Guyana Times - Thursday, April 22, 2021

P13 Bedridden persons to get COVID-19 vaccine at home – Dr Anthony Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4625

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

ExxonMobil increases production to 100,000-110,000 barrels per day Page 3

…compressor still to be fixed

Omai strikes high-grade gold in Region 7 Page 9

Sale of State lands to car dealer

Trevor Benn slapped with another misconduct in public office charge Page 10

Police targeting Page 7 motorcycle, bicycle bandits to clamp down on crime

PRICE

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE: Sugar workers’ protest

GuySuCo will not negotiate with Union via media – CEO to GAWU P15 President

COVID-19 death toll now 274 after Region 6 P12 woman dies …160 new cases recorded

Gunmen rob man of motorcycle at traffic light P10 Man who P8 murdered Brazilian miner jailed for 75 years …“should not see the light of day again” – Judge to convict

Cops charged with intentionally deleting info from GPF computer …as senior officers charged for fraud

…urge public to remain security conscious

Alleged GuyOil fuel racket

Import company wants answer on verbal ‘agreement’ in 48 hours Page 12

…client has to be compensated for fuel – lawyer

P11

Queen’s College suspends classes after worker P12 tests positive for COVID-19 Charlestown man killed during row over robbery P17

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, April 22 – 01:30h-03:00h and 12:00h-13:30h and Friday, April 23 – 02:00h-03:30h and 13:00h-14:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, April 22 – 12:10h-13:40h and Friday, April 23 –13:15h-14:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE Parika and Supenaam departure times - 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily

WEATHER TODAY

Light rain showers are expected during the earlymorning hours followed by sunny conditions.

Clear skies followed by light rain showers are expected during the night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 12:58h reaching a maximum height of 2.26 metres.

Low Tide: 06:29h and 19:04h reaching minimum heights of 1.08 metres and 0.87 metre.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

LOTTERY NUMBERS C

03 07 12

13 14 26

FREE TICKET

05 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

11 13 20 25 26 LUCKY 3

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Afternoon Draw

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Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

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SUPER

PAY DAY FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$65.32/barrel

-1.91

Rough Rice

$231.39/ton

-0.19

London Sugar

$463.30/ton

+0.26%

Live Spot Gold

…compressor still to be fixed

E

xxonMobil has announced that oil production, which had dropped to some 30,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) following the re-emergence of compressor problems on board the Liza Destiny, has since been increased to between 100,000 and 110,000 barrels per day.

According to a statement from the company’s Public and Governance Affairs Advisor Janelle Persaud, teams on the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel have removed the discharge silencer from the compressor for further assessment of the damage.

“We estimate that repairs or replacement will take approximately three months.

Additionally, plans initiated in 2020 are progressing to install a redesigned third stage flash gas compression system at the end of this year,” Persaud said.

When it comes to flaring, which had been dropped to between 4 and 5 million cubic feet of gas per day after the recent problems with the compressor, Persaud explained that the current increased production figures would be accompanied by a flare level of no more than 15 million cubic feet of gas per day.

“These operating parameters were defined after careful consideration of safety, environmental, technical and economic factors, as well as discussions with the relevant Government agencies on the best path forward while repairs and upgrades are ongoing,” she said in the statement.

“ExxonMobil Guyana is extremely disappointed by these ongoing technical challenges, but we are proud of the team offshore that continues to work safely and manage operations efficiently during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work with the relevant parties to rectify the situation as soon as possible.”

Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon, who had expressed concerns over the troubled gas compressor on the Liza Destiny FPSO vessel, had previously requested a meeting with the local executives of United States oil giant ExxonMobil, to be briefed on the matter.

According to Persaud, a meeting is being arranged, and could even happen as early as today.

Additional problem

15 17 20

PAY DAY

ExxonMobil increases production to 100,000 – 110,000 barrels per day

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1793.90

$1794.90

Low/High Change

$1777.40 +0.30

$1790.20 +0.02%

Last week, Exxon had revealed that as it was conducting the final testing phase of the reinstalled flash gas compressor and other components of the system on the Liza Destiny FPSO, it encountered an additional problem with the discharge silencer.

The US oil giant noted that a team from SBM Offshore, Germany manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions and ExxonMobil was on site to assess repairs with support from engineering experts in Europe and the USA. “We have reduced production to a minimum level that mitigates formation of hydrates in subsea systems, maintains gas injection and fuels gas to the power generators, and minimises flare,” the company said.

When asked, Persaud had

revealed that this means the company is producing some 30,000 bpd – a reduction from an initial 120,000 bpd. This reduction, she noted, has the potential to throw off Exxon’s next lift, which was scheduled for the next few days.

When asked about the volume of flaring in light of the production cuts, Persaud had disclosed that flaring was now at 4 to 5 million cubic feet of gas per day, slightly above pilot levels.

Excess flaring had previously averaged 16 million cubic feet of gas per day following the compressor malfunction in February.

The Guyana Government had subsequently expressed disappointment over the failure to resolve the issues with the gas compressor on its oil platform, which has not only led to heightened flaring, but now a sharp drop in production as well. As such, it has hinted at possible actions against the oil company.

In a statement, the Ministry of Natural Resources said “The GoG is, as would be expected, highly disappointed with the Operator’s inability to resolve this situation to date, and will continue to monitor the levels of daily crude oil output and flaring to best allow for an economically feasible level of production during this period. The GoG is currently examining the implications of the loss of output, and consequently loss of income and revenue, including measures that it may have to institute to protect national interest.”

Nevertheless, the Ministry noted that this occurrence has not affected GoG’s crude oil lift, which was safely and successfully completed the day before at the planned quantity and in keeping with the Crude Lifting Agreement and Lifting Schedule. That was Government’s second lift for

The Liza Destiny FPSO

2021.

Moreover, Exxon’s reduced production was announced the same day that Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat was quoted as projecting Guyana producing 1 million barrels of crude per day and leading the Western

Hemisphere in oil production.

“By 2027, we are hoping that there will be at least seven floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels in the country, and that we will be producing either close or even over 1 million b/d,” Minister Bharrat had said. (G3)

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 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

Celebrating Earth Day today

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s the world celebrates Earth Day today the United States has already said that more than 1 billion people would be participating in activities around the world to draw attention to the urgency of the climate crisis and environmental degradation, and the need for immediate action. April 22 is also International Mother Earth Day, as proclaimed by the United Nations in 2009. In a statement to mark the Day, UN SecretaryGeneral António Guterres called for decisive action to protect the planet from both the coronavirus and the existential threat of climate disruption. “Mother Earth is clearly urging a call to action.

Let’s remind more than ever on this International Mother Earth Day that we need a shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet.”

Here in Guyana, over the past few years, there has been much talk about climate change, and the devastating impact it is having and is likely to have on communities locally and the world as a whole. However, while Governments and policy makers are busy debating the issues at the national and international levels, many believe that enough is not being done in terms of designing and implementing critical projects at the community level to encourage and sensitise individuals about the need to play their part in mitigating the effects of climate change.

In fact, it could be argued that, on the global level, not many persons are educated about the issue, especially as it relates to the kind of impact climate change has on the environment and on individuals themselves. Citizens still do take the issue for granted, and do not pay much heed to the various messages about the need to change lifestyle patterns and so on.

Scientists have argued that the planet is indeed threatened by lifestyle patterns of individuals, and if persons continue to use resources the way we currently do, the planet’s reserves would be exhausted at an increasingly rapid pace. For many countries, there is still the challenge of getting everyone to not only understand and appreciate the idea of the need to work towards sustainable consumption, but also to take practical steps to move in this direction.

Certainly, Governments can set the framework with their policies; set targets, define standards, give incentives to make companies go green. Businesses and industries, together with researchers, can provide the solutions, but, in the end, the consumers have the power of the purse, whether they buy green products or not. The highly touted ‘green model’ reduces our ecological footprint, emits less greenhouse gases, uses less energy and raw materials, and can create new sources of growth and employment.

In essence, achieving economic growth and sustainable development requires that we urgently reduce our ecological footprint by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources. As stated by UNDP, the efficient management of our shared natural resources and the way we dispose of toxic waste and pollutants are important targets to achieve this goal.

Based on statistics, the world’s population is growing rapidly, as more than a billion new people will enter the middle class by 2050. Experts have predicted that if citizens do not change their consumption patterns, the global use of resources would be multiplied by 15, which is considered dangerous for our planet, as it would not be able to satisfy the needs of everyone.

At the individual level, every individual does play a crucial role in defining his/her own consumption pattern, and can in a way also contribute to the fight against climate change. For example, we can reduce the level of energy utilised, and the money that is saved on energy could instead be used to develop climatefriendly technologies and appliances.

Official records show that, on a global level, more than 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions are related to household consumption. While it is accepted that it is not an easy task to get persons to change lifestyles and to work towards a climatefriendly environment, the task would be much easier if they are educated about the role they can play and the benefits of their own action.

Here, in Guyana, we still continue to dump garbage carelessly.

For example, persons continue to dispose of plastics and Styrofoam items in a reckless manner, resulting in the clogging of drains and trenches, thereby leading to flooding etc. The 2005 floods exposed our vulnerability, and should have served as a big wake-up call for us to treat the environment differently.

For sure, there is need for more effective public education campaigns on climate change, and to highlight the effects of poor environmental practices.

Businessman Mahadeo Ramroop of P Ramroop & Sons donates to First Lady Arya Ali’s Menstrual Hygiene Initiative, which will see women and girls receiving these products countrywide. Ramroop donated more than 500,000 sanitary pads to the Initiative. Also in photo is Public Works Minister Juan Edghill (Office of the First lady photo)

After the Super League debacle, we need a football revolution

– the growing dominance of capital in football has long been ignored. Now, it is time for radical change

By Ben Wray

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n April 18, 12 of the most powerful football clubs from the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy announced that they were launching a European Super League (ESL), a new closed-shop competition.

The founding members were all to be guaranteed a permanent spot in the league, regardless of performance.

The announcement caused an uproar among football fans, who largely saw it as a betrayal by the 12 clubs, who in the pursuit of more revenue seemed to be abandoning sporting values. Government officials and football authorities vowed to do what they could to stop the new league.

Two days later, the ESL unravelled. Two of the 12 clubs, Chelsea and Manchester City, announced they were pulling out of the competition, and were quickly followed by the other four clubs from the English Premier League. Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan then also quit.

Although the project was short-lived, it constituted a brazen attempt at a coup d’état at the top of the sport.

For decades, lone voices battling against the tide have warned about the dangers of the growing dominance of capital to the sporting values of “the beautiful game”.

The ESL debacle should be a wake-up call to the fact that football is in urgent need of reform.

Football authorities reap what they sow

UEFA, FIFA, and the domestic leagues also reacted with fury to the announcement, but it is these self-same institutions which have brought the game to this present crisis. They

have overseen an astonishing rise in player salaries over the past 30 years, with the rewards of bloating ticket prices and TV subscriptions increasingly concentrated in a top 0.001 per cent of footballers, their agents and club owners.

The football authorities have happily watched some of Europe’s most historic clubs taken over by ruthless multinational investment groups and even Gulf States.

Eight out of the 12 Super League clubs were bought in the past 20 years.

With little in the way of regulatory controls over what this new breed of billionaire owners can do, and no serious role given to fans in the governance of clubs, except in Germany, it was inevitable that they would seek ways to maximise the potential value of their “assets”.

The pandemic has exposed how this system pushes clubs to rack up enormous debts chasing instant success. Of the 12 founding clubs of the new Super League, at least half have amassed massive debt burdens that now appear unserviceable, after matchday revenues from fan attendance disappeared in Europe’s COVID-19 lockdowns.

In Italy, Inter Milan sought US$200 million in emergency cash in February, while Juventus needs to raise US$120 million by the end of June. In Spain, both Barcelona and Real Madrid are in the red to the tune of more than US$1 billion. In England, the Glazer family has turned Manchester United from a debt-free club to one that has paid out more than US$1.3 billion in interest payment and fees since their leveraged takeover in 2005. Tottenham are

carrying an US$840 million debt and took out a special low-cost loan with the Bank of England at the peak of the coronavirus crisis. For these clubs, the Super League power-grab is an alternative to downsizing and living within their means.

UEFA had already conceded the principle of sporting merit to the big clubs in their own proposals to reform the Champions League, announced on April 19. One of the proposed changes is the introduction of a “coefficient” points system which would see two clubs retain their spot in the Champions League even if they have a bad season in their domestic league. The truth is that UEFA and FIFA have walked hand-in-hand with European football’s emerging oligarchy for decades.

Now, that oligarchy has bitten the hand that feeds it.

A fan-led transformation?

The backlash against the Super League has revealed the power the grassroots of the sport holds when it unites against the game’s elite, but it is as yet unclear whether momentum will now build to use that power for more profound change.

The idea of fan ownership of clubs has rapidly gained popularity, with the example of Germany – where clubs are majority fan-owned and none was tempted to join the ESL venture – seen as one to follow. The UK Government has announced a “fan-led review” into the sport and said the German model will be considered.

Fan ownership could be part of the solution to football’s structural inequalities, but unless there is a fundamental rebalancing in how the sport’s revenues are distributed – away from a tiny group of elite players,

agents and clubs – the huge divide in wealth and power between the top and bottom of football will continue to grow. After all, Barcelona and Real Madrid are fanowned, but that did not stop their presidents from embracing the Super League fiasco.

Player salary caps, a guaranteed cut of the revenues going towards grassroots facilities, and a fairer distribution of broadcasting money throughout the leagues (and into the women’s game) would go a long way to creating a more balanced sport with fairer, more unpredictable, sporting competition. Ticket prices and TV subscription rates should all have democratic input from fans, who are the ones who have to pay out of their own pocket for these revenue streams.

Sponsorship money should be rejected when it comes from gambling firms and other predatory capitalist interests.

It should not be surprising that these changes closely correlate with the sort of redistribution of wealth and power that is required in Europe’s economy and society in general. Football, after all, is no more nor less than a mirror of the European socioeconomic reality: those at the top increasingly resemble an oligarchy, while those at the bottom struggle to keep their heads above water.

