of respective nominees proposed for the commission with the objective of establishing a new list comprising individuals, organisations, and institutions who and which can engage the private sector at the highest level in the furtherance of the work of the commission and attract investment for

the development of the regional transport sector,” Dr Yearwood noted.

Should this commission be resuscitated, Caricom nationals would benefit from a more competitive transportation industry. Additionally, members of the MTF were invited to identify and nomi-

nate a representative for the constituting of the Regional Transport Committee.

From its inception, the MTF had identified coconut as a priority commodity for growth in the Caricom region. Deputy Manager for Resource Mobilisation at CARDI, Tristan Alvarez said

that the coconut industry is projected to see significant growth by 2026.

“Coconuts been identified as a priority commodity by the MTF, but also COTEDagriculture, which led to the formation of the Coconut Commodity Group. The coconut industry is a multibillion, multiproduct market characterised by stability, growth, and innovation areas expected to grow from approximately US$11.5 million in 2018 to US$31.1 billion in 2026,” Alvarez said.

CARDI, for years, has served as the lead agency for developing the regional coconut sector.

Member States expressed satisfaction with the progress made thus far by the MTF even in the midst of a global pandemic.

NEWS

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Malnourished Venezuelan migrants found in Reg 1 A

large number of Amerindians suspected to be migrants including children were found at Anabisi, Port Kaituma, Region One, North West District (NWD), and appeared to be malnourished and in poor health.

The group is said to be Venezuelans who migrated from that country for betterment in Guyana.

Following reports of the discovery in sections of the media, the Office of the Prime Minister stated that sever-

al Government agencies had immediately responded and will provide the necessary emergency interventions.

These agencies would have provided immediate medical and food relief to the migrants.

“As an additional measure, a ministerial team of central responders departed the city today for Port Kaituma with additional supplies. The team will coordinate with other stakeholders that have been involved in collaborative work to ensure

500% increase in DUI cases recorded in Reg 6 – Police to clamp down on errant road users

Traffic ranks checked documents of motorists in Regions 5 and 6

T

he Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) is expected to ramp up its campaign against errant motorists as cases of driving under the influence of alcohol have skyrocketed.

Statistics coming out of ancient county revealed that a total of 90 drivers were placed before the courts for driving under the influence of alcohol during the first week of November when compared to 15 for the corresponding period last year. This represents an alarming 500 per cent increase.

In light of this issue, Divisional Commander Jairam Ramlakhan reiterated that the Traffic Department has since adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards errant motorists while pointing out that there has been an increase of 117 per cent of persons being placed before the courts for various traffic offenses.

He related that for 2020, less than 5000 persons were charged for traffic offenses but for this year so far, more than 10,000 have been charged - many of whom are for dangerous driving.

Police stated that more than 1500 drivers have been charged and placed before the courts for speeding as compared with 1331 as of November last year.

Additionally, 47 persons have been charged for dangerous driving compared with 12 for the corresponding period last year. A total of 1059 persons have been prosecuted for failing to wear seat belts.

Ramlakhan further stated

that 232 motorcyclists have been charged for not wearing a helmet when compared to 47 last year. To date, Region Six has recorded seven road fatalities when compared to 13 in 2020.

On the other hand, a total of nine persons have lost their lives in Region Five - two less than last year. Region Five Divisional Commander, Kurleigh Simon believes that some of the road deaths could have been prevented.

“It is not that our traffic ranks are not working, but, in some instances, we had about three or four freak accidents over the past six weeks which ultimately carried up our figures,” he told reporters at a recent press engagement.

He stated that based on statistics presented in other areas, there is a reduction when compared with last year’s comparative figures.

Sharing some numbers with reporters, he related that there have been 12 serious accidents when compared to 14 for the corresponding period last year while minor accidents stand at 15.

With respect to the Region Six figures, there have been 57 serious accidents for the year thus far when compared to 24 for the same period last year.

Meanwhile, both Commanders have expressed concern over the offences of speeding, persons driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, double parking and the lack of prohibited periods for container lorries.

On this note, rigorous traffic enforcement will be conducted on a 24-hour basis during the Christmas season.

a holistic intervention,” the release stated.

The release also stated that an aircraft will remain in the area to assist with medical evacuations which may become necessary.

It was reported in an online media outlet, Demerara Waves, that the NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO), Blossom Inc had discovered the migrants and raised an alarm to the necessary Government officials to further intervene.

The group, suspected to be Warraus, was suspected to be living on the bank of a river.

“The Government of Guyana remains mindful of its humanitarian obligations to migrants and has been actively engaged in sustained efforts to deliver food and medical relief across the regions where migration into

Guyana is taking place,” the release further indicated.

Prime Minister Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips in an invited comment stated, “As I speak with you now, we have [re]supplies that were delivered to them [this morning] yesterday – food supplies, we have a medical team that went in there since yesterday and [will] remain on the ground.

We have additional supply that is now at Port Kaituma that is being ferried to Anabisi area and we also have an aircraft that departed shortly with more supplies. Because we cannot take supplies for the refugees alone. We’re also taking to the people who live in that area.

And if there is any need for medical evacuation – two aircraft will be on the ground.

The doctor will make the de-

Prime Minister Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips

termination and we will bring out the people for further treatment.”

He indicated that the Government would have dispatched supplies into that

area to immediately be distributed to the affected families.

He noted that the Government of Guyana is committed to assisting the refugees throughout Guyana.

