Guyana Times - Thursday, November 12, 2020

New power plant to significantly boost GPL’s capacity – CEO P15

…will have 2M gallon fuel storage capacity Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4467

THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

President Ali commits to improving efficiency, reliability in Public …new Public Service Appellate Service Tribunal sworn in See story on page 9

50 hinterland youths get scholarships to attend UG

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Commissioner backs calls for audit, CoI into P3 GECOM …says too many unanswered questions, nation deserves answers

Guyana records 2 more COVID-19 deaths, 88 new P7 cases …145 cases in St Cuthbert’s Mission

Page 11

16-year-old stabbed to death by 34-year-old ex-lover Page 13

Govt happy to have delivered liberalised telecoms sector within 1st 100 days – PM Page 2

GECOM wants to hold LGE — Commissioner

Fuel dealer’s murder

“Yankee” jailed for 70 years P12

Retrofitted P14 containers to be used for virtual court hearings at prisons

Page 9

…but efforts must be made to restore confidence in agency

High-tide alert issued, citizens urged to take precaution See story on page 9

Berbice cricketer dies after slamming into parked lorry Page 14

Mysterious death of baby

Autopsy performed but cause of death yet to be determined P13 Vendors frustrated over increased robberies at Stabroek Market P11 area …Police increase presence

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Happy to have delivered liberalised telecoms sector within 1st 100 days – PM

R

eflecting on the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government’s first 100 days in office, Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips has said that the Administration was quite pleased that it was able to deliver on its campaign promise of liberalising the telecommunications sector in a matter of weeks.

According to Phillips, liberalisation of the telecommunications sector is something that should have happened a long time ago in

Guyana.

Some two months after assuming office, the PPP/C Government announced the official liberalisation of the sector on October 5 – bringing an end to the 30-year monopoly that was held by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph company, which has since been rebranded GTT. “We are happy in the sense that it was a campaign promise by the PPP/C, in our manifesto, leading up to the March 2 elections, we told the people

that one of the front-burner issues will be liberalisation of the telecommunication sector … and we are happy that we were able to do it well within the first 100 days,” the Prime Minister expressed during an interview with the State-owned Department of Public Information (DPI).

Phillips noted that already Guyanese have started to reap the benefits of a liberalised telecoms sector, since they were now paying less per minute per call and per bandwidth for Internet

access.

“There are more investors who are approaching the telecommunication sector, and at the end of it all, everything will redound to the benefit of Guyanese,” he added.

The Prime Minister posited that another important aspect of a liberalised telecoms sector was that it would allow for the bridging of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) divide “so more and more communities like in the hinterland, which are

Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips

not receiving good service… their service would improve.”

He underlined that competition would eventually lead to better service and better pricing in the ICT sector.

The liberalisation of the telecommunications sector has set the stage for the installation of 5G services here and increased competition to allow for more fibre-optic cables to come in and data operations, among other benefits.

Indeed, the two major players in the industry – GTT and Digicel – have since announced a number of initiatives following the liberalisation. Also, some 50 companies have also expressed an interest in investing in the sector.

Turning his attention to the energy sector, the Prime Minister admitted that reliability and affordability of electricity would remain a challenge for a while in Guyana. He noted, however, that the Government was committed to finding solutions to the problem and has already taken a number of steps in this regard.

He outlined that as it currently stood, the national grid was producing just about what was needed in Guyana. On this basis, he pointed to an immediate plan to increase the electricity that is available by purchasing power locally.

Giftland, he noted, is capable of providing between four and five megawatts of power and the Government

is hoping to get an additional 10 megawatts to satisfy demand, especially during the Christmas season.

PM Phillips said in the short to medium term, the Government was pushing to have the gas-to-shore project implemented by 2024.

He noted that this project was expected to deliver an additional 200 to 250 megawatts of power to the citizens of Guyana.

Additionally, he said, the gas-to-shore project will see a massive reduction in electricity rates – somewhere around 50 per cent.

“By Christmas 2024, Guyana would not have to worry about reliable electricity,” he assured.

He further pointed to the renewable energy project which is another important part of Guyana’s energy mix. This, he noted, will include mini hydros, solar farms, and wind farms, and will serve to provide clean and cheap energy to remote areas in Guyana.

He also cited the PPP/ C’s flagship Amaila Falls Hydro Power project, which he said would be placed on the front burner again as it has great potential to solve the country’s electricity woes.

“Our Government is a people-centred government, whatever we do, the people of Guyana – and it doesn’t matter whether they voted for the PPP/C at the last elections: we are now the Government – our developmental approach is for all the people of Guyana,” Phillips outlined.

NEWS

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, November 12 – 14:15h-15:45h and Friday, November 13 – 14:55h-16:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions will give way to light rain showers in the mid-morning hours. Light rain showers will continue into the evening followed by partly cloudy skies. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Northerly to Southerly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 14:24h reaching a maximum height of 2.68 metres.

Commissioner backs calls for audit, CoI into GECOM

…says too many unanswered questions, nation deserves answers

N

oting that there are at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) many unresolved issues that need to be addressed, at least one commissioner has backed calls for an audit and Commission of Inquiry to be launched into the operation of that electoral organisation.

From December 2018 to August 2020, GECOM was the centre of controversy, allegations and drama relating to the holding of General and Regional Elections. The Commission’s normal business was put on the back burner while elections, which should have been held in three months, were dragged out for over a year.

In an interview with this publication on Wednesday, Government-nominated GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj backed calls for a

Low Tide: 07:55h and 20:22h reaching minimum heights of 0.60 metre and 0.50 metre.

sheets to a dirty bed sheet to purport to display statements of poll, he was all along engaging in acts that flew in the face of the ruling of the Chief Justice,” Gunraj said.

CEO

Additionally, Gunraj noted that a COI must delve into why Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield went on to rely on Mingo’s declaration to prepare a report to submit to the commission, even clashing with the instructions of GECOM Chair, retired Justice Claudette Singh.

“After a recount that lasted 30 days, Lowenfield took those results that were witnessed by the entire world: by CARICOM, by stakeholders and observers, and he sought to take those results from the Statements of Recount and mangle them,” Gunraj said.

GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj

March 2019. GECOM finally held General and Regional Elections on March 2nd 2020.

But as if the previous delay were not enough, Guyanese were forced to wait another five months before the results could finally be declared by GECOM on August 2nd, 2020, after local and international pressure.

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Commission of Inquiry (COI) and a political audit into the electoral agency.

Gunraj also noted that the nation deserves answers on why there was such flagrant disregard for the law following the elections.

According to the commissioner, this is important if confidence in GECOM is to be restored.

“I would love to see an audit into the operation of GECOM in several areas. As we speak, there are spirited discussions at the Commission in relation to remuneration and HR policies. That’s one aspect that an audit or commission of inquiry can touch on,” he disclosed.

“Then there is the other aspect I touched upon - the reasons why there was flagrant disregard for the law governing the operations of GECOM,” he also said.

According to Gunraj, a COI must get to the bottom of why Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo made, on March 5, a declaration of results which did not follow the statutory process for including stakeholders.

Moreover, Gunraj pointed out that this COI or audit must determine why Mingo declared numbers that differed from those on the Statements of Poll (SOPs) that ought to have been available to him -statements which had shown that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had won the elections by over 15,000 votes.

“All of which actions were deemed unlawful by the court.

But even in the face of rulings of the court, that his actions were unlawful, he nevertheless (subsequently) proceeded to do the very thing the court ruled unlawful. So, when he switched from faulty spread-

“And it was not as if those results prepared by Mingo and Lowenfield were designed with various outcomes in mind. They were all designed to provide a plurality of votes for one particular party,” Gunraj said.

After the passage of a No Confidence Motion (NCM) in December 2018, GECOM spent over a year trying to get ready for snap elections that should have been held by

In the aftermath of the controversial five-month-long elections, a number of highranking GECOM officials have been investigated by the Police and charged for misconduct in public office and for forgery.

They include Lowenfield, who on October 12 was slapped with six charges by the Police relating to forgery and misconduct in public office pertaining to his alleged role in the attempts to rig the

March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

The CEO is being accused of attempting to undermine the will of the people by repeatedly refusing to submit the verified results from the National Recount to Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh, for a final declaration.

The national recount exercise showed that the PPP/C won the elections with 233,336 votes. But Lowenfield had repeatedly refused to submit his final elections report with those figures, despite being so directed by the GECOM Chair on several occasions.

Lowenfield eventually complied, paving the way for the declaration and subsequent swearing in of the new Government on August 2, 2020 – five months after elections were held.

Also before the courts are Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo and Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers.

Following the elections and its attendant controversies, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) scrutinizing team had recommended a political audit into the functioning of GECOM. Additionally, President Dr Irfaan Ali has said that an independent Commission of Inquiry into GECOM would be launched, with the findings helping to move the process forward. (G3)

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

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

The Amaila Falls Hydro Power project

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e are indeed pleased that the Government has commenced efforts to resume the Amaila Falls Hydro Power project as part of its energy mix to ensure that the nation is provided with clean, reliable and affordable electricity.

From the onset, it should be stated that Guyana would have been in a better position regarding an affordable, reliable supply of electricity if there had been bipartisan support for the Amaila Falls Hydro Power (AFHP) project, which was proposed by the PPP/C some years ago. In fact, had the Amaila project gone through, it would have been in the system since 2017, and, by now, the problem of constant blackouts would have been a thing of the past.

It could be recalled that the project was not given parliamentary support by the APNU and AFC parties, which had controlled the National Assembly by a one-seat majority at the time. Further, in spite of pleadings from the PPP/C to continue the conversation and ensure the project was restarted, when the APNU/AFC took office in 2015, it moved ahead and killed the project.

However, now that the PPP/C has been returned to Government, and has a Parliamentary majority, it is now certain that such a transformative project would get off the ground. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo recently revealed: “We have started reviewing the documents etc, to chart a pathway to hydropower development back again, because hydropower is crucial, given our capability and capacity of the country; our abundant water resources.”

Amaila was expected to deliver a steady source of clean, renewable energy, 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 165 MW (installed capacity) hydropower-generation facility located in west-central Guyana, approximately 250 kilometres south-west of Georgetown.

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

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 emissionfree 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.

In spite of assurances from the power company that blackouts would be a thing of the past, over the past couple of years, prolonged periods of blackout have actually increased across the country. Consumers have written several letters to this newspaper, expressing their disgust over the situation. The Government has now taken steps to ensure that citizens are provided with affordable and reliable electricity by its utilising an energy mix of wind, solar and hydro. It is also working seriously on an ambitious gas-to-shore energy project which would see an addition of between 200 and 250 megawatts of power being provided.

Guyana is currently generating electricity at approximately 17 to 20 US cents per kilowatt/hour. This is among the highest in the Region, and, on this basis, the Government has promised to reduce the cost of energy in the country by 50 per cent over the next five years.

As we had stated before, energy is one area in which there could be a bipartisan approach by politicians; meaning: the Opposition and the Government could work together towards finding a lasting solution to Guyana’s electricity problems.

Re-engaging Norway to restart the project is indeed a step in the right direction, considering that the country is still plagued with blackouts and high cost for electricity. Of importance, too, is that hydropower is an important part of Guyana’s energy mix in the future, since it is considered to be renewable and environmentally friendly.

First Lady Arya Ali shares a photo moment with Aunty Ramdularie who turned 100 years old. She is the first person on the island of Leguan, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) to reach that milestone in reccent times. Also in photo is one of Aunty Ramdularie’s relatives (Office of the First Lady photo)

PPP has achieved in 100 days what APNU/AFC did not achieve in 100 weeks

Dear Editor, Congratulations to the PPP/C Government for their remarkable completion of their first 100 days as the new legitimate Government of Guyana, after being sworn into office on August 2nd as per the popular will of the people at the last General and Regional Election held on March 2nd 2020.

Nevertheless, the young and astute President, Dr Irfaan Ali, accepted all the obstacles and problems, and confronted them with careful, aggressive and pertinent resolutions. It’s a foregone conclusion that an eyesore has been removed, which was impeding progress. Its successor has duplicated another remedial programme that has highlighted a process for progress and development once again as ascribed by its previous 23 years in governance.

The past five years have seen tremendous damage and destruction of a country and its people by a callous Government. Luckily, this ruthlessness was brought to a stop, thanks to the result of a NCM back in December 2018.

It is easy to compute a calculation of the PPP/C Government’s achievements for its first quarter in administration, because almost daily it has procured a new acquisition that only reflects the kudos of the people and is eagerly portrayed and published in all the media.

Not in any chronological order, some of the PPP/C’s realisations were asserted through positive efforts and materialised in the following areas as assets: Cabinet: The appointment of an energised team of academic players comprising

vigour and vitality, youth and determination, and wisdom and experience.

Corporate: A number of chairpersons were commissioned to head various utilities and agencies Companies: A restructured approach was institutionalised for various industries, including sugar, rice, oil, bauxite and timber.

Consolidation: some Government departments were amalgamated and streamlined, with excess fat trimmed.

Communication: The monopoly of telecommunication was curtailed, opening up more competition.

Corruption: Audits and investigations alluded to financial revelations and alarming misappropriations by the APNU/AFC Government.

Citizen: A startling budget was presented and passed, paving the way for tremendous benefits for all the people.

Content: Policies beneficial to local suppliers were advanced.

Contract: Numerous contracts were awarded to benefit both large and small companies.

Construction: Massive infrastructure projects were announced, including buildings, bridges and highways.

Community: Country visits were made as an outreach to the people.

Concern: Many meetings were held to address the complaints and problems of the man in the street.

Crop: The expansion of agriculture in hemp and aqua is being organized, along with other cash crops.

Connection: Increase in overseas relation continues, and has attracted many investors.

Cooperation: There has been an increase in skeptics coming aboard to support the Government.

Celebration: Much exuberance has been displayed without any doubt or reservation.

C o n f i d e n c e : Congratulations from leaders throughout the world were received for the success of this legitimate Government Conviction: A visit from the highest-ranking officer of the US attested to a positive confirmation.

While the pendulum swings favourably, there is still room for improvement; and the scale is unsettled, not balanced, and tilts alternatively because of some of the following weighty issues, which are listed as liabilities.

COVID-19: The repercussions are still prevalent, and increasing deaths prove that it is not under control, as expected.

Crime: This tortuous situation remains a pain in the neck and butt, and must be attended to with immediate urgency.

Climate: Unfavourable weather patterns are causing alarming floods, and there is need for prompt attention.

Commerce: Oil is not the only alternative answer, and the conversation should spread along solar energy power, canning, recycling, and avoiding the Dutch disease.

Court: The reorganising of the court process is eminent, and the case backlog is atrocious.

Cocaine: International busts speak volumes, and growth in this area is traitorous and threating.

Customs: The performance of Customs officers is unacceptable, and a clean-up operation is required.

City: Georgetown, the capital, is deplorable, and Government is not assertive in handling this growing concern.

Coalition: Too many stakeholders continue to undermine democracy, and inaction is food to nurture this undermining.

Constitution: Why the wait to reform and revamp GECOM? Corentyne: Unresolved issues need to be addressed to avoid more uprising.

Claims: Objections and recommendations are left idle and unattended.

Cake-shop: This image must be removed with appropriate effects.

Controversies: Why not nip them in the bud? No compatriot, company or country is correct continuously, and perfection is not expected; but the effort should be premised to avoid altercations and substantiate any action to avoid any negative reaction.

The PPP/C party inherited a colossal headache from the reckless APNU/AFC Party, and all PPP/C players must be commended for the time and effort they have contributed towards avoiding further disaster.