Stopping the Super League should be just the start. The current football authorities have been part of the problem, and are only now posing as the solution to block the big 12’s attempt to seize their crown. A fan-led revolution of the sport would require toppling football’s established order in its entirety. (Al Jazeera)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

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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

The first step towards justice Dear Editor, I would not call Tuesday’s verdict “justice”, because justice implies true restoration; but it is “accountability”, which is the first step towards justice.

“George Floyd mattered”. He was loved by his family and his friends, but that isn’t why he mattered.

He mattered because he was a human being.

As President Joe Biden said on Tuesday, the conviction of former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd “can be a giant step forward”

for the nation in the fight against systemic racism.

Biden spoke from the White House, hours after the verdict, alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, and the pair called for Congress to act swiftly to address policing reform.

“It’s not enough,” Biden said of the verdict. “We can’t stop here.”

Harris said, “A measure of justice isn’t the same as equal justice.”

Justice for George Floyd! The emotions many may be feeling right now are hard to describe.

Derek Chauvin has been

found guilty. This is monumental. George’s death is not in vain.

The verdicts of the Derek Chauvin trial are indeed the right ones.

Convicting him of all three charges marks a new dawn in the fight for racial justice.

On Tuesday, after jurors had convicted Derek Chauvin of murdering George Floyd, it brought a dramatic ending to a case that had transfixed the world and become the latest flashpoint in a raging debate about Police brutality against the black com-

munity.

This conviction, almost a year after a bystander’s video had captured Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, is the first time in Minnesota history that a white Police officer has been convicted of killing a black civilian on the job.

The conviction triggered a wave of relief and reflection, not only across the United States, but in many countries around the world.

It was a murder committed in the full light of day, and it ripped the blinders off for the whole world to

Excellent work by GCB to improve the standard Dear Editor, I am extremely pleased with the move by the newly elected Vice President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Hilbert Foster.

Foster seems to be moving the GCB to the high standard he has set with the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), in which he has motivated businessmen, farmers, and former national and international cricketers in his quest to improve the summer game. As soon as Hilbert was elected President of the BCB, he reached out to the diaspora for assistance.

I, as former Secretary, responded immediately, and contacted a few businessmen friends for their

involvement.

Dr Tulsi Singh, his brother Dr Puran Singh, and businessman Brian Ramphal responded and pledged their support. This was followed by numerous businessmen not only in Guyana, but overseas as well.

A new pharmacy is now offering to donate medical supplies for first-aid kits for the three County Boards an extremely good gesture.

An educational trust fund is to be established under the name GCB/Dave Narine Educational Trust Fund.

It is heartening to see current Test player Shimron Hetmyer giving back to Guyana by sponsoring three cricket tournaments; and Kevin Sinclair

and Romario Shepherd, joining the call from former testite Clayton Lambert, have made a significant financial donation as well.

Jerry Angus, Narsingh Deonarine, the Nagamootoo brothers - Mahendra and Vishal, Troy Halley and Kevin Darlington have all made contributions.

The BCB is grateful to President Irfaan Ali, Minister of Sports Charles Ramson, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, Justice Navindra Singh, CWI President Rickey Skerrett, Cricket Ombudsman Kamal Ramkarran, attorney Arud Gossai, and Peter Lewis of Associated Construction.

Foster seems to be the driving force behind the set-

ting of sub-committees within the Cricket Development Committee which is geared to propel the growth of all levels of Guyana Cricket.

I sincerely hope that he will get the cooperation of the entire Board. More so, I hope he will move his ideas to a higher level, to Cricket West Indies, where he was recently elected as Vice President. Moreover, I trust that the regional board would listen carefully to his ideas, and work towards improving the standard and fair play of West Indies cricket.

Sincerely, Oscar Ramjeet Former Secretary Berbice Cricket Board

see the systemic racism.

The intersection of race and law enforcement has long been contentious in the United States, underscored by a series of deadly incidents involving white Police officers and black people in recent years.

George Floyd’s death prompted protests against racism and Police brutality in many U.S. cities, and in other countries last year, even as the world grappled with the coronavirus pandemic.

In his comments, President Biden emphasised his support for legislation “to root out unconstitutional policing”, including the George Floyd

Justice in Policing Act, which has been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and seeks to increase accountability for law enforcement misconduct.

This verdict reminds us to never give up the hope of enduring change. We don’t want any more community members dying at the hands of law enforcement.

This has to end. We need true justice.

What we have witnessed on Tuesday is a social transformation that says no one is beneath the law, and no one is above the law.

Sincerely, David Adams

Re-establishment of railway system long overdue Dear Editor, The recent announcement by the Ministry of Agriculture of plans to implement a railway connection to Brazil for the transport of goods is an excellent step in the correct direction.

This is very good news that will benefit the agricultural and productive sectors of the economy. It will also make it easier to develop the interior of the country, as the railway system expands to also accommodate tourism and increased trade.

Congratulations to His Excellency President Dr Ali’s Administration on their thoughtfulness and foresight in the development of the transportation network of the country! Reestablishment of the railway system of our nation is long overdue. The prior removal of the railway has hindered the development of Guyana during the past 50 years. It is great that our development path will now be put back on track!

Best regards, Jamil Changlee

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

Page

Foundation ◄

Test Match Sabina Park

Question 1

Wednesday’s answers

By Stewart Brown

Proudly wearing the rosette of my skin I strut into Sabina England boycotting excitement bravely.

Something badly amiss.

Cricket. Not the game they play at Lords, The crowd – whoever saw a crowd at a cricket match? – are caged Vociferous partisans, quick to take offence.

England sixty eight for none at lunch.

‘What sort o battin dat man?

Dem kaan play cricket again, Praps dem should-a-borrow Lawrence Rowe!’

And on it goes, the wicket slow As the batting and the crowd restless.

‘Eh white bwoy, how you brudders dem Does sen we sleep so? Me a pay monies Fe watch dis foolishness? Cho!’ So I try to explain in my Hampshire drawl about conditions in Kent About sticky wickets and muggy days And the monsoon season in Manchester but fail to even convince myself.

The crowd’s loud busin drives me out Skulking behind a tarnished rosette somewhat frayed now but unable, quite, to conceal a blushing nationality.

Questions: What type of poem is it? What is it all about? How did you know what it was about?

WORD SEARCH

7 Police targeting motorcycle, bicycle bandits to clamp down on crime NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…urge public to remain security conscious

3 bicycle bandits caught on CCTV robbing a man at gun point

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s part of its aggressive crime fighting strategies, the Guyana Police Force says, it is going after those perpetrators who use motorcycles and bicycles to execute their criminal acts.

“Recognising that criminal-minded persons have been riding motor cycles and bicycles in their robbery attacks on citizens, extensive campaigns are ongoing in the Police Divisions to rein in and detain these vehicles, and arrest persons where applicable,” the Police said in a statement on Wednesday.

It was noted that these exercises have already resulted in a number of motorcycles and bicycles being detained, and those are being processed to determine lawful ownership as well as other issues. Such campaigns were conducted in several communities around Georgetown and on the West Bank of Demerara.

Further, the Police Force has assured the general public that it continues to aggressively pursue crime fighting strategies in order to maintain its mandate of public safety and security.

These intelligence-led strategies include mobile, foot and bicycle patrols; roadblocks, raids and searches among other things; along with the support of the Community Policing Groups.

Decline in serious crime

According to the Police, these constant operational activities have led to the overall decline of serious crimes for the year so far, which went down by 29.8 per cent when compared to the same period in 2020.

There was a 22.9 per cent reduction in murders, with 37 killings recorded to date compared to 48 for the similar period last year.

Meanwhile, armed robberies involving firearms have gone down by 38.4 per cent, while robberies with other instruments declined by 47.7 per cent.

In relation to narcotics,

the Police said, its Narcotics Department have discovered some 122.4 kilograms of cannabis sativa (marijuana) as well as 267.2 grams of cocaine so far this year. A number of persons were prosecuted for these narcotics’ finds.

Notwithstanding the assiduous efforts in its crime fighting posture, the Guyana Police Force is reminding members of the public to remain security conscious, especially when going out in public. “[The Police] urge that, in addition to other safety precautions, [persons should] seek to refrain from moving around with large sums of cash, and avoid routines in their movements, wherever practical,” Wednesday’s missive detailed.

Attack on Police

However, even as the Police pursue efforts to tackle lawlessness in the country, the Force faces push back from some persons. Only recently, at least two persons have been charged and placed before the courts for attacking Police officers who attempted to arrest them.

Only on Tuesday, a minibus driver of Sophia, Greater Georgetown was arrested and charged following an altercation with a traffic cop.

It was reported that Police Constable Edwin Connelly was on a motorcycle patrol on Homestretch Avenue when he pulled over the minibus, which had overtaken a line of traffic.

However, after being told of the offence and asked to produced his licence, the driver drove off and was pursued by the cop, who again intercepted him on Sheriff Street.

At that point, the driver exited the bus, proceeded to the left passenger side of the vehicle, retrieved a cutlass, and chased after the Constable, who ran away.

Nevertheless, the driver was eventually arrested at his Sophia residence.

This incident comes on the heels of 32-year-

old businessman Terrence Lynch, being charged with four offences on Monday, including assaulting a Police officer and resisting arrest in relation to the incident, which occurred on April 13.

Police say that on the day in question, at about 09:55hrs, the traffic cop was performing duties with his motorcycle when he noticed motorcar PNN5061 parked diagonally at the Route 42 bus park.

The rank reportedly approached the vehicle and told the defendant of his offence.

However, an argument ensued between the two.

Further, when the Corporal attempted to arrest the defendant, he reportedly dealt him several cuffs about his body.

The businessman told the court that he has a stall at the market and had been using the same parking lot for some time now. As such, he explained that when the officer approached him, he became angry.

Condemned

During his weekly programme, Issues in the News, Attorney General Senior Counsel Anil Nandlall condemn such behaviour.

Nandlall acknowledged that while there is a lot of work to be done to repair the image of the Guyana Police Force as well as improve the professionalism and discipline of its ranks, it is the premier law enforcement agency in Guyana, and such actions cannot be condoned.

“They may be bad, but it is what we have, and we cannot encourage citizens taking up arms against the law enforcement agencies. This type of conduct must be deprecated, condemned in the strongest possible fashion.

When this happens, you’re striking at the very heart of Guyana as a civilised society. When the population is resisting and assaulting the law enforcement agencies, that is a serious thing,” the AG posited.

Further, the Police Force is encouraging members of the public to confidentially communicate tips and information of any criminal activities via telephone numbers: Headquarters – 226-6978/225-8196 and 225-2700/ 225-6411; Region One (Barima-Waini) 7775007/688-7084; Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) 7715004/774-4222; Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) 268-2338/2329; Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) ‘A’ (Georgetown) 227-1149/225-3064 and 2271270/227-1611; Region Four ‘B’ (East Bank Demerara) 608-2284/216-0251/

0252/0253; Region Four ‘C’ (East Coast Demerara) 2292700/2750/2019/; Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) 2320313/ 232-0291; Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) 333-2151/ 333-5564; Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) 455-2222/ 2241/2238; Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) 6388440; Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Essequibo) 7722087/2005; and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) 444-3429/444-3512/ 3297.

(G8)

Some motorcycles seized by the Police during a raid in Georgetown in March 2021

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Man who murdered Brazilian miner jailed for 75 years

“…should not see the light of day again” – Judge to convict

O

neal Griffith, a La Grange, West Bank Demerara boat captain, was on Wednesday sentenced to 75 years in prison by High Court Judge Navindra Singh for the December 2015 murder of Brazilian gold miner Braz Alves Dos Santos.

Griffith, a father of two, was on trial for the murder before Justice Singh and a jury at the High Court in Essequibo.

Following his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the murder indictment.

He was represented by Attorney-at-law Ravindra Mohabir, while the case for the prosecution was presented by State Counsel Tiffini Lyken. According to reports, Dos Santos was shot to the neck by Griffith, who invaded a mining camp at Puruni, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), where Dos Santos was working. After he killed the miner, Griffith escaped with a quantity of raw gold, a boat, and an engine.

The killer was captured

Jailed: Oneal Griffith

shortly after at Itaballi, Region Seven. It was reported that the stolen vessel and raw gold were found in his possession. He was positively identified by a worker of the mining camp.

After deliberating for a little over two hours, the 12-member mixed jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict. Notwithstanding the verdict, Griffith professed

his innocence. When given a chance to address the court, the convicted killer accused the prosecution witnesses of telling lies about him. “…I am a boat captain. I was on the landing the night this incident was committed.

I am an innocent man. I don’t know anything about this charge. I am merely telling the truth that I am innocent.

There is no evidence to say that I am guilty; they are lying all the time. God sees and knows everything,” he cried.

For his part, Mohabir, in a plea of mitigation, asked the court to temper justice with mercy. He said his client is a first-time offender.

Prosecutor Lyken, on the other hand, urged the court to consider the serious nature of the offence, and the fact that a deadly weapon was used in committing the crime. The prosecutor also highlighted that Griffith has shown no remorse for his actions.

In sentencing Griffith, Justice Singh noted that felo-

ny murder, as in this case, “is a far too prevalent crime in Guyana.” Noting that Griffith’s lawyer had said his client is a first-time offender, Justice Singh added, “First off, he chose a big one to start with.

Maybe this was the first time he was caught, or the first time [it] ended up in a robbery.

“This individual should not see the light of day again,” the judge declared as he described the killing as a “heinous crime.” The judge commenced the sentence at a base of 60 years, to which another 15 years were added for aggravating factors, including the use of a deadly weapon.

In the end, the killer was sentenced to 75 years’ imprisonment. The judge ordered that the prison authorities deduct from the sentence the time Griffith had spent in pretrial custody.

Justice Singh further ordered that Griffith becomes eligible for parole only after serving a minimum of 50 years in prison. (G1)

Justice...