“It’s a humanitarian issue and we have a humanitarian obligation to help refugees throughout Guyana,” he noted.

When questioned about why the refugees are in their current deplorable state if they were receiving relief from the inception, the Prime Minister stated, “We don’t know that. Let the medical people determine that.”

“The doctors on the ground will examine the children, they will determine who will be hospitalised and whatever further medical intervention is needed,” Phillips reiterated.

32 NEWS Young Guyanese environment advocates receive UNICEF grants for climate action projects SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Aquila Fernandes

Dan Rudolph

Deopaul Somwaru

Jacintha Realine

Suphane Dash-Alleyne

NICEF Guyana in partnership with the Rights of the Child Commission (RCC) on

Thursday awarded grants to a total of six young Guyanese to implement climate action projects as part of the enti-

ties’ Climate Changemakers Initiative.

This initiative comes ahead of World Children’s

Day 2021, which is being observed under the theme, “A better future for every child”.

The projects, which were

proposed, designed, and will be implemented by the six young Guyanese, range from engaging and raising aware-

U

ness of climate change among young people on social media to mangrove restoration on the West Demerara, and monitoring and advocating for the protection of freshwater resources in the Rupununi.

“UNICEF is delighted to support this group of exceptional young Guyanese. We hope it is just the start of their climate action journey and will be an inspiration to other youth. At UNICEF, we recognise that the climate crisis is a child rights crisis and?we are committed to helping young people take action to protect the future of our planet,” UNICEF Deputy Country Representative, Irfan Akhtar related.

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NEWS

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Policeman injured after colliding with truck

A

Police Constable is hospitalised with a fractured leg after he swerved his motorcycle from hitting a truck but ended up colliding with a car on the Corentyne Public Road, Region Six.

The incident occurred sometime around 09:15h on Friday on the Chesney Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice. The injured cop has been identified as Constable Gavin Seecharan, 27, of Angoy’s

Avenue, New Amsterdam.

Police reports revealed that Seecharan was proceeding east along the northern drive lane at a fast rate of speed, while a truck was heading in the opposite direction ahead of

Small-scale miners given green light to operate in Marudi A

fter years of being barred from mining in the Rupununi region, small-scale miners have been given legal rights for mining operations in the Marudi area.

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat recently witnessed the signing of the agreement that will allow the resumption of mining operations by small-scale operators and exploration activities by the property holders within the Marudi area in the Rupununi.

The agreement was signed on Wednesday at the Natural Resources Ministry between the Rupununi Miners Association, Aurous and Romanex and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) as the regulator.

Minister Bharrat, who gave brief remarks, highlighted the vital role mining plays within the Rupununi and how it contributes to the development of local communities. He urged all stakeholders to undertake mining and exploration activities in keeping with the Mining Act and Regulations.

In a statement on

Mining in the Rupununi region

Thursday, the Executive members of the Rupununi Miners Association Cooperative Society said that mining remains fundamental to almost every aspect of the economy, and will aid in local development.

“The Executive members of the Rupununi Miners Association Co-operative Society extends sincere gratitude to the Government of Guyana for giving us their full support which has made this possible. We plan to fully adhere to the mining regulations of the country and to work in collaboration with all stakeholders for the success of this venture,” the

statement read.

The Marudi Mining Licence (ML) /1-2009 had been in regulatory suspension since October 16, 2014, for issues of non-compliance. Thereafter, Arctex, et al, entered into an agreement to purchase the shares of Romanex on March 13, 2015. Arctex became the de facto owner of the mining licence subject to technical and financial scrutiny.

Following a technical presentation by Arctex/ Romanex on April 10, 2015, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) presented Arctex/Romanex with an MoU in July 2015.

Young Guyanese environment..

“When we enable children and young people as agents of change, there is an unparalleled opportunity to address the climate crisis both in the present - among their peers, households, and communities, and in the long term as these children become decision-makers,” Akhtar further posited.

The awardees are said to be among a larger group of young Guyanese who benefitted from training by climate and other experts under the Climate Changemakers Initiative.

Subsequently, they submitted their proposals for climate action in their communities and following an evaluation, funding was awarded for selected projects.

These projects are Protection of Freshwater Resources in the South Rupununi, which was proposed by Dan Rudolph, Aquila Fernandes, and Jacintha Realine.

This project is expected to monitor, raise awareness and advocate for the protection of key freshwater sources in the South Rupununi; Youths

for a Change, proposed by Shontay Hawker, involves youth in a Georgetown ward raising awareness and taking action to promote environmental sustainability; and Mangrove Restoration, proposed by Deopaul Somwaru.

This project aims to find a more efficient way of replanting mangroves which involves exploring the use of a pioneer species of grass to set the foundation for the growth of mangroves on mudflats on the West Demerara; and Ecospacegy which was proposed by Suphane DashAlleyne, with the main focus being the utilisation of social media to engage and raise awareness of climate change and its impacts with the main audience being Guyanese youth.

Meanwhile, Chairperson of the RCC, Aleema Nasir, stated “RCC is delighted and is privileged to once again partner with UNICEF in this worthwhile initiative of challenging our Climate Changemakers, who are also some of the Commission’s Child Rights Ambassadors, to actively engage in projects

FROM PAGE 32

that will make a difference in their communities”.

“We are proud of the work they have put into developing their various projects and look forward to providing support during the execution of the same.”

Climate change is said to be one of the greatest threats facing this generation.

UNICEF and the RCC’s Climate Changemakers Initiative aims to strengthen youth participation in climate action.