This Government has, in 100 days, achieved what the APNU/AFC Government did not achieve in 100 weeks!

Guyana is thankful to so many stakeholders for affording the PPP/C party this opportunity to do what is good and best for the country and its people at all times.

In the interest of Guyana as a nation, and in the interest of all the people, we can only wish the Government continued peace, progress and prosperity.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

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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

Govt should make changes to current drainage and irrigation system Dear Editor, There is an urgency exhibited by house-lot owners across the country to embark on building their own homes, primarily to avoid the huge costs being asked by contractors, but also because of their being pressured to erect a structure within a prescribed timeframe, lest the Government reclaims the house lot.

Housing experts have argued that while reclaiming the house lots may be the proper action by the Government against defaulters, this action is a recipe for disaster.

That said, it is incumbent upon Government, urban planners, infrastructure de-

signers and building inspectors to make sure that all building codes and rules are adhered to by builders, especially a suitable drainage system to absorb the excess water from heavy rainfall.

Given the recent flooding in Georgetown and contiguous areas, it seems that after decades of flooding that follow heavy downpours, there is still no solution to this problem. Flooding has been a major problem in the country that not only caused extensive damage to property, but constantly disrupted the lives of people. I and many others are of the firm opinion that the crux of the problem is plain and simple. While flooding is considered a nat-

ural disaster, it can be controlled. In order to control or limit the impact of flooding, every housing scheme in the country should have a significant percentage of open land soil, at least about 30%, in order to absorb the excess rainwater.

Government should mandate that all housing schemes be designed with retention ponds/trenches which serve the purpose of draining the excess rainwater and thus prevent, alleviate, or limit the impact of flooding in that community.

And during the so-called “dry weather season”, the ponds/ trenches would be a source of water for household use, for animals to drink, and

to be used to help maintain cash crops. Simply put, there should be a limited amount of concreted on regular soil.

It appears that Guyana’s recent flooding woes can be traced to January 2005, when extreme rainfall and high tides caused devastating flooding on the coastal lowlands in many areas, including Guyana’s capital and only city, Georgetown, which remained inundated for up to three weeks, with water levels reaching chest height in many city homes.

Due to its age and to climatic pressures, the Dutch sea defence system has been, and continues to be, under increasing stress. Sea level rises pose a significant threat to

a reduction in the amount of water that can be drained by pumps and gravity. If nothing else, the flood highlighted that climate change is a fact, and that the country’s drainage and irrigation system, which originated during the Dutch colonial period of the late 1600s and has been expanded overtime by governments, is vulnerable.

Therefore, better and more drastic changes are needed to upgrade the aged Dutch drainage system to absorb excess rainwater and prevent flooding.

As has been evident over the years, there have been breaches of the original 400year-old Dutch drainage and irrigation system, which had

such flood-control mechanisms for the rainy season as a network of sluices and canals that not only helped to drain away excess water, but the canals were also used to store water during the dry season for irrigation and household use.

After decades of constant flooding in the city and other low-lying areas along the Coastal Belt, it is time for Government to revisit, and make the necessary changes to, the current drainage and irrigation system in lieu of the dire threats posed by future climate change.

Sincerely, Leyland Chitlall Roopnaraine

Government projects need an oversight commissioner Dear Editor, As day follows night, three things are crystal clear as they relate to the execution of Government projects: (1) they never finish on time (2) they always incur significant cost overrun or variation (3) each party to the contract blames the other for this lack of performance.

The reasons for this state

of tardiness are mostly due, but are not limited to, the following: • Inadequate construction details in the Bill of Quantity.

• Lack of detailed construction drawings at time of tendering.

• Contractor diverting Mobilization Advance to other uses, rather than what it was intended for.

7• Untimely delays in submission of detailed drawings during construction.

• Contractor’s slow work progress because of involvement in other projects • Slow responses from consultant for modifications and variations during construction.

• Delays in dealing with progress payments.

• Variation works not quantified before execution.

• Indiscriminate use of contingency fund.

• Infrequent site meetings.

• Poor standard of work

by contractor requiring extra time for rectification.

• Poor project supervision by the subject ministry’s engineer and consultant.

• Red flags raised long after the fact of time and costly overrun.

Tardiness and underperformance have a lot to do with the dynamics of the parties involved in the Government contracts, and their dependency on each other vis-à-vis approval of

payment, certifying as-built quantities etc.

It might be advisable to have an independent Commissioner of Projects, who can monitor these big Government projects from the point of the tender documents to project completion, to ensure that defects mentioned above are rectified in a timely manner.

The President has identified some mega-projects on his to-do list for his first term, such as the fixed-span

Demerara River Bridge; shore-to-gas power generation plant; Ogle to Diamond highway; Parika to Vreeden-Hoop highway; and the bridge to link Guyana with Suriname. To achieve a full measure of success, it might be prudent to have an independent Commissioner of Projects reporting directly to him, to provide the necessary drive and oversight.

Yours sincerely, Reggie Bhagwandin

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

Page

Foundation ◄

Æsop’s Fables

FOR CHILDREN

T

he customary units of length (that is the units commonly used) are inches (in); feet (ft); yards (yd); and miles (mi).

1 foot = 12 in 1 yard = 3 ft 1 mile = 1760 yd You can compare these units to each other.

Example:

How many feet are in a mile?

Step 1: You know that there are 3 feet in a yard, so multiply the number of yards x 3.

Step 2: 1760 x 3 = 5280. There are 5280 feet in a mile.

The standard units of measurement that should be used in Guyana are the metric measurements. It is necessary to know customary units of length to convert them to metric units.

Remember:

1) 6.5 feet is how many inches?

2) 3 miles equals how many inches?

3) 78 inches is how many yards?

4)39 inches is how many feet?

5)20.5 yards is how many feet?

6)6.75 yards is how many inches?

7) 17.25 miles is how many yards?

You do not have to add the plural s when you abbreviate units of measurement.

A

Exercises: Convert

8)9000 yards is how many miles?

marigold flower garland...but with a twist!! This garland is non-perishable!!

Crepe Paper – orange Any thin paper – light green and dark green Thread – white

Procedure

Materials:

Thin metal wire Green sticky tape/floral tape Scissors

T

here was once a countryman who possessed the most wonderful goose you can imagine, for every day when he visited the nest, the goose had laid a beautiful, glittering, golden egg.

The countryman took the eggs to market and soon began to get rich. But it was not long before he grew impatient with the goose because she gave him only a single golden egg a day. He was not getting rich fast enough.

Then one day, after he had finished counting his money, the idea came to him that he could get all the golden eggs at once by killing the goose and cutting it open. But when the deed was done, not a single golden egg did he find, and his precious goose was dead.

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“We are restoring int’l confidence in Guyana” – President

N

ovember 10 marked the first 100 days of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration and to commemorate the milestone, President Dr Irfaan Ali detailed numerous achievements of his Government and the various developmental initiatives launched since taking the reins of political power on August 2.

In an address to the nation on Tuesday, President Ali pointed to the efforts made to restore international confidence in Guyana following the events surrounding the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

The former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government and persons within the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had attempted to undermine the will of the people between March and August.

“We anticipated that there would be challenges

along the way. But we did not cater for a five-month interregnum as a consequence of the sinister conspiracy, which was hatched to hijack this year’s elections and subvert the will of the people,” the President highlighted.

A 33-day recount showed that the PPP won the elections, but it took the firmness of local and regional courts; the resilience of GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh and threats of sanctions from the international community led by the United States, before former President David Granger finally stepped aside and allowed President Ali to be sworn in.

“Democracy triumphed.

We must not forget the post-election anguish and embarrassment. We will not allow the agents of discord to escape culpability. Yet, we are moving forward together as one people in unity and love.

“We are restoring inter-

national confidence in our nation,” President Ali stated.

He added: “Over the past 100 days, I and my Ministers have been involved in a number of international engagements which attest to the international recognition and interest in our country. I have, inter alia, addressed the 75th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations on behalf of Guyana and also on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.”

The President also reminded that he addressed the Virtual Island Summit 2020; the Forecast on Latin America and the Caribbean Conference 2020, organised by the United States Department of Commerce and the Association of American Chambers of Commerce; and the 75th Commemorative Meeting of the United Nations, on behalf of Guyana and also the Group of 77 and China.

Dr Ali noted that repre-

sentation was also made at the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity, the Meeting of Heads of Government on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond, and meetings of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom.

“I have held meetings with a number of investors, heads of institutions and world leaders, all of whom have expressed a willingness to support Guyana’s development. The World Bank and the US International Development Finance Corporation have offered their assistance. I have engaged the Emir of Qatar on possible areas of economic cooperation between our two States which will see the contribution of three fully functioning field hospitals,” President Ali said.

Turning his attention to the economy, President Ali reminded that the PPP/C inherited a grim state of

affairs. The economy, he stressed, was in a state of “neglectful distress”.

He noted that during the five-month post-election period, Guyanese not only patiently awaited the election results but they were forced to confront the effects of the pandemic alone, “while the caretaker Government shamelessly engaged in corruption, squandermania, unauthorised forays in the public purse and the unlawful disposal of public resources”.

He explained that these and other iniquities occurred while citizens were being subjected to extreme hardships, adding that the coronavirus pandemic triggered a downturn in production, a slowdown of business, and the loss of jobs and incomes.

The President further stated that many families struggled to put food on the table; many small businesses found themselves in a financially perilous state,

schools had to be closed; examinations adjusted and our health-care system was left to rot with no basic medical supplies procured in the last two years.

“Instead of a comprehensive, coherent and coordinated response to address the pandemic, the former Government’s reaction was illusory, incoherent and inept. Testing was abysmally low. Many regional hospitals were ill-equipped to treat severe cases of the virus.

“When we assumed office, we found insufficient quantities of testing kits, testing equipment, protective gear for frontline workers, ventilators and oxygen concentrators. The much-vaunted Infectious Diseases Hospital turned out to be an inoperable, bareboned facility,” he stated.

Ali said that he was extremely pleased with the performance of his Government during the past 100 days.

Guyana records 2 more COVID-19 deaths, 88 new cases …145 cases in St Cuthbert’s Mission

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wo more persons who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus died on Wednesday, taking the COVID-19 death toll in Guyana up to 137.

The victims – a 74-yearold male from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) and a 74-year-old woman from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) died while receiving care at medical facilities.

Guyana has recorded three deaths from the novel coronavirus thus far this week. The week began with the COVID-19 death toll at 134.

Meanwhile, the updated COVID-19 dashboard for Wednesday shows that Guyana has recorded a whopping 88 new COVID-19 cases.

This now brings the country's total number of coronavirus cases to 4618 – 2420 males and 2198 females.

However, of the total number of cases, only 866 are active. This figure comprises 10 persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital and 856 in isolation: 56 in institutional isolation and 800 in home isolation.

There are also 33 persons in institutional quarantine.

Some 3611 persons have recovered from the life-threatening disease locally.

To date, Guyana has tested a total of 23,103 persons for the novel coronavirus.

A breakdown of the 88 new cases recorded on Wednesday shows that five were detected in Region One (Barima-Waini); one in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam); six in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-

West Demerara), 65 in Demerara-Mahaica, five in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), one in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and five in Upper DemeraraBerbice.

The other regional figures remain the same, with 34 cases in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), 81 in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) and 376 cases in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

Meanwhile, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony during his daily COVID-19 update on Wednesday disclosed that the number of cases in the Indigenous community of St Cuthbert’s Mission on the Mahaica River has gone up in the past 24 hours to 145.

On Tuesday, the Minister reported that there were 97 cases in the community. Since then, the Ministry has boosted the capacity of the medical team there with the addition of another doctor.

“We continue to monitor the residents of St

Cuthbert’s and we continue to do testing. [On Tuesday] we took off an additional set of swabs… We expect that as we continue testing, we will find additional persons who will test positive and we have put restrictions on movement in and out of St Cuthbert’s Mission,” he noted.

According to Dr Anthony, the Guyana Police Force and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) are assisting with these restrictions.

He added too that the Village Council in St Cuthbert’s Mission has also been cooperative in the efforts undertaken by Government to protect residents there.

He further noted that the CDC has already been to the community to distribute hampers to families in the midst of the lockdown.

Since taking office, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government has embarked on a massive testing drive to ensure that all positive cases, especially

asymptomatic cases, are detected.

While there are adequate COVID-19 tests available to continue this, Dr Anthony posited that more have been ordered.

“We’ve already started to put in new orders so that we can have adequate stock. You would recall about mid-August, we bought about 40,000 test kits; we had another donation of about 10,000 from the Government of Barbados.

So, we have about 50,000 test kits that we’re operating with. But we don’t want to run short so we’re constantly buying,” he noted.

The Health Minister further outlined that in addition to using the PCR test kits, they were now looking at using the rapid antigen test kits. He noted that the two tests would be done together.

“We’ll do the antigen rapid tests and if it’s necessary, we will go to the PCR testing. So, we have a protocol being worked out and we will roll out those antigen tests very shortly especially in the interior communities,” he stated.

According to Dr Anthony, they are looking at having some 20,000 antigen tests in the initial phase. (G8)

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 fined $50,000 for assaulting, obstructing traffic cop

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wo persons who were with Keron Joseph – a staff sergeant of the Guyana People’s Militia – who assaulted a traffic rank while he was executing his duties, were on Wednesday slapped with assault and obstruction charges.

The first charge stated that on November 5, 2020, at Cornhill and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown, they unlawfully assaulted a Peace Officer. The second charge stated that on the same day, at the same location, they obstructed a

Rising for air...

F The GDF rank with the two traffic ranks prior to the assault

Charged: Keron Joseph

The duo, Albert and Paulette Grant, appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and admitted to the offences.

Peace Officer. They were fined $30,000 each, with an alternative of six weeks’ imprisonment for the assault charge. An additional fine of $20,000 was imposed on

each of them for the obstruction charge. Failure to pay the fine will result in a sixweek prison sentence.

Only last week, Joseph – a staff sergeant of the Guyana People’s Militia, a branch of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), was slapped with 13 charges in relation to the same matter.

It was reported that the traffic rank was performing duties on Cornhill

and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown, when he observed a heavily tinted motor car, bearing registration number PSS 5836, had stopped on the roadway, resulting in the obstruction of the free flow of traffic.

As a result, the rank approached the driver and informed him of the offence he had committed and requested he produced his documents, but he refused.

Another constable, who was on mobile patrol and in the vicinity of the incident, went to inquire and upon being told of the violation, he too requested the driver to produce his documents, but again, he refused.

Following the second refusal, the Constable cautioned the driver and attempted to arrest him, during which Joseph and his relatives, who were in the car, assaulted the two ranks. During the commotion, additional assistance was summoned and the trio were arrested and taken to the Brickdam Police Station.

A breathalyser test was carried out on the driver, of Wisroc Housing Scheme, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice), and he was found to be intoxicated.

He was slapped with 13 charges and pleaded guilty to 12. As such, he was fined $177,500 and his driver’s licence was suspended for one year. (G1)

...by picketing olks were beginning to wonder if the APNU/AFC had folded up their tent and disbanded. After all, they hadn’t been sighted for two months - since they came out to present their election petitions to the courts.

“Yes…petitions”, plural. The second one just in case the first fails - which it almost certainly will! But then came word to the media that APNU was going to rally at the Square of the Revolution to highlight “the PPP failures” in office during their first 100 days. Nothing about the AFC! Predictably, their release started out griping about COVID-19. Now this is well-trod ground by the rest of the world, and all governments are torn in drawing a line between a complete lockdown (which would implode the economy and cause everyone to starve to death in any case) and having no restraint (which ensures approximately 5% of those infected will die). In every country, folks will disagree where their government draws their particular line. It’s easy for the PNC (which is what APNU has now boiled down to, with all their “coalition partners” expelled!) to criticise in hindsight.