T

…and the Police he long-awaited verdict on Policeman Dennis Chauvin’s trial for killing George Floyd came in on Tuesday. And it says a lot that folks were relieved when it was declared as “murder”. Meaning they weren’t sure till the end that the jury wasn’t gonna let him off. We all know the facts of the case…we’ve all seen the tape… and we’ve all been part of the discussion in the last year, passively or actively; so, your Eyewitness doesn’t have to repeat them.

What he’d like to do - as he always tries to do in these matters - is to contextualise the broader issue in terms of our lived reality in Guyana. The George Floyd case was all about policing in America, so what are some lessons about policing in Guyana. Obviously, Guyana isn’t America - although lots of folks wish it were - but, as an institution, policing everywhere is subjected to similar systemic challenges, since they all have to perform the same function: keeping order in society.

The Police are thus the most ubiquitous arm of the State that’s visible to the ordinary citizen, and are given a lot of power. This includes the ultimate power of the State - to take the lives of citizens if they determine the “order” of society - including their own lives - are at risk.

To deal with this potential “threat”, States have organised the Police in a very militarised manner from its beginning in the 19th century. And while there’ve been reforms since, the militarised orientation stubbornly persists.

In Guyana, there’s been, for decades, talk of addressing this orientation by renaming the Police as the “Police Service” rather than “Police Force” - and changing their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) to operationalise the “kinder, gentler” approach. But we haven’t gotten anywhere, have we? In America, they’ve long recognised that, in a racially diverse society, part of the problem is that some groups who are underrepresented in the Police are also the butt of inordinate force - like with the African-American Floyd. This has also been the case in Guyana, but nothing’s ever been done about it.

The accountability of the Police is always an issue: with that much power, it’s always open to abuse. Take the force that was used to subdue Floyd: we all agree it was excessive (to state the obvious) but that’s only because one person had a smartphone to video the incident. But how about that Police killing that 18-year-old Sewdatt at Cotton Tree? They say he was attacking them with a cutlass…but the parents insist that he was merely a bystander. Will that poor boy, whose life was snuffed out, ever get justice?

And will the Police “force” ever become a Police “service”?

…and institutional culture The legendary management guru Peter Drucker famously said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. He, of course, was talking about business culture and its impact on management strategies for achieving their goals and objectives. Unless you change the culture of the business you wish to be successful, even if you come up with the best strategy in the world, it’ll fail.

And we return to our Police Force, where we therefore should be spending a hell of a lot more of our time on changing its culture to one of “service” if we ever expect to have less arbitrary Police killings and other abuses here. We have to start with recruitment, and this means increased salaries to discourage seeing their role as hustling lunch money. The training will also have to involve a thorough inculcation of the basic courtesies that the Police should extend to citizens. Have you ever been stopped by the Police on the road?

We’ve had too many George Floyds here. And they all supposedly had cutlasses.

…and politics When the PNC returned to power after 23 years, it was clear that, under Granger, they’d learnt nothing. He, like Burnham, was cynical about the judiciary and Police and moved to subvert them.

The judiciary must stand firm.

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

NEWS

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Omai strikes high-grade gold in Region 7 …says find extends at least 100 metres

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mai Gold Mines, which has started a 5,000-metre drilling programme in the Wenot pit in Region Seven, has announced the presence of high-grade gold in the first two holes that extend at least 100 metres below.

The announcement was made by Omai Gold Mines in a statement on Wednesday, and it follows promises from the company last year that it would conduct its drilling campaign early in 2021.

According to Omai, its current drill programme is focused on expanding the open put potential of Wenot, which has produced 1.8 million ounces of gold up to a depth of 190 metres.

Chief Executive Officer of Omai Gold Mines, Mario Stifano, was quoted as saying: “We are pleased with our assay results from the first two holes we drilled at Omai, that complement the assay results we announced in February.

“These results demonstrate that the grades and thicknesses of gold mineralisation continue at least 100 to 150 metres below the historically-producing Wenot Pit, and remain open to depth and on strike. We look forward to updating our stakeholders with further results from our 5,000-metre drill programme in the coming months,” he also said.

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

It was only last November that Omai Gold Mines, which is aiming to reclaim its place as Guyana’s top gold producer, had announced the impending resumption of trading on the

Toronto Stock Exchange, following the recent reverse takeover of Avalon Investment Holdings.

The company has also got a new Board of Directors, including Stifano, Denis Clement, Adam Spencer and Paul Fornazzari; Executive Director and Founder Harvey McKenzie; Chief Financial Officer and Secretary Denis LaPoint; Vice President of Exploration, Jason Brewster, and Vice President of Operations, Nadine Miller.

There has been a flurry of gold finds over the past few months. In February, Gold X Mining, another Canadian company, found gold in the Toroparu mine during its now concluded diamond drill programme, resulting in the company launching phase two of its drilling.

The company had said it was able to use historical drill data to encounter

Drinking spree ends in death …miner found dead in chair

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moment of pleasure turned sour for a 49-year-old miner, who was seen imbibing alcohol on Monday at a shop at Port Kaituma waterfront, Region One (Barima-Waini), but was later found dead in a chair at the same shop.

Ken Ramandisindo, of Hosororo, Mabaruma, Region One, was found dead at about 15:31h.

Persons in the community told Police that the miner was seen imbibing alcohol at a shop during which time he sat down in a chair. A while later, he was observed to be

motionless. Following the discovery, a report was made to Police and ranks from the Port Kaituma Police Station responded and examined the body.

The body was then taken to the Port Kaituma Hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival. A post-mortem is scheduled to be conducted shortly. (G9)

Omai’s operations in Guyana

“significant” gold concentrations within and below the Toroparu main resource pit. According to the company, these gold structures are likely to be accessed by shallow and underground mining.

Gold X Chief Executive Officer Paul Matysek had said at the time that the results from the drill testing exceeded the company’s expectations and will form the basis for their phase 2 diamond drill programme. It is expected that results from phase two of the drilling programme would be available by the second quarter of 2021.

In November of last year, Australia-based mining company Alicanto Minerals also announced its first-ever gold find in Guyana.

According to Alicanto, it discovered a maiden resource of 500,000 ounces of gold at its Arakaka gold mine, which is located in Region One. According to the com-

pany, this works out to 1.8 grammes per tonne (g/t) of milled ore.

According to the company, previous exploration work done by Newmont and Barrick Gold Corp provided them with the necessary data inclusive of geochemistry, geophysics, and camp infrastructure. According to Alicanto, this all provided

them with an excellent platform for discovering gold.

Their announcement came shortly after Troy Resources announced that it had found gold deposits underground. According to the company, it found some 15 grammes per tonne of milled ore at its Karouni, Smarts Underground Mine in Region Two.

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sale of State lands to car dealer

Trevor Benn slapped with another misconduct in public office charge

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ormer Head of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC), Trevor Benn, was on Wednesday slapped with another charge for misconduct in public office; this time, over the sale of State lands to a former GL&SC board member who is the owner of Car Care Enterprise, Wilfred Brandford.

Benn has been arraigned before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The charge he faces allege that between December 1, 2018 and August 31, 2019, at GL&SC, Georgetown, while being a public officer, Benn willfully misconduct himself by executing a sale of two parcels of land, known as Parcel 4725, being a mutation of Parcel 4716 L.R.B No XXX and Parcel 4805 being the mutation of former Parcel 4779, all being a portion of Middle Walk, Plantation Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The charge further stated that Benn caused Brandford to pay the sum $13.5 million to GL&SC for the said lands, knowing at the time he did not have the authority to sell the lands, and knowing that the said plot of land had been earlier valued at the sum of $60.8 million, which amounted to his wilful misconduct and a breach of the public’s trust, without any excuse or reasonable justification.

Benn, who was represented by Attorney-at-law Mark Waldron, was not required to plead to the indict-

Former Head of the GL&SC, Trevor Benn

able charge. He was granted $100,000 bail.

On March 12, 2020, Benn was slapped with a charge of misconduct in public office in relation to the leasing of some six acres of unmarked lands at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

That charge stated that between January 1, 2018 and March 31, 2020, while being a public officer at the Lands and Surveys Commission, Benn wilfully misconducted himself by causing $27 million to be paid by Janico Vide Industrial Engineering Limited for the lease of six acres of land at Plantation Ogle, East Coast Demerara, knowing at the time that the GL&SC did not have the authority to lease the land. “…and thereby granted a provisional lease on March 27, 2020 to the said Janico Vide Industrial Engineering Limited without any description, the said wilful miscon-

duct amounting to a breach of the public’s trust, without any excuse or reasonable justification,” the charge further stated.

This charge is also indictable. Benn was granted $200,000 bail by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly.

The former GL&SC Head was arrested in March as the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) was called in to probe the leasing of the State lands. Benn has since maintained his innocence, and has been labelling the charges against him “nonsensical”.

Concerning the leasing of lands to Janico Vide Industrial Engineering Limited, it is unclear what the $27M payment was for, since a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Benn and the company also included a rental fee of $200,000 annually for six acres of land, which was leased for 50 years.

The MoU states, “The purpose of this MoU is to… confirm the intent and commitment of the GL&SC and the Company for the leasing of the said 6 acres of land, owned by the Government of Guyana as part of the stock of State Land, and upon payment of $27,000,000,00…for the development of commercial, industrial and real estate activities.”

But there is no procedure under the State Lands Act that allows for a MoU to be signed before a lease or provisional lease is granted. Moreover, acting Commissioner of GL&SC,

Former GL&SC board member and owner of Car Care Enterprise, Wilfred Brandford

Enrique Monize, had stated in correspondence to Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, that upon research, he was unable to determine any vacant, avail-

able land under the control of the Commission at the location agreed upon.

This issue came to light following the examination of the transaction by the current GL&SC administration after they received a legal notice from the company’s lawyers in December 2020, demanding the six acres of land be handed over.

Based on the agreement signed, Janico Vide Industrial Engineering Limited, which is located at Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was obligated to make the payments in two instalments of $13.5 million – the first upon the signing of the MoU and the balance in November 2017, or upon the receipt of the lease.

In a letter dated December 22, 2020, the law firm of Hughes, Fields & Stoby disclosed that “… it was agreed by the MOA

(Ministry of Agriculture) that the consideration for the said lease would be the sum of $27M…” The lawyers noted this sum was paid in full as per the MoU; that is, the first payment on May 4, 2017, and the second on March 27, 2020.

Despite this, however, the lawyers said, the company has not received the lands.

Shortly after, the Police were called in to investigate the matter. Benn, who was appointed Head of the GL&SC under the previous APNU/AFC Government, was sent packing shortly after the PPP/C assumed office.

In August 2020, President Dr. Irfaan Ali revoked several key powers of the Land Commissioner, which included the authority to rent public lands and grant new leases, and licences. (G1)

Bank Demerara (WCD) was proceeding south along the Eccles Public Road on Tuesday, when he stopped at the Eccles traffic light.

Legay told Police that while at the stoplight, he noticed two males on a black and red XR motorcycle approach him, during which the pillion rider dismounted and started to assault him.

This resulted in a scuffle, and subsequently led to the pillion rider brandishing a black handgun which he used to deal the victim several blows to his face before relieving him of his motorcycle. The suspects then proceeded in a northerly direction of the East Bank Public Road and made good their escape.

Legay was later taken to the East Ruimveldt Police Station, and was subsequently escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital to seek medical attention.

No arrest has been made.

Police have since said that an investigation is in progress.

About a month ago, a delivery man attached to a popular Chinese restaurant in Georgetown was robbed of his motorcycle while making a delivery in Delhi Street, Prashad Nagar, Georgetown.

At the time of that daring robbery, the man was driving a Honda Hunk motorcycle with registration number CK 2083.

Based on reports received, the victim had left his place of work to deliver an order.

When the man arrived in the vicinity, he claimed a female exited a yard in the said street, which had an abandoned house, and approached him.

On February 9, a Policeman who was heading home was attacked and robbed of his motorcycle along Tuschen Public Road, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

Police investigations revealed that the cop slowed down his motorcycle at a speed bump when he was approached by the two suspects, who were armed with a knife, and pulled from off his bike, a black CB 1 Honda.

Also in February, a 49-year-old vendor of Hadfield Street, Durban Backlands, Georgetown was robbed of his Honda motorcycle by three men, one armed with a handgun.

Reports are that the victim was relieved of his motorcycle bearing registration number CJ 5092 at about 20:45h along Duncan Street, Georgetown. (G9)

Gunmen rob man of motorcycle at traffic light

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25-year-old motorcyclist is left counting his losses after he was robbed of his motorcycle and cash at Eccles Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The Police say that Romain Legay of La Parfaite Harmonie, West

NEWS

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021|| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cops charged with intentionally deleting info from GPF computer

…as senior officers charged for fraud

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enneka Carmichael and Tatayana Smith, who are both employed with the Guyana Police Force (GPF), were on Wednesday charged with intentionally deleting information from the Force’s computers. The information they are accused of deleting is linked to an ongoing fraud probe.

Constable Smith, 21, of Third Street Alberttown, Georgetown and 26-year-old Corporal Jenneka Carmichael of Onderneeming, West Coast Berbice were arraigned in Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan’s court, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, on a charge detailing

Deputy Superintendent Frank Jackman-Wilburg

that between January 28, 2021 and February 4, 2021, at the Guyana Police Force Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, Carmichael and Smith intentionally, and without lawful excuse or justification, deleted electronic data from the GPF computer that was in the Administrative Office of the Felix Austin Police College Mess.

Each of these defendants pleaded not guilty as charged, and each was released on $150,000 bail. The case will continue on May 6.

Smith was represented by Attorney-at-law Bernard Da Silva.

Reports are that an investigation was conducted by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), an arm of the GPF, after information was received that falsified accounts in regard to feeding were stored on the computer in question. But before SOCU ranks could have accessed the computer, all account files in regard to feeding were deleted. The defendants are said to be the only ranks that operated the computer.

Senior officers charged

Meanwhile, Deputy Police Commander

Superintendent of Police Lorraine Saul

Superintendent of Police Lorraine Saul, Superintendent of Police Marcelene Washington, and Deputy Assistant Superintendent of Police Frank Jackman-Wilburg appeared before the Chief Magistrate on fraud-related charges in relation to monies expended for supplying meals to ranks.