An August 2021 UNICEF report, The Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), found almost every child on earth is exposed to at least one climate and environmental hazard, such as heatwaves, cyclones, air pollution, flooding, and water scarcity.

Under this programme, Guyanese youth have benefitted from training in climate change, advocacy, diplomacy, life skills, and the use of digital platforms to improve their understanding of the climate crisis and increase participation in climate advocacy and action.

a hire car.

According to reports, the truck suddenly turned right onto the northern drive lane into the path of the motorcyclist. As a result, the policeman swerved to avoid a collision but instead, he collided with the front right-side portion of a hire car which was proceeding west.

As a result of the collision, the motorcyclist fell onto the road’s surface and sustained injuries to his body. He was picked up in a conscious condition by both drivers and taken to New Amsterdam Public Hospital where he was seen and examined by a doctor on duty who treated him for a fractured left leg and sent him away at about 13:10h.

About 15:40h, he subsequently returned to the said hospital complaining of pains about his body and was further examined and admitted a patient in a stable condition.

Both drivers were arrested as investigations continue.

Female among 6 busted with air pistol, ammo

The gun and ammunition found during the operation

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olice in Georgetown have arrested six suspects including a female following the discovery of an air pistol and a quantity of ammunition at the premises they were at.

The discovery was made sometime around 18:15h on Friday at Bourda Street, Lacytown.

In addition to the air pistol, the cops also found ten 12-gauge cartridges, thirty-one .45 rounds, fourteen .38 rounds and forty-nine M15 rounds.

Acting on information received, ranks from the division went to a property located at Bourda Street, Lacytown, where they met the suspects gathered.

The ranks informed them of their reasons for being there and a 19-year-old male identi-

fied himself as the caretaker of the property.

A search was requested and he gave permission. They were all taken into the house where a search was conducted.

Whilst searching in a bedroom, a suspected air pistol was unearthed inside a cardboard box. A further search revealed ten 12-gauge cartridges, thirty-one .45 rounds, fourteen .38 rounds and forty-nine M15 rounds in the kitchen area. They were all told of the offence committed and cautioned in regards to the Judge’s rules.

They denied having knowledge of the suspected items and were all arrested and placed into custody. The suspected air pistol and ammunition are presently lodged.

Investigation in progress.

34 NEWS

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt pumps $7.5M into upgrade of Katoonarib water system – over 400 residents to benefit

From left: Katoonarib Toshao Gregory David; Ministry of Housing & Water P.S, Andre Ally; Minister within the Ministry of Housing & Water, Susan Rodrigues; Reg 9 Prime Ministerial Rep, Claire Singh; and GWI Executive Director of Hinterland Services, Ramchand Jailal

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he Amerindian village of Katoonarib, located in South Central Rupununi (Region 9), is now receiving improved access to potable water, following the completion of a water supply system undertaken by the Guyana Water Incorporated to the tune of $7.5 million.

The system was officially declared open on Saturday, November 20, by Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues.

Close to 400 persons are now receiving access to potable water, which translates

to 90 percent of the community, as opposed to an initial 25 percent.

Addressing the villagers during the commissioning ceremony, Minister Rodrigues stated that the realisation of new water supply systems in the interior region is as a result of consultation with Amerindian communities prior to Government’s accession to office. This process, she said, has helped to craft the commitments in Government’s manifesto, which are being delivered one by one.

Minister Rodrigues point-

ed out that Government’s intention is to reinstate the respect and honour that many Amerindian communities have lost under the previous administration. Further, she explained that many Amerindian villages not located on the coast were neglected simply because they were within the geography of Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9; which are considered hinterland Regions.

The Minister thanked the GWI team and community members for their cooperation in ensuring the success of the project.

Minister Rodrigues sampling water from the Katoonarib Water Supply System

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Andre Ally, alluded to Government’s Gy$343M investment in the water sector for hinterland communities, noting that some $150M of that sum is being pumped into Region 9 (approximately 50 percent Basic Needs Trust Fund and 50 percent GoG funds). This, he said, would ensure every community gets improved and first-time access to potable water.

Also addressing the gathering was the GWI’s Executive Director of Hinterland Services, Ramchand Jailal, who said the shallow well that existed posed a high risk for contamination, while this new well would eliminate. He highlighted that the main challenge in executing the project was running pipelines to some houses, due to their geographic location.

He noted, however, that GWI would continue to work to ensure that even those houses situated some distance away would have direct access to this improved service.

As with every hinterland Region where a new well is established, Mr. Jailall pointed out that Community Service Officers would be trained to maintain the system.

He expressed satisfaction with the work put in by the GWI well drilling team, as well as the community members who assisted with the pipe-laying works.

Prime Ministerial Representative for Region 9, Claire Singh, said the water system is yet another fulfillment of the Government’s commitment. She added that, soon enough, the hinterland would be able to benefit from equal water service, as obtains on the coast.

One Katoonarib resident, Susan David, expressed appreciation to His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali for his dedication to the people, particularly those in the hinterland. She said that with the realisation of the water system, she no longer has to walk far distances to fetch water.

Many other residents, including the Community Service Officers, also noted

their satisfaction at installation of the system and level of water service they are receiving.

Previously, Katoonarib accessed water from a shallow hand-dug well with a depth of approximately 20ft., and the water was pumped and stored in a reinforced concrete trestle.

During the dry season, the community suffered a water shortage, as the main source would run dry. Most of the residents would then have to rely on alternative means of obtaining water.

