Guyana Times - Thursday August 5, 2021

NGSA concludes today P 15

…efforts continue to source vaccine for children − Health Minister Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4730

THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

Guyana investing heavily in food security − President tells German diplomats …country should be on Germany's radar − Ambassador Page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

2-year-old burnt on back, genitals by mother’s P11 boyfriend Pouderoyen residents throw bricks, bottles at Police after drug bust P11

Guyanese P12 cleaner wins lawsuit against T&T oil services company

A child from Santa Mission Primary School in Region Three (West Demerara-Essequibo Islands) paddling to school to write the National Grade Six Assessment examinations (Education Ministry photo)

Over $577M in contracts for new buildings, runway repairs at CJIA

Page 7

Off-duty cops can be terminated for breaching P11 COVID-19 curfew

…“stay within project time and cost” – Minister warns contractors

punishment 4 arrested Tough for forging, for murder selling COVID-19 of overseas- vaccination cards − authorities warn based Guyanese …as 2 more COVID-19 fatalities, 62 new cases recorded Page 10

Page 2

Opposition MP tells public to take vaccine during APNU/AFC COVID-19 measures protest Page 14

$500,000 fine, jail time P9 for persons breaching adoption law Tourism, P16 Industrial Estate to boost economic development in Rupununi

2 NEWS Tough punishment for forging, selling COVID-19 vaccination cards – authorities warn THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…as 2 more COVID-19 fatalities, 62 new cases recorded

W

ith the new COVID-19 measures seeing widespread restrictions for unvaccinated persons in Guyana, health authorities are now investigating reports of individuals forging and selling the COVID-19 vaccination cards, warning of stern consequences for those involved.

This was revealed

by Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony during Wednesday’s update.

He reminded the public that in Section 240 of the Criminal Offences Act, Chapter 8:01, forgery is an offence and as such, warned of the penalties persons will face if they are caught forging the vaccination cards. “… you can be prosecuted for forgery and the fine, if you’re found guilty of forgery, would be up to three years’ imprisonment.

And if you forge a vaccination card, you will be liable to this type of punishment if caught. So, I want to encourage people: desist from such practices because when we catch you, you are going to feel the full brunt of the law,” the Health Minister declared.

He went on to say that the punishment, “… goes to the people who have access

to the vaccination card and the people who are buying the vaccination card”.

Authorities were previously dealing with cases whereby unvaccinated persons were falsely trying to obtain vaccine cards by claiming that they had misplaced their original document.

Meanwhile, Dr Anthony disclosed that in addition to selling vaccination cards, persons are said to be forging information regarding the second dose on their official vaccine document.

“I’m not sure why they would forge second dose information, but as I have said before, [of] the three vaccines that we’re using, we have adequate first and second dose for AstraZeneca [and] Sinopharm… We’ve had a challenge with the Sputnik V, but, again, we have first dose available and we’re working to make sure that we get the second doses,” he explained.

Vaccination improvement

At the same time, however, Minister Anthony pointed out during Wednesday’s update that the previous day saw more than 1900 persons turning out for their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

This, he said, was a signifi-

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD AUGUST 4 UPDATE

NUMBER OF NEW CASES

62

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL ISOLATION

91

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOME ISOLATION

600

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN COVID-19 ICU

11

NUMBER OF PERSONS IN INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

2

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (FEMALES)

11,652

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES BY GENDER (MALES)

11,053

TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES IN GUYANA SINCE 2020

22,705

NUMBER OF RECOVERED CASES

21,452

TOTAL 1st DOSE VACCINATED

254,000

FULLY IMMUNISED

142,000

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS

551

DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES SINCE MARCH 2020 REGION 1

1306

REGION 2

641

REGION 3

2576

REGION 4

10,192

REGION 5

764

REGION 6

1902

REGION 7

1280

REGION 8

380

REGION 9

2109

REGION 10

1550

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

Keep a physical distance of at least 6 feet.

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

GET MEDICAL ADVICE ON COVID-19 FROM MOH 24/7 HOTLINE NUMBERS: 2311166; 226 7480; 624 6674; 624 2819; 624 3067 OR 180/181.

cant improvement from prior days, and he encouraged more persons to follow suit.

Nevertheless, recent figures show that the total number of persons who have received their first dose in Guyana has increased to more than 254,000, that is 52.4 per cent of the adult population. Meanwhile, fully-vaccinated persons have exceeded 142,000 in numbers, which represents some 29.2 per cent of persons 18 years and older who got both shots.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry reported on Wednesday that two more persons who tested positive for the novel coronavirus have died.

These now take the total number of deaths from the virus to 551.

The latest fatalities are two males – a 48-year-old and a 62-year-old, both from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica). They died on Tuesday while receiving care at a medical facility.

Additionally, some 62 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours according to the Health Ministry’s updated COVID-19 dashboard on Wednesday.

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NEWS

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Thursday, Aug 5 – 02:30h-04:00h and 13:30h-15:00h and Friday, Aug 6 – 03:00h – 04:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Guyana investing heavily in food security – President tells German diplomats …country should be on Germany's radar − Ambassador

front, while pointing to the expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), upon which our development is framed.

“This addresses issues of community wealth, social issues and ensuring that there is a transfer system that addresses various social issues.”

Thursday, Aug 5 – 14:55h-16:25h and Friday, Aug 6 – 15:35h-17:05h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions are expected during the day, with brief showers in the late afternoon. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

Winds: South South-Easterly to East SouthEasterly to Westerly between 1.78 metres and 3.12 metres.

High Tide: 02:35h reaching a maximum height of 2.22 metres.

Low Tide: 08:04h and 20:22h reaching minimum heights of 0.91 metre and 1.07 metres.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2021

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COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$70.38/barrel

-2.88

Rough Rice

$237.78 /ton

+0.19

London Sugar

$447.30/ton

-0.51

Live Spot Gold

President Dr Irfaan Ali poses with Ambassador and Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean from the Federal German Foreign Office, Marian Schuegraf (right), and German Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, Ute König

G

uyana is investing heavily in food security, which is especially important for the Region given the vulnerability to natural disasters.

This is according to President Dr Irfaan Ali during a courtesy visit by Ambassador and Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean from the Federal German Foreign Office, Marian Schuegraf, and German Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, Ute König.

President Ali pointed to the recent floods in Guyana, Suriname and parts of Brazil and the resultant losses, and also empathised with Germany over its recent floods. He attributed these occurrences to climate change, and noted that they should bring greater realisation of the urgent action required.

The Head of State also recognised Germany as a leader in alternative energy and disclosed that his Government has received proposals on solar energy and investment in transmission from persons of German heritage.

On this note, he emphasised that sustainable energy was an important part of the mix and was a key component in Guyana’s development.

“So I'm very happy that you're here at this time; and we have an opportunity to listen to you and to discuss what to engage on.”

Transformation agenda

03 04 06 10 13 17 20 PAY DAY

Enhanced focus

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1810.80

$1811.80

Low/High Change

$1805.30 -0.80

$1834.00 -0.04%

The President outlined his transformation agenda for the country and emphasised that the oil and gas sector was not the main staple of the economy since his Government was working on diversification to enhance existing sectors and to create new opportunities.

“It will ensure that our people have access to world-class health care, a world-class education system while providing a housing initiative that is sustainable, and one that will not only build homes but create equity especially among low-income earners,” the President was quoted as saying by the Press and Publicity Unit of the Office of the President.

High on the agenda was also providing leadership on climate change.

Dr Ali noted that historically, Guyana has provided leadership on this

In her remarks, Ambassador Schuegraf expressed gratitude for the audience with President Ali and the opportunity to learn about Guyana and its policies.

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

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

Engaging youths

P

rovided that all goes well and systems put in place are efficient, students across the country will be heading back to school after more than a year of not being able to be in the classrooms, given the crippling effects of COVID-19.

Today, grade six students will conclude their National Grade Six Assessment examinations and await their results.

At the moment, virtual schools have closed, and this means that children will have more time on their hands, and should therefore be encouraged to utilise this time in a constructive manner.

For over a year now, parents have been faced with the challenge of finding activities, whether academic or recreational, for their children to be safely involved in. There are many different ways in which our young people could effectively utilise their time wisely. Some students who have not done so well during the past year, or perhaps those that encounter difficulties in a particular subject area, could use the time to do remedial academic work to catch up with the rest of their peers.

Some of the more mature students also choose to take up work study opportunities, wherein they get a taste of what the world of work has to offer.

When persons are not fully occupied with doing positive and uplifting things, they tend to fall by the wayside, most times to their own detriment. Many would agree that many of our young people are falling prey to the use and trafficking of illicit drugs, and are engaging in criminal activities, in the process completely destroying their lives and a great future they could have had if better choices were made and the necessary support systems were put in place to ensure their proper upbringing.

It is being said that institutions such as the family and religious groups need to take up their roles more seriously, as happened before. Historically, the older generation had managed to transmit their beliefs, values, traditions, customs and institutions to the younger members of their societies, and had contributed in some way to their disciplined upbringing.

This was achieved largely due to the impact of agencies of socialisation such as the family, religious organisations, and the schools to a large extent. Today, the impact of these institutions has been challenged and undermined by new forces, particularly television and the internet, and the pop culture as a whole.

We believe that if our adolescents are to move from the less mature and irresponsible ways of thinking and acting to making more mature and responsible judgments and engaging in activities that are the hallmark of a socially productive adulthood, certain support systems must be provided. In addition to the various interventions which the Government should make, there are numerous organisations, including the private sector, which could rise to the occasion and contribute more towards saving our youth population. They need to come on board and sponsor programmes that would see our children and young people become well equipped with the necessary skills to develop themselves and the society as a whole.

Successful programmes typically incorporate specific components, such as providing a sense of belonging, promoting a supportive relationship with adults, and affording opportunities to enhance decision-making and leadership skills.

Further, while sport is curtailed at the moment by COVID-19, it could also play a very important role in bringing the youth population back on track, so that they could interact with their peers and elders in a more meaningful and dignified manner.

Once safe again and children are vaccinated against COVID-19, there must be the revival of many of the non-functional sport groups/ centres in communities, as the lack of access to such facilities makes it more challenging to engage youths.

The idea is for young people to be meaningfully engaged because they could gain something positive from. It is well accepted that those who have achieved successes in life or have gone on to do great things are the ones who have utilised their time wisely.

NGSA students at Kamwatta Primary School in Region One (Barima-Waini) (Education Ministry photo)

Dismissed as the unwanted Games, just how did these Olympics steal our hearts?

By Emma John

C

OVID. No spectators.

And yet Tokyo is not an absurd sideshow – it has only increased the awe we feel for the competitors What’s been the image of the Games for you so far? Is it Adam Peaty, smacking the water with an explosive mix of adrenaline and relief after taking the breaststroke gold that is his by right? Bethany Shriever, moments after winning her BMX final, struggling to sit upright on the track because she can’t feel her legs?

Or perhaps it’s Tom Daley, leaping into the arms of his synchro partner, Matty Lee – an Olympic champion at last, 13 years after we watched the cute-kid version of himself debut in Beijing?

Memorable moments all and yet the sight that’s going to stay with me, from this first week at least, is that of taekwondo world champion Bianca Walkden face down on the sparring mat. Walkden’s just been through the battle of her life against South Korean Lee Da-bin. She’s come within a hair’s breadth of disqualification, seen two video replay decisions go against her and then, having clawed her way back into the lead, her opponent has kicked her in the head at the very last second and stolen her spot in the final.

Walkden lies still, eyes open, not hurt, just finished. It is not always easy to connect with the world’s greatest athletes, especially when they are performing in a distant time zone and they have achieved a variety of impossible things before you have even had your breakfast. But I see this wom-

an half-spilling out of the octagon and I can read her thoughts. She’s wondering why she should bother to pick herself up, whether there’s any point. She might have been reigning world champion for the past six years, but right now she’s not sure who she is at all.

That picture summed up the feel of these pandemic Olympics just as powerfully as the opening ceremony’s blend of ethereal angst and minimalist restraint. London ’48 gave us the “Austerity Games”; Melbourne ’56 were the “Friendly Games”; these are the Existential Games, the What-Are-We-Even-AllDoing-Here? Games.

They’re the Games we aren’t expected to care about, the Games that perhaps shouldn’t be happening. And they are offering a very different perspective on sport to the jingoistic one that Brits have become used to over the past decade.

Because after the 16 months we’ve all just lived through, it’s only natural to find oneself watching with an increased empathy and admiration for every competitor, wherever they finish.

What we see, in our sportspeople, are the same struggles and frustrations and heartbreak we’ve all been facing In the pre-COVID age of Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt and Simone Biles, we focused our amazement on the superhuman abilities of these 21st-century athletes. But now we’re in a world where nothing is normal, where illusions have been stripped away. Some of the defining stories from these Games will

not be those of crowning triumph, but of surprise withdrawals and defeats – of Dina Asher-Smith, of Naomi Osaka, of Biles herself. It can be just as inspiring, in these circumstances, to watch someone finish third, fourth or nowhere.

Even silver medals, traditionally the worst colour to win, have gleamed unusually bright in Tokyo. Before they took gold in the triathlon mixed relay, Alex Yee and Georgia Taylor-Brown were both delighted with their second places in the men’s and women’s events respectively, having each overcome unexpected obstacles – a spectacular false start for Yee, a flat tyre for Taylor-Brown.

Shortly after Taylor-Brown crossed the line, having overhauled three rivals in the final run, the cameras caught her cheerfully explaining her unexpected appearance to winner Flora Duffy.

It has been a peculiar privilege of these crowdfree Games to witness some absorbingly intimate moments between teammates and rivals. Vacant arenas, stand-less grounds and empty streets might be anathema to our TV screens, but they’re not that unusual to the Olympians who, after all, spend most of their time training in front of no one at all. And while the stadiums and swimming pool may be empty, they have not been quiet. They have resounded with the cheers and screams of room-mates urging each other on.

Stripped of their pageantry and paraphernalia, these have truly been

the athletes’ Games. After the French judoka Clarisse Agbégnénou defeated her long-time Slovenian rival Tina Trstenjak, the latter having beaten Agbégnénou to gold in 2016, the pair embraced like best friends who had been separated since the start of lockdown. When Colombian Mariana Pajón lost her Olympic crown to Shriever, we saw her shattered by the side of the track; minutes later, she was camera-bombing Shriever’s interview with the Beeb.

The pandemic has offered us a timely and important perspective on sport. And not, perhaps, the same one that the International Olympic Committee is keen to offer, where billions of dollars are invested in a pop-up circus in a virus-ravaged city in the name of world peace. But one in which sport can be vastly entertaining and utterly inspiring – and ultimately unimportant. Where it matters most of all to the people who do it, not the people who pay for it.