They also brought up the still unfinished investigation into the WC Berbice triple murders. Well, that’s the point, isn’t it? “Unfinished”. Since neither the Government nor the Public Security Minister can get involved in operational aspects of the Police Force, while they’ve also expressed frustration at the case not being cracked, what can they do?? Play “book” detective, like the lawyer who’d suggested 33 wasn’t the majority of 65? They’ve been assured by the RSS that the GPF has the necessary competence.

But finally, and inevitably, they played the race card which the PNC was formed since 1958 to play and split the independence movement and divide our country - and is all they obviously have left. They claimed the Government “dismissed over five hundred black workers.” Now there’s no question that the numbers are ridiculously inflated like the “400 black youths killed” which has ballooned to “1700 Black youths killed”. Why even try to counter with facts - like the SN did - to show that it’s just incendiary rhetoric intended to inflame passions and precipitate violence?

But whatever the number of “black workers” dismissed from the Government, there’s the question of how come only “blacks” were hired as Permanent Secretaries, Board Members, Heads of Govt Corporations and highpaying contracted employees? Cause these are the only categories of workers that have been let go - as is customary whenever any administration changes.

Did they really expect Joseph Harmon, now the Opposition Leader, to remain as “Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency”??

No wonder no one showed up for their “rally”! …and Police vehicles The President just announced that the Government is sourcing 50 more vehicles for the Police. Seems that, once again, the GPF are complaining they don’t have vehicles to respond to the crime wave that’s rising even in this COVID pandemic. Now, what’s going on here? During the 23 years the PPP were at the helm, didn’t they bring in enough vehicles for the Police, so that the blue and white colours exceeded by far the number of taxis on the streets?

And when the PNC got into office, this is what a quick Google search uncovered they did in their five years: July 2015, 11 vehicles; May 2016, include one tow truck, eight Hilux pickups and five Mark X motorcars; Oct 2016, seven (7) all-terrain vehicles, three (3) pick-ups, and eight (8) motor cycles; Dec 2017, China added US$2.6M worth of vehicles in 56 pick-up trucks, 44 motorcycles, 35 ATVs, as well as five buses.

Surely, all of these couldn’t have been wrecked. After all, didn’t Ramjattan assure us that Police drivers would replace them if they did? …and funding There’s a class of people who are adept at milking the international feeding troughs by positioning themselves in the public eye.

Like the GHRA, that’s raising money to bring in “Argentine Forensic Experts”!

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

NEWS

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

President Ali commits to improving efficiency, reliability in Public Service …new Public Service Appellate Tribunal sworn in

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resident Dr Irfaan Ali has committed to improving and retooling the Public Service to adjust to the growing economy. This commitment was made on Wednesday during the swearing in of the new Public Service Appellate Tribunal.

Former Appellate Court Judge Nandram Kissoon will again serve as Chairman of the Tribunal.

Also returning as a tribunal member is Attorney Abiola Wong-Innis. The other member is former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Service,

Hydar Ally.

The three members were administered their oaths at the Office of the President.

Following the swearing in ceremony, President Ali stated that the protection of the security of tenure is necessary to improve professionalism in the Public Service, and that the PPP Government is committed to this task.

“I not only want to congratulate you, but I want to wish you well. And I’m sure the public servants will have the confidence in you, in ensuring that their security of tenure and their abil-

ity to have a court of redress outside of the judicial system is secured,” the Head of State said. He added that the Appellate Tribunal would be necessary for protecting the security of public servants’ tenure by affording them the right to appeal decisions of the Public Service Commission as it relates to appointments, discipline, and dismissals.

In this regard, he noted that the tribunal provides recourse against decisions of the commission which public servants may wish to challenge or contest. “The tribunal, therefore, is part

GECOM wants to hold LGE — Commissioner

…but efforts must be made to restore confidence in agency

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ocal Government Elections (LGE) are due next year, and while the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and other stakeholders want the elections held, confidence has to be restored in the agency after the blows it took to its credibility this year.

This was according to GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj, in an interview with this publication. Gunraj laid bare the damage that was done to GECOM’s credibility during the election controversy, when concerted efforts were made to undermine the electoral process.

“I believe that everyone, all the stakeholders, want Local Government Elections. GECOM wants to hold Local Government Elections, but all steps must be taken to ensure that stakeholder confidence in the process is at an acceptable, if not optimal, level,” Gunraj explained.

“And electors, contesting parties, voluntary groups who are hoping to contest those elections, must not feel that the system is compromised. And at the end of the day, what the elections must reveal is the true will of the people. And I believe it behooves us as members of the commission to take all steps to ensure every single system is put in place to ensure that happens.”

According to Gunraj, elections are much more than just setting up a polling station or tent and setting a date for persons to cast their ballots. He reminded that elections are a long and arduous process.

“It’s a process that has many stops along the way.

And in that regard, GECOM has two primary functions.

The first is registration and the second is holding of elections. Each of these primary functions have various subsets,” he further explained.

The Commissioner recalled the many delays that followed the December 2018 No Confidence Motion, when house-to-house registration was started by virtue of an order from the illegally appointed former GECOM Chairman, retired Justice James Patterson.

That exercise was then challenged in the High Court, which found that house-to-house registration could not remove persons from the list due to non-residency. By then, Patterson’s appointment had already been successfully challenged, and the new Chair, retired Justice Claudette Singh, brought the registration to an end in order to ensure General and Regional Elections could be held.

As if that were not enough, GECOM was then consumed in five months of court challenges which either sought to keep A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) in government despite losing the elections, or get them out. It was only on August 2nd, 2020 that President Dr. Irfaan Ali was sworn in as President and the dust was finally settled.

“To ask if GECOM is in a position to hold Local Government Elections, I would say now, as we speak, no. However, with the taking of certain normal steps to put itself in that state of readiness, it’s not impossible,” Gunraj said.

“But what has happened in those five months post elections has revealed the level of corruption that exists in the GECOM machinery. We saw statutory officers of the commission engaged in activities that were clearly meant to undermine the electoral process,” Gunraj added.

Efforts to make contact with GECOM Commissioners on APNU/ AFC’s side for a comment on the holding of LGE were

futile. However, the party they represent at GECOM have had much to say on the issue.

The now APNU/AFC Opposition has been adamant that LGE should be held next year with the current lot of compromised officials at GECOM still on the job.

Several of them are currently before the courts facing electoral fraud charges in relation to attempts to derail the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Govt pledges resources

President Dr Irfaan Ali has meanwhile also spoken of the need for confidence to be restored in GECOM before proceeding with any other elections, especially in light of the events that unfolded in the five months after the March polls, which saw Guyana being embroiled in a political and electoral crisis.

Only last week, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government wants Local Government Elections (LGE) next year, but first the “criminal-types” within GECOM, who held the country at ransom for some five months after the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, must be removed.

Jagdeo noted that the 2021 Budget will have resources for GECOM – a constitutional agency – to prepare for the Local Government Elections.

“We want to make sure that communities and people have the right to choose their leaders in the local areas, and we’re going to provide resources to prepare for Local Government Elections…,” he contended.

At the last Local Government Elections, the PPP secured 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAA). (G3)

President Dr Irfaan Ali along with new Chairman and members of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal at the Office of the President on Wednesday. In photo are: former Appeal Court Judge Nandram Kissoon, who took the oath of office as Chairman; Attorney Abiola Wong-Innis and former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Service, Hydar Ally, who were sworn in as Tribunal members along with Public Service Minister Sonia Parag (Office of the President photo)

of the system of administrative justice within the Public Service,” he said, while emphasising that Government has a responsibility to ensure that investments are made in the human resources capacity.

Ali also noted that it is necessary to create a public service that is more efficient, reliable, and in keeping with national development priorities.

He added that professionals must no longer view the Public Service as a form of apprenticeship, but as a long-term destination.

At present, the Public Service is being reorganised to make it more service-oriented and efficient, the President said, pointing out that the goal is to have a Public Service that provides timely and quality service to citizens, thereby eliminating “the royal-run-around.”

“We want public servants

who are productive and who provide value for money. We want a Public Service which is equipped with the skills necessary for national development. The Public Service is being restructured to be able to attract and retain highly skilled individuals,” President Ali added.

Improving efficiency and effectiveness of the Public Service is imperative, given that Guyana is poised for rapid development, President Ali also told the gathering.

Additionally, he added that a growing and diversified economy would demand qualified, trained and skilled individuals in the Public Service.

He said that, moving forward, changes will also be made on an individual level as it relates to public servants.

“Citizens are entitled to courteous and efficient

service. People often have to travel long distances to seek Government services, such as birth and death certificates, pensions, school placements, and health services. Public Service must ensure minimal inconvenience for members of the public. They must be assured of an efficient and satisfactory service.”

To achieve this change, the President said, the Government would continue to train, retool, and develop public servants.

The Tribunal was established by the Public Service Tribunal Act 1984. The Act empowers the Tribunal to hear appeals from the Public Service Commission’s decision in respect to appointment by the promotion of any person to a public office, and exercise of disciplinary control over any person holding or acting in any public office.

10 NEWS Local content, women’s participation key focus of Guyana Oil & Gas Virtual Summit THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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he CWC/Global Future Energy Limited (GFEn) will partner with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) to host the first-ever Guyana Oil and Gas Virtual Summit in December.

The three-day virtual event, which is supported by the Guyana Government, will commence on December 1, 2020.

According to CWC/ GFEn representative Tiago Marques, it is aimed at bring-

CWC/GFEn Representative Tiago Marques

news@guyanatimesgy.com

ing together experts in oil and gas and international and local businesses to meet with the new administration and discuss the latest developmental projects and new investment opportunities, as well as international best practices in the petroleum industry.

Among the areas that will be covered are diversifying the economy, new areas of business, local content, technology transfer, best practices, and energy future and transition.

During a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Marques pointed out that the intention is to make the summit as inclusive as possible.

“One thing that really sets apart the Guyana Oil

and Gas Virtual Summit is… really the focus on the local business and giving access to Guyanese businesses to participate in this event…

We will also include targeted sessions and practical breakout rooms where participants can speak with the experts and ask questions,” Marques noted.

In order to push local participation, the first 100 Guyanese businesses to register will not pay any charge, while the rest will have to pay a US$50 fee. International companies would have to pay a higher fee.

“What we (are) really (trying) to do here is give the opportunity to Guyanese businesses. Guyana is starting to embark on its journey in oil and gas, so it’s really important to the Guyanese businesses (to embrace) this opportunity, because they will partner with internationals in the future,” Marques noted.

Other areas of focus of the summit will be the educational aspect as well as women’s involvement in the oil and gas sector.

“We’re trying to invite students and universities as part of this discussion at large, and also the women.

I think it’s gonna really (be)

important we have a breakout room for women in oil and gas…,” Marques stated.

Meanwhile, GCCI President Nicholas Boyer has said this summit would highlight important areas that need to be pushed locally.

“We want to increase the local participation and bring a lot of these conversations home to Guyana; because, over time, we will develop

CWC/Global Future Energy Limited is the world’s leading events producer and training provider for the energy and infrastructure industries. Persons/companies can register at the Guyana Oil and Gas Virtual Summit.

This Virtual Summit is expected to set the scene for the industry’s development in 2021.

our own indigenous experts in each field [or] on each topic of conversation within the oil and gas field, and we will be able to bring those thought processes home,” Boyer posited.

The Guyana Oil and Gas Virtual Summit will see presentations from an array of international experts in the oil and gas sector, Government officials, private sector, as well as local businesses.

A physical event is planned for June 9-10, 2021 in Georgetown, where stakeholders will be able to meet with existing and new contacts, explore the latest policies and guidelines, and develop new solutions to advance their projects in Guyana. By attending next month’s Virtual Summit, participants will unlock preferential access to all the 2021 physical events’ opportunities. (G8)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Vendors frustrated at increased robberies in Stabroek Market area

50 hinterland youths get scholarships to attend UG

…Police increase presence

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endors who trade around the Stabroek Market area have voiced concerns about the increase in robberies there.

According to vendors, this has had an impact on sales in the area, and persons are now diverting their patronage due to criminal elements.

Speaking with this publication, several vendors have said that pickpockets have been touring the area, waiting for unsuspecting prey.

On Saturday last, a major retailer on Water Street, Georgetown released CCTV

Speaking with Guyana Times on Wednesday, one vendor said almost every week someone gets robbed around that area. He said the men would usually arm themselves with knives to commit the robberies.

“When people waking here, they will have to hold on to their bags, and sometimes that don’t even help, because they (thieves) would cut it open. Them does thief from chain, phone and anything they can find,” he said.

Another vendor, who gave her name only as Pat, said

A Division Commander Simon McBean

footage of a robbery that occurred in front of the store.

The video, seen by this publication, showed a man clad in a short blue pants, white T-shirt, and a black hat following a woman along the road. However, she came to stop in front of the store, and the man approached her from behind and relived her of her gold chain.

the increase in the amount of robberies recently has definitely affect business. She said that after this state of affairs continues for some period, she believes persons would not want to come around that area to purchase anything.

“That is unfair to us, because we work very hard to feed our families. I can’t un-

Youths at a community engagement in Wakapao, Region Two

T Stabroek Market

derstand why they can’t go and look for a proper job.

Everybody works hard for their things, and they coming from nowhere and taking it. What will that do for them? Because two more morning from now, Police might shoot them and kill them,” she said.

Meanwhile, Regional Commander Simon McBean has said the Police have not received numerous reports about robberies in that area.

He said that based on Police statistics, there has been a decrease in the amount of robberies in that area. “…for the past two weeks, there has been one report of robbery. For the year, or to date, we are having a 13.4% decrease…we have also had robbery-under-arms an 11.7% decrease. With robbery-with- violence, we have had a 70.9% decrease…,” he explained.

According to the

Commander, knowing that for years the vicinity has been known for robberies, for this month, the Police have deployed six foot patrols and five bicycle patrols in that area. He added that that is in conjunction with their motorcycle and vehicle patrols.

“Recently, I also had a meeting with the City Constabulary, where we are planning joint patrols between the Police and the Constabulary to deal with all the markets in Georgetown.

We are dealing with the issue, but I wouldn’t say there is an increase in robberies, based on our statistics reported,” McBean has said.

Mc Bean also said there might also have been cases where robberies were not reported, hence why their statistics show a decrease.

He has assured that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is tightening up security in Georgetown. (G9)

he Amerindian Affairs Ministry on Wednesday announced that 50 youths from hinterland villages across the country have been awarded scholarships to attend the University of Guyana. These scholarships were awarded through the Public Service Ministry.

During an outreach to Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) on Monday, Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai explained that the scholarships awarded the 50 youths represent 25 per cent of the 200 scholarships that are being awarded to students this year.

“I have received correspondence from the Public Service Ministry stating that the children we helped apply for scholarships to the University of Guyana were successful this year, and it is probably breaking records,” the Minister is quoted as saying in a release from the Ministry.

Additionally, under the Amerindian Affairs Ministry’s Hinterland Scholarship Programme,

Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai

students who were successful at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations will be given the opportunity to attend secondary schools on the coastland.

Tertiary-level students also received scholarships to attend the Government Technical Institute (GTI), the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), Carnegie School of Home Economics, the E.R. Burrowes School of Art, and the Guyana Industrial Training Centre.