Additionally, the distribution network did not extend beyond the central point of the community, preventing residents’ direct access to water.

However, the newly commissioned water supply system saw the drilling of a new well by GWI’s Hinterland Team at a depth of close to 300ft or 80 metres; extension of the existing distribution network, rehabilitation of the water trestle, upgrading of the photovoltaic system, and the installation of stand pipes.

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

35

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Japan PM confirms oil reserves may be released to curb prices

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apan is considering releasing oil from its reserves for the first time to curb surging oil prices, Kyodo news agency reported on Saturday, as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida signalled his readiness to counter oil price hikes following a request from the United States.

However, Japan may struggle to justify such a move, as under its own laws the country can release reserves only at a time of supply constraints or natural disasters, but not to lower prices.

The US Administration of President Joe Biden, who faces falling approval ratings and higher gasoline prices, has pressed some of the world's biggest economies to consider releasing oil from their strategic reserves to quell high energy prices.

The requests include asking China for the first time to consider releasing stocks of crude.

"We're proceeding with consideration as to what we can do legally on the premise that Japan will coordinate with the United States and other countries concerned," Kishida told reporters.

"We want to draw a conclusion after thoroughly considering the situation each country faces and what Japan can do."

Japan has tapped its reserves in the past to deal with the fallout of the Gulf War in the early 1990s and the deadly earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Thursday that Tokyo was closely watching the impact of rising oil prices on the world's third-biggest economy.

"While urging oil-producing nations to ramp up oil output, we will strive to stabilise energy markets by coordinating with major consumer nations and international organisations such as IEA (the International Energy Agency)," Matsuno said.

Resource-poor Japan gets the vast majority of its oil from the Middle East. Recent surging oil prices and a weakening yen are driving up the cost of imports, dealing a double blow to a tradedependent nation.

Kishida's Government on Friday unveiled a record $490 billion stimulus plan including measures to counter higher oil prices. It plans to subsidise oil refiners in the hope of capping wholesale gasoline and fuel prices to ease the pain to households and firms from rising oil costs.

"What's important is to urge oil-producing countries to ramp up oil production," Kishida said last month after discussions with Cabinet Ministers. "We will arrange concrete measures after confirming what industry sectors are being affected." (Excerpt from Reuters)

Haiti opens consulate in southern Mexico to address migration rise

Migrants, mostly Haitians, wait in line for asylum processing by Mexico's Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) outside a soccer stadium in Tapachula, Mexico October 18, 2021 (REUTERS/Jose Torres/File Photo)

H

aiti on Friday opened a consulate in the southern Mexican border city of Tapachula in a bid to help manage migration, Mexico's Government said, amid a steep increase in Haitians attempting to cross the US-Mexico frontier this year.

The opening of the consulate near the Guatemalan border is part of efforts between the governments of Mexico and Haiti to look after migrants from the Caribbean nation inside Mexican territory, the Mexican government said in a statement.

The rise in the number of Haitians making their way through Mexico has been spurred by economic malaise, a devastating earthquake and political turmoil following the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise in July.

On Thursday, a caravan of around 3000 migrants featuring many Haitians set off from Tapachula toward the USMexico border, where mass arrivals of Haitian nationals sparked a crisis for the Biden Administration in September.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Flood-hit Canada province braces for heavy rain, 3 bodies found

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earchers located three bodies swept away by landslides in British Columbia, officials said on Saturday, after record rainfall that paralysed parts of the province, leading to food and fuel shortages.

Canada's westernmost province declared a state of emergency after a phenomenon known as an "atmospheric river" brought a month's worth of rain in two days. The rainfall washed out roads and railways, cut-

ting off Vancouver and the lower mainland region from the rest of the country, and blocking access to some towns entirely.

Another similar weather system is forecast to hit northern British Columbia today and bring heavy rains to the lower mainland, according to Environment Canada.

The province imposed temporary restrictions on fuel and non-essential travel on Friday to ease supply

chain disruptions and aid recovery work.

Three more bodies were found, in addition to one located on Monday, and efforts to reach a fifth person caught in a mudslide have been unsuccessful, the province's chief coroner said on Saturday.

The storms, which started last Sunday, forced the closure of the Trans Mountain pipeline and cut two critical east-west rail lines owned by Canadian

Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway Co that lead to Canada's busiest port of Vancouver, impeding the supply of fuel and goods.

CP said work to repair damaged infrastructure would continue non-stop and service should be restored in the middle of next week.

About 14,000 people remain under evacuation orders in several communities in the Pacific province.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

San Diego motorway frenzy after armoured van spills money

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spillage from an armoured van sparked a mad scramble - and Police arrests - on a US motorway on Friday morning.

Videos on social media show money raining down as people scramble to pick up dollars strewn across the road.

It happened on the Interstate 5 in California's San Diego county.

Police said the ensuing excitement saw drivers abandon their vehicles and

block traffic. Arrests were made, with others who pocketed cash urged to hand it back.

One of the armoured vehicle's doors popped open on the road, causing bags of cash to fall out and break apart at about 09:15 (17:15 GMT) local time.

Video captured at the scene by fitness influencer Demi Bagby shows the road at a standstill, with passers-by grabbing and playing with littered US$1 and

“Burning the metro”: Chile election divides voters between protest and order

A view of Plaza Baquedano area, recently also known as Plaza de la Dignidad (Dignity square), the main place of rallies since protests broke out in the country over social injustices and entrenched inequality, in Santiago, Chile, November 19, 2021

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or many Chileans, Plaza Baquedano, a broad rotary in central Santiago that for decades served as a center of social protest, has become a powerful symbol of hope.