Wilburg was the only one who appeared in court. His co-accused are said to be out of the jurisdiction.

The first charge stated that the trio, between November 2, 2020 and December 3, 2020, at the GPF Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, conspired with each other and with other persons, while being officers employed by the GPF, to falsify a feeding account of $2,246,400,00 in relation to meals purportedly provided by the Felix Austin Police College Mess to ranks who performed fixed-point duties at Mounted Branch between October 16, 2020 and October 31, 2020.

It is further alleged that the trio, on November 2, 2020 and December 3, 2020, at the GPF Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, conspired with each other and other persons, while being officers employed by the GPF, to falsify a feeding account of $1,440,000,00 in relation to meals purportedly provided by the Felix Austin Police College Mess to ranks who performed fixed-point duty at Mounted Branch between October 16, 2020 and October 31, 2020.

Wilburg was not required to plead to the indictable charges, but was released on $300,000 bail. The case will continue on May 6.

Earlier this month, Saul and Assistant Superintendent of Police Kurt Smith were charged with falsifying GPF payment accounts. Smith, however, was the only one present at the court hearing.

The first charge stated

that between December 18, 2020 and December 28, 2020, at Georgetown, they conspired with each other and other persons, while being officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), to falsify a payment of $1,350,000 to show that meals were supplied to ranks of the Riot Unit training during December 1, 2020 and December 15, 2020.

The other charge alleged that between December 18, 2020 and December 28, 2020, at Georgetown, they conspired with each other and other persons, while being officers of the GPF, to falsify a payment account in the sum of $465,000 to show that meals were supplied to ranks of the Riot Unit training during December 1, 2020 and December 15, 2020.

$19M larceny charge

Last month, retired Assistant Commissioner Kevin Adonis and three junior Police ranks were slapped with a $19 million larceny charge.

Apart from Adonis, of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara (WCD), the others charged are Sergeant Jermaine Fraser of 4116 Phase One Westminster, West Bank Demerara (WBD); Sergeant Michael

Senior Superintendent Marcelene Washington

Corbin of First Avenue, La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, and Corporal Rawl Haynes of Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

Particulars of the first charge stated that between March 26, 2019 and March 29, 2019, at Georgetown, Adonis, Fraser, Corbin, and Haynes conspired with each other and with persons unknown, while being public officers employed by GPF, to steal $19,030,767 It is alleged that Corbin, on March 26, 2019, at the GPF Finance Office, input electronic data, that is to say, a payment voucher entry for $19,030,767, resulting in inauthentic data, with the intent that it be considered or acted upon

Charged: Corporal Jenneka Carmichael and Constable Tatayana Smith by the Finance Ministry’s Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) staff as if it were authentic, regardless of whether or not the said data was directly readable or intelligible.

According to the final charge, Haynes, on March 29, 2019, at Georgetown, while being a public officer employed by the Guyana Police Force, stole 19,030,767.

On the first charge, the ranks were instructed to post $150,000 bail each. Corbin was released on $100,000 bail on the computer-related fraud charge, while Haynes was granted $50,000 bail on the last charge.

Corbin and Fraser are presently interdicted from duty. They were stationed at the Votes Section of the Police Finance Office.

Haynes is stationed at the Tactical Service Unit, while Adonis is a retired Assistant Commissioner and was the Commander for Regional Division Number Seven.

It was reported that

in March 2019, while performing duties at the Votes Section of the Police Finance Office, Headquarters, Eve Leary, Corbin and Fraser were responsible for inputting approved information from payment vouchers in the IFMIS, which resulted in the Finance Ministry cutting cheques.

On March 26, 2019, Corbin reused a payment voucher with supporting documents for fuel purchased from GuyOil to input information in the IFMIS. Fraser, on the other hand, approved the said information, resulting in cheque # 07-220086 for $19,030,767 being made payable to the Officer in Charge of Police F Division.

The cheque was uplifted from the Finance Ministry and lodged at the Police Finance Office.

Adonis endorsed the said cheque, and Haynes, who was not authorised, and was not the finance representative for Police F Division, encashed the cheque at the Bank of Guyana using

Adonis’s national identification card. No record was made of the cheque or to whom the money was disbursed at F Division. An audit was conducted by the Auditor General, who recommended a Police probe.

Previously charged

Last year, Fraser and Corbin were charged with a similar offence. At that time, they were each released on $250,000 bail.

The charge against them stated that on April 4, 2019, at Eve Leary, Georgetown, while being a clerk or servant of the GPF, they falsely entered $12,565,000 into the IFMIS without the existence of payment vouchers.

Both of them had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Late last year, several senior officers were sent on administrative leave as investigators probed the alleged misappropriation of $150 million from the Police Force’s Finance Department. It is unclear at this time what is the status of those investigations.

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

COVID-19 death toll now 274 after Region 6 woman dies …160 new cases recorded

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nother person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has died, taking the total number of deaths in Guyana from the virus to 274.

This latest fatality is a 52-year-old female from Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) who on Tuesday died while receiving care at a medical facility, the

Health Ministry said.

With this death, the total number of persons who have died from COVID-19 thus far in the month of April has gone up to 31, with three deaths recorded this week so far. Two males – a 60-yearold from Region Six and a 56-year-old from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) – had died from the virus on Monday.

The Health Ministry also reported on Wednesday that a whopping 160 new COVID-19 cases were detected during the previous 24-hour period.

According to the updated COVID-19 dashboard, the total number of confirmed cases in Guyana is now 12,132 – 6123 males and

6009 females.

However, only 1416 of these are currently active cases, with 12 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 1404 persons in isolation – 74 in institutional isolation and 1330 in home isolation.

There are also five persons in institutional quarantine.

Further, the number of persons who have recovered from the life-threatening disease in the country to date has increased to 10,442 – some 145 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.

A total of 111, 885 persons have been tested for the novel coronavirus thus far in Guyana.

Of the 160 new cases reported on Wednesday, one was detected in Region One (Barima-Waini), eight in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), 20 in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), a whopping 94 cases in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 17 in the East Berbice-Corentyne region, two in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), five in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), four in Region Nine (Upper EssequiboUpper Takutu) and nine cases in Region 10.

The number of cases recorded in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) remained unchanged.

Not abiding by requirements

The rising number of COVID-19 cases and death toll comes as local authorities continue to battle with a new wave of infections that is seeing a greater number of young people contracting the virus and infected persons becoming sicker with some requiring hospitalisa-

tion.

In fact, during the COVID-19 update on Wednesday, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony reminded persons to practise social distancing by remaining six feet apart, avoiding crowded environments, and masking up.

“If people are not abiding by these simple requirements, then unfortunately, because of the virus that is circulating within the population… you would get infected. So, people need to abide by the prevention rules that we have established and I think once they do that, they are going to remain safe,” he posited.

Meanwhile, health authorities are reminding all Guyanese to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 16), which were extended for this month and would be in effect until April 30, 2021.

Among these measures is the 22:30h (10:30pm) to 04:00h (4am) national curfew, which – the National COVID-19 Taskforce recently reminded – remains intact, cautioning that those who fail to adhere to the guidelines would be prosecuted.

It also reinforced that only essential services are authorised to operate on a 24-hour basis and that other services and businesses are required to close operations by 21:30h (9:30 pm) in order to facilitate workers getting home by the curfew time.

Restaurants and places of worship have been given approval to operate at 40 per cent capacity. Gyms are to operate at 50 per cent capacity while sporting events are only permitted with approval from the Health Minister.

The order further emphasises the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home, the importance of maintaining six feet of physical distance from others, and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of Wednesday, some 142,238,073 confirmed cases were reported globally along with 3,032,124 deaths.

The WHO had reported on Sunday that in the Region of the Americas, that is, Latin America and the Caribbean, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased to 60,006,538 while the death toll has gone up to 1,456,405. (G8)

Alleged GuyOil fuel racket

Import company wants answer on verbal ‘agreement’ in 48 hours …client has to be compensated for fuel – lawyer

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aron Royalty Inc, the company that is at the centre of allegations of a fuel racket at the Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil), has accused the State company of reneging on an oral agreement to import fuel.

This has led to the import company securing legal representation and moving forward with seeking compensation for the fuel it has imported.

In an interview with Guyana Times, the company’s lawyer, Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd, explained that he has dispatched a letter to GuyOil seeking clarification on a number of issues, in the wake of its attempts to distance itself from his client, who has claimed he imported the fuel at its behest.

“We have asked them to make certain disclosures to us in relation to our client and their company and we’ve given them 48 hours to come clean on certain things. We believe that our client, as the days go by, is moving into serious expenses in terms of having the fuel in the ship sitting at a cost by itself,” the lawyer told this publication.

He noted that a determination has to be made as to who would be responsible for the fuel that has been imported.

“So, we have to determine, at the end of the day, who will be responsible for the fuel that is here… this oral agreement seems to have been performed by one party which is our client and there is some form of reneging because of whatever is their wrangle, I’m not too sure what exactly is the internal wrangling.”

This is likely a reference to former GuyOil General Manager Trevor Bassoon, who resigned from the company after he reportedly

Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd

had a boardroom confrontation with a GuyOil official, who allegedly made the oral agreement with Aaron Royalty. That official, who was questioned by the Police, has denied any role in the controversy.

“We’re trying to get clarification so the letter is basically for clarification on a number of issues and we hope to have those answered before we advise our client what to do and what is the next step. The first thing to do is to get clarification, because based on what we’re reading in the media, there seems to be some form of internal wrangling between the parties.

“That doesn’t have anything to do with our client, but as it is, there are going to be legal ramifications. After the 48 hours, we will definitely be engaging the media on how we’re going to proceed,” Todd explained.

Reports had emerged earlier this week that businessman Jason Aaron of Aaron’s Realty alleged officials at GuyOil contracted him to bring in fuel. The businessman alleged, however, that GuyOil got a “sweeter” deal and subsequently cancelled the arrangement, causing him to speak out.

A source within the Guyana Police Force had confirmed that the senior official who was implicated was questioned in relation to the matter. According to the source, the official told Police that Bassoo brought the matter to the company’s attention during an executive meeting and implicated him. At the meeting, he said Bassoo presented evidence of the official’s complicity in the form of WhatsApp printouts showing conversations between him and the businessman.

According to the official, he denied any role in the alleged racket during the meeting and claimed that he did not have such conversations with Aaron. The Police source indicated that extracts of conversations between the official and Aaron were extracted from the official’s phone, but the indicated conversation was not found.

GuyOil Chairman Paul Cheong subsequently released a statement on behalf of the State company, in which he denied the allegations made by Aaron. The Chairman noted that while GuyOil did have discussions with the company, the company was never contracted to bring in fuel.

Cheong had also laid out a very complicated process when it comes to the State entity purchasing fuel, a process which he noted was not engaged. It was further explained that the GuyOil Board met with Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, who has responsibility for the agency, and he was briefed on the matter.

Cheong had said that during the meeting, Dr Singh requested that the Auditor General be called in to investigate.

13 Bedridden persons to get COVID-19 vaccine at home – Dr Anthony NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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s Government continues to aggressively roll out the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony revealed that arrangements can be put in place for persons who are bedridden for whatever reason to also get immunised against the virus.

During his most recent daily update on the COVID-19 situation in Guyana, Minister Anthony said that relatives and/or caretakers of such persons, who could not get to the vaccination sites, could contract the Regional Health Officers (RHOs) in their respective regions to arrange for the vaccine to be administered.

“We will certainly be able to work out a way of taking the vaccines to them. We have been able to

do those who have already been identified to us, but I’m sure there are many more other persons [who are bedridden] and from the side of the Ministry, we’re always willing to help in this regard,” Dr Anthony said in his update on Wednesday.

Further, he went on to disclose that Guyana has reached a milestone in its vaccination exercise with more than 100,000 persons having received their first COVID-19 shot. This achievement was recorded on Tuesday – some 10 days before the projected April 30 deadline by which the Ministry was hoping to attain this milestone.

According to the Health Minister, this could not have been done without the hard work of the vaccination teams across the country.

“We have exceeded

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

100,000 doses… This is across Guyana. We have had people coming out and our people going into villages. So, I think the health workers who have been on

30 years later

Great Diamond squatters to finally get land titles

Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues

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fter more than three decades, some 65 households of informal settlers are soon to be in possession of their own land titles.

This comes as the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) finalises the regularisation of Blocks B and C, being portions of Block D, in Plantation Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues made the announcement on Wednesday, during a brief statement at the ministry’s headquarters.

“We have engaged the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited [NICIL] because

that area is now under their purview… It was taken to the Board and they approved the transfer of that area from NICIL to the Government of Guyana and we will administer the issuance of those titles through the Central Housing and Planning Authority,” Minister Rodrigues said.

She further explained that the transfer was greenlighted through a March 25, 2021 Cabinet decision and NICIL is in the process of preparing the legal framework.

The land was originally transferred from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Inc to CH&PA vide Transport No 302/2005 to begin the process of regularisation. However, the

regularisation process was stalled following the discovery that a portion of Block C was owned by the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).

Three informal settlers who were occupying the land owned by DDL were since relocated to Prospect, EBD last year, through a partnership between DDL and CH&PA. Minister Rodrigues noted that the relocated persons in Prospect are also to receive their land titles.

Since the new Government took office, squatters had lamented their title ownership issue to Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal during a number of his outreaches on the East Bank as well as Minister Rodrigues. Both Ministers had assured those affected that the situation would be met with swift resolution.

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this vaccination campaign have done a remarkable job for us to achieve this milestone. I want to commend them for the job they’ve done so far,” he posited.

The Health Minister noted that while this significant milestone has been achieved, there was still a long way to go to ensure that all adult persons in Guyana, including foreign nationals living and working here, were vaccinated in order to attain herd immunity.

“Whoever is in Guyana, once you are an adult, that you’ll get a vaccine. So that’s what we’re working on because herd immunity cannot be achieved by excluding people… So, migrants who’re here would certainly get vaccines. Other nationals who are here working in different establishments, once they are here for a protracted period, we’ll also be

able to give them vaccines,” Dr Anthony stressed.