What we see in our sportspeople are the same struggles and frustrations and heartbreak we’ve all been facing.

What we find at these Games is sympathy, as we all strive towards the best that we can do, for now.

Walkden, by the way, picked herself off the mat.

She came back and took bronze in her final match. “I just hope that the kids watching me can realise it’s not about the colour,” she said.

“It’s about giving your heart and soul and then being able to come out with your head held high.” (The Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

5

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

PPP/C Govt has done wonders in year one (Part 1)

Dear Editor, President Irfaan Ali was made head of the Government of Guyana on August 02,2021. President Ali’s assumption of office came five months after the elections on March 2, 2020.

That vote itself occurred a year later than it should have.

Let’s rewind: By one vote, the then Opposition under the leadership of Dr Bharrat Jagdeo had succeeded in passing a no-confidence motion against the David Granger-led Government.

The then governing coalition APNU/AFC held 33 seats to the Opposition’s 32, but one of its members, Charrandas Persaud, dramatically defected.

Under the constitution, that should have triggered an election within 90 days, and the Government should have resigned. It didn’t.

On August 02,2021, Dr Irfaan Ali became Guyana’s 9th Executive President, but inherited a dire state of affairs that the APNU/AFC left this country in, and the two-year absence of a budget.

Guyanese immediately were blessed with a Government that would serve all the people of Guyana. A Government and cabinet that have worked with feverish intensity to deliver benefits for all citizens over the last year, A President and Government that remained committed to the health workers, teachers, and members of the joint services for their heroic efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and for the additional risks which they have so willingly shouldered.

This is a Government and cabinet who have buckled into the driving seats of their various Ministries from day one, as they steer their teams to deliver our Government’s vision.

Guyanese, our patience and understanding during these difficult times is commendable.

The PPP/C has always maintained that they are guided by their Manifesto, which constituted their relationship with the people of Guyana. It is underscored by a long-term vision.

The tasks which have been set after widespread consultations commit our Government to work dayin, day-out to ensure opportunities, engineer equality, and entrench national unity across all Guyana.

The PPP/C has always risen to the occasion. And, true to form, they have commenced the task of remedying the lamentable state of affairs which they inherited.

Guyanese must be extremely pleased with the performance of our Government during its first year in office. All our Ministers have been proactive. They have been going out to meet and address the

people’s concerns. Over the past year, our Government has responded responsibly to every crisis it was faced with in the past year. It has rebooted the economy, relieving citizens’ burdens, restoring hope, rebuilding confidence, and re-engineering development.

Our Government’s foremost priority, response to the coronavirus pandemic, has been comprehensive and multifaceted. Testing capacity has been increased to the point where the Health Minister can administer as many as 1000 tests and more per day, and they have also acquired adequate supplies of personal protective gear and allocated millions in the emergency budget 2020 and 2021 budget for frontline workers.

Ventilators, oxygen concentrators, and other equipment necessary for treating patients the Government has provided. The Infectious Diseases Hospital has been retrofitted, making it suitable for offering meaningful patient care, and the capacity of regional hospitals has been enhanced to treat coronavirus patients. Much needed drugs have been acquired, and are being used to improve patients’ recovery. It is under the PPP/C Government that every Guyanese has been allowed to be part of the worldwide immunisation process, allowing every Guyanese to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

We have all borne witness to the horrendous murders of three teenagers in West Berbice, and the brutality meted out to villagers, friends and neighbours due to political manipulation.

These deaths were not a matter which should be manipulated to divide our people; every life matters.

Another immediate priority of the PPP/C was the rebooting of our economy while ensuring that the people and society were protected, not forgetting that the PPP/C Government came into office without a Budget.

In record time, they were able to craft an Emergency Budget which included measures aimed at nursing our economy to good health, stimulating our economic sectors, attracting new investments, creating employment, and improving the economy’s competitiveness. The measures they instituted to improve competitiveness include providing tax concessions on mining, agro-processing, cold storage and packaging; the removal of VAT on exports, and allowing exporters, including those in the fishing, rice and timber industries, to reclaim input VAT. We have also removed the VAT on fertilizers, agro-chemicals, pesticides, and key inputs into the poultry sector.

They reignited the engines of commerce and industry, allowing people to go back

to work. Small businesses regained ground with the co-operation of financial institutions and financial initiatives of the PPP/C Government.

Investors’ interest is high today. Our economy has been robust again in a positive development trajectory. The support for our traditional sectors is integral to aligning Guyana along a positive development trajectory. Our Government has begun the process of reopening the Skeldon and Canje estates, and has established the Wales Development Authority, aimed at implementing new and innovative opportunities for the Wales community.

Land preparation, servicing of equipment and the recruitment of staff In Kwakwani bauxite sector, RUSAL has expressed an interest in restarting its operations; however, the Government has requested the company to submit a proposal which must be consistent with Guyana’s labour laws and the protection of workers’ development.

Other investors have also expressed an interest in mining bauxite ore located at Tarakuli, in the East Berbice-Corentyne Region.

Efforts are being made to revitalise our forestry sector, which had fallen into ruins during the period 20152020 under the previous APNU-AFC administration.

However, under this present Administration, Guyana is rising again. As part of the efforts at ensuring a growing, diversified and modernized economy, the PPP/C Government has liberalised the telecommunication sector. This is a tipping point in

our country’s development.

Guyanese have been waiting for 30 years for this to happen. The liberalisation of the sector will stimulate greater investment and competition, and spawn the expansion of the sector and the range of ICT services available.

Guyanese consumers are now benefiting from reduced costs for overseas calls and improved capacity of internet services.

The construction sector has been key to driving growth in our non-oil sectors. Construction activity is being propelled throughout our economy, while the PPP/C Government has been relieving the burdens which had been placed on the backs of the people as our people were left stranded without much relief during the pandemic, the PPP/C launched a $5 billion COVID-19 relief grant which saw every household receiving G$25,000, while G$150M had been set aside for risk allowances for our frontline health workers. We know that this cannot compensate fully for their efforts, but our Government has done what is within its means at this time, given the state of the economy. However, our Government will continue to do more as resources permit for our health care workers.

Throughout all of this, our Government has not forgotten our men and women in uniform, who have helped maintain order and peace in difficult times. The members of our Joint Services have benefited from a two-week tax-free payout for 2020, which they were denied by the previous APNU/AFC Government.

One must not forget also Guyanese had to shoulder

burdensome increases and additional taxes and fees over the five years of the APNU/AFC administration. These taxes and fees deprived us of much needed disposable income. It stifled business activity within the productive sectors. The PPP/C Government lifted those burdens and removed the unconscionable ValueAdded Tax (VAT) on water and electricity, restoring free water for pensioners, while the oppressive corporation tax on private education and VAT on medical supplies were carved out.

Our farmers were saddled with increased fees for leases and drainage and irrigation services. Many of them could not afford to pay these unconscionable increases imposed by the former Government. The PPP/C Government step up to the plate and reduced these fees and slashed in half the increases in license fees.

Our Government has restored hope by providing relief aid aimed at reducing Guyanese burdens, while making life better for many Guyanese families.

Our Government has reintroduced and launched the “Because We Care” cash grant which was callously snatched away from parents. But not only has the Government restored it, but it has been increased to G$15,000. In addition, the uniform allowance has been increased. These measures have made it easier for parents to outfit their children for school.

Let’s not forgotten the elderly. Old age pensions have been increased from G$20,500 to G$25,000 per month.

Guyanese all across the country have seen and experienced progress over the past year. All of Guyana’s Government Ministries have been involved in delivering improvements in the lives of every Guyanese citizen. The achievements are so numerous that it would take us an inordinate amount of time to enumerate the wonders this Government has done in one year.

Sincerely, David Adams

Another playout of two TCs Dear Editor, The impasse playing out at City Hall, where the appointed interim TC is not accepted or recognised, but the one who has been reverted to her substantive position is recognised as TC, is reminiscent of a sim-

ilar situation of two TCs of a former city administration some time ago.

What a situation! Two TCs and city administration in limbo.

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

Page

Foundation

POEM

By Chera Hammons Apart, we are two quiet things: a person and an instrument.

I in my body, the clarinet in its case.

We are like good friends.

The clarinet takes nothing away from me.

It lets me borrow its notes.

If I loan it my breath, I can speak with its sweet voice.

Together, we will make a world full of song.

Source: Poetry (March 2021)

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Over $577M in contracts for new buildings, runway repairs at CJIA ... “Stay within project time and cost” – Minister warns contractors

T

he Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at Timehri is set to undergo additional works, for which three contracts amounting to in excess of $577 million were signed on Wednesday, and the contractors were given a stern warning to stick to the contract sums and the stipulated timelines so that the works would be completed on time.

One of the contracts signed was with Kallco Guyana Incorporated to the tune of $513.3 million, for the construction of a new building attached to the CJIA’s terminal building that will house a conference room, offices for the airlines, and the other support agencies such as ground handlers and law enforcement, as well as storage bonds for the duty-free shops and concessionaires.

Another contract signed was a $38 million contract with Colin Talbot Contracting Services for repairs to the international apron where the airplanes park, and runway Charlie.

The third contract, award-

With a new administrative office building for the 280 CJIA employees in the works, the existing space being used by staff in the terminal building will be converted into commercial spaces to better improve the services for passengers and to give them more space.

These works are in addition to the ongoing CJIA Expansion and Modernisation project being conducted by China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC). Based on an addendum signed back in December 2020, CHEC is currently executing extension works to the terminal building by outfitting it with the commercial hub along with the installation of two additional boarding bridges.

These works are slated for completion by December 2021.

On this note, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill pointed out that there has to be a collaborative approach for the swift and efficient implementation of these three new projects that will be undertaken.

ed to Kalitech Incorporated, is for the design of a new office building for the airport staff, which was in the sum of $25.9 million.

“This has to be a well-coordinated and well-implemented coordination, and we have to stay within project time and cost,” he stated.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, PS Vladim Persaud, and CEO of CJIA, Ramesh Ghir, at Wednesday’s contracts’ signing with Kallco Guyana Incorporated, Colin Talbot Contracting Services, and Kalitech Incorporated for additional works at the CJIA

Minister Edghill went on to outline, “I frown very seriously on contracts once signed, contractors coming back with excuses that they have to get variants and different sums and so on. Anybody who would’ve engaged me since I’ve been Minister know that’s not something I take very lightly, because once you bid, you should have studied carefully what you are seeking to do, and when you put a sum there and we have a signed contract for what you will do shortly, that we’re able to get that done within the frame that you have provided.”

The Public Works Minister also informed the contractors that his Ministry will be stringently monitoring the progress of their respective projects.

“We don’t sign contracts and sleep. I expect [by Thursday] morning work begins, and simultaneously, because of the fact that we want accelerated implementation, we have forged

Guyana investing heavily...

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“It's a great pleasure to be here to get to know more about Guyana as a country, but also about its policies. I think Guyana could be more present on the EU’s and Germany’s radar and we are here to change that.”

She acknowledged Guyana’s stellar efforts in “leading in the world when it comes to untouched forests” which she stated is “a treasure also for future generations”.

“I am particularly delighted on meeting you as President here, seeing that you're so much committed to the environment. This is something which is great for Germany.”

Guyana as a beacon

The German representative also congratulated President Ali on Guyana's sustainability plans while managing the oil and gas sector.

“I learned about your hydrocarbon strategy and about your sustainability plans and I see this being supported on the highest level; this promis-

es to be a development which could be a beacon and big signal in the whole Region, not only for cooperation with Germany or the EU; this is a great basis.”

She said that Guyana’s sustainable strategies should be replicated in the Region.

“That is so important for other countries also in the region, to show that the development for people is possible while preserving the natural treasure and exploiting the richness. So, therefore, the Region and also Europe will look on you and how you deal with that issue,” she said.

On this note, President Ali pointed to the importance of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), in Glasgow later in the year, and expressed the hope that Germany and the EU could push the agenda for the developing world in terms of the creation of climate vulnerability funds, and also for greater commitment on targets.

“So we'd have to have a greater commitment for realistic targets. So, I think the

EU and Germany as part of the EU, you guys have a great responsibility also. We look forward to working with you.”

The President said that he was pleased with the meeting and the interest shown.

“There is so much we have to work on together…You can count on Guyana to play our role in global leadership in terms of the environment, making responsible decisions and being part of a responsible coalition to face challenges,” President Ali said in closing.

Ambassador Schuegraf assured the President that she would pass on the information discussed to her colleagues and Government Ministries in Germany and expressed optimism at intensifying bilateral relations between her country and Guyana.

The officials discussed several areas, including smart agriculture, technology transfer, sustainable energy, manufacturing, robotics, urban and rural planning, the COVID-19 vaccination programmes and industrial development.

ahead to make sure that we have the supervisory part [in place],” Edghill indicated.

Set timeframes

Moreover, Chief Executive Officer of the CJIA, Ramesh Ghir, reminded the contractors that they would be working simultaneously as the airport operates on a daily basis, and as such, he too cautioned that the works, which will complement services offered there, must be done within the set timeframes, especially during this period.

“We are actually in peak season. The airport is very busy and these works would have to be timed in such manner that it doesn’t affect aircraft operation. The airlines would tell you that they make money when the aircraft is in the air, so the longer we delay them on the ground, this could cost them.

So, we have to work closely with all those stakeholders to ensure that work is done on time and within the timeframes allotted,” Ghir explained.

Meanwhile, the contrac-

tors have given their commitment to have their respective projects completed within the contractual timeframe.

These works were budgeted for in the 2021 National Budget. Government had earmarked some $2.5 billion to further upgrade and modernise the CJIA, which is Guyana’s main port of entry.

Since assuming office, the President Irfaan Ali-led Administration has made the CJIA modernisation project a top priority, and has sought to bring the long-overdue project into conformity with the initial designs. This was after the APNU+AFC regime had substantially reduced the scope of the original contract.

As a result, the PPP/C Government brokered an agreement with CHEC in December last year to undertake $1.8 billion in works at the airport at no additional cost to Guyanese taxpayers.

CHEC has further agreed to rectify and complete all outstanding remedial works within prescribed timelines.

Earlier this year, Edghill had urged the Chinese contractor to adhere to the timelines, so that the outstanding works could be completed by the end of this year. (G8)

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Protecting...

I

...the nation n case anyone out there has forgotten, the reason why we have a Government and a state and all that is for the protection of “we, the people”! Way back in Cave Man days, it was every man for himself - but the Devil invariably took the hindmost!! Might was right! Life, one bright fella concluded, was “nasty, brutish and short”!