For two years, city residents have regularly gathered here to protest pensions that are too low, public transit fees that are too high and, more generally, an old-guard political class that just does not get it.

The statue of a nineteenth-century general that sat at the plaza's center has been removed, and its plinth is now covered in left-wing political literature.

Most credit the protests - known collectively as the "estallido social" or "social outbreak" - for bringing about an Ongoing Rewrite Of The Nation's Pinochet-Era Constitution. The "estallido" has also helped propel the candidacy of 35-year-old leftist Gabriel Boric, a relative newcomer who has become a serious contender in this Sunday's

presidential election.

But not everyone is so enthralled.

Among the detractors is Ramon Zambrano, a doorman at a nearby apartment building.

"You can protest, but peacefully. They're making a mess, burning cars, burning the metro. What are they doing?" he asks, while pointing out the damage done to the now graffiti-covered building where he works.

In a sense, the situation around Plaza Baquedano represents the central paradox of the election. While Chile's Left gained significant traction via dozens of massive marches that began in 2019, two years of sometimes-violent protests have made many voters wary.

That - combined with a widespread perception among Chileans that crime is on the rise - has created an opportunity for the Right to gain ground by hammering home a law-and-order message.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

US$20 bills.

"This is the most insane thing I've ever seen," she says in the clip, which then shows the usually busy motorway abandoned.

Two arrests were made at the scene, local media reported.

Highway police officials said the FBI were involved and urged people who grabbed cash to come forward.

Officer Bettencourt said anyone who stopped to pick

up money could "possibly be facing charges".

"If a bunch of TVs fell from a truck across the freeway, you can't just take the TVs," he said in comments reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper.

Curtis Martin, a sergeant with the CHP, said on Friday afternoon that about a dozen people had returned money they had grabbed to police. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Peru PM sparks controversy with mining sector by ruling out timeline extensions

President Pedro Castillo of Peru shakes hands with Mirtha Vasquez after her swearing-in as the country's new Prime Minister, in Lima, Peru, October 6, 2021

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eruvian Prime Minister Mirtha Vasquez sparked a controversy with the key mining sector on Friday night, saying a group of four mines in the Andean Ayacucho region would not be allowed any extensions on their operational timelines.

"This is an arbitrary measure that ignores the rule of law and its principles," said Oscar Caipo, the president of Confiep, which groups Peru's largest corporations.

Vasquez had said the government would help broker terms for the shutdown of four mines that have been affected by community protests in recent weeks.

"We will close the mines as soon as possible," Vasquez said, according to a government news release. "There will be no extensions, whether for exploitation, exploration or even shutdown," Two of them are owned by Hochschild Mining; the other two are smaller operations.

The remarks triggered a

furious reaction from the mining industry on Saturday, with executives saying that while the mines were formally scheduled to shut down soon, they were hoping to extend those timelines.

Under Peruvian law, all mines have an expected closure date, although those dates can be modified if regulators allow it.

The spat is the latest controversy between the leftist administration led by President Pedro Castillo and the mining sector. Peru is the world's No 2 copper producer and mining tax revenue is a significant part of the country's finances.

The mining sector has criticised Castillo for what they see as an administration that is too permissive with protesters.

"We are legitimizing violence as a justified measure of social pressure, said Raul Jacob, the president of Peru's Society of Mining, Energy and Oil. (Excerpt from Reuters)

36

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

37

Australian Open 2022…

Unvaccinated players unable to compete at Grand Slam U nvaccinated players will not be allowed to compete at the 2022 Australian Open, says Tournament Director Craig Tiley.

There had been confusion over the issue in recent months, with contradictory statements coming from leading Australian politicians.

Defending men's champion Novak Djokovic has said he does not want to reveal his vaccination status publicly.

"Novak knows he will have to be vaccinated to play," Tiley said. "We would love to have him here."

Tiley also confirmed

Novak Djokovic

that the tournament, which runs from 17-30 January in Melbourne, would be played in front of capacity crowds.

Djokovic, 34, could win a record 21st men's major title if he plays at Melbourne Park, where

he is a nine-time champion. Last month, the Serb said he was uncertain if he would play, adding he was waiting for confirmation from Tiley before making a decision.

Speaking earlier this week at the season-ending

ATP Tour finals in Turin, Djokovic said: "The freedom of choice is essential for everyone, not just whether it's me or somebody else; it doesn't really matter. Whether it's vaccination or anything else in life, you should have the freedom to choose, to decide what you want to do; in this particular case, what you want to put in your body."

Latest figures show 80 of the top 100 men's players have now been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) is yet to provide BBC Sport with the vaccination uptake percentage among its play-

ers.

The WTA Players' Council in October sent a letter to players, stating it had been told all competitors would be able to travel to Melbourne.

The letter also stated that all players, regardless of vaccination status, would have to show proof of a negative test within 72 hours of departure.

However, the Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, said in October that he did not think an unvaccinated tennis player would be given a visa to enter Australia.

Australia has had some of the strictest restrictions on travel and movement

during the coronavirus pandemic.

Players, officials and support staff who travelled for the 2021 tournament were required to complete a 14-day quarantine period on their arrival in Australia. Some were not allowed to leave their hotel rooms after coronavirus cases were detected on their flights, leading them to set up makeshift practices in their rooms.