12 NEWS Linden road deteriorating owing to extreme erosion A THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

section of the main access road at Burnham Drive, Mackenzie, Linden has been severely impacted by extreme erosion, as inclement weather continues to prevail.

As a result, parts of the road, which is in close proximity to the Christianburg area, have already disappeared. Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice) Vice Chairman Douglas Gittens has since made calls for emergency intervention by the Public Works Ministry.

Gittens noted that it was a

The eroded area at Burnham Drive, Linden

2 students test positive for COVID-19 in Bartica … contact tracing for President’s College students begins

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wo students at dormitories in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) have tested positive for COVID-19.

Reports are one of the students was staying at the Three Miles Secondary School dormitory, while the other was saying at the Bartica Secondary School dormitory.

The students recently returned from St Mary Village, Cuyuni-Mazaruni..

They have been quarantined. It was also reported that other students who went to the facilities on Tuesday have been taking COVID-19 tests, which are expected to return later this week.

There are about 21 students at the dormitory, and the Education Ministry, along with the Health Ministry, has since taken charge of the situation.

On Monday, Education Minister Priya Manickchand disclosed

in place to ensure students were safe upon their return to the classrooms.

Contact tracing

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

that eight students who were being housed at the President’s College dorm have tested positive for COVID-19. That was out of a total of 139 students housed at the educational facility.

All eight of them are from Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni).

M e a n w h i l e , Manickchand assured that all systems would be put

On Tuesday, the Health Ministry announced that officials have started contact tracing for the eight President’s College students who contracted the virus. Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony made this disclosure during his daily COVID-19 update.

“We have already initiated that process of contact tracing the areas from which the students came.

We have informed the Regional Executive Officers (REOs) who in turn have been working with their staff to conduct tracing in areas where these students came from,” he said.

On Monday, Minister Manickchand announced all students attending dormitory schools would be tested for COVID-19 as part of the Government’s efforts to ensure students’ safety.

serious concern for officials and residents, who have registered complaints over the issue.

“This is the definition of emergency work...A serious

erosion problem is plaguing this area and the residents have been complaining… I just went to the said area and the situation has worsened. The relevant Ministry

representatives went to see the area … I’m asking the Ministry of (Public) Works to act quickly before this becomes a disaster,” the Regional Vice Chairman stated.

Gittens said this was not the first time that the area has suffered from road-related problems.

“The last time they had a problem there was the culvert had collapsed, but they have a plastic one there now, but the point where they dug up the road was not fixed properly. So, as a result of that, it was undermined by the rain and subsequently that broke away and it is now a serious issue of erosion going on there,” the Region 10 Vice Chairman related. (G13)

Fuel dealer’s murder

“Yankee” jailed for 70 years

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ne week after a 12-member jury found him guilty of murder, 44-year-old Curt Thomas was on Wednesday sentenced to 70 years in prison.

Thomas, also known as “Yankee”, was accused of the April 30, 2016 murder of Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) businessman Seeram Singh, who was shot to the head and hip during a robbery.

The sentence was handed down by Justice Navindra Singh during a virtual hearing at the High Court.

In arriving at the sentence for Thomas, Justice Singh started at a base of 60 years to which another 10 years were added for the crime, which, the Judge said, was well-thought-out.

He also ordered that Thomas would only become eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 40 years.

Following the hearing, Singh’s family expressed gratitude to the Court for ensuring that justice was served.

Thomas had pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecution’s case was presented by State Prosecutors Tuanna Hardy and Tyra

Convicted killer: Curt Thomas

Dead: Seeram Singh

Bakker.

At the commencement of the trial, it was revealed that Thomas was positively identified during an identification parade. In fact, the Court heard that gunpowder residue was found after a swab test was done on his hands.

Despite this, the now convicted killer maintained that he was innocent of the crime.

Last week when the verdict was being delivered, Thomas jumped out of his seat and hurled a series of expletives.

It was reported that Singh, 52, of Lot 40 Parika Outfall, was stabbed to his abdomen and shot to his

head and hip.

Media reports at the time stated that Singh was on his mobile phone when he was attacked. In an attempt to raise the alarm, the injured man ran towards a shop in the area, but the gunman gave chase and caught up with him. A scuffle ensued, and it was then that the gunman shot Singh.

Reports are as the businessman fell, the gunman relieved him of two gold chains and escaped. Singh was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, West Coast Demerara (WCD), where he was pronounced dead. (G1)

13 16-year-old stabbed to death by 34-year-old ex-lover NEWS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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hockwaves consumed villagers of Richmond Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) on Wednesday when news of the brutal killing of a 16-year-old girl broke in the community.

Dead is Sanesha Subrina Lall. Reports are about 09:00h the teen was stabbed to death by her 34-year-old ex-boyfriend.

Reports are the teen ended her relationship with the self-employed man of Bounty Hall Village on account of his abusive behaviour.

According to a close relative of Lall, the teen had shared a relationship with her killer since she was 14 years old, but he became very abusive towards her and she recently ended the relationship.

Police said that on Wednesday, the sus-

The house in which the murder occurred on Wednesday

pect visited the teen’s home and demanded to see her.

Reports are Lall’s sister opened the door and informed the man that he could not enter, but he overpowered the 11-year-old and forced his way into the home.

The suspect then ran into the bedroom where Lall

was sleeping, whipped out a Rambo knife, and dealt her several stabs about the body.

According to a relative, the suspect had recently threatened the teen’s relatives that if they ever intervened in their “affair”, he would kill them all.

At the time of the mur-

Mysterious death of baby

Autopsy performed, but cause of death yet to be determined

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post-mortem examination was performed on the body of the four-day-old baby who mysteriously died on November 9.

According to information received, the autopsy was conducted on Wednesday morning at the New Amsterdam Hospital mortuary in the presence of the child’s mother and a Policewoman.

The pathologist in his report said that there were no signs of forced penetration of the anus, since there were no bruises or lacerations.

However, shortly after being pronounced dead on arrival at the New Amsterdam Hospital, the baby was examined by doctors who said that her anus was “severely expanded”, according to a police report. Police sources had told <<<Guyana Times>>> that it was based on the doctors’ initial report that they began their inves-

tigation.

Notwithstanding, the results of the autopsy are not yet available. The pathologist said that the cause of death will be available within 24 hours.

The baby girl was born on November 5, to a 27-year-old housewife and a 52-year-old driver, at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

On November 7, the mother and baby were discharged and they proceeded to their home at Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

On November 9, the woman and her reputed husband as well as their eightyear-old daughter left home for the Georgetown Public Hospital where the mother had to undergo a routine check-up.

She told investigators that around 10:00h, she left her newborn with her reputed husband and her older daughter in the car as she

proceeded to visit the doctor.

At approximately 12:08h, she returned to the car, where she observed that the baby was crying uncontrollably and was breathing heavily.

At that point, she fed the child some water and the newborn fell asleep. The woman in her statement to Police said that about 14:45h, the family proceeded to Blairmont, West Bank Berbice, where she was expected to stay with some family. During that time, the newborn again started crying and breathing heavily, as if she was suffocating. As a result, around 18:05h, the child was taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where she was seen by a doctor who pronounced her dead on arrival. The body was examined and it was observed that the child’s anus was severely expanded.

Police are still conducting investigations.

der, the now dead teen’s older sister, her younger sister and another female relative were at home. The unnamed female relative ran to get help while the man ran out of the house and made good his escape in his minibus.

Lall was rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Her body was taken to the hospital's mortuary to await a post-mortem examination.

Police said that acting on information received, they found the suspect

Dead: Sanesha Subrina Lall

about 12:20h at Better Hope Backdam, Essequibo Coast.

They revealed that when he was found, he was observed vomiting what appeared to be a green substance. Upon being questioned, he told ranks that he had consumed a poisonous substance. He was taken to the Suddie Hospital where he was admitted a patient under Police guard.

A search was also conducted on his minibus, and a bottle and a black Rambo knife were found. The Police investigation continues.

Just recently, the now dead teen lost both her parents.

2 nabbed with ganja in Mahdia

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39-year-old welder and a shop owner were arrested on Wednesday, after they were caught with a quantity of ganja.

At approximately 09:30h on Wednesday, a party of Police Officers, acting on information received, went to a hotel at Mahdia, Potaro River, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), and conducted a search.

According to Police, in the room occupied by the welder of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, and a female shop owner of Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara (WBD), 134 small transparent plastic bags were found containing leaves, seeds and stems.

Police said that ranks found the bags in a microwave, which was on a table.

A further search of the

The cannabis that was found in the hotel room in Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni)

room was conducted, and Police found 12 transparent plastic parcels containing a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems, wrapped in a gray and black shirt which was in the refrigerator.

Police have since said that the woman has since

admitted ownership of the narcotics while the welder denied knowledge of it.

They were both taken to the Mahdia Police Station along with the drug, which was weighed in their presence.

The ganja amounted to 500 grams.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Berbice cricketer dies after Retrofitted containers to be used for virtual court hearings at prisons slamming into parked lorry

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n an effort to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, a decision was taken to have retrofitted containers set up at the various prisons across Guyana for inmates to attend court, instead of them having to be transported to the courthouse.

This was disclosed by Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, on his weekly programme – Issues in the News – on Tuesday.

“That is, the establishment of containers that will be converted into courts of law – Magistrate’s Courts - where the prisoners will go and appear in these containers, properly secured. These containers are go-

Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall

tive was birthed from unprecedented collaboration with the judiciary to ensure that the Criminal Justice System re-

Examples of retrofitted containers locally

ing to be retrofitted with internet access and huge television, and the prisoners, through technology, will be able to attend court using zoom or some other similar platform, and their cases can be heard that way,” Nandlall explained.

He noted that this initia-

sumes its smooth functioning.

According to Nandlall, magistrates, as well as Police and prison officers, have expressed concerns over the transportation of prisoners who could be infected with the virus.

In September, over 290 in-

mates at the Lusignan Prison tested positive for COVID-19.

They have all recovered, but not before an unrest erupted after the other prisons found out.

During the uproar, two inmates – 51-year-old Earl Graham and 21-year-old Winston Herbert – were shot dead by prison officers, while five others were injured.

A screening and testing campaign for COVID-19 was initiated in the prison upon the outbreak of the virus in the penitentiary. The Health Ministry, along with the Guyana Prison Service, has since been working to put measures in place to mitigate the spread of the disease.

Nevertheless, the Legal Affairs Minister noted that the pandemic has led to staggered hearings of criminal matters, which also compounded the chaotic behaviour of inmates in the prisons.

As a result, the Executive and the Judiciary sat down to work out a modality, which they are in the process of implementing now.

These retrofitted containers will be established at the Lusignan, Georgetown, New Amsterdam and Mazaruni prisons for court hearings.

The Minister noted that these facilities are currently being constructed, and physical work is being done to have the containers installed. He added that electrical adjustments are being done at the prisons to have this important initiative unfold in due course. (G8)

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

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cricketer is now dead after he lost control of his motorcycle and it slammed into a parked lorry at Number 47 Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne).

Dead is 38-year-old Sherwin Murray, called ‘Chest,’ of Number 43 Village, Corentyne.

The Police on Wednesday said the motorcyclist was wearing no protective headgear at the time of the accident, and he died on the spot.

According to Police, at about 22:00h on Tuesday, Murray was proceeding north on the western carriageway of the Number 47 Public Road when he apparently lost control of his motorcycle and it collided with the front of the motor lorry that was parked on the western grass parapet facing south.

As a result of the collision, the motorcyclist sustained injuries to his head and other parts of his body. He was rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital by Police from Number 51 Police Station, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Murray had been coach of the Number 71 Sports Club, but had been more popularly known as a prolific bats-

Dead: Sherwin Murray

man for the Number 69 Viking Cricket Club. The news of his demise sent shockwaves across the

impact of the collision, he ran outside and then realised it was someone he knows.

“We used to play cricket. It had to be that he was coming with a speed and (headed) straight into the truck,” Vicky Bhaijnauth opined.

Eyewitnesses said Murray was left lying on the bike, which at the time of their arrival was in an upright possession in front of the truck. The handle of the motorbike was hooked on the truck.

Meanwhile, this publication has, on numer-

The truck which Sherwin Murray slammed into on the Corentyne Highway

entire Upper Corentyne Coast.

A close friend of his, Vicky Bhaijnauth, said that after hearing the

ous occasions, highlighted the danger posed by heavy-duty vehicles, derelicts, and erected bridges extending onto the Corentyne Highway. (G4)

SYMPTOMS

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID-19:

Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

Fever People who think they may be affected by coronavirus need to call the Public Health Ministry hotline 227-4986/624-3067 for further advice. They should not go to their GP, A&E, pharmacy or hospital.

If you have come into contact with somebody who may be infected, you may be told to self-isolate. People needing to do so should take "common-sense" steps to avoid close contact with other people.

(Adapted from BBC News)

Headache

Chills

Sore throat

Repeated shaking with chills

Muscle pain

Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have New loss of taste mild illness. or smell

NEWS

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

High tides alert issued; citizens New power plant to significantly boost GPL’s capacity – CEO urged to take precaution …will have 2M gallon fuel storage capacity

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he general public has been warned to take all necessary precautions during the spring tides period of November 12-18, 2020.

On Wednesday, the Public Works Ministry said the predicted tides indicate above-normal levels for this impending period. As such, the Sea and River Defence Department has listed a number of areas to be particularly susceptible to possible flooding as a result of storm surges which may induce overtopping of sea/river defence structures.

These areas are: Pomeroon River banks; San Souci to Sarah, and Maria’s Pleasure to Meerzorg, Good Success, Zeelandia and Moorfarm, Wakenaam Island; Amsterdam/ Retrieve, Endeavour/ Blenheim, Cane Garden – Leguan Island; Windsor Forest to DeWillem, West Coast Demerara, Zeelugt, Parika Market Area, Salem to Sparta, E.B.E; Water Street, Georgetown; Helena Numbers One and

G

File photo: Massive waves assailing Uitvlugt, WCD

Two, Mahaica; Belvedere to Cottage, Mahaicony; Wellington Park/Tarlogie on the Corentyne; Lonsdale/ Glasgow, EBB; and Sheet Anchor, Canje River.

According to the Ministry, the highest tides are expected to be on Saturday (November 14) at 15:23h at a height of 3.27 metres, and on Sunday (November 15) at 16:04h at a height of 3.29 metres.

In addition to the locations named by the Sea and River Defence Department, all persons residing along the banks of rivers and low-lying coastal areas are advised to take all the necessary precautions against possible flooding. It has also been

highlighted that precaution should be taken by all mariners, including those operating fishing vessels and larger vessels. The use of beaches and foreshore areas for recreational purposes during this period is not advised.

Over the past few weeks, heavy rainfall caused flooding in several communities across the country, and moreso severely impacted Georgetown.

These communities have been so badly affected that the Government has triggered the inter-Agency Task Force, led by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), to partially activate the National Emergency Operations Centre.

overnment’s plan to end power outages is moving apace, with work to set up the new powerplant at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara already some 58 per cent completed.

The five Wartsila generators which are the main components of the 46.5MW powerplant arrived in Guyana last week, and on Wednesday, Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, toured the plant, where he was quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying that each generator weighs approximately 150 metric tonnes and has a 9.3MW output.

“For sets that huge, there must be below-surface civil works, so that is currently being done, and it will run concurrently with the above civil works. The base where the sets are to be located, that part is al-

Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, along with GPL’s CEO, Albert Gordon, and Divisional Director of Engineering Services, with responsibility for the Wartsila project, Ryan Ross, inspecting the ongoing work at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara (DPI Photo)

of April 2021.