So, we gradually accepted chiefs, kings, and eventually the state, with things like armies and Police to protect us - from ourselves and them “furriners”. We eventually elected governments to run the state, and expanded the list of things-to-do for us, since we were giving them all these powers. Not to mention huge salaries and fancy rides and such like!

But protection always remained on top of the list.

After all, of what use is health or wealth if folks on motorbikes or wearing masks could just ride up to you, knock you silly, and rob you blind? And this brings us to Guyana, where we’ve never really moved out of that “state of nature” and its law of the jungle. Rather than using the institutions of the Police and army to protect us, Burnham enlarged them massively and deployed them to suppress us. Didn’t you read the CoI on the Rodney Assassination that’s finally released? Not surprisingly, some of those force members free-lanced as “kick-down-the-door” bandits. Hoyte had to innovate and form a “Special Target Unit” - as a specialised squad to deal with the new type of crime.

Now, when democracy was restored, was anyone naive enough to believe those institutions - especially the Police, that’s the face of the state amongst the people - had changed?? A tree is shaped when it’s young, and Burnham had done a whole lot of shaping after the already authoritarian colonial Police fell into his lap. So, the PPP had its work cut out for it as far as fighting crime and assuring we live in peace. The PNC’s “mo’ fyaah; slow fyaah” strategy morphed into open warfare, not only on assumed supporters of the PPP but the Police Force, specifically the Special Target Unit!

We were experiencing in no uncertain terms that the premises of why we had a state in the first place were being challenged frontally.

Additional means to deal with that open warfare and our protection ran the gamut from a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to (unfortunately) extra-legal muscle. Well, this time around, the PPP isn’t going to be caught flat-footed again by the PNC. President Ali recently confirmed the formation of a “Regional Joint Support Team” (RJST) for “regionalizing crime fighting”.

Decentralisation is always good for hydra-headed crime!

…their (PNC) a55es James Bond - of Peters Hall land giveaway fame, and Volda Lawrence’s handbag carrier - in a letter to the press, dumped all the blame for the coalition’s crimes and misdemeanors before and after the March 2 elections on David Granger. One of his arguments is that the buck stops with the leader - and Granger made sure everyone knew who was leader. Being an army man, he did this by his rank – or, in his case, “ranks”.

He was, Bond points out, “President and Commander in Chief; Leader of APNU/AFC; Chairman of APNU; Leader of the PNCR and Campaign Director of APNU/AFC”, not to mention for the elections, “leader of the list”!! Where else could the buck stop?

But Bond would know - as a lawyer – that, even in the army, soldiers don’t have to obey illegal orders. But all and sundry - with a few notable exceptions, like his own son-in-law - snapped to attention when the orders came down from on high!

All were involved…and all will be consumed!

…medical standards Some folks were taken aback that unvaccinated medical professionals were specifically mentioned among the COVID-19 fatalities.

But if they have doubts about the scientific method undergirding their profession, can we trust their professionalism?

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

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Govt expanding $500,000 fine, jail time for persons breaching adoption law Counter TIP unit …as Bill passed to bolster protection for children T T

he Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is currently engaged in expanding its Counter Trafficking in Persons (TIP) unit.

This was announced in response to questions that were posed by the Parliamentary Opposition A Partnership for National unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC). While there are only four full time staff members at the unit, the Home Affairs Ministry supplements the work they do with its own officers.

“The Ministry is actively engaged in the process of expanding the staffing of the Unit in a bid to improve its capacity when responding to human trafficking across Guyana,” the Government has said in its response.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs has one staff assigned to the Secretariat of the Ministerial Task Force.

Importantly, there are 15 members of the Task Force who are trained in the area of TIP. The Guyana Police Force has three ranks assigned to its TIP unit.”

Statistics were also provided on the number of cases of human trafficking.

According to the stats, 28 reports of suspected human trafficking were investigated by the Guyana Police Force between August 2020 and April 2021. They include 12 in Region Four, three in Region Two, and three in Regions Six, Seven and 10.

Of these cases, 12 were reported to involve children.

Between that period, eight cases of human trafficking were prosecuted in the Magistrates’ Courts. The Ministry explained that several factors influenced this, including the lockdown and COVID-19 restrictions, sus-

According to statistics, Venezuelans are most susceptible to human trafficking in Guyana

pended Police raids due to the pandemic, and the unwillingness of suspected victims to cooperate with law enforcement.

New combat trafficking bill

The Government is, meanwhile, planning to bring to the National Assembly a new bill that would help to combat trafficking in persons and transnational smuggling. This announcement was made

by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC. Nandlall, who was at the time speaking on the proposed Adoption of Children (Amendment) Bill during Tuesday’s sitting of the National Assembly, said this proposed anti-TIP bill will contain clauses specifically geared towards protecting children.

“We have a new Trafficking Bill that will be brought to the Parliament that has in it several provisions that will go hand-inhand with the provisions here against transnational smuggling,” Nandlall has said.

It was only recently that data from the Guyana Police Force’s Counter-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Unit came

to light that revealed that Venezuelan women were the most trafficked in Guyana for 2021.

There are 49 alleged human trafficking victims for this year, of which 44 are females; the remaining five are males. Of the 44 females, 34 of them are Venezuelan nationals, six of them are Guyanese, and the other four are Jamaicans.

As for the nationality of the males, two are Guyanese and another two are Jamaicans. The other victim is an Indian national. This information was revealed during a recent webinar hosted by the Guyana Association of Women Judges and the Supreme Court of Judicature – Justice Education Institute, to mark World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which is observed on July 30 annually.

Over the years, trafficking in persons has remained one of the hidden crimes in Guyana due to the difficulties in detecting it. Nevertheless, Guyana has maintained its Tier One status for the fifth consecutive year – this was highlighted in the United States State Department 2021 TIP Report. (G3)

he Adoption Amendment Bill of 2021, which seeks to increase protections for children through increased vetting of prospective adoptive parents and other initiatives, has been passed by the National Assembly after years of delay.

Presenting the bill to the National Assembly on Tuesday was Minister of Human and Social Services, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, who spoke of the necessity of the bill, which she noted will function in accordance with the 1996 Hague Convention.

“In this respect, the Convention provides a remarkable opportunity for the building of bridges between legal systems having diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. It also avoids having to redo the entire process outlined in Section 35 B 2 of the Convention.

“We [all] know that even every well-intentioned legal process like adoption can be manipulated, abused, or exploited by profiteers willing to sell children, unscrupulous persons willing to buy children, and adults seeking to obtain children for baseless or selfish reasons such as sexual, labour, and criminal exploitation.

The main Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), meanwhile contended that it was only under its tenure that Guyana signed on to the 1996 Hague Convention.

While Attorney General Anil Nandlall conceded this, he noted that it was under the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) previous terms in Government that

the groundwork was laid for Guyana to sign on to the Convention.

According to Nandlall, Guyana, like any sovereign nation, was allowed time to prepare its legal architecture, which was archaic, before it signed on to the convention. This is the case with several conventions, of which the 1996 Hague Convention is one.

“I hear utterances from the deep recesses at the back. While 99 countries have signed on to this convention, only Haiti, St. Kitts and Guyana have done so in the Caribbean. We in Guyana had to first remove from our law the entire legislative architecture before we could sign on to this convention.

“I concede that it was signed on by the APNU/ AFC; nothing wrong with recognising that. But, as usual, you failed or neglected to complete the process, and that is what we’re doing now. And it is not because the PPP absented from Parliament, it is because you were defeated democratically by a No Confidence Motion and thrown out the

Human and Social Services Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud

Government,” Nandlall said.

The bill includes a penalty of $500,000 fine and six months’ imprisonment for persons who breach its provisions. It also includes provisions for the accreditation of bodies, including any private adoption body or agency, which would be accountable to a supervising or accrediting authority. It also allows the Minister to establish a central authority, or elect an entity to conduct these functions as outlined in Section 35C. (G3)

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4 arrested for murder of Ex-con remanded overseas-based Guyanese on 2 armed

robbery charges O

Dead: Hemraj Pardessi

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our persons have been arrested for the murder of 60-yearold Hemraj Pardessi, an overseas-based Guyanese.

Reports are that the murder occurred at Reliance Settlement, East Canje Berbice (Region Six, East Berbice-Corentyne) on Tuesday at about 23:42h.

Pardessi had returned to Guyana in July, and had been residing alone at

The house where the murder occurred

Reliance.

According to the Police, his nephew had last seen alive on Tuesday, in the company of another male.

Police who responded to the crime scene discovered the man’s body lying facedown with what appeared to be blood coming from his nostrils and duct tape

wrapped around his neck.

Several traces of what appeared to be blood were also seen on the stairway leading to the upper flat of his house; and that entire upper flat was ransacked.

In a release, the Police have said that intelligence-led investigations have led to the arrest of the

four suspects – three men, aged 22, 28, and 31, and a 36-year-old female. This newspaper was told that the suspects include two of the dead man’s relatives.

Pardessi had been operating a SuperBet business at his premises. He leaves to mourn his wife and three children. (G4)

rin Favourite, called “Solo”, a resident of South Ruimveldt, Georgetown who had previously been sentenced to five years in jail for stealing a gold chain, was on Wednesday remanded to prison on two counts of robbery-under-arms.

The 35-year-old Favourite appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in that Georgetown Magistrate’s Court and pleaded not guilty to both charges which were read to him.

The first charge detailed that on July 30, 2021, at Hadfield Street, Georgetown, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Mishal Juman of his iPhone 11 valued at $200,000.

The second charge alleged that on the same day and at the same location, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Chandroutie Juman of her phone valued at $98,000, one handbag valued at $25,000, and $405,250 in cash.

The court heard from the Police Prosecutor that, on the day in question, the Jumans were making their way to motor car PZZ 3450 which was parked on the southern side of Hadfield Street when they were confronted by Favourite, who was armed with a gun, and another man.

After relieving the duo of their belongings, Favourite fired a shot at them, but no one was injured.

Following a report made

Robbery accused: Orin Favourite

to the Police, an investigation was launched and Favourite was apprehended. While in custody, he said, “I want to see the people saying I rob them. I was present in the area when I saw some Police officers come and pick up a bag from a garbage bin not too far from where I was standing.”

However, he was positively identified by the virtual complainants as one of the men who had robbed them. The robbery accused returns to court on August 18.

In 2017, Favourite had been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment after Magistrate Dylon Bess had found him guilty on a larceny charge which had stated that on July 28, 2016, at Leopold Street, Georgetown, he stole a gold chain worth $135,000 from Charlie Hytmiah. (G1)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Off-duty cops can be terminated Pouderoyen residents throw bricks, for breaching COVID-19 curfew bottles at Police after drug bust

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Deputy Superintendent Allison Moore

W

hile members of the disciplined forces are listed as essential workers and are allowed to operate beyond national curfew hours, off-duty Police ranks can face severe consequences, including termination, if they are caught breaching the national COVID-19 measures.

This is according to Deputy Superintendent Allison Moore, the Second-in-Command of

Administration in the Guyana Police Force, who was fielding questions from the Guyana Police Force’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Stan Gouveia during a recent ‘Police and You’ radio programme.

“We are the lawmakers, and it is expected that we adhere to the laws; and so, when they violate the COVID-19 measures that are in place and they are placed before the courts, that’s it! Goodbye,” she ex-

plained.

Moore was at the time responding to a specific question regarding whether ranks can be terminated for breaching the curfew.

The current COVID-19 curfew for August 1 to 31 is between 22:30hrs and 04:00hrs. Members of the disciplined forces, including the prison service, are considered essential workers, as their operations are required to be conducted for 24 hours each day.

2-year-old burnt on back, genitals by mother’s boyfriend

P

olice have arrested a 19-year-old after he used a cigarette lighter to burn a two-yearold girl on her back and vagina.

Reports are that the incident occurred at about 18:35h on August 1 at Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The matter was reported to the Police two days later by the infant’s aunt.

The suspect, who is the boyfriend of the child’s mother, had visited her on August 1, and while there, became annoyed at the child since she was urinating and defecating “more often than he deemed necessary”, the Police have said.

He then took a cigarette lighter and burnt her on her back and vagina, causing her to receive injuries.

The child was taken to the Port Mourant Public Hospital by Police after the report was filed, and she was examined by a doctor.

The suspect remains in custody as investigations continue.

everal residents of Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara have hurdled bottles and bricks at the Police, in the process damaging a vehicle following a drug bust.

Reports are that at about 22:45h, four ranks on patrol duty were at Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen when they observed two males and a female standing next to a fence on the southern side of the street.

As the vehicle approached them, one of the males threw a black bag over the fence and began walking away from the scene. This led ranks to intercept him and retrieve the bag, which contained several small Ziplock plastic bags with a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis sativa.

Police then searched the man’s person, and found a Ziplock plastic bag with a quality of leaves, seeds and stems, also suspected to be cannabis sativa.

According to the Police, during this time, the female, who claimed to be the sister of the suspect, began to behave in a disorderly manner as she tried to free him from the Police.

Her actions drew a large crowd, and she and some members of the crowd began assaulting the Police in an attempt to free the suspect.

“As the Police succeeded in arresting the suspect and placing him into the vehicle, upon driving (away), the female jumped into the tray of the vehicle and said she was going with her brother, while she began stripping her clothing off and behaving in a dis-

The damaged windscreen of the Police vehicle

orderly manner, claiming that the Police were stripping her,” the Guyana Police Force said in a statement on Wednesday.

Additionally, the statement said that as the vehicle proceeded out of the street, it was observed that the road was blocked with a lamp post and an old refrigerator, among other items placed across the roadway.

“During that time, several bricks and bottles were hurtled from different directions, hitting the vehicle’s front windscreen and resulting in same being damaged.

Persons then began running towards the vehicle, which was stationary at this time.

“A Police rank discharged a round in the air from his service firearm, and this resulted in the crowd retreating,” the GPF statement detailed.

By this time, calls for backup were made, and other ranks arrived on the scene

and assisted their colleagues in clearing the road of the obstacles.

Police have said that a man who refused to provide his name and other particulars to the police, but who was seen within the crowd assaulting a constable was arrested for assaulting a Peace Officer and for disorderly behaviour.

The trio – which included a 20-year-old female and males - were escorted to the Vreed-en-Hoop Station, where they were placed into custody. at the station, the female was arrested for disorderly behaviour and for assaulting a peace officer.

The narcotics were weighed in the presence of the first suspect, and it amounted to 63 grams and four grams respectively.

The injured constable was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where he was treated.

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Guyanese cleaner wins lawsuit Linden man remanded for indecent exposure against T&T oil services company T anesha Fredericks, who was employed as a utilities cleaner with the Trinidad and Tobago oil services company Centipede Offshore (Guyana), which is headquartered at 35 Delhi Street, Prashad Nagar, Georgetown, has won a default judgement in a personal injury lawsuit she brought against the company.