England's men's cricket team, who are currently in Australia for the Ashes, spent two weeks in quarantine at a Gold Coast resort before they could fully begin their preparations.

(BBC.COM)

Tim Paine inquiry decision sent wrong message — Cricket Australia

Paris Saint-Germain defeat Nantes 3-1 C — Messi opens Ligue 1 account as hosts win despite Navas red card

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ionel Messi's first Ligue 1 goal helped Paris Saint-Germain beat Nantes 3-1 at the Parc des Princes, despite Keylor Navas getting sent off in the second half.

The hosts scored in just the second minute, as a well-hit effort from Leandro Paredes from range took a wicked deflection off Kylian Mbappe in the box and wrong-footed Alban Lafont.

Navas was shown a straight red card in the 65th minute for jumping into Ludovic Blas outside the box as the Nantes midfielder bore down on goal, with Sergio Rico coming on between the sticks and failing to deal with Randal Kolo Muani's header, allowing the forward to backheel an effort at goal that he could not keep from crossing the line.

However, Dennis Appiah deflected Messi's throughball over the goalkeepe r

and in, before the Argentine grabbed his first league goal for PSG with a terrific long-range strike.

PSG took the lead inside the first two minutes, with Paredes taking on an effort from long range that struck Mbappe in the box and deflected past a stranded Lafont in the Nantes goal.

Nantes' hopes of snatching an unlikely result were boosted when Navas raced off his line to deal with a ball in behind in the second half, but he misjudged the bounce and was sent off after catching Blas with a trailing leg.

Substitute goalkeeper Rico made a mess of saving Kolo Muani's powerful headed effort, and could only get to the follow-up after it had crossed the line in the 76th minute, but Nantes full-back Appiah's comedy own goal five minutes later put PSG back in front.

Messi then stole the headlines in the 87th minute when he cut onto his left foot outside the box and unleashed a superb strike into the bottom-left corner to seal the points for PSG. (Sportsmax)

ricket Australia should have handled the investigation into sexually explicit texts sent by Tim Paine to a female colleague differently, says its Chief Executive, Richard Freudenstein.

Paine, 36, has said he was "exonerated" in 2018 over messages sent to a Cricket Tasmania female colleague in 2017. He was appointed Australia captain earlier in 2018, but resigned on Friday over the controversy.

"I can't talk about the 2018 decision, I wasn't there," said Freudenstein. "This includes being able to provide any further insights around how the original judgement was made, that Tim's behaviour did not breach the code of conduct, and that it did not warrant any further disciplinary action.

"While I cannot speak about the original decision-making in 2018, what I can say is that, faced with the same circumstances, and with the benefit of all relevant information about this matter, Cricket Australia would not make the same decisions today. I acknowledge that the decision clearly sent the wrong message to the sport, to the community, and to Tim that this kind of behaviour is acceptable and without serious consequences. The role of Australia captain must be held to the highest

standards."

Details of the investigation, revealed as Paine stood down as captain at a press conference on Friday, were not made public at the time.

Paine was appointed Australia captain in 2018, following Steve Smith's ban over a ball-tampering scandal. He has stepped down prior to the Ashes series against England, starting on 8 December, but the wicketkeeper-batter will remain available for selection.

Ashes schedule

Pace bowler Pat Cummins could take over as captain, but Freudenstein, who joined the CA board in 2019, did not rule out Smith being reappointed to the role.

"We put in place a process for finding a new captain that was going to take place over the summer in anticipation that Tim would one day retire," he said. "We are obviously accelerating that process…and will come to a conclusion to that in plenty of time before the Ashes."

He added: "There is going to be a very thorough, and now quite quick, process; and we will look at a range of criteria. There are a range of candidates available for that role.

Steve Smith is one of the candidates that (are) available for that role." (BBC.COM)

38 ECCB President reaches out to clubs from Ogle to Abary GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

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resident of the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB), Bissoondyal Singh, met with member clubs of the ECCB from Ogle to Abary, on November 13, 2021 at the LBI Cricket Facility, and a number of key issues were discussed.

This meeting was the first in a planned series of outreach programmes.

President Singh reported that, early in 2021, both the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) held long-overdue elections in accordance with the Guyana Cricket Administration Act 2014. The East Coast Cricket Board is one of the five constituent members of the DCB. Singh informed that the National COVID-19 Task

Force had instructed that all cricket activities be suspended, but permission from the Task Force to resume cricket was recently received. President Singh explained that cricketers, officials and spectators would have to be fully vaccinated as a prerequisite for involvement in cricket activities.

The President noted that two (2) ECCB competitions have to be completed, after which new competitions would commence; and he said a number of sponsors are already on board, including the Rockaway Group of Companies of New York, and Motor Trend.

Additionally, the Elizabeth Styles Cricket Competition would be expanded.

Heading the list of com-

petitions is the “Corridor of Unity” competition sponsored by Guyana’s President, H.E. Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali, for which a trophy would be contested. This “corridor of unity” spans from Lusignan to Golden Grove, and the clubs involved are Lusignan Cricket Club, Buxton ‘Carl Hooper’ Cricket Club, Enterprise ‘Busta’ Cricket Club, Paradise Cricket Club, Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club, and Golden Grove Cricket Club.

This is expected to be an exciting tournament, since these teams comprise many talented players.

President Singh informed that the ECCB would be staging competitions in the U-15, U-17 and U-19 categories, as well as

Jamaica confirmed to host the 49th CARIFTA Games from April 16-18, 2022

first and second-division cricket. He urged the clubs to commence preparing for these competitions. The senior clubs were encouraged to field teams at all age levels, and to include female cricketers in their developmental plans.