According to DPI, Minister Indar said the 46.5 megawatts will be added to the five megawatts which are being sourced from Giftland, and by next month there should be an additional 10 megawatts.

Altogether, the electricity power would be able to meet the existing demand.

Armogan lauds benefits to Region 6 within Ali Administration’s first 100 days

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n the first 100 days since taking office, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration has been able to bring significant relief to many suffering Guyanese. This is according to Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) Chairman David Armogan.

Commenting on Government’s first 100 days in office, Armogan praised several of the measures that were implemented, including the removal of taxes on machinery and equipment used in the agricultural sector, which now makes them accessible at a cheaper cost.

Armogan told this publication that the agricultural sector is likely to become more productive.

The Chairman also pointed out incentives for persons in the manufacturing sector as being one of the highlights during the first 100 days in office.

The Regional Chairman said he is very pleased with the current administration’s first 100 days, noting that the PPP/C Government came into office under difficult circumstances, and had to face a lot of issues regarding the elections, the economy, and the high rate of unemployment.

“People were on the verge of starvation in some areas, with many other economic problems, but since we came into Government, we have sorted some of these problems out in just 100 days. The economy has virtually bounced back to some extent, whereby we have started the reopening of the sugar estates, and so some level of employment has already taken place at those three estates. So, im-

mediately (government) has been creating jobs where the estates were shut down,” he stated.

According to Armogan, the reduction of some taxes and the removal of others also highlight the Government’s first 100 days in office.

“As you know, the last [APNU/AFC] Government increased some of these taxes to astronomical levels, so we were able to bring that down. We were also able to liberalise the Telecommunications Sector after many years. So, hopefully, with competition and more persons coming into the sector, we will be able to get a cheaper service and a better service,” the Chairman said.

The Chairman also commented on the restoration of the cash grant for school children and the COVID-19 cash relief of $25,000 implemented by the Government.

“That [is being] given to every household in our country. That has helped a long way. I have seen people, almost immediately upon collecting the $25,000, went to the supermarket and were able to buy things that they need for their homes,” he said.

Armogan went on to say that Government Ministers have also taken a hands-on approach, and have been making frequent visits to communities countrywide.

“Some people have never seen Government Ministers under the last Government, and our Ministers have been extremely visible, because, almost on a daily basis, some of our Ministers have been going around to the various communities to look

at issues and problems and try to solve them,” he added.

The Regional Chairman said that, already, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has had several outreaches in Region Six, and has visited all of the agricultural communities there since taking office.

Mention was also made of both Local Government and Regional Development Ministers Nigel Dharamlall and Anand Persaud.

Several other Government Ministers have also visited the East Berbice-Corentyne Region during the Government’s first 100 days in office.

He added that President Ali himself has made two visits to the region, and is expected to be back in the Region on Friday.

“I think (that) in the first 100 days, the President has done an excellent job, and so we can look forward to that kind of progress over the next five years from this President. Also, we have our Vice President, who is a man of great vision, and he is expected to play a major role in the development of our country. He has foresight and vision, and perhaps he is ranked as one of the best politicians and economists in the Caribbean region.

So, I am certain that with his guidance and the performance of our President, and the work of all of the Ministers put together, I think this country will become prosperous once again, one which the entire Caribbean look up to, and I am sure that the people will have a better life in this country in the years coming,” Armogan posited.

Construction work ongoing at the new dual-fire powerplant site

ready completed, but there is more work that needs to be done,” the Minister explained during a tour of the facility on Wednesday.

The powerplant is set to be commissioned by the end

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Albert Gordon, explained that over the past years Guyana has endured “very slim reserve margin”

and a low back-up capacity.

With the new intervention, the power load will be given a significant boost.

The dual-fuel plant is the beginning of the transition to natural gas. “It will burn heavy fuel oil, which is cheap. It will allow us to transition to natural gas, and will burn natural gas more efficiently,” Gordon said.

Meanwhile, Divisional Director of Engineering Services, with responsibility for the Wartsila project, Ryan Ross, said the powerplant will have a two-million-gallon fuel storage capacity.

He added that the foundation for the generators is complete, while work on the rest of the structure to house the generators is ongoing, with some 58 per cent of the project finished.

The initiative is GPL’s largest generation project to date. The generators arrived on Guyana’s shores on November 5 at the John Fernandes Wharf, after leaving Finland on October 13.

16 NEWS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

UK 1st country in Europe Crabwood Creek businessman COVID: to pass 50,000 deaths found dead in home T

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he body of a businessman was discovered on Wednesday afternoon at his Lot 90 Grant 1806 Crabwood Creek, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) home.

Dead is 55-year-old Rajendra Ramnarine, also called ‘Duck’. His lifeless body was found by his sonin-law in a sitting position on the sofa in the living room at about 16:30h.

Steve Persaud had gone to visit Ramnarine, and upon entering the yard, he was greeted with a stench.

The son-in-law said he observed a foul-smelling liquid running from the upper flat to the lower flat.

A mobile Police patrol was contacted. Upon arrival, the Police were able to break into the house, where the discovery of the bloated body was made.

According to the police, the body had what appeared to be several blisters, but they could not determine if there were any injuries.

Nevertheless, the body was escorted to the Skeldon Public Hospital,

where he was pronounced dead.

Ramnarine was reportedly last seen on Sunday.

His son, Devendra, told investigators that he last saw his father at about 08:00h on Sunday, riding past his home on a bicycle.

Ramnarine lived alone in the two-storey building, and is said to be a frequent consumer of alcohol.

The investigation continues as the Police await the results of an autopsy which is expected to be conducted on Friday.

Wakenaam to get excavator for drainage works

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griculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has pledged to ensure that critical drainage and irrigation works are conducted at Wakenaam, Hog Island and Leguan, during a recent outreach to the area.

The Minister and a team of ministerial and regional officials visited the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three) on Tuesday to engage residents on pressing concerns.

Drainage and irrigation matters were the main challenges hampering livelihoods on all three islands, the Department of Public Information reported on Wednesday.

According to the DPI report, at Wakenaam, the Minister said a long-boom excavator would be dispatched to tend to drainage while repairs are conducted on the dilapidated one. A bulldozer would also be sent to complete works on the island.

“I listen to the plight and your complaints, and I heard that these are import-

he UK has become the first country in Europe to pass 50,000 coronavirus deaths, according to the latest Government figures.

A total of 50,365 people have died within 28 days of a positive Covid test, up 595 in the past 24 hours.

The UK is the fifth country to pass 50,000 deaths, coming after the US, Brazil, India and Mexico.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the figures showed, despite hopes for a vaccine, "we are not out of the woods".

He said: "Every death is a tragedy," but added: "I do think we have got now to a different phase in the way that we treat it." A further 22,950 cases of coronavirus were recorded on Wednesday, government figures show.

There have been some 1.2 million confirmed cases in the UK since the epidemic began, and more than 185,000 people have been admitted to hospital with the virus.

The UK's Covid death toll has reached a grim and

tragic milestone - and illustrates what a devastating impact the pandemic has had on the country.

But one figure alone cannot tell the full story. The burden has not been felt equally.

The single biggest factor has been age - with more than nine in 10 deaths in the over 65s.

Poorer areas and ethnic minorities have also been disproportionately affected.

Deaths from other causes have also risen as people have gone without treatment.

The UK has on most measures seen one of the highest death rates in the world.

Blame, understandably, has been laid at the government's door. It has been criticised in particular for being too slow to lockdown and for its record on testing and tracing.

But the UK is not alone in struggling. Similar debates have been had in Italy, Spain and France.

And the sad reality is this figure will keep climbing in the months to come.

But there is now at last some real hope that, with a vaccine looking likely, the toll will be much, much less next year. The government's death figures only include people who died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus - but two other ways of measuring deaths give higher overall figures.

The first includes all deaths where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate, even if the person had not been tested for the virus. The most recent figures suggest there had been more than 60,000 deaths by 23 October, by this measure.

The second is a measure of "excess deaths" - the number of deaths over and above the usual number at this time of year.

Deaths normally do rise at this time of the year, but the latest data from the Office for National Statistics and its counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland show the second wave of the virus has pushed the death rate above the average seen over the past five years. (BBC News)

3 fishing boats sink during stormy weather in Antigua

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha interacting with a farmer at Wakenaam, Region Three

ant things to you all, that is why on the spot we are making these things available, so that you can have better conditions,” Mustapha is quoted as saying by DPI. Minister Mustapha said Wakenaam makes vast contributions to agriculture in Guyana, producing 140,000 coconuts weekly, boasting 1,863 acres of rice land, and close to 100 rice farmers.

“You are making a tremendous contribution to our

country, and in return we will ensure that we invest in the necessary infrastructure, so that you can benefit and you can have better infrastructure to do your farming,” the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Hog Island resident Joseph Naraindut told the team that his 300 acres of land is often inundated.

“We don’t have no river defence dam right through there, including the whole area there; and right now, with this heavy spring tide and last month spring tide, overtopping the whole place,” he said.

Residents also said the flooding was affecting their livestock, leaving their cattle with foot rot.

The Minister assured the residents that regional and technical officers will conduct an assessment to determine which works are urgent.

Meanwhile, with respect to access to markets, the Minister said the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC) will be revamped to provide more services to them. The New GMC will be tasked with securing access to markets for the region’s farmers, he said.

Efforts will also be made to get fertilisers and treatments to farmers at a cheaper cost.

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n the wee hours of the morning, at least three small boats sank when they became overwhelmed by the torrential downpour of rain that had accumulated inside them.

One fisherman who preferred not to be identified, indicated that there were a number of manmade factors that contributed to the vessels sinking and which he believes needs urgent attention. Normally, the Dockmaster patrols the docking facility after hours, especially in instances of heavy rain, and would advise boat owners if there is a need for them to take action in securing their vessels.

The fisherman who spoke with us was insistent that this service is absent.

He also said that a ground lift, the machine necessary to remove vessels from the water in bad sea or weather conditions, is in a state of

Pointe Xpress: Among the casualties of the heavy rainfall were several small fishing vessels at the Point Wharf, Antigua (Antigua News Room photo)

disrepair. The ground lift, which was secured in 2004 has been out of commission for several years and there has reportedly been no effort on the part of the Department of Fisheries to return it to service. We were unable to confirm with the Department of Fisheries the reasons for the extended state of disrepair of the machine.

Finally, he pointed out that many vessels are with-

out bilge pumps which can quickly remove water that may accumulate in a boat.

This too, he said, was a major factor that has contributed to the challenges being faced by fishermen and small boat owners.

During our reporter’s conversation with the fisherman, other fisherfolk were busy bailing out water from another small vessel by hand. (Antigua News Room)

Biden taps longtime aide Ron Klain, who led Ebola fight, as chief of staff

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S President-elect Joe Biden appointed top Democratic official Ron Klain as his chief of staff and assistant to the president on Wednesday.

Klain is one of Biden’s closest confidants and first worked for the Democrat in 1989 when he was a US senator. He was in charge of the Barack Obama administration’s response to the Ebola health crisis in 2014, when Biden was vice president.

A fierce critic of

Republican President Donald Trump’s handling of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Klain was expected to be a key figure in Biden’s response to the health crisis.

“Ron has been invaluable to me over the many years that we have worked together, including as we rescued the American economy from one of the worst downturns in our history in 2009 and later overcame a daunting public health emergency in 2014,” Biden said in a state-

ment.

Klain said in a statement: “It’s the honor of a lifetime to serve President-elect Biden in this role, and I am humbled by his confidence. I look forward to helping him and the Vice President-elect assemble a talented and diverse team to work in the White House.”

Klain was Biden’s vice-presidential chief of staff and was most recently a senior advisor to Biden’s presidential campaign. (Reuters)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

US hospitals again under pressure as COVID-19 rises

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fter several weeks of rapidly rising coronavirus cases, hospitals around the United States are once again overwhelmed, forcing local authorities to take new measures to cope with the pandemic.

On Tuesday a record 61,964 people were hospitalized with Covid-19 across the country, marking the first time the case tally passed the 60,000 mark, according to the Covid Tracking Project.

The situation is particularly worrying in the border city of El Paso in western

Texas, a state where coronavirus cases have exceeded one million.

More than 1,000 people are hospitalized in El Paso County alone, a substantial portion of the state’s 6,170 hospitalizations.

“These are dark times,” Ogechika Alozie, chief medical officer at the city’s Del Sol Medical Center, told CNN Wednesday. “I think the biggest word is just fatigue. And there’s frustration.”

Cases are so high that Texas Governor Greg Abbott has requested a military

In this May 27, 2020 file photo, medical personnel work in the emergency department at NYC Health + Hospitals Metropolitan in New York

Ailing Brooklyn mobster blamed in 1980s killings wins compassionate release from prison

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iling Brooklyn mobster Gregory Scarpa Jr. caught a break Wednesday when a judge ended his 32-year prison stretch on racketeering murder charges by ordering his compassionate release.

Scarpa, 69, a former Colombo crime family boss turned prison snitch — he helped the government probes of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing — is currently at a federal Bureau of Prisons halfway house in Kansas City, Kan., records show.

“I do not minimize the evil acts Scarpa committed over the course of his criminal career,” wrote Brooklyn Federal Judge Edward Korman in ordering Scarpa’s release.

“The reality, however, is that Mr. Scarpa is a seriously ill man who is unable to care for himself and has little prospect of recidivating.”

Among Scarpa’s many illnesses behind bars has been a late-stage cancer, for which he’s received radiation and chemotherapy and surgeries, including the removal of a tumor that left a hole in his throat.

Doctors removed Scarpa’s salivary glands during the surgeries — and now he “regularly chokes” on his food, to the point where he has had

Greg Scarpa Sr, left, and his son, Greg Scarpa Jr, right, were notorious members of New York's Colombo crime family

to learn to be able to do the Heimlich maneuver on himself, the judge wrote.

In healthier times, Scarpa Jr. — whose father was also a famous murderous Colombo family associate — was a high ranking member of the crime family, often requesting permission from leaders to kill perceived enemies.

He was convicted in 1998 of a large-scale racketeering case that the feds say involved four murders he committed. He was already incarcerated in another case before that.

In 1981, Scarpa Jr. shot Robert DiLeonardi in the head in a secluded spot on Staten Island because DiLeonardi was bragging to people about bank heists their crew had pulled off, prosecutors said.

That same year, Scarpa Jr. had his dad and Joseph DeDomenico murder lim-

ousine driver Alfred Longobardi, with whom Scarpa Jr. had a feude, said the feds.

Six years later, Scarpa Jr. murdered DeDomenico because he believed DeDomenico was “committing lucrative crimes without sharing the proceeds with other crew members,” according to federal prosecutors.

[More New York] Teen robbers beat man with toy stroller, curtain rod in Manhattan mugging » In 1983, Scarpa Jr. hatched a plan to murder Sal Cardaci, who Colombo family members believed was a rat.

After members of their crew killed Cardaci, Scarpa Jr. ordered him buried in the basement of a Bensonhurst store, according to the feds.

In 1985, Scarpa Jr. was tasked with offing Anthony Frezza after Frezza murdered a member of the

Gambino crime family.

Scarpa Jr. shot Frezza in the head at the Scarpa home, the feds said.

Behind bars, Scarpa Jr. turned into quite a rat.

He worked as an informant behind bars for the FBI to get information from Al Qaeda terrorist and 1993 World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Youssef. While housed in 2005 at Colorado’s “Supermax” federal prison, Scarpa learned from fellow inmate and Oklahoma City bomber Terry Nichols the location of some explosives hidden in Nichols’ home.