Guyana rolled out its COVID-19 vaccination campaign in February and in addition to the morethan-100,000 persons who received their first dose, several hundred persons have also received their second doses.

Last Friday, Government extended the vaccination exercise to persons 18 years and older.

Since then, scores of young persons have been flocking vaccination sites across the country to get immunised.

Thus far, Guyana has received 3000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from Barbados, another 80,000 doses of the same jab from India and 20,000 doses of Sinopharm from China – all donations.

The country subsequently collected its first tranche of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX Facility – 24,000 doses of AstraZeneca and another batch is expected to arrive next month.

Further, Government has purchased 200,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia to the tune of some US$4 million, through the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Guyana has already received some 138,000 doses of the Russia-made jab with the most recent batch of 83,000 doses arriving on Monday.

With these vaccines, the Guyana Government is hoping to fully vaccinate some 300,000 people with both doses by the end of July. The country is ex-

pected to source additional COVID-19 jabs to achieve this.

To this end, Dr Anthony has reiterated calls for persons to get vaccinated.

“I want to appeal to everyone to get their vaccines because while it does not prevent the infection, it would reduce the severity of the disease which is important, so you would not end up in the hospital, you would not end up in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and you would not die from COVID. So that’s a very important thing. So, get your vaccine and we can help to reduce the hospitalisation and deaths that we have been having from this disease,” the Health Minister implored.

Dr Anthony explained during Wednesday’s update that as of now, Guyana has secured enough shots for its vaccination programme.

However, he noted that the country continued to maintain relationships with other countries and manufacturers of COVID-19 jabs so if the need arose for more vaccines, then those sources could be tapped.

One such source is India, the Health Minister said.

Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr KJ Srinivasa had told Guyana Times last month that Guyana was in talks with his country to acquire COVAXIN – an indigenous jab. He had noted while Guyana’s total need is 400,000 doses, the manufacturer, Bharat Biotech, is only processing orders for 100,000. (G8)

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Drugs, counterfeit money found during Police raids

The plants that were found in Region One

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anks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Guyana Prison Service (GPS) on Monday and Tuesday unearthed a quantity of marijuana, cannabis plants and counterfeit money at the New Amsterdam Prison; and in Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Lower Kabura, Moruca, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini) during separate raids.

On Monday about 16:35h, officers of the GPS conducted a search at the northern side of the New Amsterdam Prison compound, and unearthed seven bulky parcels wrapped in yellow plastic containing a quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The matter was reported to the Police and the cannabis was lodged at the Central Police Station. It was later weighed and amounted to 363

grams.

Also, on the same day about 17:45h, a party of Police ranks from the Acquero Police Station, Region One conducted a raid at a farm owned by a 27-year-old farmer of Kabura, Moruca, during which they unearthed four cannabis plants which were about three feet in height. The farm was later burnt. No arrest was made, as the owner of the farm continues to evade arrest.

Then, on Tuesday between 21:50h and 22:30h, a search was conducted at the home of a 23-year-old man of Graham Street, Plaisance by ranks of the Police Force.

During that search, ranks unearthed 13 transparent plastic parcels each containing a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be marijuana and 17 counterfeit $5000 bills.

The items were seized and taken to the Sparendaam Police Station, where the cannabis was weighed and amounted to 2075 grams.

The suspect was arrested and placed in Police custody pending charges. (G9)

The cannabis and counterfeit money that were found at Plaisance

Minibus driver in viral video assaulting passenger on bail

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ays after he was fined a total of $80,000 for various traffic offences, Route 42 minibus driver Josh Harry of Back Road, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara was on Wednesday charged with assaulting a female passenger as well as damaging her cellular phone.

He appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and pleaded not guilty to the first charge, which stated that on April 12 at Houston Public Road, Greater Georgetown, he unlawfully assaulted 47-year-old Odila Peroune of Pearl, East Bank Demerara.

He also denied the other charge, which stated

that on the same day at the said location, he unlawfully and maliciously damaged a cellphone screen valued $40,000, property of Peroune.

Harry, 28, was released on $5,000 bail for each charge. The cases will continue on 14.

The prosecution is contending that, on April 12, Harry was the driver of minibus BYY 8024, which was proceeding north along Houston Public Road. At the time Peroune, a passenger in the minibus, complained to Harry about the loud music he was playing and requested that he turn it down.

The driver stopped the bus in a rash manner. At

Bus driver Josh Harry

this stage, the passenger pulled out her mobile phone and started recording. The driver then approached the woman and demanded that she disembark the bus.

When the woman refused to comply, he snatched her cell phone from out of her hands.

In the process, he hit her on her mouth, and also damaged her phone screen. The matter was reported to the Police and investigations were launched.

Following the incident, a licensing and certifying officer searched the bus and discovered two six-inch Faital Pro Speakers, two eightinch Faital Pro Speakers, a 1000-watt power amplifier, and an Audiopipe, all instru-

ments of music which were not authorised by the prescribed authority.

As a result, he was charged on Monday and appeared before Senior Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Those charges he faced were: breach of road service licence; making loud and continuous noise; misconduct of driver, and failing to carry a conductor.

He was fined a total of $80,000 after pleading guilty to the charges. The Police prosecutor, in this case Sanj Jaisingh, asked the magistrate to impose the maximum fines to send a strong message to other minibus drivers that such conduct would not be tolerated. (G1)

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sugar workers’ protest…

GuySuCo will not negotiate with Union via media – CEO to GAWU President …says 102% of earnings spent to pay wages …admits to owing $113M to GAWU, Credit Union

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he Guyana Sugar Corporation will not negotiate wages and salary increases with unions through the media. That is according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Sasenarine Singh.

“We are committed to the workers. We will do everything within our power to make something happen… I cannot negotiate in the media, and I will not negotiate in the media; and whoever wants to negotiate in the media, I say to them,’Go ahead’!” the CEO said on Wednesday.

His comments came in the wake of a one-day strike and protest by workers attached to the Blairmount and Albion Estates on Monday over unsettled wage increases.

The actions of the workers, which were backed by the Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU), were aimed at pressuring the Corporation to address a retroactive wage hike for 2019.

However, Singh has said that GuySuCo remains committed to doing everything in its power to ensure that the important elements are serviced.

“And the most import-

GuySuCo CEO Sasenarine Singh

ant element in the industry is its human force. We have no doubts about that,” he reiterated.

However, the CEO pointed out that, in 2020, GuySuCo spent 102 percent of its earned revenue to pay wages and salaries.

“On top of that, you have the audacity to tell us that we are not trying out best?

Where are we going to get more from?” the CEO said as he called on all stakeholders to work in a collaborative manner to rebuild GuySuCo. Singh said some persons are trying to misrepresent the truth. Only recently,

an executive of GAWU said there were 30 persons hired at the executive level and were being paid high salaries.

But Singh is claiming that when he took up the position at the helm of the corporation in August 2020, all of the current heads of departments were working with the corporation, and the only change there has been is that the communications officer has been replaced.

“There is no hiring going on there. The communications person was a clean switch from one person to another person…”

Singh added that Government gave $9 billion to GuySuCo between September last year and December this year.

Meanwhile, a letter released on Wednesday by the company's communications team said two persons were hired at the head office after August 2020.

In explaining its position, GuySuCo said its compensation package is governed by the Hays Job Evaluation Methodology.

The Hays Method of Job Evaluation measures jobs by assessing three distinct factors – the knowledge needed to do the job, the problem solving/thinking required

Queen’s College suspends classes after worker tests positive for COVID-19

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ueen’s College has suspended classes for two weeks after one of its auxiliary employees tested positive for COVID-19.

The secondary educational institution was opened to students from Forms Four to Six. Reports are that par-

ents were informed on Wednesday of the positive COVID-19 case and were asked to immediately collect their children from the institution. The school will be closed for the next 14 days to allow for sanitisation.

The worker who tested positive has since been iso-

lated and preparations are being made for persons who were in contact with the individual to get tested.

In the meantime, parents and students are advised that the current halfday timetable via virtual classes will be used to facilitate learning.

by the job, and the extent to which the job is accountable, within procedure, policy and managerial control/ supervision, for achieving its objectives. (G4) According to GuySuCo, it has been unable to meet the recommended rates for the senior staff since 2013. It notes that the corporation’s salary rates are below the average senior management salary rates in the Public Service and Private Sector.

The release was in response to allegations made by the President of GAWU, Seepaul Narine, warning the Corporation of the dangers of ‘top-heavy’ management by saying that it would soon run the industry into trouble.

GuySuCo, in its response, acknowledged that it owes $113 million to GAWU and its Credit Union, noting that an agreement was made to pay $2 million per week to clear the inherited debt.

The Corporation has expressed surprise at Narine’s claims that GuySuCo is un-

willing to sit at the bargaining table, saying that GAWU is aware the corporation made a loss of approximately G$3.8 billion last year.

“In 2020, GuySuCo spent 102 percent of its earned revenue to pay wages and salaries. This meant (that) without financial support from the Shareholders, the Corporation could not have met its wages bill,” GuySuCo said.

According to the Corporation, the 2017 Independent Audited Financial Statement of GuySuCo made it clear that by way of the Vesting Order of December 30, 2017, called the GuySuCo (Transfer of Property) Order 45 of 2017, “all moveable and immovable property of Wales, Skeldon, East Demerara and Rose Hall” were transferred to NICIL. But the uniqueness of this dysfunctional transaction, as stated in that public document, acknowledged that “the liabilities of the vested es-

GAWU President Seepaul Narine

tates remained with the Corporation”. Further, there is nothing “fairly straightforward” about a business that has the External Auditors declaring that “the validity of the going concern basis on which the consolidated finance statements are prepared is dependent on the continued support from the Government of Guyana”.

The management of the corporation and GAWU are scheduled to meet on May 4 to discuss the wages issue.

Corentyne man who threatened to kill wife arrested

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27-year-old man is now in Police custody after he allegedly assaulted his wife at their Number 64 Village, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) home.

Reports are on Monday the man and his brother were at the home consuming alcohol when he called out to his wife and asked her if she was “looking out for her lover”.

The 27-year-old woman, according to the Police, did not respond to her husband and remained silent.

This resulted in the man grabbing the woman by her hair, and dealing her several punches to the head. The man then pushed his finger into the woman’s eye as he threatened to kill her.

On the following day, the woman sought medical attention at a health centre.

According to the Police, the nurse reported the matter after she questioned the victim about her injuries.

Ranks of the Number 51 Village Police Station went to the home of the suspect and arrested him.

When they arrived, it was also revealed that about a month ago, the man chopped his wife on her hand.

The suspect remains in

Police custody as the probe continues.

More than a month ago, Region Six Sports Officer Godwin Allicock was sent to jail for assaulting his reputed wife, Vanetta Thomas, who is the Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO).

It was revealed that Allicock used threatening language to Thomas while being armed with two knives. Following the incident, Thomas went to the

Police Station to make a report. It was in the presence of Police Officers that he whipped out the two knives and allegedly made other threats to Thomas.

The woman was taken to a safe location as the officers tried to disarm Allicock. He was arrested some time after he left the Police Station.

He was later sentenced to three months in prison for the assault. (G9)

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Amaila Falls could have ended blackout woes by now – Nandlall

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s Guyana continues to grapple with constant power outages, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Senior Counsel Anil Nandlall, pointed out that this issue of blackouts could have been resolved had the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) not been scrapped by the APNU/AFC Coalition regime.

“If APNU/AFC didn’t vote down Amaila Falls, we would’ve had hydro power by now, and perhaps the blackouts would’ve gone. But they cut that down,” Nandlall stated during his weekly programme ‘Issues in the News’.

The Attorney General recognises that power outage is a decades-old problem, but, in the same breath, outlined that his Government, under the leadership of President Dr Irfaan Ali, is working feverishly to address the issue that has been plaguing not just residential communities, but hindering Guyana’s economic development due to the high cost of power.

“Right now, there are Trinidadian contractors and a whole host of contractors who are working in servicing and maintaining the lines which have been neglected for the past four years, and that is the hallmark of the APNU+AFC’s term in

Government. Every sector in the country was neglected, but whole day they are finding faults with what the PPP is doing as we’re trying to push an agenda forward to reform and transform this country,” Nandlall posited.

The revival of the 165-megawatt Amaila Falls Hydropower Project was one of the promises made by the People’s Progressive

Party/Civic in its manifesto. The project was initiated under the previous PPP/C Administration but was scrapped by the coalition administration who had controlled the National Assembly by a one-seat Opposition majority. Further, when it got into office following the 2015 elections, the APNU+AFC had gotten clearance from Norway to divert the monies that were initially set aside for Amaila Falls to fund a 100-megawatt solar energy project.

The Amaila Falls Hydropower Project was the flagship of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

Amaila was expected to deliver 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.

The Electric Plant was proposed to be a 165MW (installed capacity) hydropower generation facility located in west-central Guyana, approximately 250 kilometres south-west of Georgetown.

The hydroelectric plant, if completed, would have shifted Guyana’s reliance

on thermal generation to renewable energy, eliminate over 90 per cent of the country’s energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, and provide energy production for approximately 90 per cent of Guyana’s population.

In addition, it would have improved Guyana’s balance of payments by significantly reducing the importation of fuel, also significantly reducing end-user costs for electricity and improving reliability of energy supply and generation of clean energy, which would help to encourage economic growth and development by improving regional competitiveness, Private Sector investment, and Foreign Direct Investment.

In actuality, an “objective and facts-based” assessment done by Norconsult, an engineering and design consultancy firm from Norway, had concluded and recommended

that “the only realistic path” for Guyana moving towards an emission-free electricity sector and achieving its 2025 Green Agenda commitment was to develop its hydropower potential in general, and maintain the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project in particular.

The LCDS was the brainchild of former President and current Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who recently said at a February press briefing that they are going to restart discussions on Amaila Falls “very soon.”

In fact, re-implementation of the Low Carbon Development Strategy has already attracted foreign interests, which Government is hoping can propel Guyana’s renewable energy agenda.