Additionally, first-division clubs in the five (5) Associations of the DCB will, for the first time, have the opportunity to play in an all-inclusive cricket competition.

As a conciliatory approach to cricket governance on the East Coast, President Singh indicated that the East Coast Cricket Committee (ECCC) would be absorbed into the ECCB, and that some of the ECCC members would be invited to serve on sub-committees of

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will be managed by a local organising committee that is already in place, and will be chaired by the President of the Pan Am Games Technical Commission, the immediate past President of the Jamaica Olympic Association, Mike Fennell.

JAAA’s Honorary Secretary Marie Tavares will act as General Manager.

A team has been assembled of expert sports officials in key areas to manage the event. That team has already met, and plans are well underway. Chairman Fennell is confident that the Games can be successfully hosted despite being beset by many setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several milestones are to be celebrated next year.

These include The Games’ 50th year, Jamaica’s 60th year of independence, and host federation JAAA’s 90 years in operation.

“The opportunity to host under these kinds of mile-

stones is a tremendous opportunity for Jamaica, to host some of the best sporting talents from the region to the world. This event will also offer some insight on what competition from this region could look like at the 18th World Athletics Championships, scheduled for Eugene, Oregon in July 2022,” said JAAA President Garth Gayle.

“The number of other international events which will follow allows the CARIFTA Games to signal that the youth from the region are ready for competition; that sport is ready and open for business, and Jamaica will host the 800+ people from all over in a safe and secure environment.”

This is the eighth time that Jamaica will host the CARIFTA Games since its inception in 1972. Of the 48 editions held so far, Jamaica has topped the medals table on 43 occasions. (Sportsmax)

cricket on the East Coast of Demerara.

ECCB Cricket Events for 2022

U-15 Competition -Sponsored - President Ali’s ‘Corridor of Unity’ Trophy - Sponsored - U-17 Competition Sponsored - U-19 Competition ECCB President’s Cup Competition (Open) Sponsored Elizabeth Styles Competition (Open) Sponsored - ECCB Trophy (Open) - T20 Competition First-Division Competition - ECCB Academy to be expanded - $300,000 worth of balls to be distributed

Sir Curtly reveals plans for December warm-up matches for Under-19s

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he Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA) has confirmed that Jamaica will host the 49th Junior CARIFTA Track and Field Games in Kingston from April 16–18, 2022 at a cost of just under US$1 million.

The event has been sanctioned by the Government of Jamaica through the office of the Minister of Sport, and is expected to attract close to 650 athletes, who would be competing in U17 and U20 categories, and 150 officials from 27 countries.

Jamaica also has the blessing of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC), which has oversight for track and field in this region. NACAC President Mike Sands is expected to visit the island early next year for a venue inspection.

Meanwhile, the Games

the ECCB. In this regard, a meeting will be held shortly.

President Singh further stated that the ECCB’s Academy will be expanded, and he urged the clubs to be more aggressive in relation to getting the youngers involved. President Singh said this would be a challenge, but we must prevail.

“If we are going to succeed, then it is important that we make the ultimate sacrifice, as administrators, to deliver. Guyana’s children are depending on us, and we must deliver”, he said.

At the end of the meeting, President Singh thanked the members for attending what was a highly successful meeting. He asked for their continued support and cooperation to ensure the process of development of

he West Indies Under-19 squad will play a series of warm-up matches against South Africa ahead of the region’s hosting of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, slated for January 14 to February 5.

This was revealed by Assistant/Bowling Coach Sir Curtly Ambrose, who, during an interview on Observer Radio’s Good Morning Jojo sports show, said the youngsters could play up to five matches in St Lucia.

“We are going to play some one-day games against South Africa in St Lucia in the middle of December, prior to the World Cup in January. It was supposed to have been a triangular series between West Indies, South Africa and India, but India pulled out for different reasons; so, it is now West Indies and South Africa. I think its five One- Day games prior to the Under-18 World Cup in January,” he said.

West Indies will contest Group D of the tournament, and will face competition from Australia, Scotland and Sri Lanka.

A legendary former fast bowler who claimed 405

wickets in 98 Tests and another 225 in 176 One Day International Matches (ODIs), Sir Curtly said the focus now is on keeping the group motivated and focused on the task at hand.

“We want to win, and that is ultimate. However, it is not about winning at all costs, so we don’t preach that. We just want to get these guys focused; we want to get them disciplined, so that the execution could be spot on.

Nobody is perfect, so we will make mistakes as we go along, but the important thing we preach is the discipline, the commitment, and that will to win as a team; and if you can do those things, the skill will take care of itself, because the skills are there,” Sir Curtly said.

The Antiguan said the aim is to keep the players involved in cricket at the highest level even after the pending tournament.

“These young men, they want to play cricket, and we keep saying to them that if you’re going to come here in this camp just to play for the Under-19s, and then maybe after the Under-19s you just settle for some club cricket, then don’t waste my time. The

ultimate has to be playing for the West Indies - international cricket - and I made that very clear, and they bought into it, and they are a good bunch of guys to work with,” he said.

The semifinals and final of the tournament will be played here at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium. The semis will be contested on February 1 and 2, with the final scheduled for February 5. (Antigua Observer)

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

By Brandon Corlette

W

est Indies will be aiming to record their first ever win against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in the Test format.