Scarpa Jr. told a private investigator that the explosives were buried in the basement of Nichols' home in Kansas, and the private eye passed it on to two congressmen who alerted the FBI. The explosives were recovered.

The judge in Scarpa Jr.'s case took ten years off his sentence for the tip, but an appeals court later reversed that decision. Korman cited Scarpa Jr.'s aid in those cases — as well as his model prisoner behavior — in granting the compassionate release. Korman also noted that Scarpa Jr. has exhibited signs of early onset Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Court papers say Scarpa plans to live with a sister in Florida. (NY Daily News)

Saudi King urges world to take “decisive stance” against Saudi's regional foe Iran

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audi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz urged the world on Thursday to take “a decisive stance” to address efforts by Iran to develop nuclear and ballistic missile programs, in an annual address to the top government advisory body.

“The kingdom stresses the dangers of Iran’s regional project, its interference in other countries, its fostering of terrorism, its fanning the flames of sectarianism and calls for a decisive stance from the international com-

munity against Iran that guarantees a drastic handling of its efforts to obtain weapons of mass destruction and develop its ballistic missiles programme,” the king said.

They were the 84-yearold ruler’s first public remarks since he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in September via videolink, where he also took aim at Iran. Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi’ite Iran are locked in a decades-long struggle for influence across the region,

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz

supporting opposing sides in conflicts from Syria to

Yemen.

There was no immediate reaction from Iran to the king’s remarks. Tehran has previously described Saudi statements against it as “baseless allegations” and denies arming groups in the Middle East.

State news agency SPA published a full transcript of the king’s speech after midnight. State TV carried photos of what appeared to be the king virtually addressing council members from his palace in Neom.

(Reuters)

medical centre be converted for intake of non-Covid patients in order to free up space in hospitals. County officials, meanwhile, have requested additional mobile morgues.

The situation in El Paso is typical of the difficulties local governments are facing in the United States, where President Donald Trump has downplayed the epidemic and left handling of the health crisis to state, county and city officials.

In late October an El Paso County judge ordered non-essential businesses closed for two weeks, a measure fought by El Paso’s mayor and the state attorney general.

Trump has placed much of his hopes of fighting the coronavirus pandemic on rapid development of a vac-

cine.

Positive Phase 3 trials of a vaccine developed by Pfizer mean inoculations are likely to begin rolling out by the end of the year or in early 2021.

But with no vaccine at present, the US is facing troubling circumstances.

The number of deaths each day is still far from levels seen in the spring, however the US recorded more than 1,500 fatalities in 24 hours on Tuesday.

The coronavirus death rate has “declined since the spring partly because hospitals and staff were so overstretched back then. As cases take off across the country, we will increasingly start seeing those limitations again,” said emergency medicine specialist Craig Spencer on Twitter. (AFP)

T&T church warns worshippers: Avoid pyramid schemes

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HE Open Bible Church has added its voice to those calling on people to avoid pyramid and Ponzi schemes masquerading as sou-sous.

In a media release on Tuesday, Bishop Benjamin Agard said Open Bible was joining with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Financial Intelligence Unit and the Central Bank to warn people against investing in such risky financial behaviour.

In August, a joint media advisory by the institutions warned that pyramid schemes "may take many forms and are often falsely presented as new investment including different types of securities, foreign currency and even traditional 'sou-sou' arrangements."

Agard did not mention any names in referencing the schemes. But the most popular of the many schemes is Drugs Sou Sou, which the Prime Minister labelled as a cancer requiring both UK and Barbadian police intervention.

To justify his claim, Agard used scripture, referencing Proverbs chapter 13, verses 11 and 13, which read: “Wealth from get-richquick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time…

People who despise advice are asking for trouble; those who respect a command will succeed.”

National Bishop for the Pentecostal Association of the West Indies (PAWI) Don Hamilton agreed with Agard, saying PAWI spoke with its members and advised against it. Hamilton said in the end the scheme will collapse and those on the tail end will feel the brunt of it.

“We have in this society a clash of philosophies. We are very pragmatic, in that we believe once it works, it is right and that the ends justify the means. It is a nowin space.”

Asked about the pushback the church will receive for its stance, as some will accuse it of likewise robbing people through insistence on tithes and offering payments, Hamilton said: “That is a lifelong debate and the best way to answer that is with a cricket analogy. Sometimes the best way to play a bad ball is to leave it alone. So I am leaving that alone.”

He added that global economics have people doing strange things for cash, but such schemes will always have an expiry date. He said PAWI informed members of the dangers of the investment and while he does not want to “take a sledgehammer to mash up a peanut," he is convinced that these schemes will all come to an end and ultimately people will lose their money.

Also commenting on the issue was former Anglican Dean Knolly Clarke, who is president of the InterReligious Organisation, but said he was speaking in his personal capacity and not as IRO head, since the issue was never raised at an executive level.

Clarke said these schemes should be thoroughly investigated, since some people may be benefiting, but not everyone will.

“If I get a little kakada, are my neighbours getting as well? I am not making any judgement, but this needs to be investigated. Is it helping everyone, or is it helping a few at the expense of many?” (T&T Newsday)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

Regional

COVID: Brazil allows resumption of Chinese vaccine trial

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razil’s health regulator has announced that the trial of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine can resume.

Anvisa suspended Brazil’s trial of the vaccine two days ago, citing a “severe adverse incident” – reported to be the death of a volunteer.

The head of the institute conducting the trial said the death had no connection to the vaccine.

In a statement on Wednesday, Anvisa said it now had “sufficient information to allow vaccination to resume”.

“It is important to clarify that a suspension does not necessarily mean that the product under investigation does not offer quality, safety or efficacy,” it said.

President Jair Bolsonaro earlier declared the suspension a “victory”.

He has long criticised the vaccine because of its Chinese links and said it would not be purchased by his country. He has also engaged in a polit-

Anvisa said it now had “sufficient information to allow vaccination to resume”

ical fight with the Governor of São Paulo, João Doria, who has publicly backed the trial.

Bolsonaro has not yet commented on Anvisa’s announcement that the trial can resume.

The vaccine, developed by Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech, is one of several in final-stage testing globally. Sinovac says it is “confident in the safety of the vaccine”.

Brazil has been one of the countries worst affected by coronavirus, recording more than 5.6 million confirmed

cases – the third highest tally in the world after the US and India – and nearly 163,000 deaths, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University.

Dimas Covas, Head of the Butantan institute conducting the trials, told local media that the trial’s suspension was related to a death, but insisted that the death was not linked to the vaccine.

Media reports say Police are investigating the death as a suicide. (Excerpt from BBC News)

“We’re not a colony”: Mexican President stands firm on not recognising Biden win

M

exican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday dug in his heels as one of the few leaders of major countries yet to congratulate Joe Biden on his presidential election win, saying it was too early and that his country was “not a colony”.

Lopez Obrador, who accused rivals of electoral fraud in his presidential defeats in 2006 and 2012, says he has no side in the US election, and will wait until legal challenges launched by the Trump Administration over the vote have played out.

“We can’t make any kind of recognition of a government that is not yet legally and legitimately con-

stituted,” he told a news conference. “It’s not up to us, that’s interventionism.”

Lopez Obrador showed no such hesitation in congr atu lating the victors of Bolivia’s divisive 2019 presidential election, which was later annulled over irregularities.

Critics charge his position on Biden does not look neutral.

US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to hurt Mexico economically if it does not curb illegal immigration, has refused to accept defeat and launched lawsuits to press claims of election fraud. State officials have said they are not aware of any significant irregularities.

Biden, a Democrat, cleared the threshold of 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency on Saturday.

While in Opposition, Lopez Obrador likened Trump to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and pledged to put him “in his place” if elected. Since taking office nearly two years ago, he has been at pains to avoid conflict with the American President.

Left-leaning Lopez Obrador is part of a shrinking group of world leaders yet to congratulate Biden, along with Brazil’s right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro; Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Largest laparoscopic gallstone removal gets TT doctors global acclaim

I

magine living with a gallstone the size of a large avocado in your abdomen, causing nausea and severe pain every time your body tries to process fatty foods.

It was the case for a 72-year-old woman in South Trinidad back in 2018.

When the woman went to the Caribbean Minimally Invasive Surgery Clinic at the Southern Medical Clinic in San Fernando, CT scans showed that her gallstone measured at 14 cm x 7 cm.

Her unfortunate situation though led T&T to another star on the map as her surgical intervention is now among international publications on the Cureus Medical Journal as the

world’s largest gallstone removal done laparoscopically.

Surgeons removed the gallstone through her navel.

The authors of the paper include Dr Yardesh Singh, Sidiyq Mohammed, Aqilah Hosein, Kercheval Ramoutar and Professor Vijay Naraynsingh.

Gallstones develop because of an imbalance in the chemical make-up of bile inside the gallbladder. A diet high in fatty foods can lead to unsustainable levels of cholesterol in bile. When this becomes too high, the excess cholesterol forms into stones.

Traditionally, large gallstones average around .5 cm, but in rare cases, they can grow to over 5 cm. For

large gallstones, surgeons opt to perform an open or classical cholecystectomy.

But after examining the women’s scans, Singh, an Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon, realised that he could remove the stone via a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

“She visited other surgeons, and they actually wanted to do the traditional open surgery for her, which means that they would have to cut at least a 25 cm cut on the abdomen to remove this stone. However, after looking at the scan, I told her I would have been able to do this laparoscopically,” Singh told Guardian Media at his office on Monday. (Excerpt from Trini.Guardian)

Belize heads to the polls to pick new PM

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elizeans headed to the polls on Wednesday to replace a veteran prime minister, with many in the tiny Central American country saying they were ready for change to repair an economy battered by pandemic-driven shutdowns.

Dean Barrow, the outgoing Prime Minister, ran Belize for more than a dozen years. His conservative United Democratic

Party (UDP) is now in the hands of Patrick Faber, who is battling its traditional centre-left adversary, the People’s United Party (PUP), to secure a fourth consecutive UDP term in office.

Faber faces a tough contest against PUP leader Johnny Briceno, a former Deputy Prime Minister, with discontent widespread over an economy that was in

the doldrums long before the coronavirus decimated tourism, the main driver of prosperity.

“The economy is in free fall; more now than ever with the pandemic, we need to move towards a more self-sustainable Belize,” said Casiana Lind, 23, in Cayo District in western Belize, who said she planned to vote for the PUP. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Bolivia restores ties with Iran, Venezuela after socialists return to power

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Bolivian President Luis Arce

olivia’s new President, Luis Arce, has moved swiftly to restore ties with Iran and Venezuela, receiving the credentials of Ambassadors from the two countries on Wednesday, just three days after his socialist party retook the reins of power.

Bolivia’s Government said in a statement it wanted to “re-establish diplomatic relations damaged by the pre-

vious de-facto government” led by conservative interim President Jeanine Anez.

Writing on Twitter, Arce said he was restoring bilateral relations with Venezuela “to strengthen strategic ties for the good of our peoples”.

He said the same was being done with Iran and that “they are always welcome in Bolivia. We will continue to strengthen common projects”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif attended Arce’s swearing-in ceremony in La Paz on Sunday as part of a tour of leftist Latin American nations that included Venezuela and Cuba.

Venezuela and Iran were key allies for former Bolivian President and Arce ally Evo Morales, who swept to office as the country’s first Indigenous president in 2006 and resigned under pressure

over disputed elections last year.

Morales had planned to make Iran a partner in the exploitation of Bolivia’s bountiful lithium reserves, while he and longtime ally President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela frequently sympathised publicly over what they called US “meddling” in the Region.

But days after Anez took power last November, Venezuelan diplomats and Cuban doctors were expelled amid accusations by the interim Government that they had fomented unrest following Morales’ departure.

Now, with the return to power of Morales’ socialist MAS party – with Arce at the helm following elections in October – Bolivia is resetting its foreign policy once more.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Golding sworn in as Jamaica’s Opposition Leader

M

ark Golding was sworn in as the new Opposition Leader in the Parliament, less than 48 hours after he successfully turned away a challenge from Lisa Hanna to become the sixth president of the main Opposition People’s National Party (PNP).

Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen presented the Opposition Leader with the Instrument of Appointment at a short ceremony at Kings House.

Golding, the Member of Parliament for St Andrew Southern, takes over from

former PNP President, Dr Peter Phillips, who stepped down after the Party was trounced in the General Election on September 3 this year. The ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) won 49 of the 63 seats in the Parliament.

“I am grateful to all those who had the trust and confidence in me to provide this opportunity to serve my country Jamaica in this new role,” Golding said at the ceremony.

Last weekend, Golding, a former Justice Minister, defeated Hanna by a 1740

to 1444 margin and immediately paid homage to the founders of the party, indicating that his first task would be to heal the wounds of division in the Opposition party.

“I respect the foundation on which we stand, built by our founding fathers and mothers and by the great leaders who came after them. I value the creative energies and fresh ideas of our youth. I believe in a combination of old and new and in-between, and that is what we need for a stronger future,” he said then. (CMC)

Skip Marley nominated for 2 Soul Train Music Awards

R

eggae artiste Skip Marley is nominated in two categories of the 2020 Soul Train Music Awards.

His chart-topping single “Slow Down” featuring H.E.R is nominated in the categories Video of the Year and Best Collaboration.

“Slow Down” topped Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs chart for five weeks in May. It also charted on the publication’s Rhythmic Songs, Mainstream R&B/ Hip-Hop and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts.

H.E.R. leads the nominations with eight, while

Chris Brown earned seven.

Beyoncé and rapper Young Thug picked up six apiece.

The Soul Train Music Awards will broadcast on November 29 and air simultaneously on BET, BET Her and MTV2. (Jamaica Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS OPEC cuts oil demand outlook again as COVID slows recovery

F

or yet another month, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) revised downwards its expectations for global oil demand as the renewed spike in coronavirus cases in major economies is slowing down the oil demand recovery.

In its closely-watched Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR), the cartel cut on Wednesday its global oil demand forecast for this year by 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) compared to last month’s estimate and now sees global oil demand at slightly above 90.0 million bpd this year, down by 9.8 million bpd compared to 2019. The main reasons for the expected even lower demand for this year are the recent new lockdowns and curfews in many major European economies, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy, as well as weaker-than-expected demand in the developed economies in the Americas in the third quarter of 2020.

The weaker oil demand recovery is expected to continue into 2021, according to OPEC, which cut its estimate for global oil demand next year, too. In 2021, oil demand is expected to grow by 6.2 million bpd compared to 2020. This is a downward revision of 300,000 bpd compared to OPEC’s October forecast. Next year, total global demand is expected to reach 96.3 million bpd, still lower than the demand before the pandemic.

OPEC’s assessment that the second COVID-19 wave is hitting oil demand more than previously thought comes weeks before the cartel and its Russia-led partners meet on November 30 and December 1 to discuss the state of the oil market and how to proceed with the ongoing record production cuts. (Excerpted from oilprice.com)

Coronavirus: New York imposes measures in “last chance” against new wave

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ew York has introduced new restrictions aimed at curbing coronavirus, with Mayor Bill de Blasio warning it was the city's "last chance" to stop a second wave.

Bars, restaurants, and gyms must close by 22:00h and people can only meet in groups of 10 or less.

The US is seeing a surge in coronavirus – a record 61,964 Americans were in hospital on Tuesday.

An average of over 900 people a day are now dying with the disease.

More than a million new cases in November pushed the total confirmed cases to over 10 million nationally with 239,732 deaths so far.

The US has been seeing more than 100,000 new cases per day over the last 10 days in what experts say

Experts warn hospitals across the country could soon be overwhelmed

may be a worse outbreak than those seen in the spring and summer.