An Australian company, a global leader in the iron ore industry, Fortescue (FMG), is one of the companies seeking to explore renewable energy opportunities in Guyana.

During a recent visit to Guyana, Fortescue discussed the harnessing of renewable energy under the Amalia Falls Hydropower Project to produce green-energy products such as ammonia, hydrogen, fertilisers, and metals for both the local and foreign markets.

“They are looking to re-enter Guyana in the first quarter for further studies and development. These projects are large projects, it is not just about the development of the Amaila Falls Project, but it is looking at large-scale operation that requires renewable energy to produce an output. So, it is not a quick fix; it is a fix that has to be well-studied, and they are moving to that next step,” Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Dr Peter Ramsaroop, said

Drop-box locations for manual tax returns’ submission

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he Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has set up drop-boxes across the country for taxpayers who choose to submit tax returns by hand.

However, the Agency continues to encourage the public to register with the Optimal Revenue Management System (RMS) as a viable alternative for filing.

The boxes are located at GRA Headquarters at Camp Street, Georgetown; Licence Revenue Office at Smyth Street, Georgetown; Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) Ground floor (Robb Street, entrance); GRA Parking Lot at Railway embankment junction (between Lamaha and Camp Streets); Integrated Regional Tax Offices (IRTOs) at Anna Regina, Parika, New Amsterdam, Corriverton, Bartica and Linden.

GRA Headquarters, Camp Street, Georgetown

GRA, on Wednesday, said that in the interest of public safety and to avoid the risks associated with large gatherings during the pandemic, the drop-box will be the only mechanism for taxpayers submitting returns manually this year.

Taxpayers are therefore advised to ensure that their returns are correctly filled, signed and accompanied by valid financial statement/ emolument slips, where necessary. No receipts will be issued at this time, the GRA has said.

Alternatively, the Authority has implemented the online platform, Optimal Revenue Management System (RMS), which allows registered taxpayers to submit returns online. For more information on the registration and sign-up process, visit the Optimal Resource page, https://www.gra.gov. gy/optimal/ or https://eservices.gra.gov.gy/.

Section 60 of the Income Tax Act Chapter 81:01 requires income earners (individual and business) to deliver to the Commissioner-General a true and correct return of the whole of their income from every source whatsoever for the year immediately preceding the year of assessment, and shall, if absent from Guyana, give the name and address of an agent residing therein.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

back in January.

In keeping with plans to provide a cheaper and more reliable power supply to the nation, the PPP/C is pursuing an energy mix for sustainable energy. Chief among this, bringing natural gas from offshore oil operations to add some 200-250 megawatts of energy to the national grid.

“I don’t know when blackout will stop, but we are working towards it, and that is why we’re pursuing so many different avenues

to provide power, and power that is cheap - renewable and alternative to fossil fuel. And that is why we are promoting solar, we are promoting hydro, we are promoting wind, and we are pushing the gas-to-shore project. You can’t fault us for trying,” AG Nandlall contended during his programme.

The gas-to-shore project, which many experts, both local and foreign, say is viable, is expected to come on stream by 2024. (G8)

GTT partners with Guyana Economic Development Trust on Guyana Innovation Prize

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he Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) and the Guyana Economic Development Trust (GEDT), a US and Guyana-based philanthropic initiative that supports science and technology startups, are pleased to announce the exclusive collaboration on the signature programme the Guyana Innovation Prize.

Since 2018, the Guyana Innovation Prize has been awarded to standout innovators in Guyana who have developed breakthroughs in agricultural and food-based science and technology.

“This collaboration makes sense to us because, as an organisation, we stand behind what true innovation can do in society and in the daily lives of people,” Chief Marketing Officer of GTT, Orson Ferguson, has said.

“As a leading corporation in Guyana, we believe in blazing trails to benefit Guyanese, and we believe strongly in our corporate social responsibility, or CSR, which is about serving our communities outside and in support of our core function of telecommunications. This initiative fits exceptionally well with our mandate to innovate our services and to be the leading brand behind scientific and technological innovation in Guyana for and by Guyanese. GTT is proud to be the programme’s

exclusive sponsor,” he went on to say.

The Guyana Innovation Prize was established to support Guyana’s researchers, thinkers and doers. The Prize is a competitive grant that is awarded annually to some of the most commercially viable ideas in the country.

To date, the programme’s creator, GEDT, has presented the Innovation Prize, a grant, to faculty and alumni of the University of Guyana.

However, the programme is open to all Guyanese.

“We look forward to joining GTT in announcing the awardees for 2021. We feel strongly that ‘innovation’ is not the exclusive domain of any one group; it does happen outside of the hallowed halls of international universities. Scientific and technological innovation happens in rural and farming communities, by students, and the more mature – essentially anyone seeking to solve problems in society.” said Oslene Carrington, CEO of GEDT. “As Guyanese, we can and should feel proud of our local innovators. They are a source of inspiration and pride, and we want to reward them. We’re thrilled to be able to do so in partnership with GTT,” said Carrington.

Learn more about the Guyana Innovation Prize at www.theguyanatrust.org.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Charlestown man Stop & Shop shooting: Police say suspect who shot Guyanese has mental killed during row health issues, long list of crimes over robbery T

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Dead: Anthony Yearwood, called “Odinga”

young man was killed on Wednesday night during a confrontation over an alleged robbery.

Dead is 25-year-old Anthony Yearwood, called “Odinga”, of Lot 2 Drysdale Street, Charlestown, Georgetown.

He was reportedly shot to death at around 08:30h on Drysdale Street. Yearwood is believed to have died at the scene.

According to the Police, the suspect is known as “Biggie”.

Guyana Times under-

stands that Yearwood was on his way home when he was shot.

“Preliminary information reveals that the incident emanated from a dispute between the two men over an alleged robbery committed by “Biggie” on a victim who was known to the deceased,” Police said in a brief release.

Residents around the area told Guyana Times that they heard gunshots, and sometime after, an ambulance was heard rushing to the scene. (G8)

he supermarket employee accused in a deadly shooting on Long Island appeared in court on Wednesday morning.

Gabriel Dewitt Wilson is charged with killing a manager, and injuring two other workers at a Stop & Shop in West Hempstead.

Authorities describe Wilson, 31, as a troubled employee. They said he showed up to work on Tuesday to ask for a transfer to another location. He filled out a form and then left without incident, only to return 40 minutes later, CBS2’s Natalie Duddridge reported.

Wearing a white jumpsuit, Wilson was walked into Nassau County police headquarters on Wednesday morning, mumbling under his breath. He is charged with second-degree murder, and four counts of attempted murder, after investigators say he opened fire at the supermarket on Cherry Valley Road just after 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

He pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond.

“Gabriel Wilson responded directly to the second-floor management offices. In that area, he intentionally fired a .380 semi-automatic handgun seven times at five different people,” Det. Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick said.

Emotions spilled over at

Dead: Guyanese Ray Wishropp

the Valley Stream home of Ray Wishropp, a father of seven who died in the shooting.

Originally from Guyana, the 49-year-old was remembered as a clever, kind and compassionate family man, CBS2’s Jennifer McLogan reported.

“A loving member of his family, his community. Our thoughts also go to victims who are recovering from their physical wounds and traumatic wounds,” Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said.

Wishropp’s parents and cousins flew in from Florida.

“It’s a heavy day for us today and we miss him, but I know we will se him again in the resurrection, so … I love him so much. I’m sorry. Thanks you,” cousin Alex Bernard said.

Wishropp’s close-knit neighbors and friends on Montague Street are also grieving.

“We did everything together. He’s a great guy. Anybody that knows him just loves him instantly,” friend Joseph Aggerup said.

“Great guy, big heart, generous, always trying to help someone,” Manny Baksh said.

“My husband has a garden. He has a garden. They shared vegetables. He was just a good guy,” Mary Ellen Vicari added. Two other store employees were wounded in the shooting. A 50-year-old man from Bethpage and a 26-year-old woman from Bay Shore were both shot in the shoulder and are recovering at a local hospital.

More than 100 shoppers were in the supermarket scared for their lives.

“Frantic, frantic … People just running with their carts and some man said, ‘Honey, honey, don’t go in there.

There’s an active shooter,’” one woman told CBS2’s Carolyn Gusoff on Tuesday night.

Authorities say Wilson fled the area and led police on a four-hour manhunt before they arrested him at an apartment on Terrace Avenue.

As for a possible motive, authorities say Wilson asked for a transfer to another Stop & Shop after female employees complained he harassed them.

The suspect’s attorney told CBS2 that Wilson, who has

Gabriel Dewitt Wilson

prior arrests in Maryland, has suffered mentally since he was shot in the head 10 years ago.

Police credited the community for its tremendous support as tips poured in and agencies from all over arrived to assist. Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder explained the department was already on alert because, sadly, April has been a historical month of gun violence.

“Patriots Day, Boston Marathon; Virginia Tech shooting; Waco, Texas; Oklahoma City, Hitler’s birthday, Columbine, Oscala High School. We are aware of what this month is and we’ve increased our patrols,” Ryder said.

If convicted of the top charge, Wilson could face 25 years to life in prison.

(CBSNewYork)

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

Regional

COVID vaccine scarcity and fake Brazil: Celebrities urge Biden to refuse Amazon deal with Bolsonaro doses hamper efforts in Americas

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Actor Leonardo DiCaprio and singers Katy Perry and Gilberto Gil have signed the letter

ozens of US and Brazilian celebrities have urged President Joe Biden to not sign any environmental deal with Brazil as deforestation in the Amazon rises.

In a letter, they said an accord risked legitimising a government that was encouraging environmental destruction.

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio and singers Katy Perry, Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso are among those who signed it.

President Jair Bolsonaro has weakened protections and called for economic development in the rainforest.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon surged to a 12-year high last year.

The far-right leader, who took office in January 2019,

has encouraged agriculture and mining in the area, and rolled back environmental legislation.

The US and Brazil have been holding talks since February on the possibility of collaborating to stop the increasing destruction of the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest. A deal could see Brazil receiving financial aid in return for protecting the region.

President Bolsonaro is among the world leaders who will join a virtual USled climate summit today.

A deal is unlikely to be announced at the event.

In the open letter, the 35 celebrities told President Biden to “not commit to any agreements with Brazil at this time” and that any deal should listen to Indigenous

and environmental groups as well as state and local governments first.

“We join a growing coalition... in urging your administration to reject any deal with Brazil until deforestation is reduced, human rights are respected, and meaningful participation by civil society is met,” the letter said. “A deal with Bolsonaro is not the solution.”

President Bolsonaro’s office has not commented.

The letter was also signed

by American actors Jane Fonda, Sigourney Weaver and Alec Baldwin, Brazilian actress Sonia Braga and filmmaker Fernando Meirelles as well as British singer Roger Waters and actor Orlando Bloom. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Migrants face attacks, threats in Mexico

“E

very time I see my daughters suffering here, I feel a lump in my throat. I cry during the nights.”

That is how a mother from Honduras describes her life in Piedras Negras, a Mexican city across the border from the US state of Texas, after she was expelled from the United States last month with her two- and seven-yearold daughters and other members of her family. Members of a gang she had testified against in Honduras tracked her to Mexico, she said, fuelling fears of violence.

A family from El

Salvador that was attacked in Mexico by a gang that had threatened to kill them in their home country, also was sent back from the USMexico border to Tijuana in February. “I don’t feel safe.

I’m so afraid. It’s a dangerous place,” said the father, who added he recently witnessed a kidnapping while waiting for the bus.

A 14-year-old boy from Cuba, expelled to Mexico from the US in February with his grandmother, is so fearful and anxious they will be abducted by smugglers, that he has started to chew off his fingernails.

“Please tell the President to take mercy on us,” his

grandmother said.

These are just some of the stories shared in a new report, released this week by three US-based rights groups, that details the experiences of migrants and asylum seekers stuck at the US-Mexico border or expelled from the US under a Trump-era policy called Title 42.

“That Title 42 continues to be affirmed as a public health measure is deeply troubling,” said Nicole Ramos, director of the border rights project at Al Otro Lado, a legal and humanitarian aid group. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

T&T’s most wanted man killed by Police

R

alphie Roper, who has been described as T&T’s most wanted man and had been on the run for almost 15 years, was shot and killed

by Police in Maraval early Wednesday morning.

Sources told Guardian Media Roper was asleep in a camp in a forested area of Cameron Hill just after 04:00h when Police, acting on a tip-off, descended on the camp. It is alleged that Roper shot at the Police who returned fire, fatally wounding him.

Roper had several outstanding warrants and

firearm-related offences pending before the court.

In an interview two years ago, he claimed he had information on several crooked Police Officers in the Western Division and that several of them were on his payroll.

A senior officer said although Roper was wanted for several crimes, he had secrets about many Police Officers in the Western Division. There were allegations made

by Roper about several Police Officers running competing drug blocks in the area. A high-ranking

Police Officer confirmed to Guardian Media that these allegations had some merit and officers were being investigated.

Several attempts had been made over the last two years to capture Roper who remained elusive. He often hid in the forested hills of Cameron and “knew the area like the back of this hand”, a resident who grew up with Roper said.

In the past, law enforcement agencies had tried to capture Roper in this area, but on every occasion, he evaded them. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

mid a scramble to secure enough coronavirus vaccines in the Americas, there are reports of fake doses proliferating on the black market in several countries in the region, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) said on Wednesday.

“We have received some information from Mexico, Argentina and Brazil that some doses have been offered through social media, illegal markets offering vaccines that probably are falsified,” Jarbas Barbosa, assistant director of PAHO said during a weekly news conference.

“They are not real vaccines or maybe they are

stolen doses from a health facility that no one can assure that they were properly stored,” Barbosa said.

On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Pfizer had identified counterfeit vaccines in Mexico and in Poland.

According to the report, 80 people in Mexico had been jabbed with fake doses in a clinic, after paying US$1000 per dose.

According to the report, the people who received the fake vaccines were not adversely affected. Citing authorities, the report said in Poland the fake vaccines were seized before they were administered.

During Wednesday’s news conference, PAHO

Director Carissa Etienne said the organisation was also concerned about vaccine hesitancy. She said “insidious rumours and conspiracy theories” were “inspiring fear and costing lives”.