Fredericks’s lawyers Eusi Anderson and Khawn Rodney have said that during her tenure at the company, their client was forced to perform her duties, which included the handling of toxic chemicals and cleaning agents with surgical gloves instead of industrial-strength gloves.

After complaining several times for better gloves, the lawyers said, their client was transferred to various de-

partments on the sea vessel, and was subsequently fired.

According to Fredericks’s lawyers, when the woman came onshore, her fingers began feeling numb, and as such, she sought medical attention at a city hospital, where doctors informed her that she would never again be able to feel in her 10 fingers.

As such, the woman filed a lawsuit against the company, in which she sought in excess of $1,000,000 in damages for chemical burns her fingers sustained between October 28 and 29, 2020. She also claimed special damages for medical expenses, loss of income, and loss of earning capacity and costs.

With Centipede Offshore failing to file a defence in the claim, High Court Judge

Fidela Corbin-Lincoln, on July 8, granted a default judgement against the company. An assessment of damages hearing has been fixed for October 21.

In a press statement, Fredericks’s lawyers said she was being paid less than 30 per cent of what the company is paying workers in Trinidad for doing the same job.

According to them, she

never received a penny from the company for her injuries or as compensation. The woman’s lawyers pointed out that the Trinidadian company did not even show up in court to defend the claim.

“All they did was write Fredericks’s lawyers begging to settle the matter,” the lawyers said, adding that there must be an end to such practices. (G1)

Rape accused on $150,000 bail

A

20-year-old rape accused has been placed on $150,000 bail when he appeared virtually before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Keron Vandregen of Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden was arrested on May 14 and charged for sexual activity with a child under 16 years old. The incident allegedly occurred on April 28.

He was not required to plead to the charge, which was laid under Section 11 (3) of the Sexual Offences Act, Chapter 8:03.

The case will continue on August 18.

Remanded: Edward Reddock

A

Keron Vandregen

Linden man who allegedly exposed his genitals during a dispute was remanded to prison.

Edward Reddock was arrested on August 1 and charged for two counts of assault and two counts of exposure of genitals, which occurred on June 18.

Police have said the 49-year-old man of Lot 678 South Amelia’s Ward, Linden was charged under Section 21 of the Summary

Jurisdiction Act Chapter 08:02, and Section 28 (2) (a) of the Sexual Offences Act Chapter 8:03.

On Wednesday, he appeared virtually before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and pleaded guilty to the two counts of assault, and was fined $15,000 for each charge. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the two counts of exposure of genitals, and was remanded to prison. The case will continue on August 19.

Tough punishment for...

With this, the total number of confirmed cases in the country has gone up to 22,705, but only 702 of these are currently active cases.

These include 11 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining 691 persons in isolation – 91 in institutional isolation and the other 600 persons in home isolation.

There are also two more persons in institutional quarantine.

To date, some 21,452 persons have recovered from the life-threatening disease – 125 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Guyana last year, approximately 229,885 persons have been tested and of that amount, 11,053 males and 11,652 females returned positive results.

New cases

A breakdown of the 62 new COVID-19 cases detect-

ed on Wednesday shows that one was from Region One (Barima-Waini), seven from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), a whopping 31 cases from Demerara-Mahaica, five from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 14 from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), and the remaining four cases from Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice).

Regions Two (PomeroonSupenaam), Five (MahaicaBerbice), Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) recorded no COVID-19 cases in the previous 24 hours, according to Wednesday’s dashboard.

The rush to get vaccinated now comes in light of the new COVID-19 guidelines and measures issued for the month of August. These stipulate that only vaccinated persons will be allowed to access certain services and facilities such as going to the cinemas, restaurants,

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betting shops and casinos.

Additionally, the new measures require that public transportation operators be vaccinated.

Government has already warned of stiff penalties for persons who breach these vaccination requirements.

In the case of speedboat operators, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has since warned that they can lose their licences if they fail to comply with the new guideline.

Moreover, unvaccinated persons will not be allowed to access Government services unless they make an appointment.

Additionally, many Private Sector employers are now mandating that their unvaccinated employees submit regular PCR tests at their own expense.

Nevertheless, as more people continue to get vaccinated, authorities are urging the public to continue observing all COVID-19 preventative measures. (G8)

NEWS

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Case filed by suspended PSC…

Hearing of application to remove President as party set for August 16

President Irfaan Ali

H

igh Court Judge Gino Persaud will, on August 16, begin hearing arguments in an application filed by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC to have President Irfaan Ali removed as a respondent in the case file by the suspended Police Service Commission (PSC).

Chaired by retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe, the PSC last month instituted legal proceedings to have its June 16 suspension by the President declared unconstitutional.

Besides President Ali, others listed as respondents in the

matter are Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie, and secretary to the commission.

During a brief virtual hearing on Wednesday, Nandlall pointed to the importance of a determination of the interlocutory application before the court proceeds to hear the substantive matter. In the application, Nandlall contends that naming the Head of State as a respondent in any matter is unconstitutional and is in breach of the State Liability and Proceedings Act. The Attorney General argues that pursuant to Article 182 of the Constitution of Guyana, the President has immunity from the judicial process, whether criminal or civil proceedings. He submitted that Article 182 states that, subject to the provisions of Article 180, the holder of the office of President shall not be personally answerable to any Court for the performance of the functions of his or her office, or any act done in the performance of those functions.

Moreover, Nandlall has

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

said the Article outlines that no proceedings, whether criminal or civil, shall be instituted against the Head of State in his/her personal capacity in respect to his/ her functions during office.

He added, “Whilst any person holds or performs the functions of the office of President, no criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against him or her in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by him or her in his or her private capacity.

“And no civil proceedings shall be instituted or continued in respect of which relief is claimed against him

or her for anything done or omitted to be done in his or her private capacity.”

Under Article 89, the President is the Head of State, the supreme executive authority, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Guyana; and, as a consequence, all actions brought against him in his capacity as Head of State should only name the Attorney General, Nandlall argues.

Nandlall relies on Section 10 of the State Liability and Proceedings Act to amplify this point.

Slowe and several members of the PSC are currently facing criminal charges in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. They have been implicated in a $10 million fraud over duties delegated to them for revising the Police Force’s raft of Standing Orders.

It is alleged that the officers collected payments amounting to $10 million, but never provided the Force with a raft of revised Standing Orders.

President Ali has suspended the PSC Chairman and Commissioners Michael Somersall, Claire Jarvis, Vesta Adams, and Clinton

PSC Chairman Paul Slowe

Conway – all retired Assistant Commissioners of Police - weeks after the Prime Minister had written to them, asking them to show cause why the fraud charges against them should not result in their removal from the constitutional body.

The Prime Minister, in the letter, had said he was exercising powers vested in him by Article 225 of the Constitution, which mandates that a person shall not be removed from a constitutional office except for inability to discharge the function, or for misbehaviour.

That article further pro-

vides that a constitutional office holder can be removed by the President if an appointed tribunal recommends the removal of that person.

The tribunal is to be appointed following the advice of a prescribed authority, in this case the Prime Minister, and is to be constituted in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

The JSC is currently not functioning. The last JSC was appointed by former President Donald Ramotar on September 11, 2014. The tenure of each appointed member is for three years; therefore, the tenure of the last Commission expired on September 12, 2017.

The PSC was suspended pending the establishment of a tribunal.

Notwithstanding its suspension, the PSC, through its lawyers, has maintained that it will disregard the President’s “purported suspension” and continue with its mandate in respect to disciplining and promotion of officers of the Guyana Police Force.

The life of the PSC expires at the end of this month. (G1)

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APNU/AFC rapped for ignorance of plight of ordinary Guyanese …as Bill to improve birth registration passed

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

T

he Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill of 2021 was passed in the National Assembly on Tuesday, but not before a heated debate over the amendments which seek to make registration of births a seamless process.

The main Opposition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) took issue with the bill, with AFC Member of Parliament (MP) Khemraj Ramjattan claiming it contained loopholes that could be exploited.

He went on to cast doubt on the credibility of random Justices of the Peace (JPs) and Commissioners of Oath, who will be empow-

ered through the amendment to make changes to birth registration details upon request, rather than just Magistrates.

The Opposition also aimed concerns at Venezuelan migrants, with MP Amanza Walton-Desir reminding of the border controversy. Walton-Desir, an Attorney-at-Law and shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, was of the view that Guyana could be subverted from within by these migrants.

“It’s no secret that we share a porous border. There’s no secret that there are over 50,000 Venezuelans in Guyana.

This is a nation with which we have had for decades a simmering border controversy. And which, directly, touches and concerns our sovereignty,” Walton-Desir said.

“We in this House are acutely aware that our sovereignty can be undermined through the use of force by that neighbouring state… we must also be cognisant of the fact that our sovereignty can be undermined by the insidious incursion of thousands of persons pouring across our borders

AFC MP Khemraj Ramjattan

as refugees.”

However, Attorney General Anil Nandlall made it clear that there was nothing sinister afoot with the Bill. He noted that the Government was just making life easier for citizens in far-flung areas, by amending archaic legislation that was inherited.

“All this seeks to do, is to remove a timeframe. Right now, the law is if there’s a mistake in the name or no name, the parents can go to a registrar within 12 months and effect the change. Outside of the 12 months, you have to go to a magistrate.

“We are removing the time frame and we are removing the requirement to go to a magistrate. And we

are empowering the child, when they reach the age of 18, to change it themselves.

What is heinous about that?

What is sinister about that?

We are simplifying the process,” Nandlall said.

He also noted that based on the utterances of Opposition MPs like Ramjattan, the APNU/ AFC was woefully unaware of what citizens go through on the ground.

According to Nandlall, these are issues that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) encounters in its political outreaches. It is an issue encountered recently in the village of Masakanari, popularly known as Gunns, in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

“I don’t know who on that side does political work. But on this side, we do a lot of political work.

House to house work. And every single election, in every single community, no matter how you comb it from one end to the oth-

er, the next election you go back and you find someone who is not registered. And they have no birth certificate.

“If somebody in… you know where Gunns is Mr Ramjattan? You can’t go there other than by a (helicopter). You think, other than a Toshao or an elderly person in that village, who you think has any record of the birth of a person who has never been registered?

Why don’t you pay attention to the peculiarities of

Opposition MP tells public to take vaccine during APNU/AFC COVID-19 measures’ protest

F

Closing date for applications is Saturday, August 21, 2021

APNU MP Amanza Walton-Desir

your society as a leader and come up with exigent plans to address the anomalies that exist in your country?”

Nandlall went on to ask.

Meanwhile, Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gail Teixeira noted that there were a number households headed by single mothers and many Guyanese, mostly females, with only one name.

She said that the amended bill fixes the problem by allowing for the parent to choose any name for the child. Additionally, the Minister highlighted that there were many people in the hinterland without identification cards due to the lack of a birth certificate.

The amendment adds a new clause that allows an adult with no original document containing particulars of his or her birth or record of birth to be issued a certificate after being validated by a high-standing person in their community such as a Toshao. (G3)

ormer Public Health Minister Dr Karen Cummings – during an APNU/AFC-organised protest against the recent COVID-19 measures announced by the Guyana Government – has encouraged the public to take the vaccine so that the country can achieve herd immunity.

“I will encourage the public to take the vaccine… it’s supposed to decrease symptoms, decrease hospitalisations, and decrease deaths,” the Opposition Parliamentarian expressed.

Several APNU/AFC politicians and supporters took to the Square of the Revolution yesterday to protest the new COVID-19 guidelines, which require persons to be vaccinated before they can access certain facilities like restaurants, cinemas, and casinos. Additionally, the new measures mandate that public transportation operators must be vaccinated.

The Government is also in support of private companies mandating that unvaccinated employees to submit regular PCR tests at their own expense. Unvaccinated persons are still able to access Government services, but they must first make appointments.

Dr Cummings, in responding to these measures, indicated that authorities should spend more time in trying to convince the population to take the

vaccine.

“I think they should have spent some more time in educating the public… [vaccines are] a powerful tool and a public good…we should show them the pros and cons…we should try more in convincing them… there are a lot of myths we have to debunk and a lot of fake news out there…,” the former Health Minister explained.

According to her, the Opposition wants the country to achieve herd immunity, and she encouraged persons to research the benefits of the vaccine and try to understand the importance of taking it.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Opposition Parliamentarian Amanza Walton-Desir, who said Government’s ‘seemingly mandatory’ approach “is likely to cause more harm and more descension than good”.

She contended that “we unequivocally support vaccination, but we cannot ignore the fact that people have legal rights. I have taken the vaccine, but I must also respect the right of my fellow citizen not to take it.”

Walton-Desir also encouraged more public awareness and educational drives on the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine.

This protest by the APNU/AFC comes after Opposition Leader Joseph

Former Public Health Minister Dr Karen Cummings

Harmon had contributed to the national vaccine hesitancy by casting doubts on the authenticity of the Sputnik V vaccine which are being used in Guyana.

Meanwhile, on August 1, PNC executive member Dr Richard Van West-Charles, who is challenging David Granger for leadership of the party, also urged that persons be vaccinated.

“I believe, as a public health physician, that we need to build herd immunity. I believe we need to be vaccinated…,” Van WestCharles said while appearing on a social media programme.

To date, 254,883 persons have received a first dose, representing 52.4% of the adult population, whereas 142,114 persons received a second dose, representing 29.2%.

15 Ramsammy’s Ruminations NGSA concludes today NEWS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Bharrat Jagdeo stood unbending, …efforts continue to source vaccine for invincible – saved Guyana from children – Health Minister descent into dictatorship D

J

ust over one year ago, Dr Irfaan Ali was sworn in as Guyana’s 9th President. The swearing-in ceremony was delayed for fully five months as the then incumbent President and APNU/AFC tried desperately to rig the March 2 elections’ results. Those five months represented an attempted coup. Led by the PPP, the Guyanese people stood strong, resolute in defense of democracy. The newer political parties that participated deserve our gratitude today.

The Diplomatic Corps and the ABC countries refused to budge, they saw for themselves that the elections were conducted freely and fairly, and they saw the obvious attempt to steal the elections. Ordinary Guyanese citizens made clear their rejection of the dictators.

The media in Guyana and in the Caribbean became part of the resistance. Caricom stood resolute against any attempt to rig the results. Present and former Caricom Prime Dr Leslie Ramsammy Ministers, such as PM Mia Mottley (Barbados) and PM Dr Ralph Gonsalves (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), Owen Arthur (Barbados) and Bruce Golding (Jamaica) did not abandon Guyana.