Experts warn hospitals across the country could soon be overwhelmed.

On Wednesday, a member of President-elect Joe Biden's Covid-19 advisory panel said a four-to-sixweek lockdown could bring

the pandemic under control.

Dr Michael Osterholm said that the Government could borrow enough money to cover lost income for businesses during a shutdown.

"We're seeing a national and global COVID surge, and New York is a ship on the COVID tide," NY Governor Andrew Cuomo

and the commitment of the Church to uproot this evil,” Francis said at his weekly general audience.

He then closed his eyes and prayed silently.

The 450-page report said the late Pope John Paul II promoted McCarrick in 2000 despite rumours of his sexual misconduct, one of a series of failings by Popes and officials who let him rise through the ranks regardless of repeated allegations against him.

The report also said that in 2008 former Pope Benedict overruled proposals from top aides that McCarrick undergo a Church investigation “to determine the truth and, if warranted, impose an ‘exemplary measure’”. He was instead given a verbal warning and told to keep a low profile.

Francis’ words also followed an independent inquiry in London on Tuesday that said the Roman

said on Wednesday.

New measure come into effect on Friday affecting hospitality after Cuomo said contact tracing identified late-night gatherings as key virus spreaders in the state.

If the rate of spread of infection continued to rise, Mayor Blasio said the New York City's public school system would close and children would begin online classes.

"This is our last chance to stop a second wave. We can do it, but we have to act now," Mr de Blasio tweeted.

States across the US have broken new case records this week. Some hospitals, such as in Idaho and Missouri, have had to turn patients away because they ran out of room. (Excerpt from BBC News)

After McCarrick report, Pope vows to “uproot evil” of clerical sexual abuse

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ope Francis, in his first public comment after the release of an explosive report on the Vatican’s mishandling of the case of ex-US Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, on Wednesday again vowed to put an end to sexual abuse in the Church.

“Yesterday, the report about the painful case of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick was published.

I renew my closeness to the victims of every abuse

Catholic Church in Britain betrayed its moral purpose over decades by protecting those who sexually abused children rather than caring for their victims.

Last week in Poland, the Vatican disciplined an elderly cardinal who was accused of sexually abusing a minor, the latest of several clerics to be caught up in a widening scandal in the homeland of the late Pope John Paul II. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Britney Spears loses court Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers to resign as Beijing moves to quash opposition bid to remove father's control over estate H ong Kong’s pro-democracy Opposition lawmakers said on Wednesday they would resign in protest against the dismissal of four of their colleagues from the city assembly after Beijing gave local authorities new powers to further curb dissent.

The Chinese Parliament earlier adopted a resolution allowing the city’s executive to expel lawmakers deemed to be advocating Hong Kong independence,

A

US court has rejected an attempt by Britney Spears, 38, to have her father removed as conservator of her estate.

Jamie Spears has been his daughter's legal guardian for 12 years, due to concerns about her mental health.

Ms Spears' lawyer said the pop star was "afraid" of him, and that she would not perform so long as he remained in the role.

Her father's lawyer argued that he always acted in the best interests of his daughter.

A judge said she would consider future appeals for his dismissal or outright removal.

In the meantime, at the request of Ms Spears, financial company Bessemer Trust has been appointed as a co-conservator.

During a hearing on Tuesday, Ms Spears' lawyer, Samuel Ingham, said she and her father have no "viable working relationship" and have not spoken in a "long while".

But Vivian Thoreen,

Britney Spears has argued that she is "afraid" of her father

Jamie Spears' lawyer, argued that the reason they hadn't spoken was because Ingham had advised Ms Spears against it.

Thoreen also defended Mr Spears' record as conservator. When he assumed the role, Ms Spears was fighting tens of millions of dollars in lawsuits. But under his guidance, Ms Thoreen said her business operation was now worth US$60 million.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

colluding with foreign forces or threatening national security, without having to go through the courts.

Shortly afterwards, the local Government announced the disqualification of four assembly members who had previously been barred from running for re-election as authorities deemed their pledge of allegiance to Hong Kong was not sincere.

The moves will raise further concern in the West about the level of Hong

Kong’s autonomy, promised under a “one country, two systems” formula when Britain ended its colonial rule and handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997.

British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab said the expulsion of the four lawmakers constituted an assault on Hong Kong’s freedoms as set out in the UK-China Joint Declaration.

“This campaign to harass, stifle and disqualify democratic opposition tarnishes

China’s international reputation and undermines Hong Kong’s long-term stability,” Raab said in a statement.

At a news conference in Hong Kong which started with all Opposition lawmakers holding hands, Democratic Party Chairman Wuu Chi-Wai said: “We can no longer tell the world that we still have ‘one country, two systems, this declares its official death.” (Excerpt from Reuters)

Tigray crisis: Local residents ordered to defend against Ethiopia army

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esidents of Ethiopia's northern Tigray region have been ordered to mobilise by authorities who say they must "defend" themselves from "flagrant aggression" from the Federal Government.

Fears are growing of civil conflict in the east African country.

Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed earlier rejected a request for peace talks from the Tigray

authorities.

Hundreds have been killed in eight days of fighting between Tigray forces and the federal army.

Ethnic divisions have been rising in Ethiopia as some communities express their increased desire for self-government.

Once the country's most powerful party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) that rule the Tigray

region has been feuding with Prime Minister Abiy since he came to power in 2018 and promised reform nationwide.

Most recently, the TPLF defied a national ban on elections due to coronavirus.

Abiy responded by calling their vote illegal.

Last Wednesday, Abiy ordered a military offensive after an army base in the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle, was taken over by forces loyal

to the regional Government of Tigray.

TPLF declared a state of emergency to "defend the security and existence of the people of Tigray and their sovereignty", the state broadcaster Tigray TV reported.

It relayed a Government warning that "action will be taken against anyone who fails to cooperate". (Excerpt from BBC News)

20

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Work toward a common goal with a loved one. A romantic gesture will help you put your differences aside, paving the way for healthy solutions.

Spend less time bickering and more time problem-solving.

Don’t take unnecessary TAURUS health risks. Being well-in(April 20formed will help you make betMay 20) ter decisions. Keep personal information to yourself. Don’t mislead someone or make promises you can’t keep.

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Say what’s on your mind.

You are better off discussing matters thoroughly instead of taking physical action to prove your point. Look for ways to compromise.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

An opportunity will cause friction with a loved one.

Think matters through before you make a decision that might jeopardize a meaningful relationship. Don’t take risks with your health.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Monitor what everyone around you is doing to avoid ending up in a compromising position. Issues will arise if you make changes to your daily routine. Change your plans if necessary.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Observation will help you avoid jumping to conclusions. Spend more time perfecting your skills and less time butting heads with someone who doesn’t share your opinion.

SCORPIO

Take part in a dialogue concerning where and how you do your job. Look at the pros and cons of a situation that involves the young and old people in your life.

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU

An opportunity to demonstrate what you have to offer will come your way.

Be precise, and leave nothing to chance. Be honest and efficient. Romance is favored.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Put more effort into your professional goals. Consider trends and market your skills to fill a niche. Make changes that will help you improve your health, appearance and lifestyle.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Sit back, settle in and make changes that will help you be more productive.

Don’t worry about what others do; follow the path that leads to peace of mind and a better quality of life.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Go over your finances, investments and personal contracts. Make adjustments that will help you stabilize your position. Do what’s best for you. A complimentary person will have ulterior motives.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

A deal may look promising, but before you decide to team up with someone, consider how well you get along and if you share the same beliefs and objectives.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

21

West Indies barred from training – after breaching isolation protocols in Christchurch

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he West Indies squad have been barred from training for the rest of their managed isolation period in Christchurch, New Zealand. This is after they broke isolation protocols in regard to sharing food and socialising in hallways of their government-approved hotel.

The situation has arisen because players from the two separate bubbles of 20 people, which are allowed to train separately, have mixed. This “compromised the bubble integrity of the quarantine facility.”

Johnny Grave, Cricket West Indies CEO, has said an immediate investigation has been launched. This will be led by team manager Rawl Lewis. While more details, including CCTV footage, is awaited, Grave believes “around four or five players” were involved.

There is no indication the larger bubble to the outside world has been breached by any of the squad leaving, or anyone from outside entering the facility; and there is, at this stage, no suggestion that the tour is under threat, but the New Zealand Ministry of Health has said the players would have to spend the remainder of their 14 days - which is due to expire on Friday - in the hotel.

“We are extremely disappointed that some of the players seem to have interacted with other members of their respective bubbles,”

said Grave, who was alerted to the breach in the early hours of the morning in Antigua. “We are in full support of the action taken by the New Zealand Ministry of Health. My disappointment is mainly that our players are proba bly the most experienced in the world in dealing with these strict quara n t i n e measures.

“I’m not, for any second, saying that (the measures) are easy, and living in them dayin day-out is obviously a massive challenge; but these players, the majority of them, have been in a seven-week quarantine bubble for the England tour, then all pretty much went to Trinidad for the CPL. It’s hugely disappointing that players who knew what the protocols were have clearly broken them by mixing together.

“We are surprised that the players would have let themselves down, and let Cricket West Indies down, and potentially put the tour and the New Zealand population at risk. Albeit,

I would say from the information we’ve got that the risks are extremely low.”

All the COVID-19 tests from the squad before leaving the Caribbean and during their time in New Zealand have so far come back negative, with the re-

sults of the final batch due on Thursday. The squad is then scheduled to leave isolation and travel to Queenstown on Friday, ahead of two matches against New Zealand ‘A’.

“As with other sports teams that have come to New Zealand, the West Indies Cricket Team were given certain exemptions from the managed isolation rules which apply to everyone else. This included being able to be in larger bubbles and train in preparation for their inter-

national games,” DirectorGeneral of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, said at a daily briefing.

“It is a privilege to come here, but in return they have to stick to the rules.

Keeping COVID-19 out of our communities and keep-

ing our staff safe depends on it. They didn’t do that, despite agreeing to abide by the parameters of the exemption.

Consequently, we have revoked the team’s exemption from those requirements of the Managed Isolation and Quarantine Order. This means members of the team will spend the remainder of their time in managed isolation, and they are unable to train,” Dr Bloomfield said.

Dr Bloomfield added

there was no risk to the public. “It’s important to note that all incidents occurred within the hotel facility.”

A New Zealand Cricket statement said: “NZC was yesterday made aware that some members of the West Indies team had contravened protocols within the Managed Isolation Facility in

Christchurch.

“These incidents included some players compromising bubble integrity by sharing food, and socialising in hallways.

There is no evidence, or suggestion, that any members of the touring party left the facility, or that any unauthorised persons accessed it.

“NZC is supportive of the Ministry of Health and Government position.

Public health and safety has always been our primary focus in hosting overseas teams, and this remains our No.1 priority.

“NZC will continue working with the West Indies team and management and relevant Government agencies to ensure there is no repeat of

Chase elevated to Test Vice-Captain for NZ Tour B

RIDGETOWN, Barbados – Roston Chase has been appointed West Indies Test vice-captain for the Tour of New Zealand, the Daily Nation newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The newspaper reported that Chase has replaced compatriot and long-serving opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite in the position for the Test series against the Black Caps.

“When I got the call from head coach Phil Simmons, he told me that he had a chat with the selectors and the board, and they agreed that I was the

player for the vice captaincy role for the Tour,” he told the newspaper.

“At first I was a bit shocked, because I was never in that vice-captaincy capacity, not even in a Barbados team. I was never a vice captain, and I thought there were players in the team that have held those positions.

“I captained West Indies ‘A’ in a One-day series previously, so I guess they took it from there to nominate me for the position,” Chase detailed.

This 28-year-old batsman and part-time off-spinner has played 35 Tests for

the Windies over the last four years, and has scored 1,852 runs at an average of 30.86. He has also taken 69 wickets at 41.15 apiece.

Chase has said he is looking forward to working closer with compatriot and Test captain Jason Holder and head coach Phil Simmons on the Tour, in an effort to help the Windies end their winless streak in Tests in New Zealand.

The Caribbean side have not won a Test series, let alone a Test, in New Zealand since Courtney Walsh’s side brushed aside Ken Rutherford’s men 25 years ago at the Basin

Reserve.

“I am happy about getting the position,” Chase said. “It is a real honour to be in a position like this, where there have been many greats that have held this position before. It is for me to carry on that legacy, what the legends have done before, and see if I can achieve what they have done, or even greater heights.

“Jason and I have a good relationship, as well as coach Phil, so I do not think it will be a problem for me to come in and be accepted in the leadership group by those two.

It is just for me to support Jason and work with the best strategies going forward.”

The newspaper also reported that left-hander Nicholas Pooran will continue to be the deputy to compatriot Kieron Pollard for the Twenty20 International squad, a role to which he was elevated on the Tour to Sri Lanka in March this year.

The Windies will play three T20Is and two Tests on the Tour, which also includes matches against New Zealand “A” for the Test team reserves. (CMC)

these violations.”

The members of the West Indies squad who have been taking part in the IPL - plus the New Zealand players at the tournament - are due to arrive in the country (today) on Thursday, when they will begin a period of 14 days of managed isolation at the same Christchurch hotel.

The isolation will end the day before the opening T20I in Auckland on November 27.

“It’s a really significant blow to our preparations,” Grave said. “I know head coach Phil Simmons is particularly disappointed that a few members of the touring (team) have left themselves down and created a real issue for their teammates.”

West Indies were the first team to tour when international cricket resumed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when they travelled to England for a Test series.

That involved being in a biosecure bubble from start to finish as they moved between Old Trafford and the Ageas Bowl.

On that tour, the squad could mix together as an entire group, but were never able to leave the bubble; whereas, in New Zealand, under the current regulations, once the isolation is complete, they become part of the general population.

(ESPNcricinfo)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

NAMILCO renews cricket sponsorship of CLASSIFIED ADS RHTY&SC cricket teams – Sukhai hails performance of club FOR SALE

T

he highly successful relationship between the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS, and the National Milling Company of Guyana (Namilco) was on Monday last expanded for another year, as the company renewed its sponsorship of the Under 21 and First Division teams in the RHTY&SC to the tune of $400,000.

the two teams had exceeded the expectations of the Club Management by performing outstandingly well on and off the cricket field over the last twelve months.

The Under 21 team is waiting to play in the BCB Elizabeth Styles under 21 finals, while the First Division team won three cricket tournaments and has to date

RHTY&SC Secretary-CEO Hilbert Foster hands over COVID-19 educational posters to NAMILCO Managing Director Bert Sukhai

Namilco came on board as the official sponsor of these teams in 2019, replacing Gizmos and Gadgets.

Secretary/CEO of the RHTY&SC, Hilbert Foster, hailed the renewal of the sponsorship as another major development as the two teams prepare for the restart of the Berbice Cricket Board’s 2020 cricket season. Foster disclosed that

reach the semifinals of the BCB/Banks Beer two days’ tournament.

The team won the BCB Busta Champion of Champions 40 overs, Ivan Madray 20/20, and the Sky Vodka 50 overs’ tournaments as it continued its domination of the game in Berbice.

Many of its players have gone on to play for Berbice,

Guyana, and the West Indies, including Clinton Pestano, Kevin Sinclair, Kelvon Anderson, Jonathan Rampersaud and Mahendra Gopilall, Jeremy Sandia, Christopher Deroop, Matthew Pottaya, Nyron Hicks, Shemaine Campbelle, Sheneeta Grimmond and Shabika Gajnabi, while Assad Fudadin played for Jamaica.