She said PAHO was working with tech companies to tackle misinformation that has quickly proliferated on the Internet and on social media sites.

“Because unreliable information spreads quickly, PAHO is collaborating with tech companies like Twitter, Google, and Facebook to address fake news and ensure the public can easily find accurate information,” she said.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Mexico cartel uses explosive drones to attack Police

S

uspected criminals in Mexico have used drones to drop explosives on Police, injuring two officers.

Officials think the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is behind Tuesday’s attack in the western state of Michoacán.

In August, two rigged drones were found in the car of suspected CJNG members.

The drones are thought to be the latest weapons in a deadly war between the drugs cartel and the security forces and vigilantes opposed to them.

Not much detail has been released about Tuesday’s attack, but local media said two drones had been used.

It is believed they were rigged in a similar way to the two drones that were found in the car boot of suspected cartel members.

The drones seized last year

Roads leading to the city of Aguililla had been blocked by the drugs cartel

had containers taped to them which had been filled with plastic explosives and ball bearings. Experts said they had been set up to be detonated remotely and could have inflicted deadly damage.

The officers injured on Tuesday had been deployed to clear roads leading to the city of Aguililla, in Michoacán, which had been blocked by the cartel to impede the access of the security forces.

Over the past weeks, hundreds of residents have been fleeing the city in fear as the CJNG and a rival group calling itself United Cartels (Cárteles Unidos), fight for control of the city.

Earlier this month, eight mutilated bodies were found in the area after a particularly deadly fight between the two groups. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Barbados condemns Level-4 travel advisory

T

he Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Ministry on Wednesday condemned a Level-4 advisory issued by the United States against Barbados, saying it did not provide enough information for travellers to make an informed decision.

A statement from the Ministry said while it recognised the responsibility the State Department has to US residents and citizens overseas, “Barbados does not accept that its national conditions merit the assignment of a Level-4 advisory customarily reserved for States in the midst of destabilising conflict or in which American travellers have been targeted for harm”.

“Barbados is not satisfied that the Department of State’s novel decision to conflate its travel advisories with those of the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) has been adequately explained

Grantley Adams International Airport

to US citizens and residents.

Moreover, Barbados is concerned that the narrative of the advisory does not give US travellers the opportunity to make an informed decision on travel to the island based on relevant data.

The statement also pointed out the disparity where some countries have Level-3 travel advisories from the State Department and Level-4 from the CDC, noting they “only strengthen the Government of Barbados’ call for a dispassionate presentation of the

facts concerning the public health situation in each country”.

“Barbados, like the United States, remains of the view that economies cannot remain closed indefinitely as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Regrettably, a Level 4 advisory to travellers from the United States will have a chilling effect on tourism, and does not in any way support the Government’s efforts to secure a durable economic recovery.” (Excerpted from Nation News)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil prices drop as COVID-19 surge in India dents demand outlook

O

il prices fell for a second day on Wednesday, heading for their biggest daily drop in more than two weeks and weighed down by concerns that surging COVID-19 cases in India will drive down fuel demand in the world's third-biggest oil importer.

Brent crude futures for June declined US$1.14, or 1.7 per cent, to US$65.43 a barrel at 1250 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for June fell US$1.28, or two per cent, to US$61.39 a barrel. The May contract expired on Tuesday down 1.5 per cent.

"Demand jitters were thrust back into the spotlight yesterday amid a sharp rise in global coronavirus cases.

Nowhere is this more obvious than in India," PVM analysts said.

India, also the world's third-largest oil user, on Wednesday reported another record increase in the daily death toll from COVID-19.

Further battering the market, data from the American Petroleum Institute (API) industry group showed US crude oil and distillate stocks rose in the week ended April 16, according to two market sources.

Crude stocks rose by 436,000 barrels, API reported, according to the sources.

Raising the possibility of further oil supply, Iran and world powers have made headway in talks to save a 2015 nuclear accord, which, if successful, could see sanctions lifted and more Iranian barrels return to the market.

Still, major oil trading companies are stowing diesel and jet fuel on newly-built supertankers in Asia and Africa in anticipation of COVID-19 vaccinations driving prices higher in the months ahead. (Excerpt from Reuters)

MSF urges rich countries to back COVID vaccine patent waiver

Thousands across Russia defy ban on protests

T

housands of people around Russia have joined unauthorised rallies to protest against the detention of jailed Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny.

They are calling for Navalny, who has been on hunger strike for weeks, to receive proper medical care.

More than 1000 people were reportedly arrested.

Navalny, 44, was jailed in February and is demanding medical attention for acute back pain and leg numbness.

The largest protest was in Moscow, but others took place in major cities.

These included St Petersburg, Vladivostok in the Far East, a number of cities in

Supporters of jailed Russian Opposition politician Alexei Navalny during a rally in Moscow

Siberia, and the central city of Vladimir where Navalny is being held.

The Opposition had hoped Wednesday's protests would be the largest in years, but reports suggest they have been smaller than those that took

George Floyd’s murder: Minneapolis Police to face US federal probe A

US federal investigation has been launched into policing practices in the city of Minneapolis, a day after one of its former officers was convicted of the murder of George Floyd.

The Justice Department will look at whether there has been a pattern "of unconstitutional or unlawful policing", Attorney General Merrick

Garland said.

It follows national outrage over the killing of Floyd by Derek Chauvin.

The former officer was convicted of all charges against him on Tuesday.

Chauvin was filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during an arrest in May 2020. Floyd, an unarmed African American,

Deadly blast hits luxury hotel in Quetta

The attack targeted the Serena hotel, which is often frequented by officials. The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan is suspected to have been the target of the attack

A I

nternational medical charity Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF) has urged rich countries to stop blocking a patent waiver plan that could boost the global production of coronavirus vaccines.

Members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will meet virtually for informal talks today to discuss a proposal to waive intellectual property rights for producing COVID-19 vaccines and other coronavirus-related medical tools for the duration of the pandemic.

Sponsors of the waiver argue that the temporary suspension would allow more factories worldwide to produce jabs without breaking international rules under the WTO agreement on TradeRelated Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

But the proposal, originally submitted in October by India and South Africa, has met

staunch opposition from several high-income members, many of which are home to major drug-makers – such as the United States and members of the European Union.

In a statement on Wednesday, Dr Maria Guevara, MSF’s international medical secretary, called on the opponents to drop their opposition to the plan.

“In this COVID-19 pandemic, we are once again faced with issues of scarcity, which can be addressed through diversification of manufacturing and supply capacity and ensuring the temporary waiver of relevant intellectual property,” she said.

“We urge all countries in opposition to this, including the US and the EU, to stand on the right side of history and join hands with those in support. It is about saving lives at the end, not protecting systems.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

place shortly before Navalny was jailed.

More than 14,000 people protested in 29 cities, Police said. This included 6000 people who gathered in Moscow.

But estimates from monitoring groups tend to far ex-

ceed official Police figures.

One such group, OVD-Info, said more than 1000 people had been detained nationwide.

"This is one of the last gasps of a free Russia," one protester told Reuters news agency.

"We came out for Alexei."

"This is a fight for the future," another demonstrator, Andrei Zamyatin, told AFP. Others were less hopeful about the impact the mass action could have. "I don't think this protest can save Navalny," Alexander Butuzov told AFP. "There would need to be at least 200,000 to 300,000 people in the streets," he said.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

bomb explosion at a luxury hotel in the Pakistani city of Quetta has killed at least four people and wounded 11.

The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Nong Rong is suspected to have been the target of the attack in the car park of the Serena Hotel, correspondents say.

He is understood to be in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province near the Afghan border, but was not

present at the scene at the time.

The Pakistani Taliban have claimed the attack, without giving details.

In recent months the group, and other militant organisations, have stepped up attacks in tribal areas near the border with Afghanistan.

Footage of the blast was shared on social media in the aftermath, showing a fire raging in the hotel's car park.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

was pronounced dead an hour later.

His death sparked protests across the US and worldwide, and calls for Police reform.

Tuesday's verdict has been widely welcomed in a country where Police are rarely convicted – if they are charged at all – over deaths which occur in custody.

But Garland told reporters that he knew the verdict would not "address potentially systemic policing issues in Minneapolis".

The Attorney General said the investigation would "include a comprehensive review of the Minneapolis Police Department's policies, training, supervision and use-of-

force investigations".

It will also examine "whether its treatment of those with behavioural health disabilities is unlawful", while looking at the "effectiveness of current systems of accountability and whether other mechanisms are needed to ensure constitutional and lawful policing."

Garland said both the community and law enforcement would have to take part if the investigation were to be a success, and he had already started reaching out to both.

If unlawful patterns or practices were found, he promised to issue a public report and bring a civil lawsuit.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Man on trial in Madrid, Spain, for “killing and eating his mother”

A

man has gone on trial in Spain for allegedly killing his mother, cutting up her body and eating her remains.

Alberto Sánchez Gómez was arrested in 2019 after police went to the home of his 66-year-old mother following concerns from a friend.

Police said they found body parts scattered around the apartment – some kept in plastic containers.

The defendant has told

the court he does not remember dismembering and eating his mother.

He is reported to have been suffering from a personality disorder as well as a drug habit prior to his arrest.

Spanish media say he had been known to Police because of violence against his mother, María Soledad Gómez, and that he had breached a restraining order at the time of his arrest.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Rebels threaten to march on capital as Chad reels from President’s battlefield death

T

he son of Chad’s slain leader Idriss Deby took over as President and armed forces commander on Wednesday as rebel forces threatened to march on the capital, deepening the turmoil in a country vital to international efforts to combat Islamist militants in Africa.

The political Opposition denounced the military’s takeover of control, as did an army general who said he spoke for many officers.

Labour unions called for a workers’ strike.

Deby, 68, was killed on Monday on the frontline in a battle against fighters of the Libyan-based Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), a group formed by dissident army officers.

His death shocked the nation and raised concerns among Western allies, notably France and the United States, who had counted on him as an ally in their fight

against Islamist groups including Islamic State and Boko Haram.

Deby had been in power since 1990 and had just been declared winner of a presidential election that would have given him a sixth term in office. His son, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, was named interim president by a transitional council of military officers.

General Deby, 37, moved to consolidate his position on

Wednesday, with the council issuing a new charter in place of the Constitution granting him the functions of President and also naming him as Head of the armed forces.

In his first public comments since taking power, Deby said the Army wanted to return power to a civilian Government and hold free and democratic elections in 18 months. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

Settle into something you enjoy doing, and an unexpected opportunity will come your way. Fix up your space to accommodate a new project. Don’t wait for someone else to make the first move.

Stubbornness will lead to uncertainty. Size up what(April 20- ever situation you face, and May 20) make a decision. Spending too much time on something you cannot change will end up holding you back.

TAURUS

DILBERT

Expand your options, be GEMINI open to suggestions and make (May 21- positive changes at home.

June 20) Abide by the rules and take bureaucratic matters seriously. Moderation and accuracy are essential.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Coordinate with people who bring out the best in you.

What you learn and accomplish will encourage you to form a healthy relationship and a positive and prosperous plan.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Proceed with caution.

Limit what you share with others. Be a good listener, and it will give you the competitive edge you need to get ahead. Distance yourself from indecisive people.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Stand your ground and make things happen. Use your knowledge, experience and know-how to reach your goal. Refuse to let anyone take charge or hold you back.

Romance is in the stars.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Consider what you enjoy doing most, and head in that direction. Pick up a license, degree or whatever qualifications you require to improve your chance to advance in an area that excites you.

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SCORPIO

SUDOKU

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Listen to your intuition.

You have plenty to gain if you are productive. Put the past behind you, and concentrate on the people, places and pastimes that make your life better. Romance is featured.

Put your energy where it SAGITTARIUS will bring the highest returns.

(Nov. 23Refuse to let anyone play with Dec. 21) your emotions or push you in the wrong direction. Expand your interests and do something that makes you happy.

Take care of your responCAPRICORN sibilities. Make changes at (Dec. 22home that will add to your enJan. 19)

tertainment and make your life easier. Spending time with a loved one will lead to wise decisions.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Think about what you are doing, how you handle your money and the changes you can make to improve your current situation. Put your energy where it counts, and strive to do your best.

An opportunity to change PISCES the way you work or how you (Feb. 20earn your living looks promMarch 20) ising. Learn to use your skills in new and exciting ways, and you’ll end up with extra cash.

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

21

Fabien Allen was economical with the ball for Punjab Kings

Sunrisers finally seal a chase as bowlers, Bairstow shine C

hasing for the fourth time in as many games, the Sunrisers Hyderabad finally opened their account in IPL 2021 as they beat the Punjab Kings by nine wickets in Chennai.

Set a target of 121, David Warner and Jonny Bairstow gave the Sunrisers a start of 73 in 10.1 overs. The Sunrisers had been in winning positions in their last two games before botching up, but, this time, the calm presence of Kane Williamson ensured the Kings never got a sniff of victory, as Bairstow, who remained unbeaten on 63 off 56, and he took their side home with eight balls to spare.

Earlier, the Kings opted to bat, but were bundled out in

19.4 overs. Khaleel Ahmed was the most successful bowler for the Sunrisers, picking up 3 for 23, but it was the spin duo of Rashid Khan and Abhishek Sharma that hurt the Kings more, registering combined figures of 3 for 41 from eight overs.

With three losses on the trot, the Kings have replaced the Sunrisers at the bottom of the points table.