As we celebrate Guyana’s first anniversary of this Dr. Irfaan Aliled PPP Government, Guyanese have much to acknowledge and celebrate. Certainly, we must acknowledge the phenomenal role Dr. Irfaan Ali has played as a young President. He has earned the respect and admiration not only of PPP supporters, but supporters from other parties, not only in Guyana, but across the region and the world. The Irfaan Ali-led Government has managed against all odds to squeeze in a whole term in one year. His Government has worked as if we have to recover from the five years of APNU/ AFC mismanagement in one year. Few governments in history in this region or around the world could match the busyness and the effectiveness of this first-term Government in its first year in office. Listening to the plans for the next four years, it appears that young Irfaan Ali is not waiting a lifetime for transformation – he wants to accomplish a complete transformation in this first term. Remarkably, in this first year, President Irfaan Ali has led from the front with several cash transfer programmes that amount to almost $20B in this first year, making it one of the largest cash transfer initiatives in any government’s first year within Caricom.

We celebrate his success, but we also are aware that there is a steadying hand alongside him – the visionary Bharrat Jagdeo.

This week, we celebrate not merely the first anniversary of President Irfaan Ali and his new PPP Government, we celebrate most importantly - the survival of Guyana’s fledgling democracy.

Make no mistake, the five months of attempted theft of the elections was an attempted coup and an effort to consolidate a dictatorship that was building up since 2015. In 2015, the PNCled coalition took power, literally. Many said that after more than twenty years out of government, the PNC must have changed and that they deserved a second chance. But DNA cannot be changed.

The PNC immediately began to show glimpses of their old self, they reminded people that their DNA is one of authoritarianism and arrogance. The attempted rigging of the elections’ results between March and August 2020 was no coincidence. The riggers had power, and they only knew how to keep power through rigging.

The Guyanese people won the battle in defense of democracy.

Throughout the struggle before the elections, and throughout the resistance between March and August 2020, one man stood out – Bharrat Jagdeo. To use a cliché – he was cool, calm and calculating.

He remained unflappable. Bharrat Jagdeo inspired people to fight back, but never lost his calmness and confidence. I was privileged to be around him many times during that period. When many feared that the dictators could not be stopped, he openly announced that the dictators would fail, and that he and the PPP and the people of Guyana would not allow David Granger and the PNC cabals to return Guyana to a dictatorship. He orchestrated the judicial challenges. He kept the Guardian of Democracy busy in safeguarding the SOPs that were stored in containers. He quietly lobbied among the international organisations and the Diplomatic Corps. He kept the pressure on GECOM, but understood that we needed to give the Chair room to function. When necessary, he organised people to raise their voices.

When he agreed for a full recount of all the Regions, many said it was a mistake. But Bharrat Jagdeo knew that we had to be patient. In the early days, soon after March 2, I was privileged to be at Freedom House from early in the morning until late in the evening. He was always there.

Bharrat Jagdeo, I know, was worried like all of us were. I saw him pace the floor many days when we were alone in that building.

I knew he was worried too. But he never let anyone know, because he knew that people wanted assurance. Bharrat Jagdeo was our North Star, guiding us, inspiring the Guyanese people, and assuring everyone that in the end all will be alright. The resistance that Bharrat Jagdeo led forced Granger and APNU/AFC to give up and abort the attempted rigging of the elections. As we celebrate the successful defense of Guyana’s democracy, we must remember that Bharrat Jagdeo stood tall, unbending and invincible. He is a genuine national hero.

espite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Grade Six students across the country on Wednesday turned out to write the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) English and Science after an entire year of being out

that it was a bit difficult preparing for the exams during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Akeda Croft of the Wismar Hill Primary School said while the two subjects were manageable, the Science Paper Two proved a bit challenging for her.

“I have confidence in myself. I hope to attend Queen’s College. I was studying all day and all night, nonstop. English was very easy.

Science was alright” – student of the classroom.

Speaking with Guyana Times, some students reflected on the exams and how they thought they performed in such a challenging environment. They all stated that the science paper had been somewhat difficult but they managed to do their best regardless.

Damari Lindore of the Wismar Hill Primary School expressed optimism following the English

“The exam was simply easy...the Paper Two of the Science was a bit difficult,” she revealed.

She said she wished to gain enough marks to attend President’s College since one of her parents resides in Georgetown.

Tia Sampson also expressed mixed feelings following the first day of the exams.

“I’m not too sure about the Science Paper One,

NGSA students taking the exams at the Suddie Primary School

Language and Science exam.

“I have confidence in myself. I hope to attend Queen’s College. I was studying all day and all night, nonstop. English was very easy. Science was alright,” he related.

Zalika Gilgeous of the One Mile Primary related that overall, the first day of the exams was very manageable for her.

but I got through with all the rest,” she said as she shared her hopes of attaining enough marks to attend Queen’s College.

NGSA students preparing to take the exams at Kamwatta Primary School in Region One

joint committee and we’ve been constantly engaged and our expectation is that we would be able to open schools sometime in September, but obvious-

ing to reopen schools by September, given that the vaccination rate increased to a significant percentage and there was some degree of normalcy in the popula-

NGSA students taking the exams at the Crane Primary School

ly as we get closer to that date, we’ll assess the epidemiological situation with COVID in the country. We’re working on getting the vaccines so that children between the ages 12-18 would be able to get those vaccines … we’re working and hopefully we’ll get those vaccines before school reopening.”

The Minister noted that as soon as the vaccines were acquired, the Health Ministry will be coordinating with the Education Ministry in administering

tion.

Schools in Guyana have been closed since the outbreak of COVID-19 here in March 2020. There has been partial reopening only to accommodate students writing national and regional examinations.

Among the safety measures that are in place to facilitate the examination periods are the sanitising and washing of hands before entering examination buildings, the wearing of the recommended face mask, observing and main-

Vaccines

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Wednesday reassured the public that efforts are being made to source the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for chil-

NGSA students taking the exams at the No 29 Primary School, West Coast Berbice

NGSA students in Lethem preparing for the exams at Arapaima Primary School

“…the exams were manageable...I would like to attend Queen’s College, because it has more opportunities,” she stated, although she explained

dren before the scheduled reopening of schools in September.

“The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education – we have a

these vaccines to children.

To date, only the PfizerBioNTech and Moderna vaccines have gone through clinical trials and have been given emergency authorisation for children between the ages of 12 and 18.

Government has been actively engaged in negotiations with various organisations in an attempt to source vaccines for children.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand last month had stated that Government was look-

taining social distancing at all times and the cleaning and sanitising of buildings and furniture.

This year, there are 33 new examination centres spread across the 11 education districts where candidates are writing the examination.

In addition to the examination centres, the Education Ministry has established emergency centres that can accommodate those candidates who may have tested positive for COVID-19 or are in quarantine.

16 NEWS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Tourism, Industrial Estate to boost economic development in Rupununi

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inister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, MP, says the Government is cognisant of the high costs associated with domestic tourism, and would be addressing these challenges at Cabinet.

According to a Department of Public Information report, the Minister made this commitment following a recent engagement with tourism stakeholders in the Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo). The discourse was aimed at providing the stakeholders with an opportunity to share their concerns about the sector.

Several stakeholders highlighted the need for cheaper travel costs to access the

Tourist Lodge site in the Rupununi

experience the tremendous things that the Rupununi has to enjoy, which has been a hinderance to domestic travel; so, these are the issues that we will be addressing at a

Visit Rupununi’s President Melanie McTurk

Region, and for quality roads and other infrastructure to facilitate travel. They also shared the initiatives that they have undertaken to preserve wildlife, and exchanged ideas about expanding tourism in the Region.

“We are aware, as a Government, of high air costs to get to the Rupununi, to

Cabinet and Government level,” Minister Walrond said in an invited comment after the meeting.

The Minister also said she is impressed with the strides made by local operators.

“There are many areas that we have been able to address. More importantly, it’s about developing the

Rupununi as a premiere tourist destination.

“The stakeholders here, namely Visit Rupununi and their other partners, have been able to let us know at their level, because we can’t know, sitting in our offices in Georgetown, what are their problems and issues that affect them.”

Minister Walrond has said she is heartened to hear about an initiative that aims to protect wildlife in the Region by taking wildlife migration into account when developing infrastructure.

President of Visit Rupununi, Melanie McTurk, has said the meeting was productive and the stakeholders are happy to have had the opportunity to meet with the Minister.

“It is wonderful to have a Minister that is hearing us, and one gets the sense that she has heard us; that access both by road and by air are critical issues; that support for the Region and enhancement of the tourism product is an issue that is important at the ministerial level,” Ms. McTurk said.

She noted that Visit

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond during a meeting with Region 9 tourism stakeholders

Rupununi represents Guyana’s major international tourism product, and having a forum to directly interact with the Tourism Minister and impact decisions being made is appreciated.

Minister Walrond noted, too, that the Rupununi, with its vast, open spaces and small tourist groups, can operate safely in a COVID-19 environment.

During an interview on Radio Lethem, she said: “We also plan on expanding our tourism offerings here in the Rupununi, and you know the Rupununi is large, but extremely beautiful.

“Every village has something different and unique to offer in terms of visitor experience, and we plan on doing more product development.”

The Minister also revealed that the Lethem Industrial Estate will soon come on stream, bringing lots of employment and training opportunities for people there.

“We are quite excited that

this is indeed going to bring a lot of jobs into Lethem.

With every proposal, the business entity has to indicate how many persons they are planning to employ and jobs to create, and that has been one of the deciding factors in approving the business; so, we are excited about what is going to come out of this Industrial Estate. There is going to be a lot of economic activity and a lot of things, a lot of jobs, brought to Lethem as a result.”

Minister Walrond also said the expressions of interest range from furniture manufacturing, telecommunications, waste management, tiles and concrete block-making, and other businesses that will aid the development of the region.

“We have considered them very carefully, and we have considered what the needs are for the people that the quality and standard of life of the residents of Lethem could be elevated, and so those kinds of

industries and economic activities are the ones that we considered more favourably.”

She also said the Ministry is selecting bids from persons who have applied for space there, and very soon she will revisit the Region to allocate the plots. As such, small ventures in the Rupununi are urged to apply for small business grants through the Small Business Bureau, to develop their business ideas.

Minister Walrond also called on communities with ideas on how they can develop their tourism products to share them with the Ministry, so that they can access support to realise those ideas.

“We want the Rupununi as well to be aware, because there are lots of talented young people, people who have different things that they want to do, even tour guides; whatever it is, you just have to register your business and we facilitate all of that,” she said.

Guyana seeks Islamic Development Bank’s funding for small hydropower plants

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he Government of Guyana has applied to the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) for financial support for the Hinterland Electrification Programme, and intends to use some of the proceeds to fund the construction and rehabilitation of two small hydropower plants at Lethem, Region Nine.

These are a 1.5 megawatt (MW) plant at Kumu and a 0.7 MW plant at Moco Moco, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI).

The executing agency, the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), has invited sealed bids from eligible and qualified bidders to handle the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the plants. These bids must be submitted to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB); the deadline for submission is September 30, 2021.

This is in line with the PPP/C Government’s plan

to deliver cheap, reliable, cleaner energy to all communities in Guyana.

In addition to the operationalisation of the largescale Gas-to-Energy and Amaila Falls Hydropower projects for the main grid, the Government intends to expand the Hinterland Electrification Programme by implementing several small, renewable energy projects for urban and offgrid communities.

Financing for these hydropower plants was sought under a previous deal with the Islamic Bank by the Coalition Government.

However, former Finance Minister Winston Jordan signed the contract with the Bank during the protracted period following the General and Regional Elections in 2020.

The PPP/C, while in Opposition, had warned the then Government against entering into deals when it was illegitimate due to the passing of the December 21, 2018 no-confidence motion.

The PPP/C Government, upon taking office, committed to reviewing this and all actions of the former Government with the view to correcting any illegalities.

The IsDB is one of Guyana’s newest development partners; Guyana joined in 2016.

Its goodwill was demonstrated when the Bank offered Guyana a US$900 million package for mainly infrastructural development works in the period 2018-2020. President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali met virtually with IsDB President Dr. Bandar Hajjar in June.

President Ali mainly discussed plans for rebuilding in the aftermath of the countrywide floods, and thanked Dr. Hajjar for the IsDB’s support.

NEWS

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

UG launches “UG Cares” WHO calls for moratorium on app to provide relief to COVID vaccine booster jabs flood-affected citizens T T he University of Guyana, in collaboration with Unity.GY, has launched an app titled “UG Cares” which seeks to match the needs of flood-affected persons with those persons who can meet those needs.

The app, which has the capacity to boost national disaster and response management systems, also caters for persons who may need counselling, educational and other forms of support.

The app, which is the first of its kind in Guyana, was launched last month.

The “UG Cares” initiative was birthed out of the desire to serve frontline workers in 2020 when Guyana began battling the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to frontline workers, UG pensioners, staff and students who were experiencing challenges were provided with various forms of support, including counselling services.

Following the recent floods which devastated several communities across Guyana, the University decided to partner with Unity.

GY to initiate the “UG Cares” app which would now cater to provide material, educational, psychological, and emotional support systems to citizens across the country.

A team consisting of 22 UG social work students, led by lecturers Shonnel Enoe and Debbie Hopkinson from within the Department of Sociology, Social Work Unit, on July 21 journeyed to Kwakwani in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) to distribute food hampers and hygienic products to

he World Health Organization is calling for a moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine boosters until at least the end of September to enable at least 10 percent of the population of every country in the world to be vaccinated.

“I understand the concern of all governments to protect their people from the Delta variant. But we cannot accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines using even more of it,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a media briefing.

He added that G-20 nations had an important leadership role to play as those

residents who were affected by the recent floods.

The flood relief exercise was conducted under the auspices of Philanthropy, Alumni and Civic Engagement (PACE) and UG Cares in collaboration with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

Through a combination of personal donations and fund-raising activities by second-, third-, and fourthyear social work students, contributions from members of the business community and key Ministries, the project garnered items worth approximately $2 million. A total of 150 hampers were prepared and distributed to families in the community. Each hamper was worth approximately $9500 and included grocery items as well as cleaning supplies.

In addition to the hampers, additional contributions

of over 100 bags of 10kg of rice, milk, chowmein, detergents and clothing were distributed at the shelters and among other affected residents within the community.

Additionally, the Social Work Unit, through PACE/ UG Cares Hotline Service remains ready to provide psycho-social support and referrals to social services for specialised assistance with socio-economic/mental health needs of those affected. Further, student volunteers are eager to provide voluntary service where needed, in collaboration with key partners such as the Centre for Disease Control (CDC).

UG Cares Helpline Numbers – Powered by GTT – are: 615-7829, 615-9727, 616-2576, 615-9730, 6159482, 615-9704, 615-9990, and 638-4394.

countries that have been unable to give people even a single jab.