The two teams commenced battle today (November 21) at 12:30h Eastern Caribbean Time.

Speaking to the media on the eve of the match, captain Kraigg Brathwaite said the key for West Indies to win is taking 20 wickets at the Galle International Stadium.

“You have to get 20 wickets to win the game. And our bowling unit has been leading this team for the last couple months. I think it’s key to have a good start. In the top-order it will be crucial in getting those big partnerships. Runs on the board is key, especially in the sub-continent. A good first innings total is the key for us as a team to put pressure on the opponents,” Brathwaite told the media.

Sri Lankan veterans have returned to the squad

The current West Indies squad is stacked with spinners, including Rahkeem Cornwall, who is described as the number one Test spinner for the West Indies, and left-arm spinners Jomel Warrican and Veerasammy Permaul. Roston Chase is also in the spin group.

Brathwaite noted that the spinners are looking forward to leading the attack.

“As a bowling unit, we cannot look too far ahead. Once we build pressure with dot balls, that will bring wickets. The spinners are excited

for the challenge, but it won’t be easy. Sri Lanka batsmen (are) at home, and they play spin really good, but the guys are looking forward to it, and the spinners looking forward to lead the attack,” the skipper added.

Brathwaite, the opening batsman who has a Test average of 28 in the sub-continent, scored 556 Test runs in 2021, leading the charge for the West Indies. He said he is in a better place after his last series. “(For) an opening batsman, balance is key for my

batting. Facing spin and pace… really helps,” the captain said.

Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka’s captain, had scores of 66, 116, 244 and 75, and is among the veterans who returned in the 22-man squad.

He will be aiming to continue their unbeaten record against West Indies in Sri Lanka.

Mickey Arthur (Sri Lanka head coach) said: “Karunaratne’s last knock in Test cricket was a double-hundred. Angelo is one of the great players in the game. Suranga Lakmal is so crucial for us with the new ball, and he is a wonderful player. It’s great to have them back, and their experience is going to be vital.”

Sri Lanka Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Minod

39

Brathwaite and his men are aiming to rewrite history

Bhanuka, Roshen Silva, Ramesh Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Chamika Karunaratne, Lakshan Sandakan, Lasith Embuldeniya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Suminda Lakshan, Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Chamika Gunasekara.

West Indies Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Jeremy Solozano and Jomel Warrican.

Wolves United and Beacons advance Hardyal elated at defence of O-50 title in BFA All-Star Knockout Showdown

The Regal and Wellman players at the end of the tournament

T

he opening night of the Bartica Football Association All-Star Knockout Showdown saw two contested matches ending with two teams being eliminated and two advancing to the semi-finals.

To kick-off proceed-

R Wolves United came off the boots of Darren Troyer and Karim Chase, while Travis Hercules converted a penalty kick for Agatash United.

In the second encounter, Beacons went ahead of Potaro Strikers by way of a strike by Hamley

for Potaro Strikers.

The ensuing kicks from the penalty spot eventually determined the winner – Beacons 6, Potaro Strikers 5, after young Kareem Caesar came up with a big save for his club.

Eight clubs are par-

egal Legends stormed to the O-50 title in the recent PM T20 Cup. The team has been one of Guyana’s top softball teams in its category. Members successfully defended their 2020 title to emerge victorious in 2021. As such, team captain Mahendra Hardyal has stated that the team is elated.

In an interview with this publication, Hardyal was asked how he felt at the winning moment, and he said, “Certainly, we are very elated! And we are making this a habit!”

Unnis Yusuf was the player of the series for the O-50 category

Lall from Canada, so when we started on Friday, we did say that there is not much we have to do because of the experience. And we know that when the dust settled at the Providence Stadium

Eric Thomas bagged 5-17 in the final

ings, Bartica’s oldest club, Wolves United, edged out Bartica’s newest club, Agatash United, by two goals to one. Goals for

Martindale, following a scoreless first half. But five minutes before the end of regulation time, Don Lam answered at the other end

ticipating in the four-day event. The action continues with Lazio battling Mil Ballers, followed by Rising Stars and Rivers View.

Asked if there was any selection issue, the skipper related that the team plays softball almost every week, and members have been together for over a decade.

“Look, we have included Sunil Dhaniram and Nerat

that afternoon, we certainly came out successful. We have 15 players in the team who can start, so yes it was difficult, and I guess the players understand” he said.

The Regal skipper relayed that based on the set-

up of the team, the players understood what was needed.

Hardyal said that, as a sponsor, they had met six months prior to the tournament and that the meetings were fruitful with the Prime Minister, and thus they were given the tournament with a 40 percent attendance at the ground.

In the legends category, the MVP was awarded to Unnis Yusuf for his 181 runs and two wickets. Regal Legends posted a whopping 171-6 in their allotment of 20 overs. Ramesh Narine scored 43 alongside Unnis Yusuf’s 35 and Eoin Abel’s blistering 24. In reply, Regal spun a web around Wellman and dismissed them for 79 in 18.3 overs. The main tactician was Eric Thomas, who snagged 5-17, hence he was awarded the man of the match.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

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

guyanatimesgy.com

ECCB President reaches out to clubs from Ogle to Abary

Page 38 ECCB President Bissoondyal Singh (front row, third from left) alongside other stakeholders

Taking 20 wickets, scoring big first innings key in Sri Lanka Tests,

Page 39

Jason holder Celebrating a wicket

Page 39

says Brathwaite

Hardyal elated at defence of O-50 title

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