Khan's sorcery leaves the Kings in trouble The day didn't start well for Khan. In the first over of the match, he dropped Mayank Agarwal at deep midwicket off Sharma. But soon he more than made up for that. After

SCOREBOARD PUNJAB KINGS INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) KL Rahul (c)† c Jadhav b Kumar 4 Mayank Agarwal c Rashid Khan b Ahmed 22 Chris Gayle lbw b Rashid Khan 15 Nicholas Pooran run out (Warner) 0 Deepak Hooda lbw b Abhishek Sharma 13 Moises Henriques st † Bairstow b Abhishek Sharma 14 Shahrukh Khan c Abhishek Sharma b Ahmed 22 Fabian Allen c Warner b Ahmed 6 Murugan Ashwin c †Bairstow b Kaul 9 Mohammed Shami run out(Shankar/†Bairstow) 3 Arshdeep Singh not out 1 Extras (b 9, nb 1, w 1) 11 TOTAL (19.4 Ov, RR: 6.10) 120 Fall of wickets: 1-15 (KL Rahul, 3.1 ov), 2-39 (Mayank Agarwal, 6.6 ov), 3-39 (Nicholas Pooran, 7.1 ov), 4-47 (Chris Gayle, 8.4 ov), 5-63 (Deepak Hooda, 11.3 ov), 6-82 (Moises Henriques, 13.4 ov), 7-101 (Fabian Allen, 16.4 ov), 8-110 (Shahrukh Khan, 18.1 ov), 9-114 (Murugan

Ashwin, 19.1 ov), 10-120 (Mohammed Shami, 19.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Abhishek Sharma 4-0-24-2 Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3-0-16-1 Khaleel Ahmed 4-0-21-3 Siddarth Kaul 3.4-0-27-1 Vijay Shankar 1-0-6-0 Rashid Khan 4-0-17-1 SUNRISERS HYDERABAD INNINGS (TARGET: 121 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) David Warner (c) c Agarwal b Allen 37 Jonny Bairstow † not out 63 Kane Williamson not out 16 Extras (lb 1, w 4) 5 TOTAL (18.4 Ov, RR: 6.48) 121/1 Did not bat: Virat Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, Abhishek Sharma, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed Fall of wickets: 1-73 (David Warner, 10.1 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Mohammed Shami 2-0-16-0 Fabian Allen 4-1-22-1 Arshdeep Singh 3.4-0-31-0 Moises Henriques 1-0-7-0 Murugan Ashwin 4-0-22-0 Deepak Hooda 4-0-22-0

Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed KL Rahul cheaply and the Sunrisers restricted the Kings to 32 for 1 in the powerplay, Khan was all over the opposition.

First, his low catch at short midwicket sent Agarwal on his way for a 25-ball 22. And when he came on to bowl, even Chris Gayle, the only batter in the Kings line-up to have a positive record against Khan, had no clue which way the ball would turn.

Gayle thrust his bat and pad forward to a leg-break, only to be trapped lbw.

In between those two wickets, Warner felled Nicholas Pooran with a direct hit, handing the batter his third duck in four innings. Pooran didn't even face a ball this time.

After pushing the ball towards extra cover, Gayle called for a quick single, but Pooran was late to react, and was found well short.

Coming in at 47 for 4, Moises Henriques tried to sweep Khan twice in the first two balls he faced. Both times Khan pinged him on the thigh. Soon,

Khan beat him with a googly, but Bairstow, as clueless as the batter, missed the stumping.

Sharma, too, shows his tricks Sharma was unlucky not to have Agarwal's wicket when the batter was on zero, but against one of the prolific opening pairs in the IPL, he conceded just three in the first over.

He got the reward for his disciplined bowling when he dismissed Deepak Hooda with a backspinner in the 12th over.

Having started well, Hooda tried to flick one away, but failed to connect and was lbw for 13.

In his next over, Sharma deceived Henriques in the flight, beat him with the turn, and on this occasion Bairstow made no mistake with the stumping. It was only because of a couple of lusty blows from Shahrukh Khan that the Kings could cross 100.

Warner, Bairstow lead the chase It wasn't a daunting target, but Warner and Bairstow knew a good start was crucial, especially with the pitch slowing down considerably and offering help to spinners.

The Kings brought on left-arm spinner Fabian Allen in the second over, but Bairstow didn't let him settle down, bludgeoning him for a four and a six.

In the Abhishek Sharma next over, dented the Punjab Bairstow and Kings’ middle order Warner hit a four each o f f

Jonny Bairstow raised his bat after scoring a fifty

Mohammed Shami. Despite Warner trudging along at a run a ball, the Sunrisers had 50 on the board by the end of the powerplay.

Warner holed out for 37, trying to dispatch a short ball from Allen, but Bairstow

and Williamson ensured the Sunrisers knocked off the remaining 48 runs without losing another wicket. On the way, Bairstow brought up his second fifty in four innings, off 48 balls, and his slowest in T20s till now.

(ESPNCricinfo)

“Holder could do pretty well” – WI legend Brian Lara tips former captain Jason Holder to be Windies star who could shine brightest at IPL

W

est Indies legend Brian Lara has tipped Jason Holder for T20 captain, as he says that Holder could shine most brightly in the India Premier League (IPL) this season.

Holder, an all-rounder, was retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the new campaign, after coming in as a substitute for Australian Mitchell Marsh only last season.

Holder went on to score 66 runs in seven matches, at an average of 33, and claimed 14 wickets, the third most on the team, despite playing less than half the games.

Lara, who is part of a commentary panel for this season’s tournament, has tipped Holder to carry on in the same vein.

“Jason Holder could do pretty well. He ended up replacing Mitchell

Marsh in the 2020 IPL, so I expect him to maybe come up with trumps this year,” Lara told StarSports.

“The tracks are not so favourable to the pace where he is playing at present, but he is such a good, all-round player that I hope he can maintain his play and really show that the West Indians are here to stay,” he added.

Holder could, however, have plenty of competition for the top West Indian player, with the likes of Kieron Pollard, Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, and Nicholas Pooran also taking part in this season’s competition.

(Adapted f r o m Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

Pat Cummins blasted 66 off 34

Deepar Chahar makes it CSK’s night

Andre Russell smashed a quickfire 54

– despite stunning counterattacks from Andre Russell and Pat Cummins

T

hey had a much-maligned opener come back to form spectacularly. They had their other opener power to 95 not out. They had a total of 220 for 3, and then they had the opposition 31 for 5 inside the powerplay.

Then the Chennai Super Kings ran into not just Andre

was out, saw D i n e s h Karthik fall too, and then reeled off a 23-ball 50. But, in the end, the Super Kings had put up too many runs and taken too many wickets up front, as a valiant chase ended with the Knight Riders at 202 all out in 19.1 overs.

Cummins was unconquered on 66, and the last two wickets were run-outs, with Cummins trying to retain strike.

The Wankhede Stadium’s status as a batting haven was restored in some style, as a succession of batsmen teed off against the bowling in a

Deepak Chahar bagged 4-29

Russell at his ball-smashing best, but Pat Cummins morphing into Dre 2.0, as the Kolkata Knight Riders kept hammering away at the target despite the seeming hopelessness of their cause.

The Super Kings had to contend with a match they thought they had sewn up bursting open once again. But, in the end, they got past the finish line, winning by 18 runs in the final over.

Coming in at five down in 5.2 overs, Russell hit a 21-ball 50.

Cummins walked in when Russell

match in which 26 sixes were hit. Deepak Chahar’s powerplay heroics, which left the Knight Riders in tatters, almost became a footnote, as did his excellent figures of 4 for 29 - until he effected those two run-outs at the end.

The Super Kings were driven to their total by fifties from Ruturaj Gaikwad (64 off 42) and Faf du Plessis (95* off 60) and, at the innings break, they must have thought they had enough, even if the dew arrived.

By the last over of the Knight

unscathed, taking 1 for 34 in four overs.

Both openers were rattling along at a pace, but it was Gaikwad who reached his halfcentury first, off 33 balls. He was out in the 13th over, after a 115-run Faf du Plessis scored stand, an unbeaten 95 and his innings had enough flowing drives and pulls to signal a thumping return to t h e form. ex p e c t e d Meanwhile, du Plessis carried on, his own halfnet run-rate boost. Few century raised off 35 balls, and continuing to go at the could have foreseen the same pace till the end of the sort of blistering innings.

The Super Kings gambled comeback that the Knight Riders mounted; but, eventually, the by sending MS Dhoni ahead of Super Kings had collectively Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, and though the captain found done just enough. the edge of the bat as often as the middle, he did get some Gaikwad repays the faith He had come into the game good hits in, and the Super Kings with scores of 5, 5 and 10, and ended up with a massive total. with calls outside the team Chahar’s powerplay growing ever more insistent that He has made it a habit to the Super Kings ought to bench him. But the team kept the faith have the new ball doing things, in Gaikwad, and he repaid that and Chahar tore through the spectacularly.

Knight Riders’ top order in He began in the second over, the powerplay. Their scores taking Pat Cummins for four and looked like a pincode, with five six to get Super Kings flying early. successive single-digit efforts.

Chahar struck in each of his They continued to soar, with both du Plessis and Gaikwad first three overs, and his last depositing the ball where wicket was that of Narine. The they pleased for much of their move to send Narine in at No. 5 ahead of Karthik and Russell did partnership.

Gaikwad was particularly not come off. severe on the pace bowlers, Chahar stuck to his method taking all of Cummins, Russell, and reaped the rewards: bowl Prasidh Krishna and the tight without offering too much returning Kamlesh Nagarkoti room, get the ball to swerve, for plenty. At the other end, du and cash in on the batsman’s Plessis balanced that nicely by mistakes. punishing Varun Chakravarthy.

Sunil Narine, back for this Russell’s thunder, game after recovering from Cummins’s blitz a niggle, emerged relatively Russell hit three of his first four balls for four, four and six off Lungi Ngidi, and seemed in a thunderous mood right from the start. He had walked into a hopeless situation, but also one tailor-made for him in a way, where all he needed to do was

Rafael Nadal fights back, Dan Evans loses, & Fabio Fognini defaults

S

panish top seed Rafael Nadal survived a scare before fighting back to beat Belarusian qualifier Ilya Ivashka in the second round of the Barcelona Open.

Nadal, who has not lost on clay to an opponent ranked outside the world’s top 100 since 2004, won 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 against 111thranked Ivashka.

British number one Dan

Evans was unable to continue his excellent form on clay, losing to France’s Corentin Moutet in a spiky second-round match.

Evans, seeded 16th, lost 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

The pair shook hands at the net before another frank exchange of words, having disagreed earlier in this match and previously during a US Open encounter last year.

NOTICE

Riders’ powerplay, they would have thought it was just a matter of time, and the nerdier ones among them would have been calculating

Action in the Barcelona Open

Meanwhile, Italian ninth seed Fabio Fognini was defaulted from his second-round match for abusing a line judge.

The 33-year-old, who has a history of on-court disciplinary problems, angrily smashed a racquet as he walked off, having seen Spanish opponent Bernabe Zapata Miralles progress at his expense. (BBC Sport)

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focus on bat hitting ball hard.

He did that in vintage Russell style, clattering bowlers disdainfully.

Karthik, who was going at near ten runs an over, seemed sluggish in comparison to Russell.

The equation had appeared beyond anyone, but the way Russell took off, and with Karthik also finding his timing, it was a lot closer than it looked.

Russell’s fall was as anticlimactic as his innings was thrilling. Having got to fifty off his sixth six - each one hit hard enough to launch the ball into orbit - he faced up to Sam Curran in the 12th over and left a length ball on leg stump that he thought was going down. He had moved too far across though, and misjudged it, as the delivery took out leg stump, leaving him in disbelief, even as the Super Kings rejoiced.

However, there was still one final blow to be landed from the Knight Riders, and it came via Cummins. Hitting sixes as effortlessly as Russell, Cummins kept the impossible chase alive.

Curran, who had struck the most decisive blow of the match, watched an over disappear for 30 runs as Cummins swung hard.

He kept running out of partners though, until it came to 20 needed off the final over with Cummins on strike. Three good blows would have done it, but for that, Cummins needed to keep strike, and when Prasidh Krishna stumbled in crossing for a first run and was a bit slow to turn around for the second, it was all over for the Knight Riders.

(ESPNcricinfo)

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NOW!

SCOREBOARD CHENNAI SUPER KINGS INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) Ruturaj Gaikwad c Cummins b Varun 64 Faf du Plessis not out 95 Moeen Ali st †Karthik b Narine 25 MS Dhoni (c)†c Morgan b Russell 17 Ravindra Jadeja not out 6 Extras (nb 3, w 10) 13 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 11.00) 220/3 Did not bat: Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Lungi Ngidi Fall of wickets: 1-115 (Ruturaj Gaikwad, 12.2 ov), 2-165 (Moeen Ali, 16.3 ov), 3-201 (MS Dhoni, 18.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Varun Chakravarthy 4-0-27-1 Pat Cummins 4-0-58-0 Sunil Narine 4-0-34-1 Prasidh Krishna 4-0-49-0 Andre Russell 2-0-27-1 Kamlesh Nagarkoti 2-0-25-0 KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS INNINGS (TARGET: 221 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) Shubman Gill c Ngidi b Chahar 0 Nitish Rana c †Dhoni b Chahar 9

Rahul Tripathi c †Dhoni b Ngidi 8 Eoin Morgan (c) c †Dhoni b Chahar 7 Sunil Narine c Jadeja b Chahar 4 Dinesh Karthik † lbw b Ngidi 40 Andre Russell b Curran 54 Pat Cummins not out 66 Kamlesh Nagarkoti c du Plessis b Ngidi 0 Varun Chakravarthy run out (Chahar/Curran) 0 Prasidh Krishna run out (Chahar/Thakur) 0 Extras (b 4, lb 2, nb 1, w 7) 14 TOTAL (19.1 Ov, RR: 10.53) 202 Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Shubman Gill, 0.4 ov), 2-17 (Nitish Rana, 2.5 ov), 3-27 (Eoin Morgan, 4.3 ov), 4-31 (Sunil Narine, 4.6 ov), 5-31 (Rahul Tripathi, 5.2 ov), 6-112 (Andre Russell, 11.2 ov), 7-146 (Dinesh Karthik, 14.6 ov), 8-176 (Kamlesh Nagarkoti, 16.2 ov), 9-200 (Varun Chakravarthy, 18.3 ov), 10-202 (Prasidh Krishna, 19.1 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Deepak Chahar 4-0-29-4 Sam Curran 4-0-58-1 Lungi Ngidi 4-0-28-3 Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-33-0 Shardul Thakur 3.1-0-48-0

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

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