The US on Wednesday rejected the UN health agency’s call for a delay saying it was a “false choice” and that it was possible to do both.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki, noted that the US had donated more than 110 million doses of vaccines around the world.

“That is more than any other country has shared combined,” she said. “We also, in this country, have enough supply, to ensure that every American has access to a vaccine. We will have enough supply to ensure, if the FDA decides that boosters are rec-

Last week, Israeli President Isaac Herzog received a third shot of the coronavirus vaccine, kicking off a campaign to give booster doses to over 60s, while Germany will start booster shots next month.

“We need to focus on those people who are most vulnerable, most at risk of severe disease and death, to get their first and second doses,” WHO’s Katherine O’Brien told reporters.

Vaccine inequity The WHO has repeatedly called for rich countries to do more to help improve access to vaccines in the developing world, given the gap in global vaccine distribution.

Just more than 1.8 percent of people in Africa are fully vaccinated, compared with nearly 50 percent in the EU and US

countries were the “biggest producers, the biggest consumers and the biggest donors of COVID-19 vaccines”.

The WHO’s plea comes as the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant prompts discussions about boosters in wealthier countries, including the United States, Britain and Germany, even as a new wave of COVID-19 causes havoc in

ommended for a portion of the population, to provide those as well.”

“We definitely feel that it’s a false choice and we can do both,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Wednesday, adding the country had sufficient supply to continue distributing shots abroad while also ensuring that every American can be fully vaccinated.

A little more than 1.8 percent of people in Africa are fully vaccinated, compared with nearly 50 percent in both the EU and the US, according to Our World in Data.

Some 101 doses per 100 people have been given in countries categorised as high income by the World Bank, with the 100-doses mark surpassed this week. (Al Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

Regional

Mexico sues US gun manufacturers PAHO Director urges countries to target communities hard hit by COVID-19 over arms trafficking

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T

he Mexican Government has sued some of the biggest US gun manufacturers, accusing them of fuelling bloodshed through reckless business practices.

The lawsuit alleges that the companies knew they were contributing to illegal arms trafficking, which has been linked to many deaths.

Officials say Mexico is seeking as much as US$10 billion in compensation, though any amount would be decided by the court.

The companies have not yet commented.

They include Smith & Wesson and Barrett Firearms, among others.

The BBC has contacted both companies for comment.

The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in the US state of Massachusetts.

It says the Mexican Government took the action “to put an end to the massive damage that the [companies] cause by actively facilitating the unlawful

Mexico’s Foreign Minister, Marcelo Ebrard

trafficking of their guns to drug cartels and other criminals in Mexico”.

The gun manufacturers “are conscious of the fact that their products are trafficked and used in illicit activities against the civilian population and authorities of Mexico”, the Foreign Ministry said in a document related to the lawsuit, according to reports.

Mexico said the companies had used “marketing

strategies to promote weapons that are ever more lethal, without mechanisms of security or traceability”.

The Mexican Government estimates that some 70 per centof weapons trafficked to the country come from the US, according to the Associated Press news agency. In 2019 alone, more than 17,000 murders in Mexico were linked to trafficked weapons. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Nicaraguan Police detain Opposition VP hopeful, party says

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olice in Nicaragua have detained a vice presidential hopeful seeking to contest the country’s November vote, her party said on Wednesday, as a crackdown by President Daniel Ortega’s Government on Opposition Leaders and presidential challengers continues.

More than two dozen figures have been arrested since early June in what rights groups and international observers have said is an attempt by Ortega to freeze out opponents as he seeks to secure a fourth consecutive term as President.

Berenice Quezada, who was Miss Nicaragua in

2017, was detained at her home late on Tuesday night and placed under house arrest, her Citizens Alliance for Liberty (CXL) party said.

“Quezada … is under house arrest without access to a telephone, with migratory restrictions and prohibited from running for public office,” the party, Nicaragua’s main Opposition alliance, tweeted on Wednesday.

“We demand that she be freed and Berenice Quezada’s human rights be respected.”

CXL announced last week that Quezada would seek the vice presidency on the ticket of the party’s pres-

idential challenger, Oscar Sobalvarro, a 68-year-old former right-wing fighter.

The Nicaraguan Attorney General’s office said in a statement that Quezada had committed acts that “incite hatred and violence”, and that she should be under house arrest.

Nicaragua’s Confidencial news outlet reported on Tuesday that a complaint of “terrorism crime” had been filed against Quezada on Tuesday to Nicaragua’s electoral council over her critical remarks about a lack of freedoms in the country. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Brazil’s top Justice orders Bolsonaro investigated for fraud claims

A

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice has ruled that President Jair Bolsonaro should be investigated for making unproven claims that Brazil’s electronic voting system is riddled with fraud, adding the far-right leader to an ongoing probe on the spread of fake news by his Government.

Wednesday’s ruling by Justice Alexandre de Moraes came after Bolsonaro stepped up his longtime attacks on Brazil’s voting system, claiming without evidence that it is marred by widespread fraud.

Bolsonaro, who is under increasing pressure amid the COVID-19 pandemic and has seen a recent

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro is under increasing pressure amid the COVID-19 pandemic and has seen a recent drop in popularity ahead of next year’s election [File: Eraldo Peres/AP Photo]

drop in popularity, has said there will be no presidential elections next year as planned if the system is not overhauled.

He has spearheaded a push to have paper receipts printed after electronic ballots are cast in

next year’s contest election, and thousands of his supporters rallied in cities across Brazil last weekend to support his demand.

But top Judges and other experts in the South American nation have rejected Bolsonaro’s claims, saying the electronic voting system introduced in Brazil in 1996 is free of fraud.

Critics have accused the far-right leader of seeking to sow doubt ahead of the elections in order to be able to dispute the results. Recent polls show Bolsonaro trailing former left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is expected to challenge him at the ballot box.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

he Director of the Pan American Health Organisation, (PAHO), Dr Carissa Etienne Wednesday said that 617,000 Indigenous people have been infected with coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Americas and urged countries to prioritise the hard-hit communities.

“It’s likely that many more have been infected, but we may not know it because they have struggled to get the COVID care they deserve,” she said during her weekly media briefing, adding that “nearly 15,000 (Indigenous people) have died from COVID complica-

tions since the start of the pandemic”.

PAHO said that the statistics are based on data from several countries and in advance of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on August 9, Dr Etienne noted that the pandemic has exacerbated inequalities in the Americas.

She said that most Indigenous peoples lack the financial and social safety nets to ensure they can continue to provide for their families and communities, even when they’re sick.

“Many of our Indigenous peoples live in remote and isolated areas where a clin-

ic or a doctor may be many kilometres or days away.

Even those who live in urban centres still face invisible barriers, like language, stigma, and poverty, that can keep health care out of reach,” the Dominican-born senior PAHO official said.

She said countries should engage Indigenous groups in the COVID-19 response and ensure that health workers are sensitive to the needs and languages of Indigenous communities, and “respect the tradition of ancestral medicine still practised by many of our Indigenous peoples”.

(Excerpt from CMC)

Colombia’s ex-armed group leaders apologise for war atrocities

T

wo of Colombia’s most prominent ex-rebel and paramilitary group leaders apologised to victims on Wednesday as part of a commission designed to unravel the complicated truths behind the country’s decades-long civil war.

While the testimonies were considered a crucial step as Colombia struggles to grapple with past bloodshed, they also left many of the more than nine million victims of the conflict with a sour taste in their mouths.

“This is a process of constantly grappling with our history,” said Sergio Guzman, Director of Bogota-based Colombia Risk Analysis. “And there’s no good guy or bad guy in Colombian history. There is what there is.”

Rodrigo Londono, known more commonly by his nom de guerre Timochenko, led the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a leftist rebel group that waged war with the Colombian Government for more than 50 years.

People listen the testimonies of former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel leader Rodrigo Londono and former paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso at the country’s Truth Commission in Bogota on August 4 [Nathalia Angarita/ Reuters]

Salvatore Mancuso, who also testified on Wednesday, was a top commander of the right-wing United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), a group formed to fight leftist rebel groups such as the FARC. Despite acting as foes in Colombia’s conflict, both groups committed some of the most atrocious acts of war, including kidnappings, sexual violence,

child recruitment, and the massacres of civilians.

The two leaders expressed remorse to victims on Wednesday while testifying before Colombia’s Truth Commission.

Mancuso spoke from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in the United States, where he is fighting deportation to Colombia. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Spain, Sweden donate COVID-19 vaccines to Latin America, Caribbean

T

he Governments of Spain and Sweden have begun donating COVID-19 vaccines to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

On April 21, the Spanish Government announced it would donate 7.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the region.

In a press release, its Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said it was part of the “unequivocal commitment of the Government of Spain to universal access to the vaccine so that

“no one gets left behind.”

In May, Sweden said it would donate three million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Latin America and the Caribbean.

In a press release, it said, “In this way Sweden contributes to more than our share of the EU’s target of donating at least 100 million doses to lowand middle income countries in 2021.”

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) online tracker says on July 30, Sweden donated 36,480 doses of

AstraZeneca to Nicaragua.

It also said Sweden will donate 153,600 doses of AstraZeneca to Bolivia on August 11.

Additionally, Spain will donate 253,440 doses of AstraZeneca to Paraguay and 201,600 to Guatemala on Thursday and 97,920 doses to Nicaragua on Friday.

Both Governments have partnered with PAHO, and the vaccines are being delivered through Covax.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil falls on US crude stock build, Delta variant spread

O

il prices fell for a third day in a row to a twoweek low on Wednesday on a surprise build in US crude stockpiles, negative US economic report and worries the spread of the coronavirus Delta variant will weigh on global energy demand.

Traders noted the oil price drop came despite reports of increased Mideast geopolitical tensions.

Brent futures fell US$2.03, or 2.8 per cent, to settle at US$70.38 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell US$2.41, or 3.4 per cent, to settle at US$68.15.

That was the lowest close for both benchmarks since July 20.

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said crude stockpiles rose by an unexpected 3.6 million barrels last week, while petrol inventories fell by a bigger-thanforecast 5.3 million barrels.

"Crude prices remained heavy after the EIA crude oil inventory showed stockpiles unexpectedly rose last week," said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at Oanda, noting "the report was mixed as petrol stockpiles fell more than expected."

With US petrol futures near their highest since October 2014, the petrol RBc1-CLc1 crack spread – a measure of refining profit margins – closed at to its highest since hitting a record in April 2020 when WTI settled in negative territory.

Coronavirus cases worldwide surpassed 200 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the more-infectious Delta variant threatens areas with low vaccination rates and strains healthcare systems.

The United States and China, the world's two biggest oil consumers, are grappling with rapidly spreading outbreaks of the highly contagious Delta variant that analysts anticipate will limit fuel demand at a time when it traditionally rises in both countries. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Global COVID-19 cases surpass 200 million as Delta variant spreads

C

oronavirus cases worldwide surpassed 200 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the more-infectious Delta variant threatens areas with low vaccination rates and strains healthcare systems.

The global surge in cases is highlighting the widening gap in inoculation rates between wealthy and poor nations. Cases are rising in about one-third of the world's countries, many of which have not even given half their population a first dose.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday called for a moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine boosters until at least 10 per cent of the population in every country was vaccinated.

"We need an urgent re-

Gravedigger wearing personal protective equipment rests after the burial of 64-year-old Yoyoh Sa'diah who passed away due to complications related to COVID-19 whilst isolating at her home in Bogor, West Java province, Indonesia, July 8, 2021

versal, from the majority of vaccines going to high-income countries, to the majority going to low-income countries," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

The Delta variant is upending all assumptions about

the virus and roiling economies, with disease experts scrambling to find whether the latest version of coronavirus is making people, especially unvaccinated individuals, sicker than before.

At least 2.6 per cent of the world's population has been

infected since the pandemic started, with the true figure likely higher due to limited testing in many places. If the number of infected people were a country, it would be eighth most populous in the world, behind Nigeria, according to a Reuters analysis.

It took over a year for COVID-19 cases to hit 100 million mark, while the next 100 million were reported in just over six months, according to the analysis. The pandemic has left close to 4.4 million people dead.

The countries reporting the most cases on a seven-day average – the United States, Brazil, Indonesia, India and Iran –- represent about 38 per cent of all global cases reported each day.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Lightning strike kills 17 wedding party guests in Bangladesh

A

t least 17 members of a wedding party have died in Bangladesh after being struck by lightning, officials said.

Fourteen other people, including the groom, were injured. The bride was not with the wedding party.

The party was disembarking from a boat at the riverside town of Shibganj, heading towards the bride's house, when they were caught in a thunderstorm.

Local people said several bolts of lightning hit the group.

Every year, hundreds of people across South Asia are killed by lightning.

In 2016, Bangladesh declared lightning strikes a natural disaster when more than 200 people died in the month of May alone, including 82 people on a single

day.

Experts say deforestation has played a part in the rising number of deadly lightning strikes due to the disappearance of many tall trees that before would have drawn lightning strikes.

(BBC News)

Research shows Israeli artillery shells millions more at Lebanon after rockets Power plant in Turkey evacuated as risk of flooding fired over border

wildfire closes in

A

power plant in Turkey’s southwestern Mugla province has been evacuated after a wildfire reached its edge.

A blaze reached the perimeter of the Kemerkoy Thermal Power Plant in Mugla’s Turkevleri district on Wednesday with efforts to douse the fire being hindered by strong winds in the region.

All personnel have been evacuated from the plant, while flammable and explosive materials have also been removed. Water tankers and fire trucks have been stationed at the plant in case the fire spreads further towards the main building.

An AFP news agency team saw firefighters, police cars in the area and locals fleeing the scene as powerful flames lapped at the edges of the power station near the Aegean town of Milas.

Local officials had earlier said that hydrogen tanks used to cool the station had been emptied and filled with water as a precaution.

The plant operates using coal and fuel oil, officials

told AFP. Images posted by Milas mayor Muhammet Tokat showed a furious blaze raging at the gates of the plant.

Translation: “Flames have entered the thermal power plant. The plant is currently being evacuated and sirens are being heard.”

The fire reached the plant in the second week of historic wildfires that have killed eight people and destroyed huge swaths of pristine forest across Turkey’s Aegean and Mediterranean coasts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was giving a live television interview when the plant’s evacuation began.

“The thermal power plant is facing the threat of burning down,” Erdogan said. “There has been a tremendous wind. Otherwise, it would have been easier to contain.”

Erdogan said that 51 helicopters and 20 planes are engaged in operations to douse forest fires in the country after 187 fires broke out in the last eight days. (Al Jazeera)

A

A man is rescued from recent floods in central China

new study shows that the percentage of the global population at risk from flooding has risen by almost a quarter since the year 2000.