Off the cricket field, the Namilco Thunderbolt teams were involved in over seventy community developmental programmes as part of their personal development project. These included youth information booklet, Namilco Tribute to Law Enforcement Officers, Namilco Tribute to Medical Workers, COVID-19 Educational posters, DTV Mother of the Year, Walter Nero Mother of the Year, Basil Butcher Trust Fund, and COVID-19 hampers project.

Additionally, the teams distributed millions of dollars’ worth of bicycles, educational materials, school bags, score books, cricket gears, cricket balls and stumps to less fortunate youths and clubs in Berbice.

Foster has said that the ten cricket teams of the RHTY&SC are currently preparing to host their largest-ever Christmas Charity programme, and he has assured the Namilco management that the RHTY&SC appreciates their support.

He said the two teams

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VACANCY RHTY&SC Secretary-CEO Hilbert Foster receives sponsorship from NAMILCO Managing Director Bert Sukhai in the presence of company officials Fitroy Mcleod and Alicia Anderson

would continue to represent the Namilco Thunderbolt Flour brand with pride, discipline, and positive results on the cricket field.

Namilco Managing Director Bert Sukhai congratulated the club and the two teams on their outstanding performance, and said the company was delighted that its faith was repaid. He urged the players to maintain a culture of discipline, hard work and dedication, and said that Namilco believes in excellence and expects nothing less.

Sukhai also expressed pleasure at the large amount of personal development programmes undertaken by the teams under the name of the sponsorship.

The Namilco Thunderbolt First Division team would be led in 2021 by Eon Hooper, with Shawn Pereira as his vice-captain, while Kelvon

Anderson would lead the Under 21 team, and have Junior Sinclair as his deputy.

The team management would consist of Ravindranauth Kissonlall, Simon Naidu and Tyrone Pottaya.

The teams have committed themselves to continue their dominance of Berbice cricket, and also to complete at least 80 programmes in the next twelve months. After receiving the sponsorship cheque, Foster handed over copies of a COVID-19 educational poster which the teams sponsored.

C

OVID-19 has affected the entire world, and Guyana has been affected. In a place like Region 1, BarimaWaini, which was just getting into the hang of its sporting calendar, COVID-19 came like a thief in the night and put a halt to everything that could be considered sport.

Chairman of the Matarkai Sports Council (MSC), Sherlon Rodrigues, speaking recently with Guyana Times Sport, declared that sports in general, whether indoors or outdoors, has been both a mental and physical challenge to persons living at Matarkai, a Region 1 community.

“Sports in all formats, whether indoors or outdoors, have been a mental and physical challenge to sportsmen and women in Region 1. We had no club nor competitive sports sub-regionally. However, since sports have been one of the areas to be relaxed by the National Task Force, under strict guidelines, the Matarkai Sports Committee will resuscitate (the playing of) sports on Sunday coming (November 15).

Matarkai Sports Council Chairman Sherlon Rodrigues

“I anticipate that planning for competitive sports in all formats will commence regardless of who is elected to serve in the capacity of Chairman or President of MSC. I am already in dialogue with the Essequibo Cricket Board Secretary to bridge the gap of cricket in the region. The Secretary reached out by an invitation to MSC to identify cricketers under 15, 17 and 19 who will join the Essequibo Trials 2021. He further stated that all prospective players will be given a fair opportunity to excel in the trials,” Rodrigues explained.

In terms of cricket and the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB), Rodrigues applauded

the gesture and promised to keep bilateral exchanges going in order to make it a reality for Matarkai players to participate in the Essequibo Trials.

However, he knows it would not be possible for persons from Matarkai to participate in any sporting activity outside of the community unless there are sponsorships from Government agencies, particularly the RDC, besides assistance from the Private sector and the business community.

Rodrigues has expressed a desire to see Region 1 producing more national sportsmen and women. He noted that the region has the potential to produce stars not only in cricket, but in football, volleyball and swimming. He said Region 1 has very good footballers in Cordell Mitchell and Fiona Benjamin, and he is hoping that the Guyana Football Federation would invite them to participate in trials.

Asked how the pandemic has affected his leadership, Rodrigues said, “It has been very difficult. As the sports men and women are not acquainted with virtual communication, this is an area where training is required.

Telecommunication needs to be strengthened in some areas”, he opined. The liberalisation of telecommunications is welcoming, he said, “and I hope communication companies would seek to invest in communities where the population and economic activities are developing, for example in Canal Bank and Sebai. These are communities where we have representatives from, and it has been a challenge to reach them.”

As MSC boss, Sherlon Rodrigues would like to thank the Hon. Minister Collin Croal; Greggory Trucking Service; the NDC head of Matarkai, Ronaldo Rodrigues; Region One Chairman Brentnol Ashley; GBTI; Andre Gammel; Frontier Pharmacy; and players, among others, for their unwavering support.

Rodrigues also noted that he looks forward to having their continuous support for the new executive body of the MSC, which would be installed after elections are held on Sunday 15 November, 2020 at 13:00 hours at the Matarkai Community Centre.

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“Sport has been both a mental and physical challenge,” says Matarkai Sports Council boss

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W

hen the Mumbai Indians defeated the Delhi Capitals in Tuesday’s final of the 2020 season of the Indian Premier League, Kieron Pollard was made the player with the most T20 titles in the history of the format.

The powerfully built Trinidadian all-rounder has won his 15th T20 title, and his fifth with Mumbai, and this is also a record for the franchise.

It puts him above compatriot Dwayne Bravo, who has 14; Shoaib Malik, who has 12; Mumbai’s captain Rohit Sharma, who has 10; and Lasith Malinga, who has nine titles.

Following Mumbai’s comfortable five-wicket victory over the Capitals on Tuesday, Pollard expressed his joy at winning yet another title, but confessed that the path to winning the many trophies he has won has never been easy.

“It’s a great feeling! I’ve been here 11 years, (and this is the) fifth trophy,” said Pollard who also won a record fourth Caribbean Premier League title with the Trinbago Knight Riders in September.

“No one sees the planning and training. It’s pressure playing for a franchise like this; the amount of trophies, the amount of work, the amount of players who go on to play for their countries, I think we’ll have to say so (that this is the best T20 franchise).”

Pollard praised the owners and management of the franchise, and aimed a friendly dig at his fellow Trinidadian, who plays for the Chennai Super Kings.

“Dwayne Bravo, you’re behind now, and I’m in front of you! (I) just had to say it on camera.”

From all indications, he seems to relish the pressure that comes with a final. He made reference to this prior to Tuesday’s final in a video on Mumbai’s Twitter page.

“The name of the game is ‘pressure’ in a final. Everyone takes that pressure. You want to win and not commit a mistake, but at the end of the day, you have to try to take the finals as a normal game. Just go out there, enjoy yourself and the atmosphere,” Pollard said.

“Obviously, no crowds in this final, but enjoy the magnitude of it. It is an IPL final, it’s the biggest thing after the World Cup final”.

Pollard will now head to New Zealand, where he will represent the West Indies in their three-match T20 season, set to begin on November 27. (Adapted from Sportsmax)

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

RHTY&SC and BCB launch COVID-19 educational poster – BCB Patron Minister Vickram Bharrat receives 1st copy T

he ten cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club have joined hands with the Berbice Cricket Board to launch another project, as the two vibrant organisations continue their COVID-19 response project.

The two organisations have, since the start of April, operated a joint project to assist those affected by the pandemic, and to educate Berbicians about the deadly virus that has killed over a million per-

sons worldwide. Their latest venture has been the publication of an eleven by seventeen inch coloured educational poster.

RHTY&SC Secretary/ CEO Hilbert Foster has stated that the posters, which were printed at the F and H Printery in Georgetown, were solely sponsored by the ten cricket teams of the club: Farfan and Mendes under 15, Poonai Pharmacy under 12 and under 13; Bakewell under 17 and second division; Pepsi un-

der 19 and Intermediate; Metro Females; Namilco Thunderbolt under 21 and First Division teams.

The posters would be distributed across the county free of cost, with special emphasis placed on schools, Police stations, Fire stations, municipal markets, supermarkets and cricket grounds, among other places.

The poster seeks to educate the general public about the main ways to protect themselves from the virus, and fea-

Pompey is new Associate Head Coach at St John’s

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he St. John’s Athletic Department officially announced on Wednesday that fourtime Olympian Aliann Pompey has been elevated to the position of Associate Head Coach.

“I have to thank Mike Cragg and Coach Hurt for this honour, and am appreciative of them for their support and tutelage,” Pompey said.

“They’re both part of the reason why I am able to continue doing what I love here at St. John’s University. I am grateful for this opportunity, and look forward to working closely with our administration on continuing our tradition of success.”

Since joining the St. John’s track & field programme as an assistant coach in 2014, Pompey has seen her athletes break the Red Storm’s indoor records twice in the 200 metres and 400 metres, while also eclipsing previous programme bests in the 60-metre hurdles and in the 500 metre and the 4 x 200-metre relay.

Pompey has also helped the Johnnies’ sprints and hurdles squad break outdoor records in the 100-metre hurdles, 800 metre race, the 4x200-metre relay, and the 4x100-metre relay events.

Most recently, Pompey guided Leah Anderson to three gold medals at the 2020 BIG EAST Indoor Championships, as she took first place in the 200 metres, 400 metres and the 4x400-metre relay. Anderson was named the conference’s most outstanding performer in track events and earned the BIG EAST High Point Performer award, leading the field with 22.5 points. Pompey’s sprints and hurdles squad accounted for at least 60 percent of St. John’s total team points at the meet.

“I am very pleased and proud to have Coach Pompey become our associate Head Coach, as she is

exceptional in every way,” said Head Coach Jim Hurt.

“She is a great and winning coach, keenly intelligent and insightful, and a person of great character. She has made a significant impact on our programme over the past six years, and will continue to do so in the years to come.”

In 2017, Pompey assisted Adriana Wright in capturing the indoor BIG EAST High Point Performer Award after winning three gold medals in the 60-metre hurdles, 60-metre dash and the 200-metre dash.

The following year, she helped Maya Stephens earn the conference’s most outstanding co-performer in track events accolade for her wins in the 200-metre and 400-metre dashes at the 2018 Indoor championships.

Throughout her time with the Red Storm, Pompey’s athletes have claimed three of the BIG EAST’s last four most outstanding track performer awards at the outdoor championships, while earning the accolade at the 2018 and 2020 conference Indoor championships.

Pompey has continued to spread her knowledge and extensive track & field experience to international sports administrations, and was named President of the PanAmerican Sports Athletes Commission in 2019. The Guyana native was elected to represent more than 6,600 athletes across 41 countries that compete in the Pan American Games, and has served as a standing member of the Athletes’

Commission since 2015. She also serves on the organization’s executive board and as the International Olympic Committee’s athlete liaison.

Pompey is now in her third year as the Metropolitan Athletic Conference President.

Pompey is the founder of the Aliann Pompey (AP) Invitational, a premier international track & field competition that was added to the World Athletics Continental Tour in 2020.

The inaugural meet held in Guyana hosted 11 athletes who went on to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio, and serves as a gateway to Olympic qualification.

As an athlete, Pompey captured the gold medal in the 400 metre race at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and took home the silver medal in 2010. She also earned a bronze medal at the 2003 Pan American Games.

Pompey has represented her home country of Guyana at the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, five Outdoor World Championships in Athletics, and the IAAF World Indoor Championships on four occasions. In 2009 at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany, Pompey set the South American indoor record in the 400 metre race with a personal best mark of 50.71. During the summer of 2016, Pompey made another Olympic appearance as an assistant manager with the Guyanese Olympic Team. (St John’s University)

tures the images of four of the RHTY&SC’s most promising players and the club’s two youth ambassadors. They are Jonathan Rampersaud, Mahendra Gopilall, Jermeny Sandia, Kevin Ramnarine, Marissa Foster and Denica Henry.

Among the recommend guidelines on the posters are social distancing, wearing a face mask in public, sanitising hands regularly, and avoiding persons sick with the virus.

Foster has said that together, the BCB and RHTY&SC have distributed more than six thousand food hampers across the entire county, along with two million dollars’ worth of chicken products, face masks, clothing, and cleaning items since April.

Minister Vickram Bharrat congratulated the two organisations for working together to make a pos-

itive difference during this period, and expressed confidence that the posters would assist in a major way.

The publication of the posters marked the 200th personal developmental project of the ten cricket teams of the club.

Stakeholders explore importance of sport tourism …focus on return from COVID-19 pandemic

A

spirited discussion involving stakeholders at different levels on Tuesday afternoon highlighted and explore the needs, ideas and challenges, especially in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, surrounding Guyana’s sports tourism industry.

This discussion was held to commemorate Guyana’s Tourism Month, celebrated in November. In a virtual panel discussion, the esteemed panel of speakers, comprising Tourism Director General Donald Sinclair; Hero Caribbean Premier League’s (CPL) Cricket Operations Director, Michael Hall; Guyana Olympic Association’s (GOA’s) Assistant Treasurer Tricia Fiedtkou; Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde, and Guyana Golf Association (GGA) President Aleem Hussain, gave on the Zoom platform a variety of perspectives on how Guyana can succeed.

Director General Donald Sinclair spoke on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, THAG, and the Guyana Tourism Authority. He welcomed the participants and emphasised the importance of Tourism Awareness Month and its activities.

Hero CPL Cricket Operations Director Michael Hall provided great insight into the operation of the game of cricket on an international level. He spoke about the challenges faced by teams,

players and countries hosting events, and the associated expenses relative to compliance with COVID-19 restrictions.

More specifically, Hall, who played a great role in hosting of the 2020 Hero CPL under COVID-19 guidelines in a bio-secure bubble in Trinidad and Tobago, had much to share about how Guyana could be able to go forward with hosting sports during the coronavirus pandemic.

While stating that it is possible for Guyana to host CPL in a similar situation should the pandemic continue to grip the world, Hall also warned that it is impossible for sport to see a restart in Guyana if it entails athletes returning home to their families before going back to the playing grounds. Sport should be conducted in a bio- secure environment, he cautioned.

Ms. Fiedtkou, of the GOA, related that her organisation is focused on building the brand of the country literally on the backs of athletes, using advertisement on uniforms and having our stars act as spokespeople for the country’s attractions.

She noted that next year’s Olympic Games would play an instrumental role in this branding, and that reciprocation of exposure from international athletes/ teams is another avenue to get Guyana on the map.

Head of GFF, President Wayne Forde, explained

that the challenges of a contact sport have severely affected the manner in which they operate in the current COVID-19 guidelines.

“It’s virtually impossible to conduct an activity in the circumstances we face today,” he bemoaned.

President of the Guyana Golf Association, Aleem Hussain, explored how virtual sports tourism can change the way we address and promote travel, generate revenues, and increase tourism awareness.

Hussain spoke about using major sports that attract the most attention to generate online viewers at a low access cost, and sharing the gross revenues with the lesser known sports.

“We have to get less dependent on handouts, and see sports tourism as a business that gives our sponsors a greater return on investment through revenue share, greater advertising reach, future sales, and brand awareness.” He offered.

He emphasised that only by working together can all sports organisations benefit, and suggested that we create a sport management agency that would stage grand viewer events to put Guyana on the world stage.

DG Sinclair thanked the speakers, and said it was the start of great ideas that he felt could propel the country into a leadership role in a very short time.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Stakeholders explore importance of sport tourism See story on page 23

…focus on return from COVID-19 pandemic

RHTY&SC and BCB launch COVID-19 educational poster Pg 23

West Indies barred from training – BCB Patron Minister Vickram

– after breaching isolation protocols in Christchurch

Page 21

Bharrat receives 1st copy

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