Satellite images were used to document the rise, which is far greater than had been predicted by computer models.

The analysis shows that migration and a growing number of flood events are behind the rapid increase.

By 2030, millions more will experience increased flooding due to climate and demographic change, the authors say.

Flooding is the environmental disaster that impacts more people than any other, say researchers.

That view has echoed around the world in recent weeks, with huge inundations destroying lives and property.

In Germany and China, record downpours overwhelmed defences, amid arguments

about levels of preparation.

One of the challenges with flooding, according to researchers, is that most maps of where the waters will likely penetrate are based on models.

These simulate floods based on information such as elevation, rainfall and data from ground sensors.

But they have significant limitations: they fail to consider population or infrastructure changes and are unable to predict random events such as dam breaches.

So when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in 2017, around 80,000 homes were flooded that were not on Government risk maps.

In this new study, researchers looked at daily satellite imagery to estimate both the extent of flooding and the number of people exposed to over 900 large flood events between 2000 and 2018.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Israeli self-propelled artillery guns are positioned near the Lebanese border on the outskirts of the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shemona [File: Jalaa Marey/AFP]

T

he Israeli army says it has fired artillery shells into Lebanon after rocket fire was launched from Lebanon into Israel amid rising tensions in the region.

“Three rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory,” the army said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that one had fallen short of the border. “In response … artillery forces fired into Lebanese territory.”

Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported that one rocket exploded in an open area and another was intercepted by Israel’s defence system, known as the Iron Dome.

Witnesses in Lebanon also reported that several rockets were fired at Israel.

Israeli medics distributed images of a brush fire and said they treated four people suffering “stress symptoms”.

It was not immediately clear

whether Lebanon had any casualties.

Sirens warning of a rocket attack sounded in several Israeli communities, including the town of Kiryat Shmona, near the Lebanese border.

The Israeli military said it had imposed no restrictions on civilians in northern areas.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said he and Defence Minister Benny Gantz had been “briefed” on developments and were overseeing the response.

The exchange of fire comes days after Israel joined other states in accusing Iran of being behind an apparent drone attack on an Israeli-linked tanker off Oman, which killed two crew members, and hinted at possible retaliation.

Iran denied the allegation and warned it would “respond to any possible adventurism”.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Stay focused, disciplined and intent on reaching your goal. Reach out to experts to verify you are on the right path, and you will avoid wasting valuable time.

Take heed of any critiTAURUS cism that comes your way, (April 20- and consider what you can May 20) do to be and do your very best. Take physical action.

Pursue skills and information that will help you make the most of your day.

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU

Think before you act.

Make intelligent decisions that will help you get ahead.

Don’t let excess or trusting someone you shouldn’t be your downfall. Make discipline a priority.

Use your imagination to create something spectacular. You’ll gain peace of mind if you enjoy what you do. Look for a unique way to use your skills to help others, and happiness will be yours.

Don’t take on others’ responsibilities. Use intelligence when offering guidance and encouragement.

Fulfill a purpose that teaches both you and the recipient how to maintain equality.

How others perceive you will make a difference to the way you fit in socially.

Honesty and integrity will lead to acceptance and positive feedback. Romance will enhance your life.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

The fewer people you work alongside who know about your personal life, the better. Be a good listener, a confident contributor and a solutions person. Avoid impulsive purchases or actions.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

How you handle work responsibilities will determine if you excel. Take on only what you know you can manage, and do your very best. The opportunities will come your way. Romance is favored.

An argument will not be SAGITTARIUS worth the aggravation if you (Nov. 23are opinionated. Your charm Dec. 21) will get you what you want and encourage others to share valuable information to help you get ahead financially.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

Put your energy where it counts, and good results will follow. Be prepared to make a move if it will get you closer to the lifestyle you want to enjoy. An open conversation will encourage romance.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Do something creative.

How you spend your time will determine your state of mind. Stick to your prerogative, and you will achieve the satisfaction and happiness you desire.

PISCES

You’ll dazzle people with your insight and uniqueness. Spend time with someone who supports and inspires you to follow your heart. Romance will encourage a happy personal life.

(Feb. 20March 20)

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

A

21

Pacers dominate as England’s feeble batting folds for 183

dramatic collapse from England after tea, going from 1 3 8 for 4 to 183 all out, gave India t h e upper hand on the opening day of the Nottingham Test.

The hosts buckled under overcast skies with the floodlights on, against a superb display of swing and seam by the trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Shardul Thakur. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma, the two Indian openers, then sealed the honours as they survived close to an hour till stumps.

It was a day in which the signs of batting being tricky were there throughout. With a 10mm thick grass cover on the

pitch to start off, the Dukes ball moved around and gave the pacers enough assistance to keep running in, even as it got older.

What also gave India an extra wind was the wicket of Jonny Bairstow, taken right on the stroke of tea. Until then, England had looked at least on the uptick if not in control, riding on the back of the fourthwicket stand between Bairstow and captain Joe Root, which was worth 74.

But before the hosts could cement their progress, Shami produced a nip-backer that trapped Bairstow leg-before, unravelling his modified trigger movement, which had worked well to that point.

That wicket opened the floodgates for India.

Shami, having resumed the same over after the break, got rid of Daniel Lawrence

immediately, benefiting from a bungle down the leg-side. But his reward was well earned, being arguably India’s most impressive bowler, and having beaten the bat on a number of occasions without much luck.

Jos Buttler didn’t last long, falling prey to the pressure spawned by India’s discipline.

He had gone 17 balls opening his account, eventually wafting at a wide length ball from Bumrah that straightened a touch to catch the outside edge.

Soon enough, India would find themselves celebrating a huge scalp for more than one reason. Without Ben Stokes, and with a fragile batting order around him, a lot of the buildup to this series has been about Root. And he looked up for the challenge when he came out, batting fluently for a halfcentury.

However, he fell over looking

Tokyo 2020 Olympics…

De Grasse succeeds Bolt as McLaughlin breaks new ground

A

ndre De Grasse has succeeded Usain Bolt as the men’s 200 metres Olympic champion on a day Sydney McLaughlin broke new ground at Tokyo 2020.

Five years on from being tipped as the Jamaican legend’s heir apparent after claiming silver over the same distance at Rio 2016, De Grasse went one better to clinch a first Olympic gold of his career.

Elsewhere there was a Kenya one-two in the men’s 800m final, while Wojciech Nowicki celebrated success in the hammer.

Here’s a round-up of the action from the athletics on Wednesday.

De Grasse makes good on Rio promise After pushing Bolt all the way in the 200m at Rio 2016, big things were expected of De Grasse, but several injury woes in the intervening years stifled his progress a little.

But he has peaked at just the right time, and has ultimately lived up to the billing. World champion Noah Lyles was electric out of the blocks, yet it was De Grasse who was lightning quick driving out of the bend.

With a time of 19.62 seconds, De Grasse ultimately held off the charge of Kenny Bednarek, who took silver for the United States ahead of countryman Lyles.

At the finish line, there was a nice message from De Grasse, who told Lyles: “You push me man, you motivate me.”

Mclaughlin follows Warholm lead Just a day on from Karsten Warholm sensationally smashing the men’s 400m hurdles world record, McLaughlin followed suit in the women’s race.

Defending champion Dalilah Muhammad, who also ran under the previous WR time, was leading, but was overtaken by McLaughlin on the finish straight – the American clocking a hugely impressive 51.46s.

“I saw Dalilah ahead of me with one to go. I just thought ‘run your race’. The race doesn’t really start until hurdle seven,” she said.

In the women’s 3000m steeplechase, Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai claimed gold in a time of 9:01.45.

Courtney Frerichs had opened up a sizeable lead, but Chemutai was closing by the final lap, and passed her American rival on the back straight, safely negotiating the final obstacle and coasting over the line unchallenged, with Frerichs taking second.

Korir takes 800m glory, Nowicki’s lifetime best delivers gold It was a Kenya one-two in the men’s 800m, with Emmanuel Korir coming home in a time of 1:45.06 ahead of countryman Ferguson Rotich.

Peter Bol had taken on the pace, but Korir made his move around the final bend. Bol ended up outside of the medal places, with Poland’s Patryk Dobek third.

In t h e men’s hammer, Nowicki threw a whopping 82.52m to win the gold. He followed up with three more throws over 81m.

The Pole had won bronze at the past four global championships, and was third place at Rio 2016.

His compatriot Pawel Fajdek – a four-time world champion – finished third in his first Olympic final with an 81.53, with Norwegian Eivind Henriksen throwing a national record 81.58m to earn silver.

Elsewhere…

Grant Holloway, the overwhelming favourite in the men’s 110m hurdles, qualified fastest for the final in 13.13, while Sifan Hassan – aiming to complete a 1500, 5000 and 10,000m treble at Tokyo 2020 – qualified for the final of the former event, having already won 5000m gold.

Dutchwoman Anouk Vetter leads the women’s heptathlon through four events, although world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson had to withdraw after injuring her calf when running the 200m.

And in the men’s decathlon, Canada’s Damian Warner is in the gold-medal position after five. (Sportsmax)

to flick a full delivery and was plumb in front off the bowling of Thakur.

Thakur’s selection in the team was a matter of debate, especially with R Ashwin being left out, but, on the day, he did the job asked of him, keeping things tight and chipping in with a couple of wickets. This blow, getting rid of the England captain, was one that ensured the hosts wouldn’t be able to recover, even as Sam Curran gave a few flashes from the 2018 tour as he slogged a useful 27.

Earlier in the day, in search of an ideal combination that could accommodate a four-pronged pace attack, India left out one of their most experienced spinners in Ashwin, while handing a comeback opportunity to KL Rahul at the top of the order. Indian skipper Virat Kohli admitted at toss that he would have batted first as well, should he have called correctly.

However, his bowlers were right on the money too, with ample movement available.

Bumrah drew first blood, as he typically set up Burns with a barrage of outswingers and then sneaked in a quicker one coming back in that beat the inside edge to pin the lefthander in front of middle.

His new-ball partner Mohammad Shami also tested the second-wicket pair of Crawley and Dom Sibley with his swing. The duo managed to survive, but it wasn’t until Root and Bairstow got together that England had their best period with the bat.

Having made adjustments

to his stance, Bairstow adopted a pronounced trigger into the off-side, covering the stumps completely, while also being more open at the crease. India, on cue, tried targeting the stumps with full and straight deliveries, which allowed him to pick a couple of boundaries away through square leg. His false shot percentage, until his dismissal, was relatively lower to the rest of the batsmen.

However, while Bairstow showed positive signs, it was Root who stood out and looked a cut above his teammates, scoring fluently and bringing up his first fifty in 12 innings. He drove well, sometimes even on the up. His back foot play was

on point, and he started to assert himself as the afternoon wore on.

But before E n g l a n d could cement their progress, Shami produced a delivery that was fuller than a length and came in with the seam, trapping Bairstow in front of middle. India initially didn’t get the decision in their favour.

However, Kohli reviewed the call, and ball-tracking showed it to be crashing into the top of leg stump. It paved the way for what would be a memorable day for India. (Cricbuzz)

SCOREBOARD ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS Rory Burns lbw b Bumrah 0 Dom Sibley c Rahul b Mohammed Shami 18 Zak Crawley c †Pant b Mohammed Siraj 27 Joe Root (c) lbw b Thakur 64 Jonny Bairstow lbw b Mohammed Shami 29 Dan Lawrence c †Pant b Mohammed Shami 0 Jos Buttler † c †Pant b Bumrah 0 Sam Curran not out 27 Ollie Robinson c Mohammed Shami b Thakur 0 Stuart Broad lbw b Bumrah 4 James Anderson b Bumrah 1 Extras (b 1, lb 8, nb 4) 13 TOTAL (65.4 Ov, RR: 2.78) 183 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Rory Burns, 0.5 ov), 2-42 (Zak Crawley, 20.6 ov), 3-66 (Dom Sibley, 27.3 ov), 4-138 (Jonny Bairstow, 50.2 ov), 5-138 (Dan Lawrence, 50.6 ov), 6-145 (Jos Buttler, 55.5 ov), 7-155 (Joe Root, 58.1 ov), 8-155 (Ollie Robinson, 58.4 ov), 9-160

(Stuart Broad, 59.6 ov), 10-183 (James Anderson, 65.4 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Jasprit Bumrah 20.4-4-46-4 Mohammed Shami 17-2-28-3 Mohammed Siraj 12-2-48-1 Shardul Thakur 13-3-41-2 Ravindra Jadeja 3-0-11-0 INDIA 1ST INNINGS Rohit Sharma not out 9 KL Rahul not out 9 Extras (b 1, lb 1, nb 1) 3 TOTAL (13 Ov, RR: 1.61) 21 Yet to bat: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant †, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj BOWLING James Anderson Stuart Broad Ollie Robinson Sam Curran

O-M-R-W 3-1-9-0 5-1-9-0 4-3-1-0 1-1-0-0

Tokyo 2020 Olympics…

Yosozumi and 12-year-old Hiraki win gold and silver

H

osts Japan have claimed a gold and silver in the women’s park skateboarding final at the Tokyo Games, as Sakura Yosozumi and 12-year-old Kokona Hiraki finished first and second respectively.

Yosozumi, 19, won gold with a score of 60.09 in Wednesday’s thrilling event.

With Great Britain’s 13-year-old Sky Brown clinching bronze, the podium’s combined age was just 44.

Hiraki’s silver ensured she became the youngest Olympic medallist since French rower Noel Vandernotte in 1936.

Yosozumi, the reigning World Championships silver medallist, claimed Japan’s 20th gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics with a flowing opening run in the final, which

proved enough for victory.

Hiraki, who wore a white boiler suit during the event, finished with a score of 58.05. She is Japan’s youngest summer Olympian, surpassing swimmer Yukari Takemoto, who was 13 years and 174 days old when she competed at the 1968 Mexico Olympics.

Brown, born to a Japanese mother and a British father, scored 47.53.

There was heartbreak for Japan’s Misugu Okamoto, the favourite, who missed a medal when she fell on all three runs in the final to finish fourth.

Japan have secured five of the nine medals so far, as skateboarding makes its Olympic debut. Skateboarding is one of four debut sports intended to reach new audiences and in an ultrayoung field. (BBC Sport)

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

FIDE Youth and Cadet World Cup…

Mohabir, Swaminadha pick up wins on penultimate day

I

t was another productive day for Guyana’s Under-10 Open players in the International Chess Federation’s (FIDE’s) Youth and Cadet World Cup on day 4, as they closed with two more points added to Guyana’s tally.

In Round 8, Julian Mohabir and Aquilani Swaminadha again scored for Guyana by defeating two opponents from the Republic of South Africa.

Youlin Chen opened with white against Julian Mohabir, who responded with a Classical Petrov’s defense, until a blunder on move 19 by Chen resulting in him losing a single pawn, and it swung the game in Julian’s favour.

Julian responded immediately to capitalise on this newfound

advantage by exchanging pieces to enter the endgame, and he dominated the encounter until a small blunder caused him to lose a little ground. The game progressed until move 47, when Chen made a fatal miscalculation which led to Julian promoting one of his passed pawns to a queen.

Youlin Chen must be commended for not giving up despite impossible odds, however, he was still checkmated handily by Julian Mohabir with a Queen-and-Rook combination.

Aquilani Swaminadha, who has been outstanding in the tournament thus far, opposed Samuel Driscoll, also from South Africa, in 59-move slogging match.

Driscoll opened with the standard e4 pawn, to which Aquilani responded with his CaroKann defense. Both players stuck to opening theory at first until move 6, when Driscol made the first error, which allowed Aquilani to set up an attack on the white King. This, in turn, resulted in his winning a rook and a pawn.

Like his teammate, Aquilani proceeded to exchange pieces to establish an overwhelming advantage with a Knight and two pawns in the endgame. With skill and patience, the Guyanese player outmanoeuvred his opponent to promote one of his pawns to a queen on move 56.

Three moves later, it was all over, with the spoils going to Aquilani

West Indies Under-19 Head Coach shoots down upset GCB

By Brandon Corlette

T

he Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) on Tuesday afternoon issued a release expressing disappointment at Cricket West Indies (CWI) for selecting only four Guyanese in the West Indies Under-19 training camp.

Appearing on Tuesday’s Mason and Guest programme, Head Coach Floyd Reifer shot down the GCB, noting that the GCB had the opportunity like every other territory to put forward their best players.

“The GCB had the opportunity,

West Indies U-19 Head Coach Floyd Reifer

trial matches with livestream feeds and commentary within the region. Though these matches were affected by rain, the players and the GCB’s commitment

The four Guyanese selected for the WI Under-19 camp are Matthew Nandu, Isai Thorne, Rampertab Ramnauth and Mavindra Dindyal

like everyone else, when we were looking at the players in the initial stage, they put forward their best players to us. It is unfortunate that they did not get in the games like Barbados and Trinidad did, so we can see the other players; but, like I said, I think we chose the best possible 56 guys to work with at this moment, with no youth cricket played this year,” Reifer explained.

The four Guyanese selected for the WI Under-19 camp are Matthew Nandu, Isai Thorne, Rampertab Ramnauth and Mavindra Dindyal. The squad to tour England will be cut to 18 after the 56 players play the mini Best v Best matches in Antigua.

Four teams will be competing in that series.

Below is the GCB statement: The GCB once again notes with extreme concern the shoddy treatment of Guyanese cricketers

by CWI. The GCB has been reliably informed that only four (4) Guyanese are in the training squad of fifty -six (56) cricketers to prepare for selection to the regional team to participate in the Under-19 World Cup Tournament.

This is despite GCB’s considerable investment in playing

cannot be overstated. This ICC tournament is scheduled to be played in the West Indies in January and February 2022, and already interest is high for what is expected to be a showpiece for international youth cricket.

Just a few weeks ago, the GCB was obliged to take issue with CWI over the omission of Veerasammy Permaul, Shimron Hetymer and Romario Shepherd from the Senior Regional Team for the series against South Africa.

The GCB remains firm in its position that Guyana has a number of very talented under-19 cricketers, who must be recognised by the Regional Selectors and whose names would once again be forwarded to CWI with a request for them to be added to the squad.

The GCB will continue to diligently monitor the selection processes of CWI, to ensure there is a level playing field across the region. In this regard, the GCB will continue to engage CWI in order to obtain a copy of the “CWI Selection Criteria Policy”. A request had already been made to CWI. President of the GCB, Mr. Bissoondyal Singh, on August 02

GCB President Bissoondyal Singh

2021 intervened by discussing with CWI President Ricky Skerritt the selection issue in general and the continuing omission of Guyanese players in particular.

On August 3, 2021, President Singh also had a discussion with CWI Vice-President Dr. Kishore Shallow on the very matters.

President Singh was given the assurance that CWI will address the concerns of the GCB and update him accordingly.

The GCB remains committed to Guyana and West Indies cricket, and is prepared to represent the best interests of both.

Below are the number of players selected from different territories Barbados: Rivaldo Clarke, Hakeem Perryman, Tariq O’Neale, Johann Layne, Shaqkere Parris, Nimar Bolden, Giovonte DePeiza, Kwame Patton, Kamario Grant, Achilles Brown, Romario Brathwaite Guyana: Matthew Nandu, Mavindra Dindyal, Isai Thorne, Rampertab Ramnauth Jamaica: Brandon English, Steven Wedderburn, Jordan Johnson, Justin Beckford, Andel Gordon, Nicholas Lewin, Oneil Roberts, Javid Simpson, Tamari Redwood, Gavasta Edmond Leeward Islands: Jaden Carmichael, Akadianto Willett, Anderson Amurdan, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, Onaje Amory, Kelvin Pittman, Nathan Edward Trinidad and Tobago: Shiva Sankar, Matthew Gittens, Sion Hackett, Anderson Mahase, Isaiah Gomez, Vasant Singh, Aaron Bankay, Kyle Roopchand, Jeremiah Cruickshank, Nick Ramlal, Tariq Mohammed, Justin Jaggessar, Amrit Dass, Chaydon Raymond, Rajiv Ramnath, Kyle Kissoondath Windward Islands: Divonie Joseph, Udell Preville, Tyran Theodore, Ackeem Auguste, Teddy Bishop, McKenny Clarke, Tiron Charles, Keygan Arnold.

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Jacob McDonald and Nicholas Zang unfortunately weren’t as lucky as their U10 teammates.

McDonald drew Grayson Po`eTofaeono from New Zealand with a rating of 1411, who ranked number 44 in the tournament.

Jacob defended as best he could, using the Scandinavian Defense until an inaccuracy on move 10 was enough for the Kiwi to take the initiative for the rest of the game.

Meanwhile, Zhang opened with his Italian Game against

South African Johan Eapen for a hectic game, with the advantage swinging from black to white for the first 40 moves, when a small mistake from Nicholas was enough to secure victory for the South African on move 60.

Today’s games will be the last two for the Guyana Under-10 contingent. Thus far, the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) is said to be very impressed with the country’s youngest players, who, at the end of eight rounds, have amassed a total of 10 points.

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Permaul picks up five, Brathwaite carries bat in unbeaten 77 223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

Kraigg Brathwaite

Veerasammy Permaul

S

easoned left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul bagged five wickets on Tuesday, on the opening day of the Best v Best match in Jamaica, as the West Indies prepare for the upcoming Test matches against Pakistan, starting on August 12.

Permaul, from Albion, claimed 5-38 from 17 overs, including three maidens.

Windies Team two posted 173 all out in 71 overs, with Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite scoring an unbeaten 77, carrying his bat throughout, and Test all-rounder Roston Chase scoring a solid 41 before he was removed by the Guyanese Nial Smith.

In addition to Permaul’s

five-wicket haul, Nicholson Gordan had 3-20 and Smith claimed 2-32.

In reply, Windies Team One went to stumps on 29-1, with Shai Hope being dismissed for five, caught at the wicket off Kemar Roach. Sheyene Moseley and Nkrumah Bonner resumed day two on Wednesday morning. This match is set to be concluded on Friday, August 6.

Up to press time on Wednesday, only the first day scores were available of the four-day Best v Best match. Cricket West Indies is yet to make an official announcement of the players preparing in Jamaica for the Pakistan Test series.

2237230-1

(Ext 55)

NOW!

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

From training in the blue lakes to competing in Tokyo…

Aleka Persaud elated with Olympic achievements A

By Jemima Holmes

leka Persaud has just returned from her record-breaking stint at the Tokyo Olympic Games, rewriting Guyana’s 50M women’s freestyle record.

At just 15 years old, Aleka Persaud is Guyana’s youngest ever Olympian.

While she now basks in the glitz and glamour of her achievement, there are some interesting details as to how she got to the Games.

For one, the 15-year-old travelled to Linden’s blue lakes twice a week during the pandemic in order to access a body of water for training.

“All through that, I remembered that my dream was to make it to the Olympics,” she said.

“During the pandemic, my parents were forced to take me to the blue lakes at Coomacka Mines and Amelia’s Ward. My father Ivan Persaud and Coach Sean Baksh were constantly on the lookout for vacant

pools,” the teen disclosed.

She added, “Once I got to train, thanks to Mr Phil Sarju and Ms Nadira Jaikarran, because of the lack of pool time, I had to increase my physical training time by doing kat-su at home and dry land training with my coach Sean Baksh,” With those sacrifices now behind her, the young woman told a media gathering yesterday that she is elated about her 27.76s swim in Tokyo, that has booked her a spot in the Junior Pan American Games.

“I was really happy to do a personal best of 27.76s.

Although I didn’t reach the semi-finals, I was pleased with my performance, because that time made me qualify for the Junior Pan American Games in November this year.”

Aleka went on to share about her hopes to clock better times during the leadup to the Tokyo Games, and her focus on bettering the record later this year.

“I was very excited to

Aleka Persaud and Coach Sean Baksh

compete in the 50-metre freestyle. I went to two swimming competitions earlier this year, in Puerto Rico and in Bahamas. I didn’t get the time, I was improving, but by a couple of hundredths of a second.

And at the Olympics, I finally achieved my time that I wanted,” the swimmer related.

Abrams finishes 7th in 400M semifinal

About her expectations for the Pan American Games, the teenager said, “I’m looking to try my best to improve my time in the events that I would be participating in.”

Also present at the engagement was Aleka’s longtime coach Sean Baksh.

Baksh, while sharing his expectations for the Pan

– urges fans to continue supporting the Warriors

W

G

uyana’s run in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics came to an end early on Wednesday morning when Aliyah Abrams competed in the Women’s 400M semifinal.

Abrams, a second time Olympian, had her heart set on making it to the final, but still did one better than her Rio 2016 outing, as she qualified for the event’s semifinal on Monday evening.

In the semis, Abrams

was lined up with reigning Olympic Champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Great Britain’s Jodie Williams, Jamaica’s Roneisha McGreggor, Spain’s Aauri Bokesa, USA’s Wadeline Jonathas, Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver and Poala Moran of Mexico for the second of 3 semifinals.

Abrams fell a hundredth of a second below her season’s best time, clocking 51.46s in the semifinal, which un-

fortunately was not good enough to advance to Friday’s final. She placed 7th in the heat.

Miller-Uibo, winning in 49.60s has moved on to the final to defend her title, with Great Britain’s Williams being the next qualifier out of the group with a 49.97s finish.

All seven of Guyana’s athletes at the Tokyo Games have already completed their stints with several impressive performances.

It’s very costly, but it is something that has to be done for the development not only for Aleka, but our athletes in general. If we don’t do these things, then we will not progress to the higher levels we see the Jamaicans, the Bahamians and everybody else doing.

We have the talent, it’s there, we just need to put some effort behind it so that it can bear fruit down the road,” Baksh mused.

“But we do have a development plan for Aleka.

We are working assiduously to ensure that that bears fruit.”

Aleka went into the pool in Tokyo on Friday last in Heat 2 of the 50M freestyle event. she finished second only to Papua new Guinea’s Judith Meauri. However, both their times were not sufficient to advance to the next round.

On the other hand, the teenager will focus on the Pan-Am Games scheduled for November 25 to December 5 this year.

Motie aiming to make a name for himself representing the GAW

By Timothy Jaikarran

Aliyah Abrams at the starting line of the 400M semifinal

Am Games, revealed that he is working on a plan for the swimmer’s future.

On his hopes for Aleka’s Junior Pan American Games outing, Baksh shared, “My expectation is that Aleka will swim much faster at Junior Pan-Am. We’re planning to add two more events to what she will do at Junior Pan-Am. We will add 100 free and 100 fly, and we are going to try to break the records for those two events also.

“She’s very close to the 100 free at the moment, just a couple of hundreds off and about two seconds off in the 100 fly of her own record, that is; and we’re going to push hard for that,” he said.

“We have a plan in place.

We’ve already proceeded documenting our plan for Aleka for the next 3 years.

One of those things on the plan would be a high-level training camp outside of Guyana,” the coach revealed.

“We are currently preparing the budget for that.

h e n the Guyana Amazon Warriors team was announced, it emerged that Guyana’s very own Gudakesh Motie was selected, after having stellar performances in the Super50 Cup 2020/21.

Motie will now gear up for the Warriors in the 2021 edition of the Hero CPL, and will certainly be looking to make a name for himself.

In an exclusive interview with this publication, he was asked how he felt at being selected by the Warriors franchise. Motie responded, “It’s a great feeling to be selected with Guyana Amazon Warriors. It’s an opportunity I always looked forward to.

“Playing in the USA has given me opportunity to play T20 tournaments, which helped with my preparation and confidence leading up to CPL.I am looking to maximise on every opportunity

I get to perform at my best, and make a name for myself. I just want to encourage the Amazon Warriors’ fans to continue supporting GAW and, hopefully, we can take it one step further this year.”

In the recently concluded Super50 Cup 2020/21, Motie bagged a total of 17 wickets from the 7 matches he played at an economy rate of 4.56.

He also h a d im-

pressive bowling figures of 4/45 and a bowling average of 16.64.

The slow left-arm orthodox bowler has played a total of 29 First Class matches and bagged 100 wickets with an economy rate of 2.49, while in his List A career he has played 18 matches, taking 27 wickets with an economy rate of 4.20.

He has also played the LA Open T20 tournament, where he came in at fourth in the entire tournament with 11 wickets at an average of 14.09 at an economy rate of 5.96.

He has also proved his worth with both bat and ball in the ongoing Caribbean Fest 40 Overs Tournament 2021 Season being played in the USA, representing the Galaxy CC. Currently, after 6 games with the bat, he has scored a total of 206 runs at an average of 51.50 with a strike rate of 151.47 and a high score of 108. With the ball, he has bagged 15 wickets with an economy rate of 3.99 and an average of 8.89, with best bowling figures of 4-22.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

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

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Pg 23

From training in the blue lakes to competing in Tokyo…

Motie aiming to make a name for himself representing the GAW

– urges fans to continue supporting the Warriors Pg 23

FIDE Youth and Cadet World Cup…

Mohabir, Swaminadha pick up wins on penultimate day

Abrams finishes 7th in 400M semifinal GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - marketing@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